Once-weekly steroid dosing can promote muscle repair without atrophy

Journal of Clinical Investigation/MedicalXPress ^ | May 08, 2017 0 | Mattia Quattrocelli et al

[ConservativeMind]

Glucocorticoid steroids are used to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. Their effects on muscle recovery and repair make them particularly effective therapies for muscle injury and muscular dystrophies. However, chronic systemic exposure to glucocorticoid steroids also accelerates the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to muscle wasting and weakness after long-term use.

In this issue of the JCI, a study led by Elizabeth McNally at Northwestern University's Feinberg School reports that some unwanted side effects of glucocorticoid steroids might be avoided by reducing the frequency of the treatment regimen. In a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and in normal mice, both daily and weekly steroid dosing improved the rate of muscle recovery from injury.

However, daily dosing also led to muscle atrophy that counteracted the benefits of enhanced muscle repair. In contrast, mice that received a once-weekly treatment with glucocorticoid steroids experienced improvements in muscle function and pathology that were not compromised by muscle atrophy.

The findings of this study suggest that reducing the frequency of glucocorticoid dosing may prevent their debilitating side effects while preserving therapeutic effects on muscle function. Further work is needed to determine how intermittent dosing regimens affect glucocorticoid therapies in human disease.

[Jonty30]

Moderate steroid use doesn’t hurt the body. It is the insulin and high that is hurting body builders.

[wildcard_redneck]

Many effective therapies for older Americans have been delegitimized by the obsession with “fairness” in sports.

By the way, doctor: HGH after surgery:Harvard Medical School

[ConservativeMind]

Ping of interest.

[sauropod]

.

[fireman15]

Moderate steroid use doesn’t hurt the body. It is the insulin and high that is hurting body builders.

Your statement is a bit dubious. The types of steroids used by body builders can be very detrimental in many ways depending on the type, dosage, and duration of use. But other types can also cause problems that are sometimes unpredictable.

A small amount of corticosteroids such as prednisone but even creams and lotions meant for itchiness and minor skin problems cause my retinas to develop bumps that distort my vision. The condition that I have is called Central Serous Retinopathy and it mimics macular degeneration. I usually get it in just one eye at a time. Its effects are bad enough that it sometimes decreases my vision to legally blind status in one eye. Fortunately it is not permanent, and but every attack tends to damage the retina a little.

[Ancesthntr]

Take creatine monohydrate to keep your muscles around, instead of stuff that does have some serious side effects. Besides, the creatine is available OTC pretty cheaply - you can get a kilo for about $20, and that’s good for 200 days at 5 grams per. A dime a day - and that stuff works!

[Rumplemeyer]

Read

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Lessee then.... Steroids + sildenifil = ?

[Ancesthntr]

“Read”

---

Yeah, I learned how to do that in grade school.

This is what I read:

“The findings of this study ***suggest*** that reducing the frequency of glucocorticoid dosing ***may*** prevent their debilitating side effects while preserving therapeutic effects on muscle function.” [emphasis added]

In my mind, words like “suggest” and “may” are not nearly strong or definite enough words on which to base a significant health decision - not when there is a clear alternative that works and is known to be extremely safe.

I’ll stick with my dirt cheap, no prescription needed, effective Creatine Monohydrate - thanks very much.