HGH causes acromegaly with associated risks to the organs (heart, aneurysms), but it takes years of high dosage via pituitary tumor.

Also elite athletes tend to take steroids, etc, at levels that FAR exceed therapeutic doses.

Oh yes. Which is part of why I can't imagine them NOT feeling it.

The guys I know who took steroids certainly knew it. And you can tell it by looking at them even now. It's your body. When you're an elite athlete it's your delicate instrument. You gotta know.

Well, HGH doesn't have any major side effects, that I know of. Actually, it's really interesting to me that pro players, who basically have all possible science at their fingertips for the asking, are as clueless and gullible as the general public when it comes to substances and health.

Where the argument falls apart for me is that performance enhancing drugs sure do have a major side effect - they enhance performance. And I find it beyond credibility that a professional athlete, someone who's been focusing on and monitoring and measuring and working to improve their abilities is oblivious to changes that come faster and easier than what they're accustomed to after a lifetime of training and competing. Denial's an incredibly powerful thing, but at some level you gotta know.

From what I gather, these are a form of baby announcements and gift to the announcee: [link] [link] It's...different.

Is that a bag of rice? ETA: And do they customize the weight of rice in the bag to match the baby? Because they so should.

You are so right, brenda! They should.

I think to some extent you could attribute an enhancement to an increase/change in training.

And steroids allow you to increase/change your training because your recovery time is cut.

So I can see buying it for a while.

And I can see someone chosing to use a substance (particulary to recover from an injury and potentially extend his career) if its status is fuzzy.

Along with HGH I also wonder about the banning of blood-doping. I don't think it does damage either, does it? (Not even sure its involved in the baseball situation)

blood-doping. I don't think it does damage either, does it?

If the athletes were even a leeetle bit smart about how they go about it, then no.

Can y'all send some "push hard!" vibes towards Lancaster County, PA? My stepsister is in labor. My mom's bummed because she was at the doctor's today and he told her she had pink-eye, so she can't go near any babies for a few days.