Editing Bodybuilding (section)

== History==
{{See also|History of physical training and fitness}}

=== Early history ===
[[File:Hercules Farnese 3637104088 9c95d7fe3c b.jpg|thumb|165px|The ''[[Farnese Hercules]]'', 216 AD]]

Stone-lifting competitions were practiced in ancient [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]], [[Ancient Greece|Greece]], and [[Tamilakam]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/locked-horns-and-a-flurry-of-feathers/article4294435.ece|title=Locked horns and a flurry of feathers|vauthors=Karthikeyan D|date=January 12, 2013|via=www.thehindu.com|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=July 2, 2017|archive-date=May 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511091147/http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/locked-horns-and-a-flurry-of-feathers/article4294435.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> Western weightlifting developed in Europe from 1880 to 1953, with [[Strongman (strength athlete)|strongmen]] displaying feats of [[Physical strength|strength]] for the public and challenging each other. The focus was not on their physique, and they possessed relatively large bellies and fatty limbs compared to bodybuilders of today.<ref>{{cite book| vauthors = Schwarzenegger A |title=The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding|year=1999|location=Fireside, NY|isbn=978-0684857213|publisher=Simon & Schuster}}</ref>

==== Eugen Sandow ====
[[File:Falk,_Benjamin_J._(1853-1925)_-_Eugen_Sandow_(1867-1925).jpg|thumb|165px|[[Eugen Sandow]], often referred to as the "Father of Modern Bodybuilding"]]
Bodybuilding developed in the late 19th century, promoted in England by [[Eugen Sandow]]. He allowed audiences to enjoy viewing his physique in "muscle display performances". Although audiences were thrilled to see a well-developed physique, the men simply displayed their bodies as part of strength demonstrations or wrestling matches. Sandow had a stage show built around these displays through his manager, [[Florenz Ziegfeld]]. The [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning 1936 [[musical film]] ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' depicts the beginning of modern bodybuilding, when Sandow began to display his body for carnivals.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-03-26|title=This footage taken by Thomas Edison in 1904, shows women and men bodybuilding|url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/03/26/footage-taken-thomas-edison-1904-show-women-men-bodybuilding/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=The Vintage News|language=en|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423123452/https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/03/26/footage-taken-thomas-edison-1904-show-women-men-bodybuilding/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Sandow was so successful at flexing and posing his physique that he later created several businesses around his fame, and was among the first to market products branded with his name. He was credited with inventing and selling the first [[exercise equipment]] for the masses: machined [[dumbbell]]s, spring [[pulley]]s, and tension bands. Even his image was sold by the thousands in "[[cabinet card]]s" and other prints.

====First large-scale bodybuilding competition====
Sandow organized the first bodybuilding contest on September 14, 1901, called the "Great Competition". It was held at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rhodes|first=Jesse|name-list-style=vanc|title=Bodybuilders Through the Ages|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Bodybuilders-Through-the-Ages.html|date=July 19, 2009|access-date=September 24, 2013|archive-date=November 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106002608/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Bodybuilders-Through-the-Ages.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Judged by Sandow, Sir Charles Lawes, and [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]], the contest was a great success and many bodybuilding enthusiasts were turned away due to the overwhelming number of audience members. The trophy presented to the winner was a gold statue of Sandow sculpted by Frederick Pomeroy. The winner was William L. Murray of [[Nottingham]]. The silver Sandow trophy was presented to second-place winner D. Cooper. The bronze Sandow trophy—now the most famous of all—was presented to third-place winner A.C. Smythe.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-05-16|title=The Fascinating Story of the First Bodybuilding Show|url=https://barbend.com/first-bodybuilding-show-eugen-sandow/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=BarBend|language=en-US|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423123443/https://barbend.com/first-bodybuilding-show-eugen-sandow/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1950, this same bronze trophy was presented to [[Steve Reeves]] for winning the inaugural [[National Amateur Body-Builders' Association|NABBA]] [[Universe Championships|Mr. Universe]] contest. It would not resurface again until 1977 when the winner of the [[International Federation of BodyBuilders|IFBB]] [[Mr. Olympia]] contest, [[Frank Zane]], was presented with a replica of the bronze trophy. Since then, [[Mr. Olympia]] winners have been consistently awarded a replica of the bronze Sandow.

