How social media is driving teens toward steroids and extreme body transformations
CBS News • • health
Key Points:
- A rising number of teenage boys are using anabolic steroids, including trenbolone—a powerful drug intended for livestock and never approved for human use—to achieve rapid muscle growth and document their transformations on social media.
- Trenbolone is illegal without a prescription and poses serious health risks, including damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys; experts warn it may have even more severe side effects than other steroids.
- Social media platforms like TikTok have amplified the trend, with steroid-related content garnering hundreds of millions of views, increasing pressure on young people to attain muscular physiques quickly.
- Families and health professionals highlight the dangers of steroid use among teens, noting that warning signs can be subtle and that social media has made access to these drugs easier than ever.
- Despite awareness of the risks, some teens, like 16-year-old Zaid Laila, continue using steroids, prioritizing rapid physical transformation over long-term health concerns.
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