Sharing a Family Moment

     Hello, all. Since this is a family inclusive blog, I intend for families to go and do healthy things together. This week has been great for some of those healthy things for my family.
     First, with the nasty-cold weather closing down the school systems in our area, my two sons and I had the wonderful opportunity to go and enjoy one of our local state parks. We walked on trails for one or two hours. During which time we saw winter birds, several different animal tracks, historic sites, and survival shelters built by the park staff.
     Hiking is one great way to spend time together as a family and enjoy aerobic exercising.
     The other awesome family thing is that one of my sons and I are becoming gym-rats together. While I had hoped that both boys would join me at the gym, only one has accepted the invitation. I do not make exercising an issue any more than eating. I refuse to cause body image issues. Nor do I want to live vicariously through any of my children. They get to choose their own sports at their time.
     Well, my one son and I left the gym with a great pumped feeling all over. Particularly in our arms since we did a little extra “ego” arm work.
     My boy said that it was sad that our legs did not feel as pumped as our arms did. I said that adding some leg extensions and leg curls just after squats would donthat. This would pump the upper leg muscles with an extra amount of blood and that would result in that awesome pumped feeling.
     At that moment, my son channeled Michael Crichton by way of Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park.
     “Just because we could, Dad, does that mean we should? I mean, just stop and think about it for a second. Consider what you’re proposing,” he says.
     I bust out laughing! For all the world, he sounded and had the body movements of Dr. Malcolm at that moment.
     It’s times like this that we all need more of. These moments are what strengthen our family ties. These are the times that our children will cherish with us for decades.
     Now, get offline and go make some memories.

Ketogenic Diet

What is it? 

This form od dieting restricts the intake of carbohydrates. Restricting carbohydrates reduces the level of glycogen that gets stored in the liver and in the blood stream. Ketones become the primary source of energy used to move the muscles rather than glycogen, which is actually the first-line energy source.

How are ketones released in lieu of muscle cannibalism? These are the by-product that is left over when the body metabolizes fat for energy. This process begins after the glycogen stores in the liver are used and the glycogen in the bloodstream is being used. The time-frame for that is, on average, 20 to 25 minutes. After which, the muscles are in need of a secondary energy source. The energy will either come from the body breaking down extra muscle fibers – a fast and relatively simple process – or metabolize fat stores, which can take more of the body’s energy stores than using muscle tissue.

Glucose is used in the making of adenosine triphosphate, ATP. ATP is used to fuel the muscle cells and just about everything else going on in the body. It is when we exercise that these stores in the liver and in the blood stream get depleted so quickly.

As we eat our body stores the energy in two ways, glycogenesis and lipogenesis. In glycogenesis that glucose is stored in the liver and in the blood and muscles. With lipogenesis the glycogen is stored as body-fat because there is already a maximum amount of glycogen stored in the other areas. Without exercising, the energy stored through glycogenesis can sustain the average person from 6 up to 24 hours. The fat storage is more of a long-term thing. This energy is slowly released and can sustain a person for from weeks to months depending on how much body-fat they have and how much of what nutrition is available.

When glucose is being used, ketones are a by-product. The process if using glycogen and lipogen is known as glycogenolysis. Glycogenesis is the creating and storing of glycogen, glycogenolysis is the using or breaking down of glycogen. The same suffixes are applied to lipogen.

This is all great news for the body. Well, for most of the body. Ketosis is too slow a process for providing one organ with energy to function properly. Thankfully, it’s not an organ that all people rely on. Although, more should. That organ is the brain.

Glucose needs to be quickly available to the brain for it to function. Also, any diet that removes fats from the body impacts the brain. Why? The brain is 60% fat. The brain requires fat to function. Initially, that is, the ketogenic diet is too slow in providing the necessary fuel to run the body and the brain.

But, do not worry too hard or too long. Our bodies are infinitely adaptable. Even this issue will be adapted to and compensated for.

Recall that ketones are a by-product of the glycogenesis process, this is also ketogenesis … is this going to be another genesis? Who knew, right?

The ketogenesis results in acetoacetate, which is usable in the brain as fuel. The adaptation for this will take a couple of weeks. So, you may feel a little sluggish or off for the first week or two. That is perfectly normal. Have some extra coffee or tea, do not reach for energy drinks. Those are bad for you, real bad. Your brain will kick over and start burning the new fuel just as efficiently as the rest of your body.

How well does acetoacetate work? Here comes another $1.50 word. For acetoacetate to be useful, it undergoes another metamorphosis and becomes beta-hydroxybutyrate, or BHB. BHB, as stated, is far more efficient a fuel. It is up to 70% more efficient according to several reports.

