European Kids Using Banned Sports-Doping Drugs

TUESDAY, June 19, 2007 (HealthDay News) -- More than one percent of 11-year-old French athletes admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, a European study finds.

The researchers surveyed more than 3,500 youngsters in eastern France about their use of drugs banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard.

The study also found that the rate of use increased from 1.2 percent to 3 percent by the time the youngsters reached age 15. Youngsters also used performance-enhancing drugs more regularly at age 15 -- 62 percent of users said they used them at least every week, and 24 percent said they used them daily, compared with 62 percent who used them less than once per month at age 11.

Among the children in the study, 44 percent credited their use of performance-enhancing drugs for at least one sporting event victory.

Salbutamol was the most commonly-used drug (45 percent of users). Other drugs used to boost athletic prowess were corticosteroids (10 percent), cannabis (6 percent), and other stimulants and anabolic agents (38 percent).

Boys were more likely than girls to take performance-enhancing drugs. Their use was also associated with longer hours of training, low self esteem, and anxiety symptoms. About 4 percent of users experienced health problems, such as incidents of violent behavior, voice changes, and loss of consciousness.

The study was published online June 19 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

"Young athletes who are tempted to use doping agents are more likely to be boys, invest much more time in training, are ready users of psychoactive substances, and, importantly, they appear to be in some distress," the researchers said. "Furthermore, at least six months previously, they have said that they had been tempted to try a prohibited drug. Adults responsible for young people should be alerted by these signs."

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