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A CORONER FOR Cork city this week warned against the dangers of steroid use at the inquest into the death of an 18-year-old boy.
Coroner Philip Comyn returned a verdict of death by misadventure in the case of Luke O’Brien, from Grange, Kilmallock, Co Limerick.
The verdict was returned after officials indicated that on the balance of probabilities Luke developed a swelling of the brain because of his usage of the steroid Stanozolol.
The coroner said that he had a duty to warn the public of the “significant health risks” associated with taking steroids.
“Most of these steroids are obtained illegally. You do not know what you are getting. People need to be told of this,” he said.
I hope people will become aware of the dangers of [these drugs] by Luke’s passing.
Steroid use
A number of indicators point towards the unregulated use of anabolic steroids rising in Ireland in recent years.
Each year for the past three years, the number of illegally obtained anabolic steroids seized has risen dramatically.
Last year, 449,411 dosage units of steroids were detained, compared to 109,006 in 2016 and 38,049 in 2015 – showing a rise in use.
The misuse of anabolic steroids has been linked to a range of side effects including cardiac disease, blood clots, headaches, depression, aggression, irritability and stomach pain.
In many cases, people are sourcing the drugs for performance enhancement but are either unaware or ignoring the dangers of taking the prescriptions without medical supervision.
Commenting earlier this year on the seizures, John Lynch, director of compliance with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), said that it was “particularly concerned” with the rise in detentions of anabolic steroids, which pointed towards a “demand among some people for these highly potent prescription medicines”.
“The abuse and misuse of anabolic steroids can have serious consequences for the long-term health of the individuals who take them,” said Lynch.
We would urge anyone using illegally sourced anabolic steroids to stop doing so and to seek advice from their healthcare professional if they have any concerns about their health.
Culture
According to Paul Devine, a personal trainer and powerlifter based out of Active You gym in Drumcondra, use among people training in health and fitness has risen since he began training about 10 years ago.
“My best input on it would be that steroids aren’t just for people playing in the Olympics anymore – they’re more recreational,” said Devine.
“People who have trained for 20 years to get into the Olympics, then to get 5% better take steroids.
“Whereas now you see people training for a couple of months and they’re not seeing results fast enough, then they try to get 5% better from steroids.
It definitely ties into an impatience or a need for a fast track.
Devine said that use has definitely gone up but that in his view “you’d be hard pushed to find someone who admit they’re taking steroids”.
Devine competes in the Irish Drug Free Powerlifting Associations, which, unlike other competitions, tests competitors to ensure that they are not using drugs.
For Devine, steroid use can quickly become substance abuse, with a whole host of negative side effects attached to it.
In his view, there are multiple avenues and approaches to training and fitness that people should take before they even consider taking steroids.
“I think people are too quick to turn to steroids. I’ve been training for 10 years, I haven’t stalled on progress,” he said.
Steroids seem to me like a way to get people to that elite level, whereas most people won’t get anywhere near that. They’re not even close enough to maybe justify [taking steroids].
He said for many people, steroid use was being used as a “first push” when it shouldn’t be.
“Put in the hard work. There are so many other steps that you could take before you looked at your hormones,” he said.
“Is your diet right? Are you eating properly? Are you exercising? Is your programme good?
Are you actually doing all the other things before [doing] that?
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A certain amount of years in jail just isn’t enough for people like this..
Dick*eads like them have no right to represent any one, they certainly don’t represent me.
May they rot in Hell.
I’ll pass on the message when I get there.
Thanks!
“Soldiers of Allah” Brainwashed idiots more like…
Im thinking they are just murderers who wanted to murder but decided to use religion as an excuse
@ Leslie – doubt they would have converted to Hinduism or Scientology to fulfil their vile ambitions though
I think this has to be one of the most vile things I have ever heard, I just cannot fathom how anyone could do this to another human being??? Sickening…..the poor Rigby family, how the hell could you ever get over something like this, I mean its off most normal peoples radar. RIP Lee.
Would like to see them sent to serve their time in a Nigerian jail.
Islam, Islam, you gotta love that Islam.
As always bringing peace and much needed love to the world.
As the family stated you can not blame a religion. The people are responsible for their own actions.
I think you can in this instance.
Margaret — You can, be you’d be inaccurate and a bigot.
Well as they love Islam so much allow them to go live in a sharia country! In fact let anyone looking for an extremist society whether political or religious be placed into a country that has all their desires met already.
Petr predictably appears as an apologist fro Islamism as per usual
Good old Petr..as always the champion of the “downtrodden” and ad hominem verbal nastiness when someone doesn’t agree with him…..
A brief spell in Rampton would do them good…..70/80 years perhaps. Solitary.
Neanderthals ,should have been given a mid evil punishment from the Victorian times
That’s quite literally impossible
Extraordinary mixture of emotion. Fully agree that these Neanderthals should get extreme punishment. Death then common. Shd be safe obliged to live.
Total savages .
Justice hasn’t been done. They should swing! That would be justice.
Swinging is too good for them, too quick and would make martyrs out of them. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key.
Converts to Islam seem to be very much more extreme in their views than those who were told by their parents they are Muslim.
There can be no doubt that there is a great deal of cruelty and intolerance associated with Islam . From ritualised killing of animals ( Halal ) to sharia law.
“ritualised killing of animals” why do we wait for the animals to die of old age ????
To slowly bleed to death kicking an screaming, whilst long drawn out prayers are chanted.
look it up on google. Australian cattle tortured to death in Gaza .
This just last week.
i know what hala is and involves and its at least as humane as the western way,only a few weeks ago we had someone who actually works in a slaughter house on a thread and he said the very same,so keep your silly hysteria to yourself,jesus if you seen it on google itmust be true !!! hahaha jesus as if they’d torture a cow for kicks and an austrailian one at that !!! (pointless info ) besides they cant even get cement into the country doubt they import much cattle form oz,you should write for the sun or something with your hyperbole “long drawn out prayers” yeah because the prayers determine how long it takes for a cow to bleed out !!!!
well ain’t that just Islam for you a religion of peace my a$s!
Religious extremism, a real danger to civilised society.
Hope the low life vermin get what they deserve in prison
This is the only way to treat terrorists. Like they are common criminals. Anything else (internment, war…) just gives them power
How long before something similiar happens here?for instance does anyone have any idea how many somalis are in ireland?somalia being a hotbed of violence and terrorism,witness the shopping mall massacre in kenya!are the irish authorities placing us at risk by making it so easy for these people to come here.where do they get the money to relocate here?are they involved in crime or terrorism in their own country,are any background checks done?
SF/IRA spent years doing the exact same, brutally killing people through religious hatred. Sick sick individuals
Not a lover of the British military,never have been,never will be. However what these two brainwashed fools did to another human being and how he died in public is not just shocking its sickening. I hope they rot in jail and never see the light of day again,lot to be said for the death penalty in capital murders.
Islam is an infection, not a religion. It won’t be cured by hate though.
Ya don’t say!
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