Additional harmful effects due to prolonged steroids use found

A study conducted by Dr. Leal Herlitz and associates of the Columbia University Medical Center showed that people who take steroids for prolonged periods of time developed some kind of kidney injury. The team studied a group of bodybuilders who have been steroid users for many years. All 10 bodybuilders developed protein leakage into the urine. Kidney functions of these bodybuilders were also severely reduced. Nine out of ten bodybuilders developed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a condition where the kidney gets severely scarred.

The research was presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 42^nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, which started last October 27 and will end on November 1. The team reported that kidney function is affected among athletes using anabolic steroids to gain muscle mass and strength.

These harmful effects were not previously identified up until the new study was conducted.

Results of the study showed that the kidney abnormalities were reversible as soon as the bodybuilders stopped using steroids. One participant, however, developed end-stage renal failure and needs regular dialysis because his condition was already in the advanced stage. Another bodybuilder suffered a relapse of severe kidney dysfunction after he went back to talking steroids.

According to researchers, athletes and their doctors should be aware of these newly found hazardous effects since it poses as very serious threat to the kidneys.

From Renal Business Today:

SAN DIEGO— Athletes who use anabolic steroids may gain muscle mass and strength, but they can also destroy their kidney function, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego.

Could A-Rod bring his team another victory in the World Series

Alex Rodriguez is probably one of the most interesting players in Major League Baseball. What could he have not possibly done before?

Former Yankees manager, Joe Torre wrote in his book that A-Rod’s former teammates used to refer to him as “A-fraud”. At one point, he appeared to be obsessed with Derek Jeter. Later on, it was revealed by an SI reporter that he tested positive for steroids. After the long running steroid controversy, came the hip surgery. This left him inactive in the first month of the season.

After the surgery, his comeback performance was not that good. He developed a poor playoff reputation and his previous postseasons were limited. It was not until the American League Division Series and ALCS that he was able to regain his reputation as an outstanding player.

After all that he has been through in his career, A-Rod is excited that his team could finally join the World Series. According to John Damon, A-Rod is one of the greatest players of all time. He does not need any advice from anyone. The whole Cubs team is both happy and excited that Alex Rodriguez was able to bring them to the World Series. Damon said the rest of the team should also do their own part.

From ESPN Sports:

NEW YORK — He is … the most interesting man in the World Series.

I mean, can a player have a year more intriguing than A-Rod has? It began in the offseason with Joe Torre’s book, in which the former Yankees manager said teammates called Alex Rodriguez “A-Fraud” and felt he was obsessed with Derek Jeter. That furor had just about died down when an SI reporter revealed that he had tested positive for steroids. After that came hip surgery that knocked Rodriguez out for the first month of the season. Then he homered on the first pitch after he came off the disabled list. Then he struggled for a while (his batting average was .207 in late June) before finishing strong to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs (levels he’s reached for 12 consecutive seasons).

Steroids use among athletes

Anabolic steroids may be utilized by athletes for several reasons such as to grow muscles, improve muscle strength, lose weight, and to recover from injury faster. They may also use anabolic steroids to boost their confidence, cope with stress and to aid them in relaxation.

Some athletes believe that winning at all costs should involve taking steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. They fail to think about the long-term effects of steroids to their body when they reach 40 or 50 years old. They might not fully realize that the effects of steroids may be fast but you might have to suffer the long-term consequences.

According to the Mayo Clinic, steroid users often misuse and abuse the drugs. It causes problems such as infertility, shrunken testicles, baldness, and breast formation in men. Other serious problems that could arise are liver damage, tumor growth, aggression and violent behavior, depression, kidney problems and diseases such as HIV or hepatitis if you are into injectables.

The US Government has been effective in preventing steroids this past 20 years, by driving the steroid industry in the black market.

However, this could further make smuggled steroids more dangerous because it is not subjected to safety standards and could be mislabeled and impure.

From The Famaun Online:

“I don’t really think there is a need for these drugs,” tennis coach Nikki Goldthreate said. “I don’t think student athletes should take it because of the long term effects. You would be better off consistently working hard instead of cheating yourself.”

Phoenix doctor finally in the hands of authorities

Dr. Jesse Haggard, the previous medical director of Revolution Medical Center in Phoenix, is eventually in the hands of US federal government. After taking flight from US to Costa Rica, Haggard at last made up his mind to surrender in Orlando, Florida where marshals will escort him from there.

In 2006, one of Haggard’s patients, John Vorves, a bodybuilder, died of drug overdose. According to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s records, hydrocodone overdose was the reason of his death. At the scene of Vorves’ death, various bottles of steroid pills bearing Dr. Haggard’s name were discovered.

According to investigators, Haggard prescribed more than 220 painkillers in a month, which is excessive.

Haggard proceeded to provide his medical services online despite facing up more than 15 charges due to illegal drug distribution.

ABC 15 previously conducted an undercover documentary within Revolution Medical Center. The network revealed several other patients’ deaths apart from Vorves. It was also during this time when Haggard went into hiding.

John’s mother, Alice Vorves, was finally relieved that justice would finally be given to the death of his son. She is satisfied to know that the doctor is finally in the hands of authorities where he would not be able to hurt any one.

From ABC 15:

PHOENIX – On the run for more than a year, Doctor Jesse Haggard is now in federal custody, charged with more than 15 felonies.

Patients with Plantar fasciitis finally get a relief

The addition of an ultrasound-guided technique with steroid injection can prove to be as effective as 95 percent for relieving patients from plantar fasciitis, a common and painful foot problem, as per a recent study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

According to the study’s lead author, Luca M. Sconfienza, M.D., from Italy’s University of Genoa, this new technique is an effective and just one-time outpatient procedure that can provide great relief to the concerning patients.

