Anabolic Steroids and the Pediatric Community

Abstract

This past winter was remarkable for many events including a devastating tsunami in southeast Asia, the re-election of the President of the United States, and increasing worries about the avian flu. The winter also saw the elevation of the national consciousness on the issue of anabolic steroids, resulting mostly from a weak testing policy implemented by Major League Baseball and, more recently, the release of Juiced , a book by Jose Canseco that details his steroid use and the widespread use of anabolic steroids in baseball. Anabolic steroids, derivatives of testosterone used to enhance anabolic, muscle-building properties, have important medical uses. For patients with severe osteoporosis, AIDS wasting syndrome, and occasionally other chronic medical disease states including hypogonadism, anabolic steroids … Address correspondence to Jordan D. Metzl, MD, FAAP, Sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021. E-mail: metzlj{at}hss.edu