The 4-Hour Body_ An Uncommon Guide to Ra - Timothy Ferriss [69]
Do I think that athletes should be disqualified if they break the rules of their sport? Most definitely.
But the science shouldn’t be distorted. These are valuable drugs with real applications.
Here is a small sample of well-documented side effects, provided by the National Institutes of Health:
• Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast breathing
• Cold, clammy skin
• Ringing in the ears
• Loss of hearing
• Bloody vomit
• Bright red blood in stools
This list should scare you.
It should scare you because these aren’t side effects of anabolic steroids. These are common side effects of aspirin.
Some drugs are safer than others, but almost anything will kill you at a high enough dose. It’s the dose that makes the poison.
Never forget this, and don’t confuse the effects of moderate use with those of outright abuse.
It’s the difference between a single 8–12-week cycle of low-dose injectable testosterone for surgery, on the one hand, and uncycled megadoses of the oral steroid Anadrol-50® for elite bodybuilding, on the other. It’s the difference between a baby aspirin (75–85 milligrams) and half a bottle of aspirin. It’s the difference between having a glass of wine before bed and drinking bottles until you wake up in the intensive care unit.
Sensationalism is more common than good science, and the two are not the same.
TOOLS AND TRICKS
RXMuscle with John Romano and Dave Palumbo (www.rxmuscle.com) If you have drug questions, don’t ask me. I’m neither a doctor nor an expert. John Romano and Dave Palumbo, on the other hand, have been on the inside of professional bodybuilding and physique enhancement for decades. Both have seen the best and the worst outcomes in athletic chemical warfare. RXMuscle is where you can ask professionals your questions related to AAS and other performance-enhancing drugs (PED).
Bigger, Stronger, Faster DVD (www.fourhourbody.com/bigger) From the producers of Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, this outstanding documentary explores steroid use in the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world: America. The cast of characters ranges from Carl Lewis and MDs to Louis Simmons of Westside Barbell. It has an astounding 96% positive rating on rottentomatoes.com.
Medibolics (www.medibolics.com) This site, published by Michael Mooney, provides a wealth of information on the medical use of anabolic steroids, growth hormone, and unorthodox supplementation for the prevention of lean-tissue loss in persons with muscle-wasting diseases, including HIV.
Anabolics, 9th ed. (www.fourhourbody.com/anabolics) This 800-page book is the #1 bestselling anabolic reference guide worldwide. It features: reviews of nearly 200 pharmaceutical compounds, detailed explanations of the real risks of anabolics, prevention and harm reduction strategies, steroid cycling and stacking sections to take the guesswork out of cycle construction, and approximately 3,000 color photographs of legitimate, counterfeit, and underground drug products.
End of Chapter Notes
29. Munzer added many other drugs that probably contributed to his organ failure and death, including EPO, Cytadren, and diuretics.
ADDING MUSCLE
BUILDING
THE PERFECT
POSTERIOR
(OR LOSING 100+ POUNDS)
I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.
—Madonna
Backs are to lifters what biceps are to bodybuilders.
—Randall J. Strossen PhD, editor of MILO magazine
This chapter will teach both men and women how to build a superhuman posterior chain, which includes all the muscles from the base of your skull to your Achilles tendons.
In the process, it will also teach women how to build the perfect ass and lose dramatic amounts of fat.
For maximum strength and sex appeal in minimal time, the posterior chain is where you should focus.
The Bet
“We have a bet going.”
Tracy Reifkind walked into work that evening expecting a normal shift. But six of her female coworkers had reached critical mass and created a betting pool. Each had