Buying human growth hormone supplements to combat aging is now a hot trend among middle-aged individuals. They were hoping that these growth hormones would help them prevent or at least slow down the signs of aging. Supplementation of HGH is also becoming popular as a performance enhancing drug for professional athletes and bodybuilders.

This supplement is said to help develop leaner muscles and aid in faster recovery from injuries. Most sports organizations are now banning the use of growth hormones because of its performance enhancing effects just like anabolic steroids.

But health professionals advocating the use of human growth hormones should now think twice. A recent study published in the Science Translational Medicine Journal, revealed that suppressing human growth hormone may also ward off some diseases common to older people. They found out that cancer and diabetes are not prevalent to people with suppressed growth hormones in their body.

This study poses a debate whether supplementation of HGH outweighs the benefits of being cancer and diabetes free. “There are a lot of people giving human growth hormone to fight aging,” Dr. Nir Barzilai told LA Times. “The question is, will you live longer and healthier? I think these studies suggest maybe not,” said Dr. Barzilai, who is a researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

While HGH is marketed as a “fountain of youth” drug, there are still some concerns on its efficacy and claims. Animal studies showed opposite results with regards to the amount of < a href="http://www.steroidsources.com/human-growth-hermone.php">human growth hormones in the body. Mice without growth hormones were reported to live longer and they are protected from cancer. Though more evidences are still needed to verify if suppressed human growth hormones in humans can significantly extend their life expectancy.

The researchers headed by Dr. Valter Longo, a cell biologist from the University of Southern California (USC) conducted studies on yeast and mice that lack growth genes. Yeast lived 3 times longer while the mice lived 40% longer. And additional research in collaboration with Ecuadorian endocrinologist Jaime Guevara-Aguirre revealed that suppressed growth hormones in humans prevents them from getting age related diseases.

The group studied the health histories of Ecuadorians with Laron Syndrome. People with this syndrome had a genetic mutation that shuts off receptors to human growth hormone which resulted to stunted growth. The Laron patients had lower amounts of IGF-I or Insulin-like Growth Factor 1. Further, the analysis conducted on blood samples showed lower insulin concentrations and higher insulin sensitivity. The subjects were also protected from DNA damage.

Drug companies are now into clinical trials to know whether the IGF-1 can be effectively used to treat cancer. The researchers are also planning to conduct further studies on the use of HGH in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

We commonly hear cases of law enforcement officers being involved in the sale, distribution or use of steroids. But the case of a Contra Costa County anti-narcotics officer is a little bit different. He was charged early this month for stealing confiscated drugs and then sold it with the help of his friend. The drugs were seized by CNET or the County Narcotics Enforcement Team during their anti-drugs operation in the area. The Department of Justice, which conducted the investigation, found out that the head of the CNET was involved in the loss and disappearance of drugs which are supposed to be used as evidences in filing cases against drug dealers.

CNET commander Norman Wielsch, 49, was relieved of his post because of the drug sales, drug transportation, drug possession and conspiracy charges. The anti-narcotics head was charged with 28 felony counts in relation to his alleged theft and sale of anabolic steroids, methamphetamines, marijuana, and prescription pills Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. The prosecutors also said that Wielsch stole chemicals that can be used to produce methamphetamines.

Wielsch was already arraigned in a Contra Costa County Court and was out on $400,000 bail. Michael Cardoza, the lawyer of Wielsch, told the media that his client is helping the authorities with their investigation. “He made a mistake, and he stepped up to the plate after he got caught. He’s accepted early responsibility for his actions,” Cardoza said. One of the reasons that could have forced Wielsch to commit the crime is his financial problem. According to his lawyer, the officer’s daughter was required to undergo a bone marrow transplant and his debts may have caused him to find money through illegal means.

