In desperation to have a good physique in quick time, Indian youth are increasingly popping dietary supplements.
In desperation to have a good physique in quick time, Indian youth are increasingly popping dietary supplements.
An ASSOCHAM survey has shown that about 78% of adolescents in urban India, who are keen to have a good body, consume at least one dietary supplement such as pills, energy drinks, steroids and high protein supplements.
Forty-seven per cent teenagers said they used supplements such as protein powders, creatine and amino acids to gain body mass. Around 55% said they used supplements such as fat burners, high-energy drinks and caffeine pills to lose weight.
The survey was conducted in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Haryana, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow among 2,500 adolescents in the age group of 14-30 years. However, it was found that consumption of dietary supplement was higher in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai followed by Haryana, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
It is often the fitness trainers and coaches who encourage youngsters to take supplements for quicker result and to increase sale.
Almost 85% of teenagers said their coaches and fitness trainer encouraged them for supplements referred as calcium tablet and vitamins to perform well.
According to health experts, most of the health supplements available in the market are laced with steroids. Use of steroids increases with age, especially among boys, with almost 45% of 12th grade males reporting steroid use. More than 75% of steroid users said that they are willing to take extreme risks to reach sports stardom or other athletic goals.
With these drugs being easily available at any chemist shop, many children are becoming obsessed with a wide variety of substances that promise to boost energy, appearance, performance, immunity even though they have severe side-effects.
75% preferred to use a pill or powder including dietary supplements even if it may harm their health and shorten their life.
Participants consumed sports drinks (86%), vitamin and mineral tablets (75%), energy drinks (65%), herbal supplements (25%) high protein milk supplements (15%) and steroids (76%) etc.
A good majority of respondents spent nearly Rs 2,000 to 4000 per month on these dietary supplements, the survey found.
Consumption of dietary supplements causes side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, increase in weight due to water retention, muscle cramps. It also effects kidney function and enlargement of the heart muscle have been observed.
Use of dietary supplements is being heavily debated across the world for their suspected side effects with many countries even contemplating banning them.
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