I just read this article about Prednisone from a Medical website...Again, I know I am not gaining muscle from it, but it appears, with a little dedication, I can still acheive muscle gains while minimizing the muscle breakdown from Prednisone (again 10mg daily)..heres what it said:
Treatment >> Steroids/Nutritional Supplements/Antibiotics
Steroids/Nutritional Supplements/Antibiotics
There are multiple steroid/supplemental treatments for Duchenne MD although there is little agreement (even among researchers and clinicians) about many of them. Options include:
Prednisone | Deflazacort | Albuterol | Creatine
Anabolic Steroids | Calcium blockers | Gentamycin
Prednisone: a catabolic steroid that slows the loss of muscle degeneration. It is the drug most widely used to treat Duchenne MD. In some cases walking may be prolonged for up to two years or more. Not only is muscle loss halted but its strength and function also improve dramatically. Unlike anabolic steroids taken by athletes and body builders, catabolic steroids do not build up tissue but instead break it down.
Why use these rather than anabolic steroids? Catabolic steroids, like the natural hydrocortisone, help the body break down tissues to release glucose (sugar) and mobilize energy in response to stress or danger. The exact way in which prednisone helps Duchenne MD patients is still not known, but it is likely due to its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects. Like hydrocortisone, prednisone fights inflammation (swelling) in injured or damaged tissues by suppressing the immune system. The cytotoxic T lymphocytes that rush in to clear away damaged cells may be slowed. Some researchers have speculate that prednisone may also somehow stimulate muscle protein production.
Because of this sugar effect, catabolic steroids are also known as 'glucocorticoids'. They are made and released from the outer portion (or cortex) of the adrenal gland, so they are also known as 'corticosteroids'. Prednisone is a synthetic form of the natural corticosteroid hydrocortisone. Prednisone has many pharmaceutical brand names.
Controlled tests with placebos clearly confirm that prednisone alleviates dystrophinopathic (characteristic produced by the absence of dystrophin) effects. Muscle mass and strength increases, though CK levels remain unaffected (as the muscle does not heal). Likewise, when boys who have been on prednisone stop taking it, they seem to lose its beneficial effects rather rapidly, no matter how long they have been on it. Prednisone works and works well, even though no one knows why.
However, for all its clear benefits, prednisone is known to have several strong side effects, including fluid retention (hence bloating and weight gain) which can lead to high blood pressure and the development of cataracts in the lenses of the eye. In some cases prednisone's benefits in strengthening muscle are cancelled out by obesity and inactivity. Linear growth (in height) may be arrested. There are also severe psychological side effects, such as difficulty concentrating, sleeping, and controlling emotions. Impairment in thinking, reading, and coping skills can lead to depression or aggression. Finally, long term use of immunosuppressants like prednisone can also impair the body's ability to fight infections and heal wounds.
Prednisone use must be monitored carefully to ensure that any gains in muscle function are not outweighed by negative side effects. Prednisone may have to be administered along with other oral supplements, such as calcium (to prevent osteoporosis). For many parents and physicians, the hardest decision is when to begin steroid use. Another major dispute involves the dosage regimen. A schedule in which the patient alternates periods of times on and off prednisone may help to provide the desired gains while blunting the harmful side effects. Currently there is no agreement from clinicians whether a "ten days on, ten days off" schedule, or an alternating "one day on, one day off" schedule, or even two high doses of prednisone a week (10 mg/kg/week) is best. In most cases prednisone is administered in daily doses of 0.75 mg/kg body mass/day. Still, different parents, physicians, and researchers will all give different answers. It may be that the proper dosage depends largely on the age and severity of the dystrophinopathic (characteristic produced by the absence of dystrophin) phenotype.
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