Anabolic steroids are hormonal drugs that promote hypertrophy of muscle tissue. In our country, the distribution and sale of these substances is punishable by law, since they are equated to potent ones. Depending on the amount of material found, the unlucky seller can face from three to fifteen years. It is difficult to overestimate the harm of steroids to he alth - literally before our eyes, in a matter of weeks, they radically change the appearance and psycho-emotional state.
Anabolic steroids in bodybuilding
At one time, these drugs made the effect of an exploding bomb in the world of sports. No one thought about the dangers of anabolic steroids - athletes without fear used any novelties to impress competitors in competitions with their strength, speed and endurance. As a result, in the middle of the last century, almost all the medals were in fact obtained illegally. For todayday before the competition, all athletes undergo special testing for the content of such substances in the blood.
In bodybuilding, steroids are especially loved and popular. These hormonal drugs allow you to achieve maximum muscle hypertrophy in a short time. The bodies entwined with veins and muscle tissue that we see at numerous competitions such as "Mr. Olympia" are the result of taking such drugs. In our country, many guys who are passionate about strength sports also use anabolic steroids, the harm to he alth of which is huge.
Anabolic steroids for women
Girls are no exception. In recent years, such a sports direction as body fitness has become widespread. The female body, due to its anatomical features (in particular, the low level of endogenous testosterone), is not able to produce enough substances that are responsible for the growth of muscle tissue. As a result, girls take a lot of steroids and anabolics to participate in competitions, the harm to which for the female body is even greater than for the male.
There are soft preparations for women. For example, "Oxandrolone" or "Turinabol". But do not underestimate their effect on the body: these tablet steroids, when taken continuously, cause irreversible changes in the female hormonal system.
Influence on hormonal status in men
Against the background of taking anabolic steroids inin men, the production of their own hormones decreases, which inevitably leads to a decrease in the size of the testicles and problems with erection. To partially avoid such consequences after the course, the so-called post-course therapy is carried out. This is taking other medications, which is designed to somehow solve the problem with the production of your own hormones.
Post cycle therapy is not needed for women. The harm of steroids for women is irreversible.
General impact on well-being and psyche
The harm and benefit of steroids go hand in hand. With all the negative consequences, there are benefits. Due to the increase in testosterone levels in the body, a person's psycho-emotional state changes:
- self-esteem increases;
- increasing social significance in their own eyes;
- a person wants to compete with someone, he feels the need to be better than others;
- motivated (and sometimes not) he althy athletic aggression appears;
- feels the need to have everything around him the way he wants.
Increase in muscle mass, strength and endurance
You can not ignore this factor, describing the benefits and harms of steroids. Already after two weeks, the prima athlete feels completely different, not only psychologically, but also physically. In particular, body weight grows (subject to proper nutrition and competent training) precisely due to the muscles, while the body fat decreases. A person's appearance is changing before our eyes.
Staminabecomes larger, this is facilitated by special preparations that are intended for use during the period of being on the "drying". These are Stanozolol, Oxandrolone. Increased endurance provides the ability to perform cardio training for one and a half to two hours.
Pills and injections also affect the increase in strength in a positive way. Athletes' testimonies indicate that ten days after the start of the course, working weights grow by at least five kilograms. So the harm and benefits of anabolic steroids are like two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to talk only about harm, forgetting about the benefits.
Corticosteroids and their effects on the body
Corticosterone and aldosterone are hormones produced by the human adrenal glands. Some athletes take aldosterone in tablet form.
Corticosterone helps to synthesize carbon, while the body receives the necessary energy reserves and can function normally. In this case, a large amount of glycogen accumulates in human muscle tissue.
Aldosterone is a steroid that is considered necessary for human life, since it is he who regulates the amount of potassium, sodium and electrolytes. Thanks to this, the distribution of fluid in the body occurs in a normal mode.
Androgen and estrogen are the main hormones
Androgen is produced by the male testes, and estrogen is produced by the female ovaries. These are essentially two different hormones that represent femininity and masculinity. Androgen contributes to the appearance of a deep voice, stubble, body hair. Estrogen contributes to the formation of body fat for the female type, high voice, fragility and female character traits.
When you try to make an imbalance in the hormonal system, a failure begins, which inevitably leads to a violation of the entire system. As a result, masculine traits begin to be visually visible in women, and feminine traits in men. In some cases, this property is even useful. For example, when changing sex with transvestites. But athletes usually have very different goals, and they don’t need side effects.
