Most people are very well aware of the risks that tag along with using anabolic steroids as doctors and media outlets are fast to highlight the dangers but not their potential benefits.
For this reason, we felt it necessary to post a guide on the advantages steroids can offer so those who want to try them can make a more informed and educated choice. So – without further ado – let us kick this guide off with the first main benefit of AASs – muscular growth!
Anabolic steroids have long been prescribed – with success – to patients with cachexia as they are forms of testosterone that stimulate muscle and strength growth. They do this by enhancing protein synthesis and the amount of nitrogen muscle cells can retain.
Soon after anabolic steroids became available for medical patients who were prescribed it for various conditions, bodybuilders began to take notice of their ability to produce muscle and started to take it themselves to bolster their physique; it is easy to see why as a person on their first anabolic steroid cycle may gain thirty-plus pounds of new lean muscle tissue.
With the ability to produce huge amounts of muscle, anabolic compounds are widely used among bodybuilders with cosmetic, muscle-building intent but this is illegal as steroids are only meant to be taken by patients who are using it to treat a medial disease or condition.
As such – bodybuilders now commonly buy steroids from the black market as they are not legal for bodybuilding purposes and can only be lawfully obtained by a prescription, which people can only get by having a medical condition that qualifies for the medication.
Aside from muscle growth, the other main reason people take anabolic steroids is to lose fat as this too they can do! The reason anabolic steroids are such effective fat burners is they are simply forms of exogenous testosterone. This means they will stimulate lipolysis – a metabolic process that turns fat stores into energy-raising molecules that enable longer workout sessions – which will indirectly let a user shed even more pounds of stubborn fat.
Highly androgenic steroids, like Trenbolone and Testosterone, are often deemed the best steroids for burning fat as they stimulate androgen receptors – which in turn – initiates the process of lipolysis as noted above and causes higher amounts of fat loss in the process.
These two steroids are also shown to lower adipose tissue by a more notable degree than other anabolic compounds, which makes them popular during bulking and cutting cycles.
Anabolic steroids often rid subcutaneous fat but while increasing visceral fat stores. Each of these fat types is unique as while visceral fat is hidden from sight (due to it being internal where it surrounds abdominal organs), subcutaneous fat is external and visual to the eyes.
This said, it is entirely possible for a person with lots of visceral fat and little subcutaneous fat to have a bloated physique and protruding stomach as this is not uncommon. In fact, it occurs in so many male users the issue has been given an official nickname – Steroid Gut!
The only exception to the above statement is Anavar as it is the one steroid that will reduce both visceral and subcutaneous fat levels. Its ability to do this makes it stand out from the rest, especially since it increases T3 levels, as this not only has a positive effect on lipolysis but on thermogenesis and the metabolism; it is surely one of the best fat-burning steroids.
Read about the most abused hormone for fat loss – Clenbuterol.
The amount of weight a person can bench or squat after an anabolic steroid cycle is often much more than they could before and most so when bulking compounds are being used.
In fact, most who finish their first cycle often say they can lift thirty to fifty or more pounds than they could before the cycle started, which is a considerable amount to say the least!
However, this does not come as a surprise as anabolic steroids increase muscle glycogen and ATP production. This, combined with high serum testosterone levels, enables people to produce lean muscle mass and heightened levels of strength often not achieved before.
In cases where a natural bodybuilder who never took a steroid before begins to cycle one, they can often break through their strength plateau with ease and add fifty-plus pounds to compound lifts by the end of their first cycle – a grand leap for such a short length of time!
When it comes to elite strongmen and pro-level powerlifters who need to build as much strength as they can for events or competitions, we often see them taking very powerful, anabolic-androgenic compounds like Anadrol or Superdrol or Dianabol or Trenbolone, as these – along with Testosterone – are the best steroids for building strength there are.
Now for bodybuilders who care more about building muscle than enhancing strength – it is a good idea to avoid lifting record-setting weight as even if they can, there is a good chance injury will occur if they do. Anabolic steroids can produce a rapid increase in strength, but with the ligaments and muscles not having time to adapt, the risk of injury is much greater!
In a scenario where a bodybuilder disregards this warning and proceeds to try and lift very large amounts of weight, they can endure hernias or torn muscles – which in severe cases – can require corrective surgery. By starting low and going slow – and by this we mean lifting just moderate amounts of weight that gradually increase over a cycle – the risk of injury will be less likely as the body will get more time to adapt to the higher levels of strength it built.
Being synthetic forms of natural testosterone, anabolic roids can speed up recovery times and help the pain of burns/trauma to subside. For these reasons – many bodybuilders rely on anabolic roids as they enhance endurance and let them train for longer lengths of time.
Not to mention, faster recovery means bodybuilders can work out more to sustain a peak-shape physique – which is just one of many benefits they reap by taking such compounds.
Note: Steroids increase IGF-1 levels; an injury-healing agent that can accelerate recovery.
