A new study of more than 1,500 boys and men in Canada and the United States suggests that social media may play a meaningful role in shaping intentions to use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), particularly when users are exposed to muscularity-focused content and engage in body comparisons online.
The study, based on data from The Study of Boys and Men (N = 1,515), examined how different forms of screen time and social media engagement were associated with intentions to use AAS among participants who had never used it before. While participants reported spending an average of about two hours per day on social media, similar to the time spent watching videos or browsing the web, it was social media use that stood out in the findings.
More time spent on social media was significantly associated…