The Juice Bar offers free and confidential advice on a range of substances, including steroids, and also a needle exchange, delivered as a part of the East Riding Partnership, which is run by the Alcohol and Drug Service and Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust.

Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) are readily available online and circulate in some gyms. They are increasingly popular amongst young males in particular looking for a healthier, bigger and ‘better’ appearance.

We know that people don’t take IPEDs for an immediate euphoria, instead it’s the desire to change image and improve performance that drives use, believing they support a healthy lifestyle. The downside is that users often become fixated on their appearance and feel bigger is never enough.

Harm Reduction

At The Juice Bar our team provides confidential and expert advice aimed at keeping people as safe as possible and ensuring they can make informed decisions about the choices they make. Our aim is to meet people where they are at with their use of steroids and other IPEDs. We have a range of interventions if users want to continue their use of IPEDs, but we can also offer support if they wish to stop using.

Side Effects

The side effects of IPEDs can be anything from skin conditions such as; acne to severe paranoia, and physiological issues including liver and heart failure and in some cases blood borne viruses contracted from sharing needles and other injecting equipment.

Live Chat It can be difficult for users of IPEDS to access services so we developed tools to reach out including live Chat, which is the first of its kind in the country, allowing people to ask questions anonymously. This is available two nights each week when we are available online to take live enquiries. We also respond to messages sent when we are offline, and we reply to people as soon as possible.

Needle Exchange Whilst engaging online we encourage people to visit our needle exchange and offer blood pressure monitoring as well as a range of other interventions that can help people understand further about some of the potential risks to their health which can impact their future decisions about taking these substances.

Within all areas of The Drug and Alcohol Service across the East Riding and Doncaster, a critical part of the recovery process is the support by peer mentors who have first-hand experience of the benefits of the service and want to help others in their recovery.

Jack, aged 26, used steroids for three years and says many people become obsessed with their appearance and feel the associated risks to health are worth taking. He has kindly told his story of steroid use which you can read HERE.

The Juice Bar offers free, confidential and accurate advice. For more details please contact 01482 336675 or visit The Juice Bar HERE.