Supplement Maker Linked to Designer Steroids
Anabolic steroids are illegal in most amateur and professional sports. Some athletes play a cat and mouse game with doping officials by using masking agents to interfere with drug tests, or by using undetectable drugs that boost performance. The Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), makers of the popular bodybuilding supplement ZMA, is suspected of manufacturing a previously undetectable “designer” steroid called tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). An unnamed coach supplied the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency with a syringe containing THG, allegedly obtained from BALCO. The doping agency retested 350 urine samples from the U.S. Track and Field Championships and may retest samples from the World Championships in Paris. Several athletes have already tested positive for THG. Athletes receiving nutritional counseling from BALCO include some of the biggest names in sports, including Barry Bonds, Yankee slugger Jason Giambi, sprinter Kelli White and shot-putter Kevin Toth. The Feds subpoenaed more than 40 athletes and raided BALCO offices. This could get very nasty! (Newsday, Oct. 22, 2003)
Provagil Uses Expanded by the FDA
Provagil is a mild stimulant with fewer side effects than caffeine. It’s approved for treating narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that causes people to nod off during the day. The drug has tentatively been approved for people who have trouble adjusting to night shifts and those with sleep apnea— a sleep disorder involving abnormal breathing patterns and disturbed sleep. Provagil keeps people awake without jitteriness and has little potential for addiction. FDA officials are concerned that Provagil may become a recreational drug for people who don’t get enough sleep and want to work harder, or for treating jet lag. People falling asleep at the wheel while driving causes almost as many deaths as drunk driving. A wider use of the drug to keep drivers awake may save many lives. (The New York Times, Sept. 26, 2003)
Group Promotes Anti-Ecstasy Campaign
People who take the rave drug Ecstasy are 25 percent more likely to have a mental disorder. Ecstasy use among teens and young adults has doubled since 1998. The drug can cause serious, permanent brain injury by impairing memory and brain centers that regulate mood, learning and sleep. Regular users had impaired memories 2.5 years after they stopped using the drug. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is sponsoring an advertising campaign to convince parents to talk to their kids about the drug. They will take out ads on TV and radio, in newspapers and the Internet. While 92 percent of parents know about the dangers of Ecstasy, only 25 percent have ever talked to their kids about it. (USA Today, Oct. 21, 2003)
Anti-Doping Programs Streamlined
Many athletes try to stay one step ahead of sports anti-drug officials by finding new performance enhancing drugs and evading drug tests. Athletic officials countered by forming an independent organization called the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that develops anti-doping analysis methods and procedures for random tests and drug screening during competitions. They played a central role in the recent BALCO scandal that involved a lab that allegedly made undetectable “designer” steroids for famous athletes. Many other leading athletic powers in the world have followed the lead and established their own doping super agencies. Last year, these agencies conducted more than 85,000 tests, which produced 1,330 positive results. Efforts to curb drug use in athletes include random tests, keeping track of athletes’ locations and publicly announcing drug violations. (Curr Sports Med Rep, 2: 226-232, 2003)
Steroids Boost Brain Chemicals
Any bodybuilder who has taken growth hormone and anabolic steroids knows that steroids provide a much better training boost. Studies by Gideon Arial in the 1970s suggested steroids also improve nervous system performance. The brain and nervous system are difficult to study, so few people followed up on Arial’s early work. Researchers from Japan and UCLA found that nandrolone decanoate (Deca) increased brain levels of chemicals called adrenergic and serotonergic amines that contribute to aggressive behavior and improve performance. Brain levels of norepinephrine, an important hormone for “fight-or-flight,” increased by 200 percent. This study confirmed that steroids do more than increase muscle size and strength— they help athletes train harder. (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 35: 32-38, 2003)
Cardinal Rules for Using Steroids
Scientist often scoff at information derived from the trenches— the gyms and playing fields. When it comes to using steroids, you are not likely to get very much useful information from your doctor or coach. The Steroid Encyclopedia (2003) presented some good advice for maximizing the safety and effectiveness of the drugs: Always cycle off steroids for at least six weeks. Many bodybuilders take supplements, such as HCG, to beef up normal testosterone during off cycles. Rotate the injection sites. Injecting in the same place can cause painful and crippling abscesses and scarring. Keep your mouth shut about steroid use— yours and that of others. These drugs are illegal. You never know who will overhear your conversation or rat you out. Use steroids as a training aid, not as an excuse to get big without working out. Encourage younger athletes to build muscle and strength naturally before resorting to anabolics for a boost. Finally, take care of your health. See your doctor for blood tests often and follow a healthy lifestyle. Taking large amounts of steroids can be hazardous to your health. Don’t tempt faith by taking steroids and also drinking, smoking, doing street drugs and eating a poor diet. You’re asking for it if you do.
