Post steroid cycle therapy and How to Keep Your Gains

As bodybuilders, the first thing we need to understand is what is going on with our bodies when we’re taking anabolic steroids. Exogenous anabolic hormones (or derivatives of anabolic hormones) are being brought into your system. This causes the body to take a number of responsive actions. The first and foremost (as you already know) is increased muscle mass. Unfortunately, other things are also going on that aren’t so great.

When an enzyme or hormone is brought into the system, chemical balances shift around to attain a certain equilibrium. In a nutshell, your body will increase production of estrogen, cortisol, and other hormones in response to heightened testosterone levels, while simultaneously slowing (or completely stopping) natural production of testosterone. Biologists call this negative feedback.

Natural testosterone production relies on a feedback system; when your brain detects that natural testosterone levels fall below a certain point, it signals the testes to produce more testosterone. This is called the Hypothalamic Testicular Pituitary Axis (HPTA). Natural testosterone production happens when the hypothalamus gland in the brain detects that testosterone levels in the blood go below a certain point (this point can vary with individual people). When it detects this, it sends a message to the testicles to tell them to start producing testosterone. When there is enough testosterone released into the system, the process stops until levels fall again. This process happens all the time during a normal day (assuming you have no medical condition that interferes with or prevents it).

Why is this important?

When you take anabolic steroids your body detects that your testosterone levels have risen and it switches off natural production while levels remain high. If natural production is switched off for a long time, such as a typical cycle, it can take some time before the body starts to produce it again naturally. In some cases, natural production can be extremely difficult to restore.

The longer you are on-cycle, the more likely you will have problems re-starting natural production (this is what users call “shut down”). The longer you are in this state, the more muscle mass you will likely lose and the harder it may become to restart natural testosterone production. This is the reason that it is important to recover your own natural hormonal levels quickly and lose far less of the gains you worked so hard for on the cycle. High estrogen levels play an integral part in Post Cycle therapy (PCT). That’s right, you want to welcome high estrogen with open freaking arms, but there’s a trick to it. And that trick is the almighty SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator).
SERM’s: the foundation of post cycle therapy.

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators are the foundation for any proper post-cycle therapy plan. A post cycle therapy plan without them isn’t a PCT plan. The purpose of a SERM is to block the negative effects estrogen, while your hormone levels go back to equilibrium.

Types of Post Cycle Therapy drugs?

Typically, people will use any or all of these drugs (Tamoxifen, Clomiphene and HCG) to help restart natural testosterone production. It is not advised to start post-cycle therapy until your testosterone levels drop below your natural level.

The different SERM’s:

1)Tamoxifen (Nolvadex):

• Reputation: Most popular SERM for post cycle therapy
• Pros:  Effective for gyno prevention.
• Cons: Heptatoxicity
• Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 40/40/20/20

2) Clomiphene Citrate (clomid):

• Reputation: Second most popular. Usually taken the first week or so to speed up Testosterone recovery with Tamoxifen being taken the whole therapy.
• Pros: Better than Tamoxifen for HTPA regernation. Less heptatoxicity.
• Cons: Less effective against gyno. Can cause emotional issues.
• Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 100-200mg/100mg/50mg/50mg

3) HCG(Human Chorionic Gonadotropin):

• Reputation: Used in conjunction with SERMS. Best results seen in medium to long cycles.
• Pros: Used to stimulate testosterone production in men.
• Cons: Not to be used with signs of gyno as it can worsen the situation.
• Popular dosage(last 4 weeks of cycle): 2000 IU/week, with 500 IU 4x/week, or 250 IU/dayor 500 IU every other day (these come to 1750 IU/week)

Winstrol Depot (Stanozolol) by HardCoreLabs

Winstrol Depot (stanozolol injectable) is an anabolic steroid with interesting properties. It generally is not used as the foundation of an anabolic steroid cycle, and is not necessary for most cycles. Still, however, it has benefits in certain situations.

Winstrol Depot and Liver Toxicity

Winstrol differs from nearly all other injectables in being 17-alkylated, a property more typically associated with oral anabolic steroids. This results in liver toxicity not usually associated with injectables. Further, in terms of liver toxicity Winstrol may be more potent (have more effect per milligram) than most other alkylated steroids: for this reason I prefer for the injected amount to be limited to 50 mg/day, and period of use to be limited to 6 – 8 weeks.

