Bodybuilding has remained a popular sport in the fitness industry for numerous generations, and it remains popular today. There is debate about what qualifies as a sport. Kennedy (121) defines a sport as a human activity that requires physical effort and skill and is inherently competitive. Bodybuilding fits this definition, but it encounters challenges due to the controversy surrounding anabolic drugs, also known as steroids.
The FDA has made steroids illegal, but in bodybuilding, athletes need to consume hormones that exceed the recommended daily intake of natural foods and minerals. Bodybuilding is highly respected for its discipline of both body and mind. This raises the question of why the FDA still prohibits anabolic drugs in an industry where some influencers require these hormones to uphold bodybuilding legacies.
The FDA is banning these substances and there is often discussion about fitness experts’ inability to develop legal alternatives that mimic the drugs. As a fitness model and competitor in the industry, it is common for other competitors, primarily men, to use supplements that boost strength and muscle mass.
It is widely known in the fitness industry that some supplements, such as anabolic steroids and phentermine, are deemed illegal by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and fitness federations. Anabolic steroids are artificial steroid hormones that imitate testosterone, resulting in enhanced muscle growth and better physical performance. Conversely, phentermine is a medication employed to decrease appetite through its binding to hunger-controlling receptors in the hypothalamus. It should be stressed that these substances lack FDA approval and do not receive support from the fitness community.
Although prohibited in the industry, it is clear that these supplements significantly influence body manipulation to meet competition, magazine, and industry standards. The ongoing concerns include why the FDA opposes steroids when individuals should have the right to consume them, and how nutritionists and bodybuilders perceive their effectiveness in the industry and reasons for consumption.
Both the FDA and industry experts, including master trainer and top-ranked bodybuilder Tina Chandler, as well as leading nutritionist Johnnie West, offer their perspectives. The FDA has taken action to ban certain products labeled as steroids or steroid-like substances, some of which are marketed as dietary supplements. Their primary concern lies within sports associations, particularly the bodybuilding community which sees a significant number of users in the fitness industry. What specific purposes does the FDA declare these products illegal for?
According to the FDA Food and Drug, the products offered are considered unapproved drugs because they are not widely accepted as safe or effective. These products have the potential to be harmful and misleading (par. 6). The FDA and the Anti-Doping Agency work together in conducting drug tests on bodybuilders and other competitors in the fitness industry, with positive results potentially leading to a ban from the federation. Both organizations strongly emphasize the negative effects of supplements and the severe, long-term adverse health consequences that individuals, regardless of gender, may experience.
According to Hitti (par. 2), anabolic supplements have various problems associated with them, including liver toxicity, testicular atrophy and male infertility, masculinization of women, adverse effects on blood fat levels, and the potential increase of heart attacks and strokes. The FDA has identified Tren Xtreme, Mass Xtreme, and Estro Xtreme as supplements containing steroid-like substances. Dietary supplements, as defined by the law cited by Shmidt (par. 5), are products that contain minerals and herbs without claiming to prevent, mitigate, or cure specific illnesses. As a result, the FDA recommends and provides a list of regular, legal foods that are effective in gaining muscle mass and weight loss, which include cottage cheese, lean ground beef, soy, eggs, chicken, fish, and vegetables.
Lastly, Andrew Shao, the vice president for the Science and Regulation Council of Responsible Nutrition, explains that it is challenging to completely prohibit all illegal substances in an industry that heavily relies on them, generating $2.8 billion in annual sales (Shmidt par. 7). Although the FDA cannot catch every person using dietary supplements and anabolic steroids, they are making efforts to promote healthier methods for maintaining a well-structured and safe body. Tina Chandler, a renowned female bodybuilder and master trainer, disagrees with the FDA’s assertion that dietary supplements are ineffective despite acknowledging their potential negative effects. According to Chandler, in a face-to-face interview, the FDA is mistaken in this regard.Tina Chandler, an industry veteran of ten years, disagrees with the FDA’s claim that steroids are ineffective due to their adverse effects. She believes these drugs are indeed effective and have helped her succeed in competitive industry. However, I question why legal supplements or proper nutrition cannot achieve the same positive effects. Furthermore, if she considers steroids unhealthy, why does she use them herself?
After a lengthy delay in her response, she expressed that “regular foods lack sufficient testosterone to meet my rapid growth needs, and other legal supplements are designed for those seeking general fitness rather than bodybuilders aiming to rapidly gain mass. It’s simply not sufficient. Personally, I have never experienced any adverse effects from the substances I have consumed.” The final crucial inquiry I posed to her was whether she believed the FDA would ultimately cause the industry’s downfall. She confidently asserted, “I am certain that the FDA will not be the reason for the collapse of this industry.”
Many individuals rely on us for motivation in their fitness lifestyle. If the FDA were to stop all steroid users, there would be a significant economic decline because numerous individuals depend on steroids as a source of income through competitions, magazines, or personal training. Although our job may differ from others, it is still considered a career. During the interview, she expressed agreement with the FDA’s efforts to assist individuals in maintaining healthy lives and providing warnings about the potential consequences of steroid usage. The FDA is simply carrying out their duty, just as bodybuilders are focused on pursuing their own goals.
Immediately after my interview with Tina Chandler, I proceeded to interview Mr. Johnnie West, a renowned nutritionist who works with Mrs. Chandler. During our conversation, he reassured me that the fitness industry would not decline, regardless of whether athletes took supplements legally or illegally. When I asked him for the reason behind this, he explained, “Everyone desires to see bodybuilders attain a massive, defined physique with prominent veins. However, when people discover what these athletes are actually consuming, they express strong disapproval.” Mr. West then elaborated with a few examples, saying, “Similarly, in professional sports, fans enjoy seeing the quarterback brutally knocked down, rendering him unable to continue. Yet, those who tackle him rely on supplements to accomplish this. The human body is not naturally predisposed to possess such extraordinary strength. It is hypocritical for people to desire these feats while disparaging the supplements that enable athletes to achieve them.” Understanding this sentiment, the industry recognizes the need for occasional leniency in order to sustain its success.
He asserts that the use of steroids or diuretic supplements, whether legal or not, is not considered cheating if everyone engages in it. He contends that there is little difference in the effects of these substances if one fails to cycle out and cleanse their body of proteins and other supplements. Nevertheless, he acknowledges potential issues associated with their usage, depending on an individual’s understanding of how to manipulate them for their own body. As a fitness model within the industry, he recognizes the significance of these substances in competitions and federations despite their negative consequences and illegal status. Additionally, he opposes the FDA’s position on steroids and believes that bodybuilders share similar perspectives.
Having thoroughly analyzed both sides of this argument, I now have a deeper understanding of bodybuilders’ actual viewpoints and opinions on the FDA, which were previously undisclosed to me. The FDA’s principles and restrictions on drugs receive support from fitness experts and bodybuilders, who highly value their statements. Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that fitness is a prosperous industry that serves as both a way of life and a business for these individuals.
Individuals in the industry will go to great extremes, regardless of legality, to excel at their craft and generate income. Therefore, why hinder their pursuit of their passion? This ongoing debate lacks a definitive answer or moral judgment. The future outcome of the industry’s survival remains uncertain and can only be determined over time. Meanwhile, let the competitions continue as bodybuilders frequently jest, “I don’t deny using steroids, but I assure you I won’t get caught.”
