{"id":19885,"date":"2026-05-11T18:02:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T18:02:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=19885"},"modified":"2026-05-11T18:02:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T18:02:40","slug":"the-dark-side-of-scotlands-bodybuilding-scene-with-rise-of-bootleg-steroids-trt-abuse-in-pursuit-of-perfect-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=19885","title":{"rendered":"The dark side of Scotland&#8217;s bodybuilding scene with rise of bootleg steroids &#038; TRT abuse in pursuit of &#8216;perfect&#8217; body"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>BODYBUILDERS push their bodies to the absolute limit to try to reach the pinnacle of human strength and physique. <\/p>\n<p>For these athletes, it is more than a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/sport\/\">sport<\/a> \u2013 it is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/lifestyle\/\">lifestyle<\/a>, a livelihood, even an <span id=\"e4f25a87-49ac-487c-b8f0-2281a50247ed\" class=\"suggested-link\">art<\/span> form. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16211437\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Behind the rippling muscles and stage-ready tans lies a darker side to bodybuilding<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Alamy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16211425\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Steroid and TRT abuse is on the rise in Scotland<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Alamy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It is the ultimate embodiment of hard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/work\/\">work<\/a> and sacrifice. <\/p>\n<p>But behind the rippling muscles and stage-ready tans, a darker side to this subculture is emerging. <\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/nutrition\/\">nutrition<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/training\/\">training<\/a> are the foundation, some are willing to risk everything, including their health, to achieve a deadly kind of perfection.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, this pursuit of the perfect body has been fuelled by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/dangerous\/\">dangerous<\/a> Image and Performance-Enhancing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/drugs\/\">Drugs<\/a> (IPEDs) among other hardcore techniques.<\/p>\n<p>Anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, peptides and potent fat-burners are now common tools of the trade.<\/p>\n<p>And the visible results are so desirable that this chemical dependency is seeping into the mainstream and tempting everyday gym-goers and average punters into a high-stakes gamble with their own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/health\/\">health<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Anabolic steroids and Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) act as synthetic mimics of natural testosterone. <\/p>\n<p>They allow users to build muscle mass and reduce recovery times at an unnatural pace. <\/p>\n<p>However, their use can have horrific side effects including shrunk testicles, cancerous tumours, blood clots, heart complications and liver damage.<\/p>\n<p>In the <span id=\"ffcd963c-4588-46bd-965b-caf7781de1d1\" class=\"suggested-link\">UK<\/span>, anabolic steroids are Class C <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/drugs\/\">drugs<\/a> and are legal to possess for personal use.<\/p>\n<p>They <span id=\"006633dc-5388-496c-92a1-b04826b65297\" class=\"suggested-link\">remain<\/span> prescription-only medications intended for treating hormone deficiencies.<\/p>\n<p>Now, a rise in unregulated bootleg products, combined with a widespread misunderstanding of safe dosages, is fueling a growing health crisis for thousands of Scots. <\/p>\n<p>Experts warn these substances exploded out of professional bodybuilding circles and into the mainstream, which can pose significant risks. <\/p>\n<p>Drug expert John Campbell has run the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/nhs\/\">NHS<\/a> Greater <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/glasgow\/\">Glasgow<\/a> and Clyde steroid clinic since 2009. <\/p>\n<p>In that time, he has witnessed a disturbing shift in why and who is seeking help.<\/p>\n<p>He told The Scottish Sun: \u201cOver the years, we have seen a massive shift. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve moved from traditional physique enhancement, where people used steroids to stay in shape, to a new wave of image enhancement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFifteen years ago, it was big bodybuilders and strongmen. Now, it\u2019s moving into cosmetics. We have people coming into the clinic who have never even been in a gym before asking for an injection.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>John estimates the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/glasgow\/\">Glasgow<\/a> clinic has conducted over 4,000 blood tests since opening, providing a rare window into the internal wreckage caused by these drugs.<\/p>\n<p>He warned: \u201cIt is easy to forget how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/dangerous\/\">dangerous<\/a> these substances are. Over any long period, they can put the heart under massive pressure and cause the left ventricle to grow abnormally large. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16226775\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Behind the rippling muscles and stage-ready tans, a darker side to this subculture is emerging<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16226789\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Anabolic steroids and Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) act as synthetic mimics of natural testosterone<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Alamy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt changes the structure of your arteries and ruins your cholesterol. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut because we can identify that harm in a blood test and present it as evidence, we have a really good success rate at encouraging people to stop altogether.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gareth Balmer, the National Harm Reduction Lead for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/charity\/\">charity<\/a> WithYou, works across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/scotland\/\">Scotland<\/a>, where the data, although limited, paints a worrying picture.<\/p>\n<p>Gareth said: \u201cIn some of our needle exchange services, anabolic steroid users are now actually outnumbering <span id=\"cb1f3a84-b1ad-4546-80d2-3a2080777586\" class=\"suggested-link\">heroin<\/span> and <span id=\"cc7f6e1a-7a68-47db-ac89-ebec7211a4a6\" class=\"suggested-link\">cocaine<\/span> injectors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe normalisation of these drugs by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/vloggers-and-influencers\/\">influencers<\/a> means many are using them without understanding the risks. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cUsing TRT when prescribed by a doctor for a deficiency is very different from taking it without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/medical\/\">medical<\/a> supervision at much higher doses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gareth believes that the surge is being driven by a digital obsession with \u201clooksmaxxing\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/tiktok\/\">TikTok<\/a> insight data shows 18-25 year old <span id=\"38dabe7f-7974-40c0-b899-040447013295\" class=\"suggested-link\">men<\/span> are also the group searching the most for looksmaxxing <span id=\"8f9f200e-7beb-4b2c-910d-c413b8afb88d\" class=\"suggested-link\">hacks<\/span> on the platform, with more than 300,000 searches per day in February and rising to a peak of 1.9 million in late March.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the other end of the age scale, there are older men using TRT for \u201canti-ageing\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the rise of people going out on their lunch break to get \u2018tweakments\u2019 \u2013 minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures such as <span id=\"e11df185-f72e-46fd-b6b0-7cdf78ad4ee7\" class=\"suggested-link\">botox<\/span>, fillers and laser treatments \u2013 many people have begun to see appearance-based interventions using needles as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And the <span id=\"1a037da9-c2de-4ff9-80bc-bee461558661\" class=\"suggested-link\">danger<\/span> is compounded by a shadow market of unregulated drugs sold on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/social-media\/\">social media<\/a> or in gym locker rooms. <\/p>\n<p>Gareth warned: \u201cDrug testing services have shown that drugs bought from unregulated sources, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/social\/\">social<\/a> media, friends, or someone you <span id=\"83a66d81-15fd-4481-91bb-08963970d03d\" class=\"suggested-link\">met<\/span> at the gym, are unpredictable and can be cut with other substances which have variable strength, toxicity and effects. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople often think that because drugs are in familiar or professional-looking packaging they must be safe, but fraudulent medication is increasingly common. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe main aim of these sellers is profit, and there\u2019s no quality control so it\u2019s possible sellers may not know what exactly is in the drugs they\u2019re supplying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chris McCreadie, otherwise known as Khifie West, is a natural bodybuilder who first began training at 15.<\/p>\n<p>Now a professional with the Drug Free Athletes Coalition (DFAC), the online coach, 28, from Stranraer, holds a number of prestigious titles including the DFAC Pro <span id=\"a3e850d4-2f99-4a05-8f60-d5d247c8d494\" class=\"suggested-link\">Grand Prix<\/span>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16226791\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>Chris McCreadie, 28, from Stranraer, is a natural bodybuilder<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16226792\" class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-caption alignnone aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span>He is a  professional with the Drug Free Athletes Coalition<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chris said: \u201cI grew up in a small town and I knew what steroids were, but I had absolutely no interest in them. I\u2019m so grateful now that I never gave in, because if I had, it could have been a whole different story for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite his success without performance-enhancing drugs, Chris believes the instant gratification culture of social media is pushing beginners into dangerous territory.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cA lot of beginners don\u2019t have the knowledge of what these substances do, but the appeal of that look has a massive influence. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople don\u2019t want to wait years to progress anymore. But what\u2019s particularly worrying is how easily attainable they are \u2013 it is as easy to get your hands on steroids now as it is to get over-the-counter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/medicine\/\">medicine<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As an online coach, Chris sees the fallout of this easy access firsthand. <\/p>\n<p>He believes the pressure to take steroids is affecting both men and <span id=\"3df91b3d-22c7-4e7d-ab99-3dc3c4087efa\" class=\"suggested-link\">women<\/span> equally. <\/p>\n<p>He explained: \u201cI would say it\u2019s almost 50-50 between men and women now. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a really sad thing because so many women are being put on multiple different anabolics and they have absolutely no clue what they are taking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey don\u2019t realise the impact on their hormonal balance until the damage is already done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And for those looking for a shortcut, Chris says that the fix often becomes a permanent problem. <\/p>\n<p>He screens his own clients strictly, asking if they have truly maxed out their natural potential before even considering chemical help.<\/p>\n<p>He added: \u201cNobody really builds up a level of knowledge until they have already run a cycle and realise what they have done to their bodies. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey find themselves trying to get back to some form of normality, but by then, their hormones are totally goosed.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is when you find people forced down the route of TRT \u2013 not for a gain, but because their natural systems are <span id=\"b9e12fd7-ee47-4a1e-87a0-1604829d5d0f\" class=\"suggested-link\">broken<\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/news\/16210575\/scotland-bodybuilding-steroid-abuse-perfect-body\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BODYBUILDERS push their bodies to the absolute limit to try to reach the pinnacle of human strength and physique. For these athletes, it is more than a sport \u2013 it is a lifestyle, a livelihood, even an art form. Behind the rippling muscles and stage-ready tans lies a darker side to bodybuilding Credit: Alamy Steroid [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The dark side of Scotland&#039;s bodybuilding scene with rise of bootleg steroids &amp; TRT abuse in pursuit of &#039;perfect&#039; body - World Bodybuilding News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=19885\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The dark side of Scotland&#039;s bodybuilding scene with rise of bootleg steroids &amp; TRT abuse in pursuit of &#039;perfect&#039; body - World Bodybuilding News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"BODYBUILDERS push their bodies to the absolute limit to try to reach the pinnacle of human strength and physique. 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