Comments Thread For: Pacquiao OK After Being Hospitalized For Acid Reflux

[Boy Abunda]

Only a real champion can overcome the effects of acid-reflux. Manny Pacquiao, TKO on acid-reflux!

Mayweder, here we come!

[richardt]

Remember- Mayweather was TKO'd by a cell phone.

[mandrew]

Metabolic steroids cause GERD and stomach ulcers by inhibiting Cox 1, a protective enzyme in the gastric mucosa of the stomach. Metabolic steroids are used to treat many inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. They will not enhance an athletes performance.

Anabolic steroids are used by athletes and body builders to build muscle mass and improve performance. One very outwardly apparent sign of anabolic steroid use is roid rage.... a sign not exhibited by Pac. He is the most meek and softspoken world champion since Joe Louis. Once He starts beating up Kellerman after fights and showing the rage is when we can say he's definitely using anabolic steroids.

Other signs of anabolic steroid use are stunted growth and small testicles, which are symptoms exhibited by most asian people (ask any urologist they will tell you it's true). I appreciate everyone's detective work on steroid side effects but it is easy to get bad results from an internet search when your not specific enough on which type of steroid.

This isn't to say he's not using other drugs to enhance his performance. Erythropoetin is used to stimulate red blood cell production (oxygen carrying cells). Having more oxygen and in turn more energy for every cell in your body would definitely enhance performance. Erythropoetin is a part of many blood and bone marrow cancer regimens. That was part of the controversy for Lance Armstrong during his cancer treatment. Because Erthyropoetin is very logical for people in treatment for cancer, but it is considered doping for professional athletes.

As far as the GERD and stomach ulcer goes, how many commercials were run for the little purple pill? How many commercials have we seen for Brett Farve and the Prilosec OTC bus? Zegrid OTC? And I'm sure all of us over 30 remember the Tums melody, and a million commercials for alka seltzer. There would not be such a large advertisement campaign for these products if there wasn't a large consumer base for them. It is a very commonly diagnosed disorder.

So is Pac using drugs to enhance his performance? maybe. Is he using anabolic steroids? probably not. Is him having an ulcer last year, and GERD this year a smoking gun for PED accusations? absolutely not.