Anabolics

Geschatte leestijd: 30 minuten I have long been in doubt whether I should dedicate a page to anabolic steroids (and growth hormones). The main reason for this is that I cannot speak from personal experience. The reason for this is that I have not used or want to use anabolic steroids myself. I have a fairly strong opinion about this and would advise everyone against using these substances (for non-medical reasons). This article will therefore not be entirely objective, as far as that is possible when it comes to such a principled choice. The use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids is not recommended by Fitsociety.nl. If you want to know more about the effects and dangers, you can find this in the dossiers we have dedicated to them:

• Anavar
• Clomid
• Deca Durabolin
• Dianabol
• Synthol
• Nolvadex

Anabolic steroids

So why give in and dedicate an article to steroids? Firstly, because it shocks me when I hear (especially in the gym) how many people use or have used “a cycle”. These are often not the types you immediately see as bodybuilders. Sometimes they are guys who have no clue about healthy nutrition and supplements, but want to go straight for this elephant drug. I want to show here what price you may pay for this in terms of your physical and mental health and make it clear that there are often (many) other steps you can take to grow. Another reason is to emphasize that anything contributing to gaining muscle mass only achieves temporary results (except recent discoveries in muscle memory). It takes a lifestyle to look the way you want (and to stay that way). Both in terms of nutrition, training, and rest. Unless you are training for one specific goal, you will need to find a way of life that you can maintain in the long term. However, there are people who, with more effort than others, achieve less results. Then it can be more difficult to be satisfied with results from good training, nutrition (and supplements). They can use this as an argument for themselves to resort to anabolic steroids. But then what? Keep cycling, or see yourself shrink again? My philosophy on anabolic steroids in that respect is the same as that on training and nutrition in general: Do and use only what can be maintained in the long term! Furthermore, it simply takes more time to learn about anabolic steroids. Most users do not like to admit that they use. At the highest level of bodybuilding (think, for example, of Mr. Olympia competitions), it is generally assumed that every participant uses. However, most are only open about this when they have stopped bodybuilding (at least in competition context) if they ever speak about it. This is very unfortunate (though understandable). Especially if you want to compete as a “natural bodybuilder”. In the well-known bodybuilding magazines, little attention is paid to anabolic steroids. Magazines that focus on this as a main topic disappear from the shelves due to the illegality of the product. Were it not for the internet, it would be very difficult to obtain information. But even with the internet and its abundance of sources, it can also be difficult to find a clear and comprehensive explanation of the various anabolic-androgenic steroids. I have witnessed guys at the front desk of a gym being offered steroids while they have barely been training for a few weeks! These kinds of guys should know what they are getting into. Finally, everyone is free to disagree with me! Do you have a different opinion, experience, or knowledge? You are entirely free to comment on this article, and your comment will then be posted below the article. Your contribution is appreciated!

What are anabolic steroids?

Anabolic steroids are a type of lipids. Lipids are fats and substances made by the body based on fatty acids. It is produced from cholesterol. Some steroids are important hormones such as sex hormones. Women mainly produce estrogens and progestogens in the ovaries. Men produce more androgens in the testes (testicles). These are chemical substances that are responsible for the development (and maintenance) of male characteristics.

Greek Andros=man, genesis=development, or ‘origin’.

This concerns the so-called primary sexual characteristics (the genital organs) and the secondary sexual characteristics such as facial hair. The characteristics of interest to bodybuilders are increased muscle development by an important type of androgen; testosterone. The full name is therefore formally: Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). Anabolic steroids as used as a performance-enhancing drug are synthetic steroids derived from testosterone. Or substances that mimic the action of testosterone (and dihydrotestosterone).

