Prevalence and awareness of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) among gymnasts in the western province of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The awareness and experience of healthcare providers with the use of anabolic androgenic steroids by gym users

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate healthcare providers' awareness and experience with anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use among gym users in Jordan and their role in mitigating AAS misuse.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2022 and Feb 2023. During the study period, 158 physicians involved in prescribing AAS or treating adverse effects associated with these agents were invited to participate. A questionnaire was created and uploaded on Google Forms and distributed through social media platforms to reach physicians from different medical subspecialties.

RESULTS

Of the 158 physicians surveyed, 30.4% were general practitioners, and 63.3% reported having formal education about the risks of bodybuilding with AAS. Among the participants, 48.7% had encountered gym users who were using AAS, with the main reason for referral being the management of side effects associated with AAS use. The median knowledge score regarding AAS and their complications was 10.0 out of 14 (IQR = 7.0), indicating adequate knowledge about most AAS side effects. Around 46% of the physicians (n = 73, 46.2%) believed that gym users might struggle to disclose AAS because they lack trust in them. Finally, the most common advice to gym users was informing them about the health-associated consequences of AAS use, with 92.2% of physicians providing this advice.

CONCLUSION

Although healthcare professionals in Jordan had adequate knowledge about AAS, they needed more to make them confident in dealing with AAS use. This highlights the necessity for specialized teaching and training programs to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing accurate information to AAS users.

The prevalence of misusing over-the-counter and prescribed drugs in Syrian gymnasiums for performance-enhancing reasons: a cross-sectional study

Background

This study investigates the prevalence of misusing over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed drugs in Syrian gymnasiums, in addition to types, sources of knowledge, and patterns of use. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 381 members of sports groups on social media, between April 2020 and February 2021. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software Version 26 for windows.

Results

A total of 133 participants (about 35%) stated they took OTC and prescribed drugs. Of those, 79 (11.8%) took proteins and amino acids, and 14 (3.7%) claimed they used 50 different products (mentioned 167 times) of anabolic steroids and other hormones (e.g., growth hormone and thyroxine). The most frequently used substance was testosterone (N =25, 15.56%), followed by thyroxine (N = 12, 7.18%) and stanozolol (N = 11, 6.58%). The source of knowledge was the Internet (48.6%) followed by friends (28.4%) and coaches (20.9%). Most users were males (61.6%) and had a bachelor’s university degree (64%). All anabolic steroid users (N = 14) practiced bodybuilding. Statistically significant relationships were found between the usage of anabolic steroids, proteins, and amino acids with each of the monthly income, frequency of training, level of training, and gender. Users claimed that they got benefits from taking these substances, and the majority of users (about 70%) did not experience any adverse effects.

Conclusions

Our results showed significant differences compared to neighboring countries, regarding attitudes towards misusing OTC and prescribed medications.

The Prevalence of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Misuse in Iranian Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:

Due to widespread abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids among professional athletes and amateur sportsmen and their health-related problems, determining the prevalence and the pattern of anabolicandrogenic steroid misuse at the national level seems to be vital for designing efficient preventive and educational measures.

Methods:

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted via comprehensive searches of the electronic databases including PubMed, MedLine, Scopus, Google Scholar and National Persian Databases including SID, Magiran, IranDoc (between 1980 and Dec 2019 in English and Persian languages) and also from citations in the selected papers. Overall, 39 articles met the criteria and were included in qualitative and quantitative synthesis.

Results:

The overall prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse in the Iranian athletic population was 36.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 29–43) with significant heterogeneity between studies (I²=99.0%, P<0.001). Prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse among elite, male and younger athletes was higher (P<0.05). Moreover, prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse among body-building athletes (36.3%) was higher compared to other athletes (30.9%), (P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Due to the higher prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroids misuse in Iran compared to global statistics and the potential for serious adverse effects, preventive strategies and policies should be regarded as a real concern for public health.

