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The following is a summary of “Injury and Poisoning Profile in Anabolic Steroid Users,” published in the March 2025 issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine by Windfeld-Mathiasen et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the 1-year risk of injuries and poisonings among individuals using anabolic androgenic steroids compared to controls from the general population.  

They analyzed data from 1,189 individuals using anabolic androgenic steroid identified through a national antidoping program in Denmark and matched them with 59,450 controls. Participants were monitored for 1 year, with hospital contact records, educational length, and occupational status obtained from nationwide registries. The primary outcomes included injury and poisoning incidence, while secondary outcomes distinguished between fracture and nonfracture injuries, medicinal and nonmedicinal poisonings, and specific causes of injury-related hospital visits.  

The results showed that users of anabolic androgenic steroid had a higher incidence of injuries and poisonings compared to controls. The risk difference for any injury was 7.8% (95% CI 5.5 to 10.2), with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.46 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.66). Fracture risk was more than doubled (aHR 2.23, 95% CI 1.72 to 2.89), with head injuries being common. The risk difference for poisoning was 1.2% (95% CI 0.5 to 1.9), with an aHR of 2.98 (95% CI 1.82 to 4.90) and the medicinal poisoning was most frequent, with an aHR of 3.53 (95% CI 1.94 to 6.41).  

Investigators concluded that anabolic androgenic steroid use significantly increased the risk of both injuries and poisonings, indicating a substantial external harm risk. 

Source: annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(25)00062-9/fulltext