High school athletes and the use of ergogenic aid.

To determine high school athletes' attitudes toward and use of ergogenic aids, we surveyed 295 students presenting for preparticipation examinations. In general, young athletes believed that steroids and amphetamines were not efficacious in enhancing sports performance and that their use was potentially harmful. Subjects reported minimal use of steroids (1%) and amphetamines (2%), and only a minority would consider their use. As a group, however, male athletes were more likely to believe that steroids were effective (32% vs 13%) and to consider the future use of these agents (14% vs 0) compared with female athletes. The majority of high school athletes believed that supplemental protein or vitamins could improve performance and that their use caused little or no health risk. These data suggest that young athletes may require information regarding the limited benefits and potential risks associated with the use of ergogenic aids.