NCJ Number
129911
Journal
The Physician and Sports Medicine Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1989) Pages: 176,178-180,185
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
While some experts believe that the use of anabolic steroids in bodybuilding can result in severe adverse psychiatric effects, including excessive use of violence, the evidence is thus far inconclusive.
Abstract
In one study, 13 of 41 subjects who had used steroids exhibited manic symptoms; of the 13, at least 5 had experienced psychotic episodes including delusions and hallucinations. Critics of this, and other studies, on users of steroids suggest that aggressiveness and other psychological problems may be more common among bodybuilders than among the general population. Future studies, using careful case-control comparisons may answer some of these outstanding questions. This type of finding suggests that the number of criminal cases involving steroids may rapidly increase. In several cases involving violence committed by persons on steroids, lawyers for the defense have attempted to enter pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity; to date, this defense has not been accepted by juries. The potential success of the insanity plea depends on various jurisdictional tests. 4 references