Anabolic steroids are meant to be used by people who are prescribed them by a doctor to treat muscle-wasting conditions like cachexia; a metabolic syndrome that may cause high fat and muscle loss, and weakness and bone fragility. When it comes to people who cycle steroids for cosmetic or muscle-building purposes – they do so illegally as in most regions, like the United States/United Kingdom, it is illegal to use steroids for non-medical reasons.
However, not all are illegal as there are legal anabolic steroids that earned approval by the Food & Drug Administration. These include Anavar and Testosterone and Deca Durabolin, which can be legally prescribed to patients who have issues like cachexia, hypogonadism, and osteoporosis. And with FDA approval, each of these are widely deemed safe steroids.
And this is not an opinion, as clinical trials and real-world cases show these three steroids to have low toxicity and minimal impact on the heart and liver; in therapeutic doses that is.
Now while Anavar and Testosterone and Deca Durabolin are dubbed by most bodybuilders as the safest anabolic steroids in existence, this does not mean all a person comes across is safe as if they are bought from the black market, they might be diluted or tampered with.
Adding to this, pro bodybuilders commonly take anabolic steroids in doses that far exceed therapeutic amounts. This and the fact they are not taken under doctor supervision makes amateur steroid use risky even when anabolic steroids with a good safety profile are taken.
Anabolic steroids are similar to the male sex hormone known as Testosterone as they have a similar chemical makeup, and one that stimulates muscle growth by binding to androgen receptors. Anabolic compounds also speed up red blood cell creation, which is why many who take them can perform longer workout sessions as this enhances muscle endurance.
The one major downside of anabolic steroids is they can, and often will, adversely impact cardiovascular health, and performance, due to the increased water retention that comes along with taking them. In severe cases, anabolic steroids can even cause viscous blood, which can impair blood flow to organs and cause side effects such as erectile dysfunction.
Those who want to cycle anabolic steroids for boosting endurance are best off taking ones that do not have such a calamitous effect on cholesterol levels as reducing cardiovascular strain, and harm and stress to the organs, should be the first goal of all who cycle steroids.
The best anabolic steroids should also not cause huge amounts of water to build up in the muscles as this can quickly cause excessive weight gain and blood that begins to thicken.
When it comes to anabolic steroids used by athletes who want to improve endurance, the ones we see cycled most include Anavar and Winstrol, and Turinabol and Testosterone.
And from sprinters to baseball players to MMA fighters and Olympic athletes, competitors from all sports and walks of life have long been using such steroids to boost performance.
Some not only become reliant on or addicted to steroids for the positive, physiological advantages they produce but to the effects of higher testosterone levels too as this can enhance confidence and the sense of success, and motivation and dominance as well.
Some men who take anabolic steroids also report a heightened sense of alpha-male-like aggression, which, when channeled into workouts, can enable even more muscle growth.
One steroid that is well-known for enhancing confidence and the sense of well-being is Testosterone as it elevates dopamine levels; a neurotransmitter that induces feel-good vibes. Many men say this neurological reaction instills the confidence needed to speak with women, but of course, the effects of steroids can vary from one person to the next.
If you are a guy who is thinking of taking anabolic steroids, know such compounds have a transient impact on how much testosterone is in the body as it will cause testosterone to spike at first but then lead it to a quick, side-effect-prone downfall once steroid use ends.
One perk of anabolic steroids, other than the muscle growth and enhanced physique they bring, is their cost as many are cheap in price and easily afforded by most who want them.
This makes them all that more enticing and alluring to natural bodybuilders who have plateaued in strength/muscle growth despite an ongoing high spend on supplements; mainly due to the fact they can grow muscles more while spending the same amount.
As such, the cost of buying steroids is not nearly as much as some may believe as in many cases, the price of a cycle may be no more than a person already spends on supplements.
Now, if a person chooses to take more costly steroids – like HGH or Anavar – or Primobolanor Testosterone Undecanoate – the cost per cycle will be more but if plenty of time is taken off between cycles – which is suggested so the body can recover – the expense can be best kept to a minimum. As always – health should always be prioritized when cycling steroids!
Another benefit of anabolic steroids some men are unaware of is their ability to accelerate beard growth. This is no surprise as androgenic, testosterone-based steroids contain high, 5a-reductase enzyme levels, which means it will convert into DHT upon its metabolization.
Now while this may cause a beard to grow faster and thicker – which is welcomed by many men – this does come with a downside, and that is it can cause hair loss and thinning along the scalp; this – however – will not occur on the face, given the high DHT levels AASs cause.
It is this reason male bodybuilders who have been cycling anabolic steroids for years often have a nice thick beard, but with a scalp that has not a single strand of hair growing from it. And on the flip side, men who naturally grow overly thick hair may struggle to grow a beard.
Upon review of many tests on the topic, we can say the high testosterone levels anabolic steroids cause does indeed enhance cognitive function in male users as most men claim to have better mental performance complimented by a clearer and longer lasting memory.
These results correlate with studies that show low androgen levels to cause a reduction in mental function, so it makes sense high levels of it would cause a polar-opposite reaction.
This in mind – no pun intended – it is not uncommon to hear of male anabolic steroid users who report being able to think more clearly and intelligently as it seems these compounds have at least a short-term, advantageous impact on the cognitive function of steroid users.