Origin of anabolic steroids

In the early 1930s, it was already known that the testes contained an important androgen. Three groups of scientists sponsored by pharmaceutical companies from the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland were in a race to isolate the androgen. When they found it, they called it testosterone. The first synthetic anabolic steroids were developed in 1934 by Adolf Butenandt and a week later by Leopold Ruzicka, a chemist in Zurich. Both received the Nobel Prize for this. The first mention of anabolic steroids in a journal in the U.S. was in 1937. This was in a letter to the editor in the magazine Strength and Health. There were rumors that German soldiers were administered them for increased aggression and endurance. However, this was never proven. Adolf Hitler’s personal physician claimed that Hitler was administered them as a remedy for various ailments. It is well established, however, that the Nazis experimented with them on prisoners in concentration camps. Ironically, they were later used by the Allies as a means to recover malnourished people from concentration and prisoner-of-war camps.

Debut of steroids in sports

The Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries began using anabolic steroids in the late 1940s to enhance the performance of their Olympic athletes. Those of us over 40 still remember the images of the female East German weightlifters who were hardly distinguishable from men. The Americans, of course, could not lag behind. Dr. John Ziegler, the team doctor of the American Olympic team, collaborated with chemists in developing an anabolic steroid. They thus produced methandrostenolone, which was branded as Dianobol. Dianobol was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1958. It was legally used for burn victims and the elderly, among others. However, it was dispensed under the counter to bodybuilders and weightlifters. Despite Ziegler prescribing low doses to his athletes, over time they came to him with various complaints such as enlarged prostate, testicular abnormalities, liver diseases, and difficulty urinating. There are also reports of athletes indicating that they did not know what they were receiving from Ziegler at the time. For example, American Olympic weightlifter Bill March wrote, “I thought it was just another vitamin.” In 1976, anabolic steroids were placed on the list of banned substances by the IOC. Ten years later, the IOC introduced testing during the season because many athletes used them during the training period and not during competition. Jamaican sprinters quickly aroused suspicion because these checks are absent in Jamaica.

How do steroids work?

Anabolic steroids promote increased muscle development in various ways, mainly:

• Some bind to the androgen receptor of the muscle cell, causing them to convert proteins into muscle tissue. This is the anabolic effect (anabolic means: Building).
• They also enhance male characteristics including muscle mass. This is the androgenic effect.

Others work by limiting the catabolic process, the breakdown of muscle tissue to extract amino acids from the muscles to provide energy by converting them into glucose. This occurs through the blocking action on cortisol, the stress hormone that breaks down muscle protein.

Other positive effects of steroids

• Increased oxygen capacity due to the stimulating effect on red blood cells (hemoglobin) and thus greater endurance.
• Immune stimulating effect. Growth of bodily defenses against infections.
• Stimulation of growth hormone which leads to higher calcium deposition in bones.
• Increased concentration (cases are known in the US of students using steroids for this reason).

How much growth do I achieve through steroids?

More than 30 years of research shows that one can gain 2-5 kilograms (largely dry mass) over a period of less than 10 weeks. Higher increases are seen during use, but much of that is fluid that disappears after use. Results naturally depend on the various AAS used, dosage and duration of use, but also on genetic predisposition, training, and nutrition.

How long does it take for muscle mass gains to disappear?

The effects or mass from the use of AAS gradually decrease, but can last 6-12 weeks after intake. The factors mentioned above also play a role here.

Do steroids work for the whole body?

The upper body seems to benefit the most from anabolic steroids. Especially the chest, neck, shoulders, and upper arms (biceps and triceps). This is because the androgen receptors are more abundant in the upper body. However, the largest differences in muscle mass between users and non-users have also been found in the trapezius and the vastus lateralis, the largest muscle of the quadriceps.

Negative effects and dangers of steroids

AAS affect the body in various ways that can lead to problems. These can be problems resulting from altered hormone balance, processing of AAS by the liver, and rapid increase in muscle mass. Common complaints include:

