Anabolic Steroid Drug Fact In Bodybuilding
We hear about steroids all the time. But what are steroids?
Steroids are the types of drugs that are androgenic. They are also called anabolic steroid that is a type of synthetic testosterone hormone. Steroids are used by men and women to compete in the bodybuilding world by the increasing amount of testosterone for building muscles.
Testosterone happens to produce after puberty and this is something very much important for building muscle mass too. The levels of testosterone in average men is about 300-1,000ng/dl, bodybuilders acquire more amount to have an advantage.
Females do not produce so much testosterone but still, they have some fractions of it, just to improve their bones strength and reproductive health. Anabolic steroids in the world of bodybuilding are also being called Performance enhancement drugs that can be SARMs too ( Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators)
What Steroids Can Do?
Medically, steroids are taken by different people with serious conditions to which anabolic steroids is a valid treatment. Apart from this, athletes and bodybuilders use steroids illegally because it can do the following things.
- Steroids significantly affect protein synthesis (per steroid cycle gives you 5-11 pounds of lean mass)
- Steroids lower the fat percentage
- Boost endurance and physical agility for athletic purpose
- Improves bones density
- Enhance RBC ( Red Blood Cell ) production greatly
- Stacking steroids with HGH (Human growth hormone), SARMs, and Insulin further increase muscle mass
- Steroids are popular drugs of choice for muscle-wasting disease
How Do steroids help in Bodybuilding?
Naturally occurring hormones are only produced in a limited amount because that’s how nature works. Anabolic steroids mimic the action of natural hormones (especially testosterone) and this activates testosterone production in the body.
This happens via activation of the receptors and when this happens, two main mechanisms are seen.
Testosterone performs anabolic action which provides support to bones and muscles. It also helps in the recovery process from injury.
The androgenic nature of testosterone looks after masculine characteristics such as deeper voice and facial hair.
Anabolic steroids work too quickly, which means bodybuilders gain dense muscle mass within just one cycle. This made many people train less and rely mostly on these compounds since they are the strongest compounds yet. What they don’t realize is the hazy feel after which comes a plethora of side effects.
How Do You Take Steroids?
There are many formulations of steroid which has a different route of administration. Anabolic steroids are found as capsules, gel, transdermal patches, and injections. The most conventional way is still the oral one since it’s easy to take.
Out of 100%, around 90% of steroid users are aware of the side effects, and therefore taking steroids in a certain way could avoid the side effects.
Here’s how to take steroids correctly.
- You must always use steroids for a limited amount of time, after which a resting period is required. This is most common during the cycling phase.
- Always use 1 steroid at a time, stacking could make the results better but it’s more associated with making them worse.
- Pyramiding is the combination of stacking and cycling which many professional bodybuilders apply. During pyramiding, first, they take a low dose of anabolic steroids and then increase the dosage gradually. After this, the gap is required for some time after which the PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) option is also useful.
- Post Cycle Therapy is the option executed after a steroid cycle, this is chiefly to prevent any further testosterone suppression and normalize the hormonal levels.
Natural Bodybuilding VS Steroids
A lot of controversies have been raised after people started asking which one is better, natural bodybuilding or steroidal one. We cannot deny the importance of natural bodybuilding as it takes the users to the safest zones while maintaining their physical approach. Every group which is practicing either of the bodybuilding means thinks they are right all along.
But this shall be disclosed to all because people are not so much naïve anymore and they deserve to know the right thing.
- Natural Bodybuilders never use artificial compounds like steroids to develop muscle mass. They rather consume a healthy diet, get plenty amount of water and rest, and in some cases use herbal supplements to skip the need of steroids.
- Natural bodybuilders’ gains are less than steroid bodybuilders but one thing should be remembered, natural ones have long-lasting results and steroids don’t.
- Gradual muscle building is a part of natural bodybuilders but they get to have better overall health and healthy metabolism.
- Natural bodybuilders could achieve a plethora of benefits i.e lowered blood sugar and cholesterol, low blood pressure and stable metabolism.
- Natural bodybuilding is an excellent form of stress destroyer that naturally supports testosterone production in men rather than taking steroids.
Steroids Bodybuilders take steroids for bodybuilding, a type of male hormone (testosterone) is injected for the quickest results.
Steroids bodybuilding lets you train with the maximum amount of energy, more than you could get on natural methods. The recovery rate would also be faster and you could build heavy-looking muscle mass, all with dangerous complications at the end waiting!
The side effects of using anabolic steroids
The side effects of using anabolic steroids range from minor to severe which are:
- Imbalance of hormonal levels
- Suppression of testosterone hormone
- Gynecomastia where manboobs appear on your chest
- Infertility, low sex drive and hair loss in men
- Hypertension
- Liver and kidney damage
- Fluid retention in the muscles
- Mood swings, aggression, and mental health issues
- Sudden heart attack/death
Steroids vs Natural Bodybuilding – Which is better?
Looking at the side effects of anabolic steroids, in 2022 only a few people are convinced by the steroids before and after results. It’s a 100% sign you could gain immense power using steroids but that would be temporary. Without negative side effects and have to deal with life-threatening issues, natural bodybuilding via natural steroids giving a chance to bodybuilders to stick with something effective in real.
If you are looking to gain huge muscle mass, find a way to increase natural testosterone production instead of pushing it harder on the muscles. The better version for bodybuilding is natural because unless anything is suspiciously dangerous, you can use it for sure.
Finally .. The dangers of steroids do not knocks until you have consumed them for a long time. This doesn’t mean you can skip these side effects following one cycle only, steroids are not natural but synthesized in laboratories to artificially boost muscle synthesis. This takes a heavy toll on the body considering there are other auto-immune generated phenomenon’s that limit these compounds, hence causing liver toxicity and renal failure.
Source :
NIDA. 2018, August 12. Anabolic Steroids DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids on 2022, April 18
https://medlineplus.gov/anabolicsteroids.html
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/taking-steroids-what-could-it-hurt.html
Ribadeneira, Diego. "Steroid Revolution: Youngsters Increasingly Using The Drug Just to Look Good." Houston Chronicle. 6 Nov. 1988. pp. 1B+
Nuwer, Hank. Steroids. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990
Collins, Rick. Anabolic Steroids, Bodybuilding, and The Law. 1999-2000 www.steroidlaw.com
