Experts: Steroids, protein powders behind rise in hip damage among urban youth
New Delhi: Group of orthopaedic experts have raised a serious public health concern, stating the misuse of steroids and unregulated protein powders is severely damaging the hips of young gym-going individuals in their 20s.
This warning came during the 'Delhi Hip 360' conference held in the national capital, where orthopaedic specialists highlighted the alarming rise in cases of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) and early hip degeneration in youth, conditions traditionally seen in older adults.
Dr L Tomar, the organising chairman of the conference, said, "We are observing a significant surge in hip-related complaints among young patients in recent years.
Every week in my OPD, I see two to three patients under the age of 30, many in their early 20s, complaining of persistent hip pain." "
Investigations often reveal Avascular Necrosis (AVN), a condition where blood supply to the hip bone is compromised, leading to bone death. In over 70 per cent of these cases, there is a history of anabolic steroid use or excessive consumption of unverified protein powders," said Dr Tomar, who is the unit head of orthopaedics and joint replacement at Max Hospital, Delhi.
Recent studies have indicated a rise in hip issues among youth and how alcohol and steroid use were key contributors to AVN among young adults, he said.
More recently, the Maharashtra FDA launched statewide checks on protein powders after several brands were found to be spiked with performance-enhancing steroids, many of which are freely available online or at gyms without proper labelling or approvals.
Youth, especially those chasing rapid physical transformation, are unknowingly damaging their bone health, particularly the femoral head of the hip joint, which is uniquely sensitive to blood flow changes, Dr Tomar pointed out.
There is a thriving underground online market for performance-enhancing drugs and muscle-building supplements in India. Dr Rajiv Jain, senior orthopaedic surgeon, said steroids when or consumed unsupervised, directly impact the blood supply to the bones.
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