The first large-scale bodybuilding competition in America took place from December 28, 1903, to January 2, 1904,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Eugene Avery |year=1899 |title=''Physical Culture'', vol. 10, no. 6 (December 1903), p. 555 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951000756772n&view=1up&seq=569 |access-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204210450/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951000756772n&view=1up&seq=569 |url-status=live }}</ref> at [[Madison Square Garden (1890)|Madison Square Garden]] in New York City. The competition was promoted by [[Bernarr Macfadden]], the father of [[physical culture]] and publisher of original bodybuilding magazines such as ''Health & Strength''. The winner was [[Al Treloar]], who was declared "The Most Perfectly Developed Man in the World".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Treloar/treloar.htm|title=Al Treloar at SandowPlus.com|publisher=Sandowplus.co.uk|date=December 28, 1903|access-date=October 5, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629104307/http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Treloar/treloar.htm|archive-date=June 29, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Treloar won a thousand dollar cash prize, a substantial sum at that time. Two weeks later, [[Thomas Edison]] made a film of Treloar's posing routine. Edison had also made two films of Sandow a few years before. Those were the first three motion pictures featuring a bodybuilder. In the early 20th century, Macfadden and [[Charles Atlas]] continued to promote bodybuilding across the world.

==== Notable early bodybuilders ====
Many other important bodybuilders in the early history of bodybuilding prior to 1930 include: Earle Liederman (writer of some of bodybuilding's earliest books), [[Zishe Breitbart]], [[George Hackenschmidt]], Emy Nkemena, George F. Jowett, Finn Hateral (a pioneer in the art of posing){{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}, [[Frank Saldo]], [[Monte Saldo]], [[William Bankier]], Launceston Elliot, [[Sig Klein]], Sgt. Alfred Moss, Joe Nordquist, [[Lionel Strongfort]] ("Strongfortism"),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Strongfort/course/lesson1.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802165327/http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Strongfort/course/lesson1.htm|archive-date=August 2, 2008|title=Strongfortism – Lesson One}}</ref> [[Gustav Frištenský]], [[Ralph Parcaut]] (a champion wrestler who also authored an early book on "physical culture"), and Alan P. Mead (who became a muscle champion despite the fact that he lost a leg in [[World War I]]). Actor [[Francis X. Bushman]], who was a disciple of Sandow, started his career as a bodybuilder and sculptor's model before beginning his famous [[silent movie]] career.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xz2eGt6InJIC&q=Actor+Francis+X.+Bushman%2C+who+was+a+disciple+of+Sandow%2C+started+his+career+as+a+bodybuilder+and+sculptor%27s+model+before+beginning+his+famous+silent+movie+career&pg=PA1743|title=Creativity of God in the Human Body: "Bodybuilding"|publisher=Abdullah F Shrit|isbn=978-1-4840-1198-0|language=en|access-date=May 3, 2021|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405222239/https://books.google.com/books?id=Xz2eGt6InJIC&q=Actor+Francis+X.+Bushman%2C+who+was+a+disciple+of+Sandow%2C+started+his+career+as+a+bodybuilder+and+sculptor%27s+model+before+beginning+his+famous+silent+movie+career&pg=PA1743|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== 1950s{{ndash}}1960s ===
Bodybuilding became more popular in the 1950s and 1960s with the emergence of strength and gymnastics champions, and the simultaneous popularization of bodybuilding magazines, training principles, nutrition for [[Muscular hypertrophy|bulking up]] and [[Fat loss|cutting down]], the use of [[protein]] and other [[food supplements]], and the opportunity to enter physique contests. The number of bodybuilding organizations grew, and most notably the [[International Federation of Bodybuilders]] (IFBB) was founded in 1946 by Canadian brothers [[Joe Weider|Joe]] and [[Ben Weider]]. Other bodybuilding organizations included the [[Amateur Athletic Union]] (AAU), [[National Amateur Body-Builders' Association|National Amateur Bodybuilding Association]] (NABBA), and the World Bodybuilding Guild (WBBG). Consequently, the contests grew both in number and in size. Besides the many "Mr. XXX" (insert town, city, state, or region) championships, the most prestigious titles{{According to whom|date=February 2017}} were [[Mr. America (contest)|Mr. America]], Mr. World, Mr. Universe, Mr. Galaxy, and ultimately [[Mr. Olympia]], which was started in 1965 by the IFBB and is now considered the most important bodybuilding competition in the world.<ref name=":0" />

