Pushtoday
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
When was the last time you went for a health check? If you can’t remember, it’s probably an indication that you need to book yourself an appointment with your doctor, because as a powerlifter, there are a number of medical checks you should have completed regularly. While resistance training offers a range of health benefits, it can increase your risk of certain medical problems, particularly if you have used anabolic steroids or protein powders. Here we take a look at five of the tests you should consider taking to allow problems with your health to be detected early and, if needed, treatment commenced to maintain your future well-being and your ability to continue with powerlifting.
Blood pressure
Although regular exercise – including resistance training - is known to lead to lower blood pressure overall, while completing physical activity, an increase in blood pressure is seen. This is particularly marked during weight lifting, with systolic blood pressure as high as 400 mmHg measured, compared to the recommendation of below 120 mmHg at rest, with anything over 140 mmHg considered as high. The American Heart Association advises that you shouldn’t participate in weightlifting if your blood pressure is more than 180 over 110 and that if more than 140 over 90 you should seek advice from your doctor about taking part in weight training. Therefore it’s important to have your blood pressure checked out to allow medication to be started, if required, to avoid uncontrolled levels that may place you at risk of heart attack and stroke.
Blood glucose
While resistance exercise has a favorable impact on blood sugar levels, as it stimulates the uptake of glucose by the muscles, if you use anabolic steroids to promote muscle gains this can be bad news for your blood sugar control as it reduces your body’s sensitivity to insulin. The development of diabetes is less common in someone taking anabolic steroids in comparison to someone using corticosteroids – those used to manage medical conditions – but their use still places you at risk of diabetes, particularly if you have other risk factors for this condition. A simple blood test will reveal whether your glucose levels are indicative of diabetes and while these will sometimes resolve after discontinuing steroids, it is safest to avoid their use altogether, as they are linked to a range of other health problems.
Cholesterol level
Exercise can lower damaging LDL cholesterol while boosting levels of protective HDL cholesterol. However, this is another factor that can be adversely affected by the use of anabolic steroids. Research indicates that anabolic steroids lower HDL cholesterol levels and another protective lipoprotein known as ApoA1, while increasing ApoB which is associated with the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, and the longer steroids are taken for, the longer it takes these values to return to normal. All men over the age of 35 are advised to have their cholesterol profile checked every 5 years and similarly women should do this once they reach the age of 45, but if you currently use or have used steroids, it is important to receive a cholesterol blood test sooner to safeguard your heart and circulation.
Immune function and infectious diseases
Although exercise is known to boost your immune function, which protects you from infections and even helps to detect the presence of cancerous cells, the benefits are greatest with moderate exercise. If you know you frequently lift weights to the point of exhaustion, the chances are that you are doing more harm than good to your immune system, with studies showing that resistance training till your muscles can work no more is associated with reduced numbers of white blood cells. Admittedly these changes are temporary, but if you are lifting weights throughout the week and every week, this is going to have an impact on your body’s ability to detect and fight off infections. This is a particular issue if you put yourself in situations where you are at high risk of contracting infections, and if you are under the age of 25 you are especially at risk of contracting STIs. A blood test will reveal your white blood cell count and a blood sample or swab can indicate your STD status. Besides moderating your resistance training, a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and zinc can increase the strength of your immune system, and at the same time it is wise to take the necessary precautions to minimize your risk of infections.
Kidney function
You probably don’t give a second thought to your kidneys, assuming that because you are passing urine that they are functioning as they should. However, if you use large quantities of protein powders to increase your muscle bulk, or even if you follow a very high protein diet, you may be at risk of kidney damage, especially if you have followed this regime for a number of years. This is because the body is only able to incorporate a given amount of protein into tissue and if you try to include more than 2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, you are definitely consuming more protein than your body can handle. The excess is merely excreted via your kidneys, forcing them to work harder. If you are aware that your protein intake is high, besides reviewing this, you should have your kidney function tested, which involves a blood test to measure the levels of urea and creatinine, as their size and ratio indicates how well your kidneys are working.
