Overview

• Seventeen percent of 857 pediatric specialists reported seeing at least one adolescent who needed medical attention for supplements or performance drugs in the past year, according to a Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program survey.
• Clinicians reported 55 affected patients in total, mostly boys, with more than half aged 13–15 and nearly one-third aged 10–12.
• Reports cited use of legal products such as whey protein, creatine and pre‑workout mixes alongside illegal anabolic steroids, with kidney and gastrointestinal effects observed.
• Most patients recovered fully, though 20 had ongoing health issues or outcomes that were unknown.
• More than half of specialists said they never screen for these substances and over a quarter reported no knowledge, prompting calls for provider and parent education, harm‑reduction guidance, and rapid intervention when steroid use is suspected.