(07-10-15) Excessive workout supplement use may be emerging eating disorder in men

as presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association
In an effort to build better bodies, more men are turning not to illegal anabolic steroids, but to legal over-the-counter bodybuilding supplements to the point where it may qualify as an emerging eating disorder, according to research presented at APA, held in August in Toronto. 
“These products have become an almost ubiquitous fixture in the pantries of young men across the country and can seemingly be purchased anywhere and everywhere -- from grocery stores to college book stores,” said Richard Achiro, PhD, California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Los Angeles, who presented the research. “The marketing efforts, which are tailored to addressing underlying insecurities associated with masculinity, position these products perfectly as a ‘solution’ by which to fill a void felt by so many men in our culture.” 
For the study, the researchers recruited 195 men age 18-65 who had consumed legal appearance- or performance-enhancing supplements (e.g., whey protein, creatine, L-carnitine) in the past 30 days and had stated that they work out for fitness or appearance-related reasons a minimum of two times a week. Participants completed an online survey asking questions about a variety of subjects, including supplement use, self-esteem, body image, eating habits and gender role conflicts.
The investigators found that more than 40% of participants indicated that their use of supplements had increased over time and 22% indicated that they replaced regular meals with dietary supplements not intended to be meal replacements. Further, 29% said they were concerned about their own use of supplements; eight percent of participants indicated that their physician had told them to cut back on or stop using supplements due to actual or potential adverse health side effects, and three percent had been hospitalized for kidney or liver problems that were related to the use of supplements.

SOURCE: univadis.it

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