It is devastating for anyone to find out that someone they cared about is hooked on an illegal substance such as anabolic steroids – but it is perhaps most devastating for a parent to find that out about their teenaged kids. One of the things that parents can do to ensure that their kids are not using steroids – or to catch them if they are and do something about it – is to have them undergo testing. Asking them to do that, however, is not going to be easy.

There are advantages and disadvantages associated with steroid testing your teens, and here are some of those points, as shared by Lena Butler.

Advantages. Having your teens undergo testing can potentially save lives, if your teens are indeed taking steroids. If they are not, then knowing the results of the test will give parents the peace of mind that they need, realizing that their children are not in any kind of danger. This is especially true for teen athletes, the kind of student that would usually be vulnerable to the temptation of steroid abuse. As parents, you can take care of your children as well as their athletic careers by ensuring that they do not experiment with steroids.

Disadvantages. Before parents ask their teens to undergo testing, they have to be prepared for backlash. If the idea of steroid testing and why it has to be done is not received well by the teenager, he or she may feel that he or she is not being trusted. Your teen may take a certain attitude with you, and consider it as an invasion of their privacy.