Drugs
From a glass of red wine with dinner to licking toads in the jungle to popping prescription pills, it’s part of the human condition to want to achieve an altered state. Experts can’t agree on the nature of addiction, and dont understand why some people feel the need to use certain substances and others don’t. As humans we all live with our own pain, trauma and grief, this is a normal part of being human, and a normal part of being alive. One theory is people who regularly feel the need to take drugs are trying to escape their pain and are essentially ‘self medicating’ for the stress and trauma they are dealing with. Either way, drugs are here to stay. Unfortunately the use of some drugs can seriously hamper the development of the human body. We mustn’t underestimate how difficult it can be to lose fat and create new muscle tissue. Especially when we consider all the less than optimal conditions our body already has to deal with: pollution, pesticides in foods, antibiotics and life’s general stresses and strains. Why give your body anything extra to deal with? In this blog post I’d like to give some idea of how some commonly used drugs can affect the body.
This diagram gives an idea of the physical harm and dependence of some more commonly used drugs.
ALCOHOL
Yes, alcohol is a drug. Our bodies are not naturally accustomed to processing alcohol. Despite this, alcohol continues to be a widely-used and socially-acceptable drug. Alcohol consumption is responsible for one in 20 deaths globally each year, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report. Worldwide, harmful use of alcohol kills up to three million people annually, accounting for 5% of the global disease burden. It’s more than a widely-accepted form of drug use. More than that, it’s a drug that’s actively encouraged by some western societies. Unfortunately, it will significantly disrupt the human body’s development. It disturbs REM sleep, increases body fat and, more seriously, it has been linked directly to seven different types of cancer, increasing the risk of: mouth cancer, pharyngeal (upper throat) cancer, oesophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer. Some of this might be quite surprising but once alcohol gets into our bloodstream, it can cause damage all over the body. When we consider the types of cancer alcohol is linked to, we can see it causes disruption to the digestive system. Even if this doesn’t cause cancer directly, it’s clearly not going to help your body’s absorption and assimilation of proteins (muscle synthesis). There is a theory that other negative effects of alcohol can be traced back to the disruption of deep (REM) sleep - a key factor in the body’s development. If you are serious about your fitness goals, it will need to be avoided, as it will significantly inhibit muscle gain, fat loss and is a major sleep and digestion disruptor. Do not expect to lose fat or gain muscle while you are putting alcohol into your system.
https://www.nhs.uk/news/cancer/alcohol-a-major-cause-of-cancer/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=alchohol
NICOTINE
Nicotine is a dangerous and highly-addictive chemical. It can cause an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, flow of blood to the heart and a narrowing of the arteries (vessels that carry blood). Nicotine may also contribute to the hardening of the arterial walls which, in turn, may lead to a heart attack. Nicotine and carbon monoxide from smoking may make your blood “sticky” and your arteries may become narrow. Narrow arteries reduce the flow of blood to your heart, muscles, and other body organs, making exercise feel harder. During exercise, blood flow helps boost oxygen supply to your muscles. If your muscles don’t get oxygen fast enough, your body can’t work as well. When you smoke, you harm your ability to exercise and be physically fit. Smoking hurts your athletic performance in several ways:
Muscle growth
Nicotine has numerous effects on the human body. One important effect is it acts as an appetite suppressant which means you won’t have the raw materials your body needs to build muscle.
Heart
Smoking increases your resting heart rate. Your resting heart rate is how many beats per minute your heart produces when you are not being active. When you smoke, this number is increased because of the extra work your heart has to do to keep your body going.
Lungs
You’re able to exercise better when your lung capacity is good and your lungs work well. Smoking restricts your lung capacity. The tar in cigarette smoke coats your lungs and makes the air sacs less elastic. Smoking also produces phlegm that can make your lungs congested. Smoking even a few cigarettes a day can decrease your body’s ability to use oxygen effectively.
