Mike Matarazzo RIP

[DOGGCRAPP]

Didn't his dad die of the same thing at like 50 too? There are tons of guys pushing the envelope of size and strength that downsize and walk away just fine...Live well into their 70's..

His father died at 71 years old, I believe of parkinsons.

 

[Simpllyhuge]

Was it drugs or AS?

 

[little slice]

Every single one of us on this forums trains with the Reaper. He is always there with you on every rep of every set. He is always your eternal training partner. Don't think you are the exception to the rule if you are a junkie bodybuilder.

lmao so edgy

 

[Medic08]

Every single one of us on this forums trains with the Reaper. He is always there with you on every rep of every set. He is always your eternal training partner. Don't think you are the exception to the rule if you are a junkie bodybuilder.

This has got to be one of the cheesiest posts I've ever read. Then the lame picture to top it off. Hahha wow so spooky.... Are you trying to write poetry or what?

You need to lighten up.

 

[KillerStack]

And you know the saddest part out of all of this? That so many of the "hardcore" bodybuilders on this forum will continue to do their massive amounts of gear, GH, slin, etc., thinking themselves invincible,

This forum would not exist without us fucked up people with little regard for their health. Who would buy the drugs? Because if you hold health in the utmost regard you don't get into chemical bodybuilding in the first place. And the sickness is so bad that even with bad news and warnings of imminent death from docs, most will continue with the lifestyle. Death is not enough of a deterrent.

Read this post on FB by a powerlifter/low level bodybuilder.

I wasn't going to post this because it may come across as me trying to put myself over as a bad ass or tough guy and that's not my intention .

Went to cardiologist today. There was some really good news and some uncomfortable discussion.first,my heart has been completely out of afib for a while now.last three EKGs were very normal. We are still going to do ablation on the 11th to make sure it stays that way but that's very very good news !!!

Now,my doctor asked me why I'm still so heavy and so big?I flat out told him this is what Iam and this is what I do. He said "do you want your destiny to be dropping dead while you train?because that's where you are headed.There is no future for you doing what your doing. Your heart will get weaker and weaker and you WILL die of a heart attack".

I said ,and I know most of my friends will feel the same ,"listen,my life without this is no life for me.This is all I know,this is everything to me. Without it I'm nothing and my
Life has no meaning.Yeah,I could live another 30 years of a sedentary life and hate every second of it.OR I can live another 5-10 years doing what I love.Even 3 years of this would be better then 30 without it.".

He looked at me like I was insane. But I don't want to live just to breathe. I want to do what I do,I thought for a while about doing it his way but things change,situations change,relationships change,and what am I left with?training!!So it's "not till you cry ,train till you die"!!and in my case that's actually probably reality. Lol.just hope it is in gym of on platform not on a toilet.lol.

Sad? Yeah maybe, I don't know.

Here's a perhaps cheesy quote by a certain favorite pessimist writer of mine:

"Nothing could be more unhealthy than to “watch one’s health” as a means of stalling death. The lengths we will go as procrastinators of that last gasp only demonstrate a morbid dread of that event."

 

[Knight9]

Was it drugs or AS?

Know the history of the sport and what the hell is going on.

 

[BradScott]

This thread wont matter - this is what will happen.

a) the responsible guys who think things out will take this death as a distinct warning that they MUST get regular bloodwork, watch their diet, do cardio, maybe even get whole body scans and do everything they can to keep healthy if they choose to use anabolics and gh.

b) Others will convince themselves that this is from
1) red meat
2) he weighed 300
3) it must have been a genetic disposition

so they will rationalize this is a fluke that has nothing to do with them and they will keep doing their thing blasting the turkey baster with the thought process of "I feel ok, and look good on the outside, so I must be ok on the inside"

Serious question: What does regular blood work do when one uses AAS in non-clinical amounts? I mean, what is it going to show other than lab values are off while people indeed know why they're off and the way to get them back in normal ranges is to come off?

 

[BradScott]

Respectfully there are so many variables to be looked at. Steroids and hgh may have aggravated underlining cardiovascular disease, it may have triggered components to his heart disease, or for all we know his heart issues were from other components.

On the flip side with how many bidybuilders there are and how many are truly taking massive and monster dosses, diuretics, slin, peptides, Epo, synthol, 30iu a day, they aren't dropping like flies are they? (Not being a smart ass here, just being realistic)

Case in point..... Get bloodwork done and don't make excuses for what the bloodwork says. If you need to come off, then come off. If your bloods say your healthy, then respect the game and continue to be proactive in the persuit of longevity and internal health.

Mike, sorry your gone brother.

Is there anyone who uses above clinical doses with normal blood work?

 

[BradScott]

The red meat thing is an asinine explanation considering red meat in itself is not harmful in the same way any other meat is not. That's like saying some guy croaked because he ate too much chicken or pork, both of which have very lean cuts and very fatty cuts. Chronic over eating is on the other hand, is harmful.

 

[Mike Arnold]

This thread wont matter - this is what will happen.

a) the responsible guys who think things out will take this death as a distinct warning that they MUST get regular bloodwork, watch their diet, do cardio, maybe even get whole body scans and do everything they can to keep healthy if they choose to use anabolics and gh.

b) Others will convince themselves that this is from
1) red meat
2) he weighed 300
3) it must have been a genetic disposition

so they will rationalize this is a fluke that has nothing to do with them and they will keep doing their thing blasting the turkey baster with the thought process of "I feel ok, and look good on the outside, so I must be ok on the inside"

This has been what guys have been saying and doing for years and you're right, it's not going to stop. Why so many people are unable to see the bigger picture, even with all the indisputable medical evidence available, is beyond me.

In recent years, the connection between AAS/GH and cardiovascular health problems have been well noted, yet people always want to place the majority of the blame on poor diet, rec drugs, and/or genetic predispisitons, instead of acknowledging that fact that all of these factors play a role in potential heart problem, including steroids.

AAS act as both potentiators and direct offenders when it comes to cardiovascular health. If someone eats a piss-poor diet their cardiovascular health markers will suffer, but by adding AAS on top of that--especially oral AAS--the diet's ability to cause harm is amplified, or potentiated. At that point, health markers deteriorate even further, potentially putting one in a position where heart attack or stroke is a possibility.

Steroids have a similar effect on left ventricular hypetrophy--an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Steroids poteniate the effect of weight training exercise on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but they also cause LVH on their own, even without exposure to weight training exercise. This would be an example of how steroids both potentiate heart problems and cause them on their own.

So, if anyone says it was Mike's diet which killed him, I would agree that it was a relevant factor, but so was the steroid use...and if the drug use had not been there, Mike would probably be alive today.

AAS have potetially drastic effects on nearly every cardiovascular health marker, as well as adverse effects on heart function itself. Combined with poor diet, rec. drug use, and/or a genetic prediposition, the possibility of experiencing serious cardiovascular health problems early in life is high.

However, people look at statements like this and think "I follow a great diet, have no genetic predispositions, and don't use rec drugs, so its doubtful tat PED's alone will cause a premature heart attack/stroke. These people are either ignorant or in denial, as AAS & GH, especially when combined, are a potent risk factor on the development of heart disease and various other cardiovascular health problems...and even when they are the only major risk factor present, are quite capable of causing premature heart attack/stroke.

 

[Mike Arnold]

The truth is:

NO ONE knows what these drugs do to our bodies and bloods don't really tell half the story.

We're all playing Russian Roulette, let's not deny it.

What? We might not know "eveything" steroids & GH do to our bodies, but we know a damn lot.

 

[Omega-Red]

Mike, excellent post mate. So when you work with clients who have health in mind what do YOU advise is the best way to reduce risks, note i say reduce. We all know you cant eliminate them and by taking anything outside of true trt you are going to place a definite risk to your longevity. However i would be interested in your thoughts upon this as i know for sure cardio and diet can incredibly negate the side effects of AAS use, note i say use and not ABUSE.

 

[Mike Arnold]

About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.1

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.1
Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing nearly 380,000 people annually.1

Every year about 720,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 515,000 are a first heart attack and 205,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.2

CDC facts

Just because a person dies who happens to be a bodybuilder doesn't mean that's what killed him.so you can blame AAS for mikes death but what do you say about the thousands of other people who will die this year due to heart problems?

See bold above: What do I say? Easy, read my response abive (to Dante). It is comments such as this that show me just how ignorant some people are when it comes to the drugs they are putting in their own body.

 

[Mike Arnold]

Justifying abuse with meaningless statistics means jack shit. If only they had true studies to show what bodybuilders hearts and livers looked like pre enhanced and post... There is a study for ya

Studies have been conducted evaluting the effects of androgens and GH on the heart--and thy're not pretty.

 

[Mike Arnold]

My Discussion with Mike and Nasser....

I'm 31 years old...no longer compete but use ped's and walk around 5'7" 250 pounds ~10 bf. I was a little reckless when I was younger I was NATURAL and had a cholesterol reading of 425 when I was 20. I was eating 3 pints of ice cream a day, 2 pounds of meat, and sticks of butter to gain weight...I did this because I idolized Mike M and Nasser and read they did some crazy things like that. I WAS NATURAL THEN.

It all changed when I met up with Nasser at the Arnold Expo (the last year he was there for flex mag...he was retired but still worked the booth..I think '05). He told me that's all f*cking bullshit. He talked to me about eating well and keeping that #1. He had some intestinal issues he thought were due to how he ate and gave me some great advice.

