Tag: Anabolic Doc
The Anabolic Doc Reaction To VICE Video: How Steroids Became More Popular Than Heroin
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Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, reacts to Vice News’ recent video: How Steroids Became More Popular Than Heroin.
When people think about steroid or PED use, it’s often under the umbrella of professional sports. Bodybuilders, football players, even cyclists have all been caught using banned steroid substances in the past. But the truth of the matter is that steroids have grown to become an “everyman” drug. It’s not just athletes. It’s regular folk who use them as well. This was broken down in detail with the release of Vice News’ video – ‘How Steroids Became More Popular Than Heroin.’ But how accurate are the claims made in this video? In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc watches and reacts with his knowledge of all things steroids.
In May 2022, Vice News released a new episode in their series News On Drugs. This particular episode focused on steroid use and how it has become a sort of epidemic across the mass population. Steroids and PEDs are a major topic of discussion in the bodybuilding world. Often times, mainstream media gloss over or misconstrue facts that niche industries – such as bodybuilding – understand in more detail because of how directly steroid use affects the industry.
That’s why there was no better expert than Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, to watch and react to this recent video. The Vice video has made its rounds and gone somewhat viral with hundreds of thousands of views. What can we learn from this video and what is misunderstood? The Anabolic Doc has often bridged the gap between strength sports and the larger medical world when it comes to steroids. So his expertise in this is perfect for a reaction video. Let’s jump into it.
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ABOVE: The Vice News video ‘How Steroids Became More Popular Than Heroin’ that the Anabolic Doc watched and reacted to.
The War On Drugs (Including Steroids)
The first segment of the video discusses the war on drugs and how the current action against steroids in the US is to keep it criminalized and prosecute anyone who buys or sells them not prescribed by a doctor. Much like the larger war on drugs – the Anabolic Doc finds this to be a failed war. Even worse, it prevents effective education and change to help improve our overall health. Long term steroid users are often quietly suffering – even if the substance abuse doesn’t lead to a fatality.
The Anabolic Doc agrees with the core notion of the video. Steroids are no longer just a pro athlete’s drug. It’s common place among regular folk. The doctor estimates that 15-20 million people use steroids in the US alone. This is far above the data stated in the Vice News video – which was sourced from data gathered in 2010.
With that in mind, all effort must be made to prevent steroid use as being supremely illegal and taboo. This current tactic simply makes users hide their drug use, not seek help when they need it, and get their information from flawed or nefarious sources.
The Vice News video also states that a big problem is steroids being lumped in with other “hard drugs” such as heroin. This is a mistake. It makes steroid users feel labeled as “heavy drug users” – which makes them feel like they need to keep it a secret and avoid medical guidance.
The Anabolic Doc believes that decriminalizing steroids is a big first step to helping make for a healthier society. The second step is convincing the larger medical culture that steroids should be treated differently than heroin. More education must be put into who steroid users are – so that the medical community as a whole can better treat users and prevent future abuse.
Bottom line: the overall culture on how steroids and steroid users are seen needs to change. Yes, steroids are harmful to our overall culture and health – but it shouldn’t be demonized. This won’t lead to change. We can reduce abuse through openness and education.
Debunking Steroid Stereotypes
There is a brief segment of the Vice News video that starts discussing concepts such as roid rage, sharing needles, and “penis shrinking.” This part is a bit of a mixed bag, with the professional correcting the interviewer on some misconceptions but also getting some facts wrong herself.
The Anabolic Doc points out that the expert being interviewed is not a medical professional – but instead a criminologist. So he understands why some of this misconceptions might have slipped through. This is why the doctor wanted to spend some time reacting to the video to straighten some stereotypes out.
The Anabolic Doc debunks the concept of ‘roid rage – stating, “If you’re an asshole then you’ll be an asshole on steroids.” He further compares it to the backwards way men may speak about a woman’s period.
Most people in today’s society know it is rude to use a period to invalidate a woman’s mood. This is true for steroid use and the stereotype of ‘roid rage. Yes, steroids vastly change your hormones, just like a period. And yes, it can lead to mood swings. But it’s not intrinsically related to rage. It affects every individual differently.
