Drugs Are No Substitute for Proper Training, Nutrition, and Supplementation
Obviously, anabolic steroids, and other performance enhancing drugs, if used in conjunction with proper training and dietary methods, can give superior results, but all to often, they are used simply as a shortcut.
Unlike some, I don’t have an ethical problem with an athlete using performance-enhancing drugs if it will give him an edge, especially since these days the line between supplement and drug is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish. The problem is that there are risks anytime you start messing with the endocrine system and many athletes start using drugs without ever taking the time to learn about proper training methods or diet.
If an athlete has spent years employing sound training methods and still can’t reach his goals, then it’s up to him to decide if the benefits of steroid use outweigh the risks. However, if more athletes took the time to learn proper training and dietary strategies, fewer would risk using drugs.
Who Wants Boobs?
Despite the anti-steroid propaganda, most people will not suddenly drop dead from using steroids, and in certain instances there may even be health benefits associated with their use; however there are legitimate risks that one should be aware of, which include:
Testicular atrophy
Hair loss
Acne
Prostate enlargement
Gynecomastia (‘bitch tits’)
Increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers
Although more difficult to document, there are also emotional and psychological effects such as the much publicized “roid rage”. I knew one fighter who after only a 2-week cycle of steroids had his testosterone/estrogen ratios so out of balance that he was given to crying fits, and suicidal depression.
Steroids are testosterone analogs, and taking them raises one’s T levels unnaturally high, increasing protein synthesis, reducing recovery time, and effecting mood. In short, making it possible to make gains, even with poor nutrition and improper training.
Drug Free Gains
For the natural athlete, adherence to proper training and dietary protocol must be stricter, especially for those in the genetically average category (most of us). One of the most important things is proper training, avoiding overtraining at all costs. Overtraining reduces testosterone levels, and raises cortisol (a catabolic stress hormone) levels, sapping energy, cannibalizing muscle and increasing risk of injury. In previous articles I’ve gone into detail covering proper training methods.
Also of great importance is a proper diet. A surprising number of athletes don’t have the faintest idea about proper eating habits or nutrition. I’m often critical of bodybuilders training methods, but diet is one area where the athlete could learn something from them. No single diet will work for everyone and there are several ways to manipulate caloric intake and macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates and lipids) levels for various goals, but here I’ll just outline some basic, easy to follow principles that should work for most people.
Eat several smaller meals, 4 to 6, spread evenly throughout the day. Divide your plate into thirds, each third being about the size of your fist. 1/3 should be lean animal protein, 1/3 starch (avoid grains) and 1/3 green vegetables. Immediately after a workout, drink a high-quality protein/carb drink, approximately 2:1 ratio, carbs to protein.
It’s also worth noting that studies have shown that vegetarian men have lower testosterone levels than meat eaters.
Antioxidant Cocktails
One of the questions I’m most often asked is: “What’s the best supplement to take?” Surprisingly to many, answer is not creatine, protein drinks, pro-hormones, or some exotic herb, but instead a good vitamin/mineral supplement.
Athletes in training generally use 12-20 times more oxygen than people with sedentary lifestyles. This extra use of oxygen increases free radical production (unstable molecules produced by metabolism) and oxidative damage; therefore exercising without nutritional protection is blatantly unhealthy. Increasing the body's protective reserve of nutrient antioxidants, by supplementation, minimizes the destruction of cellular membranes, reduces muscular damage during intense training, and facilitates recovery. Space doesn’t permit listing all the benefits of vitamins and other antioxidants but a few points of special interest to athletes should be noted:
Vitamin C taken in amounts of greater than 500 mg lowers cortisol levels.
Vitamin E supplementation returns free radical levels to normal in six hours following strenuous exercise. Without supplementation, free radical levels remain elevated even a full 24 hours after exercise.
Although most studies have been done on the effects of a single nutrient, because antioxidants work synergistically, one needs to take a full-spectrum of antioxidants including: beta-carotene, vitamin-e, vitamin-c, selenium, alpha lipoic acid, and several others to get full protection. Simply taking large doses of a single antioxidant like vitamin C or vitamin E is not particularly effective, and could potentially do more harm than good.
Get Enough Sleep
Important, but often neglected, is recovery. Gains are not made in the gym, but at home while asleep. I once told a girl that I ate six meals a day and felt best if I got 8-10 hours of sleep per night. She said that I was just like a baby, which in a way is fairly accurate. Babies are growing at an incredible rate, so it makes sense that they need a constant influx of food, and lots and lots of sleep. In fact, Growth Hormone (GH) levels are at their highest during deep sleep. Not surprisingly, as sleep quality and quantity is reduced, levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol increase, while levels of GH declines. GH deficiency is related to reduced muscle mass and strength, increased fat tissue, a weakened immune system and other health declines.
For optimum recovery ability and therefore consistent gains, 8-10 hours of quality sleep per night, and one or two 1-hour naps daily (especially after training) are highly recommended. I know, this is often impractical and the reality is that with our modern, fast-paced lives, there are very few of us that can actually put this into practice. Even so, most of us could get more sleep than we do by rearranging our priorities: less TV and late-night socializing.