• Acne
• Development of breasts (gynecomastia) due to estrogen formation
• Liver tumors, liver cirrhosis, and jaundice may occur (especially with an overdose of oral steroids, which pass through the liver twice when taken)
• Pain in the stomach and intestines and possible bleeding
• Enlargement of the prostate in men (difficulty urinating, some ‘anabolic athletes’ need catheters to urinate)
• Appearance of ‘stretch marks’ on the skin due to rapidly growing muscle mass
• Swollen face due to water retention (problems in osmoregulation)
• Increased risk of heart diseases
• High blood pressure and decrease in good cholesterol, HDL
• Increase in ”bad” cholesterol, LDL
• Kidney diseases and kidney stones
• In men, testicles may temporarily assume a smaller size if precautions are not taken (proviron, pregnyl)
• In men, it increases the risk of impotence
• Disorders in blood clotting (thromboses)
• Increased risk of permanent hair loss/premature baldness
• In women, body hair may increase
• In women, the clitoris may enlarge
• In women, the menstrual cycle may be affected
• During pregnancy, it may affect fetal growth by giving a female fetus more male characteristics and vice versa.
• In teens, bone growth may be prematurely stopped.
• In teens, the effects of adulthood may occur prematurely.
• Cholesterol is mainly divided into LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). In short: too much LDL and/or too little HDL is bad. Too much LDL can cause cardiovascular diseases while HDL transports cholesterol to the liver where it is broken down. Some steroids can increase LDL and decrease HDL. This effect disappears when they are no longer used.
• Injuries: Especially in the case of inexperienced athletes, there is also an increased level of injuries (especially to attachments). The attachment is the tendon that connects the muscle to the bone. When the load on muscles is increased too quickly and the attachments are not yet accustomed to it, the risk of injuries is higher. The use of anabolic steroids provides more strength, allowing you to suddenly train heavier. The attachments must be prepared for this. If all medical dangers do not deter you, consider the chance that you may not be able to train for weeks due to an injury. If you have spent hundreds of euros on your course, you will be sitting at home on the couch.

Pyschological effects of anabolic steroids

An edition of the monthly journal CNS Drugs in 2005 listed observed psychological effects of anabolic steroid abuse:

Aggression and violent behavior (“roid rage”), mania, and to a lesser extent psychosis and suicide. Long-term abuse can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

A high dosage, as commonly seen in non-medical use, can lead to apoptosis (programmed cell death) of neurons (nerve cells). Other effects include mood swings and transition to other addictions. Yes, and all that for a few extra kilograms of muscle mass! Although there are modified types of steroids that are intended to limit or prevent some or specific negative side effects, the risks are still significant.

Steroids, life-threatening?

What is very unfortunate is that opinions on this vary greatly, making it not particularly clear. A nice documentary that, for example, nicely illustrates the campaign against AAS in the US (“Bigger, Stronger, Faster”), shows that various political interests have greatly exaggerated the dangers of AAS. For example, if we look at the damage they actually cause according to statistics. Cases of suicide due to depression after stopping AAS, for example, are controversial because antidepressants used may have also contributed. Cancer has in some cases been attributed to AAS in the media with fanfare, which later turned out to have nothing to do with the specific case. Deadly liver complaints are often aggravated by the use of AAS, but usually had a hereditary cause. The problem is further compounded by the lack of long-term studies, so we simply do not know the long-term effects. The side effects are known and for many, a reason not to start. To claim that they are life-threatening, however morally convenient this may be, is insufficiently supported.

Why steroids?

Later in this piece, I discuss the results of studies on users of AAS. These studies show the estimated number of users. Here I discuss the reasons people have for using AAS. I myself make the distinction between 4 groups of users:

• The professionals
• “The victims of the law of diminished returns”
• The victims of poor genes and upbringing
• The impatient/cheaters

The professionals and the ideal: Big, bigger, bodybuilder

Bodybuilding once began with the Greek ideal of man as the starting point. If you look at the development of bodybuilding and bodybuilders from Eugene Sandow to Ronny Coleman, you’ll see that we’ve been beyond that point for years. That’s understandable, by the way. As soon as you put men on a stage to compare their physique, the need to distinguish yourself arises. In bodybuilding, there is nothing left to compare when everyone meets one and the same ideal. After all, Spot-the-difference is not a fun game when you’re looking at two exact copies. You can distinguish yourself as a bodybuilder in roughly 4 ways:

1. How dry are you?
2. How much muscle mass do you have?
3. The balance between the various muscle groups.
4. Presentation

