Final answer:
Use of supplemental anabolic steroids can cause premature skeletal maturity and lead to shorter adult stature by causing premature closure of growth plates. This disrupts the natural balance of growth hormones necessary for normal skeletal development during adolescence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Supplemental anabolic steroids used during growth may cause premature closure of growth plates producing short adult stature. This occurs because anabolic steroids increase the rate at which skeletal maturity is reached, leading to the conversion of the epiphyseal plate to the epiphyseal line, which signifies the end of bone lengthening. Teens who use these steroids before they have completed their natural growth can experience stunted growth and remain shorter for life than they otherwise would have been.
The normal functioning of the endocrine system, including the balanced production of growth hormone (GH) and sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, is crucial for proper skeletal development and growth. An imbalance caused by the introduction of anabolic steroids can disrupt this delicate hormonal regulation, leading to premature skeletal maturity and a shorter period of cartilage growth before the growth plates fuse.