Steroid Use By Gay Men

[RoNNy THe BuLL]

A very interesting read...RTB

Are asteroids a shortcut or a deadly detour in the pursuit of the perfect body?

In her book The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf explained how Western culture has pressured women into maintaining the body beautiful, often at a high cost. So Chef has a scapegoat. But who are her legions of gay male fans going to blame?

It seems the quest for that perfect body has taken a disturbing turn, as experts point out what watchful eyes already suspected. Steroids --which catapulted into the public consciousness during the 1980s with revelations of their use by high-profile athletes--are making a comeback.

Of course, in the case of combating AIDS, the muscle-building drugs can be beneficial, replenishing testosterone levels in order to fight fatigue, weight loss, and low sex drive. But health experts say abuse, even among this group, is widespread.

"There is unquestionably an increased use of steroids in the gay community that has been legitimized somewhat by usage in the latter stages of AIDS cases," says R. Scott Hitt, MD, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. "But it helps only in the cases where testosterone levels are low."

Doctors can legally prescribe steroids--which do nothing to restore a weakened immune system--but Hitt says many are encouraging HIV-positive patients who have normal amounts of testosterone to use the drugs even when they're unnecessary.

Some patients who have a legitimate reason to use steroids are requesting double their necessary dosage, he says. "Some of them do it just because they want to get bigger; others will get it and sell it to their friends who are bodybuilders or whatever."

For most the rationale is, with rare exceptions, physical. Now more than ever, a beer gut and a gay bar don't mix. And the desperation for abs of Fort Knox only increases when people realize the silhouette they crave can be more easily achieved with a few weekly injections.

"I started going to this personal trainer who had just an impeccable body," says Paul Prusas, a 32-year-old corporate sales executive in Atlanta. "And so he put me on this program and told me I could have the same body he did if I worked out hard enough. One day I was talking to his assistant, and he's telling me that I'll never have a body like that because [the trainer] uses steroids.

"There seem to be more and more people who have adopted the motto of `don't drink, do drugs, and have a great body,'" says Prusas, who decided against taking steroids. "But you wonder how you can live that kind of life and maintain that kind of body."

Prusas is referring to the "circuit party" scene, which includes after-hours clubs filled every weekend with barbarianesque physiques (and cases of bottled water). It's no secret that the use of mind-altering drugs such as crystal meth and ecstasy are widespread among those who frequent these nightspots.

Indeed, living a lifestyle that keeps you up all weekend doesn't square with having a body that would appear to heed hours of daily gym maintenance. In some ways steroids are seen as insurance for those unable to handle two hours of working out on the Monday morning after, say, the White Party. But in most cases the drugs' renewed popularity is fueled by frustration.

Cedric, a West Hollywood, Calif., resident who did not want his real name used, recently began his first "'roid cycle" after noticing that a few of his friends with similar workout regimens were building muscle mass at seemingly twice the rate he was. When Cedric, who is in his mid 20s and has a naturally sculpted physique (he's just over six feet tall with a 31-inch waist) discovered they were supplementing their weight training with steroids, he concluded the risk was worth the results.

"It seems like more people are doing it, and no one seems too worried about it," says Cedric, an aspiring actor. While he is aware of the more obvious side effects-acne, decrease in testicular size--he believes taking such a crooked pathway to achieve the masculine ideal beats the alternative. But he concedes, "It's embarrassing to admit, and I don't think anyone feels great about doing them."

The potential damage steroids can do to a body is far more serious than pockmarks and shrunken testicles. According to Hitt, "Dramatic mood swings are commonly associated with steroid use , and long-term effects include serious liver problems."

Hitt also is concerned about what is not known about the drugs. Medical studies have been rare, and, with widespread use of steroids a relatively new phenomenon, he says it is impossible to gauge what other damage can result from their abuse.

"We do know about hormones and the delicate balance between too much thyroid and too little," he says. "The same with insulin . It's hard for me to believe it would be OK to mess around with your testosterone level like this."

But it doesn't look like the drugs' popularity will abate any time soon. Law enforcement agencies haven't made halting steroid trafficking a priority, Hitt says, and, as with the crystal-meth trade, stopping it altogether would be difficult.

"The whole scene is becoming more hard-core," Prusas says. "You just wonder when this party is going to come crashing down."

RELATED ARTICLE: Health WATCH

SOMETIMES HAVING YOUR HEALTH ISN'T EVERYTHING. We still worry about looking better or putting ourselves at risk. In the stories that follow, we examine some of the hidden issues--including the government's leadership--that concern our health.

