Nelson Vergel
Founder, ExcelMale.com
This Medscape article mentions Dr O'Connor, me and others.
Before he attended medical school, Thomas O'Connor, MD, had a not-very-well-kept secret: As a competitive powerlifter, he had used steroids to build strength.
Dr Thomas O'Connor
Now an internist and clinical instructor of medicine at the University of Connecticut in Farmington, O'Connor's practice focuses on the needs of men taking testosterone and other anabolic steroids — a group he feels is poorly understood and largely neglected by conventional medical care, perceptions borne out by a 2020 study of steroid users he helped conduct.
"They felt discriminated against, they did not feel comfortable working with their physicians, and they felt that the doctors did not know what they were doing," O'Connor told Medscape Medical News. His patients often express anger and frustration with doctors they had seen previously, he added.
Thomas O'Connor in his powerlifting days.
Sales of direct-to-consumer tests topped $3.6 billion in the United States in 2022 and are predicted to grow. Some of that spending is coming from people, mostly men, using illegally obtained steroids to build muscle. Although published data on the size of the bodybuilder market are unavailable, the internet is a ready source of relatively inexpensive tests aimed at helping individuals monitor their health.
Continue reading (free access through free account-login): Illicit Steroids: If MDs Don't Ask, Patients Won't Tell
Before he attended medical school, Thomas O'Connor, MD, had a not-very-well-kept secret: As a competitive powerlifter, he had used steroids to build strength.
Dr Thomas O'Connor
Now an internist and clinical instructor of medicine at the University of Connecticut in Farmington, O'Connor's practice focuses on the needs of men taking testosterone and other anabolic steroids — a group he feels is poorly understood and largely neglected by conventional medical care, perceptions borne out by a 2020 study of steroid users he helped conduct.
"They felt discriminated against, they did not feel comfortable working with their physicians, and they felt that the doctors did not know what they were doing," O'Connor told Medscape Medical News. His patients often express anger and frustration with doctors they had seen previously, he added.
Patients Turning to Home Tests
Not surprisingly, then, many users of illegal anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) have adopted a DIY approach to monitoring the side effects of the drugs, turning to direct-to-consumer laboratory tests. Clients can order a panel of labs designed to screen for health conditions commonly associated with use of AAS, such as dyslipidemia, renal and hepatic dysfunction, polycythemia, thrombosis, and insulin resistance. The panels also include tests for levels of different hormones.
Thomas O'Connor in his powerlifting days.
Sales of direct-to-consumer tests topped $3.6 billion in the United States in 2022 and are predicted to grow. Some of that spending is coming from people, mostly men, using illegally obtained steroids to build muscle. Although published data on the size of the bodybuilder market are unavailable, the internet is a ready source of relatively inexpensive tests aimed at helping individuals monitor their health.
Continue reading (free access through free account-login): Illicit Steroids: If MDs Don't Ask, Patients Won't Tell
