Steroid Side Effects and How to Stop them - Part 2
Controlling yourself during a cycle is simply a matter of maturity, intelligence,
and discipline. If you find that you are becoming easily irritated, constantly
arguing with others, or becoming extremely upset over minor things, the use of
androgenic compounds should be reduced or eliminated altogether. Might does not
make right, and any bodybuilder who allows steroids to control their demeanor
is simply affirming the stereotypes people have about overly muscular people.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: BPH is simply an enlargement of the prostate,
a walnut-sized gland that surrounds the urethra whose function is to squeeze
fluid into the urethra as sperm move through during sexual climax. This fluid,
which helps make up semen, energizes the sperm and makes the vaginal canal less
acidic. This condition is now considered a normal part of aging for men, with
more than half of men in their 60’s and upwards of 90% of men in their
70’s-80’s will show some symptoms. As the prostate enlarges, the layer
of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press
against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes
thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains
small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder
weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder.
The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many
of the problems associated with BPH.
Although no conclusive medical evidence exists that long term use of testosterone
will lead to an increase in BPH or an acceleration in its development, such
a conclusion can readily be made by understanding the mechanisms through which
BPH develops. DHT is a primary culprit in the development of BPH, and it is
theorized that estrogen may play a role as well. Men who cannot produce DHT
do not develop BPH, and the primary treatment for BPH is Proscar (Finasteride),
which inhibits the 5a-reductase enzyme. It is this enzyme which is responsible
for converting testosterone (along with Halotestin) into DHT. Studies done with
animals have suggested that BPH may occur because the higher amount of estrogen
within the gland increases the activity of substances that promote cell growth.
Knowing that use of testosterone will increase both levels of DHT and estrogen
if the appropriate accessory medications are not used, you can see where I draw
my conclusions. It is highly likely that long term use of testosterone, whether
it be for performance enhancement of hormone replacement therapy purposes, will
accelerate the onset of BPH. Thusly, one should use both an anti-aromatase and
5a-reducatase inhibitor when using testosterone.
Birth Defects: This applies only to female steroid users, as steroid use by
males cannot induce birth defects. Any female using steroids should have a pregnancy
test before doing so and use an effective form of birth control while on them.
When used by a female who is pregnant, AAS can cause Adreno-genital syndrome,
which will result in the inappropriate growth of the genitals in a developing
fetus.
Cancer: Steroids are commonly believed to cause cancer, even by many who use
them. This is primarily for one reason, the hysteria surrounding the death on
former football great Lyle Alzado, who died of a brain tumor in 1992. Prior
to his death, Lyle went on a very public campaign divulging his many years of
steroid abuse, and pointing the figure at AAS as the causative factor behind
his cancer. The media latched on to this and exploited it for all it was worth,
despite the fact that Lyle’s own physician readily admitted that AAS could
in no way caused the cancer the killed his patient.
The fact is that the number of cases that have directly linked steroids to cancer
is statistically insignificant, and all are related to the use of C17 alpha
alkylated compounds. Again, C 17 alpha aklylation is a chemical modification
that allows steroids to be used orally. This makes them mildly hepatotoxic,
and continued use over long periods of time can place serious stress on the
liver. The few cases of liver damage and subsequent cancer that have been confirmed
to be related to the use of AAS have occurred in primarily in sick patients
whose liver function had already been compromised in some fashion, not athletes.
Furthermore, the steroid involved in these cases was almost always Anadrol-50.
This makes complete sense, as Anadrol comes in a very high dose per pill (50
mg) when compared to other oral steroids. Furthermore, the amount of Anadrol
that was often to prescribed to patients was astronomical, the Physician’s
Desk Reference (known as the PDR, the reference guide physicians use when prescribing
drugs) recommended 1-5 mg/kg of body weight per day. To put this into perspective,
a 200 lb individual would be given anywhere between 100-500 mg of Anadrol per
day. This is between 2-10 tabs of Anadrol daily. Anyone having used real Anadrol
(and there’s very few that have, almost ALL of the oxymetholone available
today is severely underdosed) knows that even 100 mg is an incredibly effective
dose that will always be accompanied by a host of negative side effects.
