Kasem Ahmed

Addison's disease: disorder in which the adrenal glands (located just above the kidneys) are unable to produce sufficient hormones.

- Cortisol is the hormone that is usually lacking.

o Cortisol plays a vital role in bodily function:

the most important being that of helping the body to respond to stress.

It also aids in other processes, including maintaining blood pressure,

slowing the immune system's inflammatory response, balancing the

effect of insulin breaking down sugar, and regulating the metabolism

of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

- Symptoms:

o Chronic fatigue and muscle weakness, loss of appetite, and weight loss are all

symptoms of the disease.

o An Addisonian crisis may be triggered by a stressful event such as an illness

or an accident. In about 25% of people with Addison's disease, a crisis is the

first appearance of symptoms.

o The symptoms of an Addisonian crisis are exaggerated symptoms of

Addison's disease and include pain in the lower back, abdomen or legs, and

severe vomiting and diarrhea. This is followed by dehydration, low blood

pressure, and loss of consciousness, all of which may occur suddenly. If left

untreated, an Addisonian crisis can be fatal.

- Causes:

o Addison's disease may be caused by a disorder of the adrenal glands (primary

adrenal insufficiency).

In most cases, primary adrenal insufficiency occurs as a result of the

body's own immune system slowly destroying the outer layer of the

adrenal glands. This form of Addison's is what is known as an

autoimmune disease and accounts for about 80% of cases.

o The disease may also be caused if the pituitary gland stops producing enough

adrenal stimulating hormone (secondary adrenal insufficiency).

Treatment:

o Treatment of Addison's disease involves therapy to replace the hormones that are

not being produced by the adrenal glands.

Cortisol is replaced with tablets containing synthetic steroids

If there is also a deficiency of aldosterone, tablets containing another

steroid.

So basically, the treatment for Addison’s disease is synthetic sterioids.

Anabolic Steroids:

- Our adrenal glands make several types of steroids: One type is:

o Sex hormones. These are the male hormones, including testosterone, which

together are called androgens, and the female hormones, including estradiol, a

type of estrogen. Anabolic steroids are another name for androgens.

- "Anabolic steroids -- or more precisely, anabolic-androgenic steroids -- are the synthetic

derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone.

o Testosterone's natural androgenic effects trigger the maturing of the male

reproductive system in puberty, including the growth of body hair and the

deepening of the voice.

o The hormone's anabolic effect helps the body retain dietary protein, which aids in

the development of muscles."

Uses:

- There are anabolic and androgenic effects of anabolic steroids.

o androgenic effects (increased hair, lowered voices, essentially changes that are

similar to male puberty). This type is given to many boys who are distressed

about extreme delay of puberty.

Testosterone is now nearly the only androgen used for this purpose and

has been shown to increase height, weight, and fat-free mass in boys with

delayed puberty.

o Anabolic uses have been most popularly linked with athletes. Athletes use

anabolic steroids to build muscle. So its important to know how steroids build

muscle.

How steroids build muscle and why athletes use them:

- Once ingested, an AAS travels through the blood stream to the muscle tissue. It is drawn

into the muscle cell's androgen receptor. Once delivered to the muscle cell, the steroid

can interact with the cell's DNA and stimulate the protein synthesis process that promotes

cell growth so essentially it is forcing muscle growth.

- Also, When we lift weights heavier than what we're used to, we create tiny micro-tears in

muscle fibers. The body's natural repair process repairs the tear and then

overcompensates by adding bigger cells to build a stronger fiber — this is called

muscular hypertrophy. Over time, this repeated process of teardown and re-build will

result in muscle growth.

o Natural testosterone is the body's main ingredient for this process, but anabolic

steroids can serve as a supplement.

- So athletes use it to build muscle, but in certain sports it can have other effects as well

like lessen recovery time from injury or muscle fatigue from working out.

o anabolic steroids can also benefit pitchers and others who need a faster turnaround

from sore, overused muscles. Intense exercise also releases cortisol, known as the

stress hormone, which breaks down muscle tissue, producing sore muscles.

AAS can block cortisol from binding to the muscle cell's receptor sites,

which diminishes the breakdown process. Less muscle breakdown

enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently without

overtraining and less muscle fatigue which would allow a pitcher to

recover more quickly from a nine-inning outing. 

Use in Sports

- Most cited example of steroid use is Barry Bonds. He played for the SF Giants, and he is

a perfect illustration of how steroid use proliferated within athletes.

- He was a great player