Winstrol Depot and Joints and Tendons

Additionally, Winstrol may be more prone than other anabolic steroids to increasing tendon brittleness. I am not so concerned about this as to consider it a reason to never use Winstrol at all, but it is reason to limit the total weeks of use per year. I don’t have any firm guideline on that, but for example I consider six weeks of use twice per year a reasonable amount.
Further, Winstrol use sometimes leads to joint pain during a cycle.

Benefits of Winstrol Depot

So where is Winstrol of particular benefit? Most typically, I look to Winstrol where an athlete’s needs are for strength or speed with mass increase is unimportant or actually undesirable. Another situation is for physique enhancement if a “hardening” effect is desired but the user does not wish to use trenbolone.

Winstrol is a suitable choice for simpler purposes as well. For example, though not ordinarily used for mass gain it can provide significant mass advantages to a 500 mg/week body-recomp testosterone cycle, while not increasing estrogen or requiring use of an aromatase inhibitor. It will also increase fat loss effect compared to a steroid cycle using that amount of testosterone alone.

Winstrol Depot Half-Life

Winstrol differs from other injectable anabolic steroids in being an aqueous suspension of fine particles of steroid, instead of being an oil solution of an esterified compound. For this reason, it has unusual pharmacokinetics which do not follow the classic half-life pattern. Instead, there is a sustained effect which slowly tapers. The duration of action is probably at least a week. Individual particles of Stanozolol may remain at the injection site for extended periods of time, however, which can cause drug test failure.

Winstrol Depot and Women

While no anabolic steroid is completely safe for women, Stanozolol is a particularly unsuitable choice. First, even oral Winstrol is very problematic for women. Doses as low as 2 mg/day have caused side effects of virilization (though most women can tolerate somewhat more than this) but low dose use offers no remarkable anabolic benefit compared to other steroids. The injectable is an even worse choice for women because of its slow clearance.

Winstrol Depot Side Effects

Stanozolol does not aromatize (convert to estrogen) or undergo metabolism by the 5-alpha reducatase enzyme (5AR.) It does not convert to DHT. However, like all anabolic steroids nonetheless it has adverse side effect on the hair for those with the genetics for male pattern baldness.

To summarize, Winstrol Depot is a specialty anabolic steroid which usually does not need to be added to an anabolic steroid cycle for either athletic or bodybuilding purposes. It can add to mass gains but more usually is used for cutting, hardening, or increasing speed or strength without necessarily increasing muscle mass. Adverse side effects particular to Winstrol and different from other injectable anabolic steroids include liver toxicity, occasional joint problems, and possibly tendon brittleness.

Anabolic Steroids & Hair Loss – Available Treatment Options

When it comes to the subject of hair loss, you will find strong opinions on both sides of the fence. For some, it is simply a natural part of life; not something to be feared or despised. Being met with acceptance, these individuals fret little over the state of their hairline, opting to take a razor to their heads rather than invest in potentially costly treatments designed to spare this cranial covering. For others, hair loss can have a profound impact on the emotional well being of the individual, causing anxiety and negatively affecting one’s self-perception and quality of life.

While hair loss is genetically dependent, the use of anabolic steroids can dramatically accelerate the rate at which hair loss takes place, causing the user to begin the balding process 5, 10, or even 20 years sooner than would have occurred under natural circumstances.

A misconception exists that only certain steroids can exacerbate hair loss; particularly those with either a strong androgenic component or which convert to DHT. This is untrue. There is no doubt that certain anabolic steroids are more problematic than others, but the reality is that any anabolic steroids can hasten the rate at which hair is shed, even those with the best track records of success, such as Anavar or Turinabol. While personal response will play the largest role in determining how one responds to the various anabolic steroids, it should be understood up-front that all anabolic steroids share this potential trait.