The Anabolic Doc also debunks the notion that steroid users line up and share needles at gyms. This may have been true decades ago when health information was less available. But in today’s society, most steroid users know how to be safe with clean needles and injections. This ties into lumping steroid users into the larger hard drug narrative. It creates a “demonized” vision of drug use where strung out users are sharing dirty needles and living in squalor. It’s just not true. There’s no data to support it.
Wrap up
Ultimately, the Vice News video brings attention to a core fact about steroids that many people aren’t aware of – that regular folk use these substances very frequently. It’s not longer an athlete drug. The Anabolic Doc commends the video for detailing this fact – and finds it encouraging that it’s catching waves. Changing the public perception of steroid usage is a big step towards changing how it’s handled.
However, the Anabolic Doc finds it important to fact check some of the misconceptions presented in the video. While it does an overall good job, much like science, these details need to be peer reviewed for viewers to be best informed.
You can watch Dr. Thomas O’Connor’s full reaction to the Vice News video in our latest GI Exclusive above.
The Anabolic Doc Explains ‘Injection For An Erection’
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Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, discusses the concept of ‘ejection for an erection’ and the complexity of erectile dysfunction for bodybuilders.
One of the most common steroid stereotypes is that, over time, erections become harder to obtain without continued steroid usage. Combine this with the popular stereotype that all bodybuilders are “roid rage” steroid users – and you have a mainstream audience that believes bodybuilders have a higher chance of sex issues. While this assumption is likely blown out of proportion – it’s true that long term steroid users can have issues due to lack of testosterone. One that The Anabolic doc has discussed with us previously. Enter the concept of ‘injection for an erection.’
The phrase ‘injection for an erection’ is a causal insider way of explaining certain prescribed drugs that can be injected into the body for an instant erection. This is different from traditional drugs like Viagra. Quite literally, it provides an almost instant erection regardless of whether or not you are even remotely turned on. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, The Anabolic Doc explains in detail how ‘injection for an erection’ works. He also details how erectile dysfunction is often much more complicated than people realize.
The biggest misconception, The Anabolic Doc explains, is that ‘injection for an erection’ is often used by bodybuilders and steroid users after they come off drugs. This isn’t the case. In fact, its very often not the case for bodybuilders post-steroids. These sorts of injections are usually prescribed and are a last case option for those who struggle with erectile dysfunction. After other more common drugs like Viagra and also therapy have not been able to provide relief.
The Anabolic Doc explains that people often focus on blood flow when it comes to erections during sex. This is where drugs like Viagra come into play. Some individuals may have a disorder that makes it harder for blood flow to properly pump to the penis when aroused. So drugs like Viagra often help with this fact. This can also help for those who may have slight mental blocks when it comes to sex. For example, those who have anxiety before having sex or perhaps put too much pressure on the act – causing erectile dysfunction.
But there is another component to erections and arousal that is less discussed. This is the direct brain signals going to the penis – telling you to be aroused. As we mentioned a moment ago, some may mentally block themselves from arousal due to anxiety or stress. But if you take it a step further towards clinical depression, or perhaps brain damage, or even nerve damage in the body – this can have big effects on arousal and erections as well.
The Anabolic Doc explains that this is were ‘injection for an erection’ comes into play. This is ultimately not ideal, but is the last resort for those who found no relief via other methods. Some of these injections are even inserted directly into the penis. These drugs, quite literally, provide an instant erection.
So the main point that The Anabolic Doc wants to stress here is that ‘injection for an erection’ is not a widely used tactic by long term steroid users. It’s a misconception to assume that this is purely a bodybuilder technique. It’s phrase and the shocking nature of the drug seem to turn heads – and help the concept go more viral online in certain circles. However, it is a very real and often troubling path that some individuals have to take. Those who are suffering after years of struggling.
You can watch Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, explain ‘injection for an erection’ in complete detail by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
The Anabolic Doc: Bodybuilding Is Not Worth The Steroid Use Required To Succeed
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The Anabolic Doc believes bodybuilding success requires good genetics and steroid use – and advises reassessing your goals away from the sport.
