What are anabolic steroids ?

Q & A on Anabolic Steroids

Q: What are anabolic-androgenic steroids and why are they in great demand among bodybuilders and athletes?

A: Anabolic-androgenic steroids, sometimes referred to as synthetic steroids , are man-made hormones designed to mimic the behavior of naturally occurring hormones, specifically testosterone. Endogenous testosterone is responsible for various and vital functions in the human body, but as far as bodybuilders and athletes are concerned the ability of testosterone to induce anabolism or muscle growth is the standout quality of testosterone.

Testosterone has been experimented on for centuries. In fact, there is a study which indicates that use of steroid hormones as performance-enhancing substances had been practiced as far back as the first Olympics in Greece with sheep testicles as the prime source of synthetic testosterone. You've got to admit that these ancient chemists had been on the right track since testosterone is produced in the testes in men.

Q: How do steroids enhance the physique and the performance?

A: As mentioned above, steroids behave the same way in your body as natural testosterone does. So when a steroid is introduced into the system, it travels through the bloodstream to attach to androgen receptors in the different cells including the skeletal muscle cells. Then it binds with the specific androgen receptor and once the steroid locks in with the androgen receptor a signal is transmitted to the cell center (nucleus) of the DNA . The signal is the stimulus for specific genes to start protein synthesis leading to anabolism. This also results to the production of the two primary structural proteins called myosin and actin. Myosin and actin are contractile proteins which sustain muscle contractions translating to muscle strength and endurance.

Q: Which steroids are best for you?

A: This is the question that is often asked by steroid users but is rarely answered. This is because steroids are designed differently. The people behind this group of drugs manipulate steroids' molecular structure to achieve desired results. As such, there are steroids that are effective for tapering down and there are those that are great for quick weight gains. Oral steroids are usually the top choices for this quick weight gains since they are rapidly released into the bloodstream because they are generally water soluble.

Anadrol ( oxymetholone ) is one of the most effective orals when you aim for dramatic and rapid weight gain. Muscle gains with Anadrol are described as "virtual explosion of muscle mass", thus it Anadrol is often called as "A-bombs". A burst of muscle mass is what you're going to get from this steroid - up to 10 pounds of gains in two weeks! Anadrol, however, converts to estrogen, thus most of the mass gains would be mostly subcutaneous fluid and fat retention. Take note that fluid retention also offers some advantages to you. This lubricates the joints, allowing for pain-free workouts. Fluid retention improves muscle contractions, allowing you to carry heavy loads with little muscle strain. The principal drawback of Anadrol is its c-17 alpha-alkylation. Anadrol is notorious for being liver toxic, thus strict dosing and cycling is used.

You can opt for injectable steroids which are generally non-hepatotoxic. Reliable injectable mass builders include testosterone esters. For fast muscle mass gains, testosterone propionate is an appropriate steroid choice. Propionate is a fast-acting ester with its peak levels occurring 24-36 hours after injection.