HGH Testing & the Ravens

**Ravenalytics** · 10-18-2011, 03:32 AM

The most incriminating thing about rumors of Lewis potentially using HGH is that he's playing as good this year (maybe even better) than he has in years past. And it's not just his football IQ - physically he's still monstrous. Look at Ed Reed - bulked up like crazy over last season.

You can do a lot with proper nutrition and supplementation, so I wouldn't immediately say that these guys are on HGH. There is some crazy shit on the market that's actually perfectly legal. The main active ingredient in Jack3d, a popular pre-workout supplement, is 1,3-dimethylamylamine, an amphetamine analog.

I wouldn't be surprised if HGH is being used by some of the older guys, but at the same time, sports nutrition has advanced to the point where there's probably other stuff available to help them maintain amazing levels of performance.

**srobert96** · 10-18-2011, 08:40 AM

I think people are overrating Lewis. His body and performance starts breaking down as the season wears on. It has for the last few years. He has clearly lost a step. He is able to perform at a high level because he is maniacal about studying the game and taking care of his body. If the NFL has a MLB like busting of HGH users the list will be longer than the MLB list.

**JAB1985** · 10-18-2011, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Not sure you understand what HGH does.

While it does "tell the body to grow", it also tells the body to heal and it's that property today's athlete is mostly concerned about.

In a sport where size AND speed matter, HGH is the perfect elixir. If done properly and under the right supervision, it has it's benefits minus the long term negative side effects that anabolic steroids offers.

My worry is that a Raven will get caught up in the hysteria.

I just know a buddy that had some type of skeletal issue and he wasnt growing. I think he was only projected to be 4'10 or something like that. so he got on HGH and grew to be 5'7" and jacked without really working out much at all. Im sure it does heal the body as well but it makes you grow. thats what it does, hence the name. Ray hasnt grown ridiculously and any weight gain can be accounted for by aging as well as his work ethic. I think there are guys that use HGH but look at the college ranks of guys coming in as twigs and coming out 6" taller and 100 lbs heavier. I think DL and OL are where youll see the most use. guys that arent naturally 6'-6" 320lbs. I know of a guy that went to a Big college and they handed him steroids so im sure HGH is used as well, but i think its more of the fringe players than the naturally gifted.

**HoustonRaven** · 10-18-2011, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

I just know a buddy that had some type of skeletal issue and he wasnt growing. I think he was only projected to be 4'10 or something like that. so he got on HGH and grew to be 5'7" and jacked without really working out much at all. Im sure it does heal the body as well but it makes you grow. thats what it does, hence the name. Ray hasnt grown ridiculously and any weight gain can be accounted for by aging as well as his work ethic. I think there are guys that use HGH but look at the college ranks of guys coming in as twigs and coming out 6" taller and 100 lbs heavier. I think DL and OL are where youll see the most use. guys that arent naturally 6'-6" 320lbs. I know of a guy that went to a Big college and they handed him steroids so im sure HGH is used as well, but i think its more of the fringe players than the naturally gifted.

We will have to agree to disagree then.

Except for injury recovery, no way OL and DL players are using HGH. The size those guys are looking for comes from heavy weight lifting, less cardio (at least for the O linemen) and frequent trips to Taco Bell.

And I'd seriously question the credentials of any doctor who is giving a kid HGH to spur them into some "projected" growth number. That's straight up child abuse, IMO.

**bensmotorcyclehelmt** · 10-18-2011, 10:23 AM

When all this broke about the testing, lots of critics said it's all the old guys using it to prolong careers.
Obviously on the ravens, at the time, that was guys like R. Lew. and Mase.

Was it speculation, hate, or truth?

**Dirt1** · 10-18-2011, 10:30 AM

I am a huge Ray Lewis fan. That said, I thought the same thing when the NFL started talking about testing for HGH, and then Ray came out with a statement that he might retire if the Ravens won the Super Bowl this year. He is still playing at such a high level, that I thought it odd that he would retire when he could still play for a few more years at about $6 million per year.

