Chemical Enhancement: Part 1

1. Is Nandrolone Best for Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Testosterone cypionate (TC) and testosterone enanthate (TE) are the most commonly prescribed forms of injectable testosterone. These drugs are readily available, generic and relatively inexpensive. A review of literature by Michael Pan and Jason Kovac from Baylor College of Medicine in Texas and Men’s Health Center, Urology of Indiana concluded that testosterone undecanoate might be a better drug for testosterone replacement therapy than TC or TE. Nandrolone decanoate (Deca-Durabolin) has a chemical structure similar to testosterone, but builds muscle better than TC or TE. This would make it more effective for preserving muscle mass in aging men. Also, it is be better for promoting healing following knee or rotator cuff surgery. It is not a good drug for athletes subject to drug tests, because nandrolone metabolites can be detected for up to six months in about 70 percent of people. (Translational Andrology and Urology, 5: 213-219, 2016)

2. Long-Term Heart Changes in Bodybuilders

Anabolic steroids increase muscle hypertrophy in skeletal muscle and heart— particularly when accompanied by resistive exercise. Strength training triggers a pressure load on the heart, which makes the heart work harder and pump against increased pressure. Systolic blood pressures can exceed 400 mmHg during squats (normal mean resting arterial pressure is 100 mmHg). Turkish researchers found that bodybuilders who used steroids showed larger heart wall thickness than non-users. Part of this is due to greater strength in steroid users. Researchers found increased stiffness in the right ventricles, which might make bodybuilders more susceptible to right heart failure as they age. (Echocardiography, published online May 4, 2016)

3. Are Steroids Addictive?

An ongoing debate is whether steroids are addictive or just fun to take. Steroids make it easier to train and improve performance in power events. They promote increases in strength, power and muscle mass, so they are extremely attractive to athletes and physically active adults— regardless of the consequences. A review of literature led by Alfhild Grönbladh from Uppsala University in Sweden concluded that anabolic steroids affect the central nervous system by stimulating the mesolimbic reward system in the brain. Researchers have observed a 30 percent dependence rate at their clinic. Most anabolic steroid users also take a variety of anabolic drugs (i.e., growth hormone, insulin, clenbuterol and IGF-1), stimulants and an opiate, so separating the true addictive effects of anabolic steroids is extremely difficult. Steroids also stimulate the oligodendrocytes in the brain to produce myelin— the covering of nerve cells that speeds the rate of nerve impulses in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Increased nerve cell myelination may be an important reason that anabolic steroids improve performance in high-power sports. These brain changes make it easy to see why athletes take anabolic steroids. (Brain Research Bulletin, published online May 5, 2016)

4. Growth Hormone Promotes Healing From Severe Burns

People become weak and frail following severe burns, which prolongs the rate of rehabilitation. Burns trigger decreases in weight and muscle mass, and impair blood sugar regulation. Growth hormone supplements speed rehabilitation and quality of life following serious burns— according to a study led by Jun Bum Kim from Hallym University College of Medicine in Korea. Researchers studied 33 patients with third-degree burns covering at least 20 percent of their body. Patients received two-milligram injections of sustained-release human growth hormone weekly, for three months during rehabilitation. A placebo group received weekly injections of fake growth hormone. Growth hormone-supplemented patients showed improved aerobic capacity, lean body mass, muscle strength and IGF-1. Growth hormone promoted physical fitness and improved quality of life. (Growth Hormone IGF Research, 27: 1-6, 2016)

5. Health Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Low levels of testosterone in aging men are linked to premature death and increased risk of heart attack and stroke, erectile dysfunction, psychological depression and decreased muscle mass. An extensive review of literature by Geoffrey Hackett from Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, UK concluded that testosterone therapy provides significant health benefits to aging men with low testosterone levels. Therapy improves sexual function, increases muscle mass and strength, improves mental function and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Testosterone therapy does not increase the risk of prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease. Hackett concluded that physicians do not fully appreciate the benefits of testosterone therapy for hypogonadal men. (Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 8: 147-160, 2016)

6. Long-Acting Insulin Stores Less Fat

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism by promoting blood sugar uptake in muscle and fat cells and promoting fat storage. People with type 1 diabetes, and some people with type 2 diabetes, take injections of insulin to help normalize metabolism. Injected insulin can be fast-acting or slow-acting. Insulin detemir is a long-acting insulin. Italian researchers found that the long-acting form of insulin stored less fat than the faster-acting variety. Long-term treatment with insulin is linked to weight gain. This study showed that slow-acting insulin caused less fat storage and might help prevent obesity in people with diabetes. (Nutrition Metabolism Cardiovascular Disease, 26: 333-344, 2016)

