The question of the possibility of replacing steroids with other drugs is an acute issue for natural athletes. Find out if it is possible, in principle, to exercise without steroids? Quite a few natural athletes are interested in the question of how to replace steroids in bodybuilding. The answer is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Here it is necessary to clarify why the athlete needs it. If steroids are not used at all by him, then the answer will be one. In the event that replacement is needed as an adjunct to steroid cycles, the answer will be different.
Answering those who are not going to use steroids in their training, it should be said that this is simply impossible. Nowadays, no drugs have been created that, in terms of the strength of their effect on the body, would approach AAS.
Why is steroid replacement not possible?
Steroids are man-made male hormones, also called androgens. They have a strong anabolic effect on the body, which helps to accelerate weight gain. The main uniqueness of AAS lies in their influence on the genetic codes of tissue cell structures.
The human body is not prone to possessing large muscle mass. In the course of evolution, this simply was not required. At the same time, some great apes have this ability, enshrined in their genetic code. Throughout evolution, humans have relied more on the brain than on the muscles. It is simply not possible to change this and significantly increase your muscle mass, since this is contrary to the laws of nature. The body itself impedes the accumulation of muscles. The only way to slightly change the situation is to change the genetics of tissue cells. In order for muscles to grow, certain mutations are necessary, which can also occur under the influence of external conditions, and not only due to congenital anomalies.
If a high concentration of androgens is created in the body, then the genetic apparatus of the cells will malfunction and the mutation that we just talked about will occur. This is also possible in the case of hyperandrogenism, which is a congenital anomaly. In such people, muscle mass gains relatively quickly, but at the same time there is a high probability of developing malignant tumors.
But not only due to the mutation of the genetic code of cellular structures, the growth of muscle mass is possible. To understand the mechanism of these processes, one should imagine what happens in cells under the influence of training and provided that all energy and "building" needs are met.
With sufficient external physical activity, due to the rapid production of contractile protein structures, glycogen and other substances, the fibers of the muscle tissue begin to thicken. This increase in fiber is possible only up to a certain limit, which is limited at the genetic level. In this regard, it should be recalled that a gene is only a small section of a spiral-shaped DNA molecule located in the chromosomes of the cell nucleus. One gene is responsible for each biological process in our body. In addition, the number of genes also affects the intensity of these processes. An illustrative example of the transition from quantity to quality.
When a cell reaches its genetic boundary, it may seem like it's over. However, it turns out that everything is just starting now. With further training, the DNA molecule divides in the longitudinal direction and after that there are already two molecules. At the same time, the cell itself cannot divide, but its nuclear mass has increased. The cell can then continue to grow.
If you continue to train after that, then the whole process will be repeated anew. In the course of one of the studies, it was found that the cell was able to increase 32 times. But in the experiment, ideal conditions were created for cell growth, which, for obvious reasons, cannot be achieved in life.
Steroids have the ability to penetrate cell membranes and inhibit the genes responsible for repression of protein synthesis. This leads to an increase in the protein mass of the cellular structures of tissues. Also, steroids are able not only to increase the anabolic background, but also to stimulate the ability of cells to divide. It is for this reason that steroids are so effective on muscle tissue growth. So far, scientists have not been able to create other drugs that can affect the genetics of cells.
But AAS also has one rather serious drawback - androgenic activity. Today scientists are working on new drugs that, according to their statements, are devoid of these properties. Whether this is true or not, we will probably soon find out.
One of the alternative drugs could well be growth hormone. Today, the technology for the production of this hormone makes it possible to obtain it in large quantities at a relatively low cost. But exogenous growth hormone can cause diabetes, and this is its main and, in fact, the only drawback.
Now work is in full swing on the creation of peptides with powerful anabolic properties and devoid of a lack of growth hormone. But so far such a drug has not been created. Also now professional athletes actively use insulin, which is also an anabolic hormone. But when it is used, fat mass is also increased, and not just muscle. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of the drug. At the same time, the body does not get used to its use, which allows for long courses.
Previously, gonadotropin was used as an anabolic agent, but it should still be used as an auxiliary drug. As you may be aware, hCG is used to restore the secretion of endogenous male hormone. You can also remember about herbal preparations, which include substances that have a steroid structure. However, in terms of the strength of their effect, they are very far from steroids.
Learn more about the role of anabolic steroids in bodybuilding in this video:
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