Concerns about increasing anabolic steroid use among amateur athletes

Amateur athletes in the Netherlands, bodybuilders and martial artists in particular, are increasingly using anabolic steroids. The two steroid outpatient clinics set up at hospitals in Haarlem and Tilburg are struggling to keep up with treating side effects. The Ministry of Public Health is pushing structural funds into reducing the use of these steroids among amateur athletes, Trouw reports.

According to a study by the Mulier Institute for Scientific Sports Research this year, 24 percent of cross-fitters who exercise once or twice a week use some form of doping substance. Among martial artists and strength athletes, it’s almost half. That comes down to approximately 400,000 strength athletes and 80,000 martial artists in the Netherlands. In some branches, like bodybuilding, the use of anabolic steroids is commonplace.

“When I look at those numbers, I’m shocked,” Pim de Ronde, internist-endocrinologist at the Spaarne Gasthuis in Haarlem, where one of the two specialized steroid clinics is located, told Trouw. “And there is no reason to think that the number of users will decrease.”

“We know that an awful lot of amateurs take steroids,” said Diederik Smit, a specialist at the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg, home to the other specialized clinic. “If growth continues like this, the whole of the Netherlands will eventually need treatment.”

Anabolic steroids are chemical variants of the male sex hormone testosterone, which promotes and accelerates muscle growth. They’re addictive, and almost every user suffers from side effects. These include acne, breast formation in men, erection problems, reduced sperm production, increased blood pressure, and reduced heart fucntion. After stopping steroids, low testosterone levels can cause depression, lethargy, fatigue, and, in some cases, even cardiovascular disease.

“We are concerned about the consequences for the user in the future,” De Ronde said to Trouw. “There is uncertainty about the long-term effects, but research shows plenty of indications that the risk of cardiovascular disease is increased by use.”

From next year, the Ministry of Public Health will give the Doping Authority 700,000 euros per year for better information to anabolic steroid users and potential users. The Doping Authority, a government institution established to strive for doping-free sports, hopes that better information and more warnings about the health consequences will eventually lead to less use of steroids.