i just recently got tested hiv positive, im a bodybuilder but have always been afraid of using steroids,but now i would like to use them, will they affect me negatively regarding my status and if you can suggest the type of steroids i should use...

Anabolic steroids have been studied a lot to treat HIV related wasting, a problem that we do not have as much in the developed world since effective HIV treatment became available.

They have value in patients that are failing to gain weight and who have BMI under 23 Kg/m squared, but they also have potential side effects that may not make it worthwhile for someone to use them for bodybuilding purposes without monitoring by a trained physician. Among them are: increased blood pressure, increased red blood cell production which may thicken the blood and tax the heart/cardiovascular system, testicular atrophy, liver dysfunction (orals), prostatic enlargement, hormonal axis dysfunction, and others.

Having said that, I believe in harm reduction and encourage those who will use these compounds no matter what the risks are to educate themselves. I wrote a book for wasting syndrome that is now available free online: Built to Survive

I hope you decide against using them without your physician's approval and follow up.

Nelson