Still, we are not completely at the mercy of these drugs. We have at our disposal a variety of treatments/procedures capable of stopping or even reversing this undesirable side effect. How one reacts to these can vary considerably, as results are dependent on drug/supplement type, personal response to the treatment employed, and whether or not the root cause is being properly addressed. However, prior to engaging in any hair loss program, one should first determine the exact cause(s), as this can eliminate wasted time and money. To this end, setting up an appointment with an endocrinologist who specializes in this area is a must, as bloodwork is necessary in order to verify the origin of hair loss, thereby pointing one in the correct direction.

The most commonly used products in this category is Finasteride, which belong to the category of drugs known as 5-AR inhibitors. By directly decreasing the conversion of testosterone to DHT, these products reduce the amount of DHT available to androgen receptors in the scalp, thereby slowing or even halting DHT-induced hair loss. For those steroid users who rely on testosterone to increase muscle mass, 5-AR inhibitors are the most effective form of hair loss prevention available.

However, one should be aware that these drugs have side effects when consumed orally. Orally ingested 5-AR’s are systematic in nature, affecting DHT production throughout the entire body. This can have multiple unwanted side effects, such as a decrease in libido, reduced strength, and a weakened alpha-male mind-set. For this reason topical preparations are gaining in popularity, as their subdermal delivery systems allow the drug to bypass the circulatory system and directly enter the hair follicle where they are wanted.

As effective as these drugs can be for preventing DHT-induced hair loss, they offer no protection from the hair-shedding effects of other anabolic steroids. In order to prevent/reduce hair loss from other steroids, one must turn to anti-androgenic preparations which prevent anabolic steroids from binding to the AR, such as spirinolactone. Most bodybuilders will recognize spirinolactone as a potassium-sparring diuretic most commonly used to dry-out before going onstage, but of particular relevance to this discussion is its ability to bind to the AR, effectively preventing other androgens from attaching to the androgen receptor and exerting their deleterious effects on the hairline. It should also be mentioned that Spirinolactone possesses mild 5-AR inhibiting effects of its own, although certainly not as potent as Finasteride. Available in both oral and topical form, most choose to use the topical version due to its diminished propensity to cause systematic side effects.

Other drugs/supplements which fall into this same category of anti-androgens include metformin, various types of DHT inhibiting shampoos While the active ingredients and delivery methods of these products may vary, their mechanisms of action are identical, in that they either reduce DHT conversion or prevent DHT/steroids from attaching to the receptor site.

Products which speed the rate of hair growth: These products do not reverse or even stop hair loss. Rather, they supply ingredients which help your currently existing hair grow more quickly. Usually amino acid and vitamin-based, these products are most often formulated as shampoos. Higher quality versions utilize delivery systems similar to the topical anti-androgens, allowing them to penetrate the scalp and reach target tissues in concentrated form. While tablet/capsule varieties exist, orally consuming these products often prevents the active ingredients from reaching the hair follicle at sufficient dosages.

Hair fortifying/volumizing products: This category has no effect on hair loss prevention, re-growth, or the rate of hair growth. The sole purpose of these products is to strengthen the individual hair strands, while making them look thicker and healthier. This adds to the overall body, or volume of one’s hair. Basically, it “dresses up” what you already have, making it look better. There are numerous different products that fit this description, which again, are mostly in the form of shampoos.

With plenty of options available for treating hair loss, there is no need to sit back and let nature take its course. With a little bit of forethought and planning, anyone should be able to slow, stop, or even reverse this process. In almost all cases a holistic approach is best, as many of these products work synergistically to produce results superior to single product programs.

Although no one program can claim to be the most effective, certain protocols appear to provide above average results in the general population. These programs typically include an anti-androgen, a nitric oxide stimulator, anti-androgenic shampoos, and vitamin & mineral supplementation.

Keep in mind that these products take several weeks—and usually several months—just to begin working, so a long-term commitment (at least 6-12 months) is required in order to reap the desired benefits. Lastly, this is not a one and done cure. These products must be used indefinitely in order to continue experiencing these benefits. Otherwise, the hair loss process will resume all over again. While a permanent solution would be ideal, at least we have clinically and anecdotally proven products at our disposal, which will continue providing results so long as one is willing to use them over the long-haul.

