Is Legal Steroids Even A Thing?
Artificially made chemicals that act as hormones inside the human body generally used to reduce inflammation are known as steroids. They have medical significance because doctors recommend them to patients with low testosterone levels.
One can also treat conditions like anaemia using steroids. Prescription steroids are typically corticosteroids, which are very different from anabolic steroids. Corticosteroids help reduce swelling and generally have no harmful side effects.
So why do people have an aversion toward the term steroids? It is because, in general, people don’t know the distinction between corticosteroids and harmful steroids. Anabolic steroids increase male characteristics by increasing the secretion of testosterone. Although it makes the muscles grow, the side effects are hazardous.
In addition, females consuming anabolic steroids typically grow male characteristics like a beard and a deeper voice. Therefore, we condemn the use of these steroids for bodybuilding purposes.
Through this article, we would like to shed light on what legal steroids are and what are illegal ones, what the effects are, and what good steroids are alike. So, without further ado, let’s dive into today’s topic.
Are Steroids Legal?
There are both legal and illegal steroids available in the market. The crucial difference between the two is that one acts as a quick way to build a beautiful body with many problems to face in the future. In contrast, the other steroid type is a supplement that aids in natural bodybuilding with no side effects, but it also delivers a gorgeous body in the end.
One can procure legal steroids as an OTC or Over-the-counter supplement, and it helps improve a person’s stamina during workouts and delivers excellent performance. Illegal steroids, better known as anabolic steroids, are illegal due to overuse.
These illegal steroids are addictive and prove to be more harmful than beneficial in the long run. Thus, there are both legal and illegal steroids.
What Are The Side Effects Of Steroids?
Anabolic steroids come with many problems when people use them regularly or become addicted. Through various case studies and reports, we know that these steroids lead to acne, high blood pressure, changes in cholesterol levels, chronic heart problems, various liver diseases, and damage to the kidney.
Due to the increased secretion of testosterone, men generally face baldness, growth of breasts, diminished sperm count, which may also lead o infertility, and shrinking testicles. In addition, women who consume anabolic steroids may face changes in their menstrual cycles, increased body and facial hair growth, deep voice, and baldness.
The addiction to anabolic steroids leads to tiredness, restlessness, decreased appetite, sleeplessness, lower sex drive, always craving more steroids, stress, and depression. Studies reveal that aggression and changes in behaviour alongside increased irritability are also the effects of steroid addiction.
These are the immediate side effects because governments across the globe have banned anabolic steroids for bodybuilding use. They do more harm than good.
What Are Some Illegal Steroids?
Although not all anabolic steroids are illegal, most of them are. Some steroids made to use in the field of medicine are Nebido and Anadrol. Three primary types of anabolic steroids are bulking, performance, and cutting. Bulking steroids help build muscles, performance steroids help increase strength and endurance, and cutting steroids help burn fat.
People consume anabolic steroids, such as pellets, injections, lotions, and gels. Let’s list down some of the illegal steroids:
Fluoxymesterone, also known as helo, causes some adverse problems like acne, dermatitis, voice deepening, irregular menstruation, penile enlargement, chronic heart diseases, etc.
Mesterolone, taken by mouth, and sold under Proviron, is an anabolic steroid used to treat male infertility. One of the known side effects of the steroid is virilization, which is the development of male characteristics in females.
Mibolerone, another anabolic steroid, is sold under the banner of Cheque, and people use it mainly to treat estrus in female dogs. Unfortunately, it leads to aggressive behaviour, hypertrophy of the clitoris, obesity, etc., in humans.
Testosterone cypionate, better known as depo testosterone, is an injection for hormonal therapy for transgender men. Virilization is a common side effect of the steroid. It also causes liver damage, pulmonary embolism, and polycythemia.
Trenbolone acetate is better known as Finajet or Finalix. It is veterinary medicine, primarily used to grow muscles in cattle, generating more profit. People inject it into their bodies. The side effects are virilization, tiredness, anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, etc.
Some Natural Alternatives For Steroids
Check out some legal bodybuilding supplements that act as natural steroids inside the body.
Supplements with Creatine is one of the most popular performance boosters available in the market. It is entirely legal to consume and is a compound that occurs naturally in meat and fish.
Creatine helps grow muscle fibres and naturally increases overall body mass. It also improves core strength and increases muscle mass, which is essential for bodybuilding. In addition, there are no side effects of consuming creatine supplements.
A blend of Creatine, dendrobium, and betaine, MMP, or Matrix metalloproteinase, is a significant legal steroid that naturally helps in bodybuilding. Although people need more information and research on whether the substance can increase body mass or performance, it certainly increases concentration power. In addition, it increases the level of energy during workouts.
Steroids that contain a mix of whey protein complex and BCAA are also beneficial for the body and are entirely legal. Whey protein helps in muscle growth, nourishes it, and supports its overall development.
BCAA or Branched-chain amino acids help reduce fatigue, enhance strength, and make one more efficient during a workout session. It also aids in burning fat and increases metabolism.
Final words
One should stay away from anabolic steroids, which are illegal in the market. They are hazardous to one’s health and may lead to consequences beyond repairs. Getting caught for using these illegal anabolic steroids may land one in jail, and the legal things may become very complex because when it comes to public health, governments everywhere in the world take it very seriously.
Why use harmful substances when so many legal products and supplements are available that help boosts one’s performance during the bodybuilding process? Use branded and good-quality supplements and make your bodybuilding journey a rewarding one.