In my neighborhood health food store, they sell natural steroids. Are these supplements safe?

The health food supplement industry is unregulated. Anyone can sell anything. The majority of products sold in these stores have never been tested. Moreover, the quality of the product varies from store to store. Many of these so called natural hormones are often combined with other chemicals and then marketed as dietary supplements- otherwise the FDA will be on their arse. Hormonal products are not allowed to be sold without FDA approval and thus, whatever you buy in these  stores is probably junk, fake or counterfeit. The safest way to buy steroids is to get a prescription from a doctor. 

However, it is unlikely any decent physician will write you a prescription just so that you can build your body-otherwise the FDA will be on their arse. The FDA has been clamping down on unscrupulous doctors who write such prescription chiefly because these hormones do have many  side effects and the drugs have the potential to be abused. Best advice, avoid health food stores and stay away from steroids.  Build your body the hard and natural way-this will be safe and more gratifying.

I am a bodybuilder who uses steroids and am unable to get an erection. What can I use?

Viagra has also found wide usage among bodybuilders. Many bodybuilders take anabolic steroids, which cause testicular atrophy and impotence. 

To counter these side effects, bodybuilders can now take  Viagra to boost their sex life. An added bonus of Viagra in bodybuilders is its ability to enhance exercise endurance and improve stamina. The effects of Viagra on exercise endurance only occur when the pill is taken on a regular basis for several months. 

Unfortunately the effects are not sustained and disappear once Viagra is discontinued.

How much should I eat prior to exercise?

In general, one should eat the complex carbohydrates about 30-45 minutes prior to exercise. 

How much to eat is strictly personal. Some individuals can eat a small amount and do well; others need to eat a large meal to sustain them for the duration of the workout. However, it should be noted that eating large meals prior to exercise can make you feel bloated, lead to cramps and can make you nauseated. 

For most people, a small amount of nutrition is the way to start and then gradually increase or decrease on how you feel during the exercise.

Do you recommend high energy bars prior to exercise?

There are a variety of high energy bars available for athletes, but these are not only expensive but can often lead to bloating. These energy bars should be consumed in small amounts to help sustain blood sugars and prevent the stomach fullness. 

Personal opinion is that these high-energy bars are a rip-off and one is better off eating some decent homemade pasta followed with some fruit. This is healthier, cheaper and more palatable. 

If you have money to burn and hate cooking at home, then there is no harm in buying these energy bars. Rest assured it is not the nutrition you eat that builds the body, it is the type of exercise you perform that is vital.

What are the best foods to eat prior to exercise? I am 27 years old

Experts in sports nutrition recommend that athletes who perform intense exercise should consume foods high in carbohydrates. This includes food like vegetables, fruits, pasta and a variety of whole grains. These complex carbohydrates are slowly absorbed from the stomach and maintain stable blood sugars. 

If you just eat simple carbohydrates like candy or chocolate bars, the sugar levels are not sustained and you may feel dizzy or weak. Moreover, eating too much candy is not good for your teeth.

Should I use Androstenedione to build my body?

Androstenedione is a natural hormone precursor synthesized in several organs in the body including the ovaries, adrenals and testes. In humans, enzymes can convert it to the male sex hormone, testosterone and in the female, to estradiol

Androstenedione is also made synthetic and offered for sale on the internet. The entire hormonal industry is unregulated and so the product quality or quantity cannot be confirmed.

Every website that sells androstenedione hypes up their product claiming it is the most potent anabolic steroid on the market. These same people also claim that by buying androstenedione, you will have a stronger body with bulging muscles- of course you will also be a top notch athlete- at least these are the claims.

The facts- make no mistake androstenedione is a potent compound and can be used to make testosterone. Testosterone is often given to children with growth retardation and hypogonadism and can help them enormously. However, as far as bulging muscles and strength, the data on the topic are scare. Children with growth deficiencies who had been given testosterone have not been followed for long periods- rest assured not all have gone on to become Olympic champions.

There is some evidence that androstenedione does not always increase muscle mass, power or the ability to heal after an injury. Part of the reason is that the products used in these studies could have been fakes or counterfeits.

In any cases, use of anabolic steroids in sports is frowned upon by the sporting agencies. Almost every professional sports agency randomly checks urine for a variety of drugs.  

Androstenedione is now classified as a controlled substance and is a banned anabolic steroid. This means it is illegal to possess, use or distribute the drug and there are harsh penalties, when the authorities catch up with you.

What people never talk about is that androstenedione is not an innocuous drug. It has a number of disturbing side effects including severe acne, decreased libido, diminished size of gonads, and mood alterations. In women, this drug can cause a deep voice and features of masculinization. Another side effect which is often not mentioned is that most anabolic hormones decrease your good cholesterol and put you at risk for future heart attacks.

Therefore, the choice is very simple. Take androstenedione and build rip-roaring muscles with a lot of acne, decreased libido and small testicles or work hard, build your body the natural way, have an acne free face and keep on “banging” away for many years. 

Do sporting agencies check for Viagra in the urine?

You bet they do. 

What should be appreciated is that Viagra does have well known benefits on blood flow and muscle. Viagra has been shown to be of benefit to individuals who live at high altitude. Thus, many sports experts suggest that Viagra may be of benefit for individuals who participate in skiing, cycling, jogging, weight lifting and long distance running. There have been several studies which show that Viagra can have a profound increase in oxygen concentration in the lung. In fact, many mountaineers often use Viagra pills to increase their exercise endurance at high altitudes. 

However, a word of caution. Many sports agencies have now started to check athletes for Viagra in the urine because evidence indicates that the blue pill provides an unfair competitive advantage.