Major Risk factors for heart attack: Age, sex (males at higher risk), family history (probably most important), hypertension, diabetes, smoking and dyslipidemia. Let us assume Anthony did nothing else but steroids; forget the GH, insulin, diuretics, etc. First of all, if he had any heart disease and continued steroids he was being foolish. The reason is the steroids are pro-atherogenic and screw people's cholesterol panel up nicely. He would have an increase in triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol). His good cholesterol would go down (HDL). This is undeniable fact. Look up anabolic steroids and their side effects. Moreover, assuming that he was taking non-pharmaceutical grade anabolics (probably vet grade from overseas) that were not prescribed by his family physician, there is a strong possibility that whatever the steroids injection medium may have some pro-inflammatory properties. For you googlers, look up C reactive protein and cardiovascular risk. It is has been proposed that a pro-inflammatory state by itself is a risk for cardiovascular events.
Now, if Anthony used insulin, GH and diuretics there is a very strong possibility that this combination could have put him over the edge. I would surmise he had dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and possibly diabetes (if he abused GH). Together, with his sex and age (near fifty), he was probably a walking time bomb. What is scary is that he is not an isolated incident. I would surmise that less than 10 percent of national level bodybuilders who routinely abuse this stuff get followed by a physician. I can gurantee one thing, a lot of these "Supermen" look like a 75 year old man inside. BB is a scary endeavor if you test the bounds, and don't do it simply for health.
BB's do die from heart attacks for 2 reasons:
1) They are in an "Insulin Dominant" state because of all the food & carbs that they eat. It is being in this state that causes plaque & cholesterol to stick to the arterial wall. Using insulin will obviously exaggerate this.
2) The AAS alter the lipid profile negatively. It causes decreases in HDL cholesterol. THis again leads to narrowing of the arteries.
As far as all the talk about BB being DIABETIC-That is bullshit. BB are nearly immune from diabetes because the enormous exercise keeps the muscle very sensitive to insulin.. Muscle tissue is the largest resiviour of serum glucose. Everybody on this board spouts off about BB being diabetic, but in reality-almost NONE are.
Blood pressure is usually controlled very well because of the nitric oxide that is a by product of muscle contraction, and because of the LARGE diameter of the vessels. But some do have high-blood pressure, not many. STIMULANTS cause high blood pressure. BB take LOTS of stimulants.
HIGH blood pressure is almost ALWAYS caused by one of 3 reasons
1) smoking
2) stimulants
3) lack of resistance training.
In closing, BB are not DIABETIC. But they DO experience clogging of the arteries form the AAS, and being in an insulin dominant state. Almost ALL type 2 adult onset-diabetes milletus is caused by LACK OF RESISTANCE TRAINING.. Name me 1 BB that is actually type 2 diabetic
EVERY type 2 diabetic I have ever spoke to (
Well over 2 thousand at General Nutrition Centers) DO NOT perform resistance training. They dont exercise at all (unless you call walking exercise ?) And you can take that to the bank !! NONE OF them exercise at all !!
There really are none. Don Youngblood ? Maybe. If these guys were becoming diabetic as fast as we all say they are, a good % of them would tell us to prevent it from happening to others.
