The consequences of synthol use

Synthol, which was developed in the early 1990s by the German bodybuilder Christopher T. Clark as a replacement for Esiclene which went out of production at the time. Synthol consists of 85 % medium-chain triglycerides, 7.5 % Lidocaine and 7.5 % Benzyl alcohol. It is a liquid substance, a mixture of oils, used by some bodybuilders to increase the apparent size of some muscles. The effects of Synthol are purely and solely cosmetic and there is no increase in muscular performance.

Synthol works by filling the muscle up with an oil substance. This substance abuse can really get out of proportion and end up hurting your health. It is site-injected, that is, it is injected directly into the muscle whose size is to be increased. Synthol is usually used to 'top up' a muscle that is not quite up to standard with the rest of the body.

Synthol demolishes muscle tissue

Synthol is no longer a novelty. Some bodybuilders have been injecting themselves for years with a mixture of 85 percent MCT oil, 7.5 percent lidocaine and 7.5 percent alcohol, targeting muscle groups they feel are not growing fast enough. Surgeons are now starting to notice the long-term effects of the Synthol rage: and they are not mild.

Synthol was concocted in the 1990s by the bodybuilding guru Chris Clarke. It’s a ‘site enhancement oil’, consisting of fatty acids that accumulate in the muscle tissue where you inject the oil. As a result muscles grow at a fantastic rate. Bodybuilders like Greg Valentino developed an unnatural physique by using the substance – and became world famous. Peter Hiesinger followed his example – and became ill.

Doctors have already written about the dangers of bodybuilders injecting themselves with oil, but more recently case studies have started to appear that describe the long-term effects on bodybuilders who injected themselves with Clarke’s brainchild years ago. Injected fat, the study has shown, causes inflammations that decimate muscles over time.

This happened for example to the 29-year-old bodybuilder that the surgeon Suleiman Ghandourah of University Hospital Marburg wrote about  Four years ago he started injecting Synthol into his biceps, but recently these muscles started to play up. They hurt so much that the man had to stop training, and in the end he was constantly in extreme pain.

The man’s biceps not only looked strange, they felt strange too. It looked as though they had developed holes in them. When the doctors made an MRI scan of the man’s right biceps – which was in worse condition – they saw that the muscle was now made up of separate parts. There was oil between the muscle fibres and the remaining muscle tissue was inflamed. The doctors decided to amputate the most seriously damaged part of the biceps, a piece measuring 11 x 5 x 5 cm. This helped. Six months later the bodybuilder asked the doctors to perform the same treatment on his other biceps.

Synthol: The New Vice of Bodybuilding

A new substance has found its way into the ranks of bodybuilding. It is not a growth hormone, nor an anabolic steroid, nor any other type of performance-enhancing drug. It is Synthol. The effects of Synthol have yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure - it is giving bodybuilders freakish, almost cartoon-like figures. Bodybuilders are looking less like current Mr. Olympia Champion Jay Cutler and former Mr. Olympia Champion Arnold Schwarzenegger, and more like Popeye and the Incredible Hulk. Where the previous standard for bicep size in bodybuilding may have been 18 to 22 inches in girth (flexed), now even novice bodybuilders are displaying biceps of immense proportions, measuring up to 27 inches and beyond - mostly through the use of Synthol. And it is not limited to arms; Synthol is being used to increase the size of calves, thighs, pecs, and wherever else bodybuilders may feel the need/pressure to enhance.

According to many bodybuilding websites, Synthol (also known as “Pump N’ Pose”) originated in the 1980’s from an Italian steroid called Esiclene, which was used as an inflammatory agent in bodybuilding to add temporary fullness to weak-looking body parts. In the 1990’s, a German researcher named Chris Clark built upon the idea of Esiclene and developed a substance called Synthol that could yield much longer-lasting effects on muscle size. Clark later changed the name of Synthol to “Pump N’ Pose” because the former name was already being registered and trademarked by a pharmaceutical company. Synthol is synthetic oil that is locally injected right into the muscle. It becomes encapsulated in the bundles of muscle fibers which adds extreme volume to the muscle -as much as one inch of girth per injection (if injected into the bicep).

The actual chemical make-up of Synthol is not certain, but it has been reported to consist of 85% medium-chain triglyceride oils (fatty acid), 7.5% lidocaine (pain killer), and 7.5% benzyl alcohol, of which 30% is quickly metabolized by the body and the remaining 70% remains encapsulated in the muscle fibers - breaking down very slowly over three to five years. Although it is touted as being safe, neither the short-term nor the long-term effects of Synthol have been adequately studied. It is believed that the accidental injection of Synthol into an artery and or vein could lead to heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke due to the substance forming blood clots or even, in and of itself, becoming lodged in major organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain, causing localized structural damage to tissue. Additionally, the substance could cause tumor-like abscesses that could quickly become infected, requiring extensive surgery that could lead to disfigurement or scarring, or even amputation. There are other risks associated with self-injection, such as nerve damage and possible transmission of HIV and other life-threatening diseases. However, Synthol is a legal substance (because it is sold as posing oil). It currently sells for anywhere from $100 to $500 per bottle depending upon the brand name and supplier.

