SPORTS AND STEROIDS




Steroids In Sports


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Most young athletes can attest to the fact that the competitive drive to win — and win at all costs — is fierce. Besides the glory of bragging rights and the satisfaction of personal gain, often times young athletes compete in the pursuit of greater dreams — a medal for their country, a college scholarship or a place on a professional team.

For a growing number of athletes, winning at all costs includes taking performance-enhancing drugs. Some may appear to achieve physical gains from such drugs, but at what cost? The truth is, the long-term effects of these drugs haven't been rigorously studied. And short-term benefits are tempered by many drawbacks.

Take the time to learn about the benefits, risks and many unknowns regarding purported performance-enhancing drugs. You may decide that the benefits aren't worth the risks.


Exercise physiology: The basics

In most amateur and professional sports, the athletes who win are those with the greatest strength, speed or endurance. Each sport requires specific skills, such as the ability to kick a ball a certain way or hit a home run. Doing so with not just excellent but instead extraordinary strength, speed or endurance marks the difference between a good player and an elite player.

Sheer strength is determined by two factors: amount of muscle and the ability of nerves to stimulate muscle contraction. Some elite athletes perform special exercises specific to their sports to improve the neural stimulation of their muscles, and many do weight training to build more muscle. Some, especially professional athletes, also take hormones, supplements and man-made (synthetic) drugs to induce their body to build even more muscle.

The amount of muscle and the ability of your nerves to stimulate muscle contractions also play a big role in determining your speed. A larger muscle mass allows you to generate more power, which helps you perform short bursts of activity — a track sprint or short swim race — faster.


Can performance-enhancing drugs and supplements improve your performance? Here's what the research says.



Victor Conte, founder of the now infamous San-Franciso based Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO), put the row over drug abuse in sport firmly into the spotlight. His televised allegations of drug-taking affected a generation of top athletes in America, most notably Olympic triple gold medallist Marion Jones.


Anabolic steroids

Some athletes take a form of steroids — known as anabolic steroids — to increase their muscle mass and strength. The main anabolic steroid hormone produced by your body is testosterone.

Testosterone has two main effects on your body:

Anabolic effects promote muscle building. Androgenic effects are responsible for male traits, such as facial hair and a deeper voice. The anabolic steroids that athletes use are synthetic modifications of testosterone. These drugs were developed in an attempt to maximize the anabolic effects and minimize the androgenic effects of testosterone. As it turns out, these two actions of testosterone can't be separated.

Given by pill, injection or topical treatment, these hormones have many medical uses. Some of these include replacement therapy for men deficient in testosterone, helping people with AIDS maintain muscle mass and reduce muscle wasting, and treating rare types of anemia.

Why are these drugs so appealing to athletes? Besides making muscles bigger, anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the amount of muscle damage that occurs during the session. In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs.

However, many athletes take anabolic steroids at doses that are much higher than those prescribed for medical reasons. The effects of taking anabolic steroids at very high doses haven't been well studied.


Anabolic steroids come with serious side effects.

Men may develop:

Prominent breasts
Baldness
Shrunken testicles
A higher voice
Infertility

Women may develop:

A deeper voice
An enlarged clitoris
Increased body hair
Baldness
Increased appetite
Both men and women might experience:

Severe acne
Liver abnormalities and tumors
Increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
Aggressive behaviors, rage or violence
Psychiatric disorders, such as depression
Drug dependence

If an injected form is used, you'll face a higher risk of infections and diseases that are transmitted in blood, such as HIV and hepatitis. And in teens, steroids can halt their normal pattern of growth and development and put them at risk of future health problems.

Anabolic steroids aren't legal substances, unless your doctor has prescribed them for medical reasons. Taking anabolic steroids to enhance athletic performance, besides being prohibited by most sports organizations, is illegal.

One anabolic steroid receivng a lot of attention is tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). Until recently, THG was marketed as a dietary supplement for enhancing athletic performance. However, researchers have found that THG is actually a chemically altered version of an anabolic steroid that is banned by most sports organizations. THG is referred to as a "designer" steroid because it's undetectable by traditional steroid testing techniques. A new laboratory test, however, now makes its detection possible. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that athletes taking THG may be putting their health at risk — THG is an unapproved new drug and little is known about its safety.

