Can You Get Brain Disease from Steroid Use? by Jerry Brainum

One of the primary questions often asked about anabolic steroids is how they will affect future health. As with any drug the effects of steroids depends on time and dosage; that is, how much you use and how long you use them. The higher the dose and the longer you stay on the drugs, the greater your chances of health problems.

Bodybuilders and athletes who use steroids rarely suffer serious health problems directly related to steroid use because they cycle the drugs—few stay on them year-round. Various studies have shown that most adverse changes in the body induced by steroids tend to fade when people stop using them. In short, giving the body a break from steroids enables it to repair any damage.

Some effects of high-dose steroid use are more controversial than others; for example, how steroids affect the brain. Numerous reports of out-of-control bodybuilders and other athletes on steroids have given birth to the term “roid rage.” It implies that using high-dose steroid regimens may affect the brain, causing feelings of anger and rage to be increased. Indeed, most of the wars in history have been blamed on higher testosterone levels in men.

The truth, however, is a bit more nebulous. Studies of men who lacked normal testosterone showed that having low testosterone tends to increase feelings of anger more than having normal-to-high levels. That, of course, is the opposite of what most people believe, but it makes sense when you consider all the symptoms that come with having a deficiency in testosterone, including depression and lack of sex drive. What appears to be true is that when an already angry person uses a high-dose steroid regimen, he is likely to become angrier and more reactive to things that peeve him.

That’s not to say that high-dose steroids don’t affect the brain. In recent years numerous studies, almost all involving animals, have shown definite effects, most of them negative. It appears, based on those studies, that both deficient and supernormal levels of testosterone or steroids affect the brain badly. Having too little testosterone has been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease; however, according to a recent animal study, using high-dose steroid regimens for extended periods may set you up for the same problems.¹

It has to do with the way that steroids affect a protein called nerve growth factor. The scientists who discovered NGF in the 1950s earned a Nobel Prize in physiology in 1986 for their work. As the name implies, NGF nourishes, repairs and promotes the growth of nerves. Several degenerative-brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, show a deficiency of NGF, suggesting that the brain is unable to repair the damage induced by Alzheimer’s. When injected into rat brains, NGF leads to a complete rapid repair of damaged neurons.

When body inflammation is increased, NGF increases, since it exerts anti-inflammatory activity. NGF is also known to set off the repair of myelin, the fatlike coating of nerves that permits nerve transmission.

Athletes lose speed with age because of the ineffective myelin repair that occurs. Basically, nerve transmissions are slowed as a result, and the physical effect is evident. (This is not to be confused with the far more pathological disease of multiple sclerosis, in which patches of myelin are destroyed as a result of a self-inflicted attack by the immune system Giving NGF to people suffering from M.S. can lead to considerable relief of symptoms.)

Although it has not been tested on athletes, NGF may, theoretically, extend the career of athletes whose sports require quick reflexes and power. Then again, not many athletes would want to have NGF injected directly into their brains—no matter how fast it made them.

Various mental diseases are related to a lack of NGF, including dementia, depression, autism, anorexia and bulimia. It’s involved in diseases not directly related to brain function as well, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Among other functions, it interacts with insulin and can suppress excessive appetite. It can even accelerate wound healing and has been linked to feelings of being in love. It peaks during the first year of being in love and then returns to normal.

NGF interacts with two receptors in the brain. The new rat study looked at the effects of steroids on both NGF activity and brain receptors. Although this was a rat study, all of the affected structures in the brain also exist in humans. Whether the same effects would be duplicated in the human brain is probable but still speculative.

As noted, recent animal studies have shown that high-dose steroid regimens—comparable to those used by some bodybuilders and other athletes—are toxic to neurons in the brain. Some have shown that high-dose steroid use amplifies excitotoxic damage to the neurons. One example is the sudden release of the excitatory amino acid glutamate in large amounts in the brain, which commonly occurs during strokes. It’s the exposure to high levels of glutamate that leads to most of the damage or even death of brain neurons during a stroke. That doesn’t mean that the glutamic acid you get from protein foods or drinks is toxic. It relates to a large-scale release of the amino acid in the brain that is unrelated to dietary intake.

Previous animal-based studies have shown that athletic-use doses of testosterone and nandrolone (trade name Durabolin) have interfered with the activity of one of the two brain receptors for NGF. Another study showed that high-dose nandrolone and stanozolol (Winstrol) reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the brain. That’s problematic because BDNF is also involved in the normal maintenance of brain neurons and is increased with exercise. The study implies that using high-dose steroids may block that exercise-related benefit.

