Steroids Information and Facts: An Introductory Discussion on Anabolic Steroids (part 2)
Did you miss Part I of the Steroids Information and Facts article? Click here to read it now!
There are many, many different kinds of anabolic steroids, both oral and injectable, each with its own unique characteristics. Some are potent (D-Bol, Sustanon) some are quite mild (e.g., Primobolan and Winstrol), some are toxic (eg, Halotestin) and some are less so.
As discussed earlier, orals are much harder on the liver than injectables, and need to be used in relatively short cycles (4-6 weeks). If you ever consider taking anabolic steroids, please learn as much as you can about the drugs in question before going any further.
Anabolic Steroids Side Effects: Are Steroids Safe?
Of course no steroids information article can be complete without mention of side effects. Although most body builders would assume more testosterone is a good thing, it isn’t always. The body can respond to elevated testosterone levels by converting this testosterone into the female hormone, estrogen. In a worst case scenario, you can develop “gynecomastia” (also called “bitch tits”), which really means you start to grow breasts. Not so good, you’ll agree.
Some steroids “aromatize” into estrogen more readily than others (another reason why you should know what you are taking), which means most body builders who use these types of steroids in significant enough dosages usually stack them with an anti-estrogen drug (like Nolvadex).
Interestingly, it’s not just anabolic steroids than can cause gynecomastia — many prescription drugs can do this as well – click here for a list).
Other issues?
At elevated levels, certain anabolics can cause water retention and bloating, hair loss, irritability, and acne. And of course, you’ll have to deal with the fact that your body’s own testosterone producing capabilities will have all but shut down by the completion of your steroid cycle. That inevitably leads to a “crash” where most of the gains made over the cycle are lost while the body struggles to ramp up its own production again. Pro body builders will counter this issue by taking drugs that encourage this process — clomid is a good example.
What about general safety of these drugs?
From what I’ve read, and from what I’ve heard first hand from a couple of knowledgeable physicians, smart, monitored use of steroids (with low dosages of the correct verified drug) poses little threat to the long term safety of healthy individuals (oral steroids, for the reasons outlined earlier need to be monitored a little more carefully).
This makes sense… after all, they are commonly used to normalize testosterone levels in “menopausal” men and for years were used in mainstream medicine.
Steroids are not exactly the most politically correct substance on the planet (if you haven’t noticed already). A couple of high-profile baseball players have been caught using the substances, and recently, another Olympic athlete was stripped of her medal for using steroids.
This has led to a HUGE amount of political rhetoric, a significant percentage of it focused on the supposed “dangers” of these substances. The problem is, the available scientific data on steroid use does not support these claims. Although dated, this Open Letter to the Members of the House Committee by Philip Sweitzer, Esq. outlines the issues well.
By now you should be getting a pretty good idea that the decision to mess with anabolic steroids should not be taken lightly. Just because your training partners are making huge gains in the gym while you continue to struggle is no good reason to make the move to anabolics. I’d recommend double-checking your program, ensuring…
- Your training is effective.
- Your diet and supplements are in order.
- You are not overtraining.
- You are getting enough rest.
Chances are, you’ll find some issues that need adjustment here.
One last note in my steroids information discussion…
From what I’ve seen, once you get on these drugs it is very, very hard to get off (although steroids are not addictive). People I’ve talked to tell me the strength, the muscle gains, the general feeling of well-being (all of which disappear after the cycle is completed), make it near impossible to stop “coming back for more.” Another reason to be wary, right?
Nonetheless, my final recommendation would be this…
Be informed. Do some research. Find out what it is that you are really putting into your body, and the sort of effects you can expect from it. If you’re going to try anabolic steroids, at least you can be smart about it.
If you’re interested in learning more about anabolic steroids, I’ve compiled a list of resources worth investigating. click here to read more!
