akn
Musclechemistry Member
by Mike Arnold
“It won’t happen to me” is all too often the rational used to justify our poor decisions in the face of drug use. While some of us may have greater insight into the health risks associated with these drugs than others, we are all aware to some degree of the potential negative impact they can have on the body. Some individuals choose to err on the side of caution by implementing preventative measures, while others choose to ignore these warnings altogether; instead opting to pretend that these risks don’t exist. In many cases, these same individuals further justify their lack of health maintenance by decrying the risks as over-exaggerated.
Often times this “throw caution to the wind” approach does not appear to result in any serious consequences, but not all have been so lucky. Willful ignorance might be bliss, but it will not save someone from excessive blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and in some cases, a heart attack or stroke. These are just a few of the many risks associated with the use of anabolic steroids, but fortunately, these health risks can be minimized through intelligent supplementation. However, one must take action. Unless you possess some type of supernatural healing ability, wishing good health upon one’s self won’t do you much good.
Rarely do my articles focus on the promotion of a specific product, but in this case it is justified, especially in a day and age when BB’rs routinely treat themselves to a smorgasbord of performance enhancing drugs. One trend in particular that has me concerned is the decline in cardiovascular health we have witnessed in this generation of BB’rs. Nothing is more important than the heart, guys. Screw that up and you’re either dead or left with serious cardiovascular impairment. Neither are good, but both can be avoided. Advanced Cycle Support contains several ingredients designed to minimize cardiovascular risk, such as hawthorne berry, celery seed extract, co-enzyme Q10, and grape seed extract. Let’s begin with Hawthorne.
With multiple studies demonstrating its effectives and showing a strong safety profile, Hawthorne has become a staple drug in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions in numerous countries throughout the world. Enjoying widespread popularity in Europe, hawthorne has been found useful in treating elevated blood pressure, congestive heart failure , and cardiac arrhythmia. Animal studies indicate it is also useful for lowering cholesterol, thereby providing additional cardioprotective effects for the steroid user. As a final consideration, hawthorne has evinced significant free-radical-scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and gastroprotective abilities.
Co-enzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance involved in energy production and is found in every cell in the body. It has been associated with literally dozens of potential health applications, although many of these still require additional research before any official conclusions can be drawn. However, its positive impact on blood pressure is directly applicable to steroid users. When used in combination with compounds such as hawthorne there is an additive effect, allowing many individuals to maintain adequate BP even when utilizing normally problematic steroids.
As a onetime waste product of the grape juice and wine industry, the grape seed was not immediately recognized as the health promoting powerhouse it truly is. However, as the purported health benefits of this seed continued to mount, the medical community took an interest in its potential applications. Within a short time science had confirmed its health benefits; attributing them to specific compounds within the seeds.
Loaded with polyphenols and proathocyanidins, this seed displays potent anti-oxidant activity, being 20-50X stronger than the commonly used Vitamin C. Also of note is its ability to lower cholesterol levels while simultaneously improving the HDL to LDL balance. This is particularly relevant to steroid users, as AAS in general have negative effects on the cholesterol profile. Grape seed extract has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, rounding out its already impressive cardioprotective resume. Lastly, grape seed possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which may help mitigate certain types of AAS induced inflammation, in addition to its general anti-inflammatory effect.
Traditionally, Celery seed has been used in ancient Ayurvedic and Eastern cultures for millennia to treat a variety of common illnesses and ailments, such as the flu, water retention, different types of arthritis, poor digestion, and diseases related to the liver and spleen. It appears that their observations were not too far off, as celery seed does indeed contain biologically active compounds which are effective in treating several of those conditions. In fact, they were so close in their assessment of its therapeutic benefits that scientists today have confirmed its ability to reduce blood pressure, improve liver function, balance the lipids, promote a diuretic effect, reduce inflammation, act as an anti-carcinogen, and even reduce joint pain. This is really quite amazing, especially when one realizes that these cultures did not have access to the type of technology required to confirm the seed’s medicinal properties. For the reasons stated above, it’s inclusion in the Advanced Cycle Support formula was an easy decision.
