Insulin and Bodybuilding

It seems that gym rats have found a new way to juice up.
Insulin abuse is the latest deadly fad in bodybuilding. Weightlifters use it—in combination with steroids—to pump their muscles full of staying power. It’s estimated that one in four steroid abusers are also using insulin.

As most people know, insulin is a life-saver for people with diabetes. However, it can put a normal person into a coma. Abusers take insulin and then consume sugary foods and sweet drinks. The insulin helps feed muscles during intense exercise, prevents muscle breakdown, and helps performance. The International Olympic Committee bans insulin. However, it’s impossible to detect.

The August issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine reported the case of a 31-year-old man who was brought into a hospital after being found unconscious at home. He stayed comatose until doctors realized his blood sugar had crashed. Fortunately, he’d arrived in time for intravenous sugar to save his life.