Using Weight Loss Steroid Treatment for People With HIV/AIDS

Weight loss steroids are being used as a way to ensure that people who suffer from AIDS or HIV are gaining rather than losing weight. For many years now bodybuilders have used steroids as a way of building up muscle, however, it is only in recent years that it has been found that they can build up lean muscle tissue in people who have contracted AIDS.

Not controlled studies have ever been carried out to see what effect steroids do in fact have on people with HIV, although there has been one pilot study undertaken in London at the Kobler Centre. Here the participants were required to take a low dose of the Stanozolol steroid for a given period. Half of those participating when then required to do some weight training each day and the other half did not need to do anything.

During the six weeks that they were taken the steroids those who were exercising each day gained an additional 4kg of weight. Whilst those who only needed to take the steroids so that their weight remained the same. However, after completion of the treatment all lost on average 1kg which was put down to eliminating water that had been retained. So those who took the steroids and exercised they gained 3kg extra weight during the six week period.

However the problem with this study was that no people were asked to just exercise. So there is no way of knowing whether it was the steroids or the exercise which resulted in the people’s weight gain. But it does seem to suggest that exercise is important to any plan for those who are trying to stop losing weight.

Normally the types of steroids that are given to treat HIV and AIDS and used in their medications are the corticosteroids types like prednisolone and hydrocortisone. These differ somewhat from the steroids that are used by bodybuilders and can have some different effects on the user.

We are constantly be made aware of the effect that such steroids can have on the body and one of these is that it can damage the liver. If used for any length of time or in large dosages this can prove fatal to the liver. However, it has been found that injecting rather than taking steroids orally tend to be less harmful on the liver.

Steroids are known for affecting our mood, energy and appetite levels, and not always in ways that will be beneficial to us. It is important to remember that steroids increase male hormone levels in the body and can lead to your aggressive side being amplified. You may find for unknown reasons you react more quickly in an angry or aggressive way even though the provocation may be slight.

Although weight loss steroid treatments are being used in some people with HIV or AIDS to help them maintain or gain weight there are other drugs being used also. One such drug is Megestrol Acetate which increases your appetite but also helps to increase weight by increasing lean muscle mass.

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