Synthetic and anabolic steroids: what is the difference
Synthetic steroids are not produced by the adrenal glands themselves, but are taken orally in tablet or injectable form. The fairer sex use such substances to restore and normalize the menstrual cycle, and men to gain muscle mass and treat certain inflammatory processes and diseases.
Anabolic steroids can also be obtained from the outside, according to the principle of action, they are as similar as possible to endogenous testosterone, only they have a slightly different structural formula. These are the classic steroid profile drugs, which are most often discussed by professional athletes.
Harm of steroids and anabolics for women
Women with regular use of tablets orinjectable steroids, the following changes in appearance and character are observed:
- sits down and voice roughens;
- the craving for competition and rivalry appears;
- there is a desire to engage in extreme sports;
- characteristically dangerous driving behavior on the road;
- masculine body hair begins to grow;
- stubble begins to grow above the lip, and then on the cheeks;
- enlarges the clitoris and genitals.
All these processes in the body due to changes in hormonal status are called virilization. They are characteristic even when using a relatively safe and mild steroid "Oxandrolone", which is synthesized using special raw materials, and the cost of which is several times higher than conventional testosterone-based steroids.
Reviews of bodybuilders and weightlifters about injectable testosterone
Despite the harm of steroids to humans, many amateur athletes were satisfied with the effect of the drugs. The reviews are not all negative - some men first carefully read the principle of action and instructions, and this eventually allowed them not to cause severe harm to their own he alth.
In positive reviews, people emphasize that it is very important to correctly compose the entire course - from the first day until the start of post-cycle therapy. Injectable testosterone is often injected not by itself, but in conjunction with other drugs. Experienced athletes love to experiment. For example, a combination with the same Turinabol, whichis considered a rather weak drug, allows you to achieve significantly greater results. Reviews indicate that on such a bundle within a month with proper training, you can gain about three to five kilograms of pure muscle mass, with virtually no fat.
Reviews of bodybuilders about steroids during the drying period
During the period of fat burning, when athletes are preparing for the beach season or competitions and trying to get rid of the subcutaneous fat layer as much as possible, slightly different drugs are used. Popular "Winstrol", "Stanozolol". By the way, they can also be purchased at a pharmacy - either foreign originals or structural analogues of domestic production. But such drugs are released strictly by prescription. Therefore, unlucky athletes have to buy steroids of dubious quality from dubious "sellers". The harm of steroids on the body is the same during the drying period and during the mass gain period.
Reviews of drugs with anabolic action during the fat burning period are different. They helped some people to achieve the body of their dreams and compete with dignity. But even more negative feedback from people who were not allowed to compete at all and who undermined their he alth and had to be treated for many months and even years.
Reviews on steroids subject to the use of post-cycle therapy
If an athlete, before starting the intake, assessed the possibility of the consequences of using steroids, correctly calculated the dosage necessary for himself, donated blood foridentifying the exact clinical picture of hormones and made a plan for post-cycle therapy - then the harm will be minimal. You should also not forget to evaluate the condition of your liver. Typically, such a course involves a huge number of pills and injections - as a result, the liver suffers greatly, toxic hepatitis can begin.
Harm for men of steroids, first of all, consists in changing the hormonal background, which, without drawing up a course of subsequent rehabilitation therapy, is deprived of the opportunity to be restored. In recent years, men have begun to take a thoughtful approach to course design. Thanks to this, it was possible to avoid the consequences of long-term use of steroids.
Reviews on amateur bodybuilder forums confirm that more and more men use anabolic steroids to achieve muscle tissue hypertrophy without harm to their own he alth. But no one has yet studied the far-reaching consequences of such complex courses.
Reviews of doctors about anabolic steroids
Doctors all unanimously against self-administration of steroids. Medical professionals can be understood: no appearance is worth it to disrupt the hormonal system once and for all. As a result of a rash choice of drugs "on the advice of a friend from a rocking chair", a person may remain disabled.
Yes, testosterone and other hormones are indeed vital for many people. But the guys visiting the gym for the sake of an extra few centimeters in the volume of the biceps do not need to take such drugs. This is the opinion of the doctors. And if you add to it the possibility of an institutiona criminal case for the acquisition and possible distribution of illegal potent substances (which include anabolic steroids), then the event seems too risky at all.
