Steroid are biochemically defined as molecules with three rings each containing six carbons joined up with a single ring containing five carbons. This means that majority of natural body hormones contain a steroid nucleus. Most steroids are lipid derivatives of cholesterol secreted by the human placenta, gonads and the adrenal cortex. Body building steroids are therefore those steroids that are synthetically derived from testosterone and which promote muscle development and bones growth.
Testosterone is itself a primary human male hormone that is produced only in the testicles for sex purposes. After continuous use of steroid there are two types of effects that occur. These are commonly referred to by body builders as androgenic and anabolic effects. Competitive and leisure body builders primarily target anabolic effects of steroid borne testosterone. This is because anabolic effects of testosterone positively amplify body building efforts while the androgenic effects are the devil that comes with the cake. Increased vitality, body strength, muscle size and muscle renewal and recovery speed, are the main anabolic effects of .
The simplest way to illustrate how steroids work in the body is by explaining testosterone levels. Most steroids raises testosterone levels in a body builders system, amplifying the normal process for testosterone synthesis and by directly adding concentrated testosterone into the blood. Increase in hormonal testosterone doesn’t result to immediate chemical reactions; rather it simply magnifies already existing reactions in the body. In body building, anabolic steroids refer to chemically modified testosterone versions specifically engineered to minimize androgenic effects while simultaneously maximizing anabolic effects.
Anabolic steroids are truly beneficial to body building ventures and form a crucial bridge between the body building program and success. There are four basic reasons why body builders take steroids, namely: to amplify gains in both muscle size and strength, to speed up recovery time after training, to boost physical energy especially during workouts and finally to maximally raise fat combustion. Yet as highlighted above, steroids in body building do not come without adverse side effects or with a blank cheque. The clinically established list of negative side affects common among users of anabolic steroids include sodium accumulation in the liver, acne, negative aggressiveness, gynecomastia, acute hypertension, a wide foray of cardiovascular diseases, enlarged heart size, virilization, varied occurrences of cancer, reduced clotting ability of the blood, frequent severe headaches, perpetual anxiety, acute depression, male impotence, unprovoked muscle tears, prostate enlargement, balding, stunted bone development and even a suppressed immune system.
Body builders should always remember that steroids are illegal substances in the US as well as in many countries, and the law restricts and punishes their distribution or use. Yet this seems not to deter body builders from using them. A recent survey found out that over three million body builders in the US alone are users. Anabolic steroids are more popular today than ever before irrespective of the fact that they were first used in 1950’s and were only banned in the US United States by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. High demand has resulted to a robust black market supply of steroids greatly undermining potency, consistency and quality levels of steroids. Scientific evidence shows that steroids are addictive. Body building steroids are either oral or intramuscular injections with oil or water based solutions.
