The Prevalence of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Misuse in Iranian Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Maryam Selk-Ghaffari; Sakineh  Shab-Bidar; Farzin Halabchi

doi:10.18502/ijph.v50i6.6411

Maryam Selk-Ghaffari Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sakineh Shab-Bidar Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Farzin Halabchi Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i6.6411

Keywords: Anabolic-androgenic steroid; Athletes; Public health; Doping; Prevalence

Abstract

Background: Due to widespread abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids among professional athletes and amateur sportsmen and their health-related problems, determining the prevalence and the pattern of anabolicandrogenic steroid misuse at the national level seems to be vital for designing efficient preventive and educational measures.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted via comprehensive searches of the electronic databases including PubMed, MedLine, Scopus, Google Scholar and National Persian Databases including SID, Magiran, IranDoc (between 1980 and Dec 2019 in English and Persian languages) and also from citations in the selected papers. Overall, 39 articles met the criteria and were included in qualitative and quantitative synthesis.

Results: The overall prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse in the Iranian athletic population was 36.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 29-43) with significant heterogeneity between studies (I2=99.0%, P<0.001). Prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse among elite, male and younger athletes was higher (P<0.05). Moreover, prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse among body-building athletes (36.3%) was higher compared to other athletes (30.9%), (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Due to the higher prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroids misuse in Iran compared to global statistics and the potential for serious adverse effects, preventive strategies and policies should be regarded as a real concern for public health.