Bodybuilding and Steroids

Competitive bodybuilding is by the majority of society largely misunderstood, this is no secret yet year after year millions of people the world over enjoy competing themselves or simply enjoy such a lifestyle. There are many points we may reference as to why it’s often viewed as an obscure way of life with a seemingly cult like following but there is one factor in particular that is more responsible than any other. We’re talking of course about steroids and although steroids are a part of every major sport and in higher levels than most are aware it’s so blatantly obvious in bodybuilding that for many it shines a dark light. Without steroids there is no bodybuilding as we know it today; for that matter, without steroids there is no bodybuilding as we’ve known it for over half a century. We can even go as far as to say that without steroids general fitness and nutritional principles we understand would not be as clear, as much of what we know was brought forth through anabolic steroid research. While steroids are a part of every sport and as they are a part of many every day people’s lives our goal here is to focus more on the competitive nature, the sport of bodybuilding itself and how steroids have effected it; to do that we will need to start at the very beginning.

The History of Bodybuilding

    -Eugene Sandow:

For as long as man has roamed the earth a muscular physique has been a point of high admiration; simply examining the work of the ancient Greeks can easily support this fact. While muscularity and a toned shape has always been admired the competitive nature of bodybuilding and what we perceive to be bodybuilding today can be traced back to the late 1800’s and the father of it all Eugene Sandow. Commonly referred to as the “Father of Modern Bodybuilding” Sandow was one of the first to use his physique as not only a means entertainment but a means in-which to make a living. From feats of strength displayed with a lean muscular physique, Sandow would soon discover he could parlay his new found fame into modern business world. From promoting shows similar to the ones where he was the eye of display to producing the first mass produced line of weight lifting equipment, Sandow not only found wealth and fame but an iconic status as well.

Sandow’s success was so great that to this day the top bodybuilding show in the world, the Mr. Olympia rewards the winner with a bronze trophy in the likeness of Sandow himself; it is the same trophy Sandow commissioned made for the very first competitive bodybuilding show in 1901. As Vince Lombardi is to football so is Eugene Sandow to bodybuilding but what does this have to do with steroids? We can confidently say Sandow did not use synthetic anabolic steroids, after all, they were not available until the late 1930’s but there were other similar methods available at the time. During the life of Sandow it was not uncommon for a competitor of any sport to supplement with animal testicular extract; did Sandow partake, we don’t know but we do know that what Sandow started is what has led to where we find ourselves today.

The Beginning of the Modern Age:

The competitive nature of bodybuilding started by Sandow, while new and exciting for many would remain largely socially unpopular by the masses for the next several decades but soon that would all begin to change. By the 1940’s synthetic testosterone was highly available and by the 1950’s one of the most popular steroids of all time would rapidly hit the shelves in the form of Dianabol. These were the first two anabolic steroids made available and athletes of all sports would begin to use them heavily but it was bodybuilding that perhaps owed the biggest debt of gratitude. Through the 1950’s and 60’s we would begin to see physiques of a far more impressive nature; bigger, better and more well-defined. With the emergence of such bodybuilders as Steve Reeves, Reg Park and Clarence Ross for the first time in history bodybuilding begin to gain some legitimate notice in the 1950’s and the following decade would prove to be even bigger.

By the 1960’s, while still a more or less underground sport the athletes were truly reaching remarkable levels of conditioning and size; by this time steroids were as available as water from the tap and the good news for the athletes was they were 100% legal. Legendary bodybuilders such as Sergio Oliva, Dave Draper and Larry Scott were displaying physiques unlike any had ever seen but once again, the 1960’s would pale in comparison for what was to come.

Arnold & the Golden Age:

In 1968 the face many associate as the reason they themselves found their way into bodybuilding finally arrived in the United States. Known as the king of bodybuilding and in most circles as the gold standard, if anyone ever put bodybuilding on the map it was in-fact Arnold Schwarzenegger; not only did he bring it to the masses but to this day he is the face of the sport.

During Arnold’s era, most commonly known as “The Golden Age of Bodybuilding” this would in-fact be the true dawning of serious steroid use in the sport and it would continue to grow from there. You’re most basic steroids could be found during this time, many that are the most popular today were just as popular in Arnold’s time. It was during this golden age when bodybuilders would talk very openly about their steroid use, it was not uncommon to see steroids passed around openly right on the gym floor. No, these men did not have an understanding of the hormones like we do today; they simply understood that they worked and worked well.

The 1980’s:

By the time the 1980’s rolled around bodybuilders were bigger than ever and thanks to Arnold and company the fan base had grown more than anyone could have ever expected. However, it would be during this period of time that steroids would really begin getting negative media attention, so much so that the laws surrounding them would begin to strengthen their grip. Even though the grip would strengthen the use of steroids would continue to rise and inevitably lead to how we perceive bodybuilding today.

The Modern Age:

From 1990 to the present day we may aptly label as the “Modern Age.” During this time we have seen bodybuilders grow past what anyone thought humanly possible; so much so that the father of bodybuilding Eugene Sandow looks like an ordinary man in comparison. Much of this transformation is due to increased steroid knowledge, understanding how the hormones react and how best to utilize the reactions with training and nutrition. However, while steroids and the knowledge of has considerably grown many credit other performance enhancing drugs as playing just as much of an important role; most notably Insulin and Human Growth Hormone.

Since the time of Arnold the bodybuilding fan base and overall popularity would continually grow; through the 1990’s while it seemed poised to really garner heavy attention, by this time the use of steroids had been so damagingly publicized and demonized that much of what was gained would soon be lost. Since that time competitive bodybuilding has been stuck in a cycle of highs and lows but never reaching the popularity it was once so close to having. Many blame steroids for this fact; many people blame that without a personality like Arnold on the scene steroids are all anyone can see.

It should be noted and you may find this fairly interesting when you really sit down and think about it; as steroids have always been used in all sporting competition and as their use has grown in bodybuilding so has it in all of the major sports we enjoy every day. So why is it bodybuilding gets so much of the negative attention, why is this what steroids are most commonly associated with if it exists in all sports? The only way we can answer these questions is to examine the role of steroids in bodybuilding and the sport itself.

What is Bodybuilding?

In general terms it is one of the simplest things we can define for its true definition is in the name itself; bodybuilding is simply the pursuit of building the body. While this is rather a simplistic view, although correct on the surface there must be more to it to give it a specific purpose in-terms of competition. In this case, in its true form to define bodybuilding is to build a physique that is modified beyond its original state, one that is enhanced in muscularity and definition. The extent one takes this modification and enhancement will largely be dictated by their desired end goal but under its competitive aspects the most highly developed and defined wins and if steroids can help you reach this end goal and they will, it shouldn’t be too hard to see why they are so heavily used.

Is Bodybuilding a Sport?

"Is bodybuilding a sport" it is a question that has been asked many times and because steroids are such a major part many emphatically state “no.” However, this logic is riddled with holes for if steroid use or the lack there of deems a competition a sport then no sports would exist at all. The other argument and it is the sounder one, is that since there is no athletic competition on stage it is in-fact not a sport; but is this a truly correct assumption?

Bodybuilding is unique from most other forms of competition; while sports such as baseball and football take place on a field, the sport of bodybuilding takes place in the gym; the stage is more or less a point of display where rewards and accolades are handed out, much like the locker room is for a winning baseball team. Granted, there is the posing aspect of competition that does take some athletic ability; if you’ve never posed you’d be surprised how difficult of an endeavor this is to undertake. However, the posing, while important is not nearly as important as the physique in-terms of how it exist, therefore we can again point towards the gym as where the competition really is.

True, all athletes in all sports train in a gym and then compete on a field or arena but bodybuilding is much different when it comes to in the gym training. Other sports are in the gym to increase function; muscular contraction, muscular sculpting and defining are of no concern where as for the bodybuilder it is the only concern. The gym is where he throws his fastball; it is where he executes his strategy and implements his action. So is bodybuilding a sport? If you define it by the rules of competition then absolutely but if you’re dead set on all sports must be played on a field that’s fine too but the more important question is how do steroids truly factor in?

The Necessity of Steroids:

By no means are steroids an absolute necessity to competitive bodybuilding; you can build a good physique without them and compete if you so desire. However, if an awe inspiring physique is what you desire and you’re not a fan of steroids we have some bad news for you; it’s not going to happen. Steroids are to bodybuilding as the bat is to baseball; by the very nature in-which we define competitive bodybuilding steroid use must exist. True, we could change the definition, we could change the criteria of competition but does this really help anything, especially when we consider the professional level? One of the most important aspects of professional sports, all professional sports is that the competitors are far superior to the average man; do you want to go to a baseball game where only 60mph fastballs are thrown or a football game where a Hail Marry is 20 yards?
Of course not and the same can be said of bodybuilding; no one wants an average man standing on stage; most of us can see that when we stare in the mirror. The entire purpose of competitive bodybuilding, especially professional is to display physiques unique and powerful, unattainable by the average man or most any man for that matter. In order to achieve this end steroids must be used but guess what, those NFL games you love watching, do you believe these players have increasingly enhanced speed and strength by evolving magic? Think about that for a little bit and tread lightly before you bash bodybuilding for its steroid use and compare to your own favorite sport.

A Piece of the Puzzle:

While steroid use is a necessity to competitive bodybuilding, especially at the professional and high amateur levels it is not the end all be all. Steroid use will not replace sound training and by no means will it replace smart nutrition. The stronger the grasp one has on nutrition the stronger and more efficiently they will be able to maximize their steroid use and parlay that into a more successful competitive pursuit. Further and this cannot be overstated; competitive bodybuilding relies very heavily on your genetic structure as well as your own genetic response to steroids. Some individuals will simply do better than others because their genetic makeup is superior in that regard and some will respond at a higher level from anabolic steroids. Normally, those who have a stronger genetic structure prone to muscularity without steroids will respond in a superior way. Is it fair, maybe not but that’s life.