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, has always maintained an empathy and understanding of bodybuilders and strength athletes who use steroids. The doc was “bitten by the bug” himself – as he puts it. He understands that an athlete will always want to do whatever it takes to succeed.
But if he were to give advice to a young aspiring bodybuilder before they become passionate and embedded into the sport. His advice would be to “reassess” their goals and back away from bodybuilding. This is because he believes that steroids are mandatory to succeed in the sport. And he sees the damage to health it causes too severe to ever recommend. In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc explains why he feels bodybuilding is not worth the steroid use that comes with it.
We recently had a very lengthly video conversation with Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc. This conversation has been released in segments over the past few weeks. As always, the doctor provides very empathetic and educated information about drug use in the sport and its long term consequences. So we decided to ask him – what advice would he give to a young aspiring bodybuilder who is interested in going pro?
Many amateur bodybuilders feel the pressure to use steroids to succeed. It’s a slippery slope. If one person is winning on steroids, then others feel the need to use to be on an even playing field. Before you know it – steroid use becomes the norm. This is the world that many amateur bodybuilders are entering. While not literally mandatory, it’s a pressure that can manifest in aspiring athletes.
That’s why The Anabolic Doc, while emphatic to athletes and their passions, would strongly advise that aspiring bodybuilders back away. He whole heartedly believes the steroid use is not worth it. He’s seen the data and he’s worked with enough bodybuilders post-retirement to know the suffering they go through. If a bodybuilder believes that steroid use is necessary to succeed in the sport, the doctor believes that the athlete should simply find another goal completely.
“You have to have great genetics and then you have to do steroids,” the Anabolic Doc states in our interview in regards to competitive bodybuilding. He continues:
“I would advise 100% to reassess your dreams and goals and not to do it [bodybuilding].”
The Anabolic Doc understands that a person, regardless of sport or even goal, will do whatever it takes to succeed if they are passionate about the subject. This is unavoidable. So for those on the fence and not fully embedded into the sport – Dr. O’Connor seems to see this as a way out. Jump ship before you get sucked in and start making sacrifices that can lead to health issues in the long term. As much as the doctor is a strength athlete at heart himself – he knows too much of the data and experiences to ever fully recommend going down that path.
Do you agree with the Anabolic Doc? And do you think that steroids are necessary to succeed in the sport? Watch his full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above – and then decide for yourself!
The Anabolic Doc Answers: What Do Bodybuilding Fans Really Want? Natural Or Enhanced?
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The Anabolic Doc debates with Vlad Yudin: Will fans really abandon pro bodybuilding if strict drug testing were applied to all leagues?
There’s no doubt that natural bodybuilding leagues such as the INBA/PNBA have been growing over the past decade. But the IFBB still holds strong as the most watched and widely seen league in competitive bodybuilding. While they don’t condone drug use – the IFBB differs from natural leagues by not conducting drug tests. This is true of many pro leagues that do not hold the term “natural” in their title. This begs the question – are untested pro leagues more popular because of the drug use? Will fans abandon these leagues if they were to start strict drug testing? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, the Anabolic Doc shares his thoughts on fan reactions to natural bodybuilding.
Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life was a film that dove deep into the world of natural bodybuilding – revealing a collective of passionate athletes and passionate promoters who want to dedicate their love of bodybuilding to fair drug tested competition. This dedication feels more prescient than ever due to the recent too-soon deaths of many competitive bodybuilders in the sport. While nearly all of these deaths have no announced cause at the moment – the conversation about health for athletes has reached an all time high.
That’s why during our conversation with Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, we asked for his opinion on the bodybuilding fanbase as a whole. Namely, do bodybuilding fans want a safer more natural version of bodybuilding? It’s no secret that, while growing, natural leagues still fall behind the IFBB when it comes to mainstream attention. Fans seem to want a safer sport – but not want to sacrifice the mass monster size that has come with PEDs.
The Anabolic Doc thinks that this hypocritical separation comes from a base need in our DNA. Ever since the earliest times of history – humans have been entertained by violent spectacle. The Roman gladiators are used by an example by the Anabolic Doc. Fans separate the men and women from the spectacle – and desperately want to believe that the drug use isn’t the main cause for health issues.
