Exercise Addiction and Health Risks in Gym Users

NCT ID: NCT07061509

Last Updated: 2025-07-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

32 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-07-29

Study Completion Date

2026-07-20

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This observational study aims to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries and cardiovascular risk factors among individuals with and without exercise addiction. Adult recreational gym users who have been engaging in resistance training for at least six months will be included. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their exercise dependence levels, and outcomes such as musculoskeletal symptoms, anabolic substance use, and cardiovascular risk scores will be compared between groups.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The current study will examine the effects of exercise addiction on musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health in recreational gym users. Exercise addiction is characterized by compulsive training behavior despite physical or psychological harm and is increasingly prevalent among young adults, especially those engaged in bodybuilding.

Participants will be recruited from randomly selected fitness centers in Istanbul and categorized into exercise-dependent and non-dependent groups using the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21). Musculoskeletal symptoms will be assessed using the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Cardiovascular risk will be evaluated using the SCORE Risk Assessment System, which considers factors such as blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. The Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) will also be applied to assess body image and muscle-related attitudes.

In addition to the physical assessments, participants will be asked about the use of anabolic steroids, and the frequency and patterns of such use will be recorded. The study will aim to raise awareness about the health consequences of excessive exercise and unregulated anabolic substance use, with the goal of informing preventive strategies and guiding future research.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Exercise Addiction Cardiovascular Abnormalities

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Exercise-Dependent Group

Participants identified as "exercise dependent" based on scores from the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21). These individuals train at least 3 times per week and meet the criteria for exercise addiction.

Battery of Physical and Psychological Assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants in this observational study will not receive any therapeutic intervention. Instead, all individuals will undergo a series of standardized non-invasive assessments for data collection purposes. These include the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21) to classify exercise addiction status, the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) to evaluate body image and muscle-related attitudes, and the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to determine the presence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms. Cardiovascular risk will be assessed using the SCORE Risk Assessment System, which incorporates blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, smoking status, and demographic data. Additional measurements will include oxygen saturation and heart rate using pulse oximetry, and blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer. These evaluations are intended solely for comparative analysis between exercise-dependent and non-dependent groups.

Non-Dependent Group

Participants who engage in regular resistance training (≥3 times/week) but do not meet the criteria for exercise addiction, based on EDS-21 scores.

Battery of Physical and Psychological Assessments

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants in this observational study will not receive any therapeutic intervention. Instead, all individuals will undergo a series of standardized non-invasive assessments for data collection purposes. These include the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21) to classify exercise addiction status, the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) to evaluate body image and muscle-related attitudes, and the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to determine the presence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms. Cardiovascular risk will be assessed using the SCORE Risk Assessment System, which incorporates blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, smoking status, and demographic data. Additional measurements will include oxygen saturation and heart rate using pulse oximetry, and blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer. These evaluations are intended solely for comparative analysis between exercise-dependent and non-dependent groups.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Battery of Physical and Psychological Assessments

Participants in this observational study will not receive any therapeutic intervention. Instead, all individuals will undergo a series of standardized non-invasive assessments for data collection purposes. These include the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21) to classify exercise addiction status, the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) to evaluate body image and muscle-related attitudes, and the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to determine the presence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms. Cardiovascular risk will be assessed using the SCORE Risk Assessment System, which incorporates blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, smoking status, and demographic data. Additional measurements will include oxygen saturation and heart rate using pulse oximetry, and blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer. These evaluations are intended solely for comparative analysis between exercise-dependent and non-dependent groups.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Aged ≥18 years
* Member of a fitness center
* Regular physical activity (≥3 times per week)
* Voluntary participation with informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Diagnosed psychiatric illness
* Professional or elite athletes
* Incomplete questionnaire data
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

ESRA PEHLIVAN

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Esra Pehlivan

Istanbul, Üsküdar, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Esra Pehlivan, Associate Professor

Role: CONTACT

+90216 777 87 77

Erdem Bal

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

ESRA PEHLİVAN

Role: primary

02164189616

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

ExerciseAdd-1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.