Athletes doped up even at age 11?

According to research from France, a substantial number of pre-teen boys are doping themselves to boost their athletic performance.

In the study, 1.2% of eleven-year-olds admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Three years later the proportion of users in the same group was up to 3%.

The most common substance used was the asthma treatment salbutamol, followed by corticosteroids, cannabis and stimulants and anabolic drugs. Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) of the eleven-year olds who reported using doping agents said they used them daily.

'This result shows that doping does exist among very young athletes, whatever their level of sports participation, including leisure,' Dr Patrick Laure and Dr C. Binsinger of the Direction regionale de la Jeunesse et des Sports de Lorraine in Saint-Max concluded in the June issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

'From a prevention point of view, this population of dedicated preadolescent athletes should be monitored. This will probably not be easy, as most users think that they won at least one competition as a result of their use of a prohibited substance!'

What is going on in this country?

Are or do you know anyone who is buying steroids and other performance enhancing drugs? why do they do it? how do they do it? Are coaches encouraging young athletes to takes these drusg?

Malehealth is looking at our online drug buying habits — for more information click here. Let us know your views.