In an alarming trend, gymnasiums and health clubs across the country are providing youngsters with steroids and banned drugs in the name of food supplements that aid bodybuilding.

Youngsters visiting gyms and using supplements provided by gym instructors to improve their physical appearance is the new trend inspired by sports personalities and Bollywood actors.

However, some of these so-called supplements, are actually steroids and banned drugs, which cause physiological and psychological disorders such as hallucination, anxiety issues, depression and even suicidal tendencies.

Some times the use of such steroids can lead to heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and
hairfall at a young age.

"More than 90 per cent of such substances are anabolic steroids, which are easily available in local gyms and medical stores without any prescription from a doctor," Dr. Saranjeet Singh, a Lucknow-based sports medicine specialist told IANS.

"These steroids are mixed in local and cheap food supplements and used by youngsters as a source of protein. They can either be taken orally or injected and very often lead to youngsters become paranoid and addicted to these drugs," Singh added.

"The addiction of these steroids is more harmful than that of recreational drugs. In two or three cases, people got so addicted to these steroids that they commited suicide when they could not get them," said Singh, who is also the Vice-President of the Uttar Pradesh Body Building Association.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a recent order, came down heavily on gyms providing food supplements to their clients.

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The court order came on a petition filed by Ludhiana-based Ravi Kumar, who alleged that his son, a class 12 student, became a drug addict following consumption of supplements provided by a gym.

Dr. Singh urged the government to raise awareness among youngsters about the usage of such supplements and also to put a check on their sale. (IANS)