Athletes who use anabolic steroids get more robust and larger muscles. Athletes subjected to anabolic androgen steroids undergo maximal muscle strength and body composition, including biopsies with a gain of Vastus Lateralis muscle. Clean athletes compared with doped athletes, the latter had significantly higher lean leg mass, capillary per fibre, and myonuclei per fibre. Long-term supplementation of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) led to increased muscle fibre and a parallel improvement in muscle strength. Administration of AAS induces morphological changes in the human skeleton and leads to physical performance enhancement.
Read the ultimate Guide to Anabolic Steroids You Need for Spring 2022.
What Are Anabolic Androgen Steroids?
These are a group of synthetic compounds that imitate testosterone’s effects on the body. Such steroids are a type of artificial testosterone and can be taken as a supplement to replace or add to your body’s natural testosterone levels. It has profound effects on the cardiovascular system, hepatic function, and renal system. As its name suggests, AAS has two significant effects: anabolic and androgenic: anabolic effects boost protein synthesis while anabolic effects enhance masculine sexual characteristics. Testosterone hormone is mainly associated with the male body and has little to do with the female body. Steroids are primarily related to athletes as bodybuilders. They provide potential strength or fitness and muscle growth.
Why Are Anabolic Steroids Used?
They are used for a variety of health and athletic purposes, such as:
- To gain body mass from more protein production
- To lower overall fat body percentage
- To increase bone density
- To enhance red blood cells production
- Improve performance in sports-related activities, like weightlifting
- Maintains muscle mass in case of any liver disease or caner to prevent muscle loss
Muscular Effects of AAS
- AAS increases protein synthesis through gene transcription after binding to androgenic receptors at the cellular level.
- AAS allows glucocorticoids to bind to their receptors because they produce catabolic effects by depressing protein synthesis.
- AAS produces euphoria inside individuals who perform more challenging workouts.
- AAS increases exercise capacity, muscle endurance, and muscular development in an older population. AAS increases quadriceps strength following Total knee Arthroplasty (TKR) and brings changes in daily activities such as sit-to-stand tests or walking speed.
Designer Steroids
A hazardous class of anabolic steroids is called designer steroids. However, they are made for athletes but have no approved medical use. They are not approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and represent a significant health threat to athletes. In addition, risks are associated with anabolic steroids doses that are much higher than prescribed.
Men may develop:
- Prominent breasts
- Shrunken testicles
- Reduced sperm count
- Erectile dysfunction
- Infertility
- Prostate gland enlargement
Women may develop in case of use:
- A deeper voice
- An enlarged clitoris
- Increased body hair
- Baldness
- Infrequent or absent periods
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