A friend of Wielsch and a former police officer was also charged as co-conspirator. Christopher Butler, 49 is also facing the same number of charges and is being held for $900,000 bail. Butler served the Antioch police force before he decided to manage his own private investigation agency in 1997. Both are expected to return to court on March 2 to enter pleas.

Court record showed that Wielsch sold at least $5,000 worth of marijuana and steroids in one transaction. In another instance, the anti-narcotics agent sold $10,000 worth of methamphetamine. Investigators also found out that there was an instance Wielsch went to Butler’s office where the alleged illegal transaction took place.

Right now, the entire CNET was put on a hiatus because of the incident. According to District Attorney Mark Peterson, officials are now conducting internal review of the drug handling procedures of the anti-narcotics group. “We want to see why this happened and make sure it never happens again,” Peterson told the media. “One person, if they’re really motivated to do some bad things is very difficult to stop. But we can put some procedures in place to make it more difficult to do that,” he added.

Top ranking officers of the anti-narcotics bureau knows that the incident will affect the perception of the people towards their agents. How can they trust law enforcement officers if they are the ones redistributing these anabolic steroids and other controlled substances to the general public?

In the court filing last Thursday, prosecutors submitted a list of evidences that will pin down the baseball slugger. Though there were no new evidences presented, the prosecution is confident that these evidences together with a number of key witnesses will prove that Barry Bonds really used anabolic steroids and committed perjury by lying to federal investigators. The court filing will be the game plan of the prosecution once the perjury trial starts on March 21.

Last week, Judge Susan Illston asked both parties if they are amenable to a settlement so that the case will not proceed to trial. However, Barry Bonds is not interested in this option because it would mean pleading guilty to the charges filed against him. The baseball slugger insists that he did not use or lied about using steroids. Defense lawyers already tried to weaken the case by filing several motions. They were able to do this in some instances but the prosecutors are also doing their best to bolster the case.

Key Witnesses

The prosecution still relies on the key witnesses who will provide significant testimonies against Bonds. The former mistress of Bonds, Kimberly Bell will be called into the witness stand once the trial begins. Bell alleged that he watched the physical changes that happened to Bonds when the slugger started to use anabolic steroids. Some of these were back acne, male pattern baldness, mood swings, and sexual dysfunction. The defense already filed a motion that will limit the testimony of Bell. They argued that the statements of Bell would be lurid, ridiculous, uncorroborated, contradicted and subject to a battle of experts.

According to Bell, Bonds took Viagra, a prescription medication for ED. The government contends that this condition is a result of steroid abuse. The former business partner of Bonds will also corroborate the statements of Bell because he was the one purchasing this prescription medication for Bonds.

Bonds’ personal doctor, Arthur Ting, will also testify about his knowledge of Bonds’ use of steroid. A childhood friend and former personal assistant Kathy Hoskins also alleged that she saw Greg Anderson inject Bonds with performance enhancing drugs. His former business partner, Steve Hoskins, is also a valuable witness for the prosecution. He also have a secret recording wherein Anderson allegedly admitted that he injected Bonds with steroids.

Major League Players

Some former and current major league players are also on the list of witnesses. Though most of them don’t have any direct accounts of Bonds’ use of steroids, they are all connected with or worked with Greg Anderson. They said the former trainer of Bonds provided them with performance enhancing substances. SF Giants trainer Stan Conte and Giants equipment manager Mike Murphy will also take the witness stand. They will corroborate the statements of Larry Bowers, the medical director for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Steroid Evidence

The prosecution is in possession of a crucial evidence that will prove Bonds really used anabolic steroids. They will use the alleged positive drug test of Barry Bonds from the MLB’s survey testing in 2003. A portion of the taped conversation between Hoskins and Anderson was already allowed by the court to be used as evidence.

The only missing link that will surely put the slugger into jail is the testimony of his former trainer Greg Anderson. Anderson’s lawyer already told the media that his client will not testify against Bonds. The former trainer already served jail time for contempt and will face another one if he continues to refuse testifying in the perjury case.

