Guide to steroids
In this article I will try to give the necessary knowledge for safe use of steroids. Below you will find a description of the medication, tips on how to get rid of the fear of injections, an example of a basic A-Z cycle and information on where you can buy the necessary medication during the cycle.
What are injectable steroids?
Anabolic and androgenic steroids (AAS) are androgens that have a group of steroids. These can be natural substances like testosterone or synthetic substances with a similar effect. These hormones are used by doctors to fight diseases that cause muscle loss, depression and improve the quality of life of people over 40 years old. Thanks to their high performance, they are also familiar with athletes – a British study in 2017 found that up to 9.8% of fitness visitors claim to use anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids, as the name suggests, increase the intensity of anabolic processes (growth) in the body, protein synthesis, increase muscle mass and strength.
How do steroids work?
Anabolic steroids work on three levels:
- they bind to androgen receptors, increase protein synthesis in muscle.
- by binding to glucocorticoid receptors, they reduce the intensity of catabolic processes in muscle (protein degradation).
- they increase motivation in the gym through psychological actions.
Whether and to what extent steroids are harmful depends largely on the type of substance used and the amount of knowledge the user has about it. With well-designed and well-planned cycles, there are no side effects or they are minimal. Unfortunately, many people choose to take steroids without basic knowledge and buy medication from their friends at the gym.
Many young people choose to start their steroid journey with oral medications. Contrary to popular belief, most of these drugs are much more dangerous than injectable steroids and should not be used by beginners.
Are there long-term effects?
Whether side effects occur while taking steroids depends on the knowledge of the user, the planned cycle and genetic factors. Possible long-term side effects include gynecomastia, hair loss, deepening of the voice, erection problems, and liver damage (when high doses of steroids are taken orally without dietary supplements).
Fortunately, MANY of these side effects can be prevented by planning reasonable cycles in advance and purchasing prophylactic medications in order to get them as soon as you need them.