Hans and Franz, the Austrian bodybuilders played by Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon on “Saturday Night Live,” started each sketch with their tag line: “We want to pump (clap) you up!”
Those characters first appeared in 1987, and according to the National Drug Abuse Institute, it was that decade when many everyday jocks started using steroids to enhance their muscle mass.
Now, almost 35 years later, despite what's known about the serious health risks of medically unnecessary anabolic steroids (heart disease, stroke, organ failure, mood swings, delusions, addiction and, in men, reduced sperm count, ED, baldness, and breast development), many guys and some women still abuse these drugs.
A new study presented at this year's European Society of Endocrinology meeting found 70% of men using anabolic steroids for athletic enhancement know the risks and use them anyway.
In the U.S., among high school students, 4.9% of boys and 2.4% of girls have used anabolic steroids at least once. And 1% of guys 18 to 34, are estimated to have used them.
Stay away from the steroids. Here’s our prescription for top (pumped) physical form:
• Dose yourself with aerobic interval training for 60+ minutes five days a week, strength-training three times a week for 30 minutes
• Eat a diet with lean proteins (the American College of Sports Medicine recommends you eat between 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight in conjunction with physical activity to build muscle mass), healthy fats, whole grains, and nine servings of fruits and veggies daily.