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Page 27
| muscle and physical strength. Despite their illegal status and adverse side effects, which include physical deformation, liver damage, impotence, sterility and psychological dysfunction, anabolic steroids are widely used because they work. Any herb promoted as a safe, natural, legal substitute has a ready market. |
| No plant produces anabolic steroids, so no herb can duplicate the effects of these drugs. However, several herbs contain steroidal saponins which are called anabolic steroid precursors, building blocks the body uses to create its own steroids and growth hormones. The difference is that a body ingesting synthetic steroids expands beyond its normal limits, while a body ingesting steroidal saponins cannot. No athlete taking a product containing yohimbe, wild yam, sarsaparilla, licorice root, damiana, yucca root, saw palmetto berry, ginseng root or Siberian ginseng, all of which contain anabolic steroid precursors, will experience the effectsor the side effectsthat he would from synthetic steroids. But these herbs provide important nutritional support to any athlete who wants to improve his aerobic capacity, muscle development, physical strength, endurance and stamina. |
| It is worth noting that some products are made with adulterated herbsinexpensive substitutes for ingredients such as ginseng, Siberian ginseng or yohimbe, or inferior sources of the real thing. Anyone shopping for the right athletic supplements should read product labels with the proverbial grain of salt. To test herbs containing anabolic steroid precursors, consider blending your own supplement with the help of a knowledgeable herbalist, and buy your herbs from a reliable, reputable source. |
| Tea tree oil (see page 50) is important to athletes because it treats cuts, burns, scrapes and sprains as well as athlete's foot, jock itch and toenail fungus. In addition, the following herbs are of special interest to athletes. |
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