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Steroid use quadruples in UK as body-conscious men seek the ‘Love Island look’

An extra 19,000 youths took the drug in the past year

STEROID use in the UK has increased by a staggering 400 per cent in the last year, official figures show.

Reality shows like Love Island have sparked a massive surge in steroid use by young men wanting to look like the muscle-bound stars, a prof has said.
Steroid use has quadrupled over the past year
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Steroid use has quadrupled over the past yearCredit: Alamy
In total, 19,000 extra 16 to 24-year-olds started using the outlawed bodybuilding drug in the past year – a fourfold increase.

The Home Office's Crime Survey revealed that the majority of drugs have declined in usage, but anabolic steriod use increased the most from 0.1 per cent to 0.4 per cent.

Addiction lecturer Ian Hamilton of York University said the startling rise was down to shows like Love Island.
He claims body obsessed men with impressive physiques appearing on TV and across social media have changed the conception of masculinity.
Professor Hamilton told the : “In some ways young men have been catching up with young women over the last few years.
“They are more sensitive and vigilant about how they should look and this is becoming more acute.
It is thought the increase is because men want the 'Love Island look'
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It is thought the increase is because men want the 'Love Island look'
“It is to do with appearance and masculinity, and the messages we absorb through social media.”

He added that drugs are becoming much easier to access, as you can get them online or from other European countries.

He also said that the increased usage of steroids was “very worrying" a large number of users go on to inject them, rather than just taking them orally.

 

The most commonly used drug remains cannabis, with 6.6 per cent of respondents between 16 and 59 having taken it in the past year. Cocaine was second with 12.3 per cent.

The findings mean that one in 12 adults have taken an illicit substance in the past year - around 2.8 million.

However, the figure has fallen in the last decade when it was one in ten.

 

The use of legal high has fallen
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The use of legal high has fallenCredit: Alamy

 

The use of so called legal highs has also fallen after laws were introduced last year criminalising their production, distribution, sale and supply.

The Crime Survey is a household survey in England and Wales, so figures do not include those who are homeless, in prison or living in student accommodation.


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