David Gerrard: Otago University Emeritus Professor on the increase in men using steroids to boost their appearance

Fuelled by fitness and gym content online, more young men say they are turning to risky and illegal measures to enhance their appearances.

According to new reports, men in their 20s - or younger - have been encouraged to use steroids and other banned performance-enhancing substances in order to keep up with pressure to look a certain way.

Otago University Emeritus Professor David Gerrard says young men are just as vulnerable to being impacted by social media influencers as women - and there's pressure for them to keep up with standards.

"It's a culture that has unfortunately crept in - and it does seem to have its genesis in and around certain gymnasiums and the ambience that that creates."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And young men are turning to performance enhancing drugs like
bodybuilding steroids in order to change their appearance. Has been
fueled by fitness and gym content online, and conversations about
using the band substances are becoming more popular in gyms
around the country. David Gerrard is an emeritus professor in
sports medicine at Otago University. Good Evening, Good Evening, Jack,

(00:21):
So what kind of drugs are young men in particular.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Using, well, Jack, The first thing is, we have to
be very cautious about the use of the term steroids,
because I think what we're referring to here, of course
anabolic androgenic or masculinizing body building hormones, not the sort
of steroids that you and I would use to control
asthma or have an allergic condition. So I think we

(00:45):
clarify that one to begin with. We're talking here about
the illegal importation often and certainly the misuse of drugs
that were the preserve of medical science and clinicians who
have to deal with people who need testosterone replacement. It's
certainly not drugs to enhance the body image of young males.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
And what do you put it down to? These guys
who just want to look good on Instagram.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, well, I guess I guess we know a lot, Jackle.
We've read a lot, and appropriately so, about young females
whose body image is affected by eating disorders and wanting
to conform to the so called body image that's imposed
by the influences. And by that, I guess we mean

(01:35):
the culture of magazines and movie and TV. Same for
the males. You know, the body shape that's perceived, perceived
as being ideal for a you know, a red blooded male.
I guess this is where it is. It's a culture
that's unfortunately crept in and it does seem to have

(01:55):
its genesis in and around certain gymnasia and the ambience
that that creates.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
So aside from being illegal, what is the problem with
young men using these drugs?

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Well, the problem is Jack, that these were drugs, as
I said, that really are for treating patients who require them,
who need a male hormone replacement. And if a set
healthy young male uses these drugs, well, for sure they
will work in the sense that they will enhance muscle bulk,

(02:32):
but they carry with them some very sinister side effects,
including the young male's impotence, the diminished activity of one's
test is because you're receiving exogenous supplies of testosterone, so
therefore your own body doesn't need to produce it. You've
got a whole raft of diseases associated with the cardiovascular system,

(02:53):
increased risk of heart attacks because of the profile of
cholesterol and triglycerides and lippards, mood changes. Guys who are
using these drugs in an uncontrolled way can show uncharacteristic aggression,
and there's a whole array of mood changes that are

(03:16):
seen and people. Then there's the risk of certain forms
of cancer associated with long term, prolonged use of anabolic steel,
which so there's a whole raft of reasons why young
men should not be dabbling in this in an uncontrolled way.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
Yeah, hey, thanks for your time, Dave. We appreciate it.
There was David Gerard, who is an emeritus professor in
sports Medicine at Otago Universities. For more from Heather Duplessy
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