Insulin & the bodybuilder Part 7

Hypoglycemia

Excess insulin is a common cause of hypoglycemia in diabetics but in normal individuals, any dose of insulin can cause complications. After insulin injection, the body builder must continue to eat or drink a diet rich in carbohydrates to ensure that hypoglycemia does not occur. Hypoglycemia may occur when a meal is missed or the dose of insulin is excessive or the exercise is intense. Sometimes, the insulin may not have been injected properly.

It cannot be emphasized enough that all non diabetic bodybuilders who do take insulin should carry a sugar drink all the time in the event that a hypoglycemic attack occurs. And one should tell the family and friends what they are doing in the event that the individual is found in a coma.

Final Warning

While insulin may have some mild anabolic properties, it is not a drug that should be used without the guidance of a physician. And it is definitely not recommended for normal individuals, and this includes body builders.

Cost

Insulin is relatively cheap to buy. While a prescription is required to get the drug, there are many sites on the Internet who will willingly sell you the insulin without one.

The cost of 100 units/ml of a 10 ml vial can cost about $100. Supplies like syringes and needles can cost an additional $50. Pen injector can cost $ 400. Sometimes the syringes and fresh needles can be difficult to obtain, and many people use/share the same needles and syringes- which in turn increases the risk of infections and transmission of dangerous infections.

Detection

Many sports organizations regularly monitor levels of insulin in the urine. The drug is not banned because many diabetics do need the insulin for survival. Shorting acting insulin is rapidly broken down and difficult to detect in the urine. Nevertheless, many sporting agencies are aware of insulin abuse in sports. If insulin is suspected in the urine, then other biochemical profiles are obtained from blood work. However, short acting insulin cannot be found in the blood 5-7 days after the last dose.