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Research Article

Cosmetic Doping—When Anabolic–Androgenic Steroids are not Enough

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Pages 1163-1167 | Published online: 10 Jun 2014
 

Abstract

Doping is considered to be a major sports problem. This article describes a new threat and challenge to the sport of bodybuilding; the nonmedical use of a chemical in order to mimic muscle hypertrophy. Although muscle fillers are not new, being used for cosmetic purposes in medicine for a long time, the illegal use of muscle fillers has been increasing during the last few years and decades. The history of cosmetic doping, with particular attention to the Brazilian case, is discussed. Limitations are noted and future needed research is suggested.

THE AUTHORS

Vandré Casagrande Figueiredo, MS, is a PhD student in biomedical sciences at the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research interest is muscle biology and the intervening associated factors, from molecular to epidemiology.

Paulo Rodrigo Pedroso da Silva, MS, is a PhD student and researcher from Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências do Exercício e Esporte, Universidade Gama Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His research interests include doping, hormonal agents abuse, public health, Olympic studies, media and cultural studies.

Notes

1 The reader is reminded that use of and reliance on media-based “cases” can be and is problematic in that its descriptions and conclusions are not easily verifiable and not generalizable as they are in scientific methodologically designed studies. Editor's note.

2 The reader is referred to Hills's criteria for causation, which were developed in order to help assist researchers and clinicians determine if risk factors were causes of a particular disease or outcomes or merely associated. (Hill, A. B. (1965). The environment and disease: associations or causation? Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 58:295–300.) Editor's note.

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