Raise your hand if the first thing you see upon opening TikTok or Instagram is often a fitness influencer flexing while giving tips on how to look more like them. The omnipresence of gym culture and bodybuilding on social media is overwhelming and is proving to be detrimental to men’s self-esteem.

The creation of unrealistic male beauty standards and the promotion of performance enhancers is certainly not a new issue. My dad, who grew up in the ‘70s, says he remembers seeing ads for steroids in the back of his comic books as a kid.

Bodybuilding was popularized in the ’50s and ’60s, paving the way for bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sergio Oliva and Frank Zane to become known worldwide. The media idolized them for their Greek god physiques, subsequently raising the bar for male beauty higher and higher.

Competitions like Mr. Olympia and Arnold Sports Festival have allowed bodybuilders around the world to display their dedication to the craft; however, they have also functioned to reinforce unrealistic expectations of men’s bodies and romanticize the use of steroids.

With the presence of social media, though, the pressure to be as muscular as possible is more ubiquitous than ever.

While most social media platforms prohibit users from openly discussing performance enhancers, people find loopholes by using euphemisms and jargon that allude to their steroid use. TikTok users casually discuss their cycles as if they’re talking about an over-the-counter supplement. It’s alarming.

Some people make jokes about using performance enhancers, furthering how desensitized people are to steroids.

One user claimed young men shouldn’t be afraid of steroids when teenage boys lied about their age to fight in World War II. Another video recommended telling your parents that you’re “taking vitamins” if they question your steroid use.

Influencers like the Tren Twins and Sam Sulek have taken the internet by storm with their physiques. Their muscles are impressive, but it’s obvious that they gained such mass with the help of performance-enhancing drugs.

What kinds of messages are we sending to men regarding how they ought to look?

You could write a whole book on the harmful side effects of anabolic steroids. People who use steroids face risks of infertility, elevated blood pressure levels, severe acne and abnormal liver function, to name a few. Sourcing steroids from unreliable distributors also puts people at risk of contracting life-threatening blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.

Is looking “swole” really worth jeopardizing one’s health?

Arguably, what’s most damaging is when people deny their steroid use and instead proclaim themselves to be “natty” — slang for natural. By lying about being natural, influencers plant the idea that their physiques are attainable through diet and exercise alone, misleading people and leading to feelings of inadequacy.

Body dissatisfaction among men is a growing problem. One study found body image distress has a direct relationship with depression and anxiety in men, but themes of toxic masculinity often discourage men from discussing these concerns.

Muscle dysmorphia is a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder characterized by intense anxiety over looking lean and muscular, regardless of how one truly looks. It’s no surprise that clinicians and researchers are dealing with more and more cases of muscle dysmorphia given male beauty standards are being distorted by the idolization of unnaturally muscular men.

To alleviate the negative effects of bodybuilding and gym culture on men’s self-esteem, we need to normalize the discussion of body image distress among men.

I think it’s unrealistic to suggest that we do away with bodybuilding and gym culture entirely. It’s even more of a stretch to say that performance-enhancing drugs need to be done away with given their addictive properties.

What we can do is acknowledge that maintaining a positive view of one’s body is challenging in today’s world and look for ways to provide support to those struggling with body acceptance. Having conversations about body image distress is key to improving the issue, regardless of what toxic masculinity has to say about appearing “weak.”

Social media sites need to be more attuned to content that promotes anabolic steroids. The more people post about performance enhancers as if they’re nothing, the more we normalize something that is far from normal.

And at the very least, fitness influencers need to stop lying about their steroid use so that people get the full picture before judging themselves for not having such a large build.

As individuals, we can promote more positive male beauty standards by having a critical eye toward the media’s portrayal of the ideal male physique. By recognizing that it’s irrational for the average man to look like Ronnie Coleman or Chris Bumstead, we can bring the bar down to a more reasonable level.

At the end of the day, everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their own skin. In order for that to happen, the line between natural and enhanced physiques needs to be more clearly delineated.