Although a low percentage of body fat (and little water retention) often proves unattainable for many and remains a continuous challenge for many others, the limit of this is known. We have likely already seen people at their driest on stage. Reducing fat is often not possible and certainly not in the long term because your organs need this minimum amount of fat. In terms of presentation, I only need to point to Kai Greene to see the enormous development in that area. A development that I certainly applaud. The balance between muscle groups ensures that we do not get strange figures with legs like pencils and a massive upper body like Jerom from Suske and Wiske. Muscle mass, however, is an aspect where we do not yet know where the limit lies. If you want to distinguish yourself from others, you only have a few variables to play with. In a sport of subjectivity (ultimately it’s a matter of taste who you think looks best), objective standards are very pleasant. And what is more objective than the fact that carrying 20 kilograms more muscle mass? It is then easy to understand how this can escalate. Competitions have created a situation in which bodybuilders constantly feel the need to get bigger with nobody knowing where the limit lies.

“The victims of the law of diminishing returns”

Many will recognize this. You have been training for a few years, paying attention to your nutrition, and trying various routines and supplements. Despite your good efforts of training five times a week and shakes before bed and after waking up, you notice that you are making less and less progress. This is the well-known law of diminishing returns. Your body grows through stimuli. The more often and intensively you train, the more difficult it becomes to give your body another stimulus. Some see this as a reason to start using AAS. However, the problem is that people are creatures of habit. That’s fine as long as it means you habitually go to the gym several times a week. However, it’s disadvantageous if this means that every workout becomes the same routine of exercises with an occasional extra weight plate. The latter no longer provides a stimulus after a while. Before considering AAS, it is therefore very important to inform yourself about various exercises per muscle group, different ways of execution, and different training principles. If you train 8 hours a week, spend some time learning how to train more effectively! Of course, benching 150 kilograms seems much cooler than doing a new variation of a chest exercise with 16kg dumbbells. Fuck it!! The point is to stimulate your muscles again. If that means going back to baby weights for a while, then so be it. Use a training schedule for 4-6 weeks and then change the schedule. The ‘split’ (division over muscle groups) can remain the same, but the exercises and execution of these must change. It may also be worth re-evaluating your diet and checking if it is in line with your goals and body type.

The victims of bad genes and upbringing

I myself am an ecto-/mesomorph, the body type that is very lean but also has some difficulty building a lot of muscle mass. Advantage: All muscles you add have good definition, and you look tight and lean. Disadvantage: 130 kilograms of dry muscle mass like nowadays on the international stages is not in the cards. Fortunately, that’s not my ambition, and I’m happy with my body, but what if that were different? I see others training for years and hardly making any progress in muscle mass. They look around in gyms and think, “Why can’t I do it?” I can imagine that must be very frustrating. Granted, a genetic disadvantage doesn’t make it easy, but not impossible either. Usually, they still make mistakes in building their schedule or even more often with their diet. In addition to genetic predisposition, upbringing is an important aspect. Have you been playing sports your entire childhood and are you used to pushing your physical limits? Then you have a good chance of having a better starting position when you start training and a better attitude for during training. Firstly, your chance of a high percentage of body fat is lower. Fat cells can grow in size until they reach their maximum size. When this is the case and there are still too many unused calories coming in, additional fat cells can be created. When you eat fewer calories, the larger fat cells can become smaller again, but the extra created fat cells remain! So, if you came out of your youth with overweight, you’re screwed for life, sorry. Thanks, mom and dad. Secondly, you have a great advantage if you have played sports in your youth. Among other things because you have already made certain neurological connections in the brain to control certain muscle contractions. More importantly, you know the principle of having fatigue but still pushing through until you can’t anymore. This latter principle is very important in bodybuilding (‘until failure’). In fact, many (including myself) believe that the moment of fatigue until the moment of failure is precisely the moment when the muscle is sufficiently stimulated (‘overload’) to go into supercompensation (muscle growth through protein synthesis). As an athlete, you are used to pushing your limit. As a non-athlete, you often find it a ridiculous idea to continue when you are tired. If you have to learn this in the gym instead of on a soccer or basketball field where you can forget your fatigue because of the game, it becomes very difficult to change your mental state.