From News-Medical.Net:

For this study, Dr. Sconfienza and colleagues used a new ultrasound-guided technique, along with steroid injection, on 44 patients with plantar fasciitis that was unresponsive to conservative treatments.

After injection of a small amount of anesthesia, the anesthetic needle is used to repeatedly puncture the site where the patient feels the pain. This technique is known as dry-needling. Dry-needling creates a small amount of local bleeding that helps to heal the fasciitis. Lastly, a steroid is injected around the fascia to eliminate the inflammation and pain. The technique is performed with ultrasound guidance to improve accuracy and to avoid injecting the steroids directly into the plantar fascia, which could result in rupture.

After the 15-minute procedure, symptoms disappeared for 42 of the study’s 44 patients (95 percent) within three weeks.

Dr. Sconfienza remarked that the therapy is also much faster and less painful than the shockwave therapy. It was also suggested by Dr. Sconfienza that patients suffering from plantar fasciitis must go for noninvasive treatment options rather than going for other forms of treatment. Dry needling with steroid injection is a viable option only when pain starts becoming really annoying, as per Dr. Sconfienza.

Three-year-old mysteriously dies after steroids administration

Croup is typically caused by a virus commonly infecting infants and young children. It is characterized by inflammation, edema, and accompanying blockage of the voice box, windpipe and bronchial tubes. The condition is noticed by difficulties in breathing and hoarse coughs.

A three-year-old girl named Mackenzie McManus was attended by medics at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital for a suspected croup.

She was taken to the hospital on Sunday afternoon after her coughs worsen. A physician gave the three-year-old a dose of steroids and assured Donna, Mackenzie’s mom that the effects of steroids should last for at least six hours.

Yet, less than six hours later, her coughing got worse. They were inside a supermarket to buy a new doll when Donna witnessed her little girl cough, then the next thing she knew, she was not breathing and her eyes rolled back into her head.

Mackenzie was immediately taken by an ambulance to Yorkhill Sick Kids Hospital. Physicians told Mackenzie’s parents that she went into cardiac arrest and she sustained severe brain damage.

On Tuesday, the family decided to take off her life support. They are now waiting the outcomes of the postmortem procedure.

The family wanted the hospital to explain why doctors said there was no need for further treatment.

From Daily Record UK:

Dr Norrie Gaw, of NHS Greater Glasgow, said: “This is a tragic case and our deepest sympathies go to the family. We are carrying out a review into the care received by this little girl.”

Ortiz’s name latest on the drug scandal list

David Ortiz, the Boston Red Sox slugger, is the latest baseball player to have its name figured in the ever-growing drug scandal list after he acknowledged that the union of players confirmed that he tested positive in 2003.

After leading Boston Red to a victory against the Oakland with a margin of 8-5, Ortiz soon responded to a story on the web site of the New York Times that he and his former teammate Manny Ramirez had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.

From TimesUnion.com:

“I’ve just been told that the report is true,” Ortiz said in a statement after contacting the union. “Based on the way I lived my life I’m surprised to learn I tested positive.”

The popular Big Papi, who had never been linked to drugs, said he intended to find out what was in his system and would tell the Red Sox and the public.

“You know me — I will not hide and I will not make excuses,” he said.

Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are among the many All-Stars tainted by the cloud of steroids and drugs, which has called into question some of the sport’s greatest achievements over the past two decades.

It is worth noting here that 104 noted baseball sluggers tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, way back in 2003 and the results of the steroid survey were anonymous and under court seal.

St. Louis Ram’s Vobora suspended for four games

According to the National Football League, David Vobora, St. Louis Rams linebacker, will be suspended for four games due to his violation of the NFL policy for anabolic steroids and other related drugs.

Marc Lillibridge, Vobora’s agent defended the player saying that he just fell victim to tainted supplement.

According to Lillibridge, Vobora did everything by the book before he started using the product. He called the NFL supplement hotline to investigate about the product’s ingredients. He read all the ingredients listed on the product label to the NFL hotline employee. He was told that none of the ingredients would yield a positive test result. He was assured that the supplement was safe to use, so he began using the product.

Although Vobora’s camp fought the positive results, he still faces suspension because according to NFL rules, a player is responsible for his body and for whatever substance or supplement that he ingests.

If only Vobora took the safer path of taking supplements approved by the NFL, then none of this might have happened.

Meanwhile, Lillibrdige and Vobora are making plans to file a suit against the drug company that manufactured that product he ingested.

From National Football Post:

While the StarCaps suspensions hang in the balance, the NFL has cracked down on another player for violation of the league’s policy on anabolic steroids and related substances. St. Louis linebacker David Vobora has been suspended for four games, the league announced.

Endurance athletes need to stay hydrated for delivering better performance

According to reiterating statements on dehydration and Hyponatremia for athletes during endurance competitions by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), there is a great need of offering viable solutions related to hydration of athletes during competitive events.

Hyponatremia is a life-endangering condition that can result due to an excess of too much of water or sports drinks. It can lead to disruption or dilution of sodium levels in the body.

Larry Kenney, Ph.D., FACSM, referring to the Boston Marathon (18th April), was of the view that most participants of this marathon appeared properly hydrated to him and they probably had received the message of proper hydration for attaining best results.

