Steroid Information

IMPROPER USES FOR STEROIDS

Attempting to list all or even most of the seemingly infinite and constantly growing number of different ways in which recreational steroid users improperly administer androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) would be quite difficult, but documented here are several of the more common errors. Without a doubt the single worst way in which steroids are used is without knowledge, and every other mistake hinges on this one. If users would simply take time to learn (of course some do, but unfortunately from poorly informed resources) why to use, and how to properly administer AAS it would prevent innumerable short- and long-term problems.

TYPICAL STEROID FORUM STATEMENTS

Novice AAS users continually visit steroid forums after taking anabolic steroids and either boldly declare “I’m a non-responder”, or “Why aren’t my steroids, which I know are legitimate, working for me?” They quite simply don’t research these drugs before putting them into their bodies, which suffice to say, is nothing short of ludicrous. Rather than progress through a well designed and executed AAS cycle, the vast majority of users manage only to digress through the attainment of little more than the negative side effects which serve merely authenticate their steroids. Only after invariably receiving zero to extremely limited results in all desired areas (mass, strength, definition, endurance, recovery, etc.) do they seek genuine instruction. Such users think of AAS as the proverbial “magic bullets”, which when taken deliver the results they see in guys who actually know what they’re doing. Along with not knowing how to cycle (manage dosage, frequency & duration), these users often lack the three fundamental variables that promote the highly coveted bodybuilding results. In short these raw materials are: 1) Diet – the proper increase of clean (low fat & unprocessed) calories in the form of both higher protein amounts for muscle & tissue repair, and greater overall caloric intake to facilitate growth; 2) Stimulus – the proper weight training, which includes a well designed training regimen of exercises performed with correct form, using the proper poundage, increased at the proper intervals in conjunction with adequate rest & recuperation and; 3) Cycle Administration – the correct application of the steroids in the appropriate amounts (dosages), at the right timed intervals (frequency), for appropriate time periods (duration), followed by sound Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) – the administration of ancillary compounds to bridge the gap of time between the cessation of steroid usage and restoration of the body’s normal testosterone production levels.

 

WEIGHT LOSS

 


Often people view the densely carved musculature of weight-trained steroid users and erroneously assume that these drugs served as weight loss agents. Contrary to popular belief, AAS are not weight reduction medications/drugs. In actuality, it’s the inverse that’s true, as these synthetic chemical hormonal messengers specifically signal the appropriate bodily receptors to gain weight rather than promote its loss. Steroids are medications that were initially developed for the treatment of severely wounded burn and accident patients, and are exceedingly efficient at restoring damaged muscle and tissue. Although it’s quite true that steroid use in conjunction with proper dietary and training habits will promote fat loss, even these individuals gain weight. The cusp of the problem is one of false perception, in that these properly trained, effectively dieted, well-defined bodies contain a greater proportion of lean muscle than the average person. Since muscle is much denser, and therefore heavier than fat, lean (not to be confused with the behemoths who truly weigh 230lbs+) muscular bodies often appear to weigh less than they actually do. Thus any attempt to use steroids for weight loss will invariably be met with failure, disappointment, and the watching of a scale needle that rises rather than falls due to the inherent weight promoting properties of AAS.


Similarly, many women incur this problem of rising scale needles when they embark on resistance training regimens without AAS, simply because such training promotes weight gain. Consequently, it should be noted that the scale/body weight is a very poor barometer for measuring progress when it comes to any type of resistance training for the above reasons. Far more effective indicators of training progress include the mirror’s observational perspective, changes in both the size and fit of clothing, and if desired the ever trusted tape measure.