Regardless of where your own genetics and response levels fall, as powerful as they are steroids are not magical and they cannot take a genetically inferior physique and turn it into a top pro bodybuilding competitor. However, with the right genetic structure steroids will provide the finishing touch needed to reach above and beyond normal results. Even so, even if you possess average genetics steroids can and will greatly alter your natural state but only to a degree. To truly be one of the great ones you will need to possess not only sound knowledge of all aspects but far superior genetic structure even without steroid use.

Pop-Culture:

A great deal of what we know about steroids is derived from competitive bodybuilding; all of it, of course not but there is a debt that is owed. Moreover, as we have discussed, what we know and understand of anabolic hormones has in many cases led to a better understanding of how our muscles work, how our hormonal structure and function is laid out and in within these understandings we have found ourselves wiser in-terms of general health and fitness. A great deal of what we see today in popular culture is owed to steroids and competitive bodybuilding and since the two go hand-in-hand many aspects of fitness can trace their roots to competitive bodybuilding.

Thanks to competitive bodybuilding we have seen an explosion of a more health and fitness aware society; the gyms where we exercise were built by competitive bodybuilders, the exercises and routines, the basic nutritional principles we understand were all first discovered and perfected by competitive bodybuilders; without them there is no fitness craze. Nevertheless, because of the negative attention they are given and the manner in-which they are often perceived, steroids have always been viewed as a major sore on the competitive sport yet without them the competitive sport would not exist as it does and we wouldn’t understand the things we do.

The truth of the matter is competitive bodybuilding represents the base and root form of many things admired in popular culture. The bigger than life action heroes of the silver screen, they owe their existence to bodybuilding; professional wrestling, how we utilize training for sports such as football and baseball, boxing and for the most part all competitive sports, they owe much of their existence in their present form to bodybuilding. The macho muscular identity many men aspire to, its roots are largely founded in bodybuilding and what’s perhaps most interesting of all is in each of these aspects steroids are a major part of the game. Our desire for things that are bigger than life, in all aspects of life, while some of them are unique unto their own many have roots that run long and deep in a connection with bodybuilding and steroids as a whole.

Bodybuilding Today:

There is a constant argument that seems to always inevitably exist and it is based on a desire for things past. Many believe competitive bodybuilding has already seen its pinnacle of success and that a downward spiral or stagnant state is all that is left. This is common with most things in life and many times it’s a matter of opinion but there are also always facts that cannot be ignored. Compared to the “Golden Age” competitive bodybuilding is bigger than ever; the fan base is larger, the shows are bigger, the industry has surpassed a dinky make a couple bucks field into an industry worth mind-boggling amounts.

While the fan base has grown as has the industry as a whole, so have the athletes and you bet, many times this is painted in a very negative light, largely due to steroid use and the perceived evil it holds; but does anyone really care? The sport, while still a generally underground sport in many ways is bigger than it has ever been, by this simple logic, even though some may complain, the use of steroids has done nothing to hinder bodybuilding at all.

Bodybuilding, Steroids and the Truth:

Bodybuilding by its very nature is an unnatural pursuit; our bodies have no desire to change and they absolutely have no desire to pile on massive amounts of muscle. We are creatures of a naturally stagnant nature and while our natural state will vary from person to person, regardless of who we are this natural state exists. To change this natural state we must force our bodies to act and perform in an unnatural manner, we must force it to grow and define but to truly rise above normal, hormonal help must exist. Yes, you can absolutely be a natural bodybuilder and build a good solid physique beyond your natural state; you can achieve this without the use of anabolic steroids. However, a true freak of nature, a man far beyond average in terms of muscularity will not achieve this without the use of steroids and if he hasn’t achieved this there is no competitive sport of great interest. Chris Bell once said steroids were as American as apple pie; well, for competitive bodybuilding it is the pie and as long as the muscle game is played many people will inevitably want a piece.

How to Come off Steroids

When it comes to performance enhancement, most will spend quite a bit of time learning about anabolic steroids, searching out proper supplementation practices and every last aspect they can as it pertains to remaining safe. Many who’ve never touched the first anabolic steroid will spend months and months, maybe even years going back and forth searching out everything they can; such research should be applauded. Even so, while the cycle itself is researched, many fail to consider the post cycle aspect; specifically, how to come off steroids. Of course, at some point in time you’re going to come off; there are those who will stay on cycle for indefinite periods of time, hardcore performance enhancers who will be on cycle for an enormous amount of time, but eventually everyone comes off. Understand this here and now; you need to know how to come off steroids, and you need to know how to come off steroids in the most efficient and healthy way possible.

When we supplement with anabolic androgenic steroids for the purpose of performance enhancement, we are providing our body with a massive amount of hormones; far more than it is naturally accustomed to. Once a cycle is complete, once the exogenous hormones are no longer provided something must be done in-order to help the body normalize; otherwise, complications may arise. In many ways, one of the primary factors is testosterone; anabolic androgenic steroids will suppress our natural testosterone production; the degree of the suppression will vary and be dependent on the steroids we’re using, but it will occur. Once our cycle is complete, our levels are still suppressed; granted, natural production will begin again, but it is going to take quite a bit of time for you natural levels to return to normal. A simple 12-16wk testosterone cycle will take around a full year to recover from if nothing is done, and that means you’ll be living with low levels for quite some time. A low testosterone condition cannot only be extremely bothersome due to the symptoms it can provide, it is extremely unhealthy, and what’s worse is there is absolutely no reason for it. It must be noted; when it comes to post cycle testosterone recovery this is assuming you did not suffer from low testosterone prior to anabolic steroid use, and that you did not severely damage your HPTA with poor or improper supplementation practices.

Beyond testosterone suppression, you need to know how to come off steroids for simple normalization factors. This is extremely important when and if you reach extreme levels of anabolic steroidal use for long periods of time. We’re referring to hardcore supplementation, and when you discontinue use abruptly and without any thought to the future this can cause a shock to your body that can be quite uncomfortable. Such a case may mean your natural testosterone production will not begin on its own; even your entire endocrine system could be found lacking.

With all of this in mind, we want to look at how to come off steroids; specifically, we want to find out how to come off steroids safely, properly and effectively. We’ll look at post cycle plans for moderate to extreme use, and the options you have; we’ll even look at extreme hardcore scenarios some may be interested in. It should be noted; most of the information provided assumes you’re going to be off-cycle for an extended period of time with a few exceptions that will be noted. An extended period of time will be at least 12 weeks; if you’re going to be off cycle for less than 12 weeks, promoting things like testosterone stimulation is counterproductive since you’ll be suppressing it again shortly. Of course, if you are only going to be off for a short period of time, we have plans for you too.

How to Come off Steroids 101

When your cycle comes to an end and you’re ready to promote recovery, the first thing you need on hand is a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) and your top choices will always be Tamoxifen Citrate (Nolvadex) and Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid). You will not need both, and each one can get the job done; simply choose one. You may find its best to try one and then the other the next time and see which one you prefer. At any rate, by their natural mode of action, these SERM’s will stimulate your natural testosterone production through a very simple action. SERM’s like Nolvadex and Clomid stimulate the pituitary to release more Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) which in-turn stimulate the testicles to produce more testosterone. Without LH and FSH, especially LH there is no natural testosterone production.

While a SERM is always needed, there is a second additional option that can be worth your consideration; the potent peptide hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). By its mode of action, hCG acts to stimulate natural testosterone through an LH mimicking effect; LH isn’t actually released, but your body thinks it is. hCG use isn’t always needed, but it can be a perfect way to prime your body for the SERM therapy to come. Of course, as you want to understand how to come off steroids, you need to know how to implement both hCG and your SERM, and depending on which SERM you use, how your steroid cycle ends and if you include hCG this will determine what is known as your Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) treatment plan. It must be noted; hCG use must be limited; hCG abuse can be more damaging than most other types of performance abuse in a long-term sense. If you use too much or for too long, your body may become dependent on this LH mimicking action, and if this occurs, you may very well find a permanent low testosterone condition.

How to Come off Steroids – The Plans

If your steroid cycle is of a simple or moderate nature, there’s a good chance you’ll only need a SERM for 4 weeks; simple or moderate might refer to 12 weeks of a low dose testosterone cycle. In such an instance, you could use hCG and it won’t hurt anything, but it’s not going to be necessary. Above this, you will need five to six weeks of SERM therapy and ten days of hCG therapy preceding it. In any case, in the chart below we have listed the standard SERM therapy to get you started; if your steroid cycle was of a very moderate nature, simply adjust the doses to meet a four week plan.

Week	Clomid	Nolvadex
1	150mg/ed	40mg/ed
2	150mg/ed	40mg/ed
3	100mg/ed	20mg/ed
4	100mg/ed	20mg/ed
5	50mg/ed	10mg/ed
6 (optional)	50mg/ed	10mg/ed

The above represents a solid SERM plan for most PCT plans; again, you do not need both Clomid and Nolvadex, we have simply laid out the dosing protocol for both; you simply need to pick one. Of course, if you’re going to use hCG, you need to know the dose of this too. For most men, 10 days of hCG therapy at 500iu to 1,000iu per day for 10 straight days is perfect; you may not need 1,000iu’s, but it should never be surpassed. At any rate, how you implement all of this will depend on how your steroid cycle ends, and the bullet points below will display each possibility and exactly how you need to plan things out.