During the 1950s, the most successful and most famous competing bodybuilders were [[Bill Pearl]], [[Reg Park]], [[Leroy Colbert]], and [[Clarence Ross]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-03-21|title=A History Lesson In Bodybuilding|url=https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson61.htm|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Bodybuilding.com|language=en|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423123443/https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson61.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Certain bodybuilders rose to fame thanks to the relatively new medium of television, as well as cinema. The most notable were [[Jack LaLanne]], [[Steve Reeves]], Reg Park, and [[Mickey Hargitay]].<ref>{{Cite thesis|title=Flex marks the spot: histories of Muscle Beach|url=https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/26057|date=August 2014|degree=Thesis|language=en|first=Tolga|last=Ozyurtcu|access-date=April 23, 2021|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423123444/https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/26057|url-status=live}}</ref> While there were well-known gyms throughout the country during the 1950s (such as Vince's Gym in [[North Hollywood, California]] and [[Vic Tanny]]'s chain gyms), there were still segments of the United States that had no "hardcore" bodybuilding gyms until the advent of [[Gold's Gym]] in the mid-1960s.  Finally, the famed [[Muscle Beach]] in [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]] continued its popularity as the place to be for witnessing acrobatic acts, feats of strength, and the like. The movement grew more in the 1960s with increased TV and movie exposure, as bodybuilders were [[Typecasting (acting)|typecast]] in popular shows and movies.<ref name=":1" />

===1970s{{ndash}}1990s===
==== New organizations ====
[[File:Ed_Fury_and_Jackie_Coey,_1953.jpg|right|thumb|[[Ed Fury]] posing with model Jackie Coey in 1953]]

In the 1970s, bodybuilding had major publicity thanks to the appearance of [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Franco Columbu]], [[Lou Ferrigno]], [[Mike Mentzer]] and others in the 1977 [[docudrama]] ''[[Pumping Iron]]''. By this time, the IFBB dominated the competitive bodybuilding landscape and the [[Amateur Athletic Union]] (AAU) took a back seat. The [[National Physique Committee]] (NPC) was formed in 1981 by Jim Manion,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ifbbpro.com/features/jim-manion-chairman-ifbb-professional-league/|title=IFBB Professional League – Jim Manion, Chairman IFBB Professional League|publisher=Ifbbpro.com|date=September 26, 2007|access-date=October 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921210350/http://abhivacrossfitarena.com/|archive-date=September 21, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> who had just stepped down as chairman of the AAU Physique Committee. The NPC has gone on to become the most successful bodybuilding organization in the United States and is the amateur division of the IFBB. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the decline of AAU-sponsored bodybuilding contests. In 1999, the AAU voted to discontinue its bodybuilding events.

==== Anabolic/androgenic steroid use ====
This period also saw the rise of [[anabolic steroid]]s in bodybuilding and many other sports. More significant use began with [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Sergio Oliva]], and [[Lou Ferrigno]] in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and continuing through the 1980s with [[Lee Haney]], the 1990s with [[Dorian Yates]], [[Ronnie Coleman]], and [[Markus Rühl]], and up to the present day. Bodybuilders such as [[Greg Kovacs]] attained mass and size never seen previously but were not successful at the pro level. Others were renowned for their spectacular development of a particular body part, like [[Tom Platz]] or [[Paul Demayo]] for their leg muscles. At the time of shooting ''Pumping Iron'', Schwarzenegger, while never admitting to steroid use until long after his retirement, said, "You have to do anything you can to get the advantage in competition".{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} He would later say that he did not regret using steroids.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arnold-no-regrets-about-steroids/|newspaper=CBS|date=February 11, 2009|title=Arnold: No Regrets About Steroids|access-date=August 13, 2013|archive-date=November 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106123539/http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-250_162-676684.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