There is no professional literature or applied research on the use and effects of Synthol on the human body. However, the potential for wide-spread misuse does exist, due to the number of people who are now enjoying the sport of bodybuilding and or body sculpting. That potential also exists with the masses looking for a new cosmetic agent that will prolong youth and beauty by reducing wrinkles and diminishing aging lines. Further research is needed, especially given the fact that Synthol might prove to be beneficial in cosmetically treating patients who suffer from deep tissue/muscle scarring due to disease and/or traumatic injury.

The rise of synthol

There are two types of drug abuse: the scary kind, and the really scary kind. Synthol users fall victim to the latter. A drug which is becoming increasingly popular with bodybuilders, synthol is a kind of injectable fat, used to “correct” lagging body parts, giving the impression of a larger muscle mass as it’s absorbed into the body.

It was first concocted by American bodybuilder guru Chris Clark in the 90s, when he was looking for a way to bulk up muscles that responded poorly to training, and it’s been destroying people’s bodies ever since. Clark ended up in hospital after inadvertently poisoning himself with one of the early stage mixes, but apparently that didn’t deter him and synthol is now about as easy to get hold of as cannabis.

On some forums the muscles built up with synthol are labelled “dirty muscle”, which is pretty apt. If the oils don’t absorb into the body the muscle tissue reject it, and the oil becomes encapsulated inside the skin, often in the form of painful cysts. If these aren’t treated in time the muscle tissue is broken apart and immobility becomes a very real threat. Koert tells me that in the worst cases, “there are so many cysts in the muscle that physicians cannot remove them all. They have to amputate part of the muscle.” These guys are having their arms hacked off because there’s nothing left in them but fats and puss.

The thing is, synthol is “the lazy man’s drug” because unlike anabolics, which only work in tandem to a rigorous program of training and diet, synthol just makes muscles appear bigger by bulking them up. Koert is passionate about the difference: “Steroids give you more contracting, real muscle tissue. Synthol muscles are just meat, filled with oil. If you visit bodybuilding boards, you will only find hostility towards synthol users.”

That might be true, but there are some fanatics out there. In the depths of one forum a user posts “The thing about S is it’s unnoticeable, so you can even everything out, perfect symmetry scores big points at pro level,” whilst another comments, “Synt freaks are the best kind, using for a year and no side effects so far!” Good for you, mentalist.

But there’s a far more disturbing issue here than whether or not pumping your arms up is ethically viable or not. Dr Harrison Pope, who was featured in the 2012 documentary The Truth About Steroids, thinks a disease he calls “bigorexia” is sweeping the community. He believes many bodybuilders suffer from muscle dismorphia, and are truly unable to gage how big they are. As a result they resort to increasingly desperate measures to get bigger.

This sounds not too different from the ten of thousands of anorexics, bulimics and body dismorphics out there, fucking up their bodies because lasting damage seems a small price to pay for physical perfection. Perhaps the worst thing about synthol isn’t its ethics, or its side effects, but what it suggests about the standards we set for ourselves.

We live in a society where our beauty ideals increasingly seem to lie outside of what the human body is actual capable of achieving. Until we start celebrating women and men of all different shapes and sizes, drugs like synthol will continue to wreak havoc on not only our muscles, but our minds.

Synthol - How Big is Big Enough!

This compound is a perfect example of the extremes that some bodybuilders will go to be the "biggest". Not content to have 20 or 22-inch arms, bodybuilders found a way to push the limits up to the 27-inch barrier. Yes you read correctly there are freaks walking around now sporting thigh-sized arms from their shoulders!

Synthol has its origins in the 1980's when a drug called Esiclene was all the rage. For those who missed the 1980's, Esiclene, was not used to build muscle mass like traditional steroids but instead was used as a quick fix to bring up weak bodyparts before a contest. The drug acted primarily by causing a localized swelling. Bodybuilders found it very useful in bringing up such small muscles as the calves, rear shoulders, and arms. The only drawbacks were that Esiclene was very painful to use and very short-lived.

In the mid 1990's a researcher took the next logical step and invented an oil-based compound that could be injected directly into the muscle.
The initial name he chose was Synthol, but he later learned that this was already registered and trademarked by a pharmaceutical company. So he renamed his product Pump N' Pose, but as with steroid trade names the first name stuck. It has now reached the point that Synthol is as well known as such bodybuilding compounds as creatine, Dianabol, and whey protein.