 

ABSOLUTELY WRONG DEMOGRAPHICS



Although the media would have the public believe that non-prescribed steroids are primarily used for performance enhancement by professional athletes, and those who aspire to said level, this simply isn’t true. In one 2006 study with the expressed purpose of identifying current trends in the drug-taking habits of AAS users, researchers fielded an anonymous self-administered questionnaire (posted on the message boards & forums of popular AAS internet websites) in which 59.6% (298/500) of respondents reported using at least 1000mgs of testosterone or its equivalent per week. The majority (99.2%) of these AAS users (496/500) self-administered injectable AAS formulations, of whom 25% admitted to the supplemental use of growth hormone and insulin for enhanced anabolic effect.[4] This survey revealed several trends in recreational AAS use, the results of which supported previously documented evidence by finding nearly four out of every five AAS users to be non-athletes who take these drugs strictly for cosmetic reasons.[1][2][7][8]



Any medication can be harmful if used in amounts greater than, and for purposes other than medically prescribed. Obviously, there are those who stand both to the left and right of the argument regarding the efficacy of taking AAS for aesthetic and/or performance enhancement purposes, but regardless of one’s perspective certain truths remain constant. Among these is the fact they do indeed work quite well, but just as true is the fact that higher dosages of these synthetic male hormones are very likely to cause a variety of problems within the bodies of both teens and women.



Teens

Teenagers are using AAS and unfortunately for them, their still developing minds and bodies can suffer numerous rather profound effects in a variety of different areas. Although there are no specific studies that measure the media’s effect on school aged children, the influential nature of the teenage mind has been well documented. Consequently, one has to wonder if the student-athlete viewing the very public steroid busts of professional sports stars thinks of said busts as deterrents or enticements, i.e. a way to enhance the odds of making the pros themselves. Do non-athletes witnessing the seemingly endless stream of often overstated steroid media coverage see it as stigmatic, or does its ability to increase one’s sexual attractiveness outweigh the media hyped negatives? Humph?! Relatively speaking, in comparison to other recreational drugs, steroid usage among teens is not a major problem. As a matter of fact, according recent statistics, steroid use among school age children from 8th to 12th grade is actually on the decline. According to the latest 2008 University of Michigan Monitoring the Future studies of 8th, 10th and 12th graders, the percentage of 8th graders who reported using steroids at least once in their lives went from a high of 3.0% in 2000 down to 1.4% in 2008. Among 10th graders, the figure went from 3.5% in 2000 down to 3.0% in 2003, then down to 2.0% in 2005, down to 1.8% in 2007, and now down to 1.4% in 2008. Among 12th graders, the decrease was from a high of 4.0% in 2002, to 3.5% in 2003, to 3.4% in 2004, and now dramatically down to 2.2% in 2007 and 2008. By comparison in 2008, nearly three times as many 12th graders have used ecstasy (6.2%), over three times as many have used cocaine (7.2%) or hallucinogens (8.7%), nearly five times as many have used amphetamines (10.5%), and a whopping 54.7% have been drunk. Fully 18% of our 8th graders have abused alcohol to intoxication, and more than twice as many 8th graders have used cocaine (3.0%) over steroids. These statistics are not in anyway intended to minimize the societal problem presented by teen steroid abuse. However, it's dishonest for self-serving professional alarmists and sensationalistic journalists to create unfounded hysteria.[6][8]


Nevertheless, teen steroid users are at risk for numerous problems:



Table 1: Physical and Physiologial Changes

Unusually greasy hair or oily skin (often with stretch marks on the inner joints)

Skin eruptions and infections, such as abscesses and cysts

Small red or purplish acne breakouts on the face, shoulders and back

Drastic appetite shifts (extreme hunger or lessened/loss of appetite)

Gynecomastia, the abnormally excessive development of the breast tissue in males

Joint pain; greater incidences of injured muscles and connective tissues

Persistent bad breath

Disrupted or atypical sleep patterns (not sleeping well or sleeping too much)

Thinning hair throughout the head or receding hairline (male pattern baldness)

Bodily fluid level changes, bloating (face & body), and night sweating

Increased length and thickness in hair (on body parts other than the head)

Dizziness, trembling, nausea or vomiting

Hair loss in bed, shower, comb or brush

Rapid or progressive weight gain

Jaundice or yellowing of the skin; this signals liver damage

Hyperactivity or lethargy (too little energy)



Table 2: Personality & Psychological Changes Table 3: Social Changes

Extreme mood swings

Closes and/or locks bedroom door more often

Increased aggression or irritability

Takes longer showers or baths (this time is often used for injecting)

Becomes disrespectful or abusive (verbally and/or physically)