Law enforcement agencies in the country were scrutinized because of reports that the use of steroid is already rampant in the police force. As investigations are being conducted, some police departments have already initiated programs that would address the problem. In other states, lawmakers already passed new bills to counter the continued steroid abuse of police officers.

Drug testing is the primary deterrent for these law enforcement officers from taking illicit drugs. Though testing for recreational drugs are already in place, some police department in the country can’t afford to include anabolic steroids in the current drug testing program. The main reason is the cost of implementing a comprehensive steroid testing program. While some cities like Dallas, Phoenix, Boston, Albuquerque, and New York have already included steroids in their drug testing, other areas in the country are still findings ways on how to fund steroid testing.

For example, the recent contract between the police union and the Portland City council did not include comprehensive testing for steroids. Some critics were dismayed about the agreement because it was silent on the issue of steroids. Portland police officers will be tested for 5 classes of drugs. These are commonly abused substances like marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and phencyclidine or PCP.

Commissioner Dan Saltzman told the Oregon Live his concerns about the city’s deferment of steroid testing. “I do think we have to figure out a way to bring that on sooner rather than later,” said Saltzman, who urge for an update in the next few months.

Some city officials admitted that the delay in the steroid testing was due to the cost. “Its availability and its cost have not come into line with routine testing,” said the City’s labor negotiator. The availability of testing laboratories that could test for steroid is also a problem.

But there is one thing that law enforcement officers should be worried about. The recent agreement does not limit the City in testing for the 5 classes of drugs earlier identified. A provision states that when there is a reasonable suspicion that an officer is using anabolic steroid, he can be subjected to steroid test. Drugs such as prohormones and other substances can be included in the random tests provided the Portland Police Association agrees.

Proponents of steroid testing were hoping for an immediate implementation to avoid more steroid related cases involving police officers. Aside from the health risk it could give to the user, some believe that the use of excessive force of some officers could be due to steroids. A health expert also revealed that law enforcement officers are more prone to anabolic steroid abuse.

“What law enforcement is finding is there’s a whole lot more people who are going to test positive for this, than for cocaine or anything else,” said Phoenix Police Cmdr. Kim Humphrey, who have been a resource person when it comes to steroid testing program. Phoenix tests its 4,000 officers for at least 7 types of anabolic steroids. Humprey admits that the inclusion of steroid tests tripled their expenses on drug testing.

The drug testing program in Portland will require at least 660 police officers to undergo random drug testing.

There is still a debate whether ingesting meat products contaminated with steroids can lead to a positive result for steroid test. Many athletes have been using this argument to convince their sports organization that they are not intentionally doping. There are reports that some cattle and livestock producers use steroids to hasten the development of muscles of their livestock. In most countries this practice is already banned but recent studies showed that there are still some producers who are doing this. In the study of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) there is a possibility that some cattle producers in China may have been injecting their livestock with steroids.

This information was divulged by the WADA head David Howman in the recently concluded European Union Sports Forum. Howman said that there are already several athletes coming from China who failed steroid testing. The WADA accredited laboratory in Cologne, Germany reported that 22 of 28 travelers returning from China showed low levels of Clenbuterol, an anabolic steroid. The anti-doping experts believe that it could be due to food contamination. “There seems to be some evidence that some beef in China may have been stimulated in their growth by the use of steroids,” said WADA director general David Howman.

The agency did not give detailed facts on this issue and admits that they are still verifying this with the Chinese authorities. Nevertheless, the agency still issued warning to athletes traveling to China to be careful because they could inadvertently ingest steroids which can lead to their suspension from sports. “We have written to the Chinese minister to ask for a full explanation of what happens in the industry in China. We’re waiting for a response,” said Howman.

The meat contamination issue became a concern of WADA because of the increasing number of athletes returning positive for Clenbuterol. This anabolic steroid is commonly used in livestock to make them bigger and leaner. However, Clenbuterol is also being used by bodybuilders and professional athletes aiming for a leaner muscle and better physique.

