I have read some posts regarding continuing with a AAS cycle even if you get sick (flu) and the consensus seems to be to “keep on taking” instead of stopping during the course of the illness.
Logically from a preservation of lean mass standpoint, I think I can understand the thinking…namely taking AAS will discourage the body from robbing the protein stores of the muscles. However, wouldn’t this prolong the illness since the body needs these proteins to make the antibodies necessary to defeat the germs?
I guess if you were eating as much protein as you could this might provide the necessary raw materials for the body the make the antibodies, but oftentimes when you have the flu you literally can’t eat enough! This might be due to such extreme lethargy or tiredness that you can’t seem to get up to even make a protein shake!
I know when I get sick (not often) I tend to lose weight and get what is described as that “flat” feeling. It happens everytime, even when I try to eat enough. Though I have never used AAS before, a recent thread on this board regarding the use of AAS for health purposes got me researching a little more about its benefits, and one of them is the use of AAS for prevention of muscle wasting (of which illness can contribute). However, as written above, it somehow doesn’t make sense to me to limit the availability of raw materials (proteins) for the body to make antibodies (which I believe AAS would) since this would prolong the illness.
[quote]KSman wrote:
I think that the protein-antibody thing is nothing more than empty speculation.[/quote]
Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. It just seems to make sense to me…but I don’t know much so that’s why I’m seeking other thoughts on this matter. Antibodies are what I think the body uses to defeat the germs…and I believe they are made from something: gotta be proteins.
I “think” our normal testosterone levels dip when we’re sick anyways, so this would support the hypothesis that the body is trying to limit the ability to hold onto that protein for muscle. Again maybe so, maybe not…
My experience: last time I had the flu, I took some dbol throughout the course and kept my weight. Like you (heck, like most people), when you get sick you tend to lose weight…methinks mostly because you don’t eat like you’re supposed to.
Now, I can’t say whether or not if I didn’t take the dbol that I would have recuperated faster or not…the only thing I know is that I did indeed “hold” onto my weight with this protocol.
Unlike KSMan’s one-liner no explanation post though, I think what you’ve hypothesized is interesting. I don’t know much about the biochemistry involved with the manufacture of antibodies etc, but I do believe it is a fact that one’s natural hormone levels go down when you are sick. Now, whether that is due to making one’s proteins more accessible to the body as raw materials for anti-sickness bodies I think more research needs to be done here (which perhaps supports KSMan’s one liner).
As an experiment, maybe the next time I get sick (knock on wood that I DON’T), I won’t use any steroids and try valiantly to eat even more. Maybe I’ll do what other’s have tried: take in a crapload more BCAA’s, glutamine, more protein shakes, etc to see if I can maintain weight during the course of my illness. I’ll compare with my notes and data from the last time I was sick and used the dbol.
gear is often used with patients who are very ill and losing muscle mass (ie aids patients are often given deca when they are losing weight rapidly) so keeping muscle mass while suffering from a common cold shouldn’t be any big stretch.
I have read liturature (don’t ask where cause i don’t feel like searching) that primo has a positive effect on immune system. Conversly I have heard anecdotal evidence of EQ having a negative effect. I was sick for 6 weeks of my EQ/Test/Masteron cycle. At the time I spoke with a number of others who had the same problem but it could have been a coincidence and may be nothing more than that.
I just ran my cycle through the cold and would suggest the same. I wouldn’t derail a cycle just because of sickness. If you are injured it is a different story and you would need to asses the severity and type of injury.
Deca was originally designed to treat severe anemia induced diseases.
Oxandrolone was originally designed to speed up healing from level 3 burn victims.
So I would assume that it is OK to use AAS when sick. The flat feeling you experience is from the change in liquid levels in the body as it raises its core temperature in an attempt to “kill” the invading virus.