To combat anabolic steroid use and in the hopes of becoming a member of the [[IOC]], the IFBB introduced [[Use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport|doping]] tests for both steroids and other banned substances. Although doping tests occurred, the majority of professional bodybuilders still used anabolic steroids for competition. During the 1970s, the use of anabolic steroids was openly discussed, partly due to the fact they were legal.<ref>{{cite web  |last=Theunissen|first=Steve | name-list-style = vanc |title=Arnold & Steroids: Truth Revealed|url=http://hjem.get2net.dk/JamesBond/www/artikler/steroidemisbrug/arnoldandsteroids.htm|access-date=February 27, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031008172601/http://hjem.get2net.dk/JamesBond/www/artikler/steroidemisbrug/arnoldandsteroids.htm|archive-date=October 8, 2003|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In the [[Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990]], [[Congress of the United States|U.S. Congress]] placed anabolic steroids into Schedule III of the [[Controlled Substances Act]] (CSA). In Canada, steroids are listed under Schedule IV of the ''Controlled Drugs and Substances Act'', enacted by the [[Parliament of Canada|federal Parliament]] in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-38.8/|title=Consolidated federal laws of canada, Controlled Drugs and Substances Act|first=Legislative Services|last=Branch|date=September 19, 2019|website=laws-lois.justice.gc.ca|access-date=January 24, 2020|archive-date=April 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408213707/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== World Bodybuilding Federation ====
{{Main|World Bodybuilding Federation}}

In 1990, [[professional wrestling]] promoter [[Vince McMahon]] attempted to form his own bodybuilding organization known as the [[World Bodybuilding Federation]] (WBF). It operated as a sister to the [[World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF, now WWE), which provided [[cross-promotion]] via its performers and personalities. Tom Platz served as the WBF's director of talent development, and announced the new organization during an [[Ambush marketing|ambush]] of that year's [[1990 Mr. Olympia|Mr. Olympia]] (which, unbeknownst to organizers, McMahon and Platz had attended as representatives of an accompanying magazine, ''Bodybuilding Lifestyles''). It touted efforts to bring bigger prize money and more "dramatic" events to the sport of bodybuilding—which resulted in its championships being held as [[pay-per-view]] events with WWF-inspired [[sports entertainment]] features and showmanship. The organization signed high-valued contracts with a number of IFBB regulars.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web|date=2020-03-17|title=When Bodybuilding Met Wrestling: The Bizarre Tale of the World Bodybuilding Federation|url=https://barbend.com/world-bodybuilding-federation/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=BarBend|language=en-US|archive-date=May 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524051152/https://barbend.com/world-bodybuilding-federation/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Muchnick|first=Irvin|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/244769018|title=Wrestling Babylon: piledriving tales of drugs, sex, death and scandal|date=2007|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=978-1-55490-761-8|location=Toronto [Ont.]|oclc=244769018}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web|date=2019-03-07|title=Vince McMahon's Attempt to Take Over Bodybuilding|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/vince-mcmahons-failed-attempt-take-over-world-bodybuilding/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=Muscle & Fitness|language=en-US|archive-date=June 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625104211/https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/vince-mcmahons-failed-attempt-take-over-world-bodybuilding/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The IFBB's inaugural championship in June 1991 (won by [[Gary Strydom]]) received mixed reviews. The WBF would be indirectly impacted by a steroid scandal involving the WWF, prompting the organization to impose a drug testing policy prior to the 1992 championship. The drug testing policy hampered the quality of the 1992 championship, while attempts to increase interest by hiring [[World Championship Wrestling|WCW]] wrestler [[Lex Luger]] as a figurehead (hosting a WBF television program on [[USA Network]], and planning to make a guest pose during the 1992 championship before being injured in a motorcycle accident) and attempting to sign Lou Ferrigno (who left the organization shortly after the drug testing policy was announced) did not come to fruition. The second PPV received a minuscule audience, and the WBF dissolved only one month later in July 1992.<ref name=":22" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":02" />

===2000s===
[[File:Ronnie Coleman 8 x Mr Olympia - 2009 - 5.png|right|thumb|Eight-time [[Mr. Olympia]] [[Ronnie Coleman]] in October 2009]]
In 2003, [[Joe Weider]] sold Weider Publications to [[American Media (publisher)|American Media, Inc.]] (AMI). The position of president of the IFBB was filled by Rafael Santonja following the death of [[Ben Weider]] in October 2008. In 2004, contest promoter Wayne DeMilia broke ranks with the IFBB and AMI took over the promotion of the Mr. Olympia contest: in 2017 AMI took the contest outright.<ref>{{Cite press release| date= 5 September 2017|title=American Media, Inc. Acquires Full Ownership Of Mr. Olympia Competition|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-media-inc-acquires-full-ownership-of-mr-olympia-competition-300513901.html|access-date=2023-02-08|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519015657/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-media-inc-acquires-full-ownership-of-mr-olympia-competition-300513901.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the early 21st century, patterns of [[Consumption (economics)|consumption]] and [[recreation]] similar to those of the United States became more widespread in Europe and especially in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the [[Soviet Union]]. This resulted in the emergence of whole new populations of bodybuilders from former [[Eastern Bloc]] states.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xz2eGt6InJIC&pg=PA1759|title=Creativity of God in the Human Body "Bodybuilding" |publisher=Abdullah F Shrit|isbn=978-1-4840-1198-0 |author= Abdullah F. Shirt}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=July 2023}}

