When he first put together the idea of making a documentary about steroid use and the public’s reaction – or better yet overreaction – to it, Chris Bell never figured on the finished product coming out the way it eventually did, let alone having the opportunity to do another movie.

“I’m really surprised that the reaction has been this big,” he said of the 2008 Magnolia Films release he co-wrote and directed, “but in a way I also thought when we started making the movie that it was such an important issue to explore.”

The Poughkeepsie, New York native envisioned getting the marquee names that garnered the headlines on the front and back pages of the tabloids and getting their opinions to lead “Bigger, Stronger, Faster*.”

“We tried to get Jose Canseco, that was a no-brainer,” Bell said of the baseball slugger/steroid user turned author. “But he’s always out for himself and wanted money. We also tried to get (BALCO’s) Victor Conte, but he told us that he was coming out with a ‘tell-all’ book and didn’t want to do anything before it was released.

“We reached out to other ball players and even Arnold (Schwarzenegger), but no one wanted to talk about it not to tarnish their reputation,” Bell continued. “I wanted to interview (former NFL offensive lineman) Tony Mandarich. At the time he didn’t want to talk about steroids. Then he came out with a book. We tried to talk with (former Pittsburgh Steeler) Rocky Bleier, who was a Vietnam veteran and came out and said he used steroids through a doctor.”

Because he kept hitting a wall trying to convince strangers that his intentions were genuine, he went in a completely different direction, one that came with a huge question mark.

He decided to base the film on himself and his two brothers but thought, “By using the family aspect and steroids, how do you make people want to see this film?” That turned out to be a stroke of genius, even if it wasn’t obvious to Bell at the time.

“I know that performance-enhancing drugs affected a lot of people and also in America a lot of out heroes that we find out are using them – it kind of relates to everybody on some level,” said Bell. “Everybody has a baseball player that they love, a football player that they love, some sort of athlete that’s been caught using performance-enhancing drugs.”

By bringing the issue to a grass-roots environment that everyone could relate to made it feel as real as it was and not antiseptic like many documentaries end up being. By the time you finish watching the movie, you feel as if you’re part of the Bell household. When he explains that all three of the Bell boys have at one time or are still using steroids, it isn’t just Barry Bonds or Marion Jones anymore, but someone just like yourself.

(Tragically, the oldest of the three brothers was found dead in a California drug rehabilitation center in December, three months after the film was released on DVD. Mike Bell, who at one time wrestled under the nickname of Mad Dog in the World Wrestling Federation, was 37 and his addiction to painkillers and alcohol was chronicled in the film. Eerily, Chris Bell states during a scene that he would not be surprised if his brother winds up dying young.)

Bell knew the main reason why he his requests were met with so much resistance. “Steroids are so demonized in the media and they (the people that declined to be included) really didn’t know what we were doing, thinking the movie was going to be one-sided.”

That is exactly what Bell wanted to avoid. However he was to present the facts in the film, he wanted the viewer to make up his or her own mind on what side of the fence they stood. “There are a couple of sides to every story,” he said. “That’s kind of what I wanted to do. Use the humor and the archival footage – things people could relate to and kind of bring it all together and let them make their own decisions at the end of the movie.

“Because I think human beings are a lot smarter than people think sometimes and as filmmakers we dumb it down for the audience and we should never do that.”

Although Bell claims that he presented it down the middle, the proof is in the pudding and even the staunchest of the anti-steroid parade has to admit that there are misnomers about the substances that have been repeated so frequently in the mainstream media that the facts sometimes don’t make it through. What Bell did was clear up some of those clouds.

Even people that have jumped sides have succumbed to the pressure of being ‘politically correct’ in today’s society. “When Arnold (Schwarzenegger) became governor, he couldn’t even say what he wants to say,” said Bell. “We took a few stabs at him in the movie, but all in all, he’s still somebody I really look up to. Because steroids have been portrayed the way they have been in the media, he can’t even say the truth.

“I guarantee that if I had Arnold alone in a room he would tell me something different than he would tell me on camera.”