Steroids by Mail: What are Your Rights?
Anabolic steroids are cheap, convenient and available. This pretty much sums up most people’s first impression after viewing foreign pharmaceutical sites on the Internet. Internet pharmacy sites are good places to buy steroids— unless you get caught by the postal inspector. Then you can be subject to severe penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects your packages from unreasonable search and seizure— unless inspectors can get a search warrant to examine the package for probable cause (return address, country of origin, suspicious packaging, etc.). You have no such protection if the pharmacy sends drugs by FedEx or UPS, or if the package is sent from overseas. Chances are that your package will arrive unopened. But if you are one of the unlucky ones who gets caught— watch out! (Rick Collins, Esq., 2003)
“Hillbilly Heroin” is a Killer
Oxycontin— also known as hillbilly heroin— is a growing public health problem. When Oxycontin was released several years ago, it was heralded as a life-altering drug for people with chronic or severe pain. Soon, it became one of the most abused drugs in America and led to many deaths. People crushed and snorted it to get an intense heroin-like high. Unlike heroin, an oxycontin high lasts about 12 hours. Single pills have a street value of between $10 and $40. In the East and Midwest, the drug is in such demand that pharmacies afraid of burglaries post signs saying they don’t carry it. It’s maker, Purdue Pharma, has issued public service announcements warning consumers about the misuse of prescription drugs. (New York Post, Oct. 12, 2003)
Esiclene Makes Muscles Swell
Making small muscles look big and cut will set one bodybuilder apart from another. It’s difficult to make muscles, such as the vastus medialis (inside quad muscle) or rhomboids (central back muscles) bulge out and look cut. Some bodybuilders have been using esiclene (formebolone) to get that ripped look. The drug has little or no anabolic effect, but it does irritate the muscles and make them swell. The effects last about five days. Using this drug is a dumb idea. It can cause serious muscle irritation, tissue death and abscesses. Bodybuilders report that it works better in small muscles than in large muscles. We advise bodybuilders not to use this drug. (Anabolics 2002)
Glucophage May Enhance Glycogen Storage
The body stores carbohydrates as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles. Insulin is an important hormone for promoting carbohydrate storage. Glucophage— a drug used by type 2 diabetics to enhance the action of insulin— has been used by some bodybuilders as well as power and endurance athletes to beef up glycogen stores. In theory, this should improve endurance in cyclists and runners and enable weight training athletes to exercise more intensely in the gym. Glucophage has life-threatening side
effects. It can induce acidosis, which would severely interfere with metabolism. This drug may be very dangerous and is not recommended for bodybuilders or other athletes. (Anabolics 2002)
NFL Tries to Avoid Getting Sacked by BALCO Scandal
The BALCO scandal— stemming from a federal investigation of a lab that allegedly made “designer” steroids to beat doping tests— involved mainly track and field athletes. Athletes from other sports, including football, were involved too. Hoping to avoid getting caught up in the scandal, the National Football League has announced plans to test for the previously undetectable drug THG. Some NFL players reported being approached in summer camp about using an undetectable steroid, so it’s likely that some players may have already used the drug. Football is the only major professional sport that conducts steroid testing of its athletes. Baseball and hockey are considering an anti-steroid testing program. (The New York Times, Oct. 25, 2003)
source:musculardevelopment.com
