Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32375656›Full record

ArticleBMC nephrology2020

Effects of bodybuilding supplements on the kidney: A population-based incidence study of biopsy pathology and clinical characteristics among middle eastern men.

Alaa Abbas Ali, Safaa E Almukhtar, Dana A Sharif, Zana Sidiq M Saleem, Dana N Muhealdeen, Michael D Hughson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nephrology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Proteinuria in adolescence.Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  2. Premature Death in Bodybuilders: What Do We Know?Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023
    Article
  3. Nutritional and Non-Nutritional Strategies in Bodybuilding: Impact on Kidney Function.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Review
  4. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Alaa Abbas AliDepartment of Pathology, University of Sulaimani College of Medicine and Shoresh Teaching Hospital, Quirga Road, Sulaimani, Iraq.
Safaa E AlmukhtarDepartment of Nephrology, University of Hawler College of Medicine, Erbil, Iraq.
Dana A SharifDepartment of Nephrology, University of Sulaimani College of Medicine, Sulaimani, Iraq.
Zana Sidiq M SaleemDepartment of Nephrology, University of Dohuk College of Medicine, Dohuk, Iraq.
Dana N MuhealdeenDepartment of Pathology, University of Sulaimani College of Medicine and Shoresh Teaching Hospital, Quirga Road, Sulaimani, Iraq.
Michael D HughsonDepartment of Pathology, University of Sulaimani College of Medicine and Shoresh Teaching Hospital, Quirga Road, Sulaimani, Iraq. hughsonmichaeld@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0003-1310-707X
University of Sulaimani · IQHawler Medical University · IQUniversity of Duhok · IQ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe incidence of kidney diseases among bodybuilders is unknown.

methodsBetween January 2011 and December 2019, the Iraqi Kurdistan 15 to 39 year old male population averaged 1,100,000 with approximately 56,000 total participants and 25,000 regular participants (those training more than 1 year). Annual age specific incidence rates (ASIR) with (95% confidence intervals) per 100,000 bodybuilders were compared with the general age-matched male population.

resultsFifteen male participants had kidney biopsies. Among regular participants, diagnoses were: focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), 2; membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), 2; post-infectious glomeruonephritis (PIGN), 1; tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), 1; and nephrocalcinosis, 2. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was diagnosed in 5 regular participants and 2 participants training less than 1 year. Among regular participants, anabolic steroid use was self-reported in 26% and veterinary grade vitamin D injections in 2.6%. ASIR for FSGS, MGN, PIGN, and TIN among regular participants was not statistically different than the general population. ASIR of FSGS adjusted for anabolic steroid use was 3.4 (- 1.3 to 8.1), a rate overlapping with FSGS in the general population at 2.0 (1.2 to 2.8). ATN presented as exertional muscle injury with myoglobinuria among new participants. Nevertheless, ASIR for ATN among total participants at 1.4 (0.4 to 2.4) was not significantly different than for the general population at 0.3 (0.1 to 0.5). Nephrocalcinosis was only diagnosed among bodybuilders at a 9-year cumulative rate of one per 314 vitamin D injectors.

conclusionsKidney disease rates among bodybuilders were not significantly different than for the general population, except for nephrocalcinosis that was caused by injections of veterinary grade vitamin D compounds.

Indexed as

Acute DiseaseAdultBiopsyGlomerulosclerosis, Focal SegmentalHumansIncidenceIraqKidney DiseasesKidney TubulesMaleNecrosisNephritis, InterstitialNephrocalcinosisTestosterone CongenersVitamin DWeight LiftingTestosterone CongenersVitamin DAcute kidney injuryAnabolic steroidsBodybuildingFocal segmental glomerulosclerosisNephrocalcinosisSupplements

Identifiers

PMID32375656
PMCPMC7203829
OpenAlexW3020977610

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.