Background Males looking to improve their body composition may ingest thermogenic supplements for the purpose of losing body fat. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a commercially available dietary supplement (Arnold Iron CutsTM, which contains ingredients that promote thermogenesis) on body composition and maximal strength in a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled p...

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an unusual and benign condition in which air is present in mediastinum. A 20-year-old male patient presented to ED with complaint of hoarseness and odynophagia from the day before, after weightlifting. The patient was nonsmoker and denied history of other diseases. On physical examination he had no dyspnea with normal vital signs. Throat examination and pulmonar...

The hallmark of the bodybuilding phenotype is extreme muscularity coupled together with an equally extreme absence of body fat. We institute resistance training to maximize the first goal, while inclusion of cardiovascular exercise is instituted to accomplish the latter. The combination of these training types (resistance and endurance) is known as concurrent training. Adding endurance exercise...

The use of drugs and ergogenic substances to augment athletic performance, commonly referred to as doping, has evolved along with sporting events. Ancient Olympic athletes consumed mushrooms, plants, and herbs in an attempt to gain a competitive edge. The modern Olympic Games made their debut in 1896, and mixtures of cocaine, ephedrine, and strychnine were used to enhance performance. Anabolic ...

BACKGROUND Following the publication of our paper ‘Muscle Dysmorphia: Could it be classified as an addiction to body image?’ in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, two commentaries by Jon Grant and Johanna Nieuwoudt were published in response to our paper. METHOD Using the ‘addiction components model’, our main contention is that muscle dysmorphia (MD) actually comprises a number of differe...

Recently, a proliferation of athletic supplements has been marketed touting boron as an ergogenic aid capable of increasing testosterone. The effect of boron supplementation was investigated in male bodybuilders. Ten male bodybuilders (aged 20 to 26) were given a 2.5-mg boron supplement, while nine male bodybuilders (aged 21 to 27) were given a placebo for 7 weeks. Plasma total and free testost...

To determine the rate of current or previous use of anabolic steroids by students at a UK college of technology, a questionnaire survey of 687 day students was conducted. The questionnaire began with a general section for all of the students, which ended with the question 'Have you ever used anabolic steroids?'. A further section specifically for anabolic steroid users examined patterns of use,...

Athletes and bodybuilders have recognized for several decades that the use of anabolic steroids can promote muscle growth and strength but it is only relatively recently that these agents are being revisited for clinical purposes. Anabolic steroids are being considered for the treatment of cachexia associated with chronic disease states, and to address loss of muscle mass in the elderly, but ne...