I then (totally by coincidence not in a bodybuilding setting) ran into Mike Matarazzo around '06 or so. He told him how I ate and I felt like an idiot because he looked at me so dissapointed (even though he didn't know me). He told me when you abuse your body with food and then add massive drugs it is a recipe for complete disaster. I knew all this I work in the medical field but after discussing it with him it really changed me. Since then I have done a few things...

First off I just got my quarterly blood work done and HDL was 60, liver and kidney values good, and cbc all came back great! Fasting blood glucose was also 80.


Here is what I do...and I think Mike would want me to share this in his memory...maybe others will learn....

1. If you are always on get bloodwork done quarterly. Take action if something is wrong!

2. Just get off the farking orals...seriously...just stop...you'll see your health improve. Outside of anavar or very small doses they wreck your lipid profile.

3. Cruise or be off at least 12 weeks a year...minimum. Keep that cruise to 200-250mgs MAX. Also drop the damn dose...don't pump more than a gram total a week (yes I know that isn't a lot for many).

4. Focus on your daily nutrition like it's as important as getting huge. I used Mike's advice and this is what I do everyday (well give or take swapping out some similar types of foods):

Pre Morning Meal:
2 servings green powder drink
2 freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Meal 1:
1 carton eggwhites (16 egg whites)
2 slices ezekial bread
1 serving coconut oil
100grams blueberries
1 green apple

Meal 2:
3 cups kale
8 ounces chicken or turkey
2 servings olive oil
3 sticks of celery
1/2 an onion
1/2 tomato

Meal 3:
2 servings protein powder
2 tablespoons natural pb
1 green apple
2 servings oats

Meal 4:
8 ounces lean meat
asparagus or broccoli
2 servings cottage cheese
1 serving olive oil

Meal 5:
1 servings oats
1.5 servings protein powder
1 servings mac nut oil
1 green apple
100 grams blueberries

Pre bed:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 scoops green powder drink
2 fully squeezed lemons

5: Do your damn cardio. I do at least 120 minutes of moderate/high intensity a week minimum

6. Supplement...I take:
Green powder drinks
fish oil
BSL's cycle support supplement or IML's (I like both of these)
Vitamin K2
circumin

7. Minimize or STOP slin use...blood sugar may be the #1 indicator of overall health and many bbers have disastrous blood glucose levels.

8. NO DIURETICS...ever...just top with them. Yes you can do them safely...maybe...probably...but how many people do? If Meadows can look like that without them you don't need them either.

9. Stop with the ice cream and red meat diets. Neither of those are the devil in and of themselves but too many guys are just eating terrible diets. Mike even worded it "bodybuilders are the only people who gorge on food and are malnourished".

10. Back to #1...don't just get bloodwork done. Find a good doctor and work with them. Interact, consult, be proactive.


Anyway...I'll post a little picture so you can see later I'm not just some fat slob making shit up. Although, I'm hoping you can look at the time and effort I put into this and I'm hoping you can feel the sincerity. I met Mike once and it changed my life. I'm healthy as a horse now. My bloodwork "on" most of the year is better than it has ever been.

Very, very few people are willing to follow a diet like that on a regular basis--that's just the truth. I commend you for your commitment to your health. It will pay dividends for you, especially when you start getting older and remain in good health, while everyone else around you starts falling to pieces.

 

[Mike Arnold]

True dat. Id rather die young and happy. Besides old people don't look so cool anyway.

Spoken like someone who doesn't have a clue what is important. Revisit this statement when you have a wife and children.

 

[Elvia1023]

This has got to be one of the cheesiest posts I've ever read. Then the lame picture to top it off. Hahha wow so spooky.... Are you trying to write poetry or what?

You need to lighten up.

He needs to lighten up and fuck off. He has to be the most depressive person on here. All he does is complain and be negative. I don't think he has ever made a positive post. This is nothing about this thread but I would rather die at 50 being me then 100 being that fucking miserable.

 

[buck]

it is a shame that this thread started with condolences and memories and then went down hill to blaming and ......
RIP Mike i went to one of your seminars once and you gave straight answers to every question.

 

[ALLEX]

What? We might not know "eveything" steroids & GH do to our bodies, but we know a damn lot.

Every day you hear something new about this...

 

[kscowboy]

His father died at 71 years old, I believe of parkinsons.

Dante-Do you think Dr. Prescribed TRT is also bad for your health. i used to self administer but went 100% legit about 8 months ago and it gives me some piece of mind. Blood work is don't 4 times a year and everything is fine so far.

But is 200mg of TRT Test also harmful on the internal organs? I just love the way i feel on my TRT and hate it when i was off. But wasn't sure if legit TRT is also harmful.