Why and how does it work? A full diet is necessary prior to the ketogenic phase. That means a diet with solid nutrition, full spectrum of amino acids (both essential and non-essential), proteins, carbohydrates. Not an over-compensation styed diet. Do not take the idea that you need 1,000 or more calories every meal for a week prior to fasting to make it through. A day or two of fasting will hurt you.

Another knee-jerk reaction is taking in too much protein during the ketone phase. I can see why you might want to think that eating protein, a lot of it, is the way to go. Protein is going to protect my muscles. But, it will not protect your muscles. What it will do is increase your insulin levels. The higher your insulin levels are the slower ketogenesis is going to go. Right, too much protein in the keto phase will slow down the keto process. Not at ail what you wanted in the first place.

Does it work?

In short, the ketogenic diet transitions the body metabolism away from relying on carbohydrates for fuel and onto ketones and body fat for the energy necessary. This energy is far more efficient and effective than carbs.

This diet technique is found to be far more effective than low calorie and fat restrictive diets. This technique enables the dieter to lose fat, maintain or even gain muscle, support brain function, and protect vital health functions simultaneously. Studies are verifying these benefits. The National Institute of Health published a study in April 2003 that compared the ketogenic diet with low fat and calorie restricted diets. Their findings show that the ketogenic routine burned fat at a rate of 2.2 times faster than either of the other two routines. This success comes without the related risks to the cardiovascular system associated with the other diet regimens.

Health and diet specialists recommend this diet for those who are pre-diabetic and diabetic. Due to the body using fat more effectively as fuel, body fat levels are kept lower. This is a duel effect for the human body. First, it increases insulin sensitivity. Up to 95% of ketogenic patients on insulin were able to stop taking their diabetes medication, under doctor supervision, after having lost an average of 24 pounds.

What do you get to eat? Some rather delicious stuff is the short answer. For the longer answer I went to the blog Kettle and Fire to refer to their ketogenic guidelines. These are fairly clear and simple to recall and use.

• 75% of your fats are from healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables
• 20% of your diet is protein
• 5% of your diet is carbohydrates

Is it safe?

Yes, it is safe. Or, so it appears to be. It is even proving to be an effective and efficient diet for diabetics, pre-diabetics, and those looking for weight loss
www.healthline.com/ketogenic-diet-101#types.

. That is, according to

Is it new?

This diet style is not new. It has been around for decades. The studies on its efficacy, however, are newer. Healthline tells us that of the variety of ketogenic diets, the only one studied is the Cyclical ketogenic diet. This involves cycling high carb days in the diet routine. For instance, having two or three days of high carb intake to five or seven days of strict ketogenic days. There are several ketogenic diet variations, although healthline.com lists the following four with the attached description:

·         Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs .

·         Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.

·         Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.

·         High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

Testosterone Supplementation

There are steroids based on testosterone boosting. There is male hormone replacement therapy. There are risks inherent in both.

A friend of mine recently made a comment that he could get all the testosterone he needed or wanted by going to the “right” places. Aside from the risks of running afoul of the law, there are a huge number of health risks.

Anabolic steroids do have some medical uses, it’s their abuse that leads to the problems with which we are familiar. Some of these problems include ulceration on the stomach and intestine lining, internal bleeding, extreme enlargement of heart chambers, and more. This is something that will be covered in a little more detail further on.

They promote muscle growth and secondary male characteristics. So, if you are a woman and using them, you will find that your body changes. Your voice is likely to deepen as your vocal chords thicken. This is a permanent change. As will be the growth of facial hair. The enlargement of the Adam’s Apple is going to stay with you as well.

The steroids we are talking about are listed as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). They are found under a variety of names. Juice, pumpers, gym candy, and the list goes on. In case you do not know these names are, I am not going to give you them. If you already know them, then I do not need to list them for you.

As of June 27, 2018, the publication Medical News Today published the article Anabolic Steroids: What You Should Know. In that piece, the authors stated that there are 32 types of AAS

These 32 can be categorized into one of three:

·         Bulking for building muscle

·         Performance for strength and endurance

·         Cutting for burning fat

These can be used as injections, applied as a cream, injected as a pellet under the skin, or orally

The article gives the following as examples of some of the orally taken steroids:

·         Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin), or "Halo"

·         Mesterolone (Proviron)

·         Methandienone (Dianabol), or "Dbol"

·         Methyltestosterone (Virilon)

·         Mibolerone (Cheque)

·         Oxandrolone (Anavar, Oxandrin), or "Var"

·         Oxymetholone (Anadrol), or "Drol"

·         Stanozolol (Winstrol), or "Winny"

The following are the injectables listed in the articles:

·         Boldenone undecylenate (Equipoise), or "EQ"

·         Methenolone enanthate (Primobolan), or "Primo"

·         Nandrolone decanoate (Deca Durabolin), or "Deca"

·         Nandrolone phenpropionate (Durabolin), or "NPP"

·         Testosterone cypionate (Depotest)

·         Testosterone enanthate (Andro-Estro)

·         Testosterone propionate (Testex)

·         Trenbolone acetate (Finajet), or "Tren"

There are medical uses, legitimate medical uses, for these compounds. Corticosteroids open bronchi during asthma attacks. They are used in some extreme cases of poison ivy exposure. Some cancer patients get prescribed them as are HIV and AIDS patients. AASs are classified in the USA as Schedule III controlled substances and Chapter 44, §16, Subsection 1 of the Penal Code. This makes them available only by prescription.

Some of the risks of misuse are quite horrid. The drugs increase your risk of cancer and heart attack significantly. You will experience hormonal disturbances – suppresses the production of body’s own hormone production, shrinks the glands; infertility; lowered sex drive; for women, they become obviously more masculine. Sometimes there are dangerous increases in cholesterol; dangerous increase in heart and vascular disease, increase in heart infarct and apoplexy, and cardiac muscle atrophy is also a huge risk.

Have you read about an athlete tearing a pectoralis muscle while doing curls? Think about that for a moment. How can a person tear the chest muscle while training their arms? Their biceps? How is this possible? Several common steroids enlarge and strengthen only the belly of the muscle, the meat of it. The tendons are left as weak points. So, when this guy is straining to crank out a heavy set of curls, and is straining with all his body, muscles are clenched all over – bad form, by the way – pop! goes the connective tissue in unrelated muscle groups. Nor do steroids strengthen bones or increase bone density.

No doubt, by now, you have all seen the video clip of the MMA fighter who breaks his own leg with a kick. This poor fellow loses to his own ego long before the fight opens. The bell rings, the two fighters touch gloves, and the sap throws out a low roundhouse kick. No problems. He throws a second and steps back onto his foot. This time, his shin has snapped and buckles. Why? Steroids do not, as I said, strengthen the bone. Proper training will increase bone density.

Impact to central nervous system: brain locations damaged by AAS abuse are closely located to the brain centers that control mood, sexuality, and aggressiveness; 20% to 30% of abusers display mood disorders matching psychiatric mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, psychotic reactions with hallucinations, and decreasing cognitive performance levels significantly.

But, wait! There’s more! Premature death among users is 4.6 times higher than non-users. The following is a list of the more common side effects according to www.drugs.com

·         severe acne, oily skin and hair

·         hair loss

·         liver disease, such as liver tumors and cysts

·         kidney disease

·         heart disease, such as heart attack and stroke

·         altered mood, irritability, increased aggression, depression or suicidal tendencies

·         alterations in cholesterol and other blood lipids

·         high blood pressure

·         gynecomastia (abnormal development of mammary glands in men causing breast enlargement)

·         shrinking of testicles

·         azoospermia (absence of sperm in semen)

·         menstrual irregularities in women

·         infertility

·         excess facial or body hair (hirsutism), deeper voice in women

·         stunted growth and height in teens

·         risk of viral or bacterial infections due to unsterile injections

The article Anabolic Steroids – Abuse, Side Effects, and Safety, from the above listed website, posted the following paragraph regarding over the counter testosterone precursors that were marketed and sold as supplements:

Steroidal dietary supplements can be converted into testosterone or other androgenic compounds in the body. Steroidal over-the-counter dietary supplements such as androstenedione and tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) were previously available without prescription through health food stores, however, these supplements are now illegal after amendments to the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004.³ Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), another steroidal dietary supplement is still available legally; however, it does appear on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited agents for both in- and out-of-competition. Clinical research reports indicate that these agents are ineffective or lack evidence of performance-enhancing effects and can be linked with many serious side effects and drug interactions.

There will always be arguments about “roid-rage,” one of the listed side effects. From my experience early on in power lifting, I did buy androstenedione several times while it was legally available. From those several months I will tell you that the rage associated with using these products is very real a percentage of users. It was for me. I will never take or use any product, off the shelf or through a prescription, that will jack with my endocrine system again. Ever.

I had hoped to find an answer as to why testosterone replacement or supplementation increases the risk of cancer and has so many other detrimental side effects. Those why questions are yet unanswered. When I do find those answers, I will follow up with another piece. I am continuing to press forward by contacting leading researchers and institutions for this information.

For now, I hope that this is an adequate answer to the statement and question about using supplemental testosterone and hormones.

Train smart and train hard.