Lowering your blood pressure, "naturally" while on cycle...By Body2see
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Of all the under-discussed topics among atheletes taking AAS, high blood pressure, also known as "HYPERTENSION", is one of the most underrated problems that exists in conjunction with use. As of 2005, almost 1 in 3 adults experiences high blood pressure alone, this without throwing the use of anabolic steroids into the mix... High blood pressure is responsible for strokes, or TIA's (mini-strokes) in average healthy individuals.
Type "A" personalities...(that's us--bodybuilders) are impatient, competitive, driven, aggressive, and more often angrier NATURALLY, let alone on cycle. As a result, this personality type is more prone to hypertension and Heart Disease.
How do I know if I have high blood pressure on cycle??
Most likely your pressure is higher than normal. Most steroids, especially orals are responsible for inducing high blood pressure in individuals. If you are hypersensitive to high BP or have a family history of high BP, then you are already at risk for developing high BP on cycle. Certain steroids pose greater risk for high blood pressure, specifically orals such as dbol, winstrol, anadrol. While injectables such as test are safer, they too can pose risk for high BP.
How do I read my blood pressure, and what do the numbers mean??
The norm for blood pressure is 120/80. The "120" refers to "SYSTOLIC" pressure. This is the actual pressure of your heart beating.
The "80" refers to "DIASTOLIC" pressure. This is the pressure of your heart and valves filling with blood.
Generally any reading of +10 or -10 is accepted as the norm. So this means that if you are testing 110/70 through 130/90...you are considered in the norm, though any spectrum at the 130/90 would put you at risk for "pre-hypertension"...which simply means that your system is regularly pumping out too much pressure. Remember the old saying, "Pressure busts pipes"...this holds true for your body as well....too much pressure for too long a period will only result in damage to your heart, valves and vessels.
How do I reduce my Blood Pressure, I'm on cycle with High Blood Pressure??
Reduce your water weight, reduce your fat weight, especially around the middle (abdomen fat)...you can do this by eating cleaner calories, or dropping water weight with anti-estrogens.
Stress- Eliminate or MANAGE as much stress as you can while on cycle. Stress in the body induces the release of stress hormones into the body...As it is, you are more susceptible to stress, due to lowered patience, and increased aggressiveness that is common while on cycle. Deep breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation are all proven ways to effectively manage stress, there is no reason that these will not work for you as well, when on cycle.
Cardio training- While on gear, you are likely to be able to keep more muscle mass without risking catabolizing natural muscle, when not on gear. Your body is in a positive state of nitrogen, not to mention that more than likely you have higher counts of red blood cells in your system, which are going to allow you to produce more effective and efficient cardiovascular workouts. Throw in some cardiovascular training, a healthy heart produces and helps regulate healthy blood pressure levels.
Reduce or eliminate sodium intake. This is a must for any bodybuilder. If you are on cycle, you already are at risk for EDEMA, or water retention sparked by the kidneys. The last thing you need is additional sodium. It is optimal to cut salt out completely, and replace any minimal consumption with sea salt.
<>TO DO THIS< CUT OUT THE FOLLOWING FOODS< ON AND OFF CYCLE<>
bouillon, cheese, crackers, cured or processed meats: (bacon, bologna, corned beef, ham, hot dogs, salami,) Ethnic foods: (Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Mexican,) frozen TV dinners, goldfish, pickles, popcorn, potato chips, pretzels, salad dressings, salted nuts, & soy sauce.
Alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, recreational drugs should be avoided at all costs while on cycle. Not only are you taxing your liver, you are effecting your Blood Pressure significantly if you are using these products while on cycle. If you must use any one of these products, do so in MODERATION.
Natural Supplements to reduce blood pressure
-Dandelion Leaf- ( a natural diuretic )-lycopene (found in tomatoes, helps lower cholesterol levels)
-INCREASE POTASSIUM (either with potassium pills, or bananas, and other fruits.
-Olive Leaf Extract (lowers blood pressure)
-Hawthorne Extract (keeps blood vessels elastic and flexible)
Add in garlic and celery naturally, or in supplement form.
Add in OMEGA-3 fatty acids, OLIVE OIL, or CANOLA OIL...
Other Possibilities: N02 products...arginine is claimed to have natural ability in allowing more blood flow through the capillaries, valves, veins, etc..this also would in theory assist in lowering blood pressure.
There are several natural compilations of these HERBAL AND NATURAL ingredients as well as several others OTC in nutrition stores. TWINLAB actually carries a product labeled for lowering blood pressure naturally, this would be a favorable format to lower blood pressure while on cycle.
Prescription Medications:
This is a least favorable form of combating high blood pressure while on cycle. Though these medications are designed and work excellent in reducing hypertension, they should be considered at last resort, or only in those individuals with extremely high blood pressure on cycle. This is because such medications drastically reduce blood pressure in 30-45 mins. The steep increase in blood pressure on injection/consumption days, in comparison with the steep decreases in blood pressure when medication is taken is a dangerous game of "see-saw" that one should not play, unless advised to do so by a medical professional. One such successful medication, INDERAL, is a beta-blocker which has shown to be safe and effective in individuals with mild-to-high blood pressure. Certain medications in comparison to herbal controlling of blood pressure can cause dizziness, diarrhea, constipation, impotence (temporary), headache, dangerous drops in blood pressure. Such medications should never be started OR stopped without the use of a medical professional.
Symptoms of high blood pressure:
Headache, constipation, numbness/tingling in extremities, shortness of breath, sweating, palpiations,etc....
Long term problems associated with High blood pressure:
Strokes, burst vessels, impotence (permanent), numbness and tingling in extremities, migraine disorders, heart disease, heart attack.
CONCLUSION...
Since on cycle, the typical athlete is at higher risk for high blood pressure, it is important that he/she take all required steps in order to maintain healthy levels while using AAS. It should be attempted to maintain the high end of the spectrum 130/90 if possible on gear. If your blood pressure is uncontrollable, than you are putting yourself at risk for the aforementioned problems..it is not worth it. Reductions in your dosages, or adjustments of the actual gear, "may" be necessary. Remember, each person responds differently to each product, no two reactions will be the same. Now that you know this, keep an eye on your BP AND cholesterol levels, these are highly important factors that are often disregarded. Train SAFELY and Train SMART. Remember here at MC...you must train the MIND to train the body. Taking care of your health is the first step.
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-Body2See-
