An increasing number of young men may be turning to human growth hormone when they want to bulk up, according to a recent study.

The study, published in November by the American Journal on Addictions, reports that 12 percent of surveyed male weight lifters between the ages of 18 and 40 have illegally used human growth hormone, and all of those who reported HGH use also admitted to the use of anabolic steroids.

“HGH occurs naturally in the body, but it can also be produced by combining amino acids and other materials to supplement what the body is missing. Its official use at one point was for anyone who was deficient in growth, either in linear height or muscle mass,” said William Buckley, a professor of exercise and sport science.

Previously, the illicit use of HGH was only prevalent in elite athletes. But now, because of improved technology, the hormone can be purchased relatively inexpensively online by just about anyone. This is one of the factors that has greatly contributed to rising HGH usage, according to the study.

“With the declining price and greater availability of HGH, future years may see even larger numbers of users, ingesting HGH for even longer periods at higher doses,” the study says.

Some students said there are also other factors that contribute to the greater use of both HGH and anabolic steroids.

“There’s such an emphasis on being fit, and we want everything fast. Everything seems to be becoming quicker and easier today, so naturally some kids might want an easy, quick way to get big,” Derrick Barkdoll (sophomore-recreation, park and tourism management) said.

For student athletes, performance is often directly correlated to strength. So many students believe their athletic performance will increase if their muscle mass increases, and then they turn to HGH or anabolic steroids, Buckley said.

“It’s really not a faulty logic. The problem is all of the risks associated with steroid use,” he said.

Use of either HGH or anabolic steroids for an extended length of time can result in metabolic, respiratory and extremely severe cardiovascular effects, according to the study.

Anabolic steroids can also lead to an overabundance of testosterone, which can interfere with brain function, Buckley said.

“In some cases you can get overreaction or roid rage. It’s similar to what soldiers would feel going into battle — you get adrenaline pumping and you think differently,” he said.

The extra testosterone can also get converted to estrogen which leads to feminization in men, and even shrinking of the testicles, Buckley said.

“That’s what I always tell high school students — because they definitely don’t want that to happen,” Buckley said.