Hair Loss and Bodybuilding

Everybody loses some hairs daily, for example, when combing or washing their hair, and this is a norm. But losing too much hair is a pathology and should be treated. Some start to lose hair in their twenties. The hair of others start to thin and fall out after a stress, while some people are just predisposed to hair loss and become bald gradually, as they age. Statistically men are affected by baldness much more often, than women. But what causes hair fall in men and how can it be treated?

About one of three men suffers from hair loss. Men are more predisposed to hair fall due to testosterone, the principal male sex hormone, which is normally present in a male’s body in larger amounts, than in a female’s one. In general hair fall can be caused by the following factors:

• stress,
• chemotherapy,
• pregnancy,
• overactive or malfunctioning thyroid gland,
• certain infections,
• iron deficiency,
• menopause

One of the side effects of anabolic steroids is baldness. This is due to the fact, that anabolic steroids contain this male sex hormone. As bodybuilding is associated with anabolic steroids, bodybuilders often suffer from this condition. Avoiding steroid abuse can help prevent hair loss.

No matter, what causes hair loss – stress or the intake of certain drugs, – the following procedures are proved to be effective against hair fall:

• hormone therapy,
• applying special lotions,
• hair transplantation.

The first way to treat baldness is hormone therapy. It hinders the male sex hormone affecting hair follicles and, thus, stops hair fall. It can be quite effective, if used during a long period of time. One of the disadvantages of hormone therapy is the fact, that the side effects of its long-term use are unknown. By the way, it’s not recommended to bodybuilders, as it can hinder muscle growth, which is actually the aim of every bodybuilder.

In addition to hormone therapy, there are also local solutions of the hair fall problem, such as using topical lotions containing minoxidil (Brand name: Rogaine). They are applied directly to the scalp. Such lotions improve blood circulation of the hair follicles, which slows down hair loss. There has not been carried out any studies on the interaction of lotions containing minoxidil and anabolic steroids taken intramuscularly or orally.

Today hair transplantation has become pretty popular among men wanting to stop losing their hair. It is a surgical procedure and involves the following: the hair follicles are taken from one part of the head (or the body) and are then implanted in the “problematic zones”. This procedure is very promising to give men losing hair their head of hair back. Besides, it can be used by bodybuilders, as there hasn’t been found contraindications.
Before choosing this or that method of hair loss treatment, consult a qualified doctor.

Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) Explained

Clomid is a selective estrogen receptor modulator similar to Tamoxifen. Clomid is typically used to induce ovulation in females by blocking estrogen in selective tissue in the body. Clomid opposes the negative feedback of estrogens on the Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian Axis which enhances the release of LH and FSH. Some women report a reduction in female pattern fat deposits when employing a selective estrogen receptor modulator during an anabolic androgenic steroid cycle but typically Nolvadex would be preferred for this purpose over Clomid.

I consider Clomid the recovery drug and would never go into post cycle therapy without it. In men, the effects of Clomid are much more pronounced than women as an increase in FSH and LH will cause a rise in natural Testosterone. After just 7 days of Clomiphene citrate administration (100mg daily), mean serum total T and non-SHBG-bound levels in young men increased by a whopping 100% and 304%, respectively, while in older men these values increased by only 32% and 8%, Similar to previous observations, LH and FSH levels showed a significant elevation in response to Clomiphene citrate over the response to placebo.

Clomid is a very useful compound at the end of an anabolic steroid cycle because Testosterone quickly falls below baseline levels when anabolic steroids are withdrawn. This decline in Testosterone then allows the effects of cortisol to wreak havoc on our new muscle. We quickly go from an anabolic to a catabolic state. Thankfully this crash can be mitigated with Clomid. Clomiphene restores normal testosterone levels and improves sperm motility in most male patients. Clomid may be used on cycle to block the effects of estrogen in male breast tissue therefore reducing the likelihood of gynecomastia however Nolvadex seems the preferred medicine for this purpose. Additionally, Clomid supports improved cardiovascular values.

