Body-conscious younger men influenced by social media and reality TV shows such as Love Island have fuelled a fourfold rise in steroid use.

The proportion of people aged 16 to 24 using anabolic steroids increased from 0.1 per cent to 0.4 per cent between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Experts have put the alarming rise in the performance enhancing drugs down to young men seeking the ripped 'Love Island look'.

Steroid use has quadrupled as young men try to get the muscular 'Love Island' look (there is no suggestion any Love Island contestants used steroids)

Experts said young people were increasingly influenced by social media and reality TV shows (pictured: Love Island contests Montana and Alex)

Steroid use can cause major health problems including liver malfunction, heart problems and skin infections.

They also increase the risk of baldness, developing prostate cancer, severe acne and stomach pain.

They can cause psychological disturbances too, such as dependence, depression and body-image disorders.

ARE ANABOLIC STEROIDS LEGAL? Anabolic steroids are class C drugs, which can only be sold by pharmacists with a prescription. It's not illegal to possess anabolic steroids for personal use. They can also be imported or exported, as long as this is carried out in person. This means they can't be posted or delivered by a courier or freight service. However, it's illegal to possess, import or export anabolic steroids if it's believed you're supplying or selling them. This includes giving them to friends. The penalty is an unlimited fine, or even a prison sentence. In professional sport, most organisations ban anabolic steroid use and test competitors for banned steroids. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

But the drugs are popular as they enable users to train harder and bulk up with instant results.

Experts said young people were influenced by reality TV shows such as Love Island and Geordie Shore which star bulky and muscular men.

Ian Hamilton, a lecturer in addiction at the University of York, told MailOnline: 'The effect of social and mainstream media is incremental, in that for many young people these images can become their normal point of reference as to how they should look and, more importantly, steroids offer a quick way to achieve this look.

'It's no coincidence that we've seen a rise in people using it as social media has become more popular. The concern is that for that for this generation it becomes their main source of information and point of reference.

'Particularly for more marginalised people these virtual social media accounts become the norm, so vulnerable young men (and women) will use them.

'It's a really nasty drug as it produces all sorts of unwanted effects. Although it allows users to bulk up, that comes at a high cost. It causes liver damage, cardiovascular problems, mental health problems, mood swings, increased aggression and even sexual abuse.

'Initially men get bulkier and see their sex drive go up but then it reduces and so does the sperm count, and sperm count quality.'

Former Made in Chelsea actor Spencer Matthews quit I'm A Celebrity in 2015 after admitting he was addicted to steroids

He added that the rise in steroid use is a 'very worrying trend, not least of all because although some people will initially use steroids orally but we know there is a significant number who will go on to inject and that brings in the same hazards as injecting any drug.'

Ian Hamilton said this 'needed to be looked at' and said young people should be made more aware of the dangers of the drug

It is possible to purchase the drugs freely online without needing to go on the dark web.

Steroids are a prescription only drug in the UK but is not an offence to possess or import steroids for personal use.

Mr Hamilton said this 'needed to be looked at' and said young people should be made more aware of the dangers of the drug.

Jody Leach, SWEAT Project Manager at drugs charity Open Road, told MailOnline: 'At our Essex needle exchanges, we have seen an increase month on month, year on year, in people using steroids and yes, this may be because of TV shows and peer pressure.

'We are carrying out a three year service looking at why people are using steroids. It seems to be more to do with aesthetics now than being performance related. People don't know the implications of what they are doing and don't have a clue about the long term causes.'

The vast majority of drugs have declined in usage compared to last year, with only a handful increasing by a small fraction, according to the most recent Crime Survey, published by the Home Office.

There was a fall in the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS), which were widely known as 'legal highs' before laws criminalising their production, distribution, sale and supply were introduced last year.

However the use of 'laughing gas' has risen again.

Cannabis is the most commonly used drug, with 6.6 per cent of 16-59-year-olds having taken it in the past year, followed by cocaine, with 2.3 per cent.