The Pros and Cons of Steroids

While exercise and diet can do wonders towards gaining muscle, there are numerous cases of people who desire the additional boost of steroids. The impact they have on the muscle growth is undeniable, yet it’s important to look at the bigger picture and consider the side effects as well. Let’s see first how steroids work.

What are steroids?

In simple words, Anabolic steroids are drugs that increase protein within muscle cells. Their effects are similar to increased testosterone levels in the body. As it is well known, testosterone is the male hormone responsible for traits such as naturally stronger bones and muscles when compared to females.

While testosterone is produced and regulated by the body, steroids provide similar effects through an artificial boost that skips important phases in the hormonal functions of your body, specifically the derivation from cholesterol.

Pros and cons

The desired effects of users are there: increased muscle mass and strength, better stamina, higher levels of energy and quicker muscle growth – these are quite attractive prospects for many people.

However, there is a reason steroids are banned or strictly controlled in numerous countries. Their side effects are known to seriously endanger many aspects of a healthy body and being found in posession of them can mean serious legal problems, depending on location.

More than that, even if you accept the risks in order to gain an edge in a sport, official competitions ban steroids and detection will most likely mean the ending of all hopes for a career.

But let’s have a closer look at the health risks steroids bring.

Health Risks

First of all, they can weaken the immune system. Studies done on male rats have shown that injection of trenbolone, considered the strongest steroid, leads to a decreased immunity when compared to rats who benefited from testosterone.

Another risk comes from the cardiovascular system. Heart attack and strokes are significantly more likely to happen, even in young persons. This is due to the fact that they lower the good cholesterol while increasing the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. This poses problems in the proper circulation of blood throughout the body. The left ventricle of the heart is also known to undergo dangerous changes when using steroids.

Other known risks are liver damage and high blood pressure.

Steroids are also dangerous when used by females. Seeing how they act similarly to testosterone, they are the cause of numerous hormone imbalances which, in turn, pose serious health risks. Steroids will generally interfere with natural processes such as ovulation and menstrual periods. They are also extremely harmful to pregnant women, being likely to lead towards the improper development of the fetus and, in some cases, even death.

This is on top of the already mentioned health risks, which apply to both genders.

Conclusion

It is true that steroids can boost your body to the desired measurements. But they pose some serious risks on the side so our recommendation is to do your research. If you intend to use them, see the legal status of these substances in your country and then consult a doctor that will give you a safe prescription.