Consuming 'God Juice': Using 'ethnopharmacological-connoisseurship' to situate trenbolone use and knowledge among image and performance enhancing drug communities.
anabolic‐androgenic steroids
connoisseurship
ethnopharmacology
harm reduction
image and performance enhancing drugs
trenbolone
Journal
Drug and alcohol review
ISSN: 1465-3362
Titre abrégé: Drug Alcohol Rev
Pays: Australia
ID NLM: 9015440
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 Oct 2024
21 Oct 2024
Historique:
revised:
22
09
2024
received:
03
06
2024
accepted:
29
09
2024
medline:
22
10
2024
pubmed:
22
10
2024
entrez:
21
10
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Trenbolone, a potent anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS), is used for its muscle growth benefits but poses significant health risks, including psychosocial issues. Existing research among humans is limited by lack of targeted investigation. This study addresses gaps in existing research by leveraging the ethnopharmacological expertise of trenbolone consumers. By engaging with the community's connoisseurship, we sought to enhance harm reduction strategies and foster collaboration between consumers, scholars and health practitioners. An international sample of trenbolone consumers (N = 30) were interviewed. Interviews explored trenbolone use, knowledge levels and harm reduction strategies. Analysis involved an iterative categorisation approach, incorporating the lead author's lived experience with trenbolone. Participants described trenbolone as both a physical enhancer and a source of psychological boosts, tempered by adverse effects such as emotional volatility and intrusive thoughts. Despite warnings about its dangers the drug's allure was amplified by social media and community visibility. Consumers spoke of a developing connoisseur-like knowledge about trenbolone through personal and shared experiences. Through this collective expertise, they developed harm reduction strategies such as conservative dosing and regular health monitoring. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating ethnopharmacological-connoisseurship from the image and performance enhancing drug community to develop a contextually relevant understanding of AAS use-trenbolone being one of these. By elevating community insights, we advocate for a collaborative approach to harm reduction. Ultimately, we call for partnerships between researchers, health professionals and consumers to enhance health and reduce harm in image and performance enhancing drug communities.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : Griffith University
Informations de copyright
© 2024 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.
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