My point is not to minimize the dangers of long term use of 17-AA AAS, but
the truth is that short term use of them (4-8 weeks) is a relatively safe proposition.
Cardiovascular Disease: Refer to chapter
Depression: Use of AAS can have a profound affect on an individual’s disposition.
Depression is most commonly exhibited in male bodybuilders post cycle, when
estrogen levels can be incredibly high and endogenous production of testosterone
has been suppressed. This can leave a male bodybuilder with a hormone profile
more resembling that of a woman, and this can play a profound role in their
attitude and outlook on life. More than once I’ve seen incredibly muscular
and normally stoic males reduced to tears over sappy television commercials
and lamenting their deteriorating condition as the imbalance of estrogen/testosterone
wreaks havoc on them physically and mentally. Once again, this can be avoided
through use of proper ancillary medications both on and off cycle. Estrogen
levels must be kept in check at all times to ensure both maximum gains and minimum
side effects. Please refer to the chapter, Proper Use of Ancillary Medications
Both On and Off Cycle for more information.
Edema: Many AAS will affect the amount of will affect the amount of water that
is stores in the various tissues of the body. To some degree this can be beneficial,
the strength that one will gain through the retention of water in muscle and
connective tissues will certainly help add additional LBM over time. However,
the moon face of a bodybuilder on a bulking cycle suffering from extreme edema
is both physically repugnant and inherently unhealthy. One should not ignore
the fact that water retention can have a negative impact on both blood pressure
and renal function.
Edema is associated with increased levels of estrogen, and thus the culprit
for it is once again the aromatizing androgens. An athlete should always prepare
for this when using these steroids, through proper application of anti-aromatases
like arimidex, femara, or Cytadren.
Gynecomastia: Primarily referred to as “bitch tits” or gyno, gynecomastia
refers to enlargement of the male breasts. Male breast tissue is ripe with estrogen
receptors, just as in that of a female. Consequently, elevated estrogen levels
can cause swelling and eventual growth of this tissue, leaving a man with unsightly
lumps beneath both nipples. The effect is exactly that experienced by a male
pre-op transsexual receiving female hormones to induce the growth of the breasts,
albeit on a lesser scale. Untreated, the swollen breast tissue will harden,
becoming permanent fixtures underneath your nipples until removed by surgery.
Because elevated levels of estrogen are the primary culprit behind the development
of gyno, one should always use an anti-aromatase when using steroids that aromatize.
This would normally be during a bulking cycle, when the use of strong, aromatizing
androgens becomes a necessity. Unlike many others that have commented on the
subject of gynecomastia and estrogen suppression, I would not wait until the
effects of estrogen can be seen or felt before incorporating the proper ancillary
drugs into my regime, they should be in place from Day 1!
It should be noted that I do recommend use of an estrogen antagonist when using
Anadrol-50 (oxymetholone), as this drug exhibits estrogen-like activity despite
the fact that it does not aromatize. Because of this, the estrogenic effects
of Anadrol cannot be combated using an anti-aromatase, and one would need use
an estrogen receptor antagonist such as Nolvadex or Clomid.
There are several AAS that exhibit progestational activity, such as many of
the nandrolones or trenbolone (which is derived from nandrolone). It is possible
that these steroids could produce or exacerbate gyno in a very small percentage
of extremely sensitive individuals, even without elevated estrogen levels. Male
bodybuilders that are extremely sensitive to the effects of progestins will
have a very hard time avoiding the development of gyno, since the majority of
effective steroids either aromatize, exhibit estrogenic qualities on their own
(Anadrol), or have progestenic activity. These individuals would need to totally
suppress estrogen production while on cycle (using both an anti-aromatase and
an estrogen antagonist) or find someway to acquire the drug RU-486, the so-called
abortion pill. Use of RU-486 would be the ideal situation for these individuals,
as it is a progesterone antagonist. Unfortunately, this drug is nearly impossible
to obtain.
- Steroid Side Effects And How To Stop Them - Part 2 - Steroidology.com