Muscle-building supplements are intended to supplement the diet and provide the benefits of increased muscle strength and mass, reduced fatigue, and improved performance. They are excessively used by boys and young men due to pressures of adhering to muscular and lean body type. There is a significant gap in guidance to healthcare professionals on how to assess and manage people using muscle-building supplements and how to determine if their use is associated with potential risks.
A commentary published by Ganson et al., in the “Journal of Adolescent Health” provides guidance to healthcare professionals for assessment and harm reduction strategies to better support young people using easily available muscle-building supplements. The guidelines provide detailed recommendations on assessment, nutritional evaluation, behavioral assessment, physical and mental health monitoring, harm reduction, and steroid use assessment (see Graphic).
(Source: Ganson KT, Nagata JM. Adolescent and young adult use of muscle-building dietary supplements: Guidance for assessment and harm reduction approaches to mitigate risks. J Adolesc Health. 2024:S1054-139X(24)00263-5. Doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.05.027)