In the new study rats were injected with nandrolone and stanozolol in doses equivalent to those used in humans for athletic purposes for 28 days. The result? The steroids significantly interfered with the activity of NGF in the basal forebrain, an area of the brain that is heavily involved in intelligence and memory functions.

The steroids inhibited the transport of NGF from the hippocampus of the brain to the basal forebrain by interfering with the activity of one of the two NGF brain receptors. In doing that, they also interfered with the primary enzyme that produces acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a brain neurotransmitter thought to be the primary neurotransmitter involved in memory and intelligence. Notably, neurons that produce acetylcholine are the most heavily damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Most of the current drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s work by attempting to boost acetylcholine in the brain.

The loss of memory in the steroid-treated rats was reflected in their difficulty navigating a simple maze. Again, it was thought to be a result of loss of NGF activity that adversely affected acetylcholine production. The underlying cause of the whole problem, however, was likely an overactivation of androgen receptors in the brain brought on by the high-dose steroids.

This study raises two questions. First, was the negative effect on memory temporary or permanent? As noted above, most side effects linked to steroid use tend to recede when the steroid use ceases; however, that wasn’t tested here. The other salient question is whether this negative brain effect can occur in humans who are using high-dose steroids. It also suggests that those who stay on such regimens without a break are seriously risking the future health and function of their brains, as their brains will be unable to completely repair any damage that may occur due to the loss of NGF activity.

The damage can result from various factors, such as blows to the head or, less dramatically, constant attack by free radicals produced during the metabolism of oxygen. The brain is largely composed of polyunsaturated fat, which makes it more susceptible to free-radical attacks. Without NGF to repair any damage that may ensue from the constant attacks, the effects on brain function could eventually prove catastrophic.

Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 30 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit www.JerryBrainum.com.   IM

¹ Pieretti, S., et al. (2013). Brain nerve factor unbalance induced by anabolic androgenic steroids in rat. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 45:29-35




©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited

Have you been ripped off  by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

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Whey: Can It Prevent Obesity and Diabetes? by Jerry Brainum

Some bodybuilders never use protein supplements, preferring instead to get all their protein from food sources, such as meat, fish and eggs. Their view is backed by most mainstream dietitians, who note
that it’s not difficult to get all the protein you need to build muscle just from eating food.

In fact, most people eat more protein than they need. Since protein contains four calories per gram—the same as carbohydrate—it’s possible for those who are sedentary to gain some bodyfat by eating large amounts of protein, especially if they also eat too much fat and carbohydrate. That scenario is unlikely in those who are physically active. Their excess protein is oxidized in the liver, with the nitrogen portion converted into urea and then excreted through the kidneys.

So no one argues that it’s easy to get enough protein from various high-protein foods, but does that mean that additional supplements aren’t necessary? For one thing, most protein foods also contain appreciable amounts of either fat and/or carbohydrate. That is a concern for those seeking to lose bodyfat, since every calorie does count—contrary to what some so-called experts say. With concentrated protein supplements you get a source of high protein minus the excess calories. In addition, some people either won’t or can’t eat several high-protein meals a day. Having a source of protein that they can eat on the go is not just a convenience, it’s a necessity.

In recent years milk proteins have been shown to rate the highest in biological value over other sources, such as meat, soy and even eggs. The two primary proteins in milk are casein, which accounts for 80 percent of milk protein, and whey, which is the remaining 20 percent.

Anyone who has kept up with the research on milk protein knows that the two have different absorption properties. Whey is rapidly absorbed, since it stays in solution during the digestive process. Whey uptake peaks at about 60 minutes after ingestion and then declines to baseline after about 90 minutes. The advantage is that the rapid absorption also favors a speedy release of essential amino acids into the blood and muscle, which encourages muscle protein synthesis, the cornerstone of muscle growth.

In contrast, casein curdles in the stomach after you eat it. It looks like cottage cheese, which is mostly casein. The curdling effect favors a more sustained release of aminos over a period of up to seven hours. Initial research that compared whey and casein found that the rapid uptake and release of essential aminos from whey more reliably stimulated muscle protein synthesis, while the slow release of casein promoted a steady trickle into the blood over a longer time, which favored a blunting of muscle catabolism, or breakdown.

It’s not hard to understand how the properties of the two milk proteins significantly benefit bodybuilding trainees; however, there’s far more to milk protein than being a superior source of amino acids. Research shows that besides casein and whey, there are smaller proteins, known as bioactive peptides, in milk that may provide amazing health benefits. I say may because the research is still in its infancy, and all the data haven’t been collected yet.

