Anabolic Steroids and Heart Disease

The Anabolic Doc

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I'm looking for medical questions relating to AAS use and heart disease: Blood pressure, cholesterol, heart attacks, heart failure, enlarged hearts are all important medical issues I see in men using steroids. I want to hear what has happened to you and what is concerning to you?

Dr O
 
I develop sleep apnea when running Deca, towards the end of the cycle. But, once stopping after a couple of weeks it goes away.
Also, my resting heart rate has risen 15-20 points since beginning using AAS. Is there any relation ?
 
Blood pressure and elevated heart rate are not unusual. My cholesterol is always screwed up.I also have polycythemia. These are all related to AAS use.
 
Doc found elevated LDL and Low HDL. Also my blood pressure was 148/81 which he says isn't so bad but a guy my age shouldn't have that blood pressure reading. I'm changing up my diet habits to see if my cholesterol gets better. Blood pressure could be from my vitamins D3 deficiency and elevated Liver values.
 
Blood pressure and elevated heart rate are not unusual. My cholesterol is always screwed up.I also have polycythemia. These are all related to AAS use.

AAS affect the cardiovascular system. The LDL can increase, which is very bad over long periods for anyone at risk for heart disease. Although, I see that most men with a good diet and on only testosterone, LDL levels can be modulated nicely. Heavy steroid use and orals 100 % cause very bad lipid abnormalities including low HDL levels.

As far as the increased heart rates on AAS and even TRT, I have also noted this in my practice- in select patients. This may be associated with or without elevated blood pressure. This is from the increased intravascular volume that comes with AAS/TRT and is drug/person dependent in addition to direct affects these androgens have on the sympathetic autonomic nervous system. Bottom line is that I like resting heart rates in the 70s or lower. I subscribe to the "tick theory" in that we have a limited number of heart beats, so why waste them on a high resting heart rate! What to do: do not use AAS and if you do, keep the doses as low as possible and see a medical expert and have a good medical exam, including labs, full set of vitals and physical exam. One of my secrets, is that I use Bystolic, a cardio-selective beta-blocker on my patients with hypertension or even high normal BP with high resting heart rates. Most men feel great on this med at doses less than 7.5 mg/day. And does not cause adverse issues on sex!! Even can improve sex via its Nitric Oxide donning properties !!!

Hope this helps!

Dr O
 
I'm on 12.5 mg carvediol and 150 mg irbesartan x2 daily.

Resting hr is in 70's although cardio output is reduced.

At 130 bpm I feel like I'm working my ass off
Bp stays around 140/85 when cycling. anything over that and I reduce compounds until it's in range
 
Doc I recomend you look into the coralation between low magnesium and low L-Arginine. There is a connection.

I have a friend that's read into magnesium supplementation through transdermal oil and a drink additive called remag. Our heart relies on magnesium for hundreds of biomechanical functions.
 
Doc I recomend you look into the coralation between low magnesium and low L-Arginine. There is a connection.

Thank you Dreaded, I am aware that magnesium levels are VERY important for the cardiovascular system and maintenance of health. As a matter of fact, we monitor our cardiac patients in the hospital very closely for magnesium levels, in addition to other electrolytes. This is for people who have existing cardiovascular disease and you are right, we need to pay attention to magnesium levels in regard to the "prevention" of heart disease. Unfortunately, as you know, our medical system is set up to PAY for disease and not prevention.

Let me read more into the current state of magnesium and L-Arginine for health and prevention of disease.

I'll get back here with a good write up for sure!!


Dr O
 
L-arginine is converted in Nitric Oxide the chemical that keeps the cardio vascular system spongy and plyable. Without is you have the onset of hardening of the arteries. Magnesium is used to metabolize calcium among other things. Un-metabolized microcrystoline calcium particles cause tiny rips and tares int he throwout the cardiovascular system. The bodies reaction is to produce ..? Cholesterol. And on cue the pharmaceutical industry used this opportunity to propagate a myth that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. To further complicate thing the treatment most commonly prescribed is Statin drugs that have a side effect of Diabetes and poisoning the liver. It takes 54 molecules to process 1 molecule of sugar. Sugar is the devil to the heart...LOL. Most non smokers who have heart disease suffer from undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. I can rant L-argenine levels and the the efficient conversion to Nitric oxide and the proper consumption of magnesium and the avoidance of sugar and starches it a no brainer to me.
 
L-arginine is converted in Nitric Oxide the chemical that keeps the cardio vascular system spongy and plyable. Without is you have the onset of hardening of the arteries. Magnesium is used to metabolize calcium among other things. Un-metabolized microcrystoline calcium particles cause tiny rips and tares int he throwout the cardiovascular system. The bodies reaction is to produce ..? Cholesterol. And on cue the pharmaceutical industry used this opportunity to propagate a myth that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. To further complicate thing the treatment most commonly prescribed is Statin drugs that have a side effect of Diabetes and poisoning the liver. It takes 54 molecules to process 1 molecule of sugar. Sugar is the devil to the heart...LOL. Most non smokers who have heart disease suffer from undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. I can rant L-argenine levels and the the efficient conversion to Nitric oxide and the proper consumption of magnesium and the avoidance of sugar and starches it a no brainer to me.

I've also read and listened to lectures informing that 'sugar' is the 'behind the scenes' cause of heart disease and is responsible for the narrowing of the arteries-- and NOT saturated fat. The reasoning has something to do with the cell walls of the vessel itself and how sugars effect it.

however concerning L-arginine . Studies have shown that L arignine does not increase nitric oxide production in 'healthy' people (it may have some benefit to those who already have issues, but there is Zero effect on healthy people)

Acute L-Arginine supplementation does not increase nitric oxide production in healthy subjects. - PubMed - NCBI

things like Citruline malate, and beet root juice, may have a better effect on No2 levels in healthy individuals, though more research is needed.
 
AAS affect the cardiovascular system. The LDL can increase, which is very bad over long periods for anyone at risk for heart disease. Although, I see that most men with a good diet and on only testosterone, LDL levels can be modulated nicely. Heavy steroid use and orals 100 % cause very bad lipid abnormalities including low HDL levels.

As far as the increased heart rates on AAS and even TRT, I have also noted this in my practice- in select patients. This may be associated with or without elevated blood pressure. This is from the increased intravascular volume that comes with AAS/TRT and is drug/person dependent in addition to direct affects these androgens have on the sympathetic autonomic nervous system. Bottom line is that I like resting heart rates in the 70s or lower. I subscribe to the "tick theory" in that we have a limited number of heart beats, so why waste them on a high resting heart rate! What to do: do not use AAS and if you do, keep the doses as low as possible and see a medical expert and have a good medical exam, including labs, full set of vitals and physical exam. One of my secrets, is that I use Bystolic, a cardio-selective beta-blocker on my patients with hypertension or even high normal BP with high resting heart rates. Most men feel great on this med at doses less than 7.5 mg/day. And does not cause adverse issues on sex!! Even can improve sex via its Nitric Oxide donning properties !!!

Hope this helps!

Dr O

Dr O,

What other issues do you typically see among a testosterone only cycle? Other then the LDL values. Are you saying that test only is relatively more issue free compared to other/multiple AAS use?
 
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