In this article I will try to briefly explain what are steroids, how they work and what can that cause to your body and mind. Anabolic steroids are human-made drugs that have similarities with male sex hormones. Similar as male sex hormones, these drugs promote growth and development of muscles and male characteristics.
Steroids are available only by prescription in most countries but most athletes get them in black market (on the internet or hand by hand) therefore risking not only with their health but lives too.
Steroids are often used by athletes to enhance their performance in various sports (mostly speed sports and power sports). Bodybuilders use steroids to develop their muscles. Athletes often take dosage that is a lot higher than the dosage recommended therefore they get faster and better results but this has great negative effects on body and mind. Keep that in mind!
Steroids cause addiction!
Methods of use:
Often different steroids are taken together to increase the effect, this is called ‘’stacking’’. There is another way of using steroids –‘’pyramiding’’: the user increases the dosage over weeks of cycle and tapers off in a second cycle. This technique is used to allow the body to adjust to the changed levels of hormones. But keep in mind that none of these techniques has been substantiated by research.
Steroids can be consumed in 3 ways:
- Swallowed in pill form
- Injected
- Rubbed on the skin as a cream
Steroid effects on the Central Nervous System (CNS)
Anabolic steroids affect the functioning of limbic system therefore this explains the aggression and erratic bursts of emotion. Also steroids affect the hypothalamus, which regulates the basic functions of body increasing or decreasing the amount of hormones in body.
Intoxication
Steroid intoxication has not been fully researched but experience shows that steroid use has great effects on mood and emotional functioning. These effects are anxiety, exhilaration, agitation, and depression. In extreme cases, psychotic reactions can occur.
Life risks
When anabolic steroids are taken the normal system of hormone production is disrupted. So when your body gets more hormones that it should body can grow faster and increase in performance but steroid abuse can result in variety side effects.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms have been reported among users who discontinue steroids. Mood swings, depression with suicidal behavior and aggression. Quitting steroids causes dramatic loss of mass and strength and this can cause depression too (steroids are physically addictive). Researches are still held on steroid withdrawal symptoms. Of course symptoms may vary depending on individual and type of steroid/stack used.
Warning signs
Athletes often use anabolic steroids but only a small part of them is informed of the possible side effects. Males more frequent abuses steroids hoping to get to goal as fast as they can.
!!! Males and females who abuse anabolic steroids experience a number of health and behavioral consequences !!!
Males
- Atrophy of testicles
- Decreased sperm count
- Decreased sperm motility
- Fluid retention
- Prostrate enlargement
- Development of breasts
- Baldness
- Psychotic episodes
Females
- Increased body hair
- Decreased breast size
- Fluid retention
- Acne
- Deepening of the voice
- Aggressiveness
- Menstrual irregularity
- Psychotic episodes
Psychological effects in both sexes include depression, aggressiveness, mania, and delusions.
Conclusions
If you consider to use steroids then think over and over again. Take a white paper and list down the pros and cons. Steroids are VERY strong drugs that cause addiction… this is no joke! I suggest you NOT to use steroids. You can reach your goals without them too – work hard and the results will come. In rush people make mistake; this is the reason why you should reconsider your aim of using steroids. Remember that everything that we do we must do with our heads not muscles, even training, even squatting! Do smart or don’t do at all!
