Mirza and Ahmed, IJPSR, 2013; Vol. 4(4): 1565-1568. ISSN: 0975-8232 International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 1565 IJPSR (2013), Vol. 4, Issue 4 (Research Article) Received on 09 December, 2012; received in revised form, 21 January, 2013; accepted, 18 March, 2013 PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF USING POWER-ENHANCING DRUGS ON GYM-EXERCISING INDIVIDUALS Faizan Mirza* 1 and Sadaf Ahmed 1&2 Department of Physiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre, Karachi, Pakistan ABSTRACT: Exercising in a gym, largely aimed at getting a better- shaped body, is a long and tiring process. So many people opt for power enhancing drugs, boosting their athletic performance. These include steroids, erythropoietin, creatine, protein and zinc supplements among others. Together with increasing the muscle bulk, they exert highly undesirable effects on normal physiology. The subjects were asked to fill in a detailed proforma, which aimed at evaluating the effects of PEDs and exercise on aggression, frustration, irritation, anger, mood changes, behavioral changes etc. The results were compared against a control group that comprised of individuals who were working out without using PED. The results suggested that through an unknown mechanism PED usage has affected various psychological parameters of the users. INTRODUCTION: The mood of healthy subjects who exercise regularly is altered immediately after a period of vigorous exercise 1 . In the short time they become less anxious, depressed or angry and may even feel euphoric 2, 3, 4, 5 . The level of anxiety returns to the previous state by about fifth hour after exercise 6 . Young adults who aim to get a muscular body while working out at a gym, in least possible time prefer using PED. These aid athletes to help performance and among non-athletes to improve appearance 7 . Furthermore, animal model experiments have also shown that exercise leads to an increase in the calcium level in the brain, this in turn enhances brain dopamine synthesis, thereby affecting brain function, which might induce physiological, behavioral, and psychological changes 8 . QUICK RESPONSE CODE IJPSR: ICV (2011)- 5.07 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpsr.com Objectives: To evaluate and compare the psychological parameters of individuals exercising without using PEDs to that of the athletes using PEDs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 103 healthy male subjects, in the age group of 19-31, bearing weight in the range of 61kg to 138kg and height in the range of 5ft 6inches to 6ft 3inches. They were divided in following groups 1. Exercising without using PEDs (W/O): 28 subjects who have been doing regular exercise in a gym for more than three years, without using PEDs 2. PED’s users: 75 subjects, who have been doing regular exercise in a gym for last four to nine consecutive years and have been using PEDs for at least three years. These include: S; 10 steroid users, SE; 6 steroids+EPO users, SC 8 steroids+creatine users, C; 7 creatine users, CZ;13 creatine+zinc users, P; 19 protein users, PZ 12 protein + zinc users: Keywords: Exercise, steroids, creatine, protein supplements, psychological effects Correspondence to Author: Faizan Mirza Department of Physiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan E-mail: aeirc.pk@gmail.com