Bodybuilding enthusiasts often share the same goal: to build a body that is not only slender but also, and above all,...
Anabolic steroid therapy for bodybuilding
Posted on: 01/20/2014What is the purpose of anabolic steroids?
Our bodies have a natural supply of testosterone. As we all know, testosterone is the hormone used to build muscle mass. Testosterone levels vary from one individual to another. In fact, we're not all equal when it comes to this hormone, and each person produces higher or lower levels of testo. Likewise, we all react differently to this hormone, some of us experiencing spectacular effects that can lead to physical transformations, while others experience very little.
Therapeutic testosterone prescriptions
Some men live with a syndrome, essentially age-related, known as andropause.
This condition involves a reduction in endogenous testosterone production. This deficiency can affect young men and cause a variety of problems, including the ability to build muscle mass.
To counter this deficiency, the medical profession offers replacement therapies, providing exogenous testosterone. Testosterone is often injected once a week.
Light steroid treatment
Athletes interested in the use of anabolic steroids may logically think that a light course of steroids, at therapeutic dosage, could be beneficial.
In reality, this is not true. A person taking a mild injection of 50mg of testosterone will cause a reduction in its natural production. Ultimately, this injection will simply serve to compensate for the drop in natural production.
This injection of testo imposes a restriction on natural production, potentially causing the same side-effects as a classic cure with much higher dosages.
Muscle growth is achieved by steroids via a number of mechanisms. These include a positive nitrogen balance, or improved mitochondria (cell division). This phenomenon appears during anabolic steroid treatments at levels higher than the normal values recorded.
Conclusion
There is little point in taking anabolic steroids in light or therapeutic doses. It may be possible to derive a slight benefit, but this does not seem to cover the risk involved in taking an exogenous hormone. A course of standard steroids (no excess or high dosage) offers far greater gains, and has side-effects almost identical to those of a light dosage.