Do steroids damage tendons?

[CRNT93]

Can steroids cause the tendons to degenerate?
I'm not talking about hurting yourself because the muscles
are getting strong too fast.
I think there have been some studies on this(?).

 

[pete ferguson]

I've never heard of it....ask Garry Frank 1000+ squat, 733 bench, 865 deadlift, 2606 total. If his tendons give out, I doubt the juice will be blamed!

 

[40butpumpin]

This was discussed at length, do a search and you'll find some good information. But in a nutshell, yes, they can indirectly (and if I'm not mistaken, directly) cause damage to tendons.

 

[nautica]

Yes, I have seen where they can weakon tendons. But all the injuries I have seen have been from people doing extremely heavy weights. Like 3-4 times what a normal person could do. So maybe it does not make them weaker but they do not always keep up with the muscle strength.

Nautica

 

[Willyumyum]

Yes, I have seen where they can weakon tendons. But all the injuries I have seen have been from people doing extremely heavy weights. Like 3-4 times what a normal person could do. So maybe it does not make them weaker but they do not always keep up with the muscle strength.

Nautica

Exactly... It's like people think the gear makes them and their muscles godlike... While your muscles are getting much stronger, your tendons are not strengthened by most gear (I forget which , if any DO strengthen tendons) your tendons stay the same, and therefore at much much heavier poundages cannot handle the same load that your muscle can... This is what causes the tendon tears.

YUM

 

[Maxx Out]

Exactly... It's like people think the gear makes them and their muscles godlike... While your muscles are getting much stronger, your tendons are not strengthened by most gear (I forget which , if any DO strengthen tendons) your tendons stay the same, and therefore at much much heavier poundages cannot handle the same load that your muscle can... This is what causes the tendon tears.

YUM

Hey Yum, that's why we have GH!

Thank God!

Maxx >>>>>

 

[Willyumyum]

Hey Yum, that's why we have GH!

Thank God!

Maxx >>>>>

I'm too young for GH, but yeah

YUM

 

[The_Eviscerator]

Also, I read that AS adversely effects collagen production which is a major building block in tendons. This and the newfound strength surely can not be good for those poor little tendons.

 

[CRNT93]

bump for more opinions

 

[athlete03]

Also, I read that AS adversely effects collagen production which is a major building block in tendons. This and the newfound strength surely can not be good for those poor little tendons.

This is absolutely right. AAS actually cause your body to produce a screwed up form of collagen. See Optimum Sports Nutrition by Dr. Michael Colgan. An excellent resource.

 

[CRNT93]

up

 

[wilson6]

There is alot of debate on the issue and the contention that AAS weakens tendons comes from animal and in vitro data.

There was a study published in the journal, INJURY vol 29, issue 10, pages 769-773, 1998.

They compared ruptured tendons from human lifters 2 on steroids and 2 non-users. No structural difference.

I say the issue is overrated and is due primarily to other factors.

W6

 

[DocTodd]

i actually just read a study that said Oxandrolone increases collagen deposition....i think it was done in rat tails. There are many studies that directly show AAS increases tissue healing by the increase in protein synthesis. Anyway, the principle is the same. Tendons get injured because they are overloaded by the muscle too fast. The muscle just overcomes physics quicker while the tendons cant.

A quick review for those who dont know.....tendons connect muscle to bone. At least 2 tendons for every muscle and the muscle is in the middle, like a bridge.

Ligaments connect bone to bone.


T

 

[galaxy]

I think degeneration of tendons was discussed once in reference to a bodybuilder named Alq Curley(I think), where he was just walking down the sidewalk and both his quads detached. But Im not sure..........galaxy

 

[CRNT93]

i actually just read a study that said Oxandrolone increases collagen deposition....

That's interesting because there is another individual here that says steroids absolutely will not help in healing tendons.But your study suggest they might.

 

[DocTodd]

it wasnt my study....abstract is linked


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10810035&dopt=Abstract

They actually looked through a miscroscope at the increased collagen. I think it would be hard to say that Joe Bodybuilder had weaker tendons cuz of his AS when it isnt logical to think someone who is using such heavy weight actually gave his tissue time to heal.

T