Steroid use could increase the risk of cocaine use and addiction among teens. This, from researchers at the University of Puerto Rico who studied female rats.

The team first exposed half of the rats to nandrolone, a performance-enhancing steroid commonly used by teens. After ten days, they split all of the rats into four groups: the first group was exposed to nandrolone, the second to both nandrolone and cocaine, the third to cocaine only, and the fourth to neither drug.

Researchers found that rats exposed to the steroid displayed an increased sensitivity to the effects of cocaine, an early indicator of drug abuse liability. Those exposed to cocaine alone did not display the same sensitivity.

According to the team, this study shows that steroid use in adolescence could increase the risk of cocaine use and addiction.

Source:

(2019, April 8). Performance-enhancing drugs may increase risk of teen cocaine abuse. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved from https://neurosciencenews.com/performance-enhances-addiction-11038/