Thursday, January 30, 2014

Carpal tunnel syndrome treatable with steroids


A non-surgical treatment with anabolic steroids is as good as an invasive surgery when it comes to relieving patients from discomforting symptoms of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, according to recent observations by researchers.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a discomforting condition of the wrist, which is caused due to compression of the median nerve that runs from palm base up to the forearm. It is known to affect performing repetitive hand motions, especially golfers, tennis players, and people using computers.

Standard treatment for symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include splinting and pain relievers like ibuprofen. When those methods fail to help, many patients undergo surgery to decompress the nerve. However, another option is to receive steroid injections to relieve symptoms.

In a recent study researchers compared results between people who had been experiencing symptoms of the condition for at least three months. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either surgery or the steroid injections. Results showed no difference in outcomes between the groups over the long term, and in the short term, people who received the injections actually reported better relief of symptoms.

The involved researchers remarked that administration of steroid injections is an effective option to provide great relief from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome rather than going for invasive surgery as steroid injections reported better relief of symptoms.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Gynecomastia and Bodybuilding


Gynecomastia, also known as gyno and bitch tits, is female breast development in men. Gynecomastia is a common side effect of anabolic steroid use. Men naturally produces a small amount of estrogen, a female hormone. When anabolic steroids are used estrogen levels can rise and or dominate.

Some anabolic steroids are peripherally converted to estrogen. When these steroids are used both anabolic hormone and estrogen levels rise. High estrogen levels will sooner or later cause gynecomastia in most individuals.

Abruptly stopping steroid use greatly increases the odds of developing gynecomastia. Anabolic steroid use causes the testicles to atrophy, shrink in size, and become dormant. Normal testicular function usually resumes after steroid use is stopped, but it may take several months for the testicles return to pre-steroid use size and function. When steroid use is abruptly stopped a condition is created where very low levels of anabolic hormones are present. The testicles have not yet resumed normal testosterone production and exogenous anabolic hormones are no longer being taken. As a result, estrogen can now dominate. Gynecomastia is almost certain to occur.

Gynecomastia can usually be avoided by taking anti-estrogens like Nolvadex or using steroids that can not be peripherally converted to estrogen.

I have been around anabolic steroids for 8 years now, and I learn something new everyday. One of the best things that I have learned is that anti-estrogens such as Nolvadex and Proviron really do work, and are certainly worth taking. In my experience, Nolvadex is better than Proviron, but only cause it's stronger, so when you are already taking other pills, it can be a pain in the ass keeping up with all the Proviron. I have seen numerous differences when Anti-estrogens are taken with your regular cycle. Now I'm talking about over a dozen people over a period of a few years, not just one guy, one time.

What you have to realize is that when you take most anabolic steroids, they also have a Androgenic effect as well. To keep it simple, "your Testosterone level is gonna rise". In a way this is a good short term effect, because this is what will cause most of your strength gains, while the anabolic steroids will give you your size gains. But, your body will begin to produce Estrogen to balance the Testosterone levels. So, the more your Testosterone level increases through the amount of steroids you take, and the length of your cycle, the more your Estrogen level will increase as well. This irregular raise in Estrogen, can cause several side effects. The biggest is "gyno" better known as "bitch tits".

Basically, the male body begins to develope female breasts due to the level of estrogen in your body. This is not life threatening, but is very obvious and not too good for your self-esteem, not to mention that your talking thousands of dollars to have them removed, "which most insurance companys won't cover". I have several friends who went through it, and they were the ones who never listened. Of course everyone has a different tolerance to different steroids, but there is a good chance that most people will eventually go through it if they don't take an anti-estrogen.

Even if you have been taking steroids for years, and have never experienced "gyno", it doesn't mean that you won't get it from your next cycle. I have found that the higher the dosages, and the longer the cycles of anabolic steroids, the better your chances for getting "bitch-tits". So, if you have the money, instead of getting a second or a third anabolic steroid to stack during your cycle, take that money and invest in an anti-estrogen. I cannot guarantee that they will prevent "gyno", but it certainly cannot hurt. I have also noticed that when an anti-estrogen is taken, the gains seem to be bigger during a cycle, because you don't have the estrogen limiting the effects of the testosterone.