From News-Medical.Net:

Appropriate fluid intake before, during and after exercise is important to help regulate body temperature and replace body fluids lost through sweating. “Runners should follow a hydration plan based on their sweat losses during training, and slow runners in particular should take care not to drink beyond that level during exercise,” said Kenney. He also advised runners to consume salty snacks before and after the race to replace any sodium lost during exercise. ACSM’s current hydration guidelines state that those exercising for more than one hour may benefit from sports drinks, which replace carbohydrates for energy.

Generally, says Kenney, persons participating in typical athletic or work environments should continue to heed current hydration guidelines. “There are dangers associated with both extremes of behavior—severe under-drinking and severe over-drinking. Not drinking at all is not a safe option for preventing hyponatremia.” The key, he said, is “drinking intelligently, not drinking maximally.”

Dehydration resulting from the failure to replace fluids during exercise can limit the body’s ability to regulate body temperature by sweating and/or skin blood flow, and may contribute to heat exhaustion, heat injury, and exertional heat stroke. To minimize the potential for thermal injury, ACSM experts recommend that athletes attempt to replace fluid losses by consuming fluids at a rate equal to the sweat rate. This can be accomplished by athletes weighing themselves before and after the exercise bout. Recommendations are based on scientific data and observation of athletes suffering from heat injury.

It was remarked by the team of ACSM experts that all active individuals and not mere endurance athletes need to stay high on hydration while undertaking any activity in heat or humidity.

NFL players reminded against the use of PEDs

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and executive director of the Players’ Association DeMaurice Smith are being proactive these days.

With the predictable excuse of athletes who failed doping tests, it is only sensible that the two officials send a “friendly” reminder to NFL players.

What with the famous line, “I didn’t realize that the supplement I was taking contained PEDs”, or some variation of that sort.

According to ESPN reports, here is what the memo contained:

First, whatever you take in your body are you responsibility. Therefore, it should not be an excuse if you fail a doping test just because you used a supplement containing performance-enhancing drugs.

Second, there are various supplements available in the market, which were not tested nor regulated. Whatever nutritional supplement you take, which do not have the approval of the Sports Nutritional Label Certification Program is your own responsibility. You may take them at your own risk.

Third, weight loss supplements are as risky as nutritional supplements. Therefore, it must not be taken.

The most recent incident pertaining to this reminder was the case of the two Vikings and two Saints players who failed doping tests after taking the weight loss supplement StarCaps.

And lastly, any questions regarding the policy must be addressed by Dr. John Lombardo, the steroid policy administrator.

From NESN:

What is the most common excuse the infamous members of The List have used when informed that they had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances?

“I didn’t realize that what I was taking was a PED,” they say — or some variation on that theme.

So it makes sense that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith are being proactive with their own league this season

Batista’s recent injury is steroids-related

In November 2007, Irv Muchnick posted a blog about Batista, recounting his tendon injuries in the past. Last March 1, 2003, he injured his tendon after a live match held in Reading, Pennsylvania. During rehab phase, he tore his muscle again during a freak accident while jogging with his wife. He temporarily took time off WWE until October of that year. His tendon injuries were related to steroids use. It is common for steroid users to have an imbalance between their overgrown muscles and tendons. Usually, tendons could not keep up with the increasing load. The blog was posted in November 2007 titled Batista, Master of the Torn Triceps … And Bicep.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) editor Dave Meltzer believed that the wrestler’s frequent injuries are not just a simple case of bad luck.

In his article, Meltzer wrote that Batista’s injuries were due to age, physique and many muscle / tendon imbalances. His size is just too big for his age. Many noticed that he looked all bulked up after he returned – a sure high risk for tendon injuries.

Rumors started circulating that his injury was a cover up for a suspension. However, it was confirmed that he underwent surgery for his torn tendon.

From E-Wrestling News:

Via e-mail, Muchnick asked Meltzer if he could make his comments regarding Batista a bit more clear because while his injury was announced as biceps, it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t actually his triceps. Meltzer, who rarely goes on record to outright accuse a wrestler of steroid use (unless there is concrete proof), said Batista’s latest injury was steroid related.

“Obviously, it was steroid related,” he wrote in his e-mail to Muchnick, “but in fairness, guys not on steroids also tear biceps and not triceps.” Muchnick further noted, “As soon as I can figure out what’s going on with this latest round of WWE drug PR, I’ll blog further about it.”

Former WWE world champion faces steroid and drug trafficking charges

Last Friday, the Moore County Sheriff’s office Select Enforcement Unit in Cameron, North Carolina, conducted a joint investigation together with the Fayetteville Police Department and officers from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit on former world champion wrestler, Jeff Hardy.

During a search conducted by the Moore County Police Department at Hardy’s home, they found 555 ml of anabolic steroids, residual amount of cocaine, 180 pieces of Soma pills, 262 pieces of Vicodin pills and other drug paraphernalia.

Matt Hardy, Jeff’s brother and former tag team partner already posted bail, which was set at $125,000.

Hardy faces charges of felony trafficking in opium, felony maintaining a dwelling to keep controlled substance, felony possession of cocaine, two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

The total street value of the drugs was estimated by the Moore County Police Department to be around $2,500.

According to Jeff Hardy, there was no truth to reports regarding his arrest. He was, in fact at home and was doing fine. He added that news was quite exaggerated. He advised the readers of his Twitter account not to believe everything that was reported about him. He also thanked the readers for their concern.

From The Celebrity Café:

Former WWE World Champion, Jeff Hardy, arrested on charges of steroid possession and trafficking in controlled prescription pills.

Noted actress, Lisa Ray, diagnosed with cancer

Noted actress, Lisa Ray, has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer. Lisa, who has been a part of many Indian and Hollywood movies, recently revealed in her blog (lisaraniray.wordpress.com) that she is learning to face this disturbing truth and is very confident of beating the ailment to lead a normal life back again.

She says, “I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma on June 23rd. Started my first cycle of treatment July 2nd. Not long ago.”

When asked her life in the wetsuit and steroids, Lisa remarked that she feels that her skin now feels stretched and move in ways that she hasn’t experienced ever before.

From Lisaraniray.wordpress.com:

In the industry I’m in, you could say, its motive alone that gives character to your acting.

So today with Velcade, Revlimid and other promising new treatments in the pipeline our survival rates are improving. But only with an ever expanding toolbox of treatments and awareness can this Cancer be beat. So I’m going to do everything I can to wrench the spotlight onto Myeloma and Cancer Awareness.

I believe it can be cured.

That’s the Dirty Realist in me.

So back to the ‘Yellow’ Diaries. And more on ‘Yellow’ and charging your yellow later…

On Steroids: you are HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

When Dr. Ahmed Galal, my Warrior-Hematologist at Princess Margaret Hospital gave me my first cycle of meds, he capped his recommendation off with a charming gesture that meant: Beware of sweets.

Well. Sweet things aren’t the only temptation.

Every cycle of treatment, I’m on Dexamethasone for four days on, then four days off.

This bad news has brought all her fans praying for a speedy recovery for this beautiful actress of substance.

Rodriguez showed support for anti-steroid campaign by giving speech

Maryland congressman Elijah Cummings expressed his pleasure when 12-time All star Alex Rodriguez made a speech at the Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore.

The speech was in connection with the Powered by Me! Program established by Cummings with state school chief Dr. Nancy Grasmick. The program aims to spread the dangers of steroids, to promote healthy competition and to encourage a safe and healthy career in sports.

He recounted his steroids use to 500 student athletes and told them to avoid using the substance.

In his talk, he asked the students who among them made the same mistake that he did. He said that one of his missions in life is to turn the negative into a positive. According to him, telling the truth is important to him both professionally and spiritually. He finds telling the truth liberating. He also said that we should be proud of learning from our mistakes and that we should strive to improve ourselves.

Rodriguez admitted in February that he was a PEDs user from 2001 to 2003, during his stay with the Texas Rangers.

According to reports, he was the one who initiated the speech as a support for the anti-steroid campaign.

According to Baltimore Sun:

“I am here today simply because I made a mistake,” Rodriguez said, according to the Baltimore Sun. “Now, how many of you here have made a mistake? Well, I’m here because I made a mistake, and one of my missions in life is to turn a negative into a positive. And to actually tell the truth, it feels pretty darn good and liberating. It is very important to me professionally and spiritually. At the end of the day when we look into the mirror, we learn from our mistakes, it’s something we should feel proud of and become a better version of ourselves.”

Chicken Pox and Steroids not a good combination for children

Children who have been treated with steroids and are suffering from chicken pox run a high risk of developing a more severe form of the virus, as per pediatric oncologists at the Brenner Children’s Hospital, part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

It was remarked by the involved researchers that a combination of steroids and chicken pox can even lead to death.

From News-Medical.Net:

“Steroids are used to treat leukemia and they suppress the immune system,” said Thomas McLean, a pediatric oncologist at Brenner Children’s Hospital. “When a child is exposed to the varicella virus (the virus that causes chicken pox) around the time they are receiving steroid treatment, they are more likely to contract a more severe case of chicken pox.”

McLean and his colleagues studied 697 patients with acute leukemia over a nine-year period. About 16 percent or 110 patients contracted chicken pox. Of those 110 patients, 54 had severe disease, including two deaths. Of the patients whose chicken pox was diagnosed within three weeks of taking steroids, 70 percent had severe infection whereas only 44 percent of those who had not received steroid therapy within three weeks had severe infection. Although the study was limited to patients with leukemia, the findings may apply to other conditions for which steroids are used, McLean said.

“One of the things we need to remember to ask before we prescribe steroid treatment is whether the child has had a recent exposure to chicken pox,” McLean said. “If so, we recommend waiting until the incubation period has passed before beginning steroid therapy.”

McLean was of the view that steroids are hailed as the most common and effective form of treatment when it comes to treating different childhood cancers.

Chicken Pox is usually a mild medical condition but can prove to be life-endangering in some cases. It is important to note here that approximately 12,000 people used to die of chicken pox every year, prior to the discovery of the varicella vaccine.

Tejada received sentence after pleading guilty to lying during steroid investigation

Tejada faces a one year unsupervised release, 100 hours of community, and a fine of $5,000 after pleading guilty last month for lying during a House committee investigation in 2005. The player withheld information regarding an ex-teammate’s use of steroids and human growth hormone.

Tejada apologized to Congress, to his sport and to his fans especially to kids who looked up to him. He further added that he takes full responsibility for his actions.

His offense was supposed to earn him one-year imprisonment plus a fine of $100,000. However, US Magistrate Judge Alan Kay followed the prosecutors’ decision to give Tejada a lighter sentence.

Tejada, however, denied any use of steroids or human growth hormone, although he admitted to buying human growth hormone. He claimed that he threw the substance away and never used it.

So far, Tejada was the first high profile player in the baseball steroids era case to be sentenced for lying. Cy young award winner, Roger Clemens still awaits his own sentence for lying about his steroids and human growth hormone use.

Tejada and his lawyers refused to answer any questions after leaving the courtroom but admitted to one reporter that he was relieved of his predicament.

