
Originally Posted by
Test Monsterone
Thanks for the article.
IMO some of the interesting takeaways:
In another study, Smit et al. investigated the effects of AAS use on left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction prospectively in 31 men that had self-selected to start an AAS cycle [21]. Investigators reported that after a median AAS cycle of 16 weeks, 3D left ventricular ejection fraction declined, ratio of the early to late ventricular filling velocities decreased, 3D left atrial volume increased, and left ventricular mass increased [21]. While these values returned back to baseline after ~8 months of participants stopping their cycle, median dose was supraphysiological at ~904 mg per week during the 16-week cycle; this may be lower than that used by high level enhanced bodybuilders that potentially run longer cycles of 5–20+ consecutive years with few breaks, if any, in between cycles.
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Obesity is frequently associated as a contributing factor of heart disease; however, angiographic and post-mortem studies have demonstrated little or no correlation of total fat mass and coronary atherosclerosis except in those with abdominal obesity [32]. The bodybuilders in this investigation had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.6 ± 2.3 kg/m2. While this BMI categorizes the bodybuilders as obese, these bodybuilders likely did not carry large quantities of fat mass or abdominal adiposity.
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I like that the values returned to normal after 8 months, but let's face it, most of us who have cycled probably took off a lot less than that. When I was still natty I had my heart checked and I had a left ventricle enlargement/thickening that was considered "borderline." I do have high blood pressure, and although it's controlled, I still don't think modern medicine completely neutralizes the negative effects. I'd be curious to see a comparison between natty and enhanced weight lifters.