Steroids seriously affect the hormonal system, which is why muscle growth is accelerated. Find out how steroids and the hormonal system are interrelated in bodybuilding. Scientists are constantly studying the effects of steroids on the human body. Today's topic of the article is steroids and the hormonal system in bodybuilding, and we will try to understand this relationship based on the results of recent research.
The effect of steroids on hormone synthesis
The study continued over a twelve-week anabolic cycle followed by a 13-week fasting period. The experiment was long enough, which gives reason to trust its results.
Scientists have found that the use of steroids reduced the synthesis of hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Disorders of the endocrine function of the testes were also noted. The athletes who were monitored used AAS voluntarily, and anabolic steroids were purchased on the black market.
Thus, the quality of the drugs is in question. In addition, the researchers could not control the compliance of the dosages claimed by the subjects. However, even in this case, the opinion of scientists was confirmed that when using AAS, the level of anabolic hormones increases, and after drug withdrawal it falls.
The effect of steroids on blood composition
The effect of anabolic steroids on blood composition is no less important than the relationship - steroids and the hormonal system in bodybuilding. In the United States, scientists have conducted a study of bodybuilders using AAS. The main goal of this experiment was to look for changes in blood composition after steroid use. The scientists also wanted to find out what effect the nutrition of athletes has on blood counts. It's no secret that a bodybuilding nutrition program is seriously different from the diet of ordinary people.
For three days, scientists recorded the daily diet of athletes and studied the composition of their blood. Also, bodybuilders took 25-250 milligrams of AAS daily in the form of tablets and injections. The nutrition program was typical for the off-season. Thus, about 49% of all calories came from carbohydrates, 22% from protein and 29% from fat. It should be noted that the percentage of cholesterol exceeded the norm by more than two times. Also, the diet of athletes included mineral and vitamin complexes.
As a result, it was found that there were no serious changes in the composition of the blood. Only a few indicators differed. So, for example, the level of good cholesterol was above normal, which is somewhat surprising. Of course, the results of the study cannot prove the complete safety of steroids for the body. In the event that athletes have a genetic predisposition to diseases of the cardiovascular system, then even a slight increase in cholesterol can cause a heart attack or thrombophlebitis.
At the same time, it should be noted that a large amount of protein compounds and carbohydrates contained in the athletes' nutrition program did not lead to serious changes in blood parameters. The same can be said for the use of anabolic steroid drugs. The scientists were confident that the situation must have been significantly worse than what they observed during the study.
The reasons for obtaining such results have yet to be understood, but it can be assumed that the whole thing is in intensive training, which was able to protect the body from overeating and exposure to AAS. The loads that fell on the body of the athletes forced it to go into a special regime, which led to the results that were observed.
Effects of steroids on the body
Based on the results obtained in the course of the above studies, it is safe to say that steroid pime is possible only when combined with high physical activity. Only in this case can the growth of muscle mass and strength indicators be expected.
We can also say that under the influence of serious physical exertion, there are no changes in the composition of the blood. But the relationship between steroids and the hormonal system in bodybuilding definitely exists and this should always be remembered. Steroids certainly affect the hormonal system. It is with this that all the results that are achieved when using AAS are connected. When using steroids, you must be careful not to exceed the permissible dosages.
Also, athletes need to remember that the use of anabolic steroids is justified only in cases where the genetic limit is reached and in order to overcome it, a strong push is needed, which steroids will provide. This applies to professional athletes. But amateurs should think carefully before starting to use drugs.
Firstly, if the athlete has not reached the genetic limit of muscle growth, then you should not expect much benefit from the use of AAS. Secondly, no matter what they say about the safety of anabolic steroids, they have a strong effect not only on the hormonal system, but also on the entire body.
Very often you can hear the opinion that steroids are safe to use in small doses and not very often. This is a wrong opinion. Of course, the body can easily cope with a small dosage of steroid, but such use of drugs will cause "hormonal stress" in the body. As a result, the balance of hormones will be disturbed and the body may stop synthesizing natural hormones. It will take a long time to restore the hormonal level and it will not go unnoticed by the body.
If you do decide to use an AAS, it is best to consult with a sports medicine specialist. This will help you set the maximum allowable dosage of drugs and learn how best to carry out restorative rehabilitation after the end of the steroid cycle. But it should be reiterated that if you are doing bodybuilding on an amateur level, then think very carefully if you really need to use steroids.
For more information on the effect of anabolic steroids on the hormonal background of an athlete and the danger of taking steroids in adolescence, see this video:
