[Milk > Steroids]
The American Heart Association has found that long term anabolic steroid use is even WORSE for the heart than previously thought, according to a study quoted this article.
Here are some quotes from the article with my comments:
“In the small study, investigators found that the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, was significantly weaker during contraction (systolic function) in participants who had taken steroids compared to a group of similar non-steroid users.”
My Comments: Alright, so the heart’s main pumping chamber was weaker among steroid users. That sounds bad.
“A healthy left ventricle pumps out 55 percent to 70 percent of the blood that fills the heart (a measurement known as ejection fraction). Eighty-three percent of steroid users in the 12-person study had a low pumping capacity (ejection fraction less than 55 percent) that previous studies have linked to increased risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. In contrast, only one of the non-steroid users had a low ejection fraction.”
My Comments: Getting to the point here. Because the pumping chamber is weaker, there is an increased risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Not good.
“Steroid users also exhibited impaired diastolic function, which is when the left ventricle relaxes and fills with blood. The researchers showed that ventricle relaxation among steroid users, as demonstrated by the left ventricle’s ratio of early-to-late blood filling, was reduced by almost half (0.93 compared with 1.80 among non-users). The left ventricle’s structure was similar in both steroid-users and non-users.”
My Comments: Not only were the steroid users worse at pumping blood, but their hearts were also not as good at filling up blood pre-pump. Whether or not the two functions (diastolic and systolic) are related, I don’t know. But it seems to me as someone who knows nothing about it that they are, so take what you want from that.
Taking the “Easy Way Out” is Never a Good Idea
I don’t think most people on this site are considering taking anabolic steroids, but I wanted to post this not only to bring up the issue of steroids – but to talk about taking the “easy way out” in general. It’s very easy to be tempted to do something a certain way because it’s easy, even though it might not be good for you in the long term.
This is an extreme case of people taking anabolic steroids for muscle growth and then having a higher risk of heart attacks. But there are other examples too:
1. Eating unhealthily and starving yourself to lose weight, instead of sticking to healthy veggies and setting yourself up for long term success.
2. Fooling yourself that you are stronger than you are by doing exercises with poor form.
3. Being too lazy to take notes on your progress and then flailing your arms and saying you don’t know why you can’t reach your goals.
4. And the list goes on, and on, and on…
I think that most of us, myself included, have probably been guilty of “taking the easy way out” more than once when it comes to exercising and fitness. To me, the most important thing is to be aware of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
One thing I always try to ask myself when I want to not do something is:
“Is it because it’s not a good idea to do it. Or is it because I’m being lazy?”
Feel free to share your own thoughts on things people do to “take the easy way out” when it comes to fitness. I want hear from you! And it’s starting to look really bad that no one is commenting around here…
-Rafi
P.S. The whole thing with steroid use is getting me more and more disgusted with the “bodybuilding” movement. To have an entire “profession” devoted to shaping your body to looking a certain way seems to be not only unhealthily physically – but mentally.
P.S.S. I had to take off the chat box that was in beta on the upper right. There were just too many spammers abusing it for it to work well right now.
Long Term Use of Anabolic Steroids is Bad for the Heart
by Rafi on April 29, 2010
[Milk > Steroids]
The American Heart Association has found that long term anabolic steroid use is even WORSE for the heart than previously thought, according to a study quoted this article.
Here are some quotes from the article with my comments:
“In the small study, investigators found that the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, was significantly weaker during contraction (systolic function) in participants who had taken steroids compared to a group of similar non-steroid users.”
My Comments: Alright, so the heart’s main pumping chamber was weaker among steroid users. That sounds bad.
“A healthy left ventricle pumps out 55 percent to 70 percent of the blood that fills the heart (a measurement known as ejection fraction). Eighty-three percent of steroid users in the 12-person study had a low pumping capacity (ejection fraction less than 55 percent) that previous studies have linked to increased risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. In contrast, only one of the non-steroid users had a low ejection fraction.”
My Comments: Getting to the point here. Because the pumping chamber is weaker, there is an increased risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Not good.
“Steroid users also exhibited impaired diastolic function, which is when the left ventricle relaxes and fills with blood. The researchers showed that ventricle relaxation among steroid users, as demonstrated by the left ventricle’s ratio of early-to-late blood filling, was reduced by almost half (0.93 compared with 1.80 among non-users). The left ventricle’s structure was similar in both steroid-users and non-users.”
My Comments: Not only were the steroid users worse at pumping blood, but their hearts were also not as good at filling up blood pre-pump. Whether or not the two functions (diastolic and systolic) are related, I don’t know. But it seems to me as someone who knows nothing about it that they are, so take what you want from that.
Taking the “Easy Way Out” is Never a Good Idea
I don’t think most people on this site are considering taking anabolic steroids, but I wanted to post this not only to bring up the issue of steroids – but to talk about taking the “easy way out” in general. It’s very easy to be tempted to do something a certain way because it’s easy, even though it might not be good for you in the long term.
This is an extreme case of people taking anabolic steroids for muscle growth and then having a higher risk of heart attacks. But there are other examples too:
1. Eating unhealthily and starving yourself to lose weight, instead of sticking to healthy veggies and setting yourself up for long term success.
2. Fooling yourself that you are stronger than you are by doing exercises with poor form.
3. Being too lazy to take notes on your progress and then flailing your arms and saying you don’t know why you can’t reach your goals.
4. And the list goes on, and on, and on…
I think that most of us, myself included, have probably been guilty of “taking the easy way out” more than once when it comes to exercising and fitness. To me, the most important thing is to be aware of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
One thing I always try to ask myself when I want to not do something is:
“Is it because it’s not a good idea to do it. Or is it because I’m being lazy?”
Feel free to share your own thoughts on things people do to “take the easy way out” when it comes to fitness. I want hear from you! And it’s starting to look really bad that no one is commenting around here…
-Rafi
P.S. The whole thing with steroid use is getting me more and more disgusted with the “bodybuilding” movement. To have an entire “profession” devoted to shaping your body to looking a certain way seems to be not only unhealthily physically – but mentally.
P.S.S. I had to take off the chat box that was in beta on the upper right. There were just too many spammers abusing it for it to work well right now.