The unique practices of females using performance and image enhancing drugs

The unique practices of females using performance and image enhancing drug

Big business: The private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug harm reduction in the UK

This article draws on three mutually independent ethnographic studies to explore the private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) harm reduction in the UK, specifically examining (1) steroid accessory supplements; (2) blood testing services; and (3) bloodletting services. After contextualising the work with a discussion of IPED use and harm reduction and the substantial growth of the global health and fitness industry, each private sector provision is critically interrogated with the following questions in mind: what is the role and utility of these services compared to public sector provision? Why has the private sector begun to deliver IPED harm reduction products and services in the UK? And how does this provision relate to the health and fitness industry more broadly? The paper concludes with some reflections about the future direction of IPED harm reduction, the importance of community-led services, and the need to think innovatively if we are to best protect users’ health and wellbeing.</p

Are performance and image enhancing drugs an issue of concern in women?

Are performance and image enhancing drugs an issue of concern in women

Big business: The private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug harm reduction in the UK

This article draws on three mutually independent ethnographic studies to explore the private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) harm reduction in the UK, specifically examining (1) steroid accessory supplements; (2) blood testing services; and (3) bloodletting services. After contextualising the work with a discussion of IPED use and harm reduction and the substantial growth of the global health and fitness industry, each private sector provision is critically interrogated with the following questions in mind: what is the role and utility of these services compared to public sector provision? Why has the private sector begun to deliver IPED harm reduction products and services in the UK? And how does this provision relate to the health and fitness industry more broadly? The paper concludes with some reflections about the future direction of IPED harm reduction, the importance of community-led services, and the need to think innovatively if we are to best protect users’ health and wellbeing.</p

Gendered perspectives on women’s anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) usage practices

Abstract Background The masculinizing effects from anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) appear to be different between men and women, leading to calls for more gender-specific information regarding women and AAS use. This study sought to gather perspectives from both men and women on the unique challenges surrounding women’s use of AAS, irrespective of their personal use. Secondly, the study interrogated how women’s AAS practices differ from those of men specifically. Methods The data presented in this paper come from a subsample of participants who participated in a larger study investigating women and performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) use in Australia. Participants were included in the current analysis if they were: (i) males or females who competed with or coached female strength athletes using AAS and (ii) female and male strength athletes who used AAS. The final sample comprised 21 participants of which there was a proportion of males (n = 7) and females (n = 7) using AAS. Results Women’s choices in AAS selection were predominantly around oral compounds (e.g. Oxandrolone) as well as other PIEDs (e.g. Clenbuterol). Some women report the use of injectable AAS represents a change in the profile of the typical female user as it reportedly comes alongside drastic physical and psychological changes. Conclusions The unique challenges facing women who use AAS are largely isolation and stigma, with little evidence-based practice or education being available to them online or through peer-groups. Future work may consider piloting harm reduction strategies that may be co-designed with this group

Extending the efficacy of harm reduction frameworks for steroid users in Australia

Extending the efficacy of harm reduction frameworks for steroid users in Australi

If you find me on the floor, stick some sugar in my mouth: The social production (and protection) of insulin risk among IPED communities

IntroductionInsulin is used among image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) communities for its anabolic effects, but its use carries significant risks, with the acute danger being hypoglycaemia, which can be life-threatening if not properly managed. Within these communities, harm reduction practices and informal peer knowledge exchange play a critical role in the way substances are consumed. This qualitative study sought to understand these community practices regarding non-medical insulin use among people who use IPEDs.MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with people who use IPEDs, and specifically, insulin. Participants were asked about their risk practices, harm reduction strategies, and the community dynamics that shape their use of insulin. Our analysis centred on how social and material networks of peers, technologies, and information flows contribute to the social production and protection of risk.ResultsThe study involved an international cohort of 14 participants (13 men, 1 woman, aged 25-45, M = 33.34) who used insulin for non-medical purposes. The analysis revealed two themes: Intersecting Risks, which encompassed the physical, psychosocial, and self-imposed risks associated with insulin use, and Social Protection of Risks, focusing on community-driven harm reduction strategies. People who use insulin actively construct risk through community-driven knowledge and informal education. Social protection is facilitated through peer networks, where harm reduction strategies are shared.DiscussionThis research underscores the importance of community-care in harm reduction and challenges individualised models of risk management. It highlights the need for community-centred health interventions that recognise the relational dynamics of risk management among IPED-using communities.</p