The impatient and ‘cheaters’

A few days before writing this article, I was training when I heard two guys next to me talking about using AAS. I had hardly seen them in the gym for a few months myself, and in terms of physique, they didn’t seem like seasoned bodybuilders who had already tried all other methods. Basically, it came down to the fact that you could hardly see that they had building muscle mass as a goal. Because I was so surprised that they were already talking about AAS, and I happened to be writing about this, I approached them and asked if I could ask them a question, or actually two. One of the two answered, and I think this was also the one who talked about AAS with the idea of using them.

”How long have you been training?” Answer: ”About a year”. ”Why are you considering using AAS now?” Answer: ”Because I’m making little progress”

I found it impressive that I could react to this without a disapproving tone or looks, but in my mind, I thought (”What is a fucking year!?!”). Especially when you realize that the first year is when you make the fastest progress, it shows impatience if you consider using AAS after just a year. He also admitted this. He saw the big guys and wanted to look like that too ”and give it a try”. I explained that ”the big guys” have spent years of training and meticulous nutrition before this, and that I, for one, have never used AAS, in case he might think that (which he did indeed think). Because I couldn’t completely keep my opinion to myself about this (the instructor won over the journalist), I did ask him if it would be a one-time thing when he saw the kilograms of muscle mass disappear after a cycle. He thought so, to which I indicated that I would like to ask him about this later. Especially the first years of bodybuilding are the most fun because you see progress so quickly. However, don’t demand too much from yourself and set realistic goals. Don’t expect to suddenly gain 10 kilograms of dry muscle mass in half a year. Patience is a virtue, and a clean physique too!

