28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan
With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.
Read articleWith the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.
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Read articleThere are plenty of misconceptions about what steroids are, their dangers, and their role in bodybuilding. This article takes a deeper look into steroids and lays out everything you need to know on the topic.
How the community actually talks about PEDs and steroids.
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The term “steroid” refers to a broad class of organic compounds made up of hormones and vitamins with a structure containing four carbon rings. Steroid hormones can be split into two categories; corticosteroids and anabolic steroids, with each serving different functions. Anabolic steroids have muscle-building capabilities, which explains their prevalence in bodybuilding. On the other hand, corticosteroids hold functions important to treating diseases and allergies, so you won’t be finding them in a bodybuilding steroid cycle.
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Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that mimic testosterone. Testosterone is the male sex hormone important for healthy libido levels (aka sex drive), the development of male secondary sex characteristics (facial and body hair, deeper voice), and most relevant to a bodybuilder, the development of lean muscle mass. The addition of anabolic steroids to already normal levels of testosterone can result in an increase in muscle size and strength, as well as sometimes unpredictable effects on other organs.
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Anabolic steroids come in many forms, simply due to the fact that they are produced in labs. Here’s just a few common ones:
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Anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) are different in the way they work and in their functions. HGH is produced in the body and is responsible for cell reproduction, replacement of cells, proper functioning of certain hormones and enzymes, and proper brain function. On the other hand, anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) are responsible for enhancing male traits, increasing strength and muscle mass.
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When a person with normal testosterone levels takes anabolic steroids they can incur both short-term and long-term side effects, including:
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Prescriptions for anabolic steroids are given to patients to treat conditions such as anemia and low testosterone levels. U.S. federal law prohibits the prescribing of anabolic steroids for enhanced athletic performance or increase muscle mass.
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A typical male adult produces anywhere from 300 to 1050 ng/dL on a daily basis. This varies from person to person and is also age dependent. Natural testosterone rise throughout a male’s teenage years, peak around the early 20s, and then begin to slowly but steadily decline from the 30s onward.
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Low testosterone can be treated through medical means, so if you believe you might have low testosterone levels, consider seeing a doctor.
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Here are a few ways to ensure that your natural testosterone levels are in top shape:
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