Female Bodybuilding - Performance-enhancing Drugs

Performance-enhancing Drugs

A 2000 survey found that one-third of the female bodybuilders reported past or current steroid use and almost half of those who were non-steroid users admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs such as ephedrine. The study investigators found that women who used steroids were more muscular than their non-steroid-using counterparts and were also more likely to use other performance-enhancing substances. Despite its popularity among female bodybuilding, usage of steroids among female bodybuilders, unlike male bodybuilding, is a taboo subject and rarely admitted use among female bodybuilders. Although the IFBB officially bans the usage of performance-enhancing drugs, it does not test athletes rigorously.

A 2009 survey of both men and women found that while men overall use anabolic–androgenic steroids, more women than men who use anabolic–androgenic steroids where competitive bodybuilders or weightlifters, with only 33.3% describing themselves as "recreational lifters" with no interest in competition. The survey found that 75% of experienced clitoral enlargement, half had irregular periods and showed changes in their voices. Despite this 90% said they would continue to use steroids.

All anabolic steroids have some amount of androgens. Androgens cause massive increase in muscle size and muscularity among users. According to Dan Duchaine, author of the book Underground Steroid Handbook and worked with countless world-class female bodybuilders, and Greg Zulak, listed the following performance-enhancing drugs for female bodybuilders:

• Anadrol 50 (oxymetholone)
• Anavar (oxandrolone)
• Clenbuterol
• Deca-Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate)
• Dianabol (methandrostenolone)
• Equipoise (boldenone undecyclenate)
• Halotestin (fluoxymesterone)
• Human growth hormone
• Maxibolan (ethylestrenol)
• Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate)
• Primabolan (methenolone)
• Trenbolone
• Winstrol (stanozolol)