So how do we maximize the benefits of this recovery medicine? First we need to determine the clearance time of the aas being used. In other words, how long will it take for the anabolic steroid to reach baseline Testosterone levels? Most  anabolic steroids have a published duration in which they are no longer elevating Testosterone above natural levels but this is only an estimate as cycle duration, scar tissue and many multiple depots may extend release times of the aas administered when using injectable compounds. Once it’s determined when to employ Clomid, therapy should be about 4-6 weeks in duration. I like to start with a dose of 50-100mg’s daily for 3 weeks and then reduce that dose to 50mg daily the remainder of the therapy. I recommend getting labs after Clomid therapy to determine if recovery was successful. If not, another Clomid course may be needed.

Clomid users have reported various side effects like dizziness, vision problems, emotional swings and nausea. I personally have had mild vision issues while on Clomid but they went away when I stopped using the medicine. Overall Clomid is a relatively safe compound and in my estimation an absolute necessity for proper recovery.

Anabolic Steroids for Beauty

The potential benefits for an athlete, whether professional or amateur, are well known. Of course, these users have to consider the negative aspects of this usage; the damaging health effects, the illegality, the immorality, and if caught, the loss of prestige, of reputation, and possibly also a decent sized paycheck. Another common group of users of anabolic steroids are those taking them to achieve the effects for vanity reasons.

In our modern society, there is increasing pressure to the meet that high standards the media present to us with regard to physique, and the ideality of sexual attractiveness, the need for perfection. This compels us to meet this requirement, another version of the sports world mantra to win at any cost. Here, the door opens for anabolic steroid usage.

In 2006, researchers conducted an anonymous study through anabolic steroids use forums, whereupon they discovered that 78.4% of users were non-competitive athletes or body builders. This shocking figure leads to the question of why these users feel the need to push so hard. They want to bulk up, to become more attractive. Many users of anabolic steroids that do so for vanity purposes are reported to have a poor image of themselves. In fact, many vanity driven anabolic steroid users share the same acute misconceptions with regard to their bodies as those who suffer from anorexia or bulimia; it is in fact a symptom of a mental disorder. These users are also likely to have an addiction to anabolic steroids.

There are many myths and rumors surrounding addiction in association with anabolic steroids. It is widely accepted that there are two forms of addicition: mental, whereby the mind tells the body of the need, and physical, where the body becomes reliant on a chemical compound. Addiction can also be affected by the concepts of nature, an innate (perhaps hereditary) requirement, or nurture, a learned need. Herein lies the problem in anabolic steroid abuse. An individual commences use of the performance enhancer for one reason, yet continually uses the drug for a unknowing different reason. First time users, particularly those taking the substance for vanity purposes, insist to themselves that they will only do one cycle of anabolic steroids to kick start their routine of continuous physical improvement. An addictive high may result from the increased self-esteem, the commendation from others, the interest from the opposite sex, and so forth. The changes, both physically and in self-image, are gratifying, and lead to the want of more.

Users who take anabolic steroids for vanity are headed for just as much trouble as the pro footballer, but likely in a different way. As far as the law in concerned, you are just as much at fault. You are still taking the very serious risks with your health. And you are cheating yourself to that idealistic (and likely disproportionate) image of how you want your body to look. It is not only men who can fall prey to the appeal of improving physical aesthetics in this way. In the same way that men aim to increase their masculinity (an obvious effect of taking a testosterone based substance), women have been known to take it to increase their femininity by defining their curves and muscle lines.

Lonely men have higher testosterone levels

Men who socialise more produce less testosterone than men who live an isolated existence. It’s possible to deduce this from an animal study that researchers at the University of Padova in Italy.

Social environment determines to a large extent the amount of Testosterone that men produce. Athletes, for example, produce more testosterone when they win a competition – especially if it’s a home meeting. Even just thinking about previous conquests can boost athletes’ testosterone levels. That’s why biologists sometimes refer to testosterone as ‘the winners’ hormone’.

According to the Italians, this view of matters is not entirely correct. They measured the hormone levels in the blood of two groups of mice. One group had lived from birth in a cage with five other mice; the other group lived in individual cages.

When, after two and six months, the researchers measured the amount of testosterone and DHEA circulating in the mice’s bodies, they observed on both occasions that the mice living in isolation manufactured three times as much testosterone. The DHEA concentration was also higher in the isolated animals. So testosterone is not just the ‘winners’ hormone’ but also the ‘hormone of the lonely’.

