PEDs - Which ones? What do they do? Does anyone really know?

[Bobshirleyrules]

Sorry to start a new PED thread, but another poster raised a question in another thread that I have been wondering?

What are PED's Look when I was growing up it was those Anabolic Steroids, you know the ones that made the 1976 East German Weightlifting team look like guys with sex changes.

Today, there are a slew of PEDs. But everything is lumped into...well that player cheated he used a PED. But I'm not clear:

Here are some observations, anyone with thoughts (specifically the science chime in).

1. - The media are garbage - no one is talking about what exactly the stuff being used does. For example:

a.) Pettitte claimed used a PED to help heal from Injury. Looks Like A-rod did the same in 2009 (at least that one time). Some are now accusing Ray Lewis who came back from an injury that usually takes a year to heal. - This of course begs the question: Maybe this is an appropriate use. It one thing to try and gain an edge on the field when you are healthy, how about gaining an edge for coming back from an injury.

b.) Does the stuff really affect performance. On its cover, I can make an educated guess that guys like McGuire and Bonds got a lot bigger so their power numbers were helped. Also guys like Giambi, Howard and Pudge - looked like they shrunk once a more concrete testing regime went into play. But then there were A-rod, Clemens and Pettitte - A-rod never looked like he blew up. Clemens also appears to look the same - Pettitte, being the guy who said he used it to come back from injury. Then I think there are some of those guys who came out of no where relatively late in their careers. Brady Anderson who hit 50 HR's and more recently Melky Cabrera.

So there is a bunch of things that you wonder about. Then its the supplements. In cycling those guys obviously don't bulk up, so its a different level of PED. What about all the legal supplements?

I just don't have a handle on what a PED is. I know some guy makes a determination that there are banned substances, then I read, some of those same substances can be purchased at GNC and there is a hot line the players have to figure out which is which. Look if a guy uses a GNC product, that any gym rat could use is that a basis to ban a player from the Hall of Fame consideration?

Look I think the letters PED and HGH have become common place for discern. But what exactly are they, what are players usising. Is it really helping. Or perhaps its main help is not necessarily performance but staying healthy longer.

Let me pose this hypothetical: What if we knew a PED if taken by a healthy player would add nothing to performance, but with an older player would allow them to play better longer...Is that something that should be banned? What if we found that the same PED helps with injury. In otherwords the PED allows the player to get to his a non-injured peak, but not necessarily better than peak?

Look not saying that we should embrace PED's...but I think it wouldn't be such a bad idea to understand them. How they work, what risks they possess.

Bottom line I have read alot about a player taking this and that PED/HGH/Steroid - but I have really have no idea what the PED really is. I seriously doubt the sports so called journalist does either. In journalism its all about the bandwagon story line.

[LeoYankee]

I happen to have extensive experience with this. Here is a lay person quick cheat sheet:

Anabolics are typically for body builders to gain size.

HGH is used for recovery. Size, strength and health are a by product of diminished recovery time between injuries or workouts. Think about it. If you can recover from a tough workout in half the time, then you grow, gain strength, get healthy in half the time, no?

Testosterone is used for energy, muscle building, endurance, etc. As men, our natural testosterone levels diminish rapidly as we go past 18-21 yrs old, so supplementing with testosterone extends our ability in all previously mentioned areas. Hence, play longer, faster, stronger.

HCG - Female hormone. It has a dual purpose. It is used as a masking agent to hide a banned substance after doing a cycle. (see Manny). It is also believed to kick start testosterone production in men.


Hope this helps.

[LeoYankee]

To add to that, obviously these 'labs' or suppliers are always ahead of the curve, so they are always creating new synthetic cocktails, if u will, to customize these drugs for elite athletes.

I'm sure there are several in use that none of us have heard of yet.

[Rylinkus]

Probably worth a quick note corticosteroids are different from anabolics. They tend to be used in the treatments of various inflammatory issues, like arthritis.

[sauronthepower]

Probably worth a quick note corticosteroids are different from anabolics. They tend to be used in the treatments of various inflammatory issues, like arthritis.

Prednisone is a highly popular anti inflammatory especially concerning allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.

Thing is is that though it is not on the same genus per we of anabolics they still give you explosive energy on par with genuine Ephederine.

[Yankees90.]

Just shoot in straight into your ck vain, you'll be alright.

[FatToad]

I happen to have extensive experience with this. Here is a lay person quick cheat sheet:

Anabolics are typically for body builders to gain size.

HGH is used for recovery. Size, strength and health are a by product of diminished recovery time between injuries or workouts. Think about it. If you can recover from a tough workout in half the time, then you grow, gain strength, get healthy in half the time, no?

Testosterone is used for energy, muscle building, endurance, etc. As men, our natural testosterone levels diminish rapidly as we go past 18-21 yrs old, so supplementing with testosterone extends our ability in all previously mentioned areas. Hence, play longer, faster, stronger.

HCG - Female hormone. It has a dual purpose. It is used as a masking agent to hide a banned substance after doing a cycle. (see Manny). It is also believed to kick start testosterone production in men.


Hope this helps.

This... Just a note that none of these are injected into a vein... So either that story was bunk or he is into something else... And it's not performance enhancing.

[Laying Low]

There are so many different types of anabolic steroids (which test isbythe way) and they have different properties. But ultimately how much size and strength you get depends on how you lift and eat. You can bulk up, lean out, etc.

Also, HGH is used with an anabolic steroid. It is not one.

[sauronthepower]

I'm wonderring if he was injecting himself with a masking agent to elude the tests especially given that HGH is a blood related test.

[Yankees90.]

Let me use this as an example:

If somebody who wants to be a corrections officer, for $18/hr, absolutely HAS to take a hair follicle test, which can date back 3-6 months, why the fk is it okay for someone to be making $20-$30 million and have it made out to be a big deal, until now, to take a blood test? As far as I know with the follicle, especially if a solid amount enters the blood stream, anything can be detected. Now, I may be wrong about that, but what the hell gives? Why should these stars, who for the most part are guaranteed a job and millions, be treated differently from the guy busting his azz for pocket change compared to these guys?

Some people really have things backwards I'll tell ya.

[CanadianYankee]

There is a ton of information and misinformation out there regarding performance enhancers. I am not sure if I am breaking any rules here by posting this but if you want some good info, Joe Rogan has a podcast...one of his guests was Victor Conte (Balco). In that 2 and a half hour interview and discussion there is a lot of good information. you can search for it on Youtube.

[WhiteSSP]

Let me use this as an example:

If somebody who wants to be a corrections officer, for $18/hr, absolutely HAS to take a hair follicle test, which can date back 3-6 months, why the fk is it okay for someone to be making $20-$30 million and have it made out to be a big deal, until now, to take a blood test? As far as I know with the follicle, especially if a solid amount enters the blood stream, anything can be detected. Now, I may be wrong about that, but what the hell gives? Why should these stars, who for the most part are guaranteed a job and millions, be treated differently from the guy busting his azz for pocket change compared to these guys?

Some people really have things backwards I'll tell ya.

Because a corrections officer is a public servant that has to be trustworthy in the eyes of the public in order to do his/her job effectively.

A professional athlete has no such obligation.

Either way, testosterone and HGH arent going to show up on a hair follicle test, as they're both naturally secreted in human beings. The only way to test for it is a blood test, and even then after you stop using for a while your levels drop back down to normal.

[Pinstripe power]

babe ruths were hot dogs and beer

[sauronthepower]

babe ruths were hot dogs and beer

Triple H used Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts and Lettuce.....

[Abe Froman]

Correct... HGH is NORMALLY injected in the lower stomach region.