Walker is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Liberation Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

[Commando_Barbi]

Good read. I had heard that the AZT cocktail had steroids in it. I was in South Beach a few months back and there were sooo many ripped men. A friend of mine told me that most of them (not all I pray) were gay and taking AZT/steriods as part of their treatment. I didn't know if it was true and never really gave it much thought till now.

[RoNNy THe BuLL]

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I Bounced one time for a Gay Festival or party, and all of them were in awesome shape. Wicked shape in fact. Some of the other bouncers pointed out to me who the main dealers were, and these guys were SICK HUGE.

Extremely nice though...I had to point that out.

[Danielle]

Prusas is referring to the "circuit party" scene, which includes after-hours clubs filled every weekend with barbarianesque physiques (and cases of bottled water). It's no secret that the use of mind-altering drugs such as crystal meth and ecstasy are widespread among those who frequent these nightspots.

Indeed, living a lifestyle that keeps you up all weekend doesn't square with having a body that would appear to heed hours of daily gym maintenance. In some ways steroids are seen as insurance for those unable to handle two hours of working out on the Monday morning after, say, the White Party. But in most cases the drugs' renewed popularity is fueled by frustration.

so true.......in the afterhours scene in New York, where its absolutly out of control here..............all you see is huge guys, with their bottle of water, wacked out of their mind on every drug you can imagine............ecstasy, crystal, Ketamine, GHB......all of it.........

and you wonder how concious these people are too look good on the outside....but the damage they are doing to their bodies on the inside


i guess in today society....we'll go to any extent to look good.....no matter how bad it may be...........

i believe in a way we're almost forced too....everything around is..."lose weight, look better".......everyone in advertisments has ripped abs or an amazing body.........blame it on the media

[Carlos_E]

For some reason this thread comes to mind.

http://anabolicreview.com/vbulletin/...s+side+effects

[Commando_Barbi]

I've wondered for a long time about people that work so hard to build awesome bodies and then also use recreational drugs. The two actions seem to be so contradictory.

[Carlos_E]

I've wondered for a long time about people that work so hard to build awesome bodies and then also use recreational drugs. The two actions seem to be so contradictory.

Agreed. Like Danielle said, you see it at clubs here in NY. I have a friend he used to be over 200 (5'7") and is now 160 due to crystal. He does a cycle gains 20-30 pounds then loses it going out partying. So he gets back on again so he can get bigger then just loses it again. This cycle has been going on for over 2 years now. Pathetic.

[Danielle]

yup....it really is a vicious cycle.......people work out so hard, so they look good.........then they firgue hey, i want people see this....so they show it off at clubs and all....(in these clubs, guys walk around shirtless.......and girls, well they wear a bra, if your lucky)........stay up days, partying on rec. drugs......then they just set themselves back in the gym....and the cycle goes on and on....with no progression at all

[USfighterFC]

Yeah everything is so cosmetic now a days. Everyone is just focused on looking good and killing themselves trying to do it. This culture is focused on pure perfection and flaws aren't tolerated. I can't stand that s***. In all honesty I dont take juice to make my body look better....I take it cuz it helps me compete in sambo competitions in russia and gives me that extra edge.....call it cheating....i dont care......all these russians are juiced up to their eyeballs. The problem is that these clubbers think they're invincible and they aren't doing any damage but in the long run they're screwing themselves. They want the easy way out and they suck...pay the price of hardwork like the rest of us....but instead they'll pay their price years down the road.....except this toll is going to be much higher.

[chicamahomico]

This thread will become an excellent discussion. Good post Ronny.

I dunno about you guys but I am a believer that drugs are not the problem at all. People's underlying emotional issues are the problem and alcohol, drug and any other type of self abuse is merely a symptom.

[spywizard]

Bump.........and when they get older... and need health care... guess who gets to help pay for it.????

yep...

You and me..............but what you gonna do...........

Yeah everything is so cosmetic now a days. Everyone is just focused on looking good and killing themselves trying to do it. This culture is focused on pure perfection and flaws aren't tolerated. I can't stand that s***. In all honesty I dont take juice to make my body look better....I take it cuz it helps me compete in sambo competitions in russia and gives me that extra edge.....call it cheating....i dont care......all these russians are juiced up to their eyeballs. The problem is that these clubbers think they're invincible and they aren't doing any damage but in the long run they're screwing themselves. They want the easy way out and they suck...pay the price of hardwork like the rest of us....but instead they'll pay their price years down the road.....except this toll is going to be much higher.

