THERE’S something about the seedy Thai beachside town of Pattaya that keeps drawing Michael Dorn back. It’s not the sun, sea or sex for which the resort is famous – it’s the drugs. Dorn, 20, from Sydney, is part of a growing subculture that uses performanceenhancing steroids and growth hormones to get the ultimate ripped body. Despite being heavily restricted in Australia, where the drugs are illegal without a prescription for their on-label use, it is easy for him and hundreds of others like him to buy them in Thailand.

The drugs, known as anabolic steroids or steriods, mimic the natural male sex hormone testosterone to increase muscle mass. They can also cause other, more serious side effects such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart and liver problems, according to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Agency (ABC). The pills and injectable products available from pharmacies in Pattaya include Andriol, a form of synthetic testosterone, and Testoviron. These are sold in a combination, known as stacking, to maximise their muscle-building effects. The pharmacies boldly advertise the brands on their shop-front windows.

Steroids, taken orally or by injection, are used by amateur bodybuilders to help them achieve larger muscles and improve their strength. But the side effects can be dangerous or even life threatening, and include infertility in men, enlarged breast tissue in women, hair loss and a decrease in sexual function. It can also lead to cardiovascular problems, including a heart attack. Steroids Thailand