Phone conversations become more private

Poor decision making stemming from feelings of invincibility

Forgets plans, dates and activities

Becomes secretive and/or starts lying

Asks for money more often, or has more money than usual

Withdraws from family members

Loss of interest in friends, or suddenly gains new friends

Depression (usually when steroids are discontinued)

Begins taking naps and/or falls asleep in class

Hallucinations - seeing or hearing things that aren't there

Loss of focus or concentration (at work, school or home)

Paranoia - extreme feelings of mistrust or fear

Decline in grades



Women

Although there is some overlap, research has shown that women use androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) for reasons that are often quite different from those of men.  Even more dissimilar are the risks and consequences associated with female steroid abuse.  It is clear that AAS use is not equally as dangerous for everyone.  For example, AAS are:  less dangerous for adult male elite athletes, than their non-athletic counterparts; still more dangerous for teenage boys whose bodies are not yet fully developed; and by far the most dangerous for both women and girls, as the female body is simply not equipped for high amounts of exogenous (external in origin) male hormones.

Steroids are synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone.  They not only possess an anabolic (muscle and strength building) effect, but are androgenic (affecting sexual characteristics) as well.  To put it bluntly, steroids are used to make men, manlier.  For this single reason steroids are far more potentially harmful to females than they are to males.  When introduced to the female endocrine system, AAS create a serious jolt.  For example, in sex reassignment treatment (a.k.a. sex changes) the goal is to provide the patient with the opposite gender’s sexual characteristics to the fullest extent possible.  With the exception of the internal and external genitalia, these characteristics are contingent upon the biological effects of the respective sex hormones.  Therefore, synthetic sex hormones (steroids) are indispensable tools in sex reassignment treatment, and the use of cross-gender hormone treatment is necessary to achieve the desired outcome.[16]  Thus, women who abuse AAS will necessarily experience significant changes in their secondary-sexual characteristics including clitoral enlargement, a deepening of the voice, increased hair growth in otherwise traditionally male-oriented areas, etc. etc. 

Ironically, extreme steroid abuse by women is not only dangerous, it’s unnecessary.  Many women erroneously believe that since men already possess greater testosterone levels, and are made bigger and stronger with AAS, that they require similar doses of these drugs to achieve similar results.  However, since muscle size and strength does not increase in a manner directly proportionate to the amount of male hormone within the body, this theory is categorically false.  In fact, studies have shown that women get considerable anabolic benefit out of dosages that are only a fraction of those needed by men.  Women should never take AAS, but even those who detrimentally decide to risk their health by administering synthetic male hormones have no business taking them in large quantities.



IMPROPER ADMINISTRATION


Steroids can be improperly used in a variety of ways, all of which have the potential to severely limit the users’ results. The popularly accepted steroidal diet requires increases in both protein (typically in the range of 200 to 300 grams daily) and overall caloric intake, which is largely contingent upon the person’s gender, height, weight and metabolic requirements. Generally speaking, those who use steroids for aesthetic purposes (and even those who just want to bulk up naturally) would be best served to monitor their midsection (for men) and hips & thighs (for women) to determine when caloric intake is optimal, as these areas are first to store excess body fat. There are those who erroneously believe they can take steroids without working out. Members of this group routinely log onto steroid forums voicing their discontent or theorizing that they were sold/given inferior or fake products. The proper weight training protocol is paramount to attaining the desired anabolic effect. Sure steroids will affect the body when taken in superphysical (beyond naturally occurring) amounts, but without resistance training, i.e. the breaking down of muscle tissue, steroids (and the facilitating proteins) are unable to work their over-developing muscle magic.



Often novice users, due to a lack of knowledge, learning and understanding, break several other AAS administration principles. They tend to take orals once daily as if they were vitamins, when most due to very short 6 to 12-hour half lives, are best taken twice or even thrice daily. They inject infrequently, or worse too frequently, when this factor should be determined by the ester attached to the injectable being administered. They run cycles that are too short for solid results, i.e. a couple of weeks, or a month, or too long – in excess of even long cycle durations, or worse intermittently and/or indefinitely. Those who do manage proper dosages, frequency and duration, the ones who get solid and respectable muscle gains very often lose them afterwards because of poor or no PCT. Effective management of the time period just after a steroid cycle is crucial to solidifying the permanence of generated gains. If proper post-cycle drugs are not administered in the correct dosages for adequate durations, cycle gains can and very often are reduced to virtually nil.



