How steroids effect bodybuilder, powerlifter, mma fighter or baseball player

The effect of anabolic steroids on athlete body

OK, you have passed all hells rounds and purchased steroids online. We will try to explain to you in an accessible way the effect of anabolic steroids on the athlete’s body, the whole truth, as it really is. This article is intended to protect people from false information distributed on the Internet, on television or elsewhere, about anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, the male sex hormone that have both anabolic and androgenic effects at the same time, therefore, sometimes they are called anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).

The androgenic effect carries the negative side of testosterone, that is, all side effects are associated with it, such as the development of secondary sexual characteristics, aggression, a low voice, sexual desire, the development of genital organs, hair growth. The anabolic effect of the use of steroids is associated with an increase in muscle mass, that is, activation of muscle growth due to the synthesis of proteins in muscle cells (source).

History of the usage of anabolic steroids in different sports

In the first, an anabolic steroid was obtained by the German biochemist Adolf Butenandt in 1931, he managed to isolate 15 mg of androstenone from 10,000 liters of urine.

A little later, Nazi Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, combining their efforts in the field of obtaining anabolic steroids, isolated a more powerful component, crystalline testosterone, from the testicle extract of animals.

During the hostilities in Germany, anabolic steroids were experimented with inmates, and there are also rumors that Hitler used steroids as injections, according to his personal doctor. According to unconfirmed reports, the Nazis used steroids for aggression, and to increase the endurance of soldiers. Other countries used AAS to restore the health of soldiers who were released from captivity.

History of the discovery of anabolic steroids

Since 1940, steroids began to enter actively in the sports life of society, for example, the success of the USSR national weightlifting team made the US team doctor actively collaborate with chemists in order to obtain an anabolic steroid that would have minimal androgenic activity, and at the same time maximize anabolic effect , as a result, methandrostenolone was obtained. In 1956, the FDA approved the legal use of the new drug.

First of all, methandrostenolone was released to restore and regenerate tissue in the post-burn period, as well as for pensioners, instead, this steroid begins to be widely used in bodybuilding and other power sports, and in large, uncontrolled dosages. As a result, mass infertility begins, and prostate hypertrophy in athletes. In 1976, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prohibited the use of any anabolic steroids, and from that moment the era of hunting for athletes using the so-called doping begins. As you can see, the thoughtless, unsubstantiated, absolutely uncontrolled use of anabolic-androgenic steroids led to disastrous consequences, and as a result, the public desecration of any mention of potent drugs, such as steroids.

Anabolic and androgenic properties of steroids used in bodybuilding

If you use testosterone in its natural form, then it will quickly begin to be eliminated from the body, due to the fact that the half-life in the body is only 10 minutes. In addition, every ten minutes exactly half of what is left will be excreted from the body, and after one hour nothing will remain, as you can see, the use of testosterone in its natural form is extremely ineffective. You can of course put an injection into the muscle, which will lead to an increase in the duration of testosterone on the body by exactly nine hours, but even this is not enough to feel at least some effect on the body. Therefore, the scientists were given the task of making testosterone so that it could act effectively on an orgasm. The solution to this problem was ingenious, chemists created derivatives of testosterone molecules, 17-alpha-alkylate and 1-methyl (to prevent destruction in the liver, thereby making the use of steroids orally in the form of tablets), 17-beta-ether (injectable, soluble in fats, thereby accumulating in tissues like consequence increases the duration of action up to two months). Thus, to date, absolutely all steroids differ only in the variation of the above derivatives of the testosterone molecule.

Underestimated androgenic properties, overestimated androgenic effect and underestimated anabolic effect, or overestimated anabolic and androgenic effect, is what distinguishes the derivatives of the testosterone molecule from the original substance of testosterone, this explains the different side effect, spectrum of action, and of course the different efficacy of all existing anabolic steroids.

Anabolic and androgenic steroids are two different things, but previously thought the opposite. People wanted to create such a drug that would have only anabolic effect that was beneficial for athletes, without any side, androgenic effects. Now everyone understands that any steroid has an anabolic and androgenic effect on the body, only in different tissues. Currently, all steroids are conditionally qualified for anabolic and androgenic, that is, steroids in which the androgenic effect on testosterone is underestimated, called anabolic, where it is higher, called androgenic.

A similar effect on the body from the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids is associated with their common ancestor, testosterone. Consideration of all biochemical processes occurring in the body when using steroids does not make sense for bodybuilding, therefore, we will consider only those points that an athlete needs to know for a more competent use of AAS.

The mechanism of action of steroids on MMA fighter

Steroids taken in the form of injections, that is, intramuscularly immediately enter the blood, taken orally, in tablet form, steroids go through the gastrointestinal tract to the liver, where they are completely or partially destroyed, or in their original state enter the bloodstream.