According to CBS News:

(AP) With an apology to Congress, baseball and the kids who looked up to him, All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada received a sentence of one-year probation Thursday for misleading Congress about the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Growth Hormone termed illegal for off-label usage of anti-aging

As per a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, off-label provision or distribution of human growth hormone for the treatment of anti-aging or age-associated illness is termed as illegal in the United States.

The authors of this study were Dr. Thomas Perls, Director of the New England Centenarian Study at Boston Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine; Dr. Neal Reisman, clinical professor of plastic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and associate chief of plastic surgery at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, who is also an attorney; and S. Jay Olshansky, professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

From News-Medical.Net:

“Prescribing and administering HGH has become a routine intervention in an industry that is variably called anti-aging, regenerative, longevity or age management medicine,” said Perls. “Hundreds of thousands of patients who have received HGH in recent years as a purported treatment for aging are unaware that they are receiving the drug illegally.

“Although there is no evidence that HGH administration stops or reverses aging, many people spend a great deal of money on these products,” Perls said. “On the contrary, responsibly conducted and peer-reviewed science indicates that HGH could in fact accelerate aging and shorten lifespan. It is associated with very high rates of serious adverse effects, and long-term use could increase one’s risk of cancer.”

According to Olshansky, “off-label use for many drugs is a normal and accepted practice in medicine, but that is not true for growth hormone. According to laws instituted by Congress more than 10 years ago, HGH can only be distributed for indications specifically authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and aging and its related disorders are not among them. The use of HGH as an alleged anti-aging intervention is a major public health concern not just because it is illegal, but also because its provision for anti-aging is not supported by science and it is potentially harmful.”

It was remarked by Reisman that this paper will be useful in creating awareness about legal issues that surround around marketing, improper distribution, and discouraging criminal practice in relation to GH.

More topical steroids urged to have OTC status

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting approximately 6.5 million Americans. It is characterized by scaly patches in the skin called psoriatic plaques. These are areas of inflammation with excessive skin production. Topical ointments like corticosteroids are usually applied to these psoriatic plaques to reduce inflammation, remove scales that built-up and help clear the plaques.

Topical steroids come in various packaging, it usually vary in strength and drug type. Hydrocortisone 1% is an example of a steroid available without prescription. Psoriasis Cure Now, a non-profit group supporting psoriatic patients, urges the US FDA to add other topical steroids under the over-the-counter category. The group believes that psoriatic patients gained enough expertise to treat their skin condition with topical products. Most of these patients have the condition for ten years or more. These patients could greatly benefit from more OTC topical steroids available because it could mean lower cost of medication and more convenience.

The group, however, clarified that although they want additional OTC steroids, patient education regarding its potential side effects should be made more available. Drug labels should also be improved. Decisions regarding topical steroids use should be made easier to psoriatic patients.

According to Medical News Today:

Psoriasis Cure Now, a nonprofit patient advocacy group, today urged a joint hearing of two Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committees to approve for over-the-counter use some topical steroids that currently require a prescription. Topical corticosteroids play a role in psoriasis treatment for the vast majority of the 6.5 million Americans with psoriasis, and these patients would benefit from the convenience and lower cost that OTC status would bring.

What the Mitchell report is all about

The Mitchell report is about the independent investigation of former Senator George Mitchell regarding the use of steroids, growth hormones and other performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. Allan “Bud” Selig, Commissioner of Baseball, asked him to conduct investigations against alleged reports of illegal use of steroids in baseball. This report followed after Congressional hearings made on Mark McGwire.

It started on March 30, 2006. After 20 months of thorough investigation, Mitchell came up with a 409-page report on December 13, 2007.

The report included summaries of investigation and recommendations. Investigations were done on governing laws in baseball, evidences pointing to steroids possession and use of baseball players and the BALCO raid. Most of the information came from a former New York Mets clubhouse attendant, Kirk Radomski. Radomski was among those charged with illegal distribution of controlled substances and money laundering. It was believed that he was the one who started steroids use among baseball players because he himself, as a bodybuilder, used steroids for muscle development. Recommendations were made on ways to improve the Major League’s ability to prevent and detect use of controlled substances. It also included names of 89 players linked to using PEDs.

From PEDs Examiner:

The Mitchell Report was the culmination of former Senator George Mitchell’s 20 month investigation into the use of steroids, human growth hormone and other PEDs in baseball. The title of the report was officially the Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball.

Shoulder tears can be treated effectively with anabolic steroids

According to a recent study by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, anabolic steroid treatment can prove to be an effective treatment option for improving surgical repair of recurrent or massive tears of the shoulder’s rotator cuff tendons.

This study, which was led by Dr. Spero Karas, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in UNC’s School of Medicine, was supported by Dr. Albert J. Banes, Professor of Orthopedics and Biomedical Engineering at UNC who developed a bioengineered tendon used in experiments of the study.

From News-Medical.Net:

Anabolic steroids benefit millions of people a year, said Karas, including those with deficiencies in sex hormones and burn victims who need to build up their metabolism to repair musculoskeletal tissue. They also are FDA-approved for treating anemia for their ability to help the body rebuild blood.

As it’s widely known that anabolic steroids can build muscle mass and strength, Karas said he thought these properties might apply to shoulder tissue and that Banes’ bioartificial tendon might provide the appropriate model for testing.

“In this new study, supraspinatus tendon cells were harvested from my patients during rotator cuff surgery, isolated and then sent to Albert’s lab,” Karas said. “The cells were then grown in his culture media to coalesce and form this experimental tendon model, the bioartificial tendon.”

Prior to applying mechanical strain, the researchers treated some of the developing tissue with the anabolic steroid nandrolone decoanate. The steroid was administered directly into the lab dish via pipette, or dropper.