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador used meat contamination defense when he was tested positive for Clenbuterol. He alleged that the steroid found in his system was due to the contaminated meat from Spain. According to the AP, Contador was cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation. Dimitrij Ovtcharov, a German table tennis player, was also cleared by the anti-doping authorities. Ovtcharov also blamed the meat from China which he believes was contaminated with Clenbuterol.

Howman pointed out that even if there are some cases where meat contamination defense was accepted, the anti-doping authority is still weighing the evidences. “We looked at the evidence in the table tennis case and we were satisfied that the tribunal made the proper decision based on the evidence that it had received,” the WADA head said.

Howman also urge other countries to pass laws regulating the production and sale of sports drugs. He mentioned that traffickers prefer sports drugs like anabolic steroids, EPO or human growth hormone than recreational drugs. “There is more money to be made because in many countries it is legal,” he said. It becomes a profitable business but it also put the youths, professional athletes or anyone buying these drugs at risk.

These steroids were usually imported raw from other countries and manufactured in unsanitary conditions. “They buy the raw materials and then they put them together in a kitchen laboratory.” Howman said that traffickers can easily mark up their steroids up to 100 percent.

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Braintree police and state troopers have finally busted a major illegal drug distribution network after months of thorough investigation. Authorities arrested four people including a man who allegedly made frequent trips to California to buy drugs and then have them shipped east through the U.S Postal Service. Investigators added that the arrested individuals would most likely take the marijuana from the different post offices in Massachusetts and transport said drugs to Braintree and divide it out to local drug dealers. Though the suspects engage in the illegal sale of recreational drugs, authorities found out that they were also involved in selling steroids and other prescription drugs.

According to Deputy Chief Russell Jenkins, the Braintree detectives served the warrant at approximately 6:30 p.m. last Saturday after watching Wesley P. Dikes of Bellingham pick up a quantity of marijuana that had been delivered to a Walpole UPS store. “Dikkes then transported the marijuana to the East Division Street home of Vincent J. Papagno, 41, who gave a Quincy address when arrested,” he added.

Papagno was the focus of the investigation. Said investigation revealed that his frequent trips to Los Angeles were for the purpose of buying large quantities of marijuana and ship them back to Massachusetts. During the raid in Papagno’s home, authorities found Dikkes in the basement area that appeared to be set up for drug packing. Other confiscated items include scales, money counter, 61 empty one-pound packages and shipping boxes. Officers also found more than $7,000 cash, 10 pounds marijuana, vials of steroids, and prescription pills.

Jenkins also revealed that Samantha Baker and Patrick Ryan were part of the ring. There are also reports that Papagno was Baker’s boyfriend. On the other hand, Ryan, who has been a city firefighter since 1995, is on an unpaid administrative leave from the fire department while the investigation is pending. He pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Quincy District Count and is due in court in April 8, 2011.

An information from a bodybuilding website disclosed that Baker bagged the top honors in the National Physique Committee’s New England Bodybuilding and Figure competition last 2009. In her official website, Baker posted a message to her “fans, family and friends,” which reads, “For those of you who have heard certain personal circumstances that I am going through, what I can say about it is this … I have never nor will I ever involve myself with any illegal activity. It is not who I am as a person, not what I believe in, and certainly not something I would involve the people I love with. All I can say is that I will be okay, more than okay, things will turn out as they should and I am very, very positive for the outcome that will be reached. I will rise from this stronger and better than ever.”

Meanwhile, Stacey James, spokesperson of the Patriots, confirmed that Baker was one of the cheerleaders in the 2002 season.

Authorities say that Baker had oxycodone pills when she drove up to the house just in time for the police’s arrival. The former Patriot cheerleader has pleaded innocent in Quincy District Court to charges of conspiracy and possession of oxycodone and steroids.