• Large Ester & SERM Only: if your anabolic steroid cycle ends with any large ester based steroids, even if it’s a mixture of small and large ester steroids you will begin your SERM therapy approximately 14-18 days after your last injection following the protocol in the SERM chart above. Any steroids that are attached to the Caproate, Cypionate, Enanthate, Decanoate, Heptanoate , Hexanoate, Isocaproate, Nonanoate ,Octanoate or Undecylenate ester meet this large ester definition.  
• Small Ester & SERM Only: if your anabolic steroid cycle ends with all small ester based steroids, you will begin your SERM therapy approximately 3 days after your last injection following the protocol in the SERM chart above. Any steroids that are attached to the Acetate, Formate, Phenylpropionate or Propionate ester meet this large ester definition. It should be noted; if you have a Butyrate or Valerate based steroid, you might wait a few more days to start SERM therapy; however, the odds are extremely low that you’ll ever come across such a steroid.
• Large Ester, SERM & hCG: if your anabolic steroid cycle ends with any large ester based steroids, even if it’s a mixture of small and large ester steroids you will begin your hCG therapy 10 days after your last injection and administer the hCG every day for 10 straight days. Once hCG therapy is complete, you will immediately begin your SERM therapy as laid out in the SERM chart above the very next day.
• Small Ester, SERM 7 hCG: if your anabolic steroid cycle ends with all small ester based steroids, you will begin your hCG therapy 2 days after your last injection and administer the hCG every day for 10 straight days. Once hCG therapy is complete, you will immediately begin your SERM therapy as laid out in the SERM chart above the very next day.

Important PCT Notes

You know how to come off steroids, but there’s something you need to understand about a PCT plan. No, the above PCT plans will not take your hormone levels back to normal all on their own; there is no PCT plan on earth that can do such a thing. Even so, it will significantly reduce your total recovery time, maybe in half, but there’s a much more important factor. Through the testosterone stimulation, you will ensure your body has enough testosterone to function properly while your levels continue to naturally rise. This is extremely important as testosterone is one of the most important hormones your body produces; it is absolutely essential to our health, function and well-being. You know how to come off steroids, and if you’re going to be off for an extended period of time, as you can see there is no logical reason for forgoing a solid PCT plan.

There is another important note we must briefly discuss and it’s the use of Aromatase Inhibitors (AI’s) in a PCT plan. AI’s such as Anastrozole (Arimidex) and Letrozole (Femara) and even Exemestane (Aromasin) will stimulate LH and FSH in a similar fashion as a SERM and tremendously so; even so, we do not recommend them for this purpose. As you understand, AI’s will reduce estrogen levels dramatically, and a PCT plan isn’t just about stimulating natural testosterone but normalizing your body. No, estrogen is nowhere near as exciting as testosterone, but you need a fair amount for proper health and function. In the end, save your AI use for when it’s the most beneficial, and that’s for combating estrogenic and progestin related anabolic steroid side-effects when on cycle.

How to Come off Steroids – Short Periods & Bridging

If you’re only going to be off cycle for a short period of time, less than 12 weeks, the PCT plans above are not that beneficial; you’ll only be immediately suppressing production after you’ve stimulated it. If this is the case, you could just stay off everything for a few weeks or a couple months; you will lose a little lean tissue, but if you stay consistent with your training and diet it won’t be much, and it will come right back as soon as you start again. It is important during this time that you back off your training a little bit; do enough training to keep the body functioning properly and in good health, but your recovery abilities will be lower. If you go nuts with your training during this time, you’ll only burn yourself out, and if you’re sloppy with your diet this is the perfect time to gain a lot of excess body-fat.

For many men, if they’re going to be off for a short period of time they will find a low dose of testosterone during that time to be perfect; we’re talking about 200mg to 250mg per week. Of course, technically this isn’t off, but it’s definitely not a full blow cycle. Such testosterone doses will protect your gains during your down time, and such use can be beneficial to the hardcore athlete. Another option is a low dose of Nolvadex and Dianabol; we’re talking about 10mg per day of each for four to five weeks. Is this necessary; probably not if you’re only going to be off for that short of a time, but it is the best option other than testosterone if it’s an option you want. Even so, the best option of all will always be an HRT or TRT level dosing of testosterone as described above.

The Bottom Line

By now, if you don’t know how to come off steroids properly, well, you weren’t paying attention or you have bigger problems. The above represents the truth, and while there’s no magical solution we can give you the above represents the most effective solutions available. Sure, there are other things you can add; regardless of a full blown PCT or a bridging type plan many find the continuation of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) to be quite beneficial; we tend to agree. Of course, HGH is something that needs to be used for a long period of time, and if you weren’t supplementing with it while on cycle there’s no reason to include it as part of your PCT. Then again, you could start HGH use during your PCT plan and continue it to and through your next steroid cycle, but only during the PCT plan is useless.

There is one more important factor we must discuss, and it revolves around hardcore heavy anabolic steroid cycles; we’re talking about cycles that exceed moderate dosing plans extensively. If this is the case, and you’re going to come off cycle and transition into a PCT plan you’ll find a steroid taper at the end of your cycle to be beneficial as it will allow for a smoother transition. If you’ve completed a hardcore cycle, dropping down to a low dose of testosterone, 200mg to 300mg per week for four weeks and then going into a PCT plan will be your best route. Some have argued this tapering method isn’t necessary, but based on the reactions and real life results shown by performance enhancers it appears to be the most efficient. At any rate, when you want to know how to come off steroids properly, doing so in the most efficient way possible is the most important factor, and that’s the bottom line.

Steroid Use and Abuse?

Steroid use and especially abuse has, of late, become one of the most often discussed topics in America today. Steroid abuse is spoken about everywhere from the water cooler at work to the House of Congress. But the one thing that seems to elude most people is a good idea of what we´re talking about when we talk about abuse is "Just what is ABUSE?"

Brett Farve was made famous by winning the SuperBowl with the GreenBay Packers. He was made infamous when his addiction to prescription painkillers was made public.

When does Steroid Use become Steroid Abuse?

It´s very difficult to understand abuse when it´s talked about regarding steroids.
For example, you can turn on "60 Minutes" and hear about steroids being used to prolong the lives of AIDS and Cancer patients, then on the same night, you can watch the news and hear about athletes abusing it. You can even read "TIME Magazine" and see an article about how steroids have been used to improve height in children, and then read in "Newsweek" that steroids stunt growth! So, the first thing we´ll need to do is define "Abuse" when we´re talking about steroids use. Clearly, there are a lot of different effects that steroids have, and some are good, while some can be bad. So, I think the easiest way to make this understandable to everyone is to relate this to something that´s much easier to get a real grasp on: Alcohol. Don´t worry, we´re going to get to our main topic, which is the very real problem of steroid abuse, soon enough. But first, we need to figure out what we´re talking about.
There´s a clear line between a social drinker and an alcoholic. One is doing damage to themselves, while the other has the clear ability to control their intake of alcohol, and responsibly maintains their faculties while they are drinking. In the end, alcohol abuse is when the cost/benefit ratio is too high, and you spend more time feeling terrible the next day after drinking than time you felt good the night before. This is the same situation I´ve seen with steroids, where in some cases, people can feel very good while on a cycle, they "crash" after it, and feel terrible after they go off their cycle. Abuse is also when you can´t control your intake of something (in this case, we´re still talking about alcohol here), and it begins to register as a compulsive habit. This is when alcoholism begins to manifest in an individual. If we take a look at another topic that gets a decent amount of media attention, I think the line between abuse and use becomes even more clearly defined. We´ve all read or heard about professional athletes who get injured, and receive a prescription for painkillers. And we´ve also heard the stories of them using those painkillers to help heal their bodies, but then continuing their use and eventually becoming addicted.

This downward spiral from use to abuse is very clear, and we can point to a clear point in time when their use becomes detrimental to the athlete. So basically, what I see, when I look at other drugs like alcohol and painkillers, is that there is definitely a clear line between use and abuse. In short, use becomes abuse when the costs begin to outweigh the benefits. Now that we (finally) know what steroid abuse is, we can take a good look at it.
Real steroid abuse is actually very rare, if we look at in this light& but where do we find steroid abuse? Well, typically, we find that steroid abuse is highest in those who are uneducated about their effects and side effects. This group crosses the line between abuse and use, by mistake, typically. Typically, abuse is also dose-dependent, and what this means is that steroids remain useful and continue to help the user until a certain threshold is passed& meaning the dose gets too high. At this point, the user has crossed the line into abuse.
So, when we look at healthy athletes who are emotionally and psychologically stable, we don´t see much real "abuse." What we typically see is the use of steroids helping to prolong a career or stave off injury.

Barry Bonds was implicated in the BALCO scandal for allegedly using anabolic steroids to help him with rehabilitating several injuries sustained over a decade of playing professional baseball.

Steroid Use and Anabolic Steroids Abuse in Sports

This is of course because the typical professional athlete who makes the decision to use anabolic steroids has weighed all of the relevant factors and taken the advice of one or more trusted colleagues, trainers, or coaches. The typical high-school or amateur athlete simply does not have access to resources like that, and often makes under-informed or misinformed decisions. In addition, since several key developmental factors are missing in the average high school student, they often use steroids before they are ready to really deal with the possible side effects from their use. Since their mental faculties and hormonal profile are not fully developed, high school aged athletes often suffer the most deleterious side effects from them, and gain the least benefits.

Steroid Use by High School Athletes

High School athletes are in a high risk group for steroid abuse due to a lack of several key developmental factors.

