As competitive athletes, bodybuilders may take extreme measures to improve their physical performance and physique. According to the Mayo Clinic, bodybuilders and other athletes may take supplements such as steroids, creatine and diuretics without realizing the significant risks involved. An understanding of how bodybuilding supplements function and affect the body may help athletes to opt for safer means of improving performance. And remember, doctor's approval is suggested prior to the use of dietary supplements of any kind.
Steroid Side Effects
Bodybuilders may take anabolic-androgenic steroids as a means of increasing muscle mass and muscle strength. The body produces a form of anabolic-androgenic steroid naturally, known as testosterone. Synthetic forms of these steroids include methyltestosterone, or Android; xandrolone, or Oxandrin; and Oxymetholone, or Anadrol. According to the Mayo Clinic, anabolic-androgenic steroids are approved for various medical uses, but not for recreational or bodybuilding purposes. Potential side effects of the supplements include breast growth, hair loss, shrunken testicles and infertility in men, and deepened voice, enlarged clitoris, excess body hair growth and baldness in women. Both men and women body builders may develop acne, liver abnormalities, tumors, unhealthy shifts in cholesterol levels, emotional rage, aggressive behaviors and addiction to the steroids. Teenagers who use steroids may experience reduced physical development. People using injection forms of the steroids are at increased risk for viruses such as HIV and hepatitis.
Creatine Side Effects
Creatine, or creatine monohydrate, is a compound the body produces naturally that helps energy release from muscles. According to the Mayo Clinic, creatine is the most popular supplement among athletes. It is known to provide bursts of increased energy for use during workouts and delayed muscle fatigue. Creatine supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so its safety remains in question. Potential side effects of creatine supplements include abdominal and muscle cramping, nausea, diarrhea and weight gain. Not only are these side effects bothersome, but they tend to work against exercise capabilities. If diarrhea is severe or long-lasting, it may lead to dehydration, which poses further risks.
Diuretic Side Effects
Diuretics alter fluid and electrolyte, or salt, balances in the body. Bodybuilders may take diuretics, also called water pills, to dilute their urine in order to pass drug tests after using performance-enhancing drugs or to flush fluids that may interfere with muscle striations, or the grooves on the muscles that accentuate their definition. According to Bryan E. Denham, Associate Professor of Sports Communication at Clemson University, several prominent bodybuilders have died due to complications of diuretic abuse. Diuretics may cause dehydration, dizziness, muscle cramping, exhaustion, heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, kidney failure, heart failure and death. When used with other bodybuilding supplements or stimulants, such as caffeine, or when taken prior to intense physical activity that produces excessive amounts of sweat, risks for serious side effects increase.
Member Comments