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... n. We conducted a non blinded study that was divided in three experiments to investigate the objectives set (figure 1). Experiment 1: Total body composition and anthropometry. Experiment 1 was designed to investigate changes of body composition and anthropometric measurements in strength athletes induced by self-administered AAS. Body composition and dimensions were assessed by taking seinfeld thicknesses and circumferences, respectively.
Measurements were taken before the start of AAS use (baseline) and after 8 weeks of AAS use. In all AAS users, measurements were also taken 6 weeks after drug cessation, regardless of the length of AAS self-administration. In controls, the same measurements were done at the start of the study and after 8 weeks of strength training. Experiment 2: Regional alterations of body composition. Eleven strength athletes (6 AAS, 5 CO) from experiment 1 were randomly selected to participate in experiment 2.
Subjects' body composition was determined with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), in addition to the regular body composition and anthropometric measurements taken in experiment 1. In 6 strength athletes, we performed DEXA measurements at baseline and after 8 weeks of AAS self-administration. In 5 controls, body composition measurements by DEXA were carried out only at the start of the study. Experiment 3: Impact of duration of AAS self-administration. Before the start of the study we divided the AAS users from experiment 1 into two subgroups based on their intended AAS course duration.
Nine subjects had decided to take these drugs for 8 weeks (short-AAS), while the remaining 10 athletes intended to use AAS for 12 to 16 weeks (long-AAS). Anthropometric measurements and determination of body composition were carried out at baseline, at the end of the drug administration, and 6 weeks after AAS withdrawal. Measurements. Height was measured with an anthropo meter. Body weight was determined to the nearest 0. 1 kg using a bascule. Skinfold's were measured with a Holtain caliper at eight sites: biceps, triceps, subscapular, pectoral, supra iliac, umbilicus, thigh, and calf.
All measurements were taken twice by an experienced investigator. The mean of both measurements was recorded. To avoid inter observer error, a single investigator took measurements in the same subject throughout the study. The percentage of fat was estimated from seinfeld measurements according to the method of During and Wormersley (4). Lean body mass and fat mass were calculated using body weight and percentage fat.
Eleven circumference measurements at 10 sites were taken with a tape measure: neck, thorax, waist, buttocks, upper arm (relaxed), upper arm (contracted), forearm, wrist, thigh (just below the buttocks), thigh (two-thirds the distance from the major trochanter and lateral site of the knee joint), and calf. An experienced investigator took all measurements twice, and the mean of both measurements was recorded. Total and regional body composition measurements were performed using DEXA apparatus (DPX-L, Lunar Corp, Madison, Wisconsin) at a fast scan speed with a whole-body resolution of 4. 8 3 9. 6 mm. To determine the composition of regional body segments and limbs, DEXA measurements were divided in discrete values for arms, legs, and trunk on the basis of anatomic landmarks. As determined by Makes et al (5), the precision of these measurements is 1. 5 % for the arms, 0. 8 % for the legs, and 1. 1 % for the trunk. Total mass, fat mass, and bone-free lean mass were determined using Lunar software (version 1. 3 z) for each body region (arms, trunk, and legs).
Monitoring and compliance. Information about the subjects' training and nutritional habits was collected before the start of the study and in week 8. Subjects' nutritional intake was determined with a 3 -day diary. Training data were obtained by a 1 -week log.
For long-AAS strength athletes, nutritional and training data were also obtained at the end of the AAS administration. In all AAS users, these data were collected 6 weeks after drug cessation. To gauge subjects' compliance with drug administration or abstinence before the start of the study and after 8 weeks, urine samples from all athletes were obtained for drug evaluation purposes (Netherlands Institute for Drug and Doping Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands). For the long-AAS group, urine samples were taken at the end of the drug-use period. All AAS-using strength athletes submitted urine samples 6 weeks after drug withdrawal. From all samples taken, about one-third were randomly chosen for analysis.
Statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all measurements using Stat-View software (Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, California, 1994). Data are presented as mean plus or minus standard deviation (SD). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare differences in the observed changes between groups. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for analysis of intra group changes after drug withdrawal (experiment 1) and for DEXA measurements of subjects taking AAS (experiment 2).
The level of significance was set at 0. 05 for all analyses. Results Total body composition and anthropometry. After 8 weeks, the AAS group had a significant increase of approximately 4. 5 kg in body weight and lean body mass, whereas the controls exhibited no significant change. Mean body weight increased from 84. 0 + 9. 9 to 88. 4 + 10. 7 kg, and lean body mass rose from 69. 6 kg to 74. 1 kg. The percentage of fat during AAS use was significantly reduced from 17. 0 % to 16. 0 %, but this was not reflected in a loss of fat mass. Gains in body weight and lean body mass were still partly present 6 weeks after drug withdrawal (table 3).
In both groups, no significant increase in seinfeld measurements or their sums were observed during the study. In the AAS group, increases in the circumferences of neck, upper arm, forearm, wrist, thigh, and lower leg were significantly larger than in the control group. Circumference changes of the thorax, waist, and buttocks did not reach significance compared with those of controls. Although the circumferences were slightly reduced after drug withdrawal, they were still increased compared with baseline levels (see table 3). Regional body composition changes. Baseline DEXA measurements of body segment composition were not significantly different between the AAS users and control athletes.
After 8 weeks of AAS use, the weight of the arm was significantly increased, but the weight of the trunk and legs remained unchanged. Bone-free lean masses of the arms, trunk, and legs were significantly greater during AAS use than at baseline (table 4). AAS use did not affect the fat mass of the arms, legs, and trunk. Total bone mineral density and bone mineral content did not change significantly. Length of AAS regimen. No significant differences were observed in body weight, percentage of fat, fat mass, lean body mass, and circumferences between short-AAS and long-AAS users.
Similarly, these parameters were not significantly different between groups 6 weeks after drug withdrawal. Training, n...
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