NEW DELHI: Cardiologists and health experts have raised concern over the growing misuse of steroids, stimulant-heavy pre-workout powders and unregulated gym supplements among urban youth in India, warning that the trend is increasing the risk of serious heart-related complications, including arrhythmias, heart failure and sudden cardiac events.
Medical experts said the obsession with muscular physiques and rapid body transformation, fuelled by social media fitness culture and online supplement marketing, is pushing many young gym-goers towards unsafe products and extreme workout routines that can severely strain the heart.
Rahul Chandola, Chairman of the Institute of Heart and Lung Diseases, said doctors are increasingly witnessing young individuals suffering from palpitations, abnormal heart rhythms, spikes in blood pressure and early structural heart changes linked to unsupervised supplement and steroid use.
“The concern is not exercise itself. Regular exercise protects the heart. The danger comes when people combine extreme workouts with stimulants, anabolic steroids, dehydration and unrealistic body-image expectations,” Rahul Chandola said.
Health experts noted that sudden collapses and cardiac deaths among young fitness enthusiasts and amateur bodybuilders have become a growing concern not only in India but globally.
Mayank Yadav of All India Institute of Medical Sciences said many young consumers mistakenly assume that supplements sold online or promoted by influencers are medically safe.
“People think if a product is available on an e-commerce platform or being used by fitness influencers, it must be harmless. That assumption is dangerous because many formulations are poorly regulated or consumed in unsafe quantities,” Mayank Yadav said.
Doctors said India’s expanding fitness economy and social media-driven “aesthetic fitness” culture are significantly contributing to the trend. Platforms such as Instagram and YouTube are flooded with transformation videos, supplement promotions and extreme fitness challenges targeting young audiences.
According to experts, recent international scientific studies have shown that anabolic-androgenic steroid use can reduce heart pumping efficiency, thicken heart walls and lead to harmful cardiac remodelling.
They also warned that many modern pre-workout supplements contain excessive caffeine, stimulants and performance-enhancing compounds that may sharply increase heart rate and blood pressure, potentially triggering dangerous cardiovascular complications.
Rahul Chandola further stressed the importance of proper heart-health screening before individuals begin aggressive exercise programmes or intense gym training.
“Many young individuals may already have silent or underlying cardiac abnormalities that remain completely undiagnosed until a catastrophic event occurs during intense exercise,” he said.
He added that routine annual health check-ups are often insufficient for detecting hidden cardiovascular disease, as they generally rely on blood tests and resting ECGs that may fail to identify deeper structural problems or arterial blockages.
Doctors advised individuals engaged in high-intensity workouts, especially those above 40 years of age or those with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking history or a family history of heart disease, to undergo comprehensive cardiovascular screening.
Rahul Chandola also highlighted the growing role of advanced technologies and AI-driven cardiovascular screening systems in identifying hidden cardiac risks at an early stage.
“The future of heart care lies in early detection. If we can identify vulnerable individuals before symptoms appear, we can prevent many avoidable tragedies,” he said.
Doctors also cautioned against consuming stimulant-loaded pre-workout powders before intense gym sessions and advised young fitness enthusiasts to avoid shortcuts for rapid muscle gain.
“Exercise and fitness routines should prioritise overall health and longevity rather than endangering the heart for appearance-driven goals or social media approval,” Mayank Yadav said.