WORKING OUT HELPS YOU QUIT
Training can be an important part of your plan to quit smoking. Exercise reduces cravings and helps you manage stress levels. Plus, when you quit, your heart rate will decrease, your blood circulation will increase, and your lung function will improve - making your workout performance better too.
https://www.allencarr.com/easyway-stop-smoking/how-to-quit/
There are more than one billion tobacco smokers worldwide
Nicotine is at least as difficult to give up as heroin
The side effects of nicotine can affect the heart, hormones and gastrointestinal system
Some studies suggest that nicotine may improve memory and concentration
Nicotine's cognitive effects have gained significant attention in recent decades, and some non-smokers have even started using nicotine gum or patches as a nootropic. Research has shown that nicotine can speed up reaction time, improve working memory, and enhance focus and attention
CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a psychoactive (mind-altering) drug that affects how we think and feel. It is a stimulant that speeds up our breathing, heart rate, thoughts and actions. Caffeine is found in the seeds, leaves and fruit of certain shrubs, including coffee and tea plants. Caffeine can be found in numerous fitness supplements, particularly pre-workout products. Caffeine has been shown to elevate thermogenesis (heat production) which can help burn more calories. Caffeine may also spare muscle carb stores, primarily due to increased fat burning. This can enhance endurance performance and make your workouts feel easier. Proceed with caution though, caffeine stays in the body for around 10 hours - so if you have a double espresso at 3pm it’s like having a single espresso around 8pm which clearly could significantly disrupt your sleep quality. For this reason caffeine should be moderated and only ingested around midday.
COCAINE
Cocaine, also known as coke, is a strong stimulant often used as a recreational drug. Cocaine triggers a stress response from your body which can lead to muscle loss. Combine this with the sleep deprivation and it’s a perfect way to lose muscle and gain body fat. Cocaine use has been linked to a number of other more serious medical complications too. Often these are life-threatening, including heart attacks due to a lethal combination of speeding up the heart rate whilst also reducing the blood supply to the heart (vasoconstriction) and strokes (a similar phenomenon, only affecting the blood vessels to the brain). Deaths attributed to cocaine (which include notably more potent crack cocaine) have been rising year on year globally.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=cocaine
COCAINE + ALCOHOL
What happens when you mix cocaine and alcohol? Increased toxic effects. Using cocaine with alcohol is common and creates new elements. One of the most powerful of these metabolites is called cocaethylene. This product is stronger than either cocaine or alcohol alone. It increases toxicity to the heart, liver, and other major organs. A longer method of action, cocaethylene also sticks around for a much longer time in the body than cocaine, and its toxic effects last longer. Alcohol also slows the removal of another metabolite, ethylbenzoylecgonine, from the kidneys. This raises the blood levels of cocaine and cocaethylene.
INCREASED STROKE RISK
Sudden stroke is possible when using both cocaine and alcohol. Cocaine increases the risk of stroke by:
Shrinking blood vessels
Raising heart rate and blood pressure
Causing sudden brain bleeding
Increasing risk of blood clots
Cocaethylene can raise the risk of stroke even more because it can stay around in the body for days to weeks. Use of these drugs will not only destroy your hard-earned gains in the gym they can cause more serious health problems.
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/mixing-cocaine-and-alcohol
MDMA
MDMA acts by increasing the activity of three brain chemicals: dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Effects can include increased energy, altered perception, involuntary teeth clenching, dangerously high body temperature, and depression. Interestingly MDMA, or Ecstasy, shows promise as a PTSD treatment. After the phase 2 trials of MDMA-assisted treatments concluded in 2017, researchers found 54% of the patients who took MDMA had improved to the point that they no longer fitted the diagnosis for PTSD (compared to 23% in the control group). Unfortunately, due to its stimulant properties it can promote muscle wastage. Combined with sleep disruption, this substance will hinder muscle gain significantly.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15588925
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=mdma
CANNABIS (THC + CBD)
Cannabis is a combination of THC (the compound the gets you high) and CBD in varying ratios. While there are some interesting studies around regarding the effects of THC before a workout, the jury is currently out; It’s definitely the lesser of two evils when compared with alcohol. The main consideration when consuming any THC is that it actually interferes with deep sleep so should be avoided before bed as REM sleep is vitally important for athletes to recover from workouts. Many studies have linked marijuana use to increased risk of psychiatric disorders, including psychosis (schizophrenia), depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, but whether, and to what extent, it actually causes these conditions is not always easy to determine.32 Recent research suggests that smoking high-potency marijuana every day could increase the chances of developing psychosis by nearly five times compared to people who have never used marijuana.113
CBD
While the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) makes it very clear that marijuana in its natural and synthetic states is banned in-performance, it has come around to accepting cannabidiol (CBD), the substance responsible for so many of its medicinal benefits. That’s a new change for 2018’s banned substances. “CBD is sold over the counter because it’s not psychoactive,” Scioli says, “CBD being fully legal has the vast majority of benefits for an athlete. In terms of [treating] inflammation, stress reduction, and endocrine harmonising benefits. Just using CBD on its own would be a great option at a far less risk.