Schwarzenegger has gone on record and admitted using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his bodybuilding career, namely testosterone and dianabol. The former seven-time Mr. Olympia and present governor of California wrote back in 1967 when the substances were still legal that “steroids were helpful to me in maintaining muscle size while on a strict diet in preparation for a contest. I did not use them for muscle growth, but rather for muscle maintenance when cutting up.”

Bell brought up the day in 1988 while Ben Johnson, the Canadian Olympic sprinter, was being condemned for using steroids that there were 75 reporters in the New York Giants locker room waiting for Lawrence Taylor, who had just returned after serving a suspension for using cocaine. “That’s sending a mixed message,” he said.

He commented that a major complaint of athletes using steroids is that it is a bad influence for children, but he also questioned the actions of other so-called role models for youngsters. “Are they going to start drug testing Hollywood and the rap stars?” Bell asked himself. “They may be smoking pot and that’s also illegal. They should crack down on everything then and not be selective.”

One category of substances that is commonly put on the back burner is painkillers. Many different athletes from all walks of life use them regularly and in 1996, three-time NFL Most Valuable Player Brett Favre admitted being addicted to Vicodin and entered a rehabilitation center.

Due to the vigorous work schedule and physical demand put on them, professional wrestlers are one group that has had major issues with painkillers. Bell, who previously worked for World Wrestling Entertainment as a writer, had a conversation with Vince McMahon and the WWE mogul told him “We’re not so concerned about steroids because we have a policy for that. There’s more of a concern for painkillers.”

Bell added, “A guy can get a prescription for painkillers and then buy 500 more on the black market. If you test them, they’re already covered (with the prescription).”

Shedding some light on this issue is what Bell has in mind for his next project. “I’m looking to do a narrative film, not a documentary, presented in a more dramatic fashion based on an ultimate fighter that gets addicted to painkillers,” he said of his intentions. “Instead of using them as a performance-enhancer, athletes use them to get back in the game. I wanted to examine that in a different way.

“In a dream world, I’m looking to have The Rock (actor and former WWE wrestler Dwayne Johnson), who is a friend of mine, play the lead role,” he continued. “We haven’t got to that point yet, so we’ll have to see.”

The main character is based on Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr, who began his Mixed Martial Arts career back in 1997. “It actually takes place in the old days of ultimate fighting, which to me makes it so much more interesting,” Bell said. “I started watching it a long time ago when it was a blood sport and it was pretty amazing back then.”

Bell and his production company are trying to obtain the rights of a 2003 HBO documentary entitled, “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr,” which chronicled the career and addiction of Kerr and the ‘no-holds-barred’ style that Bell spoke about.

If things go the way he hopes, Chris Bell will have another opportunity to tell a story, and most likely a story within a story. He hit a home run with his first at-bat and, naturally, should go two-for-two when his next film is released.

The cyst is reported to have nothing to do with Rodriguez’s steroid use.

With all of the distractions that he has had with the steroid admissions, his cousin and trainer and a statement that could (and should) be looked at as a knock against teammate Derek Jeter, all A-Rod kept saying was that it felt good to be playing baseball again. 

Rodriguez has been preparing for the World Baseball Classic with the team from the Dominican Republic and made a statement praising Jose Reyes, who is also suiting up for his home country. “I wish he was leading off for our team, playing on our team,” he told reporters in Florida. Reyes plays shortstop, the same position as Jeter, who, predictably, had no comment.

Photo by Bill Menzel

“In the early ’90s, the federal government came into pro wrestling and tried to put Vince McMahon in prison for steroid use of wrestlers,” Ventura told KUSA, a television network in Denver, Colorado. “My question is (that) they’ve now determined 104 baseball players failed their steroid test in 2003 – 104! They indicted Vince McMahon, why aren’t they indicting Bud Selig? He’s the head of baseball; it happened on his watch.”

In 1993, McMahon was indicted during the then-WWF’s steroid controversy and was accused of distribution. He was found not guilty following a 1994 trial.

Earth to Ventura: It’s noble of you to go to bat for Vince and a period of steroid use in wrestling that you were a part of. But you fail to realize the major difference between the two situations.