[Da Bull]

so true.......in the afterhours scene in New York, where its absolutly out of control here..............all you see is huge guys, with their bottle of water, wacked out of their mind on every drug you can imagine............ecstasy, crystal, Ketamine, GHB......all of it.........

and you wonder how concious these people are too look good on the outside....but the damage they are doing to their bodies on the inside


i guess in today society....we'll go to any extent to look good.....no matter how bad it may be...........

i believe in a way we're almost forced too....everything around is..."lose weight, look better".......everyone in advertisments has ripped abs or an amazing body.........blame it on the media

Nice post girl.....scary,but true.......

peace

DB

[Xavier_4446]

I've wondered for a long time about people that work so hard to build awesome bodies and then also use recreational drugs. The two actions seem to be so contradictory.

That does seem to contradict itself a lot. Good point barbi

[palme]

They use rec drugs cause it keeps em trimmed, i think anyway. I dont understand why you are all suprised they use doh. You should now better

[Carlos_E]

Bump.........and when they get older... and need health care... guess who gets to help pay for it.????

yep...

You and me..............but what you gonna do...........

What's your point? The same can be said for you or anyone else who juices. When you get older and need health care, guess who gets to help pay for it.

[spywizard]

Nope... missed the point....

The point i am trying to make is that myself... and most.. others.. still refuse to accept responsabilities for our actions..

The baby boomer generation.. grew up knowing that they would be taken care of when they retired.. what they didn't understand at that time that Social security was put into place.. the average life expectancy was 58 yrs old.. (strictly from an acturary position..)

thus the government never expected to have to payout as much as they have....

smokers, overweight, and anyone that behaves in an abusive manner to thier bodies, know that if we have medical needs.. even if we have money to pay for it.. estate planning and defered income can hide millions..

Medicade (government provided) will pay for it..

I do not have the solution.. just an observation/.//

What's your point? The same can be said for you or anyone else who juices. When you get older and need health care, guess who gets to help pay for it.

[spywizard]

And i was bumping this statement.....

This thread will become an excellent discussion. Good post Ronny.

I dunno about you guys but I am a believer that drugs are not the problem at all. People's underlying emotional issues are the problem and alcohol, drug and any other type of self abuse is merely a symptom.

Nope... missed the point....

The point i am trying to make is that myself... and most.. others.. still refuse to accept responsabilities for our actions..

The baby boomer generation.. grew up knowing that they would be taken care of when they retired.. what they didn't understand at that time that Social security was put into place.. the average life expectancy was 58 yrs old.. (strictly from an acturary position..)

thus the government never expected to have to payout as much as they have....

smokers, overweight, and anyone that behaves in an abusive manner to thier bodies, know that if we have medical needs.. even if we have money to pay for it.. estate planning and defered income can hide millions..

Medicade (government provided) will pay for it..

I do not have the solution.. just an observation/.//

[Da Bull]

And i was bumping this statement.....

This thread will become an excellent discussion. Good post Ronny.

I dunno about you guys but I am a believer that drugs are not the problem at all. People's underlying emotional issues are the problem and alcohol, drug and any other type of self abuse is merely a symptom.

I understand exactly what you are saying and I agree 1000%.....these recreational drugs are just a buffer for deep underlying problems......it was a completely different world when you and I were growing up spywizard....I'm sure you've looked at the differences and shutter with horror like I do..this world scares me these days.....let me reword that,ppl nowadays scare the **** out of me........

[spywizard]

Bump..

If a man chooses to play russian roulette... that's his choice..

when he plays and dies/....... well that was his choice...

When i have to pay to feed him for the next 50 years because he is brain dead... I have got to be able to get my 2 cents in to wheather or not he plays..

rec drugs are bad.... yea.. i am lucky to be alive at this age.. thought i would never make it to 35.... so i am 8 years to the good now...

the happiest so far too.........

Peace

I understand exactly what you are saying and I agree 1000%.....these recreational drugs are just a buffer for deep underlying problems......it was a completely different world when you and I were growing up spywizard....I'm sure you've looked at the differences and shutter with horror like I do..this world scares me these days.....let me reword that,ppl nowadays scare the **** out of me........

[Commando_Barbi]

That does seem to contradict itself a lot. Good point barbi

How many members has this board lost due to drugs? Was it roids or was it hard core crap they were using with it? On MM there have been a few deaths and I belive they were using more than roids.

I have never done as much as smoke a joint so it's hard for me to really understand the desire to use any drugs. I have watched members of my family ruin their lives on drugs. Makes me sad.

C.B.

[USfighterFC]

My friend still sometimes does coke on roids and I get so mad when I hear about it. I give him plenty of s*** so now the kid will just hide the fact from me.

[cb25]

This thread will become an excellent discussion. Good post Ronny.

I dunno about you guys but I am a believer that drugs are not the problem at all. People's underlying emotional issues are the problem and alcohol, drug and any other type of self abuse is merely a symptom.

i completely agree...chica. well said.

great post ronny...