A new study that examined the effects of high-dose anabolic steroids on heart function produced alarming news for bodybuilders and athletes who use the drugs. Nearly all the recent deaths attributed to anabolic steroid use in bodybuilders have involved cardiovascular … [Read more...]
Post-Cycle Therapy: Does it Work? by Jerry Brainum 1/26
Scientists developed anabolic steroids not for bodybuilders seeking bigger muscles, but to create a safer, more targeted form of testosterone. Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, is also produced in smaller amounts in women. This hormone produces both anabolic … [Read more...]
Only The Good Die Young: Premature Deaths of Bodybuilders, More Than Just Steroids? by Jerry Brainum 2/24
My original motivation to begin weight training wasn't to acquire big muscles or win bodybuilding titles. Oh sure, like most other 12-year-olds, I did admire having a muscular body, having been indoctrinated into thinking that was ideal by the appearance of various comic book … [Read more...]
Are the Health Risks of Anabolic Steroids Exaggerated? by Jerry Brainum 11/23
In recent months, several prominent champion bodybuilders have died and since many of them were relatively young, the first thought that came to the minds of many people was that their deaths were likely related to high-dose anabolic steroid usage. Anabolic steroids are … [Read more...]
Death of A Bodybuilder by Jerry Brainum 6/23
I've been around bodybuilding, first as a competitor and then as a writer for various bodybuilding magazines for 60 years. In all that time, I've heard of occasional premature deaths of bodybuilders, but it was a rare occurrence. I knew a few bodybuilders that died years ago … [Read more...]
“Roid Rage” Is it real or a myth? by Jerry Brainum 3/23
The most controversial aspect of anabolic steroid usage is the effects of the drugs on the brain. Although I recently discussed how androgens affect the brain in a recent article in this publication, here I want to focus on whether using anabolic steroid drugs can cause … [Read more...]
Steroids and the Brain by Jerry Brainum 5/22
When it comes to anabolic steroids, there is no free ride. A basic rule of pharmacology or the study of how drugs function is that unless a drug produces side effects, it won't work. If the benefits provided by any particular drug outweigh the potential side effects, … [Read more...]
Understanding Designer Steroids by Jerry Brainum 11/19
Commenting on designer steroids in a Dutch journal, a chemist noted that, "These substances have never been tested, not on humans, not on animals. Ultimately the athlete who takes these products is a guinea pig, or if he's unlucky a dupe." The term "designer steroids" refers … [Read more...]
Shooting Blanks: Anabolic Steroids and Infertility by Jerry Brainum July, 2019
Several years ago, a top professional bodybuilder approached me in Gold's gym in Venice with a problem he wanted to discuss with me privately. So I stepped aside with him away from everybody else in the gym and listened to what he had to say. It turned out that this … [Read more...]
Where Do Bodybuilders, Athletes, and Others Get Their Anabolic Drugs From? by Jerry Brainum
It's no secret that bodybuilders and athletes today often use large amounts of anabolic drugs, such as anabolic steroids, growth hormone, insulin, and others. The amount and extent of such drug use far exceed what was used in the past. Opinions differ as to precisely when the … [Read more...]