Baseball has the Player’s Association and certain steps that need to be taken for drug testing. Wrestling is an entertainment entity and McMahon is the end all of the rules governing it.

While Selig is definitely no angel in this and enjoyed the benefits from the offensive explosion fueled by performance-enhancing drugs, locking him up and throwing away the key is definitely not an option for punishment.

Even someone as thick-headed as Ventura should be able to see that.

Now we have David Ortiz standing up and making a bold statement, not about anything concerning his own steroid use, but baseball players in general. Speaking at the Red Sox spring training facility in Fort Myers, Florida, Big Papi told reporters that if a player tests positive for steroids even once, “Ban ‘em for the whole year.”

Not exactly what you would call a physical specimen, Ortiz does possess great power and some of the names that have come out over the years as steroid users wouldn’t be mistaken for bodybuilders, either. Case in point, Mo Vaughn, who could pass for Ortiz with their similar girth and Boston uniform. Big Mo was named in the Mitchell Report and was also spoken about in Kirk Radomski’s new book, “Bases Loaded.”

Vaughn was the caliber of player that thought merely using performance-enhancing drug was all it takes to benefit. He did not exercise and was inconsistent with using the substances, which Radomski described as the reason why Vaughn looked the way he did.

Hypothetically, let’s say Ortiz realized that he needed to make a decision to save his career after being cut by the Minnesota Twins in December of 2002. Although he had decent numbers that year (.272, 20, 75), his numbers went way up his first year at Fenway, with not only his batting average being higher, but his home runs and RBI jumped to 31 and 101, respectively.

He then became a legitimate superstar and hit a career-high 54 bombs in 2006. His numbers have declined since, and he also missed some time last summer due to injury.

It isn’t impossible that Ortiz dabbled into the use of steroids at one time and may now be clean, so it’s easy to step up and make a statement like he did. He was going yard and in a big way during the period that has been proven to be the so-called ‘steroid era.’

By stepping up and saying,”Hey, come and test all of us and throw us out if we’re stupid enough to do it,’ Ortiz deflects any doubt that may have been lingering over him.

Similar to what Pameiro did. Get my drift?

Just when you thought that we had heard everything the government had on Bonds, new evidence has popped up that shows the former Giants slugger used different steroids than the ‘clear’ and the ‘cream,’ which he already testified to using. An alleged urinalysis taken during Bonds’ BALCO days is what the feds are dangling and hope to prove that he lied to the grand jury that he wasn’t aware he take steroids and used more than he claimed.

Using multiple government agencies to get their man, the IRS executed a search warrant in the home of Greg Anderson’s mother-in-law. Bond’s former trainer has kept quiet about his knowledge of steroid use by baseball’s excommunicated home run king. Anderson may in fact get called to testify again, which his lawyer said he would never do, even at the expense of being incarcerated again.

Still not enough? The feds are also getting the immortal back-up cater Bobby Estellala to take the stand and say that he had knowledge of Bonds using steroids while they were Giant teammates.

By Bonds remaining a free man and holding the single season and all-time home run records, the federal government and Major League Baseball are both red in the face. Their persistence in going after Bonds, who goes on trial for perjury on March 2 in San Francisco, has gone beyond an obsession.

Makes one nostalgic for the good old days of McCarthyism.

And just where is this extravaganza taking place? Madison Square Garden? Las Vegas? Atlantic City? No, you have to make your way down to Aston, Pennsylvania to a ‘venue’ that is normally an ice skating rink that can hold up to 2,200. Not enough time to get there in person on Saturday night? Then you’re in luck because they also have it available as an Internet pay-per-view event (www.gofightlive.com).

The special guest referee will be Vince “Invincible” Papale, the former Philadelphia Eagle made famous by Mark Wahlberg in a feature film. He won’t have too much work to do in the three, one-minute rounds scheduled.

Both Canseco and Bonaduce have prior ring experience, albeit not all successful. Last July, Canseco was knocked out in the first round against former NFL wide receiver Vai Sikahema, who did have some boxing experience. Bonaduce, who played Danny Partridge, was somewhat more successful in a 2002 celebrity match against Barry Williams, better known as Greg Brady.

