Samnytt has met two young men from the gym scene who anonymously share their experiences using steroids, how they first came in contact with these substances, the advantages and disadvantages they see, and how easy it is to get hold of them. Meanwhile, the trend is rising in Sweden, after several years of extensive steroid-promoting content on social media, mainly from the USA, raising questions about how anti-doping organizations and authorities should respond to the growing trend.

On social media, young people are flooded with beauty ideals and methods. This can involve skincare routines and “bone smashing” to peptides and anabolic steroids. The emerging so-called looksmaxxing trend among young men online has in a short time developed from self-improvement to a culture where increasingly extreme methods are becoming normalized.

What often begins as relatively harmless attempts to improve one’s appearance can, in some cases, become a gateway to much more serious substances – primarily testosterone and other anabolic steroids.

Normalized through Social Media

The trend has its roots in internet forums and social media in the USA, where ideals about male beauty and physical perfection have long been strong. On platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube, content is spread in which young men are encouraged to optimize their facial features, build strong bodies, and constantly compare themselves to others.

In both the USA and the United Kingdom, the promotion of steroids and hormonal preparations on social media has become increasingly normalized. Influencers and fitness profiles speak openly about testosterone, cycles, and performance-enhancing drugs, often without highlighting the risks of use. Now, the same trend is visible in Sweden.

A central driving force behind looksmaxxing is the constant culture of comparison on social media. Young men are daily exposed to edited photos, extreme body ideals, and the message that success, status, and relationships are directly linked to appearance.

For many, this creates a feeling of not being enough and that one cannot become attractive, successful, or respected without maximizing their appearance to the extreme.

Two Men Share Their Experiences

Samnytt has taken a closer look at the development in Sweden. We meet two young men who have chosen to use testosterone from the black market.

Both describe how body ideals, strength, and performance made them take the step despite being well aware of the risks. Both express concern since the substances lack medical supervision, and they call for more tolerant legislation to make use safer.

Watch Samnytt’s feature below: