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...]
What Happened to Rich Piana and Dallas McCarver? by Jerry Brainum
The bodybuilding world was shocked when it was revealed in mid-August 2017 that Rich Piana had to be brought to an emergency room not far from where he lived in Clearwater, Florida. The story was that he was getting a haircut from his girlfriend, but suddenly keeled over and … [Read more...]
Busting a Myth: Only Oral Anabolic Steroids are Harmful to Liver Function by Jerry Brainum
The Internet is a great source of information, but also a terrible source of information. Sounds contradictory? What this means is that while the Internet does offer some solid science-based information if you know where to find it, it's also not unlike the Wild West in that … [Read more...]
Steroids and the Heart: More Serious than believed? by Jerry Brainum
If you check various medical articles about anabolic steroids and testosterone, you will find a long list of possible side effects. This is expected in a way since an axiom of pharmacology states that if a drug didn't have side effects, it wouldn't work. Newly developed drugs … [Read more...]
Life After Steroids by Jerry Brainum
Many people wonder about the safety of anabolic steroid drugs. The media has demonized this category of drugs to the extent that the consensus of the public is that they are toxic substances. In fact, anabolic steroids were never developed for athletic usage or to help … [Read more...]
How Do Anabolic Steroid Drugs Increase Sports Performance? by Jerry Brainum
On February 9, 2017, Russian track star Mariya Savinova was stripped of the gold medal she won at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Savinova won the 800-meter event, defeating second-place finisher Caster Semenya by 1.04 seconds. Semenya, from South Africa, had … [Read more...]