Excessive Bodybuilding Supplements Can Cause Eating Disorder

Findings showed that more than 40% of the men admitted that their consumption of supplements increase over time.

In the most extreme cases, 8 percent said they’d been told by their doctor to cut back on supplement use and 3 percent had been hospitalized for kidney or liver problems linked to their excessive use of the supplements. The online survey inquired about the men’s use of such supplements, their general self-esteem and body image, their eating habits, and any gender-role conflicts they experience.

But many guys are taking this pressure too personally – and too far, using legal body-building supplements like protein shakes and bars for weight loss instead of muscle enhancement, according to new research presented at the American Psychological Association meeting in Toronto.

As with a large number of people who suffer disorders such as bulimia or anorexia, men who are body-conscious are using these supplements to replace full meals, as they attempt to attain what in their mind is the flawless body. “It is an expression, or variance, of eating disorder behaviour in these men”.

Perhaps a more open debate about what drives men to attempt reaching the “perfect” masculine embodiment would help them steer away from the edge of eating disorders and other mental health issues.

“These products have become an nearly 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, Ph.D., from the California School of Professional Psychology. But men who take these supplements in excessive amounts may be prone to emotional or physical disorders.

The participants go to the gym at least twice per week and regularly take appearance or performance-enhancing supplements that include the likes of L-carnitine, whey protein and creatine.

Experts advised consulting a nutritionist prior to starting use of supplements because some of the ingredients used can be unhealthy. The researchers say that you can categorize supplement use as an eating disorder because the supplements are becoming a part of the person’s dietary habits.

The cause appears to be multifaceted, involving body image issues and self-esteem, but also gender role conflict.

Achiro believes that these products are being advertised in a manner that taps into an increasing objectification of the male body in society. The “bigger, stronger, better” marketing strategies encourage potential users to view supplements as a flawless (although indirect) fix for the feelings of insecurity they don’t feel comfortable expressing otherwise. In order to meet those cultural expectations, they overuse supplements to replace meals.

Dr Achiro and Dr Theodore developed the scale by which participants judged their use of the supplements.