Chest X-Ray

[Knoxville]

I've been sick the last week or so, finally went to the doc. Anyhow, the doc thought I might have some pneumonia. He wanted to do a chest x-ray, I said sure. Turns out I do have some pneumonia. Got all the meds and shot to clear that up. After that he said he wanted to talk to me about something else. He asked how long I have been into powerlifting. I said 5, going on 6 years. He said that in my chest x-ray, I have a slightly enlarged heart. Is that something I should really worry about? I have taken cycles over the years, nothing too extreme though. The most being 800 mg/wk test, 400 mg/wk deca and Anadrol for about 5 weeks in the middle. I have never ran a cycle more than 12 weeks, a couple test only's for 16 weeks. I lift hard and heavy though. He told me that if I keep powerlfting that it was going to continue to make my heart grow and that I would die a young man. It kind of pissed me off because I didn't really believe that. I just want some other input.

Knox

[bad14u]

Take care of your heart Bro. You can't live without it. Not sure what to tell you other than that.

[SonofBone]

Take care of yourself Knox. If you don't trust his opinion, get a 2nd opinion or probably better yet see a Cardiologist.

Here is a British study from 2004:

Cardiac Effects of Anabolic Steroids

"Health Implications

HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
If AAS use is associated with an exaggerated LV hypertrophic response to training, what are the likely health implications? They may be profound. In terms of non-cardiac morbidity, AAS use is associated with hypogonadism, testicular atrophy, impaired spermatogenesis, baldness, acne, gynaecomastia, and psychiatric disturbance. Such drugs also have toxic effects on metabolic profile and hepatic structure and function,10 as well as potentially promoting neoplastic growth.10 Indeed, Parsinnen reported the 12 year mortality to be 12.9% among 62 male powerlifters suspected of AAS use, compared to 3.1% in a control population.16

LVH is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and (through whatever mechanism) one might anticipate an excess cardiovascular mortality among AAS users in whom LVH occurs. In addition, the recognised association of AAS use with hypertension and dislipidaemia (raised low density lipoprotein and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and raised triglycerides),10 as well as influences on coagulation and platelet aggregation,10 might increase such risk. While it is debatable whether ASS use is indeed associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular death, 38% of the deaths in Parssinen’s powerlifting group were attributed to "myocardial infarction",16 while several case reports have attributed myocardial infarction in athletes to ASS abuse.

In some cases, infarction has occurred without evident coronary thrombosis or atherosclerosis, leading to the hypothesis that ASS may induce coronary vasospasm in susceptible individuals.10 Similarly there are several case reports of increased thromboembolic risk.10 In a recent postmortem series of 34 AAS abusers aged 20–45 years (comprising 12 homicides, 11 suicides, 12 "accidental" deaths, and two of indeterminate cause), 12 of the deceased showed cardiac pathology. Findings included hypertrophy (7 cases), myocardial or endocardial fibrosis (5), cardiac steatosis (1), myocardial coagulation necrosis (2), and coronary atheroma (4). Cardiac changes were adjudged to have contributed to death by poisoning in two cases.17 However mediated, such a morbid burden is likely to rise with time. The US National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 1999 that between 2.7–2.9% of year 8–12 high school teenagers had experimented at least once with AAS, representing a 38–50% rise since 1991.18

The influence of steroid hormones on the heart thus warrants further study. Evidently, the potential impact of steroid abuse on public health is a matter of concern. Perhaps more importantly, however, such studies might lead to a greater understanding of the shared mechanisms through which cardiac growth and cardiovascular disease are mediated. Such issues are increasingly exciting as the identification of local myocardial steroid synthesis (and its potential pathogenicity19) is paralleled by the demonstrated efficacy of steroid antagonists in cardiac disease.20 We might yet see a role for steroid antagonists such as aldosterone in the primary or secondary prevention of LVH, and its associated cardiovascular sequelae. "

[FitnessBrat]

He told me that if I keep powerlfting that it was going to continue to make my heart grow and that I would die a young man. It kind of pissed me off because I didn't really believe that. I just want some other input.

Knox

Very scary Knox - he isn't making this stuff up. You need to go see a cardiologist - it may just be something they need to monitor every six months to see if it gets larger.

[NYCmitch25]

Hey Bro,
Get a second and third opinion from a cardiologist (not the normal doc or whoever you saw). Dont stress over it until you see a specialist.

weeeeeell.....im not conviced its "doom and gloom" outcome. I spent time going through several medical journals i have access too and a slightly enlarged heart will occur in anyone who trains llifts runs whatever and is not considered abnormal because the heart is a muscle which reponse like any other muscle when trained. Its refered to as "athletic induced enlarged heart" or "athletes heart" What I have a problem with is there is virtually no evidence supporting powerlifting or strenous training as a leading risk factor. maybe he doesnt want you to train. yes AAS use will increase the risk factors. but the point is this condition occurs equally accross the board in all sports soccer players to marathon runners. Its also believed there is a genetic disposition or factor to it with that said i would stay away from AAS for now until you see a specialist.

its unclear to me how he came to that concusltion. Have you had serious heart palpations? fainted (common)? abnormalities, etc. Any of these questions come up? Of coarse, In some cases only a chest x-ray will uncover an enlargement. With an enlargement of the heart there are things to do to reduce its size especially caught early (which would be true in your case) there are means to slowly reverse the process. So yes hes right it would change the way one trains.

Its late i post more another time.

[Ashop]

i would see a heart specialist.

[Knoxville]

I have never had heart palpitations, never fainted. My blood pressure has always been a little high. Straight out of HS and into the Marines, I had to get a waiver because of my BP. It wasn't real high, 130/low 70's. I had my BP checked at the dentist (don't know why they check that) but it was only 135/71. That in my opnion is good seeing that is a little high, but not increasing over time. Heart disease/complications has never been a problem on either sides of my family. Cholestorol has always been the culprit. I gave blood a couple of months ago and got the free cholestorol check. My cholestorol was below average levels so I felt good about that as well. In my opinon, it is associated with "athletes heart" I feel like that if you train hard and work all of your muscles, yes, your heart is going to grow. Why wouldn't it? It's a muscle that you are making work harder. New year resolution is to start hitting cardio more, no less than 30 mins minimum 3 days a week. I'll give that a try for 6 months and go see a specialist. I smoked from age 16-20, so I really doubt that helped matters. I feel good though, so I'm not going to lose sleep over this.

Knox