Steroids on Muscle Growth; Function, History, Usage

What exactly are steroids

Steroids are all around us. Especially when an indivdiual get involved with bodybuilding and training they undercover the world of these anabolic medicines. Of course they are a kind of performance enhancing drugs and related to the hormone testestorone but this is really shallow-level information. It is also really important know how they function and what really are they to prevent false and innacurate usage of these substances.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic substances that are similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. They promote muscle growth (anabolic effects) and the development of male characteristics (androgenic effects). While they can be prescribed for certain medical conditions, misuse can lead to serious health risks.”

How do they function

So how do they affect our body and our muscles? Steroids basically copy the hormone testosterone and help our body complete protein synthesis at a higher rate. Since increase in muscle mass is directly linked with the rate of protein synthesis using steroids increases the overall muscle mass of a person. Steroids also enhance the activity of satellite cells, which play an important role in muscle regeneration after exercise.

PRO’s

Steroids can also help muscles recover faster, thus shortening the total time taken for our muscles to become ready for the next training session. They can also increase the red blood cell production, which can improve oxygen delivery to muscles while exercise. Also, some steroids can increase bone density in people with serious hormone deficiencies. It is also important to add that when steroids were first found they were used for medical purposes helping patients suffering from muscle related diseases. 

CON’s

 On the other hand, using steroids could have a negative impact on our lives in many ways such as high blood pressure, liver damage, hormonal imbalances, acne and hair loss. So, it is highly recommended to ask a professional or a doctor before using anabolic steroids. Especially there are reported side effects on people using steroids at a really early age. Anabolic steroids are not recommended to young people mainly because it can cause hormonal imbalance and also close the still growing growth plates.

Without them

Using anabolic steroids is not the only way people can build muscle. Most people can experience significant lean muscle mass gain by consistently training and sticking to a diet. This way is called “natural bodybuilding” and most people who are afraid of their side affects can use this way. It is also really important to explain the “the barrier”. In natural bodybuilding the muscle gain slows down as the years pass by, for example most muscle gain naturally can be made in the first year of training with a structured diet and regular exercise, after some time passes it is harder to put on more mass making natural bodybuilding “frustrating” for some experienced lifters. It I also useful to note again that natural bodybuilding is proved to be really healthy for cardiovascular health. According to the PubMed 30-60 minutes of resistance training per week greatly reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease and also has a significant impact on decreasing the chance of mortality. 

History of Steroids

The history of anabolic steroids dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. In 1935 scientists successfully isolated and synthesized testosterone. During the years between 1935 and 1940 they were mainly used for medical purposes. By the 1950s after it was found that they had a serious impact on weightlifting and bodybuilding professional bodybuilders started to use them to get more lean muscle mass. Their widespread use in competitive sports led to growing concerns about unfair advantages and serious health risks. As a result, the International Olympic Committee banned anabolic steroids in 1975, and testing for steroid use was introduced at the Olympic Games in 1976.

Conclusion

Anabolic steroids have played a crucial role on the bodybuilding stage and they still do. Some people find them way too dangerous to use on the other hand some professionals find them necessary after years of training. What really matters is getting enough valuable information on anabolic steroids and spreading the word to the world of weightlifting. Every individual doing fitness or bodybuilding needs to have a clear understanding of steroids before they commit to use them. Also getting a doctor’s opinion before using them is essential to reduce the side effects as well.

Bibliography

Orhan Güven