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  Topic: What's the Scoop on Steroids?< Next Oldest | Next Newest >  
thordaddy



Posts: 486
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,14:58   

I've been reconsidering the use of steriods as a way to significantly enhance my health.  When I look at the evidence and the fear-mongering going on around the use of steroids in baseball, I ask where are the scientists?

Are the use of steroids beneficial or harmful?

Is the use of steroids really a form of cheating?

Why does it seem that in the area of steroids, politics trumps science?

  
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,15:39   

We do have some basis for suspicion here. Steroids permit the development of muscular power independent of the ability of bones, ligaments, tendons etc. to accomodate that power. The result has been frequent injuries very slow and difficult to heal, even after surgery.

Steroid use also has been very strongly linked with other health issues, and heavy users have an abysmal life expectancy. But these observations apply to people who used a LOT of steroids for a long time.

I myself have used steroids. I tend to suffer occasional (every 3-4 years) bursitis in my shoulders. Usually, I can counter this with regular workouts with small (10-pound) weights, daily. When these workouts don't lead to improvement, I've taken "cocktail" injections in my shouder - anti-inflammatories, steroids, pain killers. Works great. I've had three of these in my life.

In sports, overuse of steroids is a deal with the devil, as we've seen. You'll get one or two seasons of *astounding* performance. After which, you'll suffer a debilitating and perhaps career-ending injury, and later you'll die young. Was it worthwhile?

Imagine a drug (or whatever) that you could take at the age of 20, that would make you irresistable to any woman. But after 5 years, you'd be a vegetable. Would you do it? Would you think well, I'll only do it THIS year, then stop?

  
stevestory



Posts: 13407
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,16:06   

I would use small amounts of steroids if I were an athlete. The risk/reward equation dictates it. But in normal life, there's no reason to do so. I doubt it would improve your health.

   
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,16:29   

stevestory:

Sometimes I think what I post goes straight into a black hole. Steroids are VERY HELPFUL for certain types of injuries. I'm talking about normal life here. Steroids are VERY helpful to your health for these particular problems. As always, the problem isn't the steroids, it's the abuse.

Steroids have been absolutely beneficial (if not essential) for my normal health.

  
stevestory



Posts: 13407
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,16:33   

I was not very clear Flint, of course I didn't mean steroids were ineffective for your particular condition, that would be stupid of me. I seem to remember taking them myself once or twice as a kid in response to some emergent medical condition I forget the nature of. Something to do with my nose? In any case, when I said I doubt steroids would improve your health, I should have specified that I was responding to this statement
Quote
I've been reconsidering the use of steriods as a way to significantly enhance my health.  
Which seemed to be based on the idea that steroids were just general health-enhancing things in small doses, which I don't think they are.

   
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,16:45   

stevestory:

OK, we agree on this. Steroids have no reputation as generic heath-enhancers (such as enjoyed by balanced diets, calorie control, regular exercise, etc.) They can be specifically targeted against certaint types of injuries or problems, on a short-term (until healed) basis. Hormone therapy generally has very limited applicability.

  
stevestory



Posts: 13407
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,17:02   

Yeah. I'd say like 45 mins of cardio and 45 mins of weights every day is what I'd do if I was trying to get in great shape. I wouldn't bother with steroids unless I was trying to gain mass. (Which at 6' and 230 I'm not trying to do :-)) But I'm the wrong guy to get health info from, I drink about a gallon of beer a day.

   
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,17:18   

stevestory:

Quote
Yeah. I'd say like 45 mins of cardio and 45 mins of weights every day is what I'd do if I was trying to get in great shape.

Sadly, this is very age-dependent. At my age, I do about 1 hour of cardio (a 4-mile walk up and down steep hills) and 30 minutes of weights every day. I am NOT getting into great shape, I'm only fighting a losing battle against the rate I go downhill.

but yeah, the gallon of beer a day doesn't help. Which doesn't slow that part of my daily routine down at all. I happen to be partial to Sierra Nevada Porter.

  
UnMark



Posts: 97
Joined: Mar. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,17:32   

Quote (Flint @ April 14 2006,20:39)
Imagine a drug (or whatever) that you could take at the age of 20, that would make you irresistable to any woman. But after 5 years, you'd be a vegetable. Would you do it? Would you think well, I'll only do it THIS year, then stop?

Intersting analogy.  The one I remember is: would you take a drug that made you live forever if it also made you a vegetable?

  
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2006,17:38   

unMark:

Yes, the Struldbrugs. Swift saw the problems long ago.

  
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