THREE EASY THINGS THAT THE BODYBUILDER MUST DO TO PREVENT
HEART DISEASE
FISH OIL – THE ARTERIAL CLEANER Fish Oil is the first
powerhouse in keeping the bodybuilder safe from heart
disease. Many bodybuilders that use illegal anabolic
steroids, but even standard “natural”
bodybuilders should consider supplements that will spare
them the heart disease associated with higher blood
pressure. Anabolic steroids could possibly alter lipid
profiles, so it is even more important for people using
steroids to maintain safe lipid levels and blood pressure.
Fish Oil contains two main ingredients; DHA and EPA. These
omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have a multitude of health
benefits for the bodybuilder specifically, including
increased fat burning and improved sugar metabolism, which
are good for obvious reasons. In addition, EPA and DHA
decrease the effect of genes involved in fat storage which
helps maintain lean mass while bulking. They also
down-regulate genes involved in inflammation, which is an
important marker of long term health. In fact I also take
a baby aspirin per day to keep the damaging effects of
inflammation at bay. EPA/DHA have been shown to reduce the
risk of stroke and sudden death along with improving blood
lipid profiles by increasing the beneficial HDL cholesterol
and slightly reducing the damaging LDL cholesterol. All of
these things are great for the bodybuilder who is using
steroids/prosteroids and important for bodybuilders of any
variety that want to maintain maximum health and vitality.
Fish oil is a great source for anti-inflammatory
prostaglandins and is implicated in the reduction of bowel
disorders and cancer of the bowel, which is of importance
to anyone who is concerned about health. Colon cancer is a
very common form of cancer that affects millions of people.
Fish oil causes a reduction in platelet aggregation and
stickiness which reduces arterial inflammation is good for
everyone, including the bodybuilder, but especially one who
takes anabolic steroids or the pro-steroids found on the
market (which are steroids by the way). Finally, fish oil
have been shown to reduce liver tumor metastasis and
formation, which is a good thing for people that
chronically take anabolic steroids. I take 4-6 fish oil
capsules per day in divided doses as a way to increase the
positive effects of a healthy diet and keep blood lipids in
check.
MAGNESIUM: THE COFACTOR FOR HEART HEALTH MAY MAKE CREATINE
PERFORM BETTER Magnesium is a very important mineral that
is almost lost in our refined and cleaned water supply.
This simple mineral has the power to save lives and
increase the effectiveness of your creatine supplements and
it is cheap and available in safe over the counter
supplements! So why aren’t we taking Magnesium? Low
magnesium has been linked to increased risks for sudden
death, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and
cardiovascular disease. The average American is not even
close to the lowest RDA dose of 420mg. Remember the RDA is
the ABSOUTE MINIMUM needed to prevent diseases, not the
OPTIMAL dose. I take 1000mg of Magnesium Oxide per day as a
way to supplement my diet. Unless you eat a diet VERY high
in vegetables, you are probably running on the low side of
magnesium. Running low on minerals is like running your car
with only 1 quart of oil in it. It might still get you
around, but your chances of failure are higher than if you
don’t run ar optimal fluid levels! With magnesium
being so inexpensive, you can’t afford to miss this
crucial mineral in your supplement plan. (oh, plan on
getting a bottle for your mom & dad if you want to help
them prevent heart disease and type II diabetes...I have a
bottle for mom and dad). Good magnesium intake is
associated with improved insulin sensitivity, optimal
lipoprotein levels, suppression of abnormal heart rhythms,
reduced blood pressure, headache relief, and improved
exercise capability. Magnesium can also augment your use of
creatine by helping the cells take in more creatine via
increased membrane permeability and osmotic factors.
Magnesium can also reduce lactic acid in the cells, making
it essential prior to a heavy training session if you want
to squeeze the most out of each workout. Magnesium is very
hard to get in the diet, so don’t skimp on the MgO!
WHY BODYBUILDERS SHOULD GIVE BLOOD! Bloodbanks are often
low in this country and it is a great idea to give blood,
it could help save your life and the lives of many people
in need, but is there more benefit to giving blood other
than doing the public good? Yes, it seems that giving blood
for men could also save your life lessen the effects of the
“bodybuilding” lifestyle. Men have a higher
incidence of heart disease and congestive heart failure
than women and one of the possible causes is the higher
blood iron levels found in men. Giving blood at least once
a year is a way to reduce these harmful levels of blood
iron. Bodybuilders specifically have a tendency to have
high blood iron levels due to their consumption of meat
products as a way to get increased protein. One of the
reason for men’s version of multi-vitamins is the
difference in need for iron between men and women. You
will find many of the men’s formulas do not contain
iron supplementations due to the implications on heart
disease. Men and women with a genetic abnormality that
have slightly higher iron levels were found to have over
two times as much chance of developing cardiovascular
disease. Also, a Finnish study showed that men who give
blood at least once a year had an 88% reduced risk of heart
attacks. With bodybuilders relying on lean red meat to
supply increased protein, the need to give blood is even
more substantial! There is no negative to donating blood
and the potential health benefits could be amazing! So,
take advantage of your local blood drive to do yourself and
your community some good! Tell your friends and family to
do themselves a favor and donate blood at least once a year
to maintain good heart health! One last positive benefit of
giving blood is that you are screened for almost every
blood born pathogen which is a positive side benefit!
This article does not constitute medical advice. Check
with your physician before starting any supplement program.
Copyright Eric Marchewitz 2007
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Three easy things a bodybuilder must do to prevent heart
disease.
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