The effect of steroids on potency - is it worth using “special” drugs for bodybuilding?

Anabolic steroids (AS) are effective in enhancing athletic performance, but they can cause a number of unwanted side effects that can jeopardize health.
Before using AS, you need to know/understand the consequences of their use. Many anabolic drugs were originally invented for medical use. Over time, their anabolic properties have attracted athletes. It should be taken into account that athletes use these drugs in dosages that are many times higher than therapeutic ones.

Anabolic steroids can have a strong effect on internal organs and the hormonal system. The frequency and severity of side effects varies greatly and depends on many factors, such as the type of drug, dosage, duration of use, and individual sensitivity/tolerance.

General measures to prevent and prevent side effects can be identified:

• do not conduct highly androgenic courses;
• do not conduct courses longer than 12 weeks;
• do not take medications in large dosages;
• give preference to drugs that suppress the secretion of your own testosterone to a lesser extent and are also not toxic to the liver;
• perform PCT correctly;
• systematically take tests in order to monitor the state of the hormonal system.

Anabolic steroids side effects

The most common side effects are described below, as well as generally accepted recommendations to avoid/minimize them:

• liver damage . ACs that have a methyl group at position 17 (tablet drugs) can have profound negative effects on the liver. It should be noted that in most cases, side effects that affect the liver are reversible. During PCT, use hepatoprotectors; they stimulate bile drainage and promote liver restoration. When choosing a steroid, it is worth considering that drugs in injectable form have a much less negative effect on the liver than in tablet form;
• suppression of the production of your own testosterone . Suppression of testosterone production is a consequence of the use of AS. To normalize the state of the hormonal system, gonadotropin and antiestrogens are used;
• acne (blackheads) . Anabolic steroids increase sebum production, which clogs pores. In order to avoid this side effect, you need to monitor the condition of your skin, keep it clean (it should not be oily), and systematically wash your face with soap. If acne occurs, wipe the skin 1-2 times a day with salicylic alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Try to exclude fast carbohydrates, fatty and fried foods from your diet;
• gynecomastia . Occurs due to aromatization of anabolic drugs. Aromatase inhibitors help block the aromatization process;
• left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy. The use of AS affects the cardiovascular system. To avoid heart problems, it is recommended not to carry out long courses, and also not to use large dosages of drugs;
• increased cholesterol levels. Some AS can increase the level of “bad cholesterol” in the blood. To prevent this side effect, take Omega-3;
• increased blood pressure. Anabolic steroids increase blood pressure, which Metoprolol and Enalapril can help normalize;
• testicular atrophy. This effect occurs due to the suppression of natural testosterone production. To avoid this, athletes take gonadotropin;
• growth stop. This side effect is relevant at a young age, and is one of the reasons why AS is strongly not recommended for use at a young age;
• infertility. Associated with changes in hormonal levels. To solve this problem, post-cycle therapy is carried out;
• prostate hypertrophy. The main cause is dihydrotestosterone, which is formed from testosterone. In sports circles, for the prevention/treatment of this phenomenon, the use of Finasteride is recommended;
• blood clot formation. AS can lead to increased blood clotting, which increases the risk of blood clots. Drugs that prevent platelets from sticking to each other (antiplatelet agents) can help avoid this effect;
• AS can also cause side effects such as virilization, baldness, increased aggression and others.

The effect of steroids on the male body

Steroid drugs were originally invented to treat serious diseases, but due to their ability to increase muscle size, they have become popular among male bodybuilders. Anabolic steroids include synthetic analogues of male sex hormones such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Under their influence, efficiency, endurance and physical strength increase.

Anabolic steroids accelerate the production of protein in muscle fibers, due to which the volume of muscle tissue increases much faster. Thanks to these properties, steroids are widely used in sports where muscle size is decisive, primarily in bodybuilding.

Contraindications to the use of steroids:

• It is highly undesirable to use speakers under 25 years of age. The use of these drugs at a young age can lead to changes in hormonal levels, which in turn can cause bone growth to stop;
• atherosclerosis;
• high blood pressure;
• It is not advisable for women to use anabolic drugs, as this can cause masculinization;
• the presence of heart disease is an absolute contraindication, so the use of steroids can aggravate the condition;
• prostate tumor;
• renal and liver failure.

The website iron-set.com provides information for informational purposes only. IronSet does not sell or encourage the use of potent substances, including anabolic steroids. This information was collected from publicly available sources and cannot serve as a basis for making a decision on the use of certain drugs. The information presented on the site does not encourage the use or distribution of potent substances.

Steroids to increase muscle mass - to take or not?