In this regard, melatonin is a useful supplement, both as a sleep aid and hormonal regulator. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland of the brain and controls and influences hormones (including testosterone) along a hormonal cascade of which it sits atop. Our own production of melatonin is highest in childhood and declines sharply as we age. By the age of 30, melatonin production is 40% lower than it was in the mid twenties. Dr. Michael Colgan, a leader in anti-aging research, believes that by supplementing with 1-3 (depending on age and bodyweight) grams of melatonin can help maintain and restore melatonin and the other hormones it regulates, to normal youthful levels.
Besides restoring and maintaining hormonal levels, melatonin is a powerful brain antioxidant that inhibits aging of the brain by neutralizing free radicals. For best results, melatonin should be taken before bed.
Maintain Hormone Levels
Though impossible to match the supernormal levels attainable with steroid use, it is possible to elevate your testosterone levels to top of the high normal range. For those over 35, 25-50 mg of DHEA taken 5 days a week in the morning, may also help keep testosterone at youthful levels. This doesn’t mean that popping 100-400 mg will give your better results, the effective range is very narrow and too much can be harmful in the long term. Because DHEA is an adrenal hormone, lower on the cascade than melatonin, Dr Colgan believes that one should only supplement with DHEA in conjunction with melatonin.
Although marketed as an “anabolic mineral support” supplement ZMA (zinc magnesium aspartate), because it tends to cause drowsiness, is also useful as a natural sleep aid. There is also some support for its anabolic claims. Many athletes are deficient in both magnesium and zinc, and according to the manufacturers, “an independent ZMA study was recently conducted on competitive NCAA football players at Western Washington University. The results show that, in eight weeks, the ZMA group increased free and total testosterone levels by 30%, while the placebo group showed a decrease of 10%.” ZMA is best taken on an empty stomach a half an hour before bed.
Calcium is not just for bones: Although the connection between zinc and testosterone has been well known for some time, it appears that there is a connection between calcium intake and testosterone. Many researchers have found that athletes in high-volume, high-intensity training have an evident decrease in steroid hormones and a serious amount of bone loss.
A recent study of a Division 1-A men’s basketball team found that after a year of training and competition, there was a marked loss of bone and a negligible gain in muscle. The following year the players were given between 1,600-2,400 mg of calcium per day (based on the previous year’s bone loss). Not surprisingly, over the year they steadily gained bone mass. And at the end of the season they had also gained an average of 4.5 pounds of muscle. Dr. Michael Colgan recommends between 1,000-2,000 mg of calcium (depending on several factors) for athletes per day.
Good nutrition isn’t as simple as taking calcium and ZMA, nutrients are made to work synergistically and a deficiency in any one can negate the benefits of others. As I wrote above, a high quality, full-spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement is needed for best results.
Stay Well Hydrated
The human body is about 70% water and virtually every metabolic function requires water. However it seems that many MMA fighters almost seem almost to think it a measure of their toughness to see how little water they can get by with. This may come from their high school and college days as wrestlers always trying to make weight. But we are not Bedouin, water is abundant for most of us and to unnecessarily deprive ourselves of it is a mistake. With regards to muscle gain, it’s a fact that by maintaining normal muscle cell hydration with ample fluid consumption, an individual can easily prevent a great deal of protein breakdown. Drink enough purified or filtered water daily that your urine is virtually colorless and odorless.
The bad guys: Be aware that many non-prescription medications and recreational drugs can have negative effects on testosterone levels and should be avoided. I’m often surprised at how many athletes follow a hard training session with a cold beer. Alcohol consumption causes an immediate drop in testosterone levels and even 10-16 hours following consumption can still be depressed. It’s no surprise that alcoholics have chronically reduced testosterone levels.
Other drugs that suppress testosterone levels are:
Marijuana
Aspirin
Codeine
What to Expect
What I’ve outlined are only a few of the strategies that the natural athlete can use. A lot of them seem like plain common sense, but I’m often astonished by how often these simple things are neglected. Not one, or even the combination of these strategies will have the immediate, profound effects off steroids. But if followed diligently, over time they will bring about considerable gains, perhaps even greater than you thought possible.
References:
King I, How to Write Strength Training Programs: A Practical Guide, Toowong, Qld, KSI, 1999
Fleck S. & Kraemer W., Designing Resistance Training Programs Second Edition, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1997
Colgan M, Sports Nutrition Guide, Minerals & Vitamins for Athletes, Vancouver BC, Apple Publishing Company, Ltd., 2002
Colgan M, Antioxidants, The Real Story, Vancouver BC, Apple Publishing Company, Ltd., 1999
Colgan M, Hormonal Health, Vancouver BC, Apple Publishing Company, Ltd., 1996
Berardi J, The Big T – Part-2, How your lifestyle influences your Testosterone levels, Testosterone Magazine, 09/00
About the author: Mark Ginther has over 20 years experience in sports, martial arts, and strength training. He has worked with numerous athletes including Michael Hawkins (formerly of the Boston Celtics), as well as several pro and amateur boxers. In 1999 he became the Strength & Conditioning Coach for AMC Kickboxing & Pankration.
He's recently returned from 6 years in Tokyo, where he was highly respected in both the fitness and martial arts industries. He trained K-1 Champion Nicholas Pettas for his comeback, and has written for, or been featured in several of the industry’s top publications. His monthly strength & conditioning column has appeared in Full Contact Fighter for 4 years, and ran for 2 years in IRONMAN Japan. He was featured in a cover story in Tokyo city magazine, Metropolis, and interviewed for the Japanese bodybuilding magazine, BODYPOWER. His fitness column ran in Tokyo’s Player for 6 months.