The ‘Tale of the Tape’ advantages Canseco, who stands 6’4″ and weighed in at 260 pounds, as opposed to the 5’6″, 180-pound Bonaduce.

His steroid use chronicled in two separate books, Canseco still looks the part and appears to be in good shape. Bonaduce, who was seen using steroids on his reality show “Breaking Bonaduce,” has been outspoken about the benefits from the drugs. Although he is much smaller, he does have decent size to him for a non-athlete.

Welcome to the first part of a comprehensive series that will take an in- depth look at various issues surrounding steroids and steroid use. In this on-going series we will cover such issues as liver function, thyroid function, insulin use (for non diabetic trainers), steroids and women, Clenbuterol use, testosterone esters in depth, counterfeit steroids, frequently asked questions etc. We will also take a closer look at mass building drugs, cutting drugs and anti-estrogens.

All in all, this is going to be a pretty comprehensive series! So let’s get started with a lesson in:

BASIC PHARMACOLOGY

Anabolic Steroids are derivatives of the male hormone testosterone and, as such, they exert their effects on many testosterone sensitive tissues within the body. This includes reproductive tissues, muscle, bone, hair follicles, liver, kidneys , white and red blood cells and brain. These effects fall under two classifications:

• ANABOLIC – Promoting muscle growth
• ANDROGENIC – Promoting the development of masculine characteristics

Of primary interest to the athlete of course is the anabolic effect. Testosterone is the primary hormone involved in muscle growth. Put simply, testosterone enters the inside of the muscle cell where it binds with an androgen receptor. It then continues its journey until it reaches the nucleus of the cell. On arrival at this destination the ‘dynamic duo’ turn on or off specific segments within the DNA in order to trigger muscle growth.
In addition to triggering muscle growth, anabolic steroids also prevent muscle breakdown (catabolism) by inhibiting the action of cortisol and other glucocorticoids, which are known for their catabolic effect.

CHEMISTRY

In order to exert maximum effects in the body anabolic steroids need to be chemically altered. When testosterone itself is taken orally it is swiftly broken down and eliminated by enzymes present in the intestines and the liver. In the case of steroids, a process known as 17a-alkylation has structurally altered most oral products, this protects the steroid from being destroyed by these enzymes. This 17a-alkylation, whilst good on paper, does unfortunately result in most oral drugs being harsh on the liver. It also causes negative changes in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). The advice here would be to ensure that, whilst taking oral steroids, it is wise to include some form of liver protection e.g. Legalon available from www.maximedicine.com.

Oral anabolics are often preferred by drug-tested athletes due to their short clearing time (i.e. the amount of time they are detectable in the system).
In the case of injectable steroids, these are naturally produced androgens (testosterone, nortestosterone, boldenone) bound to a fatty acid by an ester bond at the 17-carbon. This serves, not to protect the substance against enzymes (like the 17a-alkylation) but to increase the amount of time the steroid remains in an oil globule, following injection, before it enters the circulation.

On entering the bloodstream, the fatty acid is split off by enzymes called esterazes. In the case of a long fatty acid this results in a slow release of the steroid over a course of days or weeks.

THE ESTROGEN FACTOR

Many of you will already be familiar with a process known as ‘aromatization’. This is a process by which testosterone is converted into estrogen. Most bodybuilders try to avoid estrogen conversion by taking anti-estrogen drugs such as Arimadex. Arimadex exerts its effect by neutralizing the aromatase enzyme. When you take aromatase out of the equation testosterone can no longer be converted to estrogen. This assists in the reduction of estrogen dependent fat deposition, water retention and gynecomastia (the growth of breast tissue in males).

However, before you go crazy with aromatase inhibitors and anti-estrogens (e.g. Nolvadex) do remember that too little estrogen can slow muscle growth, suppress HDL (good) cholesterol and kill sex drive. Therefore, the key to using these substances is to take them in moderation so that you blunt estrogens effects without removing it completely from your system.