CBD has promising benefits:
Fights inflammation
Combats oxidative damage
Improves mood
Reduces stress
Enhances blood flow
Protects brain health and function
Relieves pain
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116792/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=CBD
KETAMINE
The World Health Organization lists ketamine as an "essential medicine," and among the safest and most efficacious drugs known to science. Originally derived from PCP, ketamine possesses a versatility in the medical world like no other drug, and research into its many benefits is becoming more accepted. Navy Seal medics carry it in their pockets, ER doctors routinely give it to toddlers. Many regard ketamine as one of the world’s most fascinating pharmaceuticals. Ketamine is a medication mainly used for starting and maintaining anesthesia. It induces a trance-like state while providing pain relief and sedation, but can cause memory loss. Other uses include sedation in intensive care and treatment of pain and depression. There have been more than 50 clinical trials in the US alone studying ketamine and depression. Ketamine has remarkably fast antidepressant effects and has been used for treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine has shown reduction in depression in as little as 40 minutes. Johnson & Johnson have even had approval for a ketamine-derived nasal spray for depression. However, persistent use of Ketamine can cause serious bladder problems, with the urgent and frequent need to pee. Although stopping using ketamine can help, sometimes the damage can be so serious that the bladder needs surgical repair or even removal.
https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/ketamine-tested-as-severe-depression-treatment/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=ketamine+
ANABOLIC STEROIDS
Anabolic steroids are manufactured drugs that mimic the effects of the male hormone testosterone, which can increase muscle growth and reduce body fat. Such hormones are used medicinally to treat some forms of weight loss and (illegally) by some athletes and sports players to enhance physical performance. When steroids are introduced into the body there are some side effects that will differ from person to person, compound to compound. Each time a compound is used, the body becomes used to it so becomes less and less effective, resulting in the necessity for stronger and stronger compounds resulting in more severe side effects. Amongst others: hair loss, acne and testicular atrophy (your balls will shrink). This mechanism occurs because when your body registers high testosterone levels it can be dangerous, so the body shuts down your body’s own natural production of testosterone to maintain safe levels. If your body continues to perceive increased levels of testosterone, your body starts to produce oestrogen to balance things out. This often results in Gynecomastia - a condition that makes breast tissue swell. Steroids are a temporary fix. By the time an athlete comes off the steroids and the body returns to normal, the net muscle gain is similar to as if the athlete in question had stayed natural. The only sustainable way to maintain the muscle gains from increased testosterone is to stay on steroids through a ‘doctor.’ This medical treatment is known as THT (testosterone replacement therapy). If you decide to accept all the side-effects and to stay on this steroid merry-go-round, early heart problems could to be end result. The early heart attacks of young bodybuilders pay testament to this. Unfortunately there are no lasting short cuts to the body’s muscle growth. Muscle gain boils down to the body’s adaptation to mechanical load and recovery. You have to lift the weights, do the work, eat the right food and get the sleep to receive long -term health benefits and muscle gain. It’s slow, but slow and steady wins the race.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1768197/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anabolic-steroid-misuse/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01373/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/8637535/
With this in mind, before embarking on an exercise program It’s important to understand what’s achievable without the use of steroids. Through social media we are constantly bombarded with images of physiques that are achieved with steroids that can create unrealistic expectations of what’s achievable naturally. Eugene Sandow is a good example of a powerful physique that can be achieved naturally. Unfortunately he has questionable taste in sandals.
We know this is a completely natural physique as steroids didn’t exist when this photo was taken in 1900. Testosterone was first synthesized in Germany in 1935 and was used medically to treat depression. Professional athletes first began misusing anabolic steroids during the 1954 Olympics, when Russian weightlifters were given testosterone. Physiques like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jay Cutler are interesting, but unfortunately, are entirely unattainable naturally, and certainly unsustainable long term. Notice that all the separation and structures of the body are still visible in the natural example of physique vs the physiques attained using steroids.
https://leehayward.com/blog/ideal-measurements-for-a-bodybuilding-physique
What if you knew 100% that there are no short cuts to getting a great body - would that change the way you see building muscle? Because that’s how it is. Slow and steady wins the race. The body will grow when it adapts to a consistent application of mechanical load, 7-10 hours’ quality sleep and eating natural whole foods high in protein. It’s that simple.
