Beyond Steroids: iPED Use in Ireland

Image and performance enhancing drug use is changing rapidly and it is no longer confined to elite sport or competitive bodybuilding. In today's, Bruce speaks with Dr David Nolan about his new research examining iPED use in Ireland. They discuss what people are taking, why they are taking it, the growing prominence of peptides, the influence of GLP-1 drugs and testosterone replacement therapy, and the increasingly blurred line between treatment, enhancement and aesthetics. The conversation also explores health monitoring, the limits of blood testing, barriers to engaging with healthcare professionals, the challenges of coming off iPEDs, and why this is not exclusively a male issue. David’s study provides an important first snapshot of a poorly characterised area of health and performance in Ireland, with plans to repeat the research over time and build a clearer picture of how the landscape is evolving.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:15 The Enhanced Games and the changing PED landscape

05:00 What are iPEDs – and who is using them?

08:45 The first Irish iPED study

13:15 What are people taking?

18:15 Peptides, GLP-1s and the changing drug landscape

29:15 Testosterone replacement therapy and enhancement

33:45 Health monitoring, harm reduction and healthcare

39:00 Coming off iPEDs: exit strategies and identity

46:45 Women and the changing iPED population

50:10 Who actually identifies as an iPED user?

53:50 Where does the research go next?

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