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Dangerous & Deadly Stacks |
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Written by Dan Gwartney, MD
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Wednesday, 11 February 2009 |
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Page 5 of 8
Diuretic use isn’t the only path to self-destruction taken up by bodybuilders. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS)— a class of drugs that’s reasonably safe— still holds risks. In addition to increasing muscle strength and mass, AAS affect other systems and tissues of the body. The heart is a muscle, different but similar to skeletal muscle. The heart is highly dependent on its circulation (blood vessels) to constantly supply oxygen and nutrients necessary for its function. AAS use may affect blood vessel growth in the heart, reducing oxygen and nutrient supply.11 The heart muscle itself may scar in certain AAS-using people and clots may form in the arteries carrying the oxygen-rich blood, leading to a heart attack.12,13
Several bodybuilders have suffered heart attacks and died, including female bodybuilders whose clot risk can be increased if they’re using birth control pills.14-16 Another proposed risk associated with long-term AAS use is an increase in atherosclerosis, or a buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, yet when it occurs in a relatively young man, one has to question whether AAS played a role in accelerating the disease. Mike Matarazzo, a fan favorite who won his pro card in 1991, underwent a triple bypass in 2004 at the age of 38. In an interview with Flex reporter Julian Schmidt, Matarazzo attributed the damage to the escalating drug use he practiced during his 15-year bodybuilding career.17
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Research and Review 
