IPEDs use ‘rising despite health risks’

THE use of image and performance-enhancing drugs is “widespread” in the UK despite the considerable health risks, a new report has found.

Public Health Wales, working in collaboration with other bodies across the UK, interviewed more than 680 people who use so-called IPEDs.

A diverse range of substances fall under the IPED umbrella including steroids, peptides and growth hormones, and drugs designed for weight loss, fat loss, diuretic effects and tanning.

Some are associated with physical harms such as acne, balding, cardiovascular disease and reduced liver function.

But they can also lead to psychological problems including mood changes and increased aggression.

The UK-wide poll found that more than half (56%) of respondents used IPEDs to improve their image while others used them to boost sporting performance or increase their sex drive.

Most of those injecting IPEDs reported using them at least twice a week.

Josie Smith, head of substance misuse for Public Health Wales, said: “The findings of the latest survey evidence a further shift in the motivations for use of IPEDs.

“We know that use of IPEDs is widespread among diverse populations and within the survey respondents ranged from 17 to 74-years-old.

“The primary purpose is to evidence trends both in types of substances used and in what combinations as well as the way in which they may being used, so relevant information can be provided and services developed both to prevent initiation of IPED use, particularly among young people, and to reduce the harms associated with use, both acute and chronic.

“Changes in our cultural and social expectations relating to physique, along with the availability of a wide range of substances to modify or facilitate image and performance enhancement, mean that a pragmatic health-focussed approach is required.”