Bodybuilding & Heart Disease prevention

Three Easy Things A Bodybuilder Must Do To Prevent Heart Disease

By: ERIC D MARCHEWITZ

FISH OIL – THE ARTERIAL CLEANER

Fish Oil is the first powerhouse in keeping the bodybuilder safe from heart disease. Many bodybuilders that use illegal anabolic steroids, but even standard “natural” bodybuilders should consider supplements that will spare them the heart disease associated with higher blood pressure. Anabolic steroids could possibly alter lipid profiles, so it is even more important for people using steroids to maintain safe lipid levels and blood pressure. Fish Oil contains two main ingredients; DHA and EPA. These omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have a multitude of health benefits for the bodybuilder specifically, including increased fat burning and improved sugar metabolism, which are good for obvious reasons. In addition, EPA and DHA decrease the effect of genes involved in fat storage which helps maintain lean mass while bulking. They also down-regulate genes involved in inflammation, which is an important marker of long term health. In fact I also take a baby aspirin per day to keep the damaging effects of inflammation at bay. EPA/DHA have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke and sudden death along with improving blood lipid profiles by increasing the beneficial HDL cholesterol and slightly reducing the damaging LDL cholesterol. All of these things are great for the bodybuilder who is using steroids/prosteroids and important for bodybuilders of any variety that want to maintain maximum health and vitality. Fish oil is a great source for anti-inflammatory prostaglandins and is implicated in the reduction of bowel disorders and cancer of the bowel, which is of importance to anyone who is concerned about health. Colon cancer is a very common form of cancer that affects millions of people. Fish oil causes a reduction in platelet aggregation and stickiness which reduces arterial inflammation is good for everyone, including the bodybuilder, but especially one who takes anabolic steroids or the pro-steroids found on the market (which are steroids by the way). Finally, fish oil have been shown to reduce liver tumor metastasis and formation, which is a good thing for people that chronically take anabolic steroids. I take 4-6 fish oil capsules per day in divided doses as a way to increase the positive effects of a healthy diet and keep blood lipids in check.

Magnesium is a very important mineral that is almost lost in our refined and cleaned water supply. This simple mineral has the power to save lives and increase the effectiveness of your creatine supplements and it is cheap and available in safe over the counter supplements! So why aren’t we taking Magnesium? Low magnesium has been linked to increased risks for sudden death, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The average American is not even close to the lowest RDA dose of 420mg. Remember the RDA is the ABSOUTE MINIMUM needed to prevent diseases, not the OPTIMAL dose. I take 1000mg of Magnesium Oxide per day as a way to supplement my diet. Unless you eat a diet VERY high in vegetables, you are probably running on the low side of magnesium. Running low on minerals is like running your car with only 1 quart of oil in it. It might still get you around, but your chances of failure are higher than if you don’t run ar optimal fluid levels! With magnesium being so inexpensive, you can’t afford to miss this crucial mineral in your supplement plan. (oh, plan on getting a bottle for your mom & dad if you want to help them prevent heart disease and type II diabetes...I have a bottle for mom and dad). Good magnesium intake is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, optimal lipoprotein levels, suppression of abnormal heart rhythms, reduced blood pressure, headache relief, and improved exercise capability. Magnesium can also augment your use of creatine by helping the cells take in more creatine via increased membrane permeability and osmotic factors. Magnesium can also reduce lactic acid in the cells, making it essential prior to a heavy training session if you want to squeeze the most out of each workout. Magnesium is very hard to get in the diet, so don’t skimp on the MgO!

Bloodbanks are often low in this country and it is a great idea to give blood, it could help save your life and the lives of many people in need, but is there more benefit to giving blood other than doing the public good? Yes, it seems that giving blood for men could also save your life lessen the effects of the “bodybuilding” lifestyle. Men have a higher incidence of heart disease and congestive heart failure than women and one of the possible causes is the higher blood iron levels found in men. Giving blood at least once a year is a way to reduce these harmful levels of blood iron. Bodybuilders specifically have a tendency to have high blood iron levels due to their consumption of meat products as a way to get increased protein. One of the reason for men’s version of multi-vitamins is the difference in need for iron between men and women. You will find many of the men’s formulas do not contain iron supplementations due to the implications on heart disease.
Men and women with a genetic abnormality that have slightly higher iron levels were found to have over two times as much chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Also, a Finnish study showed that men who give blood at least once a year had an 88% reduced risk of heart attacks. With bodybuilders relying on lean red meat to supply increased protein, the need to give blood is even more substantial! There is no negative to donating blood and the potential health benefits could be amazing! So, take advantage of your local blood drive to do yourself and your community some good! Tell your friends and family to do themselves a favor and donate blood at least once a year to maintain good heart health! One last positive benefit of giving blood is that you are screened for almost every blood born pathogen which is a positive side benefit!

This article does not constitute medical advice. Check with your physician before starting any supplement program.