Other common anabolic steroids include dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (Turinabol), metandienone (Dianabol), methyltestosterone (Android), nandrolone (Durabolin), oxandrolone (Oxandrin), oxymetholone (Anadrol) and stanozolol (Winstrol).


Androstenedione

Androstenedione (andro) is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries and testes. It's a precursor hormone that's normally converted to testosterone and estradiol in both men and women.

Manufacturers of synthetic androstenedione, through vigorous marketing efforts, have claimed that their products increase your body's production of testosterone. According to proponents of andro supplements, an elevated level of testosterone allows athletes to train harder and recover more quickly.

Scientific studies that refute these claims are now emerging. In fact, these studies show that supplemental androstenedione doesn't increase testosterone and that your muscles don't get stronger with andro use.

On Oct. 22, 2004, the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 classified andro as a controlled substance, adding it to the list of banned anabolic steroids and making its use as a performance-enhancing drug illegal.

Side effects of andro differ for men and women. In men it can actually decrease the production of testosterone while increasing the production of estrogen. Side effects in men include acne, diminished sperm production, shrinking of the testicles and enlargement of the breasts. In women, side effects include acne and masculinization, such as deepening of the voice and male-pattern baldness. Andro might also stunt your child's growth.

In men and women, supplemental androstenedione can decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). Lower HDL levels put you at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.





Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is a compound produced by your body that helps release energy in your muscles. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound — you can ingest creatine from protein-rich foods such as meat or fish, or you can take a nutritional supplement. Supplements are available over the counter.

Unlike androstenedione, scientific research indicates that creatine may have some benefit — it can produce small gains in short-term bursts of power.

"Most of the research points to small improvements in short-term power activities like improving maximum-weight bench press or increasing speed during cycling sprints of very short duration," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of Mayo Clinic's Sports Medicine Center. "Some studies have shown an increase in lean muscle mass with creatine. As a result, we've got a lot of press on creatine producing steroid-like results without the side effects."

Creatine helps muscles make and circulate more adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is used for quick, explosive bursts of activity, as in weightlifting or sprinting. Creatine also reduces energy waste products — such as lactic acid — that can cause muscle fatigue. As a result, creatine is purported to enhance performance and decrease fatigue. But there's no evidence that creatine enhances performance in aerobic or endurance sports.

Your liver produces about 2 grams of creatine each day. You can also get creatine from the meat in your diet. Creatine is stored in your muscles, and levels are relatively easily maintained. Because your kidneys remove excess creatine, the value of supplements to someone who already has a high muscle creatine content is questionable.

Possible side effects of creatine that can decrease athletic performance include:

Stomach cramps
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Weight gain is a known side effect of creatine — one that is sought after by athletes who need to increase their size. But with prolonged creatine use, weight gain is more likely the result of water retention than an increase in muscle tissue. Water is drawn into your muscle tissue, away from other parts of your body. This puts you at risk of dehydration.

High-dose creatine use may potentially damage your:

Kidneys
Liver
Heart


Stimulants

Stimulants are drugs that can reduce fatigue, suppress appetite, and increase alertness and aggressiveness. They stimulate the central nervous system, increasing your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and metabolism.

The most common stimulants include caffeine and amphetamines (Dexedrine, Benzedrine). Cold remedies often contain the stimulants ephedrine, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (Sudafed) and phenylpropanolamine (Acutrim). Street drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine also belong to this group.

Although stimulants can boost physical performance and promote aggressiveness on the field, they have side effects that can impair athletic performance. Nervousness and irritability make it hard to concentrate on the game, and insomnia can prevent an athlete from getting needed sleep. Athletes may become psychologically addicted or develop a tolerance so that they need greater amounts to achieve the desired effect.

Other side effects include:

Heart palpitations
Heart rhythm abnormalities
Weight loss
Mild hypertension
Hallucinations
Convulsions
Brain hemorrhage
Heart attack and other circulatory problems


Diuretics

Diuretics are drugs that function to change your body's natural balance of fluids and salts (electrolytes) and can lead to dehydration. This loss of water may allow an athlete to compete in a lighter weight class, which many athletes prefer. Diuretics also help athletes pass drug tests by diluting their urine.

Diuretics are commonly used to treat high blood pressure and conditions that cause fluid retention (edema), such as congestive heart failure. When taken in small amounts, they have relatively few side effects, although electrolyte disturbances can occur.

When taken at the higher doses preferred by some athletes, however, the adverse effects may be significant.

