How Do Steroids Work to Build Muscles in the Body
When we think of steroids the image that comes to mind is the bulked up bodies of weightlifters and fighters. And the notion that most people have about steroids and their effects is something similar to Popeye ingesting spinach and bulking up instantly! However, that’s not how steroids usually work. While it’s true that steroids are mostly used for building up body mass quickly, there is still a process to it. It’s not an instant effect as with Popeye, but a slow and meticulous process in the body. There are many different types of steroids that have different effects on the body. Building body mass is one of these effects which is achieved through anabolic steroids. But what are these steroids? And how do these steroids actually work? What do they do in the boy? Let’s learn more about these anabolic steroids.
What are Anabolic Steroids
Nowadays, it’s quite easy to find AAS steroids in the pharmacy or online through reputed websites like aaspharmacy and others. And more often than not, they are used for body building or enhancing performance in sports. But, what exactly are these anabolic steroids? Anabolic steroids, or rather anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS as they are usually called, are synthetic derivatives of human hormones. They are used to trick the body into speeding up its natural body-building process. The human body produces hormones like testosterone that is responsible for promoting growth of muscles which is the anabolic effect. And it is also responsible for the development of male characteristics of puberty like deepening of voice, etc. The AAS steroids help the body to speed up its natural production of these hormones and thus help in gaining weight and muscle mass. They are mainly consumed as pills or injected straight into the body.
How they Work
When these AAS steroids enter the body, what do they do? Well, once you ingest these steroids, they enter the blood stream and travel through the blood to the muscle tissue. The muscle cells have a receptor called the androgen receptor. Once it reaches the cell, it interacts with the cell to stimulate the process of protein synthesis that is crucial for cell growth. Due to this stimulation, the cell growth rate improves and thus the body mass also increases.
However, that’s not the only way that steroids affect the body. Other than promoting growth, they are also responsible for enhancing performance. Sometimes, when the androgen receptors are activated, they inhibit some hormones in the body. This inhibiting of hormones speeds up the breakdown of complex molecules into amino acids. This process, called catabolism, is a part of your metabolic cycle. The speeding up of catabolism means your muscles can recover faster after a workout thus increasing your stamina and performance.
Uses
The main use of steroids is for medical purposes to treat some conditions like delayed puberty, wasting conditions, osteoporosis, and certain hormone deficiencies. Hence, they are often prescribed by doctors for the treatment of such diseases. Other than its medical use, steroids are also used by athletes and weightlifter to increase body weight, build muscles, and enhance performance. Generally, steroids are taken either orally in the form of pills or liquids or injected directly into the body.
Sometimes, people use steroids for a certain period, then take a break, and then use it again for the same period, causing a cycle. This type of use is called cycling. Similarly, when you use two or more types of steroids together to get a specific result, it is called stacking. Cycling and stacking of drugs like steroids should only be done under the supervision of a doctor or after consulting a physician.
Benefits
The main reason for the rise in popularity of steroids is that it has many benefits for the body. And these benefits are often visible to the eye quite clearly and quickly. Let us look at some of these benefits in detail:
Treating Hormonal Issues
The main purpose of using steroid is to treat some bodily ailments related to hormonal deficiency or imbalance. If your body isn’t producing the desired amounts of proteins or other hormones, it might slow down your growth process. This makes the different systems of the body to suffer too. While the most important substance in growth is body’s naturally produced hormones. However, if the body isn’t producing these hormones for any reason, you can use steroids as supplements to speed up the rate of cell development and production.
Enhancing Athletic Performance
Another effect of steroids is that it enhances your athletic performance. Steroids inhibit some hormones in the body that are synthesized or broken down clearly. This speeds up the process of breaking down body protein into amino acids. So, after using these steroid, you can work more and not worry about getting tired. This is why athletes use steroids to improve their performance and increase their workout times.
Building Muscle and Mass
One of the main reasons weightlifters and athletes use steroids is to build muscles and increase weight. Steroids stimulate the growth hormones and speed up the process of muscle building and growth in the body. Most athletes want to have a better body and strong muscles. However, gaining and maintaining weight naturally is certainly difficult. If your body is suffering from any deficiency of hormones, steroids can produce these hormones for you. However, if you do have these hormones, steroids simply ask as friends.
Improving Appearance
Another not so obvious reason for its popularity is to improve your appearance. Steroids can help in building muscles and maintaining body weight. This helps in making you look better. However, it is also responsible for many other effects so an improved appearance is also a great benefit of taking steroids.
While taking steroids can be a big help for many people, there are certainly rules to be followed. Like other drug, steroids should be taken in small doses or as prescribed by the physician. Also, steroids are known to have many side effects. Hence, it’s safer to always consult a physician before starting any use of steroid.