It´s also worth considering that not only does the young, amateur, or high school athlete have far less access to good, relevant information, they also do not have access to many different steroids, nor the funds to get regular bloodwork done and have a competent doctor monitor their health while on a cycle. Not having access to a variety of different steroids often causes athletes to make poor decisions regarding which ones to use, and this is a very likely factor in cycles that constitute abuse rather than use. This can also be especially detrimental to the female athlete who either doesn´t have access to milder steroids that won´t cause side effects, or the correct information on how to use them.
So what are some possible problems that come along with steroid abuse?
Well, the first problem that is a very realistic issue is liver toxicity. This is found in oral steroids, and unfortunately, many people are needle-phobic, so they avoid injectables. This is usually do to misinformation, and the mistaken belief that orally ingested steroids are safer than those which are injectable. This also comes from the idea that steroids can be equated with recreational drugs, where injectable versions (heroin, etc...) are typically more addictive and pose more health risks. With steroids, however, those that are orally administered typically have far more adverse effects than those which are injected. It is very common for oral anabolic steroids to containing what is known as a 17-alkyl group, which makes them both resistant to being broken down in the liver, as well as placing additional strain on it. In this case, the frequency and severity of side effects is variable depending on many factors such as dose, type of drug, duration of use and of course, the individuality of the athletes´ sensitivity to exogenous androgens and response curve to same.
Anabolic steroids are all basically derivatives of testosterone. Of course, the degree to which they resemble this parent hormone is different, and as a result, so are their various effects. Clearly, this means that administration of anabolic steroids to someone with already normal hormonal levels leads to supra-physiological concentrations of testosterone or derivatives. Since the human body works off a negative feed back loop, production and release of various hormones in the endocrine system can be suppressed. The degree to which they are suppressed is dependant on the compound used as well as the dose. In general, though, this suppression can lead to long term effects if the athlete is abusing steroid dosages or duration. Secondary or primary hypogonadism, as well as reduced sperm counts and infertility can result. This is usually temporary and reversible with treatment, however it can be long term, although likely isn´t permanent. However, there have been documented cases where hypogonadism lasted for more than 12 weeks.

This hormonal disruption caused by steroid abuse can also lead to the premature closing of growth plates in athletes who haven´t reached their ultimate height, as increased estrogen via the aromatase enzyme can "seal" the plates. When steroids that convert to estrogen are given to adolescents who are still growing and developing, side effects are much more common and as I said, the most obvious of these is the cessation of longitudinal growth. Steroids which are derived from DHT do not seem to possess this potential for abuse in terms of ultimate height retardation.

Another possibility from aromatization (conversion of testosterone to estrogen) is breast formation or gynocomastia. This is caused by increased levels of circulating estrogens, which is the female sex hormone. This is the most obvious side effect from steroid abuse, as other side effects can be attributed to other factors (acne for example), or are not outwardly obvious (hormonal disruption, for example...).

Although anabolic steroids can be used to build a spectacular body in females, their potential for abuse is still very high.

Steroid use and abuse for Women Athletes

Abuse of steroids can also wreak havoc on the female athlete´s body. Keep in mind, in the normal female body only relatively small amounts of testosterone are produced. A substantial increase in circulating hormones (androgens in this case) will cause irregularities of the menstrual cycle. Virilization (development of male sexual characteristics) can also result as a result of the same hormones being administered to women. Clitoral enlargement, although usually temporary while on a cycle can also result, as can the growth of excess body and facial hair, a deepening of the voice, and possibly male pattern baldness. Anabolic steroid abuse by pregnant women can also cause sexual defects in the unborn fetus. Let me state, at this point, that any steroid use by pregnant women is abuse. Read that sentence again, if you´re unclear on my position on that matter.

Steroid abuse can also affect the heart (cardiovascular system) and cholesterol (lipid profile). Generally, in studies where steroids are abused, HDL-cholesterol (the good stuff) declines, and LDL-cholesterol tends to go up. Yeah, the good cholesterol goes down and the bad cholesterol goes up. In a related area, the heart often has to work harder because of this, and there also seems to be a steroid-related mild hypertrophy of the left ventricle which is accompanied by a decreased diastolic relaxation. This is very unclear, as regards steroid use, with regards to potential for reversibility and what portion is due to steroid use and what portion is due to training, which also increases ventricle size. Also in a related vein (ha ha) are increases in diastolic blood pressure. All of this increases risk for cardiovascular disease.

Steroid abuse also can cause potential aggressiveness. This is from higher circulating androgen levels, and while increased aggressiveness may be beneficial for training and competition, when steroids are abused may also lead to violence out of the gym or off the field. This may also cause a form of dependency, although that remains unclear currently in the medical field with regards to steroid abuse.
It´s important to note that steroid abuse is the cause of many side effects, and that the simple use of steroids can not be blamed for this. It´s when the line is crossed from use into abuse that we see all of these effects as being not only possible but probable.

Steroids Side Effects

Most of the time, when steroids are mentioned, they’re brought up as the reason a particular athlete can run so fast, hit so many home runs, or make so many tackles. They are also claimed to have extraordinarily harsh side effects and for causing severely unforgiving and permanent damage. Everybody´s seen movies like "The Program" where steroids ruin a young athlete´s life, or perhaps "The Aaron Henry Story" on HBO, where a young athlete suffers lifelong problems from his steroid abuse. Most recently, I saw the movie "Spiderman" where the villain, the Green Goblin, admits to having his superhuman strength and psychotic personality from using "performance enhancers"!

I´m here to assure you that those types of horror stories are few and far between, and after consulting with literally hundreds of athletes and bodybuilders, I've almost never heard of anything even remotely resembling the popular "horror stories" we see in the media almost daily. I´ve certainly never seen anyone become Green Goblin-like from using them, either.

By reading this article, coaches, athletes, parents and teachers will learn the truth about anabolic steroid side effects, and will be able to make their own informed decisions regarding them. But I suspect that after reading what I have to say, as well as what the scientific literature says, the question of how bad steroids are will be a different question entirely; the only question remaining will be "why didn´t anyone tell me this before?"

When I initially started research for this piece, I consulted not only real-life athletes who had vast experience with anabolic steroid use, but also scientific and medical journals. The picture that unfolded before me was very different from the one typically painted by the mass media, and certainly much different than the one I found on www.steroidabuse.org, www.dea.org, and www.drugabuse.gov. Honestly, my research on the governmental sites revealed very little useful information. There were numerous unfounded claims, and plenty of talk about money being put into “studies”. In reality, the government "studies" on anabolic steroids were not medical studies at all. They were surveys given to various age groups, on steroid use, in order to generate statistics. There was nothing of medical value or scientific merit on those sites, despite the endless parade of doctors that seemed to be against their use. Here´s an example of one of the more absurd claims made on one of those sites:

"..[steroids] they are dangerous drugs, and when used inappropriately, they can cause a host of severe, long-lasting, and often irreversible negative health consequences. These drugs can stunt the height of growing adolescents, masculinize women, and alter sex characteristics of men. Anabolic steroids can lead to premature heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure and serious psychiatric problems. In addition, because steroids are often injected, users risk contracting or transmitting HIV or hepatitis.."
This is the information found on a government website, in a piece written by a doctor. I´m surprised she didn´t mention turning into the Green Goblin in her list of possible health side effects. As you read what I have to say, I want you to keep this in the back of your head. I want you to remember this claim, made by a medical doctor, as you read the rest of this piece. All of the information here is exactly what has been reported to me by athletes, as well as what is found in credible scientific journals. Review the information and decide for yourself how harmful steroid side effects can be.

Anabolic Steroid Side Effects:

1. Inhibition of Natural Hormones

The inhibition of natural hormones is likely the most common and probable side effect experienced from the use of anabolic steroids. In almost all cases, taking hormones will send a message to your endocrine system to reduce or stop producing it. This is because your body wants to remain in a very balanced state -- called ‘homeostasis’. To maintain homeostasis, the body seeks to avoid having too much or too little of any particular hormone. In the case of anabolic steroids, the brain signals the testicles to slow down, or even stop producing (depending on the type and amount of steroids taken) testosterone when there is too much circulating. Unfortunately, this happens when any kind of hormone is added into the body, so even if an athlete is not using testosterone, but is using other anabolic steroids, the body will still send this signal 99% of the time. Of course different steroids cause varying degrees of inhibition ranging from total shut down of endogenous (natural) testosterone production, to very mild reductions, where some natural hormones are still being produced and circulating. In almost all cases, this inhibition is over once the steroids aren´t active in the body anymore. In the following charts, we can see a mirror image of the level of activity during steroid (Nandrolone) administration, compared with the level of natural testosterone being produced. In other words, as the level of steroid rises (chart 2), the level of testosterone falls (chart 1), and vice versa.