Using diuretics to achieve weight loss may cause:

Muscle cramps
Exhaustion
Decreased ability to regulate body temperature
Potassium deficiency
Heart arrhythmias
Some of the most common diuretics include acetazolamide (Diamox, Storzolamide), benzthiazide (Marazide, Aquastat), spironolactone (Aldactone), dichlorphenamide (Daranide) and furosemide (Lasix, Fumide).


Gaining the competitive edge Athletic performance has more to do with skill and hard work than popping a pill or downing a super-drink, according to Dr. Laskowski. Concern is growing that young athletes will emulate sports figures who use substances of questionable value in a bid to gain a competitive edge.

"There's a danger that kids or young adults will think: 'If I want to be like that, I'll need to take something,'" says Dr. Laskowski. "There's a tendency to look for an external agent as a magic bullet, a magic pill that's going to help us perform. The truth is there isn't any."





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As you may know Sharp Labs Inc. who is one of the leaders in alternative supplement research and development has finally released their mega potent high grade own creatine formula. Folks please browse our site and see why we think our creatine will outperform any other creatine product out there. There is so much nonsense talked about in this modern day creatine world and the bottom line is this!

CREATINE IS
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All Creatines Are Yes Pretty Much The Same Except For The Grade Of The Strain. Some Companies Mix Other Ingredients To Try To Be Unique And Others Try Liquid Formulas But The Bottom Line Is You Are Paying For The Potency Of Your Supplement, Well You Should Be!

CREATINE DOES COME
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There Are Many Grades Of Creatine On The Market. We Could Easily Make Our CreBlast With Cheaper Grade Creatine And Sell It For $10-$15 Per Bottle And That Is A Fact. We Can Send You Proof!

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There is overwhelming evidence which shows that creatine supplementation does cause an increase in the amount of creatine phosphate in muscles. Harris et al (1992) conducted a study examining creatine content in the quadriceps femoris muscle in 17 subjects after supplementation of 5 g of creative monohydrate 4-6 times a day for two days. The results found a significant increase in the total creatine level in all subjects but the results were especially noticeable in those with the lowest muscle creatine store at the start of the study. To determine whether exercise could affect the amount of creatine absorbed by muscles, some of the participants followed a unique training program. During supplementation, they pedaled a bicycle ergometer for one hour each day while using only one leg to supply the pedaling force. With supplementation, the unexercised legs increased their creatine levels by about 25 percent, but the exercised legs increased their creatine levels by 37 percent. It is hypothesized that exercise increases the flow of blood to the muscles or changes the rate at which muscles absorb creative from the blood, thus improving the creatine loading effect. Another study conducted by Febbraio replicated the results obtained by Harris.

Several studies also show that creatine supplementation does cause an increase in muscle strength. Earnest et al (1995) conducted a study investigating the influence of creatine monohydrate supplementation on muscular power and strength in 10 experienced weight trained male subjects. Three series of high intensity, anaerobic type muscular workouts were used. The first series consisted of three consecutive 30 second Wingate bike tests, followed by five minuets of rest. Peak anaerobic power was defined as the greatest power achieved in a given five second work interval. Anaerobic work was defined as the total amount of work performed in a 30 second period. The second series used a one repetition maximum (lRM) free weight bench press as a test of muscular strength. The third series utilized complete lifting repetitions at 70% of the bench press IRM until fatigue. Fatigue was defined as the inability to complete one lifting repetition or the inability to maintain a lifting cadence of one second eccentric and one second concentric (lifting and lowering the weight). Total lifting volume was calculated as 70% of pre-test IRM multiplied by the number of complete lifting repetitions. Subjects received either a glucose placebo or creatine monohydrate supplement in a double blind fashion. (After 14 days of supplementation, each subject was re-tested on the Wingate bike tests. Re-testing for the weight lifting trials was done after 28 days of supplementation.

Within the creatine group, total anaerobic work from the Wingate tests was significantly higher during all post-test trials. The increases were 13% for series one, 18% for series two and 18% for series three. No changes were noted in the placebo group. Greater total anaerobic work resulted from the creatine subject's ability to achieve and maintain higher levels of anaerobic power consistently over- each five second time interval. Bench press IRM increased 6% in the creatine group. Total lifting volume was significantly higher within the creatine group, whether expressed in absolute terms (26%) or relative terms (29%). Increases in the total lifting volume were associated with the ability of the creatine group to perform 26% more lifting repetitions. The authors conclude that the ability of the creatine group to perform a greater total lifting volume demonstrates the effectiveness of creatine as an ergogenic aid.

