{"id":301,"date":"2026-01-28T09:13:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T09:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/edinburgh-steroid-clinic\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T11:13:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:13:25","slug":"edinburgh-steroid-clinic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/edinburgh-steroid-clinic\/","title":{"rendered":"Edinburgh Steroid Clinic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size\">The Edinburgh Steroid Clinic is a specialist NHS clinic that was set up to provide a service for people using image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs). These include androgens, formerly known as anabolic-androgenic steroids. This service is for adults only, aged 18 years and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when\">When<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size\">The clinic operates every&nbsp;<strong>Monday,<\/strong>&nbsp;except public holidays,&nbsp;<strong>between 1700 and 1900<\/strong>&nbsp;for harm reduction around&nbsp;<strong>IPED&nbsp;<\/strong>use. This clinic operates by appointments and has a drop in. If too many attend for the drop in, then you will be asked to re present on another Monday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Appointment time slots are 1730, 1815, and 1900 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><mark>Public Holidays: 6th April, 4th May &amp; 14th September<\/mark><mark>&#8211; There will be no clinic on th<\/mark>e<mark>se dates<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-regular-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For Appointments, please call: 0131 537 8300<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For General Enquiries, please email:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:IPED.Clinic@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk\">IPED.Clinic@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"please-be-aware\"><strong>P<\/strong>lease note<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are using androgens and attending for <strong>mid-cycle blood tests<\/strong> please ensure that you are at least half way through your current cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are using androgens and  attending the clinic&nbsp;for <strong>post-cycle blood tests<\/strong> please ensure that if you are using a post cycle therapy that you&nbsp;have&nbsp;finished this by at least two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are using androgens and not using a post-cycle therapy,&nbsp;usage has ceased for a minimum of 4 weeks before attending for <strong>post-cycle blood tests.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where\">Where<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Spittal Street Centre<\/strong><br><strong>(Lady Lawson Street Entrance)<\/strong><br><strong>22-24 Spittal Street<\/strong><br><strong>Edinburgh<\/strong><br><strong>EH3 9DU<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spittal Street is within the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.edinburgh.gov.uk\/lowemissionzone\"> Low Emission Zone \u2013 The City of Edinburgh Council<\/a>. You may incur a charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like other harm reduction services,&nbsp;all services provided at the steroid clinic are done&nbsp;so confidentially and anonymously, therefore, no&nbsp;information is stored on medical records or shared with any other services.&nbsp;At this clinic, healthcare professionals can provide:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Harm reduction advice such as alternatives to steroid use, safer&nbsp;injecting, side-effect minimisation, safer&nbsp;dosaging advice, advice around post-cycle therapy drugs, and advice about individual steroids and other image and performance enhancing drugs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provision of sterile injecting equipment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mid-cycle and post-cycle blood tests.&nbsp;The tests offered are&nbsp;to check hormone levels which can be negatively affected by steroid use such as testosterone, luteinising hormone,&nbsp;follicle stimulating hormone,&nbsp;and oestrogen, as well as blood tests for cholesterol levels, kidney, liver and prostate functions, and full blood counts.&nbsp; We will also provide a baseline blood test for those who are thinking of using steroids.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free condoms via the C:Card service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support to stop using.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assistance with physical health or mental health concerns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2024\/08\/Advice-on-Steriod-Use-.pdf\">Edinburgh Steroid Advice Leaflet<\/a> <\/strong>is available for some basic harm reduction information<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In addition to those using IPEDs, some people use hormones for gender related matters. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you are using hormones in this way, you may want to consider contacting your GP or one of the services listed below for information and support.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Appointments for this can no longer be offered by Spittal Street Clinic but there are several ways you can still get support.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Please note, some services will only see people who live in their geographical catchment area.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended websites and agencies for further support\/information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sandyford Sexual Health Service, 3 Sandyford Place, Glasgow, G3 7NB &#8211; Phone: 0141 211 8130 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandyford.scot\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.sandyford.scot\/\">www.sandyford.scot<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Volume 8 Standards of care &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1080\/26895269.2022.2100644\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1080\/26895269.2022.2100644\">Version 8<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No. 6 &#8211; Trans gender support worker for those on the autism spectrum &#8211; 24 Hill Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3JZ &#8211; Phone: 0131 220 1075 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/number6.org.uk\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/number6.org.uk\/\">number6.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LGBT Health and Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 8HW &#8211; LGBT Helpline: 0300 123 2523 &#8211;                                       Email: helpline@lgbthealth.org.uk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recommended website for practical information patients &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/genderkit.org.uk\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/genderkit.org.uk\/\">genderkit.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mermaids &#8211; a charity that supports trans, non binary and gender diverse children &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/mermaidsuk.org.uk\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/mermaidsuk.org.uk\/\">mermaidsuk.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scottish Transgender Alliance &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottishtrans.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.scottishtrans.org\/\">www.scottishtrans.org<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2025\/06\/Harm-Reduction-Document-Final-KC-checked.pdf\">Harm Reduction Advice for Self Sourcing Hormones<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Edinburgh Steroid Clinic is a specialist NHS clinic that was set up to provide a service for people using image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs). These include androgens, formerly known as anabolic-androgenic steroids. This service is for adults only, aged 18 years and over. When The clinic operates every&nbsp;Monday,&nbsp;except public holidays,&nbsp;between 1700 and 1900&nbsp;for<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":12,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/widewidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-301","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"davidmcbain","author_link":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/author\/davidmcbain\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":false,"rttpg_excerpt":"The Edinburgh Steroid Clinic is a specialist NHS clinic that was set up to provide a service for people using image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs). These include androgens, formerly known as anabolic-androgenic steroids. This service is for adults only, aged 18 years and over. When The clinic operates every&nbsp;Monday,&nbsp;except public holidays,&nbsp;between 1700 and 1900&nbsp;for","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301"}],"version-history":[{"count":62,"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":843,"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301\/revisions\/843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/harmreductionteam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}