Now, as that first chart shows, testosterone levels fell when Nandrolone (an anabolic steroid was administered, but interestingly, the following chart shows an almost identical mirror image, where the Nandrolone levels in the blood rise. What this indicates is that the amount of this particular steroid in the blood is directly and proportionately inhibiting natural testosterone production. Here´s the chart:



Most athletes who use anabolic steroids accept all of this as a necessary price to pay in order to experience the benefits from using steroids. In an effort to combat this, athletes have experimented throughout the years with various compounds to avoid or at least limit this problem. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, anti-estrogens, and Selective Estrogen Receptor Antagonists (SERMs) are all used during a cycle, or after (or both) with this goal in mind. The following table shows the various hormonal levels of former steroid users who haven´t used them for a year (*called "ex-abusers" by the nice people who funded the test) versus current users (*abusers):


What we see in this chart is not surprising to anyone who is actually familiar with steroids, and not with media-hype. In people studied who haven t used steroids for a year, ALL of their measured hormones (testosterone, estrogen) were within the NORMAL RANGE! Clearly, the effects that steroids have on your hormones are reversible and the horror stories we’ve all read in the media about people who never regained normal hormonal function after one cycle are greatly exaggerated. I think anyone who is familiar with "After School Specials" about steroids will be very surprised at learning this fact. As for "The Aaron Henry Story" on HBO, I can t imagine how he has suffered side effects well into his 40’s when the steroid users in this study were totally fine after one year, and in some cases used more than he did!
(*Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 84 (2003) 369-375)

2. Steroid Effects and Liver Damage

Liver damage is probably the most sensationalized of all the possible steroid side effects. The media often focuses on this particular problem as if it occurs with every steroid, and in every person who takes them. Nothing could be further than the truth. Most anabolic steroids which are ingested orally pass through the liver, which functions as the body´s filtration system. When something goes through the liver, it is broken down by various enzymes, then passed along into the bloodstream. Most research on orally administered anabolic steroids focus on the fact that liver enzymes are elevated following ingestion. But does this necessarily mean that the liver is being damaged, does it? Of course not. Commonly, studies that focus on steroid toxicity often use absurd doses, or incorrectly focus on liver activity instead of damage. The liver functions as the filter for the human body, it´s going to be activated whenever something (not just a steroid) passes through it. Does that show that steroids damage the liver? Let´s see what the scientists say.
There was an eight-week study done in 1999, which looked at the effects of an 8-week cycle of oral steroids. The steroids examined were Halotestin (Fluoxymesterone), Dianabol (methylandrostanolone), or Winstrol (Stanozolol) on rats at the dose of 2mg/kg-body weight, administered five times a week for 8 weeks. That s almost 200mgs/day of any of those steroids, for a 200lb user. That is, generally speaking, much more than the average person would use on a cycle. In fact, I have never, in my years of researching steroids and speaking with athletes, heard of anybody using even close to 200mgs/day of Halotestin, Winstrol, or Dianabol, ever!

At the end of that study, in vivo, each rat still had liver enzyme levels that were within normal range!
(*Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Feb;31(2):243-50, Rat liver lysosomal and mitochondrial activities are modified by anabolic-androgenic steroids. Molano F, Saborido A, Delgado J, Moran M, Megias A.)
In another study, 16 bodybuilders using steroids were compared to 12 bodybuilders who were not. Then the bodybuilders who had used steroids stopped taking them for three months, at which points, the researchers found that liver enzymes had returned to the same levels as the non users. After only 3 months!
(*Int J Sports Med 1996 Aug;17(6):429-33, Body composition, cardiovascular risk factors and liver function in long-term androgenic-anabolic steroids using bodybuilders three months after drug withdrawal. Hartgens F, Kuipers H, Wijnen JA, Keizer HA.)

We can see from the chart below that ex-steroid users have totally normal liver enzymes one year after they stop using. In fact, for some liver enzymes, even the current users have normal scores!

(*Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 84 (2003) 369-375)

3. Steroid Effects on Cholesterol (Blood Lipid Profile)

Steroids can lower HDL cholesterol, and raise LDL cholesterol. HDL (high density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as "good cholesterol") helps to protect the arteries by bringing unused cholesterol to the liver where it is broken down. LDL on the other hand has the opposite effect. Some steroids can therefore cause high cholesterol levels with low HDL and high LDL. Some steroids are, of course, very mild on blood lipids, while others are notably harsh. In both cases, however, it is likely that a return to within normal parameters would occur shortly after steroid discontinuation.

 

4. Gynocomastia (Development of breast tissue in males)

The development of gynecomastia or feminization of the breast tissue in males is possible with anabolic steroids. This is due to an excess of estrogen being present in the body, through a process known as "aromatization" whereby androgens like testosterone are converted to estrogen. This excess estrogen then finds its way to the receptors in breast tissue and binds to them. This results in the possibility of female-like breast tissue, which must sometimes be removed by surgery. Most athletes experience itchiness of the nipples, followed by pain. Since this develops over several days, usually, the athlete has more than enough time to discontinue the use of the compounds he´s taking, or to attempt to counteract the breast tissue development while remaining on the cycle. The two most common ways to counteract gynecomastia are the use an anti-estrogen like Nolvadex or Clomiphene Citrate (best taken post-cycle) or Letrozole, a very strong Aromatase Inhibitor (AI)/anti-estrogenic compound is employed during cycle to effectively starve the growth of nourishing estrogen.

The initiation and progression of breast development involves a variety of pituitary (and ovarian, in women) hormones, as well as various local mediators. As you can see in the following chart, testosterone has the ability to aromatize (convert to estrogen), and eventually become part of the cascade of hormones that contribute to the development of breast tissue:


(GYNECOMASTIA: ETIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT Chapter 14 - Ronald S. Swerdloff, MD, Jason Ng, MD, and Gladys E. Palomeno, MD, March 1, 2004)

5. Acne and Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids can cause the development of acne. However, the extent to which it is experienced can be due to a number of varying factors, with the particular steroids and exact dosages used being primary. The skin´s sebaceous glands have a particularly high affinity to Dihydrotestosterone, which is an androgen the body naturally produces from testosterone via the enzyme 5-alpha Reductase. Increased sebaceous gland activity promotes oily skin which can combine with bacteria and dead skin (normal wear and tear) eventually causing pores to become clogged more quickly than the body can cleanse them. This of course, is preventable by using only particular steroids, cleansing the skin regularly, and perhaps using a topical anti-androgen.
(1. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2002;3(8):571-8. 2. Clin Dermatol. 2004 Sep-Oct;22(5):419-28. 3. Pol Merkuriusz Lek. 2004 May;16(95):490-2.)

6. Roid Rage

Increased aggressiveness is often claimed to occur with anabolic steroid use. Although it´s highly rare (less than 5%), significant psychiatric symptoms have been found in some steroid users, including aggression and increased violence, mania, and even psychosis. However, it must be noted that in the studies performed there was no control group, making their results spurious at best. It can be logically assumed that naturally aggressive people (those with certain aggressive traits) are simply more inclined to use steroids, which further skews any research results. Can steroids enhance such aggressiveness? Possibly. Can steroids be to blame for anti-social, psychotic, "roid-rage" type of behaviors? Probably not. The evidence just isn´t there to support that such theories.

In fact, a landmark study was performed which examined different doses of testosterone administration on men aged 20-50, who had a variety of experience with steroids from having used them previously to not at all prior to the study. A variety of psychological tests were performed at the outset of the study as well as at the end. It was found was that no participant in the study had become violent as a result of the testosterone injections they had been receiving, although some said they felt more aggressive. This clearly indicates that there is a high level of control over possible violent or aggressive behavior that can result from steroid use. The researchers also noted that in terms of the psychological tests performed, some subjects showed little or no response to testosterone, with regards to psychological measures, while others experienced significant changes. Thus, general temperament clearly plays a large role in how one responds psychologically to steroid administration. In addition, when this study was compared with others, similar results were found:

Out of 109 cases studied, only 5 people exhibited Psychological (Manic or Hypomanic) effects. (*Archives of General Psychiatry, Volume 57, February 2000.)

7. Steroids and Baldness

Steroids can possibly cause men to start balding if they have a genetic predisposition towards Male Pattern Baldness. The gene for baldness is thought to reside in the X (male) chromosome exclusively, so a good general indication of whether someone is genetically predisposed towards being bald is to look at the men on their mothers side. Chances are that if the majority of them are bald, then the person will be carrying that gene too. The reason steroids can cause premature balding is that the scalp reacts to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) quite strongly, and many steroids can either convert to DHT or are derived from it. Some anti-baldness medications can prevent this, such as Finasteride and Dutesteride. This is, of course, merely a cosmetic effect, and poses no real health issues. It could be catastrophic to a potential career with any one of a number of 80´s rock bands, but other than that, I can´t really see any real problems associated with hair loss; especially since it can be avoided when proper steps are taken and certain steroids are avoided.

8. Cardiovascular Problems from Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids have been linked with cardiovascular issues. Part of this may be due to their effects on Blood Lipids (see above). But some of it is due to the fact that many steroid users have been found to have enlarged ventricles. This is actually very common in bodybuilders as well as powerlifters and other types of athletes, and is more indicative of the effect of weight training on the heart, rather than solely steroid use.

9. Virilization (Development of male characteristics in women)

This term refers masculinization, or development of male sexual characteristics that females could potentially suffer from steroid use. This side effect on women is often reversible after steroids are discontinued. Some typical signs of virilization are the development of a deeper voice, hirsuitism (growth of excess body hair), enlargement of external genitalia (clitoral enlargement), and possible male pattern baldness, or acne on the face or body. This is all dependent, of course, on the compounds used as well as the dosages employed. Personally, I have witnessed the most permanent of these effects to be the deepening of the voice due to the hypertrophy (growth) of the vocal chords. This is typically the most unwelcome side effect, as it makes it very obvious when a woman is using steroids. Of course, if this begins, the best course of action is to cease taking all steroids immediately. There are several ways to reverse this effect, the most common being to undergo a medical procedure known as vocal chord scraping. And yes, it´s exactly what it sounds like.

10. Stunted Growth (height)

The use of some steroids can possibly stunt the growth potential of still maturing children, teens and young adults. This is only possible with certain steroids, and not with others. In fact, certain steroids have been used in clinical settings to improve growth rates in children. It is probable that the premature closure of the epiphysial cartilage, which is most likely caused by aromatizable steroids, will lead to a possible growth inhibiting effect, and could ultimately result in a shorter adult height. This is most likely an irreversible side effect, as the growth plates would have fused and can not "re-open". Anavar (Oxandrolone) has been used to improve the height of growth stunted children, and it is probable that most other DHT-derived steroids could also be used for this purpose as could certain anti-estrogens.

In 99.9% of humans, the process of bone elongation ends at around the mid to late teen years. At this point, the growth plates are obliterated and disappear, after which no more elongation (typified by an increase in limb length, i.e. height) can take place. Elongation of the bone occurs here and at a second epiphysis at the end. The proliferation of the cartilage happens very quickly, actually fast enough to keep ahead of the bone generation that´s "chasing" it, called ossification, which is just the replacement of cartilage by bone. As long as the cartilage growth "stays ahead" of the bone, you grow taller, as bone replaces cartilage. When the bone finally catches the cartilage (because the cartilage slows its growth rate, not the bone), it ossifies, and "seals" the growth plate.

