Both, actor Sahil Khan and ex-Mr India Manoj Patil involved in illegal steroids, bodybuilding drugs biz

MUMBAI: The suicide attempt by a former Mr India, Manoj Patil and the immediate rebuttal of allegations made by him in his suicide note against a co-bodybuilder, former business associate and actor Sahil Khan has opened up a new can of worms regarding the promotion and sale of illegal bodybuilding supplements, protein powders, drugs and steroids in the country.

Apparently, Sahil Khan and Manoj Patil were former business associates, with the ex-Mr India Manoj Patil promoting bodybuilding products and supplements sold by Sahil Khan or his company. It was all fine as long as Patil was promoting Khan’s products, but when the duo parted ways, Khan began accusing Patil of selling fake or illegal or banned products. Patil attempted suicide because he was allegedly harassed by Khan but there is more than what meets the eye.

Both of them, Patil and Khan were trying or rather attempting at being selected for the international Mr Olympia bodybuilding pageant and after they parted ways and Patil began promoting other brands and products, a disturbed Khan suddenly woke up to the fact that Patil was selling banned and fake products, including steroids.

Khan did not have any problems with Patil as long as he was promoting his own products. Sources claim that both Khan and Patil were involved in the illegal bodybuilding products business and after Patil split with Khan, all hell broke loose.

Khan claimed Patil publicized and marketed the illegal products via his Instagram account and he felt it his bounded duty to educate other bodybuilders about such undesirable and dangerous products. Patil on the other hand alleged that Khan was publicly defaming him on social media and disrupting his business, because he no longer endorsed Khan’s products and supplements.

The grim reality is the fact that both were involved in the sale of illegal, banned and dangerous substances passed off as health supplements and bodybuilding essentials.

In the light of all these allegations, while the claims and counter claims between Patil and Khan will continue unabated, what comes to the fore is the Rs 300 crore illegal steroids, amps (amps is slang for AMP or Adenosine MonoPhosphate injections) and other bodybuilding supplements and drugs (all illegal) consumed by aspiring bodybuilders in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities.

Experts and market analysts claim that the annual market for such products and supplements is over Rs 300 crore in Mumbai and Delhi alone, with the two cities accounting for more than 38 to 40 percent of the nationwide demand for such products.

Amps or AMP shots are illegal injections of the drug Adenosine MonoPhosphate also known as “the horse drug”, originally administered illegally to race horses to boost their performance. The drug works by forcing the heart to pump additional blood into arteries and veins, thus feeding the muscles with more oxygen and nutrients and enhancing performance. It also allows for longer workout sessions, providing artificial energy to body muscles, but has several dangerous side effects, including organ damage, leading to death.

Estimates claim that 40 to 50 bodybuilders and gym freaks use AMP or Amps these days along with other artificial protein supplements.

Most of these illegal products, protein powders and shots that are easily available and peddled by gym trainers and others associated with the bodybuilding fraternity, are more often that not either adulterated, outright spurious, fake or at the least beyond the expiry date.

An industry expert claims that 50 percent of illegal bodybuilding products available in the market in India are just not fit for consumption because they are beyond the expiry date, while 40 percent of the products easily available on the underground fitness market are spurious, adulterated or outright fake. Less than 10 percent of products sold on the sly, maybe safe for consumption, but are definitely not safe for the long-term, when it comes to your health and well-being, as they all have deadly, many-a-times irreversible side-effects.