“We clearly found that when you looked at the bioartificial tendon matrices that were treated with anabolic steroid and then mechanical load or strain, we saw significant increases in their biomechanical properties,” Karas said.

Karas remarked that there is a synergistically kind of relationship between load and anabolic steroid when it comes to improve the characteristics of tendon. He also remarked that the vital implications of this study may be applied in the coming future for post-surgery healing of tendons that may have been left retracted or torn for a long time.

Children taking steroid drugs for nephrotic syndrome fare better

According to a new study, children who take steroid drugs for treating nephrotic syndrome do not suffer from bone loss, which is considered to be one of the most common side effects of steroid therapy treatments in adults.

Childhood nephrotic syndrome tends to reduce body’s ability to drain salt and water from the blood leading to swelling in belly, legs, and region around the eyes. It is expected to affect 3 out of eveyr 100,000 children and is the most common form of kidney ailment in children.

From News-Medical.Net:

“Unlike other childhood diseases treated with steroid drugs, such as inflammatory bowel disease or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome resolves quickly when treated,” said pediatric nephrologist Mary B. Leonard, M.D., of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, lead author of the study. “We specifically chose steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome because we are able to isolate the drug’s effects on bones, without having an underlying systemic disease simultaneously affecting the bones.”

The team led by Dr. Leonard compared 60 children and adolescents with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome to 195 healthy children. Specialized X- ray measurements showed no signs of osteoporosis, a loss in bone mass, among the nephrotic syndrome patients. The study appeared in the August 26 New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers made adjustments for body mass index, an important consideration, since 38 percent of the children in the nephrotic syndrome sample were obese (in contrast, only 16 percent of the control subjects were obese, a proportion consistent with the general pediatric population). The disproportionate obesity among children with nephrotic syndrome disappears after the patients discontinue steroid treatments.

According to co-author of this study, Babette Zemel, Ph.D., of the Nutrition Center at Children’s Hospital, steroids make children heavier and shorter and the possible reason behind the increased body mass is the extra physical load because of heavy body weight for stimulating bones to go stronger.

This study will surely put an end to all doubts that were related to benefits of steroids. It was clearly suggested during the study that steroids can be used to treat children with nephrotic syndrome and they do not increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Higher incidence of rejection due to early steroid withdrawal

A higher incidence of rejection and a lower incidence of glucose intolerance take place necessitating treatment for diabetes, as per a new study on early steroid withdrawal following transplantation of liver.

The first double-blind placebo-controlled study was initiated for examining the effects of early steroid elimination. The findings of this study were published in an issue of Liver Transplantation, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS).

From News-Medical.Net:

“Although the incidence of acute rejection in the placebo group was increased, it was easily controlled in most of the cases and did not affect long-term graft histology or survival,” the authors note, adding that the increase may ultimately be acceptable if steroids could be eliminated. However, the main goal of steroid elimination is to reduce metabolic complications and this study showed no difference in cholesterol or hypertension, with a trend toward a decreased incidence of diabetes in the placebo group.

The authors conclude: “Indeed, while there are many arguments in favor of corticosteroid withdrawal beyond 3 months posttransplantation, in terms of safety and efficacy, our study demonstrates that earlier withdrawal at day 14 is not completely safe in terms of rejection, but seems efficient in terms of improvement of glucose tolerability,” which could decrease long-term mortality due to cardiovascular disease.

It is believed that this study will provide a new paradigm to individuals and scientists who were trying to find out the best way out from early steroid withdrawal.

Use of performance enhancing drugs on a high with children to perform well in sports

More than one percent of eleven year olds have admitted to using performance enhancing drugs in order to fare well in sporting events according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

During the study, it was found out that the population of performance enhancing drug users rose from 1.2 to 3.0 percent by the time the eleven year olds reached the age of 15. It was also revealed that while 62 percent of 11-year old admitted using drugs less than once per month, children at 15 years were found to be using them at least once every week. It was also revealed that 24 percent of them admitted using performance enhancing drugs on almost a daily basis.

From News-Medical.Net:

Boys were more likely to take the drugs than girls. Training for more hours, low-self esteem and signs of anxiety were also linked to increased use.

The authors say: ‘Young athletes who are tempted to use doing agents are more likely to be boys, invest much more time in training, are ready users of psychoactive substances, and, importantly, they appear to be in some distress. Furthermore at least six months previously, they have said that they had been tempted to try a prohibited drug. Adults responsible for young people should be alerted by these signs.’

It was also revealed during this study that 44 percent of children admitted that the use of drugs give them a better chance of winning and faring well at the competitive and professional events.

Even though steroids do not pose any harm to the human body unless abused, there still needs to a high sense of education and awareness about the pros and cons of steroids. It is worthwhile to note here that steroids must be used only after a qualified medical advice and as per medical instructions.

Surgical repair of shoulders greatly improved by anabolic steroids use

Anabolic steroids are widely known for their ability to increase muscle tissue growth and improve strength. These properties are appropriate in the treatment of shoulder tears such as rotator cuff injury.

The study used a bioengineered tendon, developed by Dr. Albert J. Banes, professor of orthopedics and biomedical engineering at the University of North Carolina. Supraspinatus tendon sample has been taken from patients with shoulder tears during repair surgery. The cells were then cultured and administered with an anabolic steroid, nandrolone decanoate. After steroids administration, the tendons were subjected to mechanical loading. It appeared that anabolic steroids and mechanical loading acted in synergy when it comes to improving the biomechanical properties of a tendon.