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Anabolic-androgenic Steroid Use: A Cross-sectional Study among Gym Users in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) have been used internationally for enhancing physical appearance and performance despite their significant side effects. We sought to identify the prevalence of AAS use and its different risk factors among gym users in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was distributed among gym users across 20 gyms in Riyadh. The cluster sampling technique was used to represent the four regions of Riyadh (North, South, East, and West). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with AAS.

Results

Out of 482 participants, 29.3% reported using AAS. The mean age of the study participants was 27.2±6.9 years, 61.0% were single, 67.1% were educated, 35.5% were government employees, and 31.1% were students. The use of AAS was more prevalent among gym members who practiced weightlifting (45.5%), were employed in the private sector (35.8%), and aged > 25 years old (53.3%). Multiple logistic regression showed that the most significant factors associated with the use of AAS among gym members were: weightlifting, using supplementary vitamins or minerals, following special diets, knowing individuals who used AAS, and being offered AAS.

Conclusions

Our study provides clear evidence that the lifetime prevalence of AAS use is high among male gym members in Riyadh with modifiable risk factors. The results could help public health policymakers to take the necessary measures to alleviate the potential negative implications of AAS use at the community level.

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a Scoping Review of Extant Empirical Literature

The use of image- and performance-enhancing drugs particularly anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is not a new phenomenon. AAS use is not limited to athletes, with mainstream populations using these drugs for aesthetic purposes. Prevalence has been predominantly in Western countries, with some recent studies indicating a rise in popularity in the Eastern Mediterranean region. A scoping review of extant empirical literature from the Eastern Mediterranean region described and mapped what is known about the extent of AAS in the region. Four themes emerged from the review: (1) profile of AAS users; (2) AAS within gymnasium practice; (3) AAS regimes of use; and (4) knowledge and understanding of the AAS concept and related adverse effects. The review highlights a relatively new phenomenon of AAS use in the Eastern Mediterranean. The review underscores the need to carry out further research, particularly qualitative and quantitative studies with both genders, and cognisant of the complexities of culture and religiosity.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids and cardiovascular risk

OBJECTIVE

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) represents a group of synthetic testosterone derivatives that play an important role in clinical treatment. These drugs are widely abused among the general public to increase lean weight and improve athletic performance. It has been reported that AAS use can produce many adverse effects, especially the occurrence of cardiovascular risk. Although there are many related studies, there has been no consensus on AAS use and cardiovascular risk. The present study was to review the effect of AAS on the cardiovascular system.

DATA SOURCES

The data in this review were obtained from articles included in PubMed and the National Center for Biotechnology Information database.

STUDY SELECTION

Original articles, case reports, and systematic reviews about AAS were selected for the article.

RESULTS

The use/abuse of AAS is correlated with higher cardiovascular risks, and many AAS users/abusers had cardiovascular diseases. However, there are many confounding factors in the studies that explored the causality between AAS intake and disease development, and additional studies are required to determine AAS toxicity.

CONCLUSION

AAS produces toxic effects on the cardiovascular system, and it is necessary to ensure that more people know this about AAS, including medical personnel.

Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward the Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids among the Population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) among the population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and their knowledge and attitudes.

Methods:

This was a community-based, cross-sectional observational study. This study was conducted using a questionnaire that was distributed among the population during the period from February 3, 2018, to February 25, 2018. This questionnaire comprised 31 questions, designed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes toward using AASs.

Results:

A total of 300 participants were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the population was 30.66 ± 9.2 years. Fourteen participants admitted using AASs, with a percentage of 4.7%, among whom 85.7% were male (P = 0.0005). Seventy-eight percent of AAS users believed that AASs do not cause tolerance when taken for a longtime (P = 0.023). However, the majority of both AAS users and nonusers did not agree on taking AASs for a longtime. Our results showed a strong correlation between not taking AASs and not consuming energy drinks (P = 0.0023). Half of our respondents exhibited poor knowledge regarding the side effects of AASs. The level of knowledge did not correlate with the use of AAS, gender, exercising, or consuming energy drinks.

Conclusion:

The results showed poor knowledge regarding using AASs among the population of Jeddah. Thus, we recommend having a national awareness program in order to prevent the possible side effects of misusing AASs.