In Hultman's study (cited in Anderson, 1974) these results were replicated. Each day, creatine was given in six separate doses of five grams a day. During the six-day period, five other Estonian runners of comparable ability received a glucose placebo instead. All runners were unaware of the actual composition of their supplements. Before and after the six-day supplementation, the athletes ran four 300-meter and (on a separate day) four 1000-meter intervals, with three minutes of rest between the 300-meter intervals and four minutes of rest between the 1000-meter intervals. Improvement on the final 300-meter interval (from pre-to-post supplementation) was more than twice as great for creatine users, and improvement was more than three times as great for creatine supplements in the final 1000-meter interval. Total time to run all four 1000-meter intervals improved from 770 to 757 seconds after creatine supplementation. In comparison, the placebo group actually slowed from 774 to 775 seconds.

In Hultman's study (cited by Anderson, 1994) creatine supplementation was very important during the last interval of each workout. Creatine supplementers doubled their advantage during the final 300-meter interval and tripled their advantage in the closing 1000-meter sprint. This supports Hultman's hypothesis that creatine is likely to be most helpful when lactic acid levels are highest and fatigue is greatest. Hultman thus feels that creatine serves as a buffer lowering lactic acid muscle burn and delaying fatigue, thus allowing an athlete to perform longer workouts.

In contrast, Balsom at al (1993) investigated the influence of creatine supplementation on endurance exercise performance in the form of a 6 km run and showed that creatine supplementation does not enhance performance or increase peak oxygen uptake during prolonged continuous exercise. There was actually decreased performance in the creatine supplementation group, which may be attributed to the participants weight gain.

In support of Balsam et al (1993), Febbraio et al (1995) conclude that creatine supplementation "may not increase performance during exercise where a significant proportion of energy is derived form aerobic metabolism." This aerobic metabolism occurs during more prolonged, sustained exercise as opposed to anaerobic metabolism which occurs during fast, nonsustained muscle contractions. It is therefore more likely that if creatine supplementation has an effect it will only be seen during brief, anaerobic exercise such as sprinting or weight lifting.

As you may or may not know, creatine monohydrate will not fully dissolve in liquid. That's why you always get that gritty sand at the bottom of the glass. Look at it this way, if it falls like sand to the bottom of your glass what does it do in your stomach? Maybe that explains why so many complain of stomach discomfort when using regular creatine monohydrate.

New High Grade "CreaBlast" Creatine
With Sharp Labs Inc.'s endless strive for excellence in all phases of sports supplement science and manufacturing we have finally released our new high grade ultra pure new creatine supplement that incorporates state-of-the-art particle micronizing technology.

This technology sets a new standard for creatine monohydrate supplementation by actually producing creatine "micro-particles" that are 20 times smaller than regular creatine powder.

High grade micronized creatine has numerous advantages over regular creatine monohydrate.

Faster Absorption
"CreaBlast" Creatine's smaller particle size means quicker digestion and faster utilization. Our capsules are packed with these tiny crea-particles and release superior performance.

More Efficient
20 times more total surface area for greater uptake into the bloodstream.

Greater Purity
Micronizing creatine produces a more pure creatine. By increasing the total processing steps and purification procedures, "CreaBlast" yields a finished product substantially more pure. Test it. We challenge you.

Mixes Easier and Better
"CreaBlast" Creatine has 20 times more surface area. Greater service area means easier, faster and more complete mixing.

No Stomach Upset
Regular creatine monohydrate sits in the gut longer. This causes discomfort to many users. CreaBlast Micronized Creatine goes into solution better and leaves the gut quicker causing no stomach upset.

Better Results
New "CreaBlast" Micron High grade Creatine offers 2000% more particle surface area for better utilization, better uptake, and faster results.

Drink Plenty of Liquids!
Creatine works by enhancing muscle cell hydration. It is very important to consume adequate fluids while taking creatine to see best results. A good rule of thumb is to drink an EXTRA 16 to 20 ounces of liquid for every 5 grams of creatine you take.

During your Loading Phase you should be drinking an EXTRA 64 to 80 ounces of liquid than you normally drink. During the maintenance phase you should drink an EXTRA 32 to 40 ounces.

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