Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic
steroids, are used by performance athletes, bodybuilders, celebrities, and
recreational users to build muscle mass and gain strength.
These steroidal androgenic include natural as well as
synthetic androgenic. These are similar to the naturally produced testosterone
hormone produced by the body. The steroid industry has grown over the years.
It’s a known fact
that steroids are banned in many countries due to the harm they can use to the
human body and their abuse and addiction, they are still available for sale. Though
over the counter steroids are not available and in you will need a prescription
if you want to buy them illegally, online sale and purchase of steroids has
skyrocketed in this digital age.
Those who are about to take steroids for the first time must
make themselves familiar with some facts about them. Without further ado, let’s
check out the top facts about anabolic steroids:
Anabolic steroids have a bunch of street names. These
include gear, pumpers, gym candy, roids, juice, Arnolds, weight trainers, and
stackers.
In some cases, such as delayed puberty, which can only be
solved by the consumption of steroids, a doctor is allowed to prescribe
steroids.
Before being used in the steroid cycle, most anabolic
steroids were primarily designed for treating breast cancer in women.
In many women, breast cancer develops after menopause
because of a higher level of estrogen in the body. By taking certain steroids that
act as an aromatase inhibitor, estrogen production is blocked and hence serving
as a treatment for breast cancer.
Every steroid has a different half-life. The length of time
they stay in your system depends on the dosage taken. On average, injectable steroids can be detected in the body for 3 to 4 months whereas oral steroids
can stay for 1 to 4 weeks.
Sometimes it is hard to tell who is abusing steroids.
However, there are some tell-tale signs that you can look out for.
In men, the common signs include baldness, gyn, and
impotence. In women, the signs include breast reduction, deepened voice, and
growth of facial hair.
Other common signs among both men and women include bad
breath, trembling, aching joints, yellow skin, mood swings, and swelling of
ankles or feet.
Steroids have become a serious public health concern. 3.3 %
of the people in the world take steroids. Men consume steroids 6x more than
women. The recreational usage of these steroids is more compared to
professional usage. Consumption is the highest in the Middle East. On the other
hand, 1 million men in America are dependent on steroids.
Over the last few years, the use of steroids among teens has
increased.2 percent of the high school seniors admitted they tried taking
steroids. This was a study from 2010. The percentage has increased over the years
but the ratio is not significant.
Steroids are commonly found in 3 types – injection, oral tabs,
and gels. The injectable ones are injected directed into the muscles. The oral tabs are taking orally like a normal medication. The gel ones are applied to
the skin externally.
There are minor to major risks associated with using
steroids.
Since steroids also disrupt the hormonal cycle, men tend to
aggressive behavior. Similar other symptoms include delusions, extremer
irritability, and anxiety.
Steroids can be addictive even if you are not abusing them.
After your cycle is over, you might experience some withdrawal symptoms in the
form of depression, severe cravings, and even sleeping disorders.
Therefore, it’s important to strive for a balance and take
only the necessary amount of steroids during your cycle.
It was believed that steroids could cause a permanent change
in the growth of the muscles even after the usage of steroids is ceased. The
human body is designed to only hold a certain amount of muscles naturally. Any
muscles gained above the limit will be lost after your steroid cycle is cover.
If you use steroids again, the muscles will come back of
course but steroids never change your physique permanently.
Anabolic steroids don’t just help gain muscle mass, they
also curb the excess body fat. There is scientific evidence that says that
steroids help in lipid oxidation because of their steroids of oxidizing fat. However,
only a few steroids are great with fat burning, and hence why recommended to
use in the cutting cycle.
Anabolic steroids increase the production of red blood cells
in the body. The function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen to the
organs and tissues present in the body. When the muscles receive more oxygen,
you are able to train harder and stand in the gym for longer.
This is why many performance athletes and fitness
enthusiasts choose anabolic steroids for improving their endurance and
stability.
There are three different ways bodybuilders take steroids –
cycling, stacking, and pyramiding.
1.
Cycling is the method by which the person
ingests anabolic steroids in 6 to 12 weeks. This is followed by a period-off of
4 weeks or several months. Meaning they will be off the steroid for the
particular time frame.
2.
Stacking is the method of taking different types
of steroids together for maximizing the effectiveness and achieve the desired
results. One steroid makes the other perform well or reduce its side effects.
3.
Pyramiding is to increase the dosage of the
steroids gradually, making it reach its peak and then reducing the amount.
Steroids regulate the production of cortisol when the body
has trained hard and now stressed up. The excess production of cortisol
hormones causes muscle tissue to damage, which is an integral part of the
muscle-building process.
Steroids reduce the rate at which the muscles and the body
recover from stress. That’s why many users in the athletic and fitness industry
use steroids for recovering from injuries. When muscular strain is healed, you
can head back to the gym and continue exercising with better zeal and stamina.
If you are about to take anabolic steroids, it’s important
to understand how they work. Steroids bind to the androgen receptors in the
brain. They work similarly to the naturally occurring testosterone, influencing
how the cells functions and your genes express.
It can be said that steroids regulate the pathway which
determines male characteristics. They activate cells that produce protein to
let you build more muscles, fiber, and tissues. This is how steroids increase
muscle mass.
Steroidal supplements differ from anabolic steroids. They
are promoted and sold as hormone products and as alternatives to anabolic
steroids. They convert into testosterone and claim to work similar to steroids.
These products are labeled as dietary supplements. They also claim to increase
strength and build mass.
Steroid supplements were available for sale in 2004. They
are still available for sale but Congress passed an act to make the sale of
certain supplements illegal.
Often, the adverse side effects of steroids are underreported.
If you have abused steroids, some side effects show up years later. Therefore,
it is extremely important to admire the dosage that is chosen by your sports doctor
or that your body can tolerate.
Physical side effects are not the only effects produced by
steroids. A higher dosage of certain steroids increases aggression and irritability.
This happens because of hormonal changes. Numerous studies have reported the behavioral
effects of steroids generated from abuse.
Taking a higher amount of steroid result in aggressive
behavior and getting into a fight is not the only side effects. Some have also
reported getting involved in armed robbery, theft, vandalism, and burglary. These
are severe symptoms and they are not present in every abuser.
The feeling of aggression and irritability vary between
individuals and the level of abuse.
The sale of steroids is banned in a number of countries
worldwide including the United States. The only way you can buy them is via a
prescription, which is only given depending on the medical condition of the
user.
However, steroids are still available for sales, and buying them through the black market is not the only way. You can also purchase them online through various e-commerce stores that deliver worldwide through discreet shipment methods.
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