The craze for muscular bodies and rapid fitness transformations among urban youth is now raising serious health concerns, with doctors warning that the misuse of steroids, stimulant-heavy pre-workout powders and unregulated gym supplements is putting young hearts at risk.

Cardiologists say they are increasingly seeing cases of abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure spikes, enlarged hearts and even sudden cardiac emergencies in young men who otherwise appear fit and healthy.

Senior cardiovascular surgeon Dr Rahul Chandola said the growing influence of social media fitness culture and online supplement marketing is pushing many youngsters towards dangerous shortcuts for quick muscle gain and dramatic body transformations.

According to him, the real problem is not exercise itself but the unhealthy combination of extreme workouts, steroids, dehydration and stimulant-loaded supplements.

“Regular exercise is good for the heart, but when people start mixing intense gym routines with anabolic steroids and high-stimulant products, the risk increases significantly,” Chandola said.

Doctors say many gym-goers are unknowingly putting enormous pressure on their hearts by consuming large amounts of caffeine and stimulants commonly found in modern pre-workout powders. In many cases, users even mix these supplements with energy drinks or consume higher doses than recommended.

Health experts are also concerned about the rising influence of fitness influencers and transformation videos on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where supplements and extreme workout routines are often promoted aggressively.

Chandola said many young consumers wrongly believe that products sold online or endorsed by influencers are completely safe.

“People assume that if a supplement is easily available online, it must be harmless. But many of these products are poorly regulated and are often consumed without any medical guidance,” he explained.

Doctors say another major concern is that many young people start high-intensity fitness programmes without undergoing proper heart-health screening. According to Chandola, some individuals may already have hidden cardiac conditions that remain undetected until a serious incident occurs during intense exercise.

He pointed out that routine annual health check-ups are often not enough to detect deeper heart problems.

“Many people think they are healthy because their blood tests or ECG reports appear normal. But a resting ECG alone cannot identify all hidden heart diseases or structural abnormalities,” he said.

Doctors now recommend more advanced cardiovascular screening, especially for people above 40 years of age or those suffering from diabetes, obesity, hypertension, smoking habits or a family history of heart disease.

Chandola said advances in preventive cardiology and AI-driven heart screening technologies are helping doctors identify cardiac risks much earlier than before.

“The future of heart care lies in early detection. If hidden risks are identified on time, many tragedies can be prevented,” he said.

He also stressed the need for stronger regulation of supplement marketing and greater awareness inside gyms to prevent young people from falling into unsafe fitness trends.

“Fitness should improve health, not damage the heart in the race for appearance or social media validation,” Chandola added.