Chemically the drug is composed of 85% medium-chain triglyceride oils (a fatty acid), 7.5% lidocaine (painkiller), and benzyl alcohol. The oil is injected straight into the muscle where it becomes trapped between the muscle fibers. With each injection, a larger volume of oil builds up, and the muscle swells up just like a balloon. It is estimated that about 30% of what is injected is broken down by the body while the remaining 70% breaks down slowly over three to five years. Users report incredible muscle pumps during training, but this could be a result of the extra pressure generated by the trapped oil.

Is it safe?

Although some bodybuilders consider Pump & Pose relatively safe to use, there are numerous health issues to consider. Injecting any amount of fatty-acid material intramuscularly can be dangerous. This is compounded by the fact that most bodybuilders have any medical training. It's very easy to hit a major nerve and if you do hit one by accident you can easily cause permanent paralysis of muscle fibers in that area.

The repeated injections cause other problems. As bodybuilders have discovered from long-term steroid use, sticking a needle into the same are results in the build up of painful scar tissue that may require surgery to remove. And it gets worse. Should you inject into a vein or artery by mistake the fatty acids could be carried to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. They may also reach the heart and induce a heart attack. They might even make it to the brain and lead to stroke. As you might guess all three cases are potentially fatal. Oh and did we mention that if you strike a larger artery such as the femoral artery you could bleed to death in minutes!

Synthol how to use ?

Synthol is an intramuscular preparation of a group of fatty acids, which uses modern generation of bodybuilders to increase muscle size greatly retarded groups of muscle. Introduction of a pair of triple-cubes in the calf, shoulders or biceps, it's absolutely everyday business, because these group of muscle are often lagging behind. The drug encapsulating in fascia (it's look like a surrounding muscle fibers, like a sausage casing). With repeated injections, the large doses of "oil" is accumulating and increase muscle volume. About 30% of input materials is destroyed by body enzymes and take out from body in usual ways. Nevertheless, 70% of input synthol is remains under fascia and destroyed very slowly (over 3-5 years).

Syntol consists of mainly C8-fatty acids, a bit of C10 and 3% C12 (the number means length of the molecule). The product also contains 7.5% lidocaine (analgesic) and 7,5% benzyl alcohol (preservative from micro-organisms). Just continuing the debate on replacing synthol with oil MST, which must be entered regularly.

After the synthol injections some time will be pain in the muscles, but the main problem is not the point. In the beginning you will be very unusual to feel terrible pamp a couple of approaches,look like you beat hands with 30 approach .

Side effects of synthol are not studied yet (drug dealers argue that they do not exist). In response, every case is the same side effects as that of a steroid injection of oil- hit oil into the blood, nerve injury, bringing the infection. Caution and accuracy prevent these side effects.

Application: starting dose of 1 ml per day for 10 days, then 2 ml \ 10 days.
Then on 3 ml to achieve the required amount. Then about a month, is done in the course of 30 days to 1 ml.

Synthol

Products of local action.

This group of drugs used in bodybuilding and in rare cases in plastic surgery. The mechanism of action in the first approximation is that they are being introduced injection, contribute to the local increase in the level of muscle groups, which made injection.

Synthol Trade names: Pampas-and-Pouce, Synthol.

Since the mid 90-yes in the arsenal of body builder was another drug, like Esiklen which conducive to a local increase in muscle at the injection site. Numerous articles in the foreign press and the Internet showed widespread Synthol.

The composition of the drug manufacturers are held in secret. However, some of it still seep and often serve as support for manufacturers of counterfeit products. For example, Dan Ducheyn argued that the analysis of the «miracle of sports chemistry» he found only fatty acids with 8-12 carbon atoms in the molecule, and lidocaine benzoyl alcohol.
Perhaps Duchenne examination a counterfeit. The lack of data on the composition of synthol, makes it difficult to clarify the mechanism of the drug, but the descriptions found in literature, you can make some assumptions. A possible mechanism of action includes an increase in fiber intake through their oil or «wrapping» oil-based fibers. Impose synthol 4-8 week courses: first to 1 ml in the arm with the interval 3-5 days, then to 2 ml, and so until the muscle continues to grow in volume.
According to the literature, Synthol is to increase the girth of small muscles by 3-5 centimeters. Resolve it relatively slowly: some claim that the bulk drug output within 3-5 years.

Inventor of Synthol is Chris Clark, in his interview with the magazine «Flex» (July 1998), he said that the full security of his brainchild, but this is debatable. Release of oil in the blood vessels could embolism, followed by gangrene or even refusal of the cardiovascular system. This risk can not be denied even by the most furious defenders of Synthol. Incidentally, the recent case of Milos Satevim is confirmed.

Wrote sports press has also given to understand, that a hundred of Synthol makes training very difficult due to excessive swelling of muscles. Naturally, this leads to a reduction in the duration and intensity of exercises. And I don't think that somebody who are swing with something like silicon, need to work hard.

