Taking anti-biotics during cycle

[Train Heartnet]

I need some advice from the experts here, I have 2 questions:

1. Say for example if I catch a cold during a Test. Enth cycle, can I just pop some anti-biotics to take care of the cold, while still continuing with the cycle?

2. Is there a way to prevent getting the so called "Test Flu" in the first place?

[LLLLern]

how bad is the cold ? do you think you can make it without it? I personally would stick to OTC stuff if on cycle but what do I know

[Train Heartnet]

Originally Posted by llllern

how bad is the cold ? do you think you can make it without it? I personally would stick to OTC stuff if on cycle but what do I know

Hmmm... I'm not sure bro, I'm not having cold or on Test. Enth cycle at the moment..

From all the PH/DeS cycles I've tried (Epidrol, Tren Xtreme, MXT, and Ergomax), only Epidrol gave me bad case of cold...

But I will be starting the Test. Enth cycle in June, so I just want to be ready on what needs to be done just in case it happens, or if I can prevent it from happening is even better...

[dinoiii]

Antibiotics (anti-bacterial) will do nothing for the prototypical "flu" which is VIRAL, not bacterial. Even a "cold" is a virus.

Flu: Influenza Virus (A or B generally)
Cold: Rhinovirus

So, in essence, no.

Most viral illnesses are self-limited (meaning they go away on their own) and the best you can do is treat them symptomatically. I can appreciate how this stinks, but really an antibiotic will NOT help in that circumstance - except perhaps the same placebo incentives that governs 90+% of supplements.

For the most part, the cold and/or flu usually extends 3-5 days (sometimes longer, but this is the rare case) so I personally would say wait it out. If something nags for about 10-14 days; only then can "bacterial" sources effectively be sought through culture.

Some instances of micronutrient deficiency states do mimic "flu-like" symptoms and a correction of them usually results in resolution of the sickness. For instance, this is how zinc has received such critical acclaim for this type of effort.

Outside of that; unfortunately we are all susceptible for these two pesky scenarios to strike at virtually any time.



D_

[Train Heartnet]

Originally Posted by dinoiii

Antibiotics (anti-bacterial) will do nothing for the prototypical "flu" which is VIRAL, not bacterial. Even a "cold" is a virus.

Flu: Influenza Virus (A or B generally)
Cold: Rhinovirus

So, in essence, no.

Ah ok..

Originally Posted by dinoiii

Most viral illnesses are self-limited (meaning they go away on their own) and the best you can do is treat them symptomatically. I can appreciate how this stinks, but really an antibiotic will NOT help in that circumstance - except perhaps the same placebo incentives that governs 90+% of supplements.

For the most part, the cold and/or flu usually extends 3-5 days (sometimes longer, but this is the rare case) so I personally would say wait it out. If something nags for about 10-14 days; only then can "bacterial" sources effectively be sought through culture.

By waiting out, do you mean like stop all training completely for that period of 3-5 days until the symptoms go away by itself?

What if I take some cold medicine when the symptoms occur, will it cause any complications with the AAS?

Originally Posted by dinoiii

Some instances of micronutrient deficiency states do mimic "flu-like" symptoms and a correction of them usually results in resolution of the sickness. For instance, this is how zinc has received such critical acclaim for this type of effort.

Outside of that; unfortunately we are all susceptible for these two pesky scenarios to strike at virtually any time.



D_

What kind of supplements do you recommend to take, to prevent these micronutrients deficiency?

[Chuy Bagel]

Doc,

generally speaking, do antibiotics hinder muscle gains or adversely affect the metabolism enough to avoid if possible?

I get the occassional sinus infection or bronchitis during the winter months (as i'm getting over now) and while i could try to fight it off thru vitamins and herbs naturally, i usually choose to just take amoxicillan so i can feel better in a few days.

I have noticed though that my physique suffers but i'm not sure if its due to the antibiotics themselves or my decreased appetite or taking a break from the gym?

[dinoiii]

Originally Posted by Train Heartnet

By waiting out, do you mean like stop all training completely for that period of 3-5 days until the symptoms go away by itself?

NO! I still encourage training IF you can feasibly make it to the gym.

For those concerned about the potential of passing your illness to your fellow gym-goers? I merely reply that you should consider the gym a large immunization of sort. The cold/flu that you may obtain there is a lot less of a concern than many other things present, I assure you.

I merely meant "waiting out" the illness duration as far as how you feel and in the mean time...yes it sucks.

What if I take some cold medicine when the symptoms occur, will it cause any complications with the AAS?

This depends on what the cold medicine is that we are talking about. Think about the plethora of interactions that could happen.

The streoidal nucleus of many AAS go through hepatic processing by route of the cytochrome p450 3A4 enzyme. Unfortunately, so do 100's of other drugs (pharmaceutic/OTC/otherwise) - its probably the most clinically-significant enzyme (the 3A4 that is) in the human body!

What kind of supplements do you recommend to take, to prevent these micronutrients deficiency?

IF (and that is in caps) the symptoms are TRULY a result of a micronutrient deficiency, then simply regaining control by replacing the nutrients is obviously ideal. Most often we reference zinc (and this is probably the biggest offender), but it could just as easily be copper, magnesium, molybdenum, or selenum on the mineral side AND vitamin C, E, B's, and mixed carotenoids on the vitamin side. They are dubbed "essential" for a reason.

And, for those who are familiar with my writing, NO, a multi-vitamin is NOT enough to compensate (see BO:R article for more in "supplements" section).

Originally Posted by Chuy Bagel

generally speaking, do antibiotics hinder muscle gains or adversely affect the metabolism enough to avoid if possible?

Antibiotics have particular (individual) mechanisms of action. It has been hypothesized that some that inhibit protein synthesis COULD be cause for alarm, HOWEVER, our best "test subjects" have been livestock and they seem to do ok. I would question this to be more a case of worse-case and in my estimation, the result of being sick could lead to more significant (and deleterious) effects that are probably better avoided AND in the long-term a few days of protein-synthesis being impeded will collectively count for little.

I get the occassional sinus infection or bronchitis during the winter months (as i'm getting over now) and while i could try to fight it off thru vitamins and herbs naturally, i usually choose to just take amoxicillan so i can feel better in a few days.

I have noticed though that my physique suffers but i'm not sure if its due to the antibiotics themselves or my decreased appetite or taking a break from the gym?

I am going to guess in that short period of time (and I am approximating this because the usual timeframe for muscle protein reconstruction is a bit lengthier than a "few days") that the responsible rationale is more meal planning and gym absence.

And amoxicillin in particular (a penicillin-type oral antibiotic) really acts specifically in peptidoglycan cross-linkages in the cell wall of bacteria. We as humans do NOT possess cell walls so I am going to really think this to be inconsequential.


D_