The Misuse of Insulin by Body Builders: Raising Awareness of the Dangers of this Practice and the Need for Education Resources

Abstract

Harm minimisation strategies aim to reduce the deleterious health and social consequences to the individual in drug use and abuse and the potential financial burden to the community. Harm minimisation is the guiding principle of the Steroid Peer Education Program (SPEP). This is an outreach program funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS) which provides counselling, education and needle exchange facilities for body-builders who inject with anabolic steroids. In 1998, SPEP became aware that a substantial number of clients were misusing insulin in an attempt to enhance muscle growth. It appears that these athletes were unaware of the dangers of insulin use, such as hypoglycaemia, and the potentially fatal consequences of this practice. Research was carried out which highlighted the need for education material as a harm reduction strategy. Such education material could be used to raise awareness of the dangers of non-medical insulin use and outline how to prevent and treat a hypoglycaemic episode. It appears pertinent to raise awareness of the non-medical use of insulin especially preceding the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In addition to the dangers inherent in insulin use as an anabolic enhancement agent, its use cannot be detected by existing control measures. Finally, the long term health consequences of this practice are largely unknown and represent, therefore, an area for future investigation.