Androstenedione and DHEA
Androstenedione (also known as andro) and dehydroepiandrosterone (also known as DHEA) are prohormones or “natural steroids” that can be broken down into testosterone. When researchers studied these prohormones in adult athletes, DHEA and andro did not increase muscle size, improve strength or enhance performance.
The side effects of these “natural” steroid supplements like DHEA and andro aren’t well known. But experts believe that, when taken in large doses, they cause effects similar to stronger anabolic steroids.
What is known is that andro and DHEA can cause hormone imbalances in people who use them. Both may have the same effects as taking anabolic steroids and may lead to dangerous side effects like testicular cancer, infertility, stroke, and an increased risk of heart disease. As with anabolic steroids, teens who use andro while they are still growing may not reach their full adult height. Natural steroid supplements can also cause breast development and shrinking of testicles in guys.
Effects of Anabolic Steroids
There are many effects of anabolic steroids, both mental and physical:
Mental effects: Steroids can make a person very aggressive, paranoid, impatient and edgy. Regular mood swings can also be a side effect.
Physical effects: Can include headaches, nosebleeds, stomach aches, acne, increased blood pressure and faster heart beat. It has also been reported that the body becomes less flexible, as the tissues retain fluids and muscles tighten up. This can cause more injuries due to tendon problems.
There are different effects for males and females who use steroids over a long period of time. They may include:
Males: Breast development, testicle shrinking, sperm count drop and impotence. Use of anabolic steroids does not increase sex drive in normal men.
Females: May become more masculine looking. Their voice deepens and they grow more hair on their body and face but may also experience male-type balding.
Steroid use may disrupt menstrual cycles and fertility and may cuase birth defects if used during pregnancy. Steroids have left some women unable to have children.
Other effects of anabolic steroids
• Steroid use in adolescence can effect a young person’s growth: they might not reach their full height.
• Long term, regular use can cause irreversible liver damage, liver cancer and hardening of the arteries that may cause a heart attack or a stroke.
• The risk of HIV and other blood born viruses such as Hepatitis C following the unsafe use of injecting equipment.
• In addition to the legitimate anabolic steroid preparations, there are a number of counterfeit anabolic steroids available on the blackmarket, which have few, if any, active ingredients.
What Are Steroids?
What are steroids?
Anabolic Steroids are made from testosterone and assist in the growth and repair of tissue, mainly muscle.
Testosterone is the natural male hormone which is responsible for the primary and secondary sex characteristics such as body hair, deepening of the voice, development of the male sex organs and sex drive. Steroids were originally developed to treat certain medical conditions.
Anabolic steroids have both anabolic and testosterone-type effects.
Why do people take anabolic steroids?
Some athletes believe that anabolic steroids help them to perform better and train for longer by increasing the size and strength of their muscles. It is also believed that steroids make a person feel competitive, confident, enthusiastic as well as increasing a person’s sex drive. Body builders, security guards and adolescents may use steroids for these reasons.
Anabolic steroids are prescribed in small amounts for certain medical conditions such as anaemia, breast cancer and growth problems.
Risk Of Emotional Eating
What Is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating is consuming foods in response to emotions, especially negative emotions, instead of hunger.
These are common signs of emotional eating:
• Obsessing about food
• Using food as a reward
• Binge eating
• Impulsive eating
• Out-of-control consumption
• Inability to stop eating/continuing to eat when full
• Hiding evidence of eating/eating in private
• Feelings of guilt or remorse after eating
• Disconnection from physiological signals of hunger and satiety
• Weight fluctuation
• Inability to recognize the reason for eating
• Eating at a faster rate than normal
Risks Associated with Emotional Eating
Indulging in food can make people feel guilty and disgusted with their eating behavior and thus affect the way they interact socially. We often use mealtimes as a way to socialize, but if we don’t feel comfortable when consuming food, isolation and depression can occur. In addition to emotional and social problems, emotional eating can lead to overweight and obesity, creating or contributing to other psychological problems. Feelings of rejection and insecurity brought about by a weight conscious society can be overwhelming. Not only can emotional eating affect people mentally, but it can also have detrimental effects on health. Many turn to “comfort foods” that are high in fat, salt, and calories. Consuming too many of these foods can lead not only to weight gain but also may lead to many health risks including the following:
• High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and myocardial infarction
• Skeletal and muscular problems
• Increased risk of certain types of cancers
• Respiratory dysfunction
• Diabetes
• Sleeping disorders
Ways To Stop Emotional Eating
Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you’re at your weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort — consciously or unconsciously — when they’re facing a difficult problem or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating — eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and loneliness — can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet, salty and fatty Foods.The good news is that if you’re prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.
The connection between mood and food
Major life events — such as unemployment, health problems and divorce — and daily life hassles — such as a stressful work commute, bad weather and changes in your normal routine — can trigger emotions that lead to overeating. But why do negative emotions lead to overeating?
Some foods may have seemingly addictive qualities. For example, when you eat palatable foods, such as chocolate, your body releases trace amounts of mood- and satisfaction-elevating opiates. That “reward” may reinforce a preference for foods that are most closely associated with specific feelings. Related to this is the simple fact that the pleasure of eating offsets negative emotions. Food can also be a distraction. If you’re worried about an upcoming event or rethinking an earlier conflict,eating comfort foods may distract you. But the distraction is only temporary. While you’re eating, your thoughts focus on the pleasant taste of your comfort food. Unfortunately, when you’re done overeating, your attention returns to your worries, and you may now bear the additional burden of guilt about overeating.
How to regain control of your eating habits
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try these suggestions:
*Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don’t have a rumbling stomach, you’re probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass.
*Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat,when you eat, how you’re feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
*Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
*Don’t keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don’t influence your decisions at the store.
*Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food,such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
*Eat a balanced diet. If you’re not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you’re more likely to feel fuller, longer.
*Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it’s fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you’re making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health.
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