{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7225616541","doi":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22","title":"Unregulated Gains: A Comprehensive Review of Illicit And Amateur use of Unconventional Performance- Enhancing Drugs\u2014Pharmacology, Classification, and Health Risks","display_name":"Unregulated Gains: A Comprehensive Review of Illicit And Amateur use of Unconventional Performance- Enhancing Drugs\u2014Pharmacology, Classification, and Health Risks","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-11-09","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7225616541","doi":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.34045/sems/2026/22","doi":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210219419","display_name":"Swiss Sports & Exercise Medicine","issn_l":"2297-8712","issn":["2297-8712","2673-2327","2673-4249","2673-6640"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["poland-20","russia-white-list-4","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Sports &amp; Exercise Medicine Switzerland","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5116426989","display_name":"Luis Felipe Duarte Coutinho","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0323-4611","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0323-4611"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Luis Felipe Duarte Coutinho","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5116426989"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":"4-2026","first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12700","display_name":"Doping in Sports","score":0.9794999957084656,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12700","display_name":"Doping in Sports","score":0.9794999957084656,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11146","display_name":"Hormonal and reproductive studies","score":0.01360000018030405,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2712","display_name":"Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13338","display_name":"Pharmacological Effects and Assays","score":0.006099999882280827,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1103","display_name":"Animal Science and Zoology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/11","display_name":"Agricultural and Biological Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/image-and-performance-enhancing-drugs","display_name":"image and performance enhancing drugs","score":0.9710000157356262},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anabolic-androgenic-steroids","display_name":"anabolic steroids","score":0.9309999942779541},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/selective-androgen-receptor-modulators","display_name":"selective androgen receptor modulators","score":0.9890000224113464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/designer-steroids","display_name":"designer steroids","score":0.9079999923706055},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/health-risks","display_name":"health risks","score":0.7080000042915344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/endocrine-disruption","display_name":"endocrine disruption","score":0.5450000166893005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organ-damage","display_name":"organ damage","score":0.7839999794960022},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/psychiatric-effects","display_name":"psychiatric effects","score":0.8569999933242798},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/2-4-dinitrophenol","display_name":"2,4-dinitrophenol","score":0.7570000290870667}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776990098","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13579947","display_name":"Misinformation","level":2,"score":0.7343999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780586970","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1357284","display_name":"Popularity","level":2,"score":0.5218999981880188},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.4702000021934509},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138816342","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189603","display_name":"Public health","level":2,"score":0.4672999978065491},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39549134","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133080","display_name":"Public relations","level":1,"score":0.43639999628067017},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778044066","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q455595","display_name":"Amateur","level":2,"score":0.4341999888420105},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C71924100","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11190","display_name":"Medicine","level":0,"score":0.4311000108718872},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110269972","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q184872","display_name":"Recreation","level":2,"score":0.421999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3018122547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5690813","display_name":"Health benefits","level":2,"score":0.3700999915599823},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.3540000021457672},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C99454951","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q932068","display_name":"Environmental health","level":1,"score":0.3443000018596649},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2987857752","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12147","display_name":"Human health","level":2,"score":0.34279999136924744},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2910738821","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7708739","display_name":"Recreational Drug","level":3,"score":0.3400999903678894},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C91375879","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15473274","display_name":"Environmental planning","level":1,"score":0.3181000053882599},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C187155963","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q629029","display_name":"Occupational safety and health","level":2,"score":0.3021000027656555},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778200388","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17143199","display_name":"Medical examiner","level":4,"score":0.2985000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.29840001463890076},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2910186798","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q309438","display_name":"Anabolic