Anabolic steroids: everything you need to know

Overall, there is a wide confusion among the public and experts regarding the use and benefits of anabolic steroids. Most experts place them in the same category with drugs and stimulants. There are many reasons behind this categorization such as addiction, resistance and many more. Most importantly, though, anabolic steroids as well as drugs are clouded under a mystery veil and it is difficult to distinguish myth from reality. With this article we aim to guide you and provide you with many information regarding anabolic steroids hoping to clear the air a bit.

Types of anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids result from the chemical modification of the precursor molecule of testosterone. Through those modifications, the change in the pharmaceutical behavior of testosterone is possible aiming to compose active compounds, orally administered, with prolonged in vivo activity. In these compounds, the anabolic action will surpass the androgenic and the transformation of testosterone to estadiol will be minimized. 

In layman’s terms , there are instances and uses of anabolic steroids for the treatment of certain medical conditions but the majority of people use them, sometimes illegally, to enhance their performance in various sports. Muscle mass, endurance and performance are enhanced and boosted and also the recovery time from one workout to the next is minimized. Available drugs come in various forms and types. By searching through specific websites that market and sell similar drugs, we found around 30 different types of anabolic steroids listed. Some like Nebido are only used for medicinal purposes and settings while others like Anadrol combine medical uses with performance enhancement ones. There are others also, like anadur, that have no therapeutic value but certain athletes prefer them. Overall, the type of anabolic steroid someone uses depends on the purpose you want to achieve. For instance:

• If you want to burn fat, you might opt for a cutting steroid
• If you want to enhance your strength and your endurance, you can choose a performance steroid
• If you desire, furthermore, to build muscles there are bulking steroids to choose from.

Finally, various reasons for use are those of the enhancement of metabolism, healing and recovery. Anabolic steroids are also distinguished by their means of being administered. You can use them: 

1) orally, through your mouth

2) intravenously, through an injectable preparation

3) you can apply a cream or a gel to your skin 

4) finally, you can implant pellets under your skin

Anabolic steroids effects

Anabolic steroids are known to affect the brain and have mental effects. Additionally, the use of steroids commonly results in severe acne and body swelling, especially in the area of the hands and the feet. Furthermore, the misuse of anabolic steroid substances can cause serious, sometimes ever-lasting, health issues such as:

a. kidneys might experience issues or even fail completely

b. livers might become damaged or tumors formed

c. through the consummation of anabolic steroids, the heart might become enlarged resulting in high blood pressures and cholesterol changes. Possible side effects include higher risk of heart attack and stroke

d. finally, the risk of forming blood clots in highly elevated

Certain effects of anabolic steroids are only gender- or age-specific, affecting only men, women or teens.

Legal anabolic Steroids

There are certain anabolic steroids that are 100% natural, safe and legal offering alternative solutions. Instead of choosing steroids such as Dianabol, Clenbuterol, HGH, Anavar, Trenbolone and many more, you can opt for many that are needle-free and will not cause you any problems with the law. More specifically, the anabolic steroid Proviron is given freely, with a simple prescription from a doctor. The pharmacy has no obligation to inform the authorities about this. The same applies for the much-sought after substance of Testoviron as well as Restandon Testocaps. Those are, usually, drugs that are used for specific medical purposes but if used in sport settings, they lead to performance enhancement.

But there are also legal steroids, supplements that are made from 100% natural ingredients. Those provide similar benefits to illegal steroids while at the same time avoiding the harmful side-effects commonly associated with illegal substances. And most importantly, buying them will not result in any criminal charges and the change in your body will be almost identical to their illegal counterparts.

Short term effects of anabolic steroids

The majority of people that use, misuse or even abuse anabolic steroids do so in order to improve their physical appearance, performance and expedite muscle growth. But, along with those enhancements and improvements, many short term effects become apparent, such as the following:

• Many users might experience mood changes and swings. Irrational agitation, nervousness or restlessness might manifest themselves, with no apparent reason.
• Users might also experience a decrease in their appetite or even trouble sleeping.
• Fatigue is also a common short term effect of anabolic steroids. Users experience getting tired faster than usual.
• Acne begins to appear along with decreased sperm count. Impotence is also something that many users experience after using anabolic steroids for a short time.

If the anabolic steroid is in the form of an injectable preparation into a certain muscle area, some might notice that those areas become infected or swollen while if creams are preferred, users might experience a strange and noticeable odor.

How do anabolic steroids work

Many are aware of the effects and the uses of anabolic steroids. But few are actually cognizant of the way anabolic steroids work in the human body. Anabolic steroids are drugs that have the same behavior as androgenic hormones (sometimes called male hormones) like testosterone. 

Testosterone is responsible for the androgenic and anabolic effects observed during male adolescence and adulthood. Androgens are needed for the growth and preservation of the characteristics of the male. Also, androgens exercise an important anabolic effect on proteins. Testosterone increases the composition and minimizes the dissolution of proteins, leading to a growth in the ratio of musculature versus fat mass.  Anabolic steroids are used in various sports for their anabolic action towards musculature growth, enhancement of sport performance and natural appearance. The same effects are sought after by athletes using DHEA, androstenedione and androstenediol as precursor hormones in an attempt to increase the levels of testosterone. Finally, muscle functionality is enhanced through composition of proteins.