The researchers suspect that living in groups is stressful for animals, and that this causes their testosterone level to decrease.

Before the advent of synthetic testosterone it was not unusual for athletes, strongmen and gladiators to live in relative isolation, devoting themselves to their sport or discipline away from society. Perhaps the Italian study helps understand why this was so.

Anabolic Steroids, High Blood Pressure, and the Kidneys

When discussing anabolic steroid use and its known side effects, it is not uncommon to see bodybuilders express concern over potential liver injury or other cardiovascular health issues. However, we are now starting to see a much larger contingent of our community suffering from an equally serious, although less frequently recognized side effect in kidney disease/failure. This is a fairly recent phenomenon, which started in earnest about 10-15 years ago. Although there were certainly documented cases of kidney disease/failure prior to this, they were not nearly as prevalent as they are today. Although there are many potential causes of kidney failure, in this article we are going to limit ourselves to those most often attributed to the bodybulding lifestyle.

Unfortunately, there is no single cause associated with kidney failure in bodybulders. Often, it is an accumulative effect brought on by the presence of multiple stressors affecting the body at one time, but before we can pinpoint these causes, we must first understand how anabolic steroids affect the body, as well as possess a basic understanding of how the kidneys work to protect the body from toxins.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs which sit below the ribcage; one on each side of the spine. Their primary job is to filter the blood of toxins, which they do at a rate of roughly 120-150 quarts of blood per day. From this, they produce about 1-2 quarts of urine, which is then transported from the kidneys to the bladder for disposal.

The kidneys do not work as single, large filtering mechanism. Rather, each one contains about 1 million tiny filtering units called nephrons, which work to purify the blood at a microscopic level. Each of these nephrons contains a tubule, as well as its own filter (called a glomerulus). Just as the digestive system works in a multi-step process to break down food for absorption, nephrons also work through 2–step process to filter the blood. As blood moves through the glomerulus, it allows fluid and waste products to pass through it, while preventing large molecules, such as blood cells and proteins, from doing so. Afterward, this pre-filtered fluid is then sent through the tubules, which further refines the blood by separating toxins from beneficial substances, such as minerals. Ultimately, everything useful is sent back into circulation, while the final concentrated waste product becomes urine.

Let’s pause there for a second and transfer our attention over to a common side effect associated with AAS use - high blood pressure. Anabolic steroids have been thought to increase blood pressure through a variety of possible mechanisms, but it is their sodium retaining properties which are the primary cause of high blood pressure in most users. When anabolic steroids are administered they inhibit an enzyme known as 11-beta hydroxylase, which leads to the increased production of deoxycorticosterone and the subsequent retention of sodium and water. While AAS can vary substantially in their ability to influence this enzyme, as a general rule, the higher the dose employed, the more this enzyme is inhibited. Therefore, high dose users are more likely to experience elevated blood pressure compared to low-dose users.

High blood pressure is frequently implicated as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease and rightly so, but what about its effect on renal (kidney) function? Unfortunately, high blood pressure is a direct cause of renal stress and a leading contributor in the development of kidney failure. In fact, high blood pressure is the №2 cause of kidney failure in the United States right behind diabetes, being responsible for a full 28+% of documented cases and this number has only continued to grow over the last decade. With high blood pressure being one of the most common side effects associated with AAS use, one might think that it would garner more attention among the drug using community, but sadly, it does not.

When blood pressure is high, blood vessels stretch so that blood can flow more easily. This chronic stretching eventually weakens and scars the blood vessels of the kidneys, damaging them and impairing their ability to work properly. Once damaged, they become inefficient at waste and fluid removal. On top of the resulting toxin build-up, the inability to remove excess fluid can elevate blood pressure even more, resulting in a dangerous cycle.

