The Manosphere Effect: What’s Fueling Teen Boys’ Curiosity About Steroids, PEDs, and SARMs?

The new Netflix series Adolescence has ignited conversations about masculinity, vulnerability, and the confusing cultural messages boys receive about how to “be a man.” At Prevention Ed, we’re joining that conversation, not because it’s trending, but because what’s behind it is deeply affecting the students we serve.

In particular, we’re seeing a concerning rise in the interest in the classroom regarding performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) among male students – especially substances like anabolic steroids and SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators). According to Monitoring the Future, adolescent steroid use is holding steady at around 1%–1.5%, but interest is growing fast, and the online culture surrounding it is more influential than ever.

The good news? We’re in a powerful position to get ahead of this trend with smart, targeted primary prevention.

What are Steroids, PEDs and SARMS? 

Steroids, PEDs, and SARMs are synthetic compounds designed to boost muscle growth and physical performance. They work by mimicking or stimulating the body’s natural anabolic hormones, increasing protein synthesis and muscle cell growth.

However, these aren’t just supplements or workout hacks. They’re powerful, unregulated drugs with serious consequences for young bodies and brains. And they’re increasingly popular among teens chasing an idealized version of masculinity – one that’s often manufactured by influencers, monetized by supplement companies, and served up by the algorithms of TikTok and YouTube.

What’s Driving Boys’ Growing Interest in Steroids, PEDs, and SARMs?

The Manosphere and the Myth of Dominance

The manosphere –the web of online spaces promoting hyper-masculine ideals –tells boys that dominance equals value. Voices like Andrew Tate encourage young men to “take control” by being “strong”, “stoic”, and “superior”, a message that often veers into promoting control over others, emotional repression, and a rejection of empathy as weakness. That message, paired with influencers like Togi openly publicizing and promoting their dangerous performance-enhancing regimens, creates a landscape where the line between self-improvement and self-harm gets dangerously blurry.

Masculinity as a Brand

Influencers sell products, but also identities. For teenage boys navigating insecurity, loneliness, or a need for validation, PEDs can feel like a fast pass to belonging, control over their bodies or confidence. When strength is marketed as moral virtue, using substances to gain it can feel not just acceptable, but aspirational.

Body Dysmorphia Is on the Rise

Just as girls have long struggled with body image due to media pressure, boys are now increasingly affected by body dysmorphia and disordered eating—the belief that they’re not lean, big, or strong enough. In the UK, hospital admissions for eating disorders among boys and young men rose by 128% between 2015–2016 and 2020–2021, according to the London Centre for Eating Disorders and Body Image. Performance-enhancing drugs are often framed as solutions to these insecurities, even though they can deepen both emotional and physical harm.

PEDs and SARMs Masquerading as a “Safe” and “Easy” Solution

The FDA has issued multiple warnings about SARMs being sold online, often as “research chemicals” or “legal steroids.” These unregulated compounds can cause liver toxicity, hormonal imbalances, increased aggression, infertility, sexual health issues, and mood disorders—yet they’re widely available and often packaged to look more like pre-workout supplements than serious health risks.

Prevention Ed’s Approach to Steroids, PEDs, and SARMs in the Classroom

We can’t afford to treat this issue as niche or fringe. If we want to protect students’ well-being, we must directly engage with the cultural forces shaping their choices and give educators practical tools to intervene.

Here’s how we’re tackling the performance drug conversation in schools:

Teaching the Science Behind the Hype

We help students understand how PEDs hijack their natural hormonal systems, stunt development, and affect long-term mental health, especially in adolescence when the body is still growing.

Breaking Down Media Messaging

Through media literacy education, we help students critically analyze fitness and lifestyle content, recognize influencer marketing tactics, and understand how digital platforms profit from their attention and insecurities.

Helping Schools Identify At Risk Students 

We train students and staff to recognize red flags – sudden body changes, secrecy around supplements, shifts in mood – and offer resources to support students before substance use escalates.

Looking Ahead

The world boys are growing up in is loud with messages about who they should be. Prevention Ed helps schools turn down that noise and create space for healthier conversations about identity, emotions, and pressure. By nurturing emotional intelligence, resilience, and meaningful connection, we partner with school communities to help students build a grounded sense of self, shaped not by online influences but by empathy, purpose, and trusted science-backed guidance from caring adults.

If you're an educator, counselor, or health teacher looking for ways to talk with students about steroids, PEDs, or SARMs, reach out. We're here to help you bring clarity, connection, and confidence to your prevention efforts.