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Inside the dark side of female bodybuilding as the industry booms – from dehydration to drug scandals & shock deaths
BEYOND the chiselled physiques and unwavering dedication to fitness, there lies a deeper, darker side to female bodybuilding communities - with some willing to risk their lives to rule supreme over their beefy competitors.
For many women, this high-stakes environment often extends far beyond the competitive stage, exposing them to threats from other rival contestants and serious health risks from extreme dehydration and deadly steroid abuse.
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Surprisingly, not all female bodybuilders are chasing trophies or glory. For some, bodybuilding is a lifestyle, a statement, or even a livelihood.
Since its first boom in the 1980s, female bodybuilding is seeing a second wave of popularity sparked by the rise of fitness influencers.
Celebrities including former Page three girl Jodie Marsh, Dwayne Johnson, Teresa Giudice and Hugh Jackman have all admitted to either doing it, or giving it a go.
Speaking previously to The Sun Newspaper of her buffed up look, Jodie Marsh said: "I don't give a s*** what they say. I feel sexier than I have for ten years.
"I used to loathe my body but now I absolutely adore it.'
However, more recently after ditching the lifestyle she gave a health up date claiming she's "fat but happier than ever."
Back in 2018, American reality star Teresa explained that it was "the best" she had ever felt, while Dwayne Johnson and regularly spoken about the mental effort that is required.
He often uses the phrase "blood, sweat, and respect".
For amateur bodybuilder Mia Collins, bodybuilding has been a journey of self-discovery and discipline.
She told the BBC: "You get out what you put in, everyday is an uphill battle with it.
Bodybuilder dies aged 30 after collapsing during competition as horrified spectators look on
"But the output at the end - you have so much pride in what you've achieved. So few people do it because it is so challenging."
She continued: "So for me to focus on my health, my wellbeing and my muscular strength, it just means I'm hopefully going to be healthier down the line."
However, the industry has seen its fair share of controversies and scandals, with extreme practices leading to heartbreaking consequences.
In 2020, tragedy struck when young bodybuilder Jodi Vance, aged 20, died from extreme dehydration after using harmful supplements.
Dehydration is widely used in bodybuilding in the final stages of competition prep.
Contestants will manipulate water levels so that they can achieve a "dry" look that reveals every muscle and vein.
During the final 12-24 hours before competitors step on stage, athletes dramatically cut water in-take in order to dehydrate the body.
Bodybuilders will also do Cutting - which is a phase focused on reducing body fat to reveal muscle definition.
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Athletes do this by eating at a calorie deficit while maintaining or even increasing protein intake to preserve muscle mass.
Jodi had attended Arnold Schwarzenegger 's sports festival in Columbus, not as a competitor but to support her coaching students.
Her coach, fitness influencer Justin Mihaly, revealed in an Instagram video that Jodi had made a fatal mistake by consuming two hazardous substances without his or her family's knowledge.
A fat-burning drug which acts as a stimulant and a diuretic drug which causes increased passing of urine.
The two counteracting drugs ultimately led to her fatal dehydration.
Justin explained that Jodi, who had been experiencing health issues at the time, had shown interest in the fat-burning drug despite having no competitive reason to use it.
In May, a study by Dr Marco Vecchiato, an expert in sports medicine from the University of Padova, found that pumping iron could leave you at greater risk of suddenly falling to your death, a major study of 20,000 bodybuilders has revealed.
Researchers found those who had built extreme levels of muscle over their lifetime were twice as likely to die from sudden cardiac death, compared to the general population.
On the other hand, professional bodybuilders who competed in events like 'Mr Olympia,' including figures such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, faced a fivefold increase in the risk of sudden death compared to those at an amateur level.
Worryingly, nearly 40 per cent of all deaths among the bodybuilders examined were unexpected and linked to heart issues.
The authors also suggested their figures could be an underestimation, as many deaths were listed as ' unknown'.
Although many deaths are listed as 'unknown', the British Heart Foundation have warned that taking anabolic steroids is associated with high blood pressure and an increased risk of developing heart conditions such as left ventricular hypertrophy.
According to a study led by Tim Piatkowski from Griffith University, women bodybuilders are 12 times more likely to use anabolic steroid - which is traditionally used by young male bodybuilders to build and repair muscle quickly - than the general female population, including recreational gym users.
Despite it being illegal to possess anabolic steroids without a prescription, the study showed a four per cent rate of steroid consumption among women globally, higher than the 1.4 per cent last reported in 2014.