Once in the blood the steroid, in the form of steroid molecules, spreads throughout the human bloodstream. The goal of a steroid molecule is to convey information to the right cells. The cells intended for this purpose have various receptors on the outer membrane. The so-called steroid receptors are found in large quantities in muscle cells.

The steroid molecule attaches to the steroid receptor, skipping all the other types of receptors, and vice versa, other non-steroid receptors are looking for the “right” molecule. By connecting to the steroid receptor, the steroid molecule is able to transmit muscle cell information, but the problem is that in the body, most, about 98% of the steroid molecules, are in conjunction with the globulin that binds sex hormones, and only 1-2% of the steroid molecules are in free state, which can form the so-called steroid-receptor complex.

The steroid molecule in conjunction with the steroid receptor is sent to the nucleus of the muscle cell, where it joins the DNA segments of the nucleic acids. That is, an imprint is made with DNA (transcription). Thus, ribonucleic acid is created, which begins to leave the cell nucleus, entering the cytoplasm, it attaches to the RNA located here, where protein (s) are synthesized from amino acids on the messenger RNA matrix using ribosomes (translation). Thus, in a tricky way, in combination with training in the gym, muscle hypertrophy, an increase in muscle cells occur.

The mechanism of action of steroids in baseball industry

In addition, steroid molecules have an anti-catabolic effect, they block cortisol receptors located on the membrane, minimizing the percentage of protein breakdown in the muscle cell.

Thanks to steroids, the synthesis of creatine phosphate (CF) is increased, and as you know, it plays a crucial role in the restoration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which means the accumulation of energy in muscle cells. When needed, ATP goes into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) releasing a huge amount of energy, this explains the increase in strength, but not mass, for example, when consumed, oxandrolone (a large amount of CF is synthesized in a muscle cell). The increase in endurance from the use of steroids is explained by the fact that in the muscle cell there is an increased supply of carbohydrates in the form of glycogen, in addition there is still an increased accumulation of fluid, as a result, the volume of muscles increases.

The percentage of fat in the body is lost, while maintaining muscle mass, and muscle hardness also increases due to the fact that steroids reduce the production of endogenous insulin, that is, the muscle cell is less dependent on insulin, and now it can absorb carbohydrates in the form of glycogen and protein in form of amino acids.

The steroid pump, as if pumping blood into the muscles, is another positive effect of steroid use. The number of red blood cells and blood volume increase, the muscle seems to inflate, more blood enters, and along with it the nutrients received along with the blood in the muscles become more, in connection with this, the body begins to be supplied with much better oxygen, for example, this effect is used by sprint runners distances.

After the steroid-receptor complex has made its purpose in the nucleus of the cell, the steroid molecule returns back to the bloodstream and repeats the above steroid cycle again, or turns into an unnecessary steroid molecule that has exhausted all its resources and is excreted with urine.

Why steroids act differently on different ordinary people in USA

The fact is that once in the blood, the steroid molecule does not immediately bind to globulin, or is in a free, active state. Part of the steroid molecules, in the process of metabolism, can be used by the body, and then get out of it, and part can even go into the female sex hormones - estrogens (a phenomenon called aromatization), with the help of enzymes (enzymes), part can go dihydrotestosterone (DHT) ) It is noteworthy that dihydrotestosterone is chemically more strongly associated with muscle receptors, unlike testosterone, at the same time it has a stronger, binding potential with sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Experts agree that dihydrotestosterone has a stronger steroid effect, and DHT does not convert to estrogens.

In any case, spent anabolic steroids are excreted in the urine.

For example, some steroids have in their arsenal more free steroid molecules that are longer in a free state, and as a result they have a greater chance of finding the right steroid receptor, such drugs include Deco, Dianabol, Sustanon-250, Parabolan, Cypionate.

That is, it turns out the more people have free receptors in muscle cells, the greater the effect of steroids on the body, since free steroid molecules will have a much greater chance of connecting to a steroid-receptor complex with a free receptor in the muscle cell.

The problem is that not all american people have active steroid receptors in the right area. So, for example, acne occurs in one athlete and hair growth occurs, while in the other, exactly the same dosage does not happen, and all because the first receptors are not where they should be. The same can be said about muscle building, someone has a large number of free receptors in muscle cells, such a person will need a small dose of steroids to experience an anabolic effect, and someone will not feel anything from large doses, but all because there are very few free receptors in his muscle cells. Another clear example, with testosterone, is the use in large doses does not cause breast enlargement, at the same time there are such athletes,

At the age of 20, our receptors reach a peak in their activity, steroids are at the maximum level of digestibility, therefore it is more appropriate at this age to use anabolic steroids in order to increase muscle mass, strength and relief. But before crossing this line, natural training and training on anabolic steroids, it is necessary to take into account a lot of nuances, from power indicators to the expediency of their use.

It is not possible within the framework of this article to consider all the little things that make up the basis for understanding anabolic steroids, but the necessary minimum that every self-respecting athlete you should know.