Use of legal and illegal performance enhancing drugs and supplementsin gym users

The use of performance-enhancing substances such aslegal supplements and illegal anabolic agents has becomecommon among recreational athletes. This research aimedto assess the prevalence, satisfaction, motivations, andhealth risks associated with such substances among gymusers.A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conductedusing a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Twentyeightphysically active participants (78.6% male; 16–35years old) from a local gym were surveyed about their use oflegal supplements (creatine, caffeine) and illegal substances(anabolic-androgenic steroids, beta-2 agonists). Descriptivestatistics were used to sum the use patterns and satisfactionlevels. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–WallisH tests were used to assess correlations between substanceuse, gender, adverse effects, and experience ratings.Caffeine (100%) and creatine (57.1%) were the mostcommonly used legal supplements, with no reported sideeffects for creatine. Anabolic androgenic steroids (35.7%)and beta-2 agonists (28.6%) were also used, and all users ofthese substances experienced adverse effects. Satisfactionratings were higher for legal supplements comparedto illegal substances (p < 0.001). Chi-square analysesconfirmed a significant relationship between anabolicandrogenic steroids use and reported side effects (p < 0.001),and between gender and anabolic androgenic steroids use(p = 0.039).The results showed a concerning pattern of selfmanagedperformance-enhancing substance use amongrecreational athletes, marked by health risks and limitedmedical supervision. Individualized public healthinterventions and education efforts are needed to addressthis growing issue in gym-based communities.