The Adonis complex

All four mentioned reasons for starting with AAS have one and the same basic cause: The feeling of dissatisfaction with one’s own appearance. Let’s face it: Many men nowadays are just as insecure about their bodies as most women. And often rightly so! Sorry to say, but I’m not Oprah or Dr. Phil. The average Dutchman exercises too little, eats too much, and is too fat. When I walk onto the beach, I don’t dare to take off my t-shirt either. Not because I’m ashamed of my body, but precisely because I’m afraid of looking like a show-off next to all those beer bellies and matchstick arms (as a bodybuilder, you will probably recognize this). It is estimated that in the Netherlands between 50,000 and 100,000 men are obsessively concerned with their bodies. Men’s Health did some research into the behavior and attitude of Dutch men a while back, especially how they deal with their appearance. The research showed that forty percent of men sometimes worry about their appearance. Almost fifty percent watch their calories when eating, and seventy percent of men are dissatisfied with their stomach. Sixty percent of single men want more muscles. Men in a relationship are a bit less critical. (Source: Zembla). According to the figures from the Dutch center for Doping issues, apparently more than 10% of the group that wants more muscle mass uses(d) AAS to achieve this. Just as women are influenced by models who have been watching their diet their whole lives but are still photoshopped, men are influenced by guys with washboard abs and big muscles. In both cases, they often owe their bodies to years of dedication. In the case of the models, it is still deemed necessary to make the figure even slimmer, while many bodybuilders, in addition to dedication, can also use some extra means to appear their best on the cover. Both make it very difficult to emulate. But you shouldn’t want to emulate them at all! Always take yourself as a starting point, see what you want to improve, inquire about the best, healthy way to achieve this. Especially don’t look at the big guys in the gym for any other reason than to motivate yourself. Don’t let it frustrate you at all. The most common mistake in the gym is not recognizing your own limits. Don’t be tempted to lift 20 kilograms if 10 kilograms is actually your max just because your training buddy happens to do it. Don’t be tempted at all to use anabolic steroids just because someone else is bigger than you. The Adonis complex works for a bodybuilder just like reverse anorexia. People who look at you see big arms and a broad torso, but when you look in the mirror, those arms never seem big enough, and that chest is always a bit too flat. According to a large-scale American study from 1997, men were more insecure about their chest than women! According to American psychiatrist Harrison Pope, bodybuilders who consider themselves too small also belong to the people with Body Dismorphic Disorder. The extent to which this is a problem depends on how you express dissatisfaction with your body. If you do this by continuing to push yourself during training through intensity and variation, by using good nutrition from which the body benefits, and with objective goals, then I don’t see a problem in this. If this means that you are never satisfied with the result by definition, then this can be problematic. TIP! To prevent yourself from never being satisfied, it is wise to have realistic objective goals for yourself: “I want to weigh 90kg with a body fat percentage of 7%” or “I want to have an arm circumference of 45cm”. The scale and the measuring tape don’t lie, but the mirror does! Bodybuilding is business! To enthusiastically respond to the feeling of dissatisfaction with one’s own body described above is the supplement industry. This multi-billion-dollar industry has as its tried-and-tested method the display of the most muscular, super dry bodies. As a professional bodybuilder, you mainly earn your income through sponsorship from the supplement industry. These producers of regular supplements are more than happy to create full-page advertisements showing ‘their’ bodybuilder showcasing the products of his sponsor that have ensured he now looks like this. Meanwhile, they happily look away when the substances that are not in the advertisement are taken, or they even actively help the athlete themselves (Balco). All this results in extremely large men on stage. Don’t get me wrong, I find it very impressive and also beautiful. That’s also the problem. It creates a new, unattainable, ideal image of man. You might say, “But no one wants to look like those Michelin men, right?” Wrong! Yes, it’s often said: “I want a nicely muscular body, but I don’t want to be such a wardrobe.” I have two problems with statements like these: First of all, it’s always poor people who say money doesn’t make you happy, ugly people who say beauty comes from within, and guys with a small dick who say size doesn’t matter. So, in my opinion, it’s for the same reason that people say they don’t aspire to something, simply because they know they would never (be able to) reach that level. Then it’s easy to say that you don’t want to be a muscleman only to then flop down on the couch with your beer belly. More importantly, sometimes I hear guys/men say they want a body like mine (thanks for the compliment). ‘Dry, but not too muscular (thanks for the insult).’ Then they don’t understand that I use bodybuilder training methods for this and that you don’t achieve this with regular ‘fitness’. Because nowadays I see that the average young man in a gym spends 90% or more on strength training, you can’t convince me that they all don’t want to be very muscular. Once addicted to the new muscle mass, perception changes and suddenly the muscle mass of bodybuilders no longer seems ridiculous but becomes a goal. Until we saw men like Lee Haney, Schwarzenegger, and Dorian Yates, we didn’t even know we could get so big. Now that we know, we want it. Just like you can feel rich until you get new neighbors who have a BMW 7 series, the latest Tesla, or a Ferrari parked in front of their door. The bar has been raised, and without AAS, there’s no point in trying to surpass it.

Bodybuilders as willing guinea pigs

In a certain respect, it is comparable to the Tour de France. By the way, I have absolutely no affinity with or knowledge of cycling, so if you think I’m completely missing the point here, sorry. We expect too much from our athletes. Every year we want to see more than the year before while we know that the limits of natural human potential cannot be stretched much further. We hear stories about bodybuilders who have seen a liver condition worsen due to AAS, stop on doctors’ advice, but then start using again because otherwise they have no chance on stage. To perform on stage, to get on the cover of a magazine, to simply make ends meet as a professional bodybuilder, you ‘have to’ use steroids. Just like the Tour riders, we expect the best performances from them, but we don’t want to hear anything about doping use. Just like the tour riders, they deliver fantastic performances thanks to total dedication to the sport, but they force fellow athletes to make the same sacrifices to achieve the same. The annoying thing about the Tour (but also the Olympic Games) is that it is also an example that even with the use of large resources to prevent doping use, it can never be ruled out (see the major Russian doping scandal). Athletes have often been all too willing to play guinea pig to try out performance-enhancing substances. The consequences of this are sometimes only seen years later, as was the case with Dianabol when the first users experienced liver problems, among other things.

Are Anabolic steroids addictive?

Are steroids addictive? When answering that question, we need to distinguish between physical addiction and mental addiction.