Optimal benefits from steroid cycles require proper knowledge, and this necessitates thinking outside the parameters of what seems right, outside the box so to speak. Anyone interested in taking anabolic steroids should first spend the necessary time learning things like: how they work; how to diet; how to train while taking them; which compounds, esters and combinations (stacks or cocktails) best suit identified goals; cycle administration principles; injection protocols including methodology, locations, cleanliness & sanitation and; of course PCT. Knowing and practicing these techniques are what separates “The Be’s” from “The Wannabes”!




REFERENCES


  1. "About Health TV with Jeanne Blake Muscle Dysmorphia," Dr. Roberto Olivardia, Adonis Complex www.abouthealth.com, 30 January 2007

  2. "Anabolic Steroids and our Teens", Adapted from a chapter of the book "Legal Muscle: Anabolics in America", Rick Collins, J.D., 30 January 2007, http://www.dolfzine.com

  3. "Anabolic Steroids Effect on the Brain, Mind Over Matter - Anabolic Steroids,"  NIDA for Teens, The Science Behind Drug Abuse, 30 January 2007, http://teens.drugabuse.gov

  4. ATHENA (Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise & Nutrition Alternatives, 30 January 2007, http://www.ohsu.edu

  5. “Cutting Teen Steroid Use,” Health A to Z, A World of Health at Your Fingertips, 30 January 2007, http:/www.healthatoz.com

  6. "Monitoring the Future, A Continuing Study of American Youth," 2008, http://www.monitoringthefuture.org

  7. "NIDA InfoFacts: High School and Youth Trends," NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse", 30 January 2007, http://www.drugabuse.gov

  8. "Teens and Testosterone,” Steroid Law, Rick Collins, J.D., 30 January 2007 http://www.steroidlaw.com

  9. "Teens at Risk for Stunted Growth,” NIDA for Teens, The Science Behind Drug Abuse, 30 January 2007, http://teens.drugabuse.gov

  10. "Too Young to Pump Iron?" Health A to Z, A World of Health at Your Fingertips, 30 January 2007, http://www.healthatoz.com

  11. King, Keith, Steroids In Schools. Inside NBCActionNews.com

  12. "Using Anabolic Steroids, A Threat to Mind and Body," NIDA Research Report Series, Theodore J. Cicero, Ph.D., and Lynn H. O'Connor, Ph.D., 1990, 30 January 2007, http://ncadi.samhsa.gov

  13. "Using Anabolic Steroids Safely, A Harm Reduction Approach,” CRHA, 30 January 2007

  14. "Help Your Teen Handle Peer Pressure,” About:  Parenting of Adolescents. Denise Witmer, 31 January 2007

  15. Steroid Prevention Program Scores With High School Athletes. Robert Mathias, NIDA Notes, Research Advances, Volume 12, Number 4 July/August 1997

  16. Hamburger, C. (1969). Endocrine treatment of male and female transsexualism. In: Transsexualism and sex reassignment. Green, R. & Money, J. (eds), Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 291-30

  17. Lister S, McGrory D. Quest for the body beautiful that can cause serious harm. The Times 3 May 2005

  18. Yesalis CE, Kennedy NJ, Kopstein AN, et al. Anabolic–androgenic steroid use in the United States. JAMA 1993;270:1217–21

  19. Baker JS, Graham M, Davies B. Steroid and prescription medicine abuse in the health and fitness community; a regional study. Eur J Inter Med 2006 (in press)

  20. Parkinson AB, Evans NA. Anabolic androgenic steroids: a survey of 500 users. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006;38:644–51

  21. National Institute on Drug Abuse. About anabolic steroid abuse. NIDA Notes 2000;15:15

  22. Korkia P, Stimson GV. Anabolic Steroid Use In Great Britain: An Exploratory Investigation. London: The Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, 1993

  23. Evans N. Gym and tonic: a profile of 100 male steroid users. Br J Sports Med 1997;31:54–8

  24. Grace FM. Baker JS, Davies B. Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use in recreational gym users—a regional sample of the Mid-Glamorgan area. J Sub Use 2001;6:189–95