Got Juice?

SI Magazine published their most recent expose on Steroids and HGH use in America, not just by athletes. Pretty interesting read.

Some facts/tidbits leapt out at me:

• 2.4 million testosterone prescriptions were filled by U.S. pharmacies in 2004, more than twice the number filled in 2000.
• Three million people in the U.S. use anabolic steroids, the synthetic versions of testosterone that are illegal when they are used for nonmedical reasons
• John Romano, senior editor at Muscular Development, the top seller among the dozens of magazines that cover powerlifting and bodybuilding, estimates that 15 million Americans use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
• From Dr. Charles Yesalis, a retired Penn State professor and a recognized authority on steroids: "The teens I've talked to say [steroids and HGH] are as easy to get as marijuana."
• Last May in Australia the 61-year-old Sylvester Stallone paid $10,600 to settle a charge of criminal drug possession after he was found to have 48 vials of HGH and several vials of testosterone. Stallone has since acknowledged that he takes HGH and testosterone regularly, and legally. "Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it [HGH and testosterone use] because it increases the quality of your life," Stallone told Time last month.

So what's the line? Where is it? Is it OK for me to get a legal perscription for HGH to get myself looking and feeling 15-20 years younger but not professional athletes and entertainers? Is it OK for entertainers like Stallone but not pro athletes? Is my only impediment finding a doctor to prescribe it to me?

As time permits, I need to get more educated on the side effects and long term effects of HGH. Why shouldn't I give it a shot (no pun intended, I swear!) to give myself a boost in getting back in shape? Is being out of shape (even a little) worse for you than taking something that will help you get back into shape? What about someone who is really outta shape? Isn't that worse? Now, I am not talking about steroids; the long term and short term effects are well documented but I have yet to hear much about HGH effects.

If anyone has any good documentation or sources for the short/long term effects of HGH, please send it my way.