Steroids Information and Facts: An Introductory Discussion on Anabolic Steroids
An unbiased source of steroids information is undoubtedly something of interest to many of us who have logged serious hours in the gym, and want to “go the extra step.” True, anabolic steroids are illegal and controversial, and the reason why I’m even discussing them here is simply this…
… If you are really into body building and stick with it, you will eventually encounter people who use steroids. At some point, whether you want to or not, you will stumble across contacts that will bring you access to them. This, I guarantee. And if you’re at all human, you will be tempted.
Anabolic steroid use is rampant, so it’s critical to have an unbiased source of steroids information before you make any decision on how to proceed. I can’t even begin to count the number of people (guys mostly) who have started in on a steroid cycle with little to no knowledge of what it is they are getting into.
Of course, this article is only meant as an introductory steroids information article: I am by no means an expert in this matter (I’ll point you to some further anabolic steroids information resources at the end of this article).
Anytime I find myself thinking about steroids, I’m usually stuck in a rut. I’m not making the gains I’d like to be. Almost always, this can be traced back to one or more of the following; improper diet, overtraining, too few calories, not enough rest, etc., etc. In other words, anabolic steroids are a short cut — a way to obtain results with less work than usually required.
The problem with anabolic steroids is that there are two primary sources of steroids information; from those who are anti-steroid with a strongly negative bias, and from those who would have you think that steroids are downright nutritious! (I’m kidding, of course — but you get the idea!). The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle. In this article, I’m going to bring you what I’ve learned in my own quest for trustworthy steroids information.
The first, and main bottom line on anabolic steroids is this…
Unless prescribed by a Doctor, they are illegal. Depending on where in the world you live, you may be asking for serious trouble by dabbling with them. This is the first reality you must consider — do you really want to risk the possibility of jail time for a few extra pounds of muscle?
For U.S. visitors, the best steroid resource on the Net — when it pertains to steroids and the law is SteroidLaw.com. It’s run by Rick Collins — a former competitive body builder, prosecutor and author. If you’ve run into trouble with the law because of your steroid use, this is the web site to visit!
Secondly, because they are illegal yet in high demand, many counterfeit versions of steroids have sprung up. I don’t know about you, but the thought of injecting myself with a “suspect” product is not particularly appealing. After all, it’s unlikely these black market steroids are being produced in a government inspected facility or in a sterile environment.
Anabolic steroids are used primarily to jack-up levels of the main male hormone, testosterone, in the body. Bodybuilders use them primarily to help grow extra muscle.
Mild steroids (usually in the form of a testosterone gel (Androgel) are prescribed to “menopausal” men (men whose natural ability to produce testosterone naturally diminishes with age). Stronger ones may be prescribed to AIDS patients (to prevent muscle wasting). 30-40 years ago, steroids were used much more in conventional medicine. Since that time however, more effective drugs have replaced them, and they are rarely prescribed by physicians. Steroids are still commonly used in veterinary medicine.
There are many different sorts of anabolic steroids, which can be broken down into two different segments — “oral” or “injectable”.
Oral steroids, obviously then, are the ones that come in pill form and are taken by mouth. Generally these are the first choice for beginning users, and although effective, are less powerful than injectable steroids. Unfortunately, oral steroids are more toxic to the liver, since they have to be formulated in such a way to survive degradation by the liver (“17α-alkylated steroids”). It is these oral steroids that are the most detrimental to your health.
Injectable steroids are those that are injected directly into major muscle groups, like the upper buttocks, outer thigh, deltoid and so on. These steroids are suspended in an oil base, which slowly dissipates into the muscle, causing a “time release” effect, while being much less toxic to the liver. Oil based steroids may be injected as little as once per week.
Some steroids may be water based (Winstrol), which leads to more frequent injections (every 2-3 days). While injectable steroids are less toxic than oral steroids, there is a danger to injecting — inject into a major blood vessel, for instance, and you’re in big trouble. You also run the risk of getting an abscess (an infection below the skin, caused by improper cleansing and disinfecting of the target area). This is rarely an issue — provided fresh syringes/needles are used and proper disinfecting of the injection site is performed.
Click here to continue to Prt II of my steroids information and facts articles..
