Anabolic Steroids - The Myth Exposed

When you read or hear about the "anabolic steroids" 99% times you will associate it with elite sportsman or athletes, some drug scandals and cheating on rules and regulations.

But you may be surprised to hear that recent report results show that majority of (anabolic) steroid users are not athletes. These people do not go for world titles or Olympic gold medals. They don't even compete in organized competition.

This scientific survey is published in a leading sports science journal and it gives out quite interesting data. To make it short typical anabolic steroid user is around 30 years old, well-educated, and earning an above-average income in a white-collar occupation. In conclusion the report came to even more details. It is shown that majority of non-medical anabolic steroid users are just normal people that want to build muscle, get lean and improve their overall bodily attractiveness. There are few other important but not high ranked factors like increased confidence, improved mood and attraction of opposite sex. The authors suggest that steroid users don't fall into the same category as abusers of illicit drugs - steroid users are "kind of different".

According to the report, most steroid users follow detailed planed drug timing in conjunction with a healthy diet, ancillary drugs and exercise. These people are focused and they learn how to strategically plan everything in order to "maximize benefits and minimize harm" This behavior is opposite to the spontaneous approach seen in abusers of psychotropic illicit drugs.

I agree that you will hardly see Steroid weight lifter behaving like typical junky , acid head or say it as you want (In the same time, the lifestyle of your typical aspiring IFBB Pro comes pretty darn close!)

In last 10 years I had all kind of bodybuilders coming and going thought my Gym. I have personally couched many weight lifters and some people just used Steroids without telling me. Off course it came out sooner or later.

But what I saw in all steroid users is great fear of the consequences . Stress of "being sharp" in order to avoid various negative reactions is just very hard to live with, for most people. Just for a moment, let's just give the researchers the benefit of doubt that they managed to flesh out such a substantial number of highly-organized, health-conscious bodybuilders amongst the zoo of people that regularly frequent the gym.

After reading the conclusions of this report you'd almost be forgiven for thinking that taking the juice to get big was a benign and almost virtuous endeavor.

From my stand point as a professional I can have different opinion but from human point of view I can not be pro nor anti anabolic steroids - I just believe that any person should be allowed to put anything they want into their body so long as it doesn't harm anyone else. Everyone should use their free will as free individual make own choices but also face the reactions of that choices. Still I don't believe that anabolic steroid use (by healthy people) is a "cool" thing to do. It's not even an "OK" thing to do.

Here is why:

Using steroids will not take your life away that is a fact. It can happen that you don't even fall sick. Simply you should know that relying on the juice to build your muscle is not such a bliss as the stupid writers in the body building mags try to make you believe.

Firstly, muscle metabolism and growth is controlled by the classic steroid-hormone binding mechanism. Both anabolic and catabolic hormones (catabolic are the hormones that breakdown muscle tissue) are functioning s by binding to a cell membrane-receptor. When they are attached, they activate a receptor complex so that the hormone can enter the nucleus and bind response elements on DNA to act directly at the genetic level. This is how all hormones both natural and artificial alter the production of unique proteins in cells. Ultimately this is results from weight lifting exercise.

Anabolic Steroids users must intake much higher doses than physiological (normal) levels. Without it they don't have results. But these doses only stimulate growth via the previously mentioned process, for a short period of time. After this, the artificially introduced anabolic steroid exerts its effects mostly by attaching to (and blocking) cortisol receptors.

In no time muscles express more and more cortisol receptors in an effort to keep a natural balance in the body. Therefore bigger and bigger doses are required each steroid cycle just to provide the same anabolic effect. When they stop with using steroids, their muscles contain an abnormally high level of cortisol receptors. They can not avoid that. Therefore, along with the suppression of their own natural production of anabolic hormones, the former steroid user also has to contend with a higher than normal number of cortisol receptors. The end result of going off the juice is always the loss of a substantial amount of hard earned muscle. Just as the saying goes, if you want to dance, you've gotta pay the band!

This is why steroids are an extremely bad solution to a lifelong pursuit. However, there is one more problem. Unfortunately, this one is even more serious.

To Juice Users gains come much easier. Therefore, most of them don't bother with at all with right nutrition and proper and effective exercise program that fits in with a 50 hour work week, the spouse and kids.

Some bodybuilders get so hooked by the gains and the powerful feeling from steroids that they can't stand being in the gym when they're not using. Even the pro bodybuilders find it real tough to train when they're not on the juice. I've got to admit, it would be tough to focus on training when you know that no matter what, you're getting smaller, weaker and fatter.

These are the psychological consequences of steroid abuse and they are far more damaging to persons well being than any of the side-effects the medical profession tries to scare athletes about. I'll tell you something what you can call real shame. All the scientific research shows that no other type of exercise provides as many direct health benefits as weight training. Pure and Natural Muscle Mass Building without drugs is the healthiest past-time a person can devote their time to. If you check, you will see that rapidness of muscle gain steroid users have are not so different from gains you get without them IF you follow proven system that works.

When you compare the physiological and psychological aspects I've highlighted, the use of steroids among weight lifters can wreck the healthiest, most beneficial past-time a person can participate in.

Sure, most steroid users are not top sportsman or sportswomen. They may never enter accused of cheating fellow competitors and the respective governing sports organization. Paradox of Anabolic Steroid users is that, most of them will never admit that they are cheating one very, very important person.... themselves.