'Gym craze gone wrong': Why India’s youth are facing early hip replacements

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Hip Damage Alert

Doctors report a sharp rise in young Indians suffering from severe hip issues like Avascular Necrosis (AVN), traditionally seen in older adults.

Steroids to Blame

Over 70% of hip damage cases in youth are linked to misuse of anabolic steroids and unregulated protein powders, warn experts.

Painful Consequences

AVN starts with hip pain and stiffness but can escalate to complete bone death, often requiring total hip replacements in people as young as 20.

Unregulated Supplements

Many protein powders sold online and in gyms are laced with hidden steroids, posing serious health risks without consumer knowledge.

Underground Market Thrives

India’s booming fitness culture has a dark side — a thriving underground market for performance-enhancing drugs and unsafe supplements.

Alarming Data

In Delhi hospitals, over 30% of AVN cases in the past three years involved patients under 35, often with a history of steroid or supplement misuse.

Bone Health Ignored

Chasing quick muscle gains, young gym-goers are unknowingly damaging their hip bones, which are highly sensitive to disrupted blood flow.

Call for Regulation

Experts urge strict regulation of supplement sales, mandatory fitness education, and routine bone health screenings at gyms.

Not Just Muscles, Think Bones

Doctors warn: “Behind that muscle, bones might be silently deteriorating.” Public awareness and safer practices are urgently needed.