==== Olympic sport discussion ====
In the early 2000s, the IFBB was attempting to make bodybuilding an Olympic sport. It obtained full IOC membership in 2000 and was attempting to get approved as a demonstration event at the Olympics, which would hopefully lead to it being added as a full contest. This did not happen and Olympic recognition for bodybuilding remains controversial since many argue that bodybuilding is not a sport.<ref>{{cite web |last=Littman|first=Jean | name-list-style = vanc |title=Bodybuilding And The Olympics: An Ongoing Controversy|publisher=article99.com|url=http://www.article99.com/recreation-and-sports/olympics/article.php?art=63758|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205174022/http://www.article99.com/recreation-and-sports/olympics/article.php?art=63758|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2007|date=November 13, 2007}}</ref>

==== Social media ====
The advent of social media had a profound influence on fitness and bodybuilding. It is common to see platforms such as [[Instagram]], [[TikTok]], and YouTube flooded with fitness-related content, changing how the average person views and interacts with fitness culture. Gym clothing brands like Gymshark, YoungLA and Rawgear leveraged this platform to create their brands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kulke |first=Catherine |title=How YoungLA Became 2022's Hottest Men's Activewear Brand |url=https://www.tribedynamics.com/blog/youngla-hottest-mens-activewear-brand |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=www.tribedynamics.com |language=en}}</ref> By recruiting fitness ambassadors—real people who embody their brand values—these companies personalize their marketing strategy and create a more relatable image. These ambassadors, often in the form of [[Influencer marketing|fitness influencers]] or personal trainers, promote the brand by sharing their workout routines, dietary plans, and gym clothing. YouTube in particular has seen a surge in fitness content, ranging from gym [[vlog]]s to detailed discussions on workout attire. This not only provides consumers with an abundance of free resources to aid their fitness journey, but also creates a more informed consumer base.

Another growing trend with gym-related social media is the phenomenon of gym-shaming; a video posted by content creator Jessica Fernandez on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] that went viral showed her lifting weights in a gym while a man in the background stared at her, sparking a widespread debate about narcissism and an increasingly toxic gym culture in the age of social media. The video led to criticism of an emerging trend in which gyms, once known as places for focused workouts, are now being treated as filming locations for aspiring or established influencers with bystanders being unintentionally placed under the public eye in the process. Bodybuilder Joey Swoll, who voiced his concerns over this culture, addressed the controversy by stating that while harassment in gyms needs to be addressed, the man in Fernandez's video was not guilty of it.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 February 2023|title=Bodybuilder Joey Swoll has had enough of fitness influencers |url=https://nypost.com/2023/02/23/bodybuilder-joey-swoll-has-had-enough-of-fitness-influencers/ |access-date=2023-05-17 |author= Kristen Fleming}}{{unreliable source?|date=July 2023| reason= per [[WP:NYPOST]]}}</ref> Although social media is giving more attention to the world of bodybuilding, there are still some areas that are controversial. 

For instance, concerns are growing over the influence which bodybuilding content on social media has on young adults and their perception of their own bodies, as they tend to compare themselves to gym influencers online. These concerns get further exacerbated by the poor transparency about steroid use on social media, as many influencers either do not elaborate about whether or not they are "natural" bodybuilders, or firmly deny accusations about being "enhanced". This blurs the line between what can be achieved naturally and what can only be achieved through the use of anabolic steroids. This is also detrimental for adult lifters since they often find their body image being skewed by the content they consume, potentially leading to an unhealthy relationship towards nutrition and exercise. Mental disorders such as body dysmorphia or eating disorders might also be a consequence. However, more and more influencers are opening up about steroid use and strongly advocate for transparency about steroid use online. This has sparked an ongoing open debate about the risks of anabolic steroids. Many people view this as a positive trend as it raises awareness and educates about the effects, uses and dangers of steroids. Another topic which is now widely discussed online is mental health in association with bodybuilding, as aforementioned mental disorders might affect hobby lifters of all ages and backgrounds.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}