Steroid discussions gaining popularity on social media; El Paso doctor warns of dangers

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)– Discussions surrounding steroid use have grown in popularity on several social media platforms like Youtube and TikTok. On the internet platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘Natty or not' has nearly 400 million views.

With this hashtag, most videos include fitness creators asking people in the gym if they are natural or not, indicating if they are on steroids.

Although anabolic steroids are illegal without a valid prescription, some do admit to taking the substance.

The often taboo topic is gaining popularity amongst app users.

It raises the question of whether the exposure is normalizing a substance that can bring serious health problems or reducing the stigma surrounding steroid use.

According to the National Library of Medicine, Approximately 3 to 4 million Americans used anabolic-androgenic steroids to increase muscle mass, whether for sports to increase their performance or for cosmetic purposes, such as enhancing their appearance.

Common names for anabolic steroids are "roids," "juice," "andro," "gear," and "stackers,” according to the article.

ABC-7 spoke to Noah Ruelas, Personal Trainer for Topview Fitness, who has been in the fitness industry for five years.

Ruelas said the industry has seen an increase since the pandemic, but with social media now playing a role, he said he has mixed emotions about it.

“I think it's a good and a bad thing in a lot of respects. It's a good thing because fitness is spreading, people are trying to improve their health.” “With that contribution from social media as fitness grows there's a lot of misinformation out there, too,” said Ruelas.

He said influencers using steroids on social media have also set unhealthy body standards, sometimes unattainable for the average person to achieve naturally, which can essentially turn some people away from fitness.

In the fitness space he said it is not uncommon to hear of people inquiring about the drug.

“For whatever reason, I think it's a quick way out for a lot of people,” said Ruelas. “I think there should be a little more information there in terms of what am I doing exactly and what is this going to do for me long term.”

Evan D. Corning, M.D. Orthopaedics Sports Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, tells ABC-7 that although some steroids are legal when prescribed and monitored by a doctor, illicit drug use can cause long-term effects on the body and mind.

“..It increases your risk for stroke, or heart attack, it can cause you to have high blood pressure,” said Corning.

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, most illicit steroids are smuggled into the U.S. from abroad.

In the Borderland, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson tells ABC-7 officers working at the ports of entry occasionally intercept steroids.

Here are the number of seizures we had for the El Paso Field Office area of operations for the last few fiscal years:

FY2020 - 24
FY2021 - 49
FY2022 - 19
FY2023 - 8 (10/01/22-01/31/2023)

The field office includes all the ports in El Paso, West Texas and New Mexico. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30.

Corning warns about getting steroids from south of the border.

“You don’t know what you’re getting if you get it from somewhere illegal, there's all sorts of issues that can be associated with that,” he said.

Corning said there are ways to get in shape without using anabolic steroids, like diet, exercise, healthy lifestyle, and sleep.

“All these things you can do to better yourself without having to put yourself at risk by taking something illicit, " he said.