AAS and the Immune System

[Rabid Pit Bull]

As we know, cold and flu season will be coming shortly. I thought I'd ask about this since my gf and her nephews have all gotten sick in the last two weeks, and they all stay with me at the moment. I haven't gotten sick, and I started thinking I haven't been truly sick in almost two years, and haven't had a bad common cold in 18 months.

Typically every winter I get sick once and have one or two nasty colds. I did my first cycle of test last year and a test/deca cycle this year, and am currently cruising on test e. I am in no way thinking or claiming AAS gives you super immunity, but I read recently that AAS can increase T-cells which play an important part in your immune system.

Christian Boeving, (fitness model who was in Bigger, Stronger, Faster) claimed he hasn't had the common cold in 15 years.

What have been your experiences with illness since you started using AAS? Been sick more, less? No change? Does anyone has any articles or studies that show one way or the other? Just curious about this really, still planning on washing my hands often and all that. Thanks guys

[estnisch_speaking]

I have basically same question, very interesting topic.

[HawaiianPride.]

No change here.

[ganu]

same here..more than the aas i think its the exercise,vitamins,proper healthy diet and sleep thats responsible for the increased immunity..

[Swifto]

AAS effect both the TH1/2 response.

Testosetrone, estrogen, progesterone, for example all effect both responses (immune response, anti-body porduction).

[Swifto]

Posted by Nandi on cuttingedgemuscle 2004


Androgens, Estrogens, and The Immune Response
I posted this reply recently on another board to the question "Do androgens suppress or stimulate the immune system"

It's really not quite correct to say androgens suppress or stimulate the immune system. It is a bit more complicated than that, not surprisingly.

Here is Immunology 101 in a nutshell. The immune system has two "arms of attack": the cell mediated arm and the humoral arm. The cell mediated arm, or cellular immunity, responds to general assaults on the body by sending out immune cells to do things like attack invading organisms, or degrade necrotic tissue, in a non specific manner. By non specific it is meant that the immune cells do not recognize the invader as a specific target with which they are familiar. Inflammation is an example of a cell mediated response. When you get a sliver or strain a muscle the body sends immune cells there to wall off the site, increase blood flow, remove damaged tissue, etc.

Humoral immunity involves B lymphocytes that secrete antibodies that bind to the target and allow immune cells to recognize the target immediately as an invader and launch an attack. When you are vaccinated for something, like smallpox, you are injected with a small inactive piece of the virus. This primes your body to make large numbers of B cell clones that, if ever challenged with smallpox for real, pump out antibodies that mark the virus for destruction by other cells. The big advantage of this system is that it is fast and efficient. The disadvantage is that it is very specific. The cellular response is not as efficient but it works against any invader, not just one for which there already exist primed clonal B cells.

There is an emerging model of how the sex steroids regulate the two arms of the immune system. It is thought that testosterone stimulates the humoral arm and suppresses the cellular arm. This paradigm arose from the study of autoimmune diseases which overwhelmingly plague women more than men. The majority of autoimmune diseases involve a cellular immune system gone wild. Since in men testosterone suppresses cellular immunity, men are much less likely to suffer from these diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis.

So when NFG123 mentioned that androgens are antiinflammatory, this is kind of what it means technically. Some steroids seem to have stronger effects than others. So when people say deca improves joints because it makes you hold water, that is nonsense. It is an antiinflmmatory because it suppresses cell mediated immunity, which controls inflammation. it has nothing to do with water.

Why is deca's reputation as an antiinflammatory better than testosterone's for example? My guess is the minimal aromatization and its progestogenic activity. If you link to the article below and open the graphic, you will see a couple of interesting things.

First, progesterone, like testosterone, stimulates humoral immunity (the TH2 mediated response in the graphic) and suppresses cellular immunity (TH1 response). So progesterone has antiinflammatory action.
Second, estrogen exerts a biphasic effect. At low doses it is proinflammatory, stimulating the TH1 arm of the immune system (cellular immunity) and inflammation.

Deca then works both as an androgen and a progestin to quell inflammation. Testosterone, by virtue of its aromatization to estrogen is an inferior antiinflammatory.

If you want to learn more about sex hormones and immunity, this is a good article to start with

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/conte...y=JsdA5F3s0DHFo

Written by Nandi in 2004.








T helper 1 (TH1) cells secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as promoting cell-mediated immune responses, whereas TH2 cells trigger antibody production (2). Sex hormones (such as progesterone) that promote the development of a TH2 response also happen to antagonize the emergence of TH1 cells. Hence, when progesterone levels are (or the PgR, progesterone receptor) stimulated, you'll have more anti-inflammatory cytokines floating around and less pro-inflammatory cytokines. Aspirin, Tylenol, and all of the over the counter anti-inflammatories are also useful as painkillers. Anti-inflammatory effects are often highly correlated with pain killing activity. What happens when women with arthritis get pregnant? They typically see a reduction in joint pain. This, I contend, is due to the progesterone and estrogen increases seen during pregnancy, and the anti-inflammatory effects they generate.

Progesterone, like testosterone, both stimulates humoral immunity (the TH2) and suppresses cellular immunity (TH1 response). Ergo, progesterone has anti-inflammatory action. Deca is a progestin, meaning it stimulates the progesterone receptor. And that’s why it alleviates joint pains. Remember that old idea that deca promotes "water-retention" in the joints, and that’s why it helps your joints feel better? Bullshit. You just read the real reason deca helps joints. Deca actually works on two fronts as an androgen—which have well-documented effects on corticosteroids—and as a progestin to reduce inflammation.


Written by that rip off merchant Anthony Conners aka Anthony Roberts in 2005.

Just 1 example of hom copying others work and passing it off as his own...

[BG]

Over the years my immune system response has gotten slow. I noticed with acne . It goes away but doesn't heal 100%. I've had to use antibiotics more since using Aas then I had to my whole entire life before .

[Swifto]

Over the years my immune system response has gotten slow. I noticed with acne . It goes away but doesn't heal 100%. I've had to use antibiotics more since using Aas then I had to my whole entire life before .

Thats interesting BG.

I got pneumonia on my first cycle and it nearly killed me when I was 19 years old. Proir to that I have led a fairly healthy life with little colds, viruses, flu etc...

I dont get ill often, infact I dont rememember the last time. But when I get ill, I'm ILL.

[bodybuilder]

So what does one do if they get a cold while on a cycle of test.

[powerws]

Over the years my immune system response has gotten slow. I noticed with acne . It goes away but doesn't heal 100%. I've had to use antibiotics more since using Aas then I had to my whole entire life before .

interesting bg

[HawaiianPride.]

So what does one do if they get a cold while on a cycle of test.

Treat it like you would if you were off cycle. Take a mild deload while on the cycle, proper medications, up your Vitamin C and water intake, ect.

[bodybuilder]

What exactly would a mild deload be HP.

[HawaiianPride.]

Decrease the volume and intensity of your workouts. Excessive use of these two while your "sick" can prolong your sickness.

[bodybuilder]

Thanks hp

[Dog-Slime]

I think I have gotten sick every time I have cycled and rarely get sick off cycle

[V8Assassin]

The term "test flu" comes to mind. I have experienced what I thought was exactly that. About the fourth week of a test e cycle get to feeling really bad. Exactly as if I had the flu, but with no high fever. Never really had an explanation for it other than to say I was obviously altering the natural balance of my body.