Middle-aged men are increasingly taking potentially dangerous anabolic steroids in a bid to remain youthful, according to a report by The Guardian newspaper. Experts told the newspaper that men were taking the drugs in a similar way to menopausal women receive hormone replacement therapy. While use of the drugs can help combat weight gain and a lower libido, associated with ageing, misuse can result in moderate to severe side effects. Joseph Kean, a visiting research fellow at Liverpool John Moores University said between 15,000 and 30,000 men over 40 in the UK were taking the drug in response to growing pressure on younger men to look good, which was filtering through to them. Sid Wiffen, a team leader at Sheffield-based service for users of steroids and other image-enhancing drugs The Juice Clinic, also told the newspaper: “Steroid use in older men is often about the youthful effects and about body image and energy levels. “I hear talk of men feeling more pressure now to look good, so they are more likely to go to the gym and dress well.” The news comes amid growing concern over the impact of social media on young people and an increased pressure on the physical appearance of young men and women. The issue was highlighted by Australian blogger Essena O’Neill in 2015 after she quit Instagram claiming her perfectly posed shots were portraying a false reality. O’Neill hit out at the “contrived” posts she herself had been responsible for, and commented: “I’ve spent the majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance.” In addition to the celebrity culture of the “Instagram selfie”, popularised by the likes of the Kardashians, users are now bombarded with imagery of bloggers extolling the virtues of exerciseand “clean eating”. Social media users are therefore exposed to increasing pressure to attain the body beautiful, as well. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/middle-aged-men-warned-against-increasing-steroid-use-combat-ageing-1614929