breakfast of champions: steroids and the men who use them

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS:STEROIDS AND THE MEN WHO USE THEM

Scott Griffiths

scottgriffiths@gmail.comsgri6476@uni.sydney.edu.au

mobile: 0424 207 654landline: 9036 7266

www.psych.usyd.edu.au/staff/scottg

https://sydney.academia.edu/ScottGriffiths (download our papers for free)

3

Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge Eating Disorder

EDNOS0%

50%

100%

25% 25%40% 40%

Males account for a substantial proportion of eating disorders

#1 Strict dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting and binging among males more than doubled between 1995 and 2005

#2 Extreme dieting and self-induced vomiting increased faster among males than females between 1998 and 2008

Disordered eating among males is on the rise

The other half of the spectrum

“The core psychopathology of eating disorders is an overvaluation of body shape, weight and eating, and their control”

6

Muscle Dysmorphia

0%

50%

100%

90%

Muscle dysmorphia: “Bigorexia” or “reverse anorexia”

7

Muscle dysmorphia: “Bigorexia” or “reverse anorexia”

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120%

5%

10%

15%

Proportion of needle-exchange users whose last injection was steroids

“I’ll do 1 or 2 cycles and then I’m done”

Original Re-release

More muscular men in the media

“I’ll do 1 or 2 cycles and then I’m done” Male characters in video games

“I’ll do 1 or 2 cycles and then I’m done” Advertising at the University of Sydney

Cleverly-named supplements

The theory of threatened masculinity

Bigger, Stronger, Faster34:07

1935

David Keroly isolates testosterone for the first time

1939

Adolf Butenandt and Leopold Ruzicka receive the nobel prize for being the first to synthesise testosterone

1954

Russian weightlifters make use of testosterone (anabolic steroids) for weightlifting championships in Vienna

1962

Larry Scott wins the first Mr Olympia bodybuilding competition

1968

In response to the dissemination of steroids among elite athletes, the IOC bans steroids and begins drug testing

1970s

Steroids become widespread in elite sports

"I still remember his speech, almost verbatim....He said, 'Because you're going to be lifting weights in addition to working out twice a day, you're going to need more protein.' And he said, 'When I was a trainer for the U.S. team in the Olympics, I learned a secret from those Rooskies.' And he held up a bottle of pink pills, and he says, 'This stuff is called Dianabol and it's going to help assimilate protein and you'll be taking it every day.' And, sure enough, it showed up on our training tables in cereal bowls."

Hall of Fame offensive tackle Ron Mix states

1988

US Anti-drug abuse act of 1988 changes steroid distribution from a misdemeanor to a felony

2000s

Steroid scandals periodically invigorate the public and the media

Anadrol, Anatrofin, Andractim, Androderm, Androgel, Cheque drops, Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol, Diandrol, Drive, Durabolin, Dynabol, Equipoise, Equitest, Esiclene, Haoltestin, Hydrotestosterone, Laurabolin, Libiriol, Masteron, Mestanolone, Mehtandriol, Methyl-l-testosterone, Merthylhydroxnandrolone, Metribolone, Miotlan, Myagen, Orabolin, Proviron, Spectriol, Synovex, Testolent, Testosterone buciclate, Testosterone cyclohexylproprionate, Testosterone cypionate, Testerone enanthate, Testosterone propionate, Tesoviron, THG, Trenbolone, Tribolin, Trinabol, Triolandren, Turinabol, Winstrol

Steroidal anabolics

Catapres, Glucaphage, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GH-RH), Human Growrth Hormone (HGH), Insulin (“slin”), Insulin Like Growth Factor, Protropin, Kynoselen, Lutalyse, Rezulin

Non-steroidal anabolics

Albuterol, Clenbuterol, Ephedrine, HELIOS Meridia, Yohimbine, Zaditen

Fat loss agents - stimulants

Cytomel, Synthroid, Triacana

Fat loss agents - thyroid

Clenbuterol – used as a decongestant and bronchodilator for people with breathing disorders Used by bodybuilders for its thermogenic properties

Short term side effects

Short term positive – Shalendar Bhasin (1996)

No exercise Exercise

Placebo Test Placebo Test

43 young men, standardized diets placed in four intervention groups for 10 weeks.

IV1: No exercise / resistance training 3x week.

IV2: Placebo vs 600mg Testosterone Enanthate

Long term side effects

“I’ll do 1 or 2 cycles and then I’m done”

Supposed length of use(6 months)

Actual length of use(66 months)

Weeks

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

12 4TestosteronePost-cycle therapy

Weeks

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Dinabol or Test - propionate

Test - enanthate or cypionate

Post-cycle therapy

124

4

How to inject steroids

The importance of compassionP

erso

nalit

y ra

ting

Appearance rating0

5

5

How do men want to look?

OR

Bigger, Stronger, Faster1:06:41

6

6

6

4

5

3

6

1

6

0

0

Thinness-oriented disordered eating

= 0 + 0 + 0 + 6 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + ? + 2 + 1

= 0.9 average

0

0

0

0

0

?

2

1

Muscularity-oriented disordered eating

= 6 + 6 + 0 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 5 + 0 + 3 + 1 + 6

= 3.8 average

Current assessments miss the mark

#1 What is the average age of first-time steroid users?

a) 14

b) 18

c) 21

d) 25

Steroid users; test your knowledge

#2 What proportion of steroid users play any type of organized sport, including high-school & university sports, & non-traditional sports

a) 10%

b) 35%

c) 65%

d) 95%

#3 How educated is the average steroid user?

a) Dropped out of secondary school

b) Completed secondary school

c) Completed a post-secondary degree (e.g., bachelors)

#4 What proportion of steroid users share needles or multi-use vials?

a) 1%

b) 10%

c) 30%

d) 60%