Although anabolic steroid use alone is a potentially significant contributor to kidney disease/failure, as mentioned above, there are usually multiple causes involved in its development. Another potential risk factor is the use of nephrotoxic agents, such as NSAID’s. With anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen being routinely implicated in the development of kidney disease/failure and with many bodybuilders regularly using these drugs to treat various aches and pains, this risk factor should not be ignored. For anabolic steroids steroid using bodybuilders, the over-use of NSAID’s may be all it takes to enter stage 1 kidney failure, followed by entrance into the later stages if not addressed. Therefore, nephrotoxic drugs should be used sparingly and only as needed. In cases of chronic pain and inflammation, one should seek speak with their physician regarding alternative treatments.

Steroids used in Sports!

Anabolic steroids (AS) are a group of synthetic hormones, usually derived from testosterone. They are consumed as they aid in protein synthesis, muscle mass, strength, appetite and bone growth.

Steroids used in sports are usually anabolic in nature. Ideally, anabolic steroids are drugs that closely resemble androgenic hormones and are synthetically derived from the male hormones called the testosterone. The widespread use of anabolic steroids among athletes is precisely to achieve strength, weight gain, speed, endurance against pain and fatigue, and aggressiveness. They are most commonly used by athletes involved in track and field sports, particularly the throwing events, weight lifting, football and baseball. Despite their prolific usage by the sports fraternity, the research literature still reveals debate on whether anabolic steroids can really enhance one’s performance or not. However, almost all athletes who have administered these substances have affirmed to the benefits caused by these. In fact many athletes have also asserted that they would not have been as successful without consuming them.

Some common steroids employed by the sports fraternity include:

• Primobolan (Methenolone) - Primobolan can be administered in the body by either injecting it or consuming it in a tablet form. This steroid is highly popular among athletes because it builds muscle power without adding to its bulk. Also this steroid does not have many negative side effects like other ones and hence remains high in demand.
• Clenbuterol - Clenbuterol or Clen as it is popularly called is a selective beta-2 antagonist and a bronchodilator which is also medically prescribed for obstructive pulmonary diseases at times. Amongst athletes, it basic function lies in increasing lean muscle mass but it should be administered only in small qualities.
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - Dehydroepiandrosterone is a steroid prohormone which is naturally produced by the adrenal glands. After its synthesis the body converts the DHEA into both male and female sex hormones i.e. estrogen and testosterone respectively. DHEA are extremely popular because they are considered to be anti-aging supplements. However research on its this very property is still going on. DHEA supplements were taken off the shelves of U.S. markets in 1985 and were made available only by prescription then. However, in 1994, it was reintroduced as a nutritional supplement after the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed.

Though not all anabolic steroids pose as a threat to the athletes, some of them have been banned by a few sport’s organization which include the Olympics, NBA, NHL and NFL.

However, a few other steroids which find popular use among the athletes include oral ones like Anadrol (oxymetholone), Oxandrin (oxandrolone), Dianabol (methandrostenolone) and Winstrol (stanozolol). The injectable steroids include Deca-Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate), Durabolin (nandrolone phenpropionate), Depo-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate) and Equipoise (boldenone undecylenate).

Research suggests - puberty delayed by stress

The development of genital organs of the carp can get delayed to a significant extent when subjected to stress, as per a NWO research at Utrecht University. The stress hormone, cortisol, plays a critical role in delaying puberty, according to this research.

It was assumed by the researchers that the hormone, cortisol, is behind puberty delays.

Cortisol would seem to affect the testes. It directly delays the development of reproductive cells into sperm cells. This slows the growth of the sexual organs and also the supply of steroids to the blood. During puberty, anabolic steroids from the testes ensure that the brain, the pituitary gland and testes develop properly. Because the cortisol produced under stress reduces the supply of steroids, communication to the brain and the pituitary (a gland under the brain) is reduced. This means that, like the testes, these organs develop more slowly, thus slowing down overall development.

The whole complex of hormones involved in puberty is self-regulatory. The brain produces the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which stimulates cells in the pituitary. On order, the pituitary then excretes the gonadotropins, the luteinising hormone and the hormone which stimulates the follicles. In the testes, the gonadotropins promote the production of reproductive cells and steroid hormones. The steroid hormones contribute to the production of the reproductive cells and ensure communication between the brain and the pituitary gland, thus completing the cycle.

The finding is believed to have critical implications for medical practitioners on a worldwide basis.