A dad-of-three who was left with a host of health issues after decade of steroid abuse has revealed the horror of using the drug. Darren, a West Lothian sales rep who has never smoked, suffered high blood pressure levels, a temporary loss of libido, a receding hairline and high testosterone levels.

He put himself forward to a programme on BBC Scotland and said he knew that 'years of steroid abuse would have taken a toll'.

According to Daily Record , he continued: "There was no doubt about it. I knew there would be off-the-scale readings on the blood tests."

He did not stop taking the drugs even though his parents and partner knew about it (Image: Getty Images/Tetra images RF) Read More Mum-of-four told her unusual name for newborn might be illegal He also admitted that he had not stopped using steroid despite his partner and parents knew about it.

"When I started out taking steroids, my parents found bottles in our house so this hasn't been a shock to them," he added.

But soon as he realised the damage it has done to his body, he has changed his view of the drugs.

He said in the programme: "The good thing about anabolic steroids is most - and it's not all but most - of the problems they cause can be reversed.

"It's good time for me to find out what damage I've done and reverse it. And it let other people see what the risks are.

The steroid abuse left Darren with a temporary loss of libido and high testosterone levels (Image: Getty Images) Read More UK weather forecast: Three days of October sunshine to raise temperatures to 15C Darren said the drugs are 'endemic' in gyms across Scotland nowadays.

"I believe steroids are very abused these days - far more than when I started out," he said.

"When I started taking them, there was me and my mate taking them in the full gym.

"You'd have to know someone.

"Now I walk into the gym and, out of 10 guys I see, I would say eight are using - it's that rife.

"This isn't in specialised gyms for bodybuilders but commercial gyms you see in every town."

The use of steroids is common in Scottish gyms, Darren says Read More Top news stories from Mirror Online Woman leaves salon during appointment Paedophile raped 11-year-old boy Woman banned from Asda for three years Boris Johnson loses showdown vote He believed Internet shopping helps making the drugs more accessible.

Darren said: "They are so easy to get online that you can get them to your door via the Royal Mail the day after ordering them."

Despite the dangerous side effects, Darren does not support an all-out ban.

He said: "There’s no safe ways to use steroids but there are careful ways and I think I’ve been careful over the years. Would I change anything? Probably not.

"The only thing I’d tell a younger me would be to be more careful and make more checks on their effects."