But it comes with permanent side effects for women including loss of breasts, deepened voice, problems with periods, hair loss, swelling of the clitoris, paranoia, blood clots, liver failure, and heart attacks.
In England, it's illegal to possess, import or export anabolic steroids if it's believed you're supplying or selling them. This includes giving them to friends.
The penalty is an unlimited fine, or even a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Anabolic steroids, often associated with young male bodybuilders for their muscle-building and recovery benefits, are becoming increasingly popular among women in the bodybuilding community.
Recent research highlights a global steroid use rate of 4% among women, a noticeable rise from the 1.4% reported in 2014.
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Dark community emerges
But it's not only troubling training methods that leave these female Adonis' at risk, a dark community where women are willing to do anything to get a competitive edge over their rivals has emerged.
Earlier this month, the bodybuilding world was rocked by the death of a beauty queen, Luz María Barrera Agatón, aged 36, who was found lifeless in a hotel swimming pool while holidaying with her family.
Luz, who had been staying at the Coco Resort & Villas in Motul, in Cancun, when she died, was crowned Fitness Champion at the 2017 Mister Mexico bodybuilding contest, won the bikini category at the Mr Olympia Amateur competition held in Spain and was crowned queen of the Motul Carnival in 2024.
Police have not ruled out foul play, and local reports revealed she had received sinister threats just two weeks prior, when a menacing banner was hung outside her gym in Merida, Yucatán.
Luz reportedly removed the sign herself without informing authorities, but cops are investigating these incidents and whether they could be connected to her death.
This was not the first time she had faced such threats; back in 2017, she and her former partner, Chiri Roberto, a state prosecutor, were seemingly targeted by two thugs and threatened.
Yo-yo dieting, often seen in bulking and cutting phases, can negatively impact general wellbeing and, for many women, their menstrual cycles
Daniel Herman, a NASM nutritionist and founder of Bio-Synergy
Last year, Johanna Pérez, who ran the Johafit nutrition and trainer health pages on Facebook and Instagram and racked up tens of thousands of followers in the process, passed away just a few days after her 35th birthday.
She broke new ground as one of the first women to compete in bodybuilding tournaments in her native Panama.
During her career, she had scooped up several awards, before moving into the world of content creation.
Back in 2022, a Washington Post investigation found that officials - , including J.M. Manion, whose father, Jim - founder and president of International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation [IFBB] Pro League and the National Physique Committee [NPC] - of bodybuilding's two premier federations have been sexually exploiting female athletes for decades.
Their report found that the females were being pressured for them to pose for nude photographs, posting those photos to soft-core pornography sites.
It also found that at times, the officials manipulated contest results in favour of cooperative competitors.
According to The Washington Post, for more than 15 years, J.M. Manion had been running amateur and professional bodybuilding contests for decades.
One of J.M.'s sites, Fitness Divas, bluntly stated: 'Your Favorite Fitness Athletes …Naked!'
Jenn Gates, who won the figure category at the prestigious Olympia contest in 2007, was managed by J.M, and earned enough sponsorship money to quit her nursing job.
She graced the covers of fitness magazines, and claims that J.M asked her to take off her bikini top and bottom for photos.
However, Jenn refused but later learned from Post reporters that her swimsuit photos had been featured alongside nude female competitors on one of his pornography sites.
She explained that she "never consented to having" her pictures on a soft-porn site.
Aly Garcia, a bikini competitor who abandoned the spot in 2017 after realising that she would "never get a top win" if she didn't have sex with the judges or promoters, also claimed to have refused to do nude photos.
Lawyers for Manion and others said they emphatically denied "any and all wrongdoing."
'Toxic, unhealthy and unrealistic'
Daniel Herman, a NASM nutritionist and founder of Bio-Synergy, has spent 28 years in the industry and previously worked with organisations like Pure Elite and the NPA (Natural for Life Bodybuilding).
He explains that the number of women competing, particularly in fitness and bikini categories, has risen dramatically.
While he supports anything that encourages consistent exercise, he warns of the potential health risks associated with bodybuilding competitions.
He explains: 'Yo-yo dieting, often seen in bulking and cutting phases, can negatively impact general wellbeing and, for many women, their menstrual cycles.
'If someone participates in multiple competitions over several years, these effects can be compounded.'
He continues: 'For some there is also the additional pressure of using steroids which can lead to further issues.
'The WADA, World Anti-Doping Association says 'steroids may enhance performance in the short term, but they come at a great cost: organ damage, reproductive disorders, and psychological effects like aggression and addiction.'
'It is imperative as with any competitive sport to get support from experts in nutrition and training to mitigate these potential risks, and choose supplements that are science backed, safe and efficacious to support.'
Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in physiotherapy at King's College London, also confirmed an increase in uptake of the sport among women in the last 10 years.
He said: "I think we've had a massive issue with gendered expectations or roles placed upon women particularly.'
Ultimately, while female bodybuilding can be a source of empowerment and achievement, it is crucial for participants to have expert guidance in nutrition and training, as well as access to safe, science-backed supplements.
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Without these measures, the risks can outweigh the rewards, leaving many women vulnerable to physical, emotional, and even life-threatening consequences.
Taking to Reddit, one person remained anonymous while sharing their experience within the industry.
They explained how they think the body building culture is 'toxic, unhealthy and unrealistic' and noted how social media and online communities have only made it worse.
The social media user also explained that most of the people they've met or spoken to 'aren't even competing, nor serious enough about their hobby to warrant copious amounts of money they spend on protein supplements or food.'
The post ended with: 'Body building culture has become toxic, obsessive and saturated with people with unrealistic expectations and uneducated uninformed opinions.
'I genuinely believe body dysmorphia disorder is at an all time high.'
Daniel adds: 'Another issue is that there is some politics, placings are subjective, and judging criteria can vary depending on federation, category, and even region.
'Some competitors report that success often hinges on more than just physical condition - including coach affiliations, politics, and how well a competitor 'fits the mould' of the current trend in body types.'
Participants are assessed on factors such as muscle development, balance, overall conditioning, and stage presence.
Judges rank competitors by comparing them to one another, with the winner being the athlete who achieves the lowest combined score. Various divisions, such as bodybuilding, physique, or bikini, focus on highlighting different aspects of an ideal physique.
But despite this, the bodybuilding industry is on the rise - especially for women. It's been reported that this year, female bodybuilding is undergoing a significant transformation.
This includes a rise in participation, new competition categories, and a wider cultural acceptance of strength and empowerment.
With more women embracing strength training and bodybuilding, the sport continues to evolve, presenting diverse opportunities for athletes across the globe.
Rimini Miloro, 26, from Burton on Trent believes that the industry is competitive but is a sport where everyone 'understands each other.'
'Very competitive sport'
She says: 'Bodybuilding is a very competitive sport.
'It's not just about stepping up on stage but it's all about your daily actions away from the stage also.
'It's also a very individual sport meaning everything you do is on you and will also determine the look you bring to the stage. I wouldn't say bodybuilding is bitchy at all.
'From my experience it's a community where everyone understands each other.
'We have all worked so hard to be able to develop the physiques we bring to the stage and it's just so nice to share that with people who understand every step you've taken because they've done the same.
'We are doing the work daily. Not just when it's time to prep and get on stage. None of us look stage lean all the time either.
'In order to grow a decent amount of bodyfat has to be put on.
'We need to get strong in order to perform better in the gym, we need to fuel our body with good quality foods and we can't do that trying to hold onto our abs all the time.
'Bodybuilding is all about what you do in the background before getting the tan and showcasing your physique to the judges.'
The introduction of the Fit Model category by the NPC and IFBB is indeed an exciting step forward for female bodybuilding, offering a more accessible and inclusive platform for women.
This new category prioritises a natural and athletic aesthetic, focusing on balance, stage presence, and overall beauty, rather than extreme muscularity.
It bridges the gap between fitness modelling and traditional bodybuilding, providing women with an alternative way to showcase their dedication to fitness and well-being.
The upcoming 2025 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships and Annual Congress in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, promises to be a pivotal moment for the sport.
With athletes from around the world coming together, this event promises to showcase the growing diversity and innovation in female bodybuilding.
As the sport embraces inclusivity and holistic health, 2025 is set to be a landmark year, redefining its future.
Female bodybuilding is not just evolving in competition - it's breaking barriers, inspiring empowerment, and uniting a global community.
And although their is scandal with drug taking in the industry, Rimini believes it's changing for the better.
She says: "I've seen people unfortunately pass away due to diuretic use which is actually now not a popular protocol to do due to the risks of that enhancement.
"Both the natural and assisted bodybuilding world for females is at an all-time high - it's a challenge many want to succeed in.
"I feel the glitz and glam is definitely the main attraction for some girls and that's great.
"However, it's super important for girls to understand what comes with that look on the stage for them to see if prepping for 20-30 weeks is worth potentially what is around 5-10 minutes on stage.
"Social media has had such a positive impact on the bodybuilding scene - especially the natural side.
"But it's an industry which teaches you mental resilience from pushing yourself on a daily basis."
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