Australians who use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are turning to online forums for advice on how to safely discontinue steroid-use, rather than seeking expert clinical support.
New Griffith University research has delved into the practice of ‘post-cycle therapy’ (PCT), a controversial process aimed at restoring the body’s natural hormone balance after stopping steroid use.
Lead author Dr Tim Piatkowski from Griffith’s School of Applied Psychology, along with a team of researchers, analysed more than 5,000 posts across online steroid forums.
“While many consumers use PCT as an important tool for managing withdrawal symptoms, protecting sexual health, and maintaining muscle gains, the advice being shared is inconsistent and often conflicting,” Dr Piatkowski said.
“People are seeking support, but instead of turning to health services where stigma and a lack of expertise are barriers, they are relying on their peers in online forums for guidance.
“Most often the advice reflects subjective perspectives of people with lived experience of AAS-use with some people appearing to be more focused on short-term health improvements rather than long-term health promotion or longevity.
“This makes them vulnerable to misinformation and unnecessary health risks.”
The research also discovered significant barriers to safe steroid discontinuation including stigma, regulatory restrictions, and strong anti-PCT voices within online forums.
“The data underscores the urgent need for evidence-based, non-stigmatising clinical support for steroid consumers in Australia,” Dr Pitakowski said.
“It also highlights a gap in clinical knowledge with some health professionals often unprepared to guide patients through safe cessation, leaving forms to fill the void.
“We desperately need to close the gap so AAS-users have access to evidence-based support.”
The paper ‘Looking for the best way to come off steroids safely? Exploring post-cycle therapy, cessation, and recovery discourse and practice in Australian steroid consumer forums’ has been published in Drug and Alcohol Review.
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