Recent media is all but promoting a perfect image of people, be it a gorgeous, slim, shapely woman having a perfect tanned skin and pearly white teeth, or fair handsome man with perfect six pack or even perfectly sized kids. All these images are setting standard for the citizen that they too can attain perfection by using their products.
This brainwashing has led to an obsession towards using dietary supplements. Based on various surveys, almost 85 percent of athletes, coaches and trainers encouraged kids to use supplements. Most kids are unaware that these drugs are very similar in nature to steroids. Furthermore, these supplements are effortlessly available from any chemist.
Even admission in college and universities these days are based on sports and body building quota which is unknowingly causing the youngsters to take these steroids and supplements in India. Around 78 percent of adolescents use a minimum 1 supplement, which may be energy drink, pill, high protein substance and steroids. If used without guidance, these products can cause a lot of harm.
Shockingly, statistics prove that even children are not immune from this obsession are have become too much infatuated with the image that is portrayed for using such products. Kids are increasingly using products boosting energy, performance, appearance, overall health and immunity at the price of shortening their lives.
While conducting surveys in major cities of India, it was found that Delhi, Bombay, Haryana, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad were found using more supplements than other cities. Apparently, using these supplements was found to be in vogue there.
Boys were especially found to be using steroids more than girls and this usage increased with their ages. Many students reported that they used other supplements for enhancing their physical appearance or boosting their games. Quite a few said they were using protein powders. Many even reported to have used fat burners, drinks, caffeine pills and high energy drinks to lose weight.
The survey displayed that 86 percent of participants were found to be using sports drinks, 75 percent were using mineral tablets, 65 percent were using energy drinks, 25 percent were using herbal supplements, 15 percent were using milk supplements and a striking 76 percent were found to be using steroids. Majority of these participants specified their trainers either promoted or were selling these dietary supplements in the name of vitamin and calcium supplements.
No one is oblivious to the fact that these steroid come at a cost of one’s health. These steroids have a no. of side effects of using these supplements like nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, water retention, muscle strains and cramps. Some of the extreme side effects include kidney and heart problems. Females have reported Virilization effects and males have report Gynomastia.
