NO PAIN, NO GAIN REVISITED
Date: 30-12-2006
Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamUnited States |
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DEAR DR. DONOHUE: You ran an article in which you asserted that ''no pain, no gain'' was ''one of the most inane sayings ever mouthed.'' If you are talking about joint, tendon or muscle pain, you are correct. But what most exercise gurus mean by that phrase is the fatigue brought on by exercise stress. Mild to moderate fatigue is a good thing. The body has to be stressed to achieve fitness. Please comment. -- J.T.
ANSWER: By ''no pain, no gain'' being a cliche that can get people into serious trouble, I meant that anyone with an injury should not play in spite of the injury. I also meant that playing when sick is another invitation to irreparable harm.
I didn't mean the muscle soreness that comes from challenging the body. That is mostly good and should not be a signal to stop exercising or playing.
During any exercise routine -- say, weightlifting -- muscles begin to hurt. That's due to a buildup of lactic acid, a byproduct of energy combustion, and due to a depletion of the energy molecules that keep muscles moving. This kind of hurt promptly goes away in a matter of a few minutes with rest and isn't a warning to stop exercising.
Muscle pain and stiffness that comes on the day after exercising at a greater than usual intensity is an expected consequence of hard work. It's OK to continue to exercise when in this kind of pain, but it should be at a lesser level.
Muscle pain that begins 48 hours after exercise is a different kind of muscle injury, a slightly more serious kind. The insulating tissues around muscles and muscle fibers themselves have been pummeled, and they need a rest. They don't need a complete rest, but they should be exercised at a lower level, and it can take them a week to recover fully.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 18 and into bodybuilding, which I've been doing for three years. I have achieved some success, but not the success I want and not the success I see others have gotten. I know many of them are on steroids.
I am considering trying them too. I don't think I will ever get the size I want without them. I would like the truth. Are they really dangerous? Do they really work? -- D.F.
ANSWER: The word ''steroid'' creates confusion. One class of steroids is the cortisone drug family. Prednisone is a much-used member of this family. These steroids have a place in medicine to fight inflammation.
The steroids you're talking about are muscle-building (anabolic) steroids, male hormones. They have a limited place in medicine but no place in athletics. They really do work. They produce rapid gains in muscle growth.
They are dangerous. They cause breast growth in men and breast shrinkage in women. They shrivel the testicles. They might enlarge the prostate gland. They cause acne and hair loss. They can weaken tendons. They're reputed to cause heartbeat abnormalities.
They lead to cardiovascular problems. Recently, it was shown that a group of muscle-building-steroid users, at young ages, had a buildup of calcium in their heart arteries. Calcium buildup in arteries is a signal that those arteries are likely to clog up and obstruct blood flow to heart muscle.
You don't want to use these steroids.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a girl, 17, and I play all sports. I got my first menstrual period when I was 13, and they were regular until six months ago. I haven't had one since. Why? I know I am not pregnant. -- R.T.
ANSWER: It might be that your active life has left you with too little body fat to ensure female hormone production and normal periods. Are you eating enough calories to support your activities? I wish you had sent me your height and weight.
You have to see the family doctor. If you are lacking estrogen, your bones aren't getting enough calcium, and you're setting yourself up for osteoporosis.
Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com
