Anabolic means growth, and the human body lives in a steady state of growth and destruction. We call this homeostasis or balance. This balance is the result of a yin and yang procedure we call anabolic/catabolic processes.
Anabolic is often thought of as a “dirty word” in the American vernacular. The word anabolic is commonly associated with “drugs” that are illegal, dangerous, and damaging to our children. When a phrase like anabolic steroids, or anabolic hormones are broadcast in the media, they stimulate an emotion of fear for those who might use these chemicals to gain an unfair advantage in sports and adolescents who misuse illegal versions of these substances. The authors believe that anabolic hormones, most of which are steroids, have been the victim of libel and should be redefined in the media for what they are—necessary hormones that are made in the human body and provide a vital service to our constant balance between growth and breakdown of tissue In the body. Illegal use of a substance should not define it!
The word anabolic is defined as a “phase of metabolism in which simple substances are synthesized into the complex living tissue” eg. proteins are processed in the body to make muscle tissue. (Wikipedia). This definition is the non-medical definition of the word, but in medicine anabolic means the building of tissue, regeneration. A synonym of anabolic might be “growing” or “gaining” in weight or height. The antonym is catabolic, breakdown or disintegration.
Our bodies are constantly going through a growth and destruction cycle. Our skin is regenerated every few days. Our old skin dies and is flakes off. Our cells die and are regenerated and we get new ones. There is a cycle in our bodies of death and regeneration. This cycle is called the anabolic/catabolic cycle. Catabolic is the reverse of anabolic. It is the breaking down of tissues in the body into decay and body waste. The body is a miraculous machine it is always striving for homeostasis or balance between growth and destruction.
The process of homeostasis within the body is orchestrated by hormones. Some hormones are catabolic in nature. One example is cortisol, it causes the breakdown of muscle and fat to be used for energy in times of stress. Testosterone is an anabolic hormone that directs the body and its cells to use nutrition and energy (from fat and food) to build muscle, bone, and connective tissue. Only when there is testosterone present in the body do we build these tissues. This is an anabolic process and it is a good thing!
Politics and sensational journalism have been puffing themselves up and establishing a platform to reform something that is not broken. The mass media attack on the misuse of anabolic hormones feeds into the general misunderstanding of, or ignorance about the anabolic process that renews and restores our bodies healthy functions. Anabolic action is part of the natural cycle of life as we live and as we age. Because of the mass-hysteria about this terminology we find that physicians are often reluctant or afraid to use hormones such as Growth Hormones or Testosterone in order to help our aging bodies maintain their strength vigor and general health. Doctors know these hormones repair aging bodies, but are afraid to use them because of the negative publicity, and the threat of retribution imposed by the DEA or the state licensing bureaus that regulate physician practices. These
Agencies have been hoodwinked by misplaced need to protect patients from doctors through legislation against a “perceived” threat.
We do not understand the resistance of the medical profession to fighting for the right to treat aging patients with anabolic hormones, when the catabolic processes outweigh the anabolic and leave the aging body in a state of destruction. Doctors know what testosterone can do for men who are aging, but they are told that the changes with aging should be untreated and accepted when it comes to testosterone. All the while they treat conditions related to aging high cholesterol, and high blood pressure with drugs, but ignore the most important medication, testosterone! Most doctors have fallen into line with the mass hysteria of the politicians and regulators and the drug marketers who have usurped the word anabolic and turned it into something dirty and dangerous. Aging patients, both men and women need testosterone to balance the catabolism of aging, and the primary deficiency is being ignored because of a misuse of a word and misunderstanding of the benefits of an anabolic hormone-testosterone.
We believe that many of the laws and regulations that “protect” the patient in the US are actually in service of establishing the status quo in power, which uses universal restrictions to “protect” 5% of the population who would misuse a substance, while sacrificing the health of 95% of the population. Anabolic hormones like testosterone are medicines that are commonly used in Europe and elsewhere but are forbidden in America because of the regulatory decisions of the FDA, DEA, the large pharmaceutical companies and their armies of lawyers who are out there protecting their investments and their power, in lieu of protecting patients. Testosterone is an economical way to replace many medications by creating health in the aging population, but has purposely been shrouded in fear to dissuade doctors and patients alike from using this essential anabolic steroid, We think it is time that common sense and reality emerge to uncover the illusion of danger, to break these monopolies that prevent us from using and accessing medicines and treatments that could help all of us live healthier longer for less.
This Health cast was written and presented by Dr. Kathy Maupin, M.D., Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Expert and Author, with Brett Newcomb, MA., LPC., Family Counselor, Presenter and Author. www.BioBalanceHealth.com.