Here´s a growth plate picture, enhanced by radioactive dye (GP= Growth Plate), so you can sort of see the bone "catching" up with the cartilage.

(Human Anatomy and Physiology, 6th Edition, John W. Hole jr., Wm. C. Brown Publishers.)

10. Prostate Enlargement

Once again, this is only a possible side effect, but steroids can potentially cause enlargement of the prostate. The media-perpetuated claim of possible prostate cancer seems to be wholly unfounded, according to most research. In many cases, this enlargement is quickly remedied upon cessation of anabolic steroid use. The first period of prostate prostate growth, occurs during puberty and occurs as a result of the testicular secretion of androgens. Then, much later on in life, there is often a second stage of growth. Although this was originally deemed to be a result of Dihydrotestosterone’s actions in the body, it is more likely due to estrogen combined with a small amount of either DHT or Testosterone. Thus, it’s not hard to imagine that taking steroids can potentially cause this type of prostate enlargement and cause trouble for a steroid taking athlete. Typically, a product such as Finasteride or Dutesteride is taken to avoid this problem, with a high degree of success.

11. High Blood Pressure

This problem is possibly the most easily remedied of all steroid side effects. It’s very common for steroid using athletes attempting to gain maximum bulk to abstain from all aerobic activity. This causes the body to work much harder to circulate blood. The typical water and sodium retention induced by certain steroids can also contribute to this side effect. If blood pressure is measured regularly to ensure that the value is not higher than 140/90, there should be no problems.

12. Kidney Problems

Certain anabolic steroid usage may place greater strain on the kidneys. Since kidneys are involved in the filtration and excretion processes, when a foreign substance is administered, they necessarily work harder. Some steroid users have noticed very dark urine while on a cycle, and this is indicative of the kidneys working overtime to accomplish their goal. One of the major offenders of this seems to be Trenbolone, which turns the user’s urine a very dark color. This problem is alleviated when enough water is consumed daily. Also, even though I know you’re probably getting sick of hearing this from me, the possibility of side effects is dependant on the dosage and type of administered compounds. Some steroids (Nandrolones) are even used to help treat people with kidney problems! So clearly, they aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be with regards to possible negative kidney-related side effects.

13. Immune System Changes

There is a large amount of data indicating that anabolic steroids may have some effect(s) on modulating the immune system. As with most potential side effects, this is largely dose and compound dependent. There is strong evidence that different analogues impact the immune system in differing ways. Testosterone and certain analogues have been shown to be possibly immunosuppressive, while Nandrolone and still other compounds have demonstrated immunostimulating properties. Both, however, have been found to be beneficial when given to AIDS patients, who clearly have an already compromised immune system. This is because the increase in lean body mass that those steroids can provide is consistent with an enhanced ability to fight off infections, enhanced survival rates, and a better quality of life.
(1.Int J Immunopharmacol. 1995 Nov;17(11):857-63. 2. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1990 Sep;37(1):71-6 3. AIDS. 1996 Jun;10(7):745-52. 4. Journal of Neuroimmunology 83 1998, 162-67.)

14. Growth of Excessive Body Hair

As expressed above in ‘Virilization’ steroids typically cause an increase in body hair growth. In a manner very similar to adolescence, the period when hair sprouts in places it formerly wasn’t due to the exposure of unusually high amounts of sex hormones, steroids serve as a synthetic initiator. Quite simply put, the rapid influx of sex hormones stimulates body hair development. This side effect is occurs in both males and females, and the hair growth can appear anywhere on the body with the exception of the head (where the opposite effect is sometimes seen due to the large number of DHT receptors). In women, this hair growth most often increases in traditionally manly locations on the body such as the face and back, but also increases on the legs, armpits, pubic region, arms, torso, hands/knuckles and feet. Although steroid discontinuation, reverses the irregular growth, it does not reverse or thin any hair grown during steroid administration. For men, such hair growth is barely noticeable except among the decisively less hairy members of the population, and even then it doesn’t really present a problem.
Effects of androgenic-anabolic steroids in athletes. Hartgens F, Kuipers H., Sports Med. 2004;34(8):513-54.

14. Water Retention and Bloating

Bloating, a.k.a. excess water retention is a very likely side effect of specific anabolic steroids. Generally speaking short-ester testosterone (Testosterone Propionate) and DHT-derived steroids (with the exception of Dianabol) do not cause significant bloating. Some 19-Nors, Dianabol, and medium to long-ester testosterones have a greater aromatization rate and excess estrogen typically (but not always) equates to greater muscle blurring water retention. For this reason such steroids are often included within bulking cycles and avoided during cutting cycles. Also contributing to the bloating are moderate to high levels of sodium, sugar, and synthetic sweetners like those found in diet drinks.

It's true that estrogen is required for optimal muscle development, which often makes bloating is an acceptable side effect during off-season training. Thus, there are periods of training during which athletes and bodybuilders are less concerned with, and affected by bloating. However, when seconds count, success is measured in inches, and muscular presentation readiness is of great importance, bloating is often off-set in numerous ways. Firstly, the above high propensity for bloating steroids and food sources are avoided. Secondly, with regard to steroid use AIs and SERMs (anti-estrogenics explained earlier) are employed to reduce estrogenic activity, and thereby promote lean, bloat-free physiques. The third weapon against bloat used by the athlete comes in the form of diuretics which flush extra fluids from the body. Some are mild (mostly mineral & herbal), others (mostly prescription) can be harsh, but both should be used respectfully to prevent debilitating cramping which can hinder both performance and presentation.
Psychological characteristics of adolescent steroid users. Burnett KF, Kleiman ME., Adolescence. 1994 Spring;29(113):81-9., Counseling Psychology Program, School of Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124.

16. Sterility in Males and Females

Temporary sterility is a common side effect of steroids in both males and females. In fact, anabolic steroids are so proficient at this that they have actually been studied and approved by the World Health Organization as a male contraceptive possibility. Steroids do this by disrupting the various hormones in women which potentiate the ability to have regular menstrual cycles. In men, steroids lower Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) to the point where normal production of sperm is not possible. This isn´t to say that nobody on a cycle has every conceived; quite the opposite, actually. There' ve been legions of "happy accidents" reported to me by athletes who were on cycles and thought they couldn´t possibly conceive.

Sterility caused by steroids is temporary, of course, and reverses post-cycle. This reversal is typically sped up by the post-cycle therapy which often involves the use of SERMs such as Nolvadex or Clomid , and/or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
(1. Fertil Steril. 2004 Jan;81(1):226. 2. Urology. 2000 Oct 1;56(4):669.3. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1985 Oct;61(4):746-52 4. Fertil Steril. 1994 May;61(5):911-4. 5. Andrologia. 1985 Sep-Oct;17(5):497-501 6. Urol Clin North Am. 1986 Aug;13(3):455-63.)

Steroid Effects Myth:

Believing Everything You Hear

Ok, so this last side effect isn´t really a steroid effect at all. But it’s true, nonetheless. It´s my hope that you read this entire article and were surprised and possibly even a little outraged. Maybe you were outraged with how casually I seem to treat a very serious topic, but more likely than not, you were outraged at the fact that most of what you´ve come to believe about steroids and their reportedly horrible side effects has been greatly exaggerated. The simple fact of the matter is that anabolic steroids, like any medication, can cause a host of unwanted side effects. I´m certainly not suggesting otherwise. What I am suggesting is that a more logical and rational view be taken of them. The literature suggests that these drugs are safe when used in a clinical setting; my numerous interviews and experience with athletes suggests that this also holds true outside the clinical setting.

Please don´t misinterpret my position as being pro-steroid, anti-media, or anti-government. To do so would be to miss the point of this work entirely. I have the utmost respect for the media for providing the services that they do. I also have the utmost respect for the government and those who serve this country.
Anabolic steroid side effects are a very real and possible concern for those who decide to use them. My position, therefore, is one that I hope is consistent with both the media’s as well as the government’s position. I simply wish to tell the truth, and allow my reader to make the best and most informed decisions possible. In that regard, I think this article has served its purpose.

Steroid Law

For the performance enhancing athlete the importance of steroid education is paramount; without proper education use will often be highly irresponsible. In order for an individual to weigh cost to benefit ratios properly, to understand how best to supplement with anabolic steroids, how to cycle them, how to stack them and what precautionary measures must be taken and individual must take it upon themselves to self-educate on the matter at hand. While many performance enhancers understand this many fail to understand the importance of educating oneself on steroid law and this may indeed be the most important factor of all. In places such as the United States the laws as they pertain to anabolic androgenic steroids are extremely strict in nature, more so than most countries and as more than six-million adults in the U.S. supplement with anabolic steroids for the purpose of performance enhancement an understanding of these laws proves to be far beyond imperative.


As an understanding of the laws is of great importance there is much to learn; many of the links provided will answer specific questions and focus more directly on a singular issue revolving around anabolic steroid legality. For our purposes here we simply want to give you a general understanding of what youre dealing with, an understanding of the consequences of ignoring anabolic steroid laws. Make no mistake, failure to abide by steroid laws can result in disastrous consequences far reaching what many understand or believe. It is a very common misconception that law enforcement is only interested in dealers, the large suppliers of anabolic steroids and while many think and believe this way that does not make it true. The truth is very simple yet very devastating; mere simple possession can result in a horrific end.