**]<ing** · 10-18-2011, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

I just know a buddy that had some type of skeletal issue and he wasnt growing. I think he was only projected to be 4'10 or something like that. so he got on HGH and grew to be 5'7" and jacked without really working out much at all. Im sure it does heal the body as well but it makes you grow. thats what it does, hence the name. Ray hasnt grown ridiculously and any weight gain can be accounted for by aging as well as his work ethic. I think there are guys that use HGH but look at the college ranks of guys coming in as twigs and coming out 6" taller and 100 lbs heavier. I think DL and OL are where youll see the most use. guys that arent naturally 6'-6" 320lbs. I know of a guy that went to a Big college and they handed him steroids so im sure HGH is used as well, but i think its more of the fringe players than the naturally gifted.

Do you know the dosage, length of time running it, type, etc, etc, etc.

GH does not cause people to grow. Maybe your friend was an exception, but that's not typical at all. Without the above info, it's pointless to speculate. True, it causes the body to create new tissue, but that's primarily done in healing itself - not in making itself bigger.

Also, GH does not cause muscle hypertrophy (causing muscle cells to increase in size). Again - this is a critical difference between GH and Roids. It does help, minimally, in reducing subcutaneous fat, so he may have appeared more lean than normal.

A 6'1" adult could run GH for years (not advised), and would still be 6'1" after.

**JAB1985** · 10-18-2011, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

We will have to agree to disagree then.

Except for injury recovery, no way OL and DL players are using HGH. The size those guys are looking for comes from heavy weight lifting, less cardio (at least for the O linemen) and frequent trips to Taco Bell.

And I'd seriously question the credentials of any doctor who is giving a kid HGH to spur them into some "projected" growth number. That's straight up child abuse, IMO.

I agree with you in part just not entirely. I dont think you can choose what you get from it. its not just recovery or just bulk, It does all those things at once. If youre taking it for recovery youll still get the increase in mass especially if used for such a long period of time. As far as the lineman go thats just a guess. I cant see how people naturally grow as big as they apparently have. Ive seen some 300lb lineman that still have defined abs. That isnt "lack of cardio and Taco Bell"

Example: Tyron Smith 6'5" 305 lbs (im not implying hes on anything but i know hes not eating Taco Bell)

I wish I could remember what my buddy had, but it wasnt child abuse. along with being smaller he would have had other debilitating issues. the HGH made his skeleton grow and in doing so, grow more normal. He needed it and it worked and hes living a normal life now. HGH is a natural hormone found in the body, its not like feeding him steroids to get over a rash, which Drs do daily.

For the record Im not claiming to know everything about HGH or anything really but its hard not to believe what I saw from my own two eyes. He was on it for over a year but maybe less than 3. it was shots that he took and I have no idea about the amount. the viles were full but that doesnt mean it was full of HGH could have been mostly saline solution.

**]<ing** · 10-18-2011, 11:12 AM

I just assume that Ray, and at least half of the rest of the league are on GH. Doesn't diminish what they do on the field on bit in my opinion. GH aids in recovery. It doesn't make them athletically freakish monsters.

Oh - but we're supposed to believe that Tom Brady nukes his knee, and recovers in 7 months instead of 18 months like the rest of us mere mortals. It's just his perfect genetics, cleft chin, and physical therapy. Sorry, not buying it.

GH is rampant in the NFL. I can all but guarantee you that. Not that I mind in the least. Hell, if I had an extra $1200 a month to run perscription grade GH, I would too.

**]<ing** · 10-18-2011, 11:14 AM

Again - GH does not bulk you up. That's fact - no opinion.

Roids (or some form of Test) are also fairly common in the NFL IMO, and the combination of the two will add bulk. GH by it self will not.

**]<ing** · 10-18-2011, 11:17 AM

Also - GH, Test, Roids, etc, all have much more significant effects, and are much more unstable and unpredictable when you're still developing, and already producing those hormones at a high level. I'm assuming your friend was a child or teenager when he was treated. That could explain his adverse effects.