One most common side effects associated with steroid use is its affect on the prostate, yet only a small percentage of steroid users take this into consideration when devising their support plan. Since this side effect is not visible to the naked eye, it is rarely investigated or treated prior to the manifestation of physical symptoms. This is something that takes years…even decades to develop, so by the time symptoms become outwardly apparent, you can be certain that this condition has been in progress for quite some time. By taking action early, one can greatly decrease their rate of prostate growth, thereby minimizing the potential of acquiring prostate problems later in life. Of course, if you don’t care about the potential pain & discomfort that comes along with his condition, then by all means, ignore it until it is too late.
Saw palmetto has a long history of use for treating urinary –prostate issues, with the earliest references dating all the way to the Egyptians in the 15th century BC. By about the 1700th century AD, Native Americans were using saw palmetto specifically for prostate enlargement. Today, it is regularly employed by medical practitioners all across Europe and the U.S for its ability to effectively treat benign prostatic hypertrophy. This drug-like compound works by reducing receptor binding of DHT at the prostate, which is a direct result of inhibition of both type 1 & 2-alpha-reductase enzymes. With the goal of Advanced Cycle Support being complete protection, saw palmetto was added at clinically proven dosages.
A derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) has been extensively studied as a hepatoprotective agent with positive results. Recent research has demonstrated its ability to reduce liver enzymes, slow cell apoptosis (cell death), and prevent liver damage from drugs/toxins. Furthermore, NAC has been shown to reduce the risk of heart & stroke by lowering blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. An independent risk factor for heart disease , elevated levels of this amino acid have been shown to damage to the arteries, causing atherosclerosis and the formation of blood clots. The last thing a steroid user needs is raise his risk of heart attack and/or stroke even further, so any compound that helps remove this risk factor by modulating homocysteine levels safely and effectively is a win-win in my book.
Lastly, we come to Milk thistle. Although most associate Mike Thistle with the liver, science has attributed a vast number of possible health benefits to the use of this herb, which should be acknowledged in order to gain a full appreciation for what this plant actually does. In addition to the various liver disorders, such as damage caused by chemicals (steroids, alcohol, acetaminophen, chemotherapy, etc), it has also been proven effective in treating Amanita phalloides mushroom poisoning, jaundice, chronic inflammatory liver disease, cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis. It has also shown promise in treating diabetes, cancer, and in improving the cholesterol profile. A well-rounded herbal remedy, no doubt.
“It won’t happen to me” is all too often the rational used to justify our poor decisions in the face of drug use. While some of us may have greater insight into the health risks associated with these drugs than others, we are all aware to some degree of the potential negative impact they can have on the body. Some individuals choose to err on the side of caution by implementing preventative measures, while others choose to ignore these warnings altogether; instead opting to pretend that these risks don’t exist. In many cases, these same individuals further justify their lack of health maintenance by decrying the risks as over-exaggerated.
Often times this “throw caution to the wind” approach does not appear to result in any serious consequences, but not all have been so lucky. Willful ignorance might be bliss, but it will not save someone from excessive blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and in some cases, a heart attack or stroke. These are just a few of the many risks associated with the use of anabolic steroids, but fortunately, these health risks can be minimized through intelligent supplementation. However, one must take action. Unless you possess some type of supernatural healing ability, wishing good health upon one’s self won’t do you much good.
Rarely do my articles focus on the promotion of a specific product, but in this case it is justified, especially in a day and age when BB’rs routinely treat themselves to a smorgasbord of performance enhancing drugs. One trend in particular that has me concerned is the decline in cardiovascular health we have witnessed in this generation of BB’rs. Nothing is more important than the heart, guys. Screw that up and you’re either dead or left with serious cardiovascular impairment. Neither are good, but both can be avoided. Advanced Cycle Support contains several ingredients designed to minimize cardiovascular risk, such as hawthorne berry, celery seed extract, co-enzyme Q10, and grape seed extract. Let’s begin with Hawthorne.
With multiple studies demonstrating its effectives and showing a strong safety profile, Hawthorne has become a staple drug in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions in numerous countries throughout the world. Enjoying widespread popularity in Europe, hawthorne has been found useful in treating elevated blood pressure, congestive heart failure , and cardiac arrhythmia. Animal studies indicate it is also useful for lowering cholesterol, thereby providing additional cardioprotective effects for the steroid user. As a final consideration, hawthorne has evinced significant free-radical-scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and gastroprotective abilities.