The Beginning of the End:

Since their inception anabolic steroids were legal; for years you could obtain them and use them openly and without repercussion; use was so open it was often seen right on the gym floor. By the 1970s the IOC had taken a firm stance against steroid supplementation among their athletes banning the use of anabolic supplements by those competing and many other sporting authorities would slowly but surely begin to take similar action; however, the degree was often only slight. During this time anabolic steroids and use thereof still remained legal, athletes of all types from all walks of life supplemented with them every day and every year but in the late 1980s the tide began to shift. By the 1980s the use of anabolic steroids in sports was beginning to be made well-known and the media onslaught took hold and Congress began to take notice. In 1988 a portion of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act 21 USC 333(e) came into play officially making the distribution of anabolic steroids a felony offense but use and possession remained legal. However, in 1990 the law was strongly reinforced with the original Steroid Control Act of 1990 officially criminalizing both distribution and possession without a viable medical purpose. By the 1990 legislation one now must possess a viable and legal prescription intended and derived on the basis of medical need.

While the 1980s was the true beginning of the war many point to two particular cases as being the final nail in the coffin; the 1988 summer Olympics and Ben Johnson and the death of NFL star Lyle Alzado. Both instances provided a face to the issue; for those who were members of the anti-steroid population Johnsons victory pointed to use being cheating and Alzados death gave them the fire they needed to stand firm on their belief that steroids were not only dangerous but they would kill you; death is a pretty big weapon. No one can argue, if steroids and the use thereof is illegal in a certain sport, such as those in the Olympic games, anyone who chooses to use them is in-fact cheating but what about the everyday guy, what about people who do not compete in competitive sports or who do so in venues where such use is not frowned upon? As for Alzados death, his own doctors firmly stated there was no evidence anabolic steroid use led to his death, however, Alzado firmly believed they did and Congress chose to hold on to his words rather than the facts. The original Steroid Control Act did not stop with these two examples; Congress debated on the issue for two solid years before its passage and whats interesting is the medical and law enforcement agencies they called on to testify on their behalf all claimed such a ban was without warrant. Nevertheless, Congress ignored the testimony of the DEA, FDA, AMA, NIDA and NIH and passed the legislation officially placing anabolic steroids on the controlled substances list as Schedule III drugs. It is important to note Alzado actually died after the legislation was passed but it was his death that was one of the key factors that helped solidify the legislation so to speak; he was now the face of horror as it pertained to steroids.

In 2004 in the wake of what is known as the Steroid Era of baseball congress would again take action passing the Steroid Control Act of 2004. Effectively made law in January of 2005, Congress added several more steroidal based hormones to the original legislation thereby strengthening the original act. Under federal law by-which derives from the now two conjoined pieces of legislation violators of the law are met with stiff penalties in the same light as many other drugs of a Schedule III nature such as LSD precursors and barbiturates. Under federal law it is illegal for any individual to possess anabolic steroids for any reason other than one of a viable medical purpose and it must be obtained in this light. Those who violate this law are subject to up to one year in jail as well as a minimum fine of $1,000 with a repeat offender or individual with any prior criminal drug record receiving a maximum of 2 years in prison and a minimum $2,500 fine. From there it continues to climb with three time offenders receiving 3 years in prison as a maximum sentence and a minimum $5,000 fine; were speaking of mere possession, not distribution. Those who are charged with distribution or possession with the intent to distribute or sell are faced with much stiffer penalties and interestingly enough it is very easy for a personal supply to turn into intent to distribute. A first time offender can face up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine with both penalties increasing dramatically for repeat offenders.

Those who break the law are also subject to supervised release or what is commonly known as probation for periods that generally fall in the 2-4 year range. During this period travel can be greatly restricted, monitoring of all daily activities can be quite intrusive, regular drug screening is normally applied, as well as more fines and often a fair amount of community service. While in many ways supervision may not sound like a big deal once it is a reality one will normally find it to be extremely bothersome and irritating at best.

Busted:

Being charged and arrested for violation of anabolic steroid laws can come in quite a few ways and often in ways completely unexpected. In recent years controlled deliveries have become far more common place with law enforcement agents pulling every trick in the book along with some new ones in the form of monitoring devices placed on the package(s). In most cases such an instance derives from ordering anabolic steroids over the internet and having them delivered via U.S. mail or shipped through a courier service such as UPS or FedEx. As internet based orders are the most common form of purchase customs agents and postal inspectors have increased their watch and package after package is being flagged. In many cases when such an instance occurs one will receive a seizure letter or notice and can simply ignore it and see the matter dropped; the package will be lost but so is the potential trouble. However, more and more controlled deliveries are being set up and a simple personal user of steroids is arrested. The idea is simple; while they may not have a lot of interest in you they do have a large interest on where youre getting it from and if they can squeeze you hard enough it may indeed lead them to a much larger fish. While the amounts in your ordered package may be for you and you alone it is also important to keep in mind if law enforcement considers it a large amount you could be charged with the intent to distribute; lets just say it wont take a true large amount for this to occur. Ask any competitive bodybuilder if ten 10ml vials and 1,000 5mg Dianabol tablets is a lot; that could easily be one simple 16 week cycles worth but according the law that is a massive pile of anabolic steroids.

While controlled deliveries are on the rise the most common means of being busted is face to face purchase or trading with a friend. Regardless of how close you are to your supposed friend understand if he is already in some sort of legal trouble there is a very, very good chance the fear of reaper has already been put in him and he will do all he can to pass it along to you. You may in-fact not be a dealer in any shape or form but if you sell one vile of testosterone to your friend and he is working with the police as far as the law is concerned you are now a full blown steroid king pin. Most are very uncomfortable believing in this truth, after all, it is derived from your friend but when it comes to being busted many often view it as every man for himself. True, such behavior is quite pathetic and often many realize that a true friend is few and far between. In many cases if the friend had been popped for say a first time offense and kept his mouth shut, while he may have had to pay a small penalty it would stop there but most will find this process to go and go from one friend to the next as they keep passing the trouble along.

There are other means of being busted as well; common traffic stops, border crossings and things of that nature can often lead to trouble; being stupid is more often than not the cause in these scenarios. You may get pulled over for a simple taillight problem or rolling through a stop sign, the officer pulls you over and theres a syringe lying in the floor and the ball begins to role. The truth is really very simple; there is no safe and assured way of purchasing anabolic steroids unless it is through your doctor and this will not be in the amounts of a true performance enhancing nature if your doctor is following the letter of the law.

The Basis of Steroid Law:

Weve spoken of the Ben Johnson and Lyle Alzado situation and while both gave fire to the cause they are not the direct cause. Anabolic steroids laws are some of the only ones that exist that are based on emotion rather than logic; by far it is a lack of education and a lack of desiring to educate that has led the law to exist where it is today. Those who support anti-steroid legislation claim anabolic steroids will cause severe health related issues that will in-fact kill you; they will turn you into monsters of hate riddled with violent behavior and outbursts. They further claim it is a bad example for children that children are so susceptible that if anabolic steroids are allowed in any shape or form the children will be lost. Those are some pretty strong arguments and if they are true and hold within them the reality of the situation then they must be considered but what if theyre not? There has yet in nearly 100 years been a death directly linked to anabolic steroids; study after study has shown things such as Roid Rage do not exist and that in healthy adult males anabolic steroids can be used both safely and effectively without a damaging affect. As for children there is no question, these hormones can be very damaging to them but so can alcohol and tobacco yet we do not illegalize them and we never will. It is up to parents to install values in their children, to teach them, to guide them as they are the ones who are responsible adults.

In the end the basis of the steroid laws in the United States can be summed up in two words, blind hysteria and throughout history such behavior has only damaged society and never protected it. We have entered a realm where facts and logic are ignored and it is deemed proper because the situation does not warrant proper behavior. We have allowed ourselves as a society to be ruled on an emotional basis regarding anabolic steroids rather than being ruled by the truth that stands right in front of our face. You may hate the blue sky and wish it were purple with pink unicorns living in the clouds and you may stand on a pedestal claiming just that but the sky is blue, we can look at the sky and see it is blue and no unicorns exist. The same can be said of anabolic steroids yet the law has been construed in a manner that implies purple sky unicorns abound; muscular unicorns! Will the law ever change? Its hard to say but those who support the use of anabolic steroids in healthy adults are as a majority doing very little about it and that is perhaps more pathetic than the law itself. So many are so scared to speak up, to fight to change the law and choose to live in the shadows out of fear hoping the laws will one day magically change but unfortunately it does not work that way. With six-million Americans supplementing with anabolic steroids for the purpose of performance enhancing, with data after data showing such use can be done safely, if any true effort was put in by the majority the law would change overnight; maybe one day this will occur and hopefully steroid users will wake up to this truth.

Types of Steroids

There are numerous types of steroids; in-fact, there are hundreds of variations found in nature, but of course, for our purposes we’re only concerned with anabolic androgenic steroids. Within this group, again we have numerous types of steroids; numerous forms, variations and derivatives, and there are so many it can at times seem a little overwhelming. There are anabolic steroids that are strictly used for performance purposes, those used primarily in a therapeutic sense, and of course, those that crossover into both fields; the latter represents the majority. Then we can break down the types of steroids by specific hormone classification or even its form(s) of administration; as you can see, this can create a plethora of options to choose from. Of course, there are certain types of steroids almost no one will ever use; they have long since been pulled off the market, all markets, or they’re simply so rare they can only be found in very specific locations around the world. With all of this in mind, we want to look at the types of steroids you might actually use, ones that are actually a possibility for the majority. In doing so, we have broken down the various forms into several categories; we’ll start with all the actual possibilities, and from there we’ll separate them by common purposes of use as well as plenty of extra bonus information along the way. Without question, this will give you a good idea on how many types of anabolic androgenic steroids we truly have at our disposal

Most Common Types of Steroids

All-in-all, there are 32 common types of steroids; these 32 represent the anabolic androgenic steroids that can be used by anyone who supplements with such hormones for any reason; while others can be found, they are extremely rare. In some cases, within this 32 you’ll find the same steroidal hormone in play; however, you will find it is unique based on the ester(s) it has attached or in its particular form of administration. The ester(s) or form of administration does not change the hormones specific nature; for example, the testosterone hormone is found in numerous forms, more so than any other, but it’s still testosterone in any case, and its direct mode of action does not change on this basis. We’ll delve into a examples of this concept later on, but for now you simply need to be aware. In any case, we have listed the 32 most common types of steroids below; each one is listed by compound name, its popular trade name where applies, and of course, its mode of administration.