Results showed that tendons treated with steroids responded better to the load. They formed to a more normal looking tendon. They also appeared to be smaller, denser, and stronger. They have better elastic and remodeling properties.

Orthopedic surgeons were also looking forward to this study as a means of developing an approach to treating degenerated and atrophied tendons, which were already injured for a long time. They were hoping that anabolic steroids would contribute to better healing and remodeling of these tendons after surgery.

According to The Medical News:

New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill indicates that treatment with anabolic steroids may improve surgical repair of massive or recurrent tears of the shoulder’s rotator cuff tendons.

Such injuries extend well beyond the world of high-performance athletes, professional and collegiate – often occurring among older weekend athletes, including tennis and golf players. The study, which appears in the June issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, was led by Dr. Spero Karas, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery in UNC’s School of Medicine.

More Sportsmen getting attracted to Steroids

With benefits of steroids reaching every home and steroids easily available on the web, the success and popularity of steroids has reached an all-time high these days.

The success of steroids has allured some people, acting as critics, to raise a voice against them. This is because opposition of some popular product does bring name to them and who does not want instant and free publicity. What these people forget is the fact that steroids are not harmful unless they are abused.

From Npr.org:

Julian Savulescu, professor of practical ethics at the University of Oxford, says: “To say that we should reduce drugs in sport or eliminate them because they increase performance, is simply like saying that we should eliminate alcohol from parties because it increases sociability. So our proposal is that we allow a modest approach. … Our proposal is enforceable, it frees up the limited resources to focus on drugs that may be affecting children, which we grant should not have access to drugs … As we’ve argued, performance enhancement is not against the spirit of sport, it’s been a part of sport through its whole history, and to be human is to be better, or at least to try to be better.”

Since steroids have been helping professional athletes and other sportsmen to deliver dramatic performance, people needing easy publicity are seen accusing them with talks about steroids. These baseless accusations about gaining an unfair advantage are absolutely rubbish. Steroids offer the way through which sportsmen can think beyond the normal and there cannot be anything wrong in thinking for the better.

Should Sportsmen be tested for Steroids?

With doping in steroids being confused by thoughts and expressions of some unaware people who do not know basic things about steroids, things are complicated for an average individual.

In addition to that, dramatic performances on the field are often considered to be those given under the influence of steroids, whether or not they actually come after a steroid usage. This has frustrated many sportsmen who were not using steroids in the first place but have now started making use of them. This is ridiculous, how can one doubt a sportsman, whether or not on steroids.

From Huffingpost.com:

I’m not sure it’s possible to be more fed up with more misinformation, more erroneous opining and more reefer madness hysteria surrounding steroids and their role in sports. It’s time to set the record straight.

Attempting to stop steroid use in sports is about as dumb as trying to stop drug use in general. Wasn’t that tried once before? Oh yeah, it was called Prohibition. How’d that work out again? If I got my facts straight, alcoholism rose, along with related crime, tax revenue from sales were lost, exacerbating the Great Depression, all the while profits were being reaped by the underworld. Nice work DEA!

Current drug laws cost us billions in a failed attempt at controlling the traffic. Time, effort and finances are wasted on incarceration when they should be spent on rehabilitation. Additional crime is committed by those who must steal in order to get enough money to purchase the drugs. So whom do these laws protect? Not me. You can put a pound of heroin on my living room table and I won’t touch it. If someone else wants to be an idiot and take it, let them. It’s the quintessential victimless crime. But that’s a gripe for another time.

In short, steroids and sports are more like two sides of the same coin. The harder you try to separate them, the more closely they are brought. One cannot get steroids out from sports just like that.

Are Steroids really harmful?

Whenever the talk is about steroids, debates are bound to come. While some say that steroids are dangerous, others say that steroids are not dangerous at all.

Let us read excerpts from a conversation between Rick Collins, J.D. –RC – and Norman Fost, M.D. – NF – to find if steroids are really harmful for its users and society.

From Steroidlaw.com:

RC: Anabolic steroids were placed under the Controlled Substances Act in 1990, limiting the scope of physician prescribing with the threat of criminal penalties. Do steroids belong there?

NF: Whatever the arguments about our regulatory system for narcotics and marijuana and so on, they simply don’t apply to steroids. This is not a source of violent criminal activity, school dropouts and all the social problems of illicit drugs. So putting this in that category strikes me as bizarre. If the government is really concerned about safety, if that is really the issue, the steroid situation screams for regulating the drugs through the FDA, and facilitating supervision by doctors. By driving this behavior underground, we have increased whatever risks exist by ensuring that safety studies are not performed, either short or long term. We have also lost control of manufacturing processes, so the user has no way of knowing what, in fact, he is using. The policy of a ban, coupled with criminal penalties, is even more incoherent if safety is the argument.

RC: You’ve hit on a key theme explored in Legal Muscle. But do you think that steroid administration for the purpose of building muscle in healthy adults could be safely accomplished under the supervision of physicians?

NF: There’s no drug in the world that has zero risks. The issues are whether the risks are manageable, whether they are in the same ballpark as other drugs that are widely prescribed and I think they are and whether the risks can be reduced to an acceptable level. I think the risks are most reduced under a knowledgeable doctor’s supervision. No question, there will always be adverse effects, but the life-threatening or irreversible and disabling adverse effects are likely to be low, and risks a competent adult may choose to take on even if properly informed. If the risks are greater than present evidence shows, the most efficient way to learn about that is through well-designed studies, as we do for other regulated drugs.

