Weight loss steroid treatments are being used in experiments as a way of preventing people suffering from HIV or AIDS to ensure that they gain rather than lose weight. For many years steroids have been used by bodybuilders in order to build up muscle. However, they have recently been used by people suffering from AIDS to replace lean muscle tissue.
Currently no controlled studies have been carried out to see just what effect steroids do have on people with HIV. One pilot study carried out at the Kobler Centre, London gave participants low doses of the Stanozolol steroid to take. Some of the participants would each day carry out a daily weight training regime and the others were required just to take the drug.
During the six weeks that they were taken the steroids those who were exercising each day gained an additional 4kg of weight. Whilst those who only needed to take the steroids so that their weight remained the same. However, after completion of the treatment all lost on average 1kg which was put down to eliminating water that had been retained. So those who took the steroids and exercised they gained 3kg extra weight during the six week period.
The problem with this particular study is no people were asked to exercise but not take the steroids. So at the end there is no evidence to show that the weight people gained was through the steroids or the exercise. However, it does suggest that exercise is crucial as part of any plan where we are trying to prevent weight loss.
The kinds of steroids that are used in medications prescribed to HIV and AIDS patients are those which are classed as being corticosteroids like hydrocortisone or prednisolone. These although different from steroids which bodybuilders use can affect the way in which the body functions.
Certainly we are made constantly aware of the serious side effects which anabolic steroids can have on a person. One of these being that they can cause damage to the liver which in some cases can prove to be fatal. But this depends on the dosage used and how long they are used for. Also injecting steroids rather than taking them orally tend not to be as harmful to the liver.
Another problem with steroids is that they can alter a person’s moods, energy and appetite levels, sometimes in ways that are very startling. Because these medications increase the levels of male hormones in the body they may well amplify a person’s aggressive nature. Sometimes without warning people become very angry much more quickly and react aggressively towards the slightest provocation.
Along with weight loss steroid treatments being used on HIV and AIDS patients in order for them to maintain or gain weight there are other ones that are used also for the same purposes. One such medication is Megestrol Acetate that along with increasing a person’s appetite it also increases lean muscle mass in these people as well.
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