7. Nandrolone Detectable After Nine Months

The anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate (Deca-Durabolin) can be detected for at least nine months in some people– according to a study from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Subjects received a single 150-milligram dose of nandrolone decanoate, and urine was monitored for nandrolone and two of its metabolites (19-norandrosterone and 19-noretiocholanolone) for nine months. Nandrolone is a notorious drug among athletes because it is linked to drug suspensions of Olympic medal winners such as Linford Christie, Merlene Ottey, Marion Jones and Dieter Baumann. Large individual differences existed in clearance rates, with some athletes testing clean in 30 days and others detectable after nine months. Factors such as dosage, length of use, body fat and genetic-linked clearance rates will determine how long the drug is detectable. Beware of steroid clearance rate tables you find on the Internet because none of them are based on actual data. (Steroids, published online February 4, 2016)

8. Non-Athletes Biggest Users of Performance-Enhancing Drugs

The Internet has made anabolic steroids, growth hormone, melanotan, weight-loss drugs, Botox and dermal fillers available to anyone with little risk of sanctions from law enforcement. A review of literature by Rebekah Brennan and colleagues from Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland examined studies on steroid use patterns of people obtaining drugs on the Internet. Steroid doses ranged from 250 to 3,200 milligrams per week, while cycles averaged four to 12 weeks. Fifty-nine percent reported using more than 1,000 milligrams of testosterone a week. Most side effects were mild and included acne, gynecomastia (breast growth) and stretch marks. Steroid users typically used three or more other drugs or supplements. Use of performance-enhancing drugs was linked to cocaine use, training years and training frequency. Heavy steroid users were less educated and less likely to drink alcohol heavily. Most steroid users began after age 21 and did not play organized sports. Longtime power athletes who used steroids were more likely to have high blood pressure. This review shows that steroid use patterns are far different than that portrayed by the media. (Health and Social Care in the Community, published online January 26, 2016)

9. Aromatase Inhibitors Promote Insulin Resistance

Many bodybuilders take aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex to prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Excessive estrogen triggers gynecomastia, which is the development of breast tissue in men. However, recent studies show that suppression of estrogen promotes body fat deposition. Frasier Gibb from the British Heart Foundation Center for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that the use of aromatase inhibitors was linked to insulin resistance in humans. Researchers measured blood sugar disposal rates and fat formation following administration of an aromatase inhibitor. The study showed that in men, estrogen is an important regulator of blood sugar— just as previous studies show that estrogen helps control fat mass. (Journal Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, published online March 11, 2016)

10. High Doses of Testosterone Increase Heart Size

High dose testosterone supplements increase the size of the heart and cause heart abnormalities. A 12-week study on rats from Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand found that high levels of testosterone increased the cross-sectional area of the heart without improving its contraction capacity. By eight weeks, testosterone had suppressed heart strength and deposited fibrous connective tissue throughout the heart muscle. Heart damage did not increase progressively with dosage. If these results apply to humans, high doses of testosterone plus heavy weightlifting could cause heart problems later in life. (Journal of Endocrinology, published online February 5, 2016)

11. Dinitrophenol: Deadly Weight-Loss Drug

Dinitrophenol (DPN) is an unapproved drug used for weight loss that can cause explosive increases in body temperature. Metabolism works by breaking down carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and capturing the released energy within other chemicals that are stored or used to power the cells and tissues— a process called coupled reactions. Chemicals called uncoupling agents interfere with this process. DNP causes heat release rather than capturing the energy in a form the cells can use. DNP is one of the most powerful uncoupling drugs that exists. The drug can cause heat stroke, and severe damage to the muscles, liver, kidney and heart. DNP is not a controlled substance, but was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1938 because of its extreme toxicity. The drug is effective for weight loss, but it is so powerful that it completely blocks normal energy exchanges in the cells and causes explosive increases in body temperature. Stay away from this drug! (Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 10: 39, 2015)

12. Nandrolone Interferes With Testosterone Production

Nandrolone decanoate is a popular anabolic steroid with athletes, older adults and young adults attempting to improve their appearance. Many steroid users take 600 to 5,000 milligrams per week, which is 10 to 1,000 times greater than normal testosterone production in the testes. Cristoforo Pomara from the University of Foggia in Italy, and co-workers, found that nandrolone suppressed testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells of the testes (cells cultured in a lab dish). The effects were dose dependent, meaning that higher doses suppressed production the most. Testosterone production is controlled by a feedback mechanism between the hypothalamus, pituitary and testes. Steroids suppress gonadotropin-releasing factor in the hypothalamus, and luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the pituitary. Testicular suppression leads to reduced natural testosterone production, suppressed sperm production and reduced testicular weight. The typical steroid user in America is a 30-year-old, fit non-athlete with a normal job, who takes the drugs to get stronger and look better. Many are married and hoping to start a family. Steroids make this more difficult. (Journal of Cellular Physiology, published online December 2, 2015)