I found it best to slowly lower the dosage of the anti-estrogen after your cycle is over, so that your body can slowly bring your levels to a balance instead of sky-rocketing your Estrogen level to meet the Testosterone level. Also, I found it best to give a 6-8 week break between cycles to give your body a rest and a chance to get back to normal. As long as you keep lifting, you shouldn't lose too much of your gains, but don't get pissed if you can't bench what you did in the peak of your cycle. So, if you are gonna juice then consider taking an anti-estrogen, but the best way to prevent "gyno" is not to take steroids at all! If your gonna play, just be prepared to pay! Best of Luck, and be smart, no gain is worth a big loss!!!"

Friday, January 17, 2014

High Good, Low Bad Cholesterol Levels Are Healthy for Brain, Too


High levels of "good" cholesterol and low levels of "bad" cholesterol are correlated with lower levels of the amyloid plaque deposition in the brain that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, in a pattern that mirrors the relationship between good and bad cholesterol in cardiovascular disease, UC Davis researchers have found.

"Our study shows that both higher levels of HDL "good" and lower levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol in the bloodstream are associated with lower levels of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain," said Bruce Reed, lead study author and associate director of the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center. The relationship between elevated cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease has been known for some time, but the current study is the first to specifically link cholesterol to amyloid deposits in living human study participants, Reed said. "Unhealthy patterns of cholesterol could be directly causing the higher levels of amyloid known to contribute to Alzheimer's, in the same way that such patterns promote heart disease," he said

In the United States, cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. For HDL cholesterol, a level of 60 mg/dl or higher is best. For LDL cholesterol, a level of 70 mg/dL or lower is recommended for people at very high risk of heart disease.

Charles DeCarli, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center and an author of the study, said it is a wake-up call that, just as people can influence their late-life brain health by limiting vascular brain injury through controlling their blood pressure, the same is true of getting a handle on their serum cholesterol levels.
"If you have an LDL above 100 or an HDL that is less than 40, even if you're taking a statin drug, you want to make sure that you are getting those numbers into alignment," DeCarli said. "You have to get the HDL up and the LDL down."

The study was conducted in 74 diverse male and female individuals 70 years and older who were recruited from California stroke clinics, support groups, senior facilities and the Alzheimer's Disease Center. They included three individuals with mild dementia, 33 who were cognitively normal and 38 who had mild cognitive impairment.
The participants' amyloid levels were obtained using a tracer that binds with amyloid plaques and imaging their brains using PET scans. Higher fasting levels of LDL and lower levels of HDL both were associated with greater brain amyloid -- a first-time finding linking cholesterol fractions in the blood and amyloid deposition in the brain. The researchers did not study the mechanism for how cholesterol promotes amyloid deposits.

Recent guidelines instituted by the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have suggested abandoning guidelines for LDL targets. Reed said that recommendation may be an instance in which the adage that "what's good for the heart is good for the brain" does not apply.
"This study provides a reason to certainly continue cholesterol treatment in people who are developing memory loss regardless of concerns regarding their cardiovascular health," said Reed, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Neurology.

"It also suggests a method of lowering amyloid levels in people who are middle aged, when such build-up is just starting," he said. "If modifying cholesterol levels in the brain early in life turns out to reduce amyloid deposits late in life, we could potentially make a significant difference in reducing the prevalence of Alzheimer's, a goal of an enormous amount of research and drug development effort."

Monday, January 6, 2014

How to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s


Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50 and 80 % of all cases. Researchers are closer than ever to finding a cure, but sometimes prevention is the best medicine.

There are some easy things you can do to prevent developing Alzheimer’s:

• Add cinnamon to your diet – consuming a teaspoon of this spice has been shown to block the production of proteins in the brain that contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s.

• Drink apple juice – it boosts the production of a chemical compound in the brain associated with learning, memory, mood and muscle movement.

• Drink coffee – it acts as an anti-inflammatory that can block cholesterol buildup in the brain. One large study showed that men and women who drank three to five cups of coffee a day reduced their chances of dementia by 65 percent.

• Socialize more – studies show that a busy social life can improve your cognitive abilities.

• Protect your vision – your eyes are a good indicator of how your brain is functioning. Preserving your vision can actually cut your dementia risk by 63 percent.

• Meditate – this will lower your blood pressure and reduce stress, and it increases blood flow to the brain, which is why researchers believe it helps us retain mental acuity as we age.

• Eat a Mediterranean diet – a diet rich in leafy greens, fish, fruit, nuts and a little red wine can cut your dementia risk in half because it’s chock full of brain-protecting antioxidants.

Taking steps to prevent dementia now will help cut your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as you age.