I’ve heard some good things about GHB in terms of workout recovery. However, back issues of T-mag don’t seem to have anything good to say about it. Could I have some other opinions? If I wanted to get some, isn’t it supposedly hard to get now? What does everyone think about this?
Yeah, you will hear a lot of bad things said about it. I for one really loved the stuff. I used it several years ago when it was readily available and never had any problems. BUT - I never drank with it or ever left the house. My room mates and I used it all of the time and had parties using only G. Everyone got leaner with no other change in lifestyle so I’d say that it definitely had an effect. As far as getting it now, it’s not nearly as easy and in my opinion not worth the risks of getting caught with it so I leave it alone. Even though I enjoyed it I must admit that it is probably just as well that it is illegal now. There is certainly great potential for it’s abuse and misuse.
GHB is a schedule one drug now–the same as heroin! So yes, it’s going to be damned difficult to find.
I agree that it seems to work well for fatloss, and it’s great for going to sleep quickly. (However, you tend to wake up after 3-4 hours and be wide awake.)
However, some people (I wouldn’t say most people) find it to be highly addictive, and it can be a real bitch to quit taking it if you lapse into use throughout the day.
All things considered, especially the legality and the fact that any G you find will be of very questionable purity (probably made from industrial grade chemicals, with the possibility of heavy metal impurities, etc.), I’d leave this stuff alone.
I agree–leave it alone. It carries an especially nasty consequence because of its more prominent role in rapes, and regardless of how this relates to bodybuilding the legal risk is formidable.
I should add that Pat Arnold–who most people on this board will be familiar with–had a friend who died as a result of GHB use. I don’t know the details, but I’m sure he would be happy to converse with you if you still want to use it. As far as GHB’s use for bodybuilding, there are some studies that show a growth hormone releasing effect, but those same studies show a tremendous surge in prolactin as well. This hormone is not only catabolic, it can actually make men lactate–i.e., produce milk in their breasts! Yuck. People take this stuff to get the mild “high,” plain and simple. Considering all the risks, legal and otherwise, it’s probably not worth it. Without going into details, I’ll just say that I wish that I had never tried it.
When it was legal, GHB and all of the derivatives (GBL, 4-BD, etc) were great products when used for the right reasons. They were an ideal sleep aids, great anti-stress products, some of the best sex enhancers around, and for those who were responsible enough to not overdo it, yes, great party aids. To use a concept right out of one of T-Mag’s own articles, regular aspirin does WAY more damage than the GHB family ever has.
GHB gets one of the worst raps for people using it to party with. Well guess what…people party with pot, speed, alcohol, MDMA (ectasy), ketamine, cocaine, PCP, crack, LSD, and who knows what else for years. I’m sure GHB does not rank anywhere near the top of that list for injury/death associated with usage in comparison. In fact, it’s probably one of the least toxic of them. One of the reasons bodybuilders have liked the recreational aspect of GHB is because it is zero calorie and you wake up in the morning feeling great. And the majority of its users reported getting leaner while using it for sleep.
I know the other side of GHB well too. A friend of mine died from overdosing on it. But like most of the few deaths associated with GHB, it wasn't from an "oops, I took one sip too many." He died from drinking 3/4th of a bottle of the popular Blue Nitro in one sitting. Placing the blame on GHB for his death would be like placing the blame on the full bottles of cheap vodka that people often drink themselves to death with - it's the person killing themselves, not the product.
I have used GBL and 1,4 butanediol and found them to be excellent alternatives to drugs and alcohol, when used in reasonable amounts, and they are also terrific sleep aids. I also lean out slightly when using them. A small, small, minority may have problems with it but hey it can be abused like anything else, and as a matter of fact there are more medical emergencies with things like aspirin. The "date rape drug is alcohol not ghb. by the way orphan medical inc. will be releasing xyrem, prescription ghb, in the near future for narcolespy…the real reason it was banned is so the pharmaceutical industry could re-release it and reap the profits, it is the same thing that will happen to ppa, read up on the facts this is the honest to god’s truth.
I don’t really disagree with Chuck that GHB (and the precursors he named) is safe if taken in moderation and infrequently. However, I’d again go back to the illegality–it’s a Schedule 1 drug–and the purity of what’s on the market, as it’s probably a “bathtub brew” made from chemicals meant for the plastics industry, not for human consumption. If you are going to do research, I’d point to two sports figures: the Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janakowski got into serious legal trouble just for possession of the “date rape drug” GHB. And Phoenix Suns basketball player Tom Gugliota collapsed and nearly died after taking GBL (which is metabolized into GHB). River Phoenix also reputedly died from GHB use, although I think that probably had more to do with the other drugs he was taking. Anyway, weigh the risks and benefits for yourself, but the benefits are pretty mild, IMO.
good point brian,use at your own risk, if you get caught you will go to jail, my point though is that the abuse of ghb was grossly exaggerated by the media and law enforcement, and if it is so dangerous why is it going to be sold as a prescription drug. in conclusion this will end up doing more harm than good, because people will just turn to more dangerous drugs, or have to get a prescription.
Chuck and bliptrip, I couldn’t agree with you more! Nice posts. Bliptrip, sorry for your friend.
I´d take bromocriptine or some other drug
to deal with the prolactin.
However many people
forget that all kinds of drugs including the popular SSRI´s results in elevated prolactin levels (differences between them exist - setraline-zoloft has a very mild effect and citalopramin is quite potent)
what about the verve i hear its a lot like GHB but its not quite the same thing did i hear wrong? also i hear GHB can eat away at your throat if you take enough of it for long enough time periods, mainly cause its made with industrial cleaners in the black market anyone know if this is true or just bs ?
Bateman–the main reason that GHB is addictive is because it upregulates dopamine receptors. This makes the sustained dopamine release after the GHB wears off (it has a temporary suppressive effect) quite unpleasant. As you might know, bromocriptine is a strong dopamine agonist–so putting the two together could really be a recipe for disaster. Anyway, even if this were not the case, it gets a little silly to start taking prescription drugs to “enable” a Schedule One illegal drug whose main benefit is to give the user a mild buzz, IMO.
verve is 5% or 2 1/2% gbl (furanone di hydro). Gbl converts to ghb in the body. i personally thought the verve was great. i used it before i went out to clubs, instead of drinking. it’s great because if you use it responsibley, you will have the most amazing sex of your life, plenty of energy, and it will cut down on your sleep requirements. the downside? when i used it more than 2-3 times per week, i got a bit of a rebound effect the next day, and some bad headaches. it is best used on occasion, like on weekends, and not every day. also it is now very difficult to get and very much illegal…
One last thing I forgot to mention: Dan Duchaine’s second, 3-year prison sentence was for GHB trafficking. This was well before GHB was made into a Schedule One drug; Dan might still be in prison with today’s federal statutes. So the government does take it seriously. About the GHB “eating away your throat,” this wouldn’t happen with pure GHB, which has a neutral pH, but yes, it sure could happen with the “bathtub chemists” who would have the stuff now. It is made with sodium hydroxide (lye), which is the main ingredient in Drano and Red Devil drain opener–so if the reaction isn’t carried to completion, or if incorrect proportions are used, the result could be quite toxic.