Over-the-counter drug use in gymnasiums: an underrecognized substance abuse problem?
OBJECTIVE
Many individuals, attempting to gain muscle or lose fat, use 'dietary supplements'. Though widely available over the counter or by mail order in America and Europe, some of these 'supplements' are actually potent drugs such as androstenedione and ephedrine. We sought to estimate the prevalence of these forms of drug use in American gymnasiums.


METHODS
We distributed anonymous questionnaires to 511 clients entering five gymnasiums, asking about use of both supplements and anabolic steroids.


RESULTS
Among men, 18% reported use of androstenedione and/or other adrenal hormones, 25% reported ephedrine use, and 5% reported anabolic steroid use within the last 3 years; among women these rates were 3, 13 and 0%. Extrapolating from these figures to the United States as a whole, we estimated that possibly 1.5 million American gymnasium clients have used adrenal hormones and 2.8 million have used ephedrine within the last 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Millions of men and women are currently using potent drugs, widely sold over the counter as 'supplements', despite their known adverse effects, unknown long-term risks, and possible potential for causing abuse or dependence.
Kanayama
G
G
Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Mass, and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.
Gruber
A J
AJ
Pope
H G
HG
Borowiecki
J J
JJ
Hudson
J I
JI
D000328:Adult; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004300:Doping in Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004809:Ephedrine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D000735:Androstenedione; D004809:Ephedrine