Exercise Addiction and Health Risks in Gym Users
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Battery of Physical and Psychological Assessments.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Exercise Addiction, Cardiovascular Abnormalities. Basic parameters: 18 years — 85 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Musculoskeletal and Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise Addiction in Recreational Bodybuilders
Overview
This observational study aims to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries and cardiovascular risk factors among individuals with and without exercise addiction. Adult recreational gym users who have been engaging in resistance training for at least six months will be included. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their exercise dependence levels, and outcomes such as musculoskeletal symptoms, anabolic substance use, and cardiovascular risk scores will be compared between groups.
Detailed description
The current study will examine the effects of exercise addiction on musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health in recreational gym users. Exercise addiction is characterized by compulsive training behavior despite physical or psychological harm and is increasingly prevalent among young adults, especially those engaged in bodybuilding.
Participants will be recruited from randomly selected fitness centers in Istanbul and categorized into exercise-dependent and non-dependent groups using the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21). Musculoskeletal symptoms will be assessed using the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Cardiovascular risk will be evaluated using the SCORE Risk Assessment System, which considers factors such as blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. The Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) will also be applied to assess body image and muscle-related attitudes.
In addition to the physical assessments, participants will be asked about the use of anabolic steroids, and the frequency and patterns of such use will be recorded. The study will aim to raise awareness about the health consequences of excessive exercise and unregulated anabolic substance use, with the goal of informing preventive strategies and guiding future research.
Interventions
- Other Battery of Physical and Psychological Assessments
Participants in this observational study will not receive any therapeutic intervention. Instead, all individuals will undergo a series of standardized non-invasive assessments for data collection purposes. These include the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21) to classify exercise addiction status, the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) to evaluate body image and muscle-related attitudes, and the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to determine the presence and severity of musculoskele
Primary outcome measures
- Prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries [Time frame: Baseline]
- Cardiovascular risk score [Time frame: Baseline]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Prevalence of anabolic steroid use [Time frame: Baseline]
- Exercise dependence level [Time frame: Baseline]
- Drive for muscularity [Time frame: Baseline]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Aged ≥18 years
- Member of a fitness center
- Regular physical activity (≥3 times per week)
- Voluntary participation with informed consent
Exclusion criteria
- Diagnosed psychiatric illness
- Professional or elite athletes
- Incomplete questionnaire data
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center
- Esra Pehlivan — Istanbul
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07061509 · ExerciseAdd-1