Steroids and kidney damage

[jadioj]

Article in the NY Times today about a direct link with LONG TERM steroid use and kidney damage. Highlights Flex Wheeler's kidney disease.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/sports/10steroids.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Any thoughts or criticisims?

 

[Teutonic]

I think there is use and abuse of anything...have you seen some of the cycles the pro s use ?
And, everytime a bb gets sick..or dies..and there MAY be a correlation between his illness and roids, the media types jump on it blow it all out of proportion..and the cable addicted/internet warrior class of people , most of the western world has become..believes it.

 

[Slayer]

It is a pretty fair article, and even the researchers say the conclusion is inconclusive. This quote from the article seems to sum it up:

"Several experts not affiliated with the study said that while the claims were intriguing, the study’s value was limited because it focused only on intensive steroid users and because the bodybuilders’ layered training practices had to be taken into account. “I think it’s hard to be certain what’s causing their kidney disease,” said William Bremner, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington and an endocrinologist who studies steroids.

D’Agati said, “It’s probably multiple factors that are converging in these patients, but the common entity in all of them is anabolic steroids.” "

 

[1badmofo]

It comes down to reasonable and responsible use rather than abuse. It's a typical scare tactic article by a newspaper (and media in general) who thrive on chaos, doom, and ever pending catastrophes. They found ten guys who appear to have gone off the deep end of abuse, but how many people that you have personally known of, have died or been made very ill due to cigarettes and/or alcohol, yet those are perfectly legal and accepted? Also, abuse of painkiller is a big factor. What about all the people who eat themselves into obesity and diabetes? Get monitored by a doc, watch your diet and blood pressure, use reasonable dosages, for reasonable periods of time and you will be healthier than most people.

I did enjoy reading the post. I didn't know that's why Flex had retired since I don't follow the sport like I did when I was young. I do remember Don Long had a similar issue.

 

[Teutonic]

And since the focus of the article was steroid users and kidney prob...of course it was a commonality ..
I got on my soap box in my previous thread..sorry dude.

 

[mtl1968]

Okay, I have not read the article so I don't know his specific condition but, here's what I can tell you from personal experience about kidney failure. Everyone's body functions differently and processes various things differently.

I was tested for chronic kidney failure just a couple of months ago because my blood work indicated that my kidney's were only functioning at 53% which would have put me at stage 3 kidney failure.

Turned out that the tests were inacurate but, what I learned was that excessive amounts of protien can ALSO cause kidney problems for certain people. In my case it caused kidney stones which are no fun. However, I learned from the doctor that the kidneys can become damaged from too much protien trying to be processed at one time. Protien, of course, aside from steroids, is another factor in getting bigger. Both need each other.

I agree with other statements above...that the media is quick to judge that steroid use is automatically the problem.