These five simple tests don’t take long, but getting tested early allows any potential health problems to be picked up and remedied before lasting damage has been caused.
--Claire Bara
Blood pressure
Although regular exercise – including resistance training - is known to lead to lower blood pressure overall, while completing physical activity, an increase in blood pressure is seen. This is particularly marked during weight lifting, with systolic blood pressure as high as 400 mmHg measured, compared to the recommendation of below 120 mmHg at rest, with anything over 140 mmHg considered as high. The American Heart Association advises that you shouldn’t participate in weightlifting if your blood pressure is more than 180 over 110 and that if more than 140 over 90 you should seek advice from your doctor about taking part in weight training. Therefore it’s important to have your blood pressure checked out to allow medication to be started, if required, to avoid uncontrolled levels that may place you at risk of heart attack and stroke.
Blood glucose
While resistance exercise has a favorable impact on blood sugar levels, as it stimulates the uptake of glucose by the muscles, if you use anabolic steroids to promote muscle gains this can be bad news for your blood sugar control as it reduces your body’s sensitivity to insulin. The development of diabetes is less common in someone taking anabolic steroids in comparison to someone using corticosteroids – those used to manage medical conditions – but their use still places you at risk of diabetes, particularly if you have other risk factors for this condition. A simple blood test will reveal whether your glucose levels are indicative of diabetes and while these will sometimes resolve after discontinuing steroids, it is safest to avoid their use altogether, as they are linked to a range of other health problems.
Cholesterol level
Exercise can lower damaging LDL cholesterol while boosting levels of protective HDL cholesterol. However, this is another factor that can be adversely affected by the use of anabolic steroids. Research indicates that anabolic steroids lower HDL cholesterol levels and another protective lipoprotein known as ApoA1, while increasing ApoB which is associated with the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, and the longer steroids are taken for, the longer it takes these values to return to normal. All men over the age of 35 are advised to have their cholesterol profile checked every 5 years and similarly women should do this once they reach the age of 45, but if you currently use or have used steroids, it is important to receive a cholesterol blood test sooner to safeguard your heart and circulation.
Immune function and infectious diseases
Although exercise is known to boost your immune function, which protects you from infections and even helps to detect the presence of cancerous cells, the benefits are greatest with moderate exercise. If you know you frequently lift weights to the point of exhaustion, the chances are that you are doing more harm than good to your immune system, with studies showing that resistance training till your muscles can work no more is associated with reduced numbers of white blood cells. Admittedly these changes are temporary, but if you are lifting weights throughout the week and every week, this is going to have an impact on your body’s ability to detect and fight off infections. This is a particular issue if you put yourself in situations where you are at high risk of contracting infections, and if you are under the age of 25 you are especially at risk of contracting STIs. A blood test will reveal your white blood cell count and a blood sample or swab can indicate your STD status. Besides moderating your resistance training, a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and zinc can increase the strength of your immune system, and at the same time it is wise to take the necessary precautions to minimize your risk of infections.
Kidney function
You probably don’t give a second thought to your kidneys, assuming that because you are passing urine that they are functioning as they should. However, if you use large quantities of protein powders to increase your muscle bulk, or even if you follow a very high protein diet, you may be at risk of kidney damage, especially if you have followed this regime for a number of years. This is because the body is only able to incorporate a given amount of protein into tissue and if you try to include more than 2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, you are definitely consuming more protein than your body can handle. The excess is merely excreted via your kidneys, forcing them to work harder. If you are aware that your protein intake is high, besides reviewing this, you should have your kidney function tested, which involves a blood test to measure the levels of urea and creatinine, as their size and ratio indicates how well your kidneys are working.
These five simple tests don’t take long, but getting tested early allows any potential health problems to be picked up and remedied before lasting damage has been caused.
--Claire Bara