Co-enzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance involved in energy production and is found in every cell in the body. It has been associated with literally dozens of potential health applications, although many of these still require additional research before any official conclusions can be drawn. However, its positive impact on blood pressure is directly applicable to steroid users. When used in combination with compounds such as hawthorne there is an additive effect, allowing many individuals to maintain adequate BP even when utilizing normally problematic steroids.
As a onetime waste product of the grape juice and wine industry, the grape seed was not immediately recognized as the health promoting powerhouse it truly is. However, as the purported health benefits of this seed continued to mount, the medical community took an interest in its potential applications. Within a short time science had confirmed its health benefits; attributing them to specific compounds within the seeds.
Loaded with polyphenols and proathocyanidins, this seed displays potent anti-oxidant activity, being 20-50X stronger than the commonly used Vitamin C. Also of note is its ability to lower cholesterol levels while simultaneously improving the HDL to LDL balance. This is particularly relevant to steroid users, as AAS in general have negative effects on the cholesterol profile. Grape seed extract has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, rounding out its already impressive cardioprotective resume. Lastly, grape seed possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which may help mitigate certain types of AAS induced inflammation, in addition to its general anti-inflammatory effect.
Traditionally, Celery seed has been used in ancient Ayurvedic and Eastern cultures for millennia to treat a variety of common illnesses and ailments, such as the flu, water retention, different types of arthritis, poor digestion, and diseases related to the liver and spleen. It appears that their observations were not too far off, as celery seed does indeed contain biologically active compounds which are effective in treating several of those conditions. In fact, they were so close in their assessment of its therapeutic benefits that scientists today have confirmed its ability to reduce blood pressure, improve liver function, balance the lipids, promote a diuretic effect, reduce inflammation, act as an anti-carcinogen, and even reduce joint pain. This is really quite amazing, especially when one realizes that these cultures did not have access to the type of technology required to confirm the seed’s medicinal properties. For the reasons stated above, it’s inclusion in the Advanced Cycle Support formula was an easy decision.
One most common side effects associated with steroid use is its affect on the prostate, yet only a small percentage of steroid users take this into consideration when devising their support plan. Since this side effect is not visible to the naked eye, it is rarely investigated or treated prior to the manifestation of physical symptoms. This is something that takes years…even decades to develop, so by the time symptoms become outwardly apparent, you can be certain that this condition has been in progress for quite some time. By taking action early, one can greatly decrease their rate of prostate growth, thereby minimizing the potential of acquiring prostate problems later in life. Of course, if you don’t care about the potential pain & discomfort that comes along with his condition, then by all means, ignore it until it is too late.
Saw palmetto has a long history of use for treating urinary –prostate issues, with the earliest references dating all the way to the Egyptians in the 15th century BC. By about the 1700th century AD, Native Americans were using saw palmetto specifically for prostate enlargement. Today, it is regularly employed by medical practitioners all across Europe and the U.S for its ability to effectively treat benign prostatic hypertrophy. This drug-like compound works by reducing receptor binding of DHT at the prostate, which is a direct result of inhibition of both type 1 & 2-alpha-reductase enzymes. With the goal of Advanced Cycle Support being complete protection, saw palmetto was added at clinically proven dosages.
A derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) has been extensively studied as a hepatoprotective agent with positive results. Recent research has demonstrated its ability to reduce liver enzymes, slow cell apoptosis (cell death), and prevent liver damage from drugs/toxins. Furthermore, NAC has been shown to reduce the risk of heart & stroke by lowering blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. An independent risk factor for heart disease , elevated levels of this amino acid have been shown to damage to the arteries, causing atherosclerosis and the formation of blood clots. The last thing a steroid user needs is raise his risk of heart attack and/or stroke even further, so any compound that helps remove this risk factor by modulating homocysteine levels safely and effectively is a win-win in my book.
Lastly, we come to Milk thistle. Although most associate Mike Thistle with the liver, science has attributed a vast number of possible health benefits to the use of this herb, which should be acknowledged in order to gain a full appreciation for what this plant actually does. In addition to the various liver disorders, such as damage caused by chemicals (steroids, alcohol, acetaminophen, chemotherapy, etc), it has also been proven effective in treating Amanita phalloides mushroom poisoning, jaundice, chronic inflammatory liver disease, cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis. It has also shown promise in treating diabetes, cancer, and in improving the cholesterol profile. A well-rounded herbal remedy, no doubt.