Compound	Popular Trade Name	Administration Form
Oxymetholone	Anadrol	Oral
Nandrolone-Hexyloxyphenylpropionate)	Anadur	Injectable
Oxandrolone	Anavar	Oral
Testosterone	AndroDerm	Transdermal
Testosterone	AndroGel	Transdermal
Testosterone-Undecanoate	Andriol	Oral
Nandrolone-Decanoate	Deca-Durabolin	Injectable
Methandrostenolone	Dianabol	Oral
Nandrolone-Undecanoate	Dynabolan	Injectable
Nandrolone-Cypionate	Dynabol	Injectable
Boldenone-Undecylenate	Equipoise	Injectable
Trenbolone-Acetate	Fina	Injectable
Fluoxymesteron	Halotestin	Oral
Drostanolone-Enanthate	Masteron	Injectable
Drostanolone-Propionate	Masteron	Injectable
Testosterone-Undecanoate	Nebido	Injectable
Nandrolone-Phenylpropionate	NPP or Durabolon	Injectable
Testosterone-Propionate-Phenylpropionate-Isocaproate-Caproate	Omnadren	Injectable
Trenbolone-Hexahydrobenzylcarbonate	Parabolan	Injectable
Methenolone-Acetate	Primobolan	Oral
Methenolone-Enanthate	Primobolan Depot	Injectable
Mesterolone	Proviron	Oral
Testosterone-Propionate-Phenylpropionate-Isocaproate-Decanoate	Sustanon-250	Injectable
Testosterone	Testopel	Subcutaneous Implant
Testosterone-Cypionate	N/A	Injectable
Testosterone-Enanthate	N/A	Injectable
Testosterone-Propionate	N/A	Injectable
Testosterone-Suspension	N/A	Injectable
Trenbolone-Enanthate	N/A	Injectable
4chlorodehydromethyltestos terone	Turinabol	Oral
Stanozolol	Winstrol	Oral
Stanozolol	Winstrol Depot	Injectable

Purpose of Use

Within the 32 common types of steroids, we will find numerous purposes of use; in-fact, with these 32, while it’s unlikely anyone will ever use all of them, every last trait associated with anabolic steroidal supplementation can be obtained with even just a few. At any rate, most of the common steroids will carry a primary purpose; traits that specifically meet one primary purpose; however, they’ll often carry secondary characteristics that can serve another purpose quite well. Then we have the truly versatile steroids, and these are the types of steroids that can meet almost any purpose of steroidal supplementation; if not everyone, it will be pretty close. While this is true, we’ll find the mode of administration can affect the compounds versatility; in-fact, this will be more than apparent when looking at the numerous testosterone compounds. In any case, to gain a specific understand of a certain hormones total activity, you are encouraged to look at the steroid profiles here on steroid.com. In the meantime, in-order to provide you a generalized understanding we’ll briefly look at the common 32 regarding their purpose of use. Once again, we have listed the 32 most common types of steroids; this time we have listed them only by their most commonly associated name. Further, we have listed its purpose of use in a therapeutic and performance sense where such applies; this should give you a good idea where to start your educational process depending on the goals and desires you have in mind.

Steroid	Therapeutic	Performance
Anadrol	Commonly used to fight Anemia or muscle wasting Diseases	Used to promote Mass & Strength – can be used to promote fullness in cutting phases
Anadur	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Rarely used – used to promote off-season mass – strong healing and rejuvenating properties – excellent for recovery
Anavar	Used to promote weight gain or fight muscle wasting diseases – sometimes used to treat Osteoporosis	Used to promote conditioning in Cutting Cycles – moderate strength increaser – enhanced recovery – enhanced metabolic rate – used by men and women safely
AndroDerm	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Not used for performance purposes – will not provide a significant performance level boost of testosterone due to poor absorption
AndroGel	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Not used for performance purposes – will not provide a significant performance level boost of testosterone due to poor absorption
Andriol	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Not used for performance purposes – highly inefficient for performance – absorption issues and strong hepatotoxicity
Deca-Durabolin	Commonly used to treat Renal Insufficiency and Anemia – sometimes used to treat severe muscle wasting diseases	Commonly used to promote mass or Tissue Growth – tremendous recovery promotion and rejuvenation – strongly promotes joint relief
Dianabol	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used to promote Mass, Strength and Muscular Endurance
Dynabolan	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Rarely used – used to promote off-season mass – strong healing and rejuvenating properties – excellent for recovery
Dynabol	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Rarely used – used to promote off-season mass – strong healing and rejuvenating properties – excellent for recovery
Equipoise	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used to promote Strength, Recovery and to promote enhanced Conditioning – great for recovery and muscular endurance – can be used to promote mass when other mass agents accompany
Fina	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Truly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength and tremendous cutting or Conditioning effects – promotes recovery and rejuvenation at a high rate – extreme metabolic enhancer – can be used for all purposes
Halotestin	Rarely used – can be used to treat delayed puberty – sometimes used to fight specific forms of Breast Cancer – sometimes prescribed to treat severe androgen deficiencies	Primarily used to promote Strength – Will increase Strength more dramatically and rapidly than any steroid – can be used for conditioning aspects when extremely lean
Masteron	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used almost solely for conditioning purposes such as hardness, dryness and overall definition – strong anti-aromatase like effect
Masteron	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used almost solely for conditioning purposes such as hardness, dryness and overall definition – strong anti-aromatase like effect
Nebido	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Not used for performance purposes – too slow for performance purposes
NPP or Durabolon	Commonly used to treat Renal Insufficiency and Anemia – sometimes used to treat severe muscle wasting diseases	Commonly used to promote mass or Tissue Growth – tremendous recovery promotion and rejuvenation – strongly promotes joint relief
Omnadren	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Parabolan	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Mass, Strength and tremendous cutting or Conditioning effects – promotes recovery and rejuvenation at a high rate – extreme metabolic enhancer – can be used for all purposes
Primobolan	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used to promote conditioning and recovery – rarely used due to oral form lacking the normal C17-aa nature that accompanies most oral steroids
Primobolan Depot	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Excellent for Conditioning, preservation, recovery and rejuvenation – can promote mass when other mass agents accompany
Proviron	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used for its anti-estrogenic properties – can promote increases in free testosterone
Sustanon-250	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Testopel	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan – sometimes prescribed to treat libido deficiencies in women	Not used for performance purposes
Testosterone-Cypionate	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan – sometimes prescribed to treat libido deficiencies in women	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Testosterone-Enanthate	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Testosterone-Propionate	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Testosterone-Suspension	Used to treat Low Testosterone or as part of an Andropause treatment plan	Highly versatile – can promote Mass, Strength, Conditioning – Preserve tissue, promote recovery and rejuvenation – tremendous metabolic enhancer
Trenbolone-Enanthate	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Mass, Strength and tremendous cutting or Conditioning effects – promotes recovery and rejuvenation at a high rate – extreme metabolic enhancer – can be used for all purposes
Turinabol	Not used for therapeutic purposes	Used to promote Strength – can promote conditioning to a degree – solid recovery steroid
Winstrol	Used to treat Non-Regenerative Anemia, Angioedema and Severe strength loss – sometimes used to fight Obesity although rare	Almost always used for Cutting – great for conditioning – used in athletic for strength enhancement – greatly improves muscular endurance – strong metabolic enhancing properties
Winstrol Depot	Used to treat Non-Regenerative Anemia, Angioedema and Severe strength loss – sometimes used to fight Obesity although rare	Almost always used for Cutting – great for conditioning – used in athletic for strength enhancement – greatly improves muscular endurance – strong metabolic enhancing properties

Choosing the Right Types of Steroids

As you can see, there are steroids available for every purpose of use, and as such, making a choice can become quite difficult; after all, sometimes we want it all but this isn’t a realistic approach. Anabolic androgenic steroids are not magical; the rules of nutrition do not go flying out the window just because we choose to supplement; however, the rules of nutrition do reach a level of enhancement. In any case, the types of steroids you will receive for therapeutic purposes will solely be based on your condition; you will have very little say in this matter if any at all. Then we have performance enhancement, the most common reason for steroidal supplementation, and this is where things take on a different tone. With the common types of steroids we have available, the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to the varying combinations we can put together, and of course, the goals that can be obtained. Regardless of this fact, you will find you are best served if you focus on one of three goals at a time; bulking, cutting or enhancing athletic performance. If you try to do two or more at a time, especially if you try to add mass while trying to cut, a virtual impossibility at any significant level, you’re going to find it an extremely frustrating process. Even so, there’s good news; regardless of your goal, if it’s bulking you’ll be able to add more lean mass with less fat accumulation, and if you’re trying to cut you’ll be able to lose more body-fat with less muscle tissue loss that often accompanies hard dieting. As bulking and cutting represent the two primary reasons most people supplement, you will find choosing steroids that promote these ends to be your best bet, but you must ensure you are eating correctly to promote this end. If you can do this, and there’s no reason you can’t you’ll find the numerous types of steroids listed above can serve you in ways that are unimaginable.