following their dietary and training advice will allow others to achieve similar results . This of course is not true . In addition to consistent training and eating , many of these physiques are not remotely possible without using anabolic steroids among other performance enhancers . This false advertising takes advantage of false hope among social media followers . Equally concerning is that these statements frequently include biased plugs for supplement companies with most products having little or no quality science behind them .
NPAA : What are some of the scientific findings you have found describing consequences of anabolic drugs and other performance enhancers ?
There are countless studies , including many autopsy reports where organs ( especially hearts ) have been dissected in individuals who tragically died with anabolic drugs in their urine at time of death . From a cardiac perspective , the myocardium ( heart muscle ) hypertrophies to a pathological level reducing its ability to contract and pump blood efficiently . Furthermore , the type of tissue that grows is quite fibrotic . Picture an overcooked steak : thick , fibrotic , and difficult to expand and contract properly . Years of high-dose anabolic abuse produces these types of heart defects that unfortunately can persist after cessation of drug use .
What is the result ? Reduced cardiac output , which can significantly impact the ability of our heart to pump blood through the coronary arteries that supply the myocardium . In the end , this results in athletes dying prematurely of heart attacks and associated congestive heart failure . It is always very sad to see recognizable fitness and bodybuilding athletes pass away of drug-related complications before age fifty-five .
NPAA Have you found that there are other risks other than cardiac ?
risky substances , anabolic steroids have become increasingly common in women ’ s fitness competitions . Side effects cited in the literature include ovarian and menstrual dysregulation , clitoral enlargement , facial hair , permanent voice deepening , scalp hair loss , acne , and aggressiveness to name a few . There are autopsy reports of champion female competitors dying days after competition of drug-related consequences , yet these never make social media headlines . The other serious complication for women especially is bone loss that is partially attributed to unhealthy dietary habits . Having just finished working in orthopaedic surgery where I witnessed numerous fracture repairs , my best advice is to preserve as much accrued bone mass as possible .
NPAA What advice would you give a young competitor considering starting anabolic steroid use ? It seems more and more competitors are faced with this cross-road in their career .
Aric : My best advice for aspiring fitness athletes is to design a clear plan regarding your career goals and think long term when it comes to your health . What will your last 20 years look like ? Will you be still exercising and travelling , or will you be suffering from the many comorbidities associated with long-term drug abuse ? Keep in mind unnatural looking physiques are not at all a necessity for success in the fitness and health industry . What matters most is being driven , marketable , and genuinely passionate about helping others . Even getting published in the top fitness magazines in the world does not require a drug assisted physique . I have been featured in over 100 magazine issues over the last ten years in Canada , the USA , and Europe with my heaviest photo weight being 190lbs at 6 ’ 2 ” tall . I have never touched an anabolic steroid , diuretic , or stimulant . This includes over-the-counter “ boosters ”. When you choose this path for your physique , the results are sustainable naturally . A decade into my fitness career I am still pushing through plateaus and achieving new goals . My numerical age is changing , yet I feel fitter and healthier compared to ten years ago .
Aric : Absolutely . The list is quite long . What other studies have found is that individuals taking anabolic steroids have more than one drug in their system at time of death . For this reason , multiple researchers have suggested anabolic steroids can lead to poly-drug use . From a mental health and social perspective , anabolic steroid users appear to be at a higher risk of suicide and criminal behaviours .
NPAA It appears that social media is driven by the images of many high profile female bikini model competitors . Some of which have used banned substances , including anabolics to achieve the “ look ”. What long term consequences for female hormonal balance and fertility are these competitors naive about ?
Aric : In modern fitness and bodybuilding , high-dose prescription diuretics and dangerous stimulants are only the beginning of a long list of substances women abuse . In addition to these
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