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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Amateur athletes are using performance-enhancing substances at surprisingly high rates, often without medical supervision. A major Inserm report highlights the health dangers — from heart damage to dependence — and calls for better education tailored to recreational sports communities. The findings reveal a significant gap in awareness and oversight outside elite athletics.
A new report commissioned by the French Ministry of Sports and conducted by Inserm (France's national health research institute) shines a spotlight on doping among amateur athletes — a group that's been largely overlooked compared to elite competitors. Drawing on a survey of nearly 7,300 amateur athletes across eight EU countries and 200+ sports, the findings reveal that while only 0.4% admitted to using outright prohibited substances, the broader picture is far more concerning.
More than 10% of respondents reported using over-the-counter medications to boost athletic performance, and over 40% used them to influence physiological functions like pain, sleep, mood, or menstrual cycles. In gym and fitness settings, anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use ranged from 10% to 35% across studies — often taken on the advice of coaches or teammates rather than doctors.
The health risks are serious and well-documented. AAS use is linked to heart muscle damage, kidney impairment, increased clotting risk, psychiatric effects, reproductive harm, and dependency.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Amateur athletes often fly under the radar of anti-doping frameworks, yet the health risks they face are just as real. Doctors, pharmacists, and coaches need better tools to identify and address these behaviors before they cause lasting harm.