Of course, the Anabolic Doc had dedicated his life to anabolic research. So he knows that continued drug use on a scale seen in pro bodybuilding is definitely dangerous. Despite this, the bar has been set too high in terms of expectations for physiques. It can come at a cost for athletes – but so long as they are willing to take that risk, fans will be enamored with the results.
That being said, the Anabolic Doc also believes that the dislike for natural bodybuilding is overstated. He thinks that the online world has created a loud hateful minority that takes all the spotlight. Perhaps as natural bodybuilding leagues such as the INBA/PNBA continue to grow – we will see a shift in terms of health. But that shift will happen slowly. Perhaps the recent deaths in bodybuilding will be the first chapter in a long book of change.
You can watch the Anabolic Doc’s full comments on natural bodybuilding vs untested bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
The Anabolic Doc Answers: What Defines Actual Steroid Abuse In Bodybuilding?
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Use it, don’t abuse it: Where is the actual line drawn when it comes to steroid abuse in bodybuilding?
Steroid use has been a constant controversial issue in most professional sports – but the spotlight is particularly shined on bodybuilding throughout the decades. While not endorsed by any leagues – it’s widely considered common knowledge that the size of muscle seen in pro bodybuilding is impossible without the use of steroids. It’s also well documented that steroid abuse can lead to serious medical problems in the long term. But where is the line drawn between use and abuse? Is it possible for bodybuilders to use steroids safely? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, the Anabolic Doc attempts to break down the distinction between safe use of steroids and abuse of steroids in bodybuilding.
First thing’s first, recreational use of steroids for athletic enhancement is illegal in the United States and not endorsed by pro bodybuilding leagues. That doesn’t stop athletes from finding ways to use it. For many professional athletes (not just in bodybuilding), there is a choice that needs to be made. Is the athlete willing to take a potential health risk to achieve athletic greatness? If an athlete does indeed choose to go down the path of steroids – is it possible to still gain benefit and be safe? We asked Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, this very question.
There is somewhat a limit on what the Anabolic Doc could say on this topic to avoid danger of losing his medical license. But he was able to touch upon the confusion behind the “use it, don’t abuse it” sentiment with steroid use. We’ve spoke to other experts who claim that bodybuilding steroid use is always abuse in order to achieve the physiques we see on stage. Is this true? Or can some bodybuilders gain benefit from steroids and PEDs safely?
The Anabolic Doc admits that low doses of certain steroids can be safe – but the doses are so low that they would barely help with athletic performance. At least, in the way that bodybuilders and many star athletes aim to achieve. The doctor also admits that the definition of abuse in bodybuilding is very confusion. A big part of that confusion comes from lack of research.
The truth is, as it currently exists right now, there is no clear answer on what is safe and what is not in recreational steroid use. Due to its illegal status in the United States, there have been limited studies on the real effects happening in sports where steroids are used regularly. While the Anabolic Doc cannot advocate for legalizing steroids – he does raise the question. Would legalizing steroids lead to a healthier society? Much like the slow legalization of marijuana, it may actually be better for society’s health to provide safe and legal access to these drugs.
Oregon, for example, has decriminalized all drugs ranging from marijuana all the way to heroine. It’s still in the early stages but it would be interesting to see if this has a negative or positive effect on the health of Oregon residents who use drugs. Theoretically, if steroids were made legal for use in sports, individuals could get safer access to drugs and safer access to medical help. It could actually lead to pro athletes being monitored, preventing serious health issues.
So where is the line drawn under the “use it, don’t abuse it” motto? The sad truth is that there is no line. Each individual is different and there is not enough research to safely prove these kinds of definitions. The Anabolic Doc sees medicine and views on drug use/abuse improving over the decades, however slowly, he is optimistic that these questions will one day have real answers. It will simply take time.
You can watch the Anabolic Doc go into full detail about the definition of steroid abuse in real world practices by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
*DISCLAIMER: Generation Iron does not recommend or condone the use of steroids or other PEDs. The views and opinions expressed in this video are not that of Generation Iron.