Agents","level":3,"score":0.29120001196861267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779231881","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5977147","display_name":"Medical literature","level":2,"score":0.28619998693466187},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124056412","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3320364","display_name":"Scientific evidence","level":2,"score":0.28600001335144043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12174686","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1058438","display_name":"Risk assessment","level":2,"score":0.2847999930381775},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2984618805","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2284929","display_name":"Health risk","level":2,"score":0.28040000796318054},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.2703999876976013},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779473830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1540899","display_name":"MEDLINE","level":2,"score":0.2702000141143799},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112930515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4389547","display_name":"Risk analysis (engineering)","level":1,"score":0.26840001344680786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160735492","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q31207","display_name":"Health care","level":2,"score":0.2572000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178300618","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1898509","display_name":"Extant taxon","level":2,"score":0.2572000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3017944768","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1450463","display_name":"Poison control","level":2,"score":0.2547000050544739},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781054738","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4813730","display_name":"Athletes","level":2,"score":0.2540000081062317}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.34045/sems/2026/22","doi":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.34045/sems/2026/22","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210219419","display_name":"Swiss Sports & Exercise Medicine","issn_l":"2297-8712","issn":["2297-8712","2673-2327","2673-4249","2673-6640"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["poland-20","russia-white-list-4","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Sports &amp; Exercise Medicine Switzerland","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/3","display_name":"Good health and well-being","score":0.9537000060081482}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4385207507","https://openalex.org/W3205103181","https://openalex.org/W4386564711","https://openalex.org/W4361197803","https://openalex.org/W2412318228","https://openalex.org/W2898330208","https://openalex.org/W2922439275","https://openalex.org/W7204127785","https://openalex.org/W6929683456","https://openalex.org/W4231183971"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Background:":[0],"The":[1],"use":[2,86,244],"of":[3,46,84,115,120,198,217,225,229],"image":[4],"and":[5,19,31,44,60,70,107,130,138,147,154,165,183,192,203,223,245,263],"performance-enhancing":[6],"drugs":[7],"(IPEDs),":[8],"including":[9,48],"anabolic":[10],"androgenic":[11],"steroids":[12,174,180],"(AAS),":[13],"selective":[14],"androgen":[15],"receptor":[16],"modulators":[17],"(SARMs)":[18],"advanced":[20],"synthetic":[21],"agents":[22],"has":[23],"spread":[24],"beyond":[25],"professional":[26],"sports":[27],"into":[28,157],"recreational":[29],"bodybuilding":[30],"fitness":[32],"subcultures.":[33],"Despite":[34],"their":[35,105],"continued":[36],"use,":[37],"serious":[38,66],"gaps":[39],"remain":[40],"in":[41,95],"our":[42],"knowledge":[43],"understanding":[45,224],"them,":[47],"the":[49,80,116,215],"various":[50],"health":[51,109,139,163,227,249],"harms.":[52],"IPEDs":[53,101,151,189,235],"are":[54],"often":[55],"obtained":[56],"through":[57,239],"unregulated":[58,209,243],"channels":[59],"used":[61],"without":[62],"medical":[63],"oversight,":[64],"raising":[65],"concerns":[67],"about":[68],"safety":[69],"misuse.":[71],"Their":[72],"growing":[73],"popularity":[74],"further":[75],"compounds":[76,143],"these":[77],"concerns,":[78],"with":[79],"broader":[81],"public":[82],"impact":[83],"IPED":[85],"poorly":[87],"understood.":[88],"Objective:":[89],"Responding":[90],"to":[91,220,237,260],"this":[92,97,251,265],"apparent":[93],"gap":[94],"understanding,":[96],"review":[98,114],"outlines":[99],"lesser-known":[100],"for":[102],"muscle":[103,191],"enhance-ment,":[104],"mechanisms,":[106],"associated":[108],"risks.":[110,140],"Methodology:":[111],"A":[112],"non-systematic":[113],"past":[117],"40":[118],"years":[119],"literature":[121],"(PubMed,":[122],"Scielo,":[123],"Google":[124],"Scholar)":[125],"examined":[126],"SARMs,":[127],"designer":[128,173,179],"steroids,":[129],"other":[131],"IPEDs,":[132],"grouping":[133],"them":[134],"by":[135,208],"pharmacology,":[136],"toxicity,":[137],"Twenty-four":[141],"dis-tinct":[142],"were":[144,152,155],"explicitly":[145],"documented":[146],"reviewed.":[148],"Results:":[149],"Various":[150],"identified":[153],"categorized":[156],"four":[158],"main":[159],"groups":[160],"based":[161],"on":[162],"risk":[164],"chemical":[166],"structure:":[167],"(1)":[168],"SARMs":[169],"(e.g.,":[170,175,181,187],"S-23),":[171],"(2)":[172],"superdrol),":[176],"(3)":[177],"ultra-potent":[178],"fluoxyme-sterone),":[182],"(4)":[184],"high-risk":[185],"substances":[186],"2,4-Dinitrophe-nol).":[188],"promise":[190],"performance":[193],"gains":[194],"but":[195],"car-ry":[196],"risks":[197],"organ":[199],"damage,":[200],"hormonal":[201],"disruption,":[202],"psychiatric":[204],"effects,":[205],"made":[206],"worse":[207],"supply.":[210],"Conclusion:":[211],"This":[212],"study":[213,252],"underscores":[214],"importance":[216],"up-to-date":[218],"research,":[219],"foster":[221],"awareness":[222],"potential":[226],"harms,":[228],"lesser":[230],"known":[231],"IPEDs.":[232],"As":[233],"different":[234],"continue":[236],"emerge":[238],"underground":[240],"markets,":[241],"where":[242],"misinformation":[246],"pose":[247],"major":[248],"risks,":[250],"holds":[253],"great":[254],"importance,":[255],"providing":[256],"much":[257],"needed":[258],"insight":[259],"help":[261],"support":[262],"protect":[264],"population.":[266]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-11T12:16:26.678958","created_date":"2026-11-10T00:00:00"}
