Throughout the history of bodybuilding, supplements have always been popular among bodybuilders because they maximize physical potential and facilitates quicker results. Several bodybuilding supplements, including anabolic steroids, ephedra and caffeine, have been shown in recent studies to be associated with heart dysfunction; however, the use of creatine is beneficial to heart function.
Anabolic Steroids and Heart Dysfunction
Anabolic steroids, or anabolic-androgenic steroids, are drugs that behave like androgens, or male sex hormones, in the body. Testosterone is the primary androgen in males. Anabolic steroids result in increased protein synthesis, thereby resulting in tissue growth. According to a 2004 "Heart and Education in Heart" article, the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids results in left ventricular hypertrophy or enlargement of the muscles surrounding the left lower chamber of the heart. Enlargement of heart muscle, reduces the amount of blood that can fill the heart chambers; this reduces the amount of blood pumped out by the heart per minute, which is important in achieving adequate oxygen delivery to the tissues.
Low Creatine and Heart
Creatine is an amino acid that naturally occurs in muscle and is mostly found in fish and meat. It is used by the muscles in the storage of ATP, which is the primary energy-providing molecule of the cell; the energy in ATP is simply transferred to creatine, thereby converting creatine to phosphocreatine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, decreased levels of creatine are seen in congestive heart failure; supplementation of creatine resulted in improved heart function.
Ephedra
Ephedra is a naturally occurring herbal supplement found in Ma Huang, a Chinese herb. Ephedra is popular in recent times for its weight-reducing benefits. Ephedrine, the active ingredient in ephedra, increases a person's basal metabolic rate, thereby resulting in increased caloric consumption and eventually weight loss. However, the use of ephedrine results in hypertension, which in turn increases a person's risk for heart disease, strokes and seizures. The side effects associated with the use of ephedra clearly outweighs potential benefits.
Caffeine
For most, the intake of caffeine comes from drinking coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases alertness and improves concentration. Caffeine is typically used by bodybuilders to help maintain focus and the channeling of energy needed for completing bodybuilding tasks. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, thereby causing increased heart rate and blood pressure. A person with high blood pressure or heart dysfunction should not take caffeine; the use of caffeine is associated with worsening of high blood pressure and heart disease. According to a 2007 " Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care" article, caffeine intake increases a person's risk for coronary heart disease or disease of blood vessels in the heart.
References
- "Heart and Education in the Heart"; Cardiac Effects of Anabolic Steroids; J R Payne, et al.; 2004
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Creatine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ephedra
- "Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care"; Coffee, Caffeine, and Coronary Heart Disease; M. C. Cornelius, et al.; 2007
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