As you can see, taking steroids can significantly impair a man’s abilities, leaving only a façade of masculinity.
This makes jokes about a large closet with a small (and flaccid) key very relevant. However, this does not keep many people from taking drugs of this group without medical indications. In addition, it’s easy to find advice online on how to restore potency after a course of taking steroids, or even completely reverse the harm they cause. Is it worth following such advice? Doctors insist on the complete inadmissibility of taking steroids except for medical reasons, which include a lack of such substances in the body, in particular, with hypogonadism. In any other case, the harm caused by uncontrolled use of anabolic steroids will not be compensated by any sporting achievements. Sport is built on the achievements of the body and spirit, and not on organic chemistry; the “sports” use of steroids without health consequences is nothing more than a harmful myth, long ago rejected by modern medicine and the professional sports community.

Cellular receptors

Let's find out what cellular receptors are.
For example, compare testosterone to a keyhole, and a cell receptor to a key. If there is already a key in the keyhole, then there is no need for another. Accordingly, if the cellular receptor already has its own androgen, it does not need others. Additional androgen may be needed if there is a lack of testosterone, for example, when its production decreases in men with age. This view of anabolic steroids is characteristic of a scientific point of view, but it is not compatible with what modern athletes want to achieve.

Doctors say: when the level of sex hormones is normal, which is observed in men under the age of 24–28 years, additional use of synthetic drugs can weaken the functionality of androgen receptors. Accordingly, injections of anabolic steroids should provoke a complete stop in muscle growth, or significantly slow down their growth.

For example, the growth of the penis continues until a certain age, after which it stops growing, regardless of the amount of testosterone in the man’s body. Doctors believe that this phenomenon is due to the reaction of androgen receptors to an increase in testosterone levels in the body. With age, the receptors simply stop functioning.

The same phenomenon is observed in the young female body, when androgen receptors in the upper body stop responding to testosterone, which is produced in large quantities at this age. Therefore, women have weak upper body muscles and, accordingly, a feminine figure.

These facts, despite their reliability, cannot be used to assess the effect of anabolic steroids on the body of athletes.

Doctors' opinion on the dangers of sports nutrition

Medical opinions about the benefits and harms of sports nutrition are divided. Scientists, “fed” by sellers and manufacturers of sports nutrition, confirm their statements about the safety and even usefulness of sports dietary supplements, about the naturalness of their composition.

Attending physicians who have nothing to do with this business often become opponents of sports nutrition. It is understandable that they are afraid of facing the possible negative consequences of their patients using active food additives. It is possible that many of them simply want to play it safe and insure their patient.

It is difficult to find independent experts, but if the opinion of doctors regarding the harm of sports nutrition is important to you, we will present the results of a survey conducted by one of the Internet portals.

• According to its results, every second nutritionist said that sports nutrition is intended specifically for professional athletes, but ordinary people should not include it in their diet.
• Every third doctor considered that sports dietary supplements do not pose a great danger, and everyone can take them, provided that they have no contraindications to this.
• Other doctors advise giving up sports nutrition so as not to harm your health, and this advice applies even to those who play sports professionally.

It’s up to you to decide how justified your use of sports nutrition is. If you do decide to try to include them in your diet, try to reduce the risk of negative consequences.

Why do athletes dope?

When an athlete reaches the limit of his physical capabilities and cannot surpass himself in any way and show better results, but needs to move on, steroids (anabolic steroids, doping, pharmaceuticals) come to the rescue.

Please note that it is rational to use anabolic steroids only at the professional and competitive level. Since you definitely need to take blood tests, and constantly monitor your health - not a cheap thing! Tablets and ampoules cost a couple of dollars, but the correct approach to use is expensive.

If you still decide to take anabolic and androgenic steroids, then I urge you to do everything correctly and take responsibility for your actions. A free online consultation on course design from a sports endocrinologist is available on our website.

Types of sports nutrition

Let's start by finding out what sports nutrition is. In fact, this is not food, but just a dietary supplement to food. Obviously, there is no point in taking dietary supplements in cases where the diet includes all the elements necessary for the body in sufficient quantities. However, people actively involved in sports have an increased need for many of these substances. This is especially true for proteins. Sports nutrition is designed to satisfy this need.

Depending on what substances are supplied to the body by tablet, powder or cocktail, sports nutrition can be divided into several categories:

• protein shakes (provide the protein necessary for muscle growth);
• amino acids (play essentially the same role as protein);
• gainers (protein-carbohydrate cocktails), which perform two tasks: muscle growth and restoration of strength spent during training;
• energy drinks (increase the body’s endurance);
• vitamin and mineral complexes;
• fat burners;
• special drugs (often hormonal) that have a narrowly targeted effect.

Some believe that sports nutrition also includes anabolics - synthetic drugs that replace testosterone - a male hormone that stimulates a number of processes in the body, including the growth of muscle mass. In fact, anabolic steroids are classified as doping drugs; their use in sports is prohibited, so they cannot be considered sports nutrition.