UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has raised serious concerns over the alarming frequency with which young people are being exposed to social media adverts for performance-enhancing substances that could be life-threatening. A new survey reveals that nearly a third of 16- to 25-year-olds see promotions for selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) on platforms like Instagram and TikTok at least once a week, with 5% encountering them daily. Even more troubling, one in three young people who purchased SARMs did so after seeing these ads online.
SARMs are not approved for human consumption in the UK and have been linked to severe health risks, including liver failure, heart attacks, and strokes. Despite this, they are often marketed by health and fitness influencers as a "safer" alternative to anabolic steroids. UKAD CEO Jane Rumble warns, "It's simply not worth the risk to your health to take these substances." The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has banned SARMs for athletes, yet their online promotion continues to grow, with vendors skirting the law by labeling them "for research purposes only."
The findings, released during UKAD's Clean Sport Week, also highlight a worrying trust in online fitness influencers. A third of young people believe information about performance-enhancing substances from influencers is trustworthy, while 40% trust advice from people they meet at the gym. UKAD emphasizes that influencers often prioritize financial gain, overselling potential benefits while downplaying the dangers. Real-world consequences are stark: last year, Team GB bobsleigher Arran Gulliver received a two-year ban after testing positive for ostarine, a banned SARM. Meanwhile, TikTok star Jack Joseph recently revealed on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins that he nearly died from liver failure after taking SARMs as a teenager.
The issue extends beyond SARMs. Online searches for peptides, another group of substances promoted for muscle growth, have surged five-fold in the past year, according to Google Trends data. For young athletes and fitness enthusiasts, the message is clear: the allure of quick gains from unregulated substances comes with life-threatening risks. Staying safe means trusting proven training methods and proper nutrition over social media hype.