From the above discussions, even a layman can conclude that steroids do not pose any threat to its users unless and until they are used in an abusing manner or in the absence of a qualified medical advice. The point is – steroids are not harmful unless users make them harmful.

Potential steroid users can keep a safe distance from side-effects of steroids by seeking qualified medical advice before any usage. This will not allow them to make an informed decision but will also ensure that the name of steroids is not brought again in the “accused” list.

In short, steroids are not dangerous for you unless you start making them dangerous.

Muscle atrophy can be treated with appetite-stimulating hormone

Researchers have claimed to find a new form of potential treatment for muscle atrophy, according to the results of an animal study that were presented at the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Muscular atrophy is a debilitating process which results in an extensive loss of muscle mass and function that worsen quality of life of those affected by it.

In today’s times, some of the most common treatment methodologies for atrophy are anabolic steroids (testosterone) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IFG-1) that are somewhat not that safe, according to study co-author Andrea Graziani, PhD. He is a molecular biologist with the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and the Biotechnology Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.

From News-Medical.Net:

“Because of the wide impact of muscular atrophy on public health, it is of pivotal importance to find new and better drug strategies to treat it,” Graziani said.

Graziani and his co-workers are studying des-acyl ghrelin, a form of ghrelin, the appetite-stimulating hormone found in the body. Until recently, researchers thought that des-acyl ghrelin was inactive because it does not share the main activities of ghrelin-stimulating appetite, fat and the release of growth hormone.

However, Graziani’s group recently found that des-acyl ghrelin shares some biological activities with ghrelin, such as stimulating differentiation of other cells, including-important to this study-cells that are precursors to skeletal muscle cells.

In this new study, the researchers discovered that des-acyl ghrelin has a direct anti-atrophic activity on the skeletal muscle of mice with muscular atrophy caused by either denervation (nerve injury) or fasting. Mice that were genetically altered to have increased levels of des-acyl ghrelin had less skeletal muscle loss than the untreated control mice. This held true for both causes of muscular atrophy.

The mechanism by which des-acyl ghrelin protects muscle against atrophy is not yet known, the authors reported. However, it is distinct from the action of anabolic steroids and IGF-1.

Researchers claimed that des-acyl ghrelin, which offers a direct anti-atrophic activity on the skeletal muscle of mice for this ailment that is caused by nerve injury or fasting, can be an effective option to treat muscle atrophy.

Smoker’s lung no longer resistant to Steroid Treatment

According to scientists from the Imperial College, London, solution to one of the most fatal and common diseases in the UK – smoker’s lung – with steroids is just about to be found. Earlier, it was found that the biggest problem before doctors while treating smoker’s lung was resistance to steroids.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – chronic bronchitis and emphysema, or ‘smoker’s lung’ – is responsible for affecting nearly 6 percent of population of the United Kingdom.

From News-Medical.Net:

Steroids would normally be effective at treating inflammatory diseases such as COPD. However, COPD patients do not respond to steroid therapy. This is a major clinical problem due to the prevalence of the disease and the fact that it gets progressively worse.

Inflammation is caused by cells producing certain chemical signals. They do this by ‘switching on’ specific genes. Switching these genes off – and stopping inflammation – requires an enzyme called Histone Deacetylase 2 (HDAC2).
Professor Peter Barnes and his colleagues discovered that steroids act as a ‘molecular bridge’ to recruit HDAC2 to the appropriate genes where it can act to switch them off.

The London researchers found that in COPD, levels of HDAC2 are very low compared to normal cells, so that the steroids have no effect in switching off the activated inflammatory genes.

They then found that in lung cells in vitro, and in rats, low doses of a cheap and widely available drug raised the levels of HDAC2 and broke the steroid resistance.

The first stages of clinical trials to test low doses of this drug, theophylline, in COPD patients are now underway. If successful, this may lead to a change in the treatment of COPD and other severe inflammatory diseases that do not respond well to steroid therapy.

Professor Peter Barnes and his colleagues revealed that steroids tend to act as a ‘molecular bridge’ in recruiting HDAC2 to the relevant genes, where it can possibly switch them off. Low doses of theophylline, a drug, can be helpful in raising the levels of HDAC2 to break steroid resistance.

Undeclared pharmaceutical component of dietary supplements

Some manufacturers of dietary supplements are having some problems with US FDA for failure to declare unapproved drugs contained in their products. The FDA posted a notice to their website of all the names of supplements found to have hidden pharmaceutical ingredients.

FDA lab analysis showed STEAM to contain sulfoaildenafil, a chemical compound similar in structure to sildenafil, a drug indicated for erectile dysfunction. Another product called S—DROL was found to contain a steroid known as desoxymethyltestosterone. Both products were manufactured by Nutracoastal Trading LLC.

TREN-Xtreme and MASS-Xtreme were suspected of containing synthetic steroids. These Xtreme products are manufactured by American Cellular Laboratories.

The agency has reasons for recalling these supplements due to the reported cases of adverse reactions such as liver injury in men taking one of these products.

Such products can actually cause kidney failure, pulmonary embolism and even stroke. Furthermore, these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates, a compound used to decrease blood pressure levels. A combination of both drugs could lower your blood pressure to perilous levels. The product may also bring about side effects like flushing and headache. Since nitrate (nitroglycerin) is a maintenance drug for patients with heart diseases, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and diabetes, it is recommended that these supplements should not be used in the aforementioned cases.

From the News Inferno:

STEAM and S-DROL dietary supplements are being recalled today by Nutracoastal Trading LLC. According to a notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) website, the STEAM and S-DROL dietary supplement products are unapproved drugs because they contain pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the product labels.