IN SUMMARY

The undisputed fact of the matter is that anabolic steroids are immensely popular with not only professional and recreational athletes, but also those individuals just wishing to improve their performance and overall quality of life. Knowing how they work, how to safely use them and how to protect your health during and after use is vital not only to your success but also to your overall health. There is no denying their effectiveness but there is also no denying the side effects that can result from their abuse/misuse. It is for that reason that, here at Muscle sport, our aim is to educate rather than condemn those who decide to integrate these substances into their fitness regime. So, that said, stay tuned to this spot for much more from the ‘Steroid Insider’ over the following months.

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

It would appear that Marion Jones might be in danger of losing her crown, when it comes to pleading naivety in the land of steroid use. Stepping up to the throne this week is champion boxer Shane Mosley.

It has been revealed that, prior to his September 13, 2003 title fight with Oscar De La Hoya, Mosley had been taking a potent mix of steroids and EPO. However, in good old Marion Jones tradition, Mosley has admitted publicly and in court documents that he took EPO and the designer steroids “the cream” and “the clear,” but says he did not know that they were either illegal or banned!

>

This ‘confession’ must surely have fallen off the pages of ‘Marion’s Guide to Pleading Ignorance’. However, before we all get caught up in this little vignette of innocence, I think that the most important point in this case is that doping calendars seized in the BALCO raid show that Shane had to scale back his use of EPO two weeks before the title fight with La Hoya due to the fact that his blood grew unnaturally thick with oxygen-rich blood cells.

In fact, medical records have revealed that Mosley’s hematocrit – a measure of red blood cells- had shot up by 8.2% over a period of two weeks. Hematocrit levels usually linger in the low 40′s for non-doping men and anything over 50 will get an Olympic cyclist or marathon runner suspended. In Mosley’s case, his hematocrit jumped from 44 to 52.2 during the two weeks in question. This led to BALCO founder, Victor Conte, moving the boxer to a maintenance phase of less frequent injections so that he didn’t fail a drug test…or have a heart attack!

With regard to Mosley’s claim that he was unaware of the fact that the substances he was taking were illegal, Conte wrote in a sworn statement filed in the defamation case…

“Specifically, I explained to Mr. Mosley and Mr. Hudson (Mosley’s trainer at that time) that ‘The Clear’ was an undetectable anabolic steroid and that ‘The Cream’ contained testosterone and epitestosterone. There is no question that I informed Mr. Mosley that he was taking the three banned performance- enhancing drugs.”

The fact that Mosley successfully tapered the drug so that he wouldn’t test positive in any pre or post fight tests means that, on this occasion, I guess you could say he had a lucky escape from being penalized by the boxing commission. However, you really have to look closely at the effect use of this drug had on his overall health….

EPO…THE FACTS

EPO (Erythropoietin) is a growth factor that regulates the formation of red blood cells in the body. In medicine it is used to treat severe forms of anemia and, with this in mind, many athletes use it to step up red blood cell production. This is particularly the case for endurance athletes since an excess of red blood cells leads to a greater oxygen uptake and therefore increases in stamina and endurance. Bodybuilders use this drug to increase overall blood and cell volume in order to obtain a more vascular appearance for shows and photo shoots.

The drug is administered subcutaneously, between the skin and the muscle, and can take 12 – 15 hours to reach peak effectiveness. Dosages are usually in the range of 20 – 40 I.U./kg of bodyweight. Intravenous administration is often used in cases where the user seeks an immediate effect.

THE DANGERS

Although EPO is currently a very popular drug it does have very significant side effects, the most marked of which is high blood pressure. When the blood pressure is raised the whole circulatory system is compromised. This can lead to stroke, heart attack, headaches or blood clots. However, the increase in hematocrit levels (as seen in the case of Shane Mosley) is of great concern as this can lead to blockages in the arteries and veins. Even in mild cases this can lead to irregular heartbeat, nausea/vomiting, shortness of breath, diarrhea and increased potassium levels.
Bottom line…this drug can kill you and, if for some reason you feel compelled to try it, then it is mandatory that you monitor your blood cell count throughout its use. At the end of the day, this drug is best restricted to clinical use, where it can be very valuable and, outside of that arena, unless you are a serious endurance athlete, you are advised to stay well away (and I tried to put that as nicely as I could!).

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).