A gym has installed needle bins in the men’s toilets because so many members are injecting growth hormones to bulk up.
Bosses at Fitness First took the drastic action after customers complained about the number of syringes left lying around.
It is believed members are injecting themselves with Kigtropin, an illegal human growth hormone manufactured in China to boost muscle size.
Kigtropin is a brand name for somatropin, which is listed as a class C drug by the Home Office and possession is punishable by up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine.
Fitness First says it does not tolerate illegal drug use but has installed the ‘sharps boxes’ at the branch in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, to protect customers.
An empty box of Kigtropin has been found in one of the bins and needles have even spotted on the gym floor.
One club member said: ”I see a lot of syringes around the gym but nobody seems to do anything about it.
”I have seen people injecting in the changing rooms, it’s quite a common thing and is an ongoing problem.
”The gym seem to have dealt with it by putting a sharps box in the toilet but to me that is just condoning it rather than condemning it, which is what they should be doing.
”It’s a terrible example to be setting and unacceptable whichever way you look at it.
”I have seen syringes on the floor, in the toilet and piled high in the sharps box provided – something needs to be done.”
Another added: ”It has been going for about a year and is just getting worse. I have even seen syringes on the gym floor upstairs.
”I think people are very worried about it but too frightened to complain. I am very concerned that someone could catch something off one of these needles.
”It’s a lovely club and I wouldn’t want it to close but something has to be done.”
A Fitness First spokesman said: ”We do not tolerate any behaviour of this nature in any of our clubs, and the protection of our members while on our premises is of paramount importance.
”If, in our reasonable opinion, a member’s continued membership is likely to be injurious to the character and interests of any particular club, we terminate that membership without notice.
”This is clearly laid out in the terms and conditions of every membership.
”At our Cribbs Causeway club, we are aware of member concerns and as such have installed sharps boxes for the protection of other members, while increasing our club monitoring procedures to identify any unacceptable or illegal behaviour.”
Kigtropin can make users aggressive and develop breasts and anyone caught dealing it can be jailed for 14 years.
Dr Jenny Scott, senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at the University of Bath, said: ”People inject excessive amounts of these types of drugs to produce muscle bulk that would not occur naturally.
”They will typically inject when they train as they believe this maximises the effect of the drug. Men using the drugs can be angry and develop breasts.”