Another aspect of the application of Synthol is moral and ethical.

Before you view multiple «mr. Olimpia »Dorian Yatsa:« My attitude to Synthol is the same as for all implants. This is an attempt to improve the physique cosmetic techniques, avoiding the hard work that makes this bodybuilding sport. I understand that Synthol does not increase results only distend and a distortion of muscle. Strange, ethereal forms of Delta and uneven triceps today have too often meet in competitions. If the manipulation of the Synthol and other implants will not be banned, because bodybuilding risk of losing all the athletic appeal, which we all estimate ».

Find Synthol in Moscow not so difficult, but the price of capacity, on a 6-week course for a single muscle, which ranges in the region of $ 300, making the drug widely available in Russia a matter of distant future. Some athletes make attempts to replace Synthol «deep» injection of vitamin E or a mixture of triglycerides with an average length of chain, but as far as can be successful, it is not yet clear.

Synthol to help

Synthol ... This medication has put in the ears of Europe and America. According to the label, usually oil show off, but you do not oil them, no. You dial it in the syringe and to make a shot. And next? Then a miracle! Your muscles in front become more! Hand was 40 cm and has become 45!

We can not say that this is the first drug of its kind. After all, already have ecyclen - prick it in muscle, and it also increases. A long time, he was a strict secret of competitive bodybuilding. Suffice it to do a very painful injections for 7-10 days before the tournament, falling behind and muscle become very, very ... Step of ecyclen was passed on causing damage to the muscles. In places such damage runoff lymph, and thus increases extensor quite a volume. Typically used for his biceps, triceps, deltas and IFR, but are often given injections and the large muscle groups. The effect of the same.

About ecyclen know that he does not favor, but what about synthol? Then complete darkness. And that, agree, dangerous situation for the world of bodybuilding, where no one and never inquired about potential risk, and if asked, only one thing: where and how much?

So, in the early 90-ies of the German body-builder and, concurrently, chemist - Chris Clark, decided to create an analogue of ecyclen, which would act much longer (the effect of ecyclen was grabbed a couple of days). And he got! Unlike ecyclen giving cosmetic short-synthol actually increases muscles, and does so for long.


What is synthol and what it is?
Synthol this is the drug inter muscular fat acid, which is a synthetic oil and put into the muscle, you want to enlarge. The substance enters the intervals between muscle fibers and remains there. In the muscle remains about 70 percent of the drug, the other 30 - to decompose on lipids, just like any other fats, enters the body through the digestive tract. Results of synthol saved an average of 3-5 years.

By creating synthol, Clark experimented himself to himself. He introduced a variety of oil fluids, and although this is generally a safe, once nearly died, as recorded in the arm infection.

Synthol has a different effect on different muscle groups. It is preferable for the biceps, tritsepsa, deltas. Not the back and chest synthol is not so impressive.


What changes can be observed immediately after the stick synthol?
For example, you are injected in the biceps, and start swing arm. And they immediately begin to grow. After the first two training sessions they become formidable. This does not fit in any normal understanding of muscular growth, and therefore some scares. More growth is continuing at the same speed, and you're accustomed to it.


Synthol safe there?
Imagine that making injection, you accidentally hit a vein or artery. Oil ball will walk on the circulatory system, threatening, like a cork, shut up bloodstream. Typical symptoms - acute pain in the belly and jump in blood pressure, asthma, frequent palpitation and a violation of cardiac rhythm.
And if you have synthol in the arm, and then abruptly heard about its toxicity? Return oil from the muscle has no pick out.

And in general, any stimulants in bodybuilding operates a general rule: the better, the higher the risk. Synthol effective means - is dangerous.

In sports medicine is such a reception. If the muscle tear, it makes phenol injection fluids and glucose at glycerin base. Glycerin is a gap of glucose, which contributed to the collagen, and phenol as anesthesia substance. Collagen like seals slightly ends of muscle fibers, and they quickly coalesce. It looks like Chris Clark knew all this and used a similar scheme.

In the role of glucose he stands rezortynol. In the role of anesthetics - chloral hydrate, salicylic acid and lidokain. And all of this again, based glycerin. As a result, healthy muscle fibers surrounded by thick collagen and muscle fairytale increase its volume. But the whole problem is that in the muscle cells must receive oxygen. And what he would do if the cell sealed in a shell of collagen? It can be assumed that the application synthol inevitably entails the loss of muscle cells from oxygen deficiency, a decrease of real muscle mass.

A moral and ethical side of the problem? Someone must be 10-20 years to build the biceps of 50 centimeters. And someone using synthol can do it for a month. Blurred the line between novices and experienced athletes. Meaningless training methods. Disappears aesthetics of sport. Look at the photos and say, is it beautiful???