Steroid use in the UK: What you need to know

It's abused for a false sense of body image... to improve self-confidence

At the end of last year Spencer Matthews left the I'm A Celebrity jungle unexpectedly - and it was soon revealed the Made in Chelsea star had been taking a course of anabolic steroid pills for a charity boxing fight.

Realising his mistake, Spencer quickly stopped taking the performance enhancing drug and has since made a pledge to raise awareness for the growing epidemic in the UK. Over the past few weeks Spencer has been helping GMB with our investigation into recreational anabolic steroid use in the UK, and this morning he joined us live on the sofa to report his shocking findings.

Teenagers as young as 14 make up the one million people currently using and abusing anabolic steroids in the UK. Steroid use is eight times higher today than it was five years ago in South Wales, and steroid and image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) usage has increased by 20% in Merseyside and Cheshire over the past 12 months.

Dr Hilary also joined us to explain the cause of this dramatic rise in the synthetic testosterone derivative, likening it to a "reversed anorexia". Our resident health editor believes the recreational use of the class C drug should "certainly be made illegal" - long term side effects include liver tumours and prostate cancer as well as testicular shrinkage, infertility and a low sperm count.

Catch up on Good Morning Britain with the ITV Hub

You might also be interested in: