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Steroid Using Bodybuilders Are 'Bigorexic'
Thursday, 15th June 2006
Bodybuilders who resort to taking steroids to beef themselves up have been labelled "bigorexic."
Pumped-up muscle men and women are suffering from the same body-image problems as those with bulimia and anorexia, according to a new study.
Professor Bruce Davies, of the University of Glamorgan, carried out a major study of bodybuilders, many of whom had taken steroids to increase their appearance.
He said: "Gym-goers are increasingly resorting to steroids and prescription drugs to counteract their altered body images.
"Sufferers of negative or heightened body image issues will go to extremes to meet their desired goals and doctors need to be more aware of the efforts 'bigorexics' will go to to achieve their goals."
He added: "This is a growing phenomenon because we put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves to look good.
"It is virtually the opposite problem of anorexia although it is still a completely abnormal perception of body image. These people look at themselves and see a small, thin person. They want to look bigger and there's no question that taking steroids, growth hormones or insulin will work."
Prof Davies, of the University's Department of Health and Exercise Science, said the problem was predominantly male with blokes beefing up to impress their peers and look like Stallone or Schwarzenegger.
He said: "It has become almost a cult which is subtly growing. Men are walking around with big muscles and to be part of that peer group you also have to have big muscles."
Women bodybuilders, as well as men, are increasingly abusing medication, with seven per cent admitting they had used steroids.
Prof Davies said three million Americans take anabolic steroids and three per cent of under-30s have tried them at least once. He said he believed the UK would have similar statistics, but there was no evidence to prove it.
Men and women taking steroids can suffer from heart and liver problems, men can become impotent and grow breasts and both can suffer from acne and aggression because of an increase in testosterone.
Prof Davies added he was concerned about users sharing needles with the inherent risks of transmitting diseases. He also added there were added health risks because the drugs were often obtained on the black market.
Prof Davies, alongside Dr Julien Baker and Michael Graham, studied 200 regular gym users in South Wales between the ages of 15 and 50. Illegal steroids were supplemented with prescription drugs to bulk up.
They found significant increases in the use of diuretics (10 per cent), thyroxine (10 per cent), insulin (14 per cent), tamoxifen (22 per cent), growth hormone (24 per cent) and ephedrine (44 per cent).
Prof Davies added: "Steroids remain the most abused drug with 89 per cent of respondents saying they obtained the drugs from aberrant sources. However 95 per cent of respondents admitted to taking a combination or prescription drugs."
Prof Davies called for a greater awareness of the psychological reasons behind drug abuse and help from the medical profession.
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Thursday, 15th June 2006
Bodybuilders who resort to taking steroids to beef themselves up have been labelled "bigorexic."
Pumped-up muscle men and women are suffering from the same body-image problems as those with bulimia and anorexia, according to a new study.
Professor Bruce Davies, of the University of Glamorgan, carried out a major study of bodybuilders, many of whom had taken steroids to increase their appearance.
He said: "Gym-goers are increasingly resorting to steroids and prescription drugs to counteract their altered body images.
"Sufferers of negative or heightened body image issues will go to extremes to meet their desired goals and doctors need to be more aware of the efforts 'bigorexics' will go to to achieve their goals."
He added: "This is a growing phenomenon because we put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves to look good.
"It is virtually the opposite problem of anorexia although it is still a completely abnormal perception of body image. These people look at themselves and see a small, thin person. They want to look bigger and there's no question that taking steroids, growth hormones or insulin will work."
Prof Davies, of the University's Department of Health and Exercise Science, said the problem was predominantly male with blokes beefing up to impress their peers and look like Stallone or Schwarzenegger.
He said: "It has become almost a cult which is subtly growing. Men are walking around with big muscles and to be part of that peer group you also have to have big muscles."
Women bodybuilders, as well as men, are increasingly abusing medication, with seven per cent admitting they had used steroids.
Prof Davies said three million Americans take anabolic steroids and three per cent of under-30s have tried them at least once. He said he believed the UK would have similar statistics, but there was no evidence to prove it.
Men and women taking steroids can suffer from heart and liver problems, men can become impotent and grow breasts and both can suffer from acne and aggression because of an increase in testosterone.
Prof Davies added he was concerned about users sharing needles with the inherent risks of transmitting diseases. He also added there were added health risks because the drugs were often obtained on the black market.
Prof Davies, alongside Dr Julien Baker and Michael Graham, studied 200 regular gym users in South Wales between the ages of 15 and 50. Illegal steroids were supplemented with prescription drugs to bulk up.
They found significant increases in the use of diuretics (10 per cent), thyroxine (10 per cent), insulin (14 per cent), tamoxifen (22 per cent), growth hormone (24 per cent) and ephedrine (44 per cent).
Prof Davies added: "Steroids remain the most abused drug with 89 per cent of respondents saying they obtained the drugs from aberrant sources. However 95 per cent of respondents admitted to taking a combination or prescription drugs."
Prof Davies called for a greater awareness of the psychological reasons behind drug abuse and help from the medical profession.
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