The scientific method decrees that a finding must be replicated numerous times and under varied conditions before it’s officially accepted as fact. Thus far, most of the research on milk bioactive peptides has involved animals. The good news is that the same mechanisms that allow them to produce their beneficial effects in animals also exist in the human body.

Bioactive peptides are small chains of amino acids linked in a specific formation. While casein contains some, whey is a powerhouse source. Just a day before I wrote this a new study found that one of those peptides has potent protective effects against cancer. Earlier studies showed that because of whey’s high content of the amino acid cysteine, it can be a precursor of glutathione, a major antioxidant in the body. A form of whey is used to prevent the loss of lean mass in cancer patients and those afflicted with HIV.

More pertinent to bodybuilders is the effect of whey on body composition. The process of digesting and absorbing proteins is energy intensive; that is, it uses calories. In fact, it uses more calories to digest and absorb proteins than either fats or carbs. Calories not used in power movement or muscle function are diverted to heat production, a process known as thermogenesis. That term may be familiar to those who use various “fat-burning” supplements, since nearly all of them work by promoting a thermogenic effect: converting fat calories into heat.

Compared to other proteins, such as casein and soy, whey has a greater thermogenic effect, which is attributed to the rapid protein synthesis it triggers, as mentioned above. The rate of protein synthesis produced by whey is twice that of casein, again because of whey’s rapid release of amino acids. The branched-chain amino acid leucine is considered the key amino in muscle protein synthesis, and whey contains 50 to 75 percent more leucine than other protein sources.

Whey may also aid fat loss through its effect on insulin. Many people are confused about insulin. Some worry that it can trigger excess fat production in the presence of excess calories, especially from carbohydrates, but insulin has other properties that are beneficial. It’s also required for cellular uptake of glucose, the elemental form of sugar in the blood. Without proper insulin function, you would have diabetes. Also on the plus side, insulin is known to favor amino acid uptake in muscle and prevent catabolism. In addition, it stimulates the activity of enzymes that produce glycogen from carbs and other sources. Glycogen is required for full muscle recovery after training and also powers anaerobic training, which includes bodybuilding workouts.

Milk protein is a potent stimulus for insulin release, but it’s not a bad thing. The release is within physiological limits and so does not encourage bodyfat synthesis. One study found that only 20 grams of whey protein stimulated enough insulin release to significantly lower elevated blood glucose. In another involving diabetics—who lack proper insulin activity—the subject were fed meals high in rapidly absorbed and digested carbohydrates, but some also got whey at the same meal. Adding whey to the carb meal led to a 57 percent greater insulin release and a smaller drop in glucose after the meal.

Although it isn’t precisely known how whey favors an insulin release, its amino acid content, particularly the high leucine mentioned above, is a chief suspect. Leucine alone is known to stimulate insulin release in the pancreas through at least two mechanisms, one of which involves a metabolite of leucine.

More recent research shows that whey also affects insulin release by promoting the release of gut peptides known as “incretins.” In one study, consuming a whey drink stimulated an 80 percent greater release of gastric inhibitory peptide, which itself encourages insulin release. Whey also promotes the release of another gut peptide called glucagon-like peptide-1 that encourages insulin release and has the side benefit of curtailing appetite. That may explain how whey helps suppress appetite during a diet. Both of the peptides are degraded in the gut via an enzyme that is blunted by whey protein. Recently, a few drugs that treat diabetes were released, all of which block the same enzyme. Unlike whey, however, the drugs are linked to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, as well as possible pancreatic cancer, the most deadly cancer of all.

In relation to appetite, it’s once again the fast amino release induced by whey that produces an appetite-suppressive effect. Studies with animals show that leucine can rapidly enter the brain, where it induces appetite suppression. The mechanism is thought to involve a blunting of the release of appetite-stimulating peptides in the brain. The release of insulin induced by whey also potently depresses appetite, mostly because whey blunts the release of ghrelin, a protein that is the most potent appetite-stimulating substance in the body. Ghrelin rises a few hours after a meal and produces intense hunger sensations. It’s not hard to understand how controlling it would aid dieting efforts.

So the combination of a controlled insulin release, the stimulation of gut peptides that promote insulin and the blunting of proteins in the brain that trigger appetite make whey a valuable asset if you’re looking to build muscle and lose excess bodyfat.

—Jerry Brainum


©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited

Have you been ripped off  by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

  Please share this article on facebook