However, as with any drug or compound, abuse of anabolic steroids may have an adverse impact on mental function; taking too large a dose over too long a cycle can hinder mental performance, and make what was eaten for dinner the night before not easy to remember.
In severe cases, a person may even endure visuospatial memory with research also saying those who take them in excessive doses for a long time are at risk of developing dementia.
A veiny physique is sought by many bodybuilders who often long for body composition that looks mean and ripped, and such a physique anabolic steroids yield as these compounds:
Anabolic steroids are forms of testosterone, so they raise testosterone levels in the body.
This can cause a range of manly side effects, including but not limited to, a more defined jawline and increased jaw or bite strength. This may be fine for some men, but these side effects can occur in women too, which is why females should not cycle virilizing steroids; at least not women who would like to preserve their feminine qualities or characteristics.
Some compounds, like HGH, can even increase the size of a jaw via acromegaly; a disorder where bones/body tissue grow by an excessive amount due to an overproduction of growth hormones; this issue can also cause the feet and skull to enlarge, and the nose/hands too.
Some anabolic compounds have diuretic traits as some do not convert testosterone into estrogen. This results in a vascular, dried-out physique with muscles that are much more pronounced, which is the exact outcome those who take cutting steroids strive to achieve.
When it comes to popular cutting steroids, which are compounds bodybuilders often take in the days or weeks leading up to an event, the ones we see most commonly used include Anavar and Winstrol, and Proviron and Trenbolone, as these flush extracellular water from around the muscles to give bodybuilders the stand-out definition they require to compete.
On the flip side – bodybuilders who want to build impressive muscle definition for an event are unlikely to take wet steroids like Anadrol/Dianabolas these elevate extracellular water retention in the muscles and in turn makes them look puffy, and less vascular and defined.
Ask any anabolic steroid user and they are likely to tell you they can perform much bigger pumps in the gym, but as we said above, a person taking anabolic compounds should not try to max their bench, pump, or squat capacity as this can cause injury, and most notably to the lower back when deadlifts are being done; pain from this might even be unbearable!
The enhanced strength to come from taking anabolic steroids is not only helpful in the gym but in daily tasks too as higher levels of blood and fluid in the muscle cells can make lifting even heavy objects a breeze. But again – steroid users should be cautious with how much they lift as, if an injury occurs, they will likely have to take a break from training altogether.
Some believe the strength and muscle gained during a steroid cycle will be lost once the cycle ends and steroid use stops. This can be true if a person stops training or decides to take up an unhealthy, high-calorie diet – but for the most part – gains are often permanent.
When it comes to anabolic steroids, research shows them to have a permanent impact on muscle nuclei. As such – a person taking steroids might be able to naturally workout post-cycle without the help of such compounds and with no loss at all in muscular hypertrophy.
As such – the reduction in muscle mass some people endure post-cycle may not be due to the absence of a steroid in the system but rather their lack of proper dieting and continued training. A prime example of this is a Mr. Olympia title holder known as Lee Priest who now trains naturally as despite him no longer using steroids, he has been able to retain all of the muscle he built when taking anabolic compounds by performing routine training workouts.
Bodybuilding is often the first thing that comes to mind of those who think of steroids, and this is expected as anabolic-androgenic steroids are indeed effective at producing muscle and strength gain, so it is only natural for those in the bodybuilding game to leverage them.
However, building muscle is not the only perk of anabolic steroids as they are also able to:
Join us as we answer a couple of questions often asked by those who are new to steroids.
Whether or not the upsides outweigh the downsides has all to do with the health of the person taking it. For example, if a person has liver disease or a weak heart, taking such drugs can carry a high risk of medical complications even when utilized in short cycles.
Adding to this, each steroid has its own risk-reward ratio as while highly potent steroids like Anadrol can cause intense or lasting effects, while ones that are milder, like Anavar, have a better safety profile given its gentle nature most novice steroid users deem to be tolerable.
If a steroid is worth taking or not to a person also has to do with if they are willing to shorten their lifespan at the expense of getting in peak shape. For pro-level bodybuilders, most are willing to inherit this risk despite the side effects and possible harm to come down the line.
The side effects to come from taking a steroid can vary based on the one that is being used but when it comes to common steroid side effects these are the ones most often reported:
The above side effects will not occur with all steroids, nor will they take place in all people as the health – and genetics and tolerance level of the person taking it – are a factor in how lasting or severe side effects are but the bigger doses are, the likelier side effects will arise.
There is no doubting the power anabolic steroids hold.
After all, they are indeed synthetic forms of testosterone.
This means they can produce incredible amounts of muscle!
However, before a person jumps the gun to take one, they should know the positive effects of steroids can be short-lived while the adverse effects can be dangerous and long-lasting.
This said, how high of a health risk people on steroids assume has all to do with the type of steroid they take and the size of the doses they use. Just remember, taking steroids is one of the most serious choices you will make so think it through, and keep in mind as well that steroid use for cosmetic/bodybuilding purposes is illegal in most places, including the US.