Mental addiction

The most described addictive effect of AAS is the mental one. Users may experience various mental complaints after stopping a cycle, with the most common being depression. This depression is often attributed to having to accept the loss of strength and muscle mass. I can imagine this very well. I can already have this when I stop taking creatine, a supplement whose effects are by no means comparable to AAS. A study during the Dutch Bodybuilding Championship of 1994 found that 90% of users experienced side effects and 1 in 5 experienced withdrawal symptoms. These ranged from depression and fatigue to physical complaints such as impotence. For 36% of these people, this was a reason to start a new cycle. A small 7% of them said they considered themselves addicted. Mood swings and depression are therefore common complaints after stopping a cycle.

Physical addiction

The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s (ACNP) demonstrated the potential for (physical) addiction to AAS. In 2005, it published the results of a study on the addictive effects of AAS. The researchers allowed hamsters to choose between two delivery systems. One delivered a dose of the more popular AAS such as testosterone, nandrolone, drostanolone, or oxymetholone when activated.

A computer recorded the number of times each animal used the active and inactive delivery mechanisms. Overall, the animals showed a marked preference for testosterone, nandrolone, or drostanolone, engaging the active delivery mechanism twice as often as the control. However, not all steroids are rewarding: hamsters did not voluntarily inject the weak steroids stanozolol or oxymetholone. By isolating the animals, researchers were able to remove the possibility that the hamster’s decision to take the drugs would be affected by any social or behavioral factors.’

The researchers concluded that (the stronger) steroids seem to activate the reward system in the brain associated with addictions. This also makes it possible to speak of a physical addiction.

The “steroid clinic”

The VU Medical Center Amsterdam started a special outpatient clinic in 2010 where AAS users can go for help. This is to help users and gain more insight into the various substances used. The reason for this was, among other things, a study by TNO in 200 9 that concluded that 20,000 amateur athletes use AAS. Another reason was the knowledge that many users do not want to or dare not turn to their own general practitioner for fear of insufficient knowledge about these substances from the general practitioner. Endocrinologist Pim de Ronde explains:

Just because these are substances where there is no control at all. Because we know that very high doses are used. It can hardly be otherwise that this has harmful consequences. We offer them the opportunity to discuss their complaints and to have a number of things examined. You should think of blood tests, an ECG, urine tests, and depending on what we find, we will advise those people what to do. source: http://nos.nl/video/134523-anabole-poli-geopend

He emphasizes, however, that they will not systematically guide people in their use for fear that the threshold will then be lower to experiment. However, they are happy to map out the long-term effects and will therefore ask users to come back after, for example, a year.

Various anabolic steroids, modifications, and enzymes

To understand the differences between various AAS, we need to go back to testosterone. As mentioned, AAS are actually synthetic hormones based on testosterone. This synthetic hormone is then modified for various purposes: oral intake, longer activity, more powerful or less powerful effect (both in terms of anabolic and androgenic properties), fewer side effects, lower detection in controls, etc.

Testosterone under the microscope

The structural formula for testosterone is C₁₉H₂₈O₂. For those like me who didn’t pay enough attention during chemistry at school, I’ll explain first how to read such a structural formula. Where lines meet or a line ends without a letter, there is a carbon atom (C). A carbon atom always has 4 bonds. A line is such a bond. Double lines therefore represent a double bond. If a carbon bond is not drawn, it is still there. This is because it is a bond with a hydrogen atom (H) which fills the missing bond. The formula could therefore be written very easily and shortly as \/\/\. The differences in various AAS mainly concern the modifications to this molecule. Because the description often starts with the modification to this molecule, it is useful to recognize it so that the differences are also clear. Of course, you can also skip all this (as I did at school by dropping the subject as quickly as possible) and only read what it does for you and why. Chemically, the difference between Testosterone and DHT is the absence of the double bond between the 4th and 5th positions. For AAS users, the most important difference is that DHT is not converted into Estradiol. Testosterone is partly converted into Estradiol by the enzyme aromatase. This reduces the risk of nasty side effects such as gynecomastia and also retains more DHT available to do its muscle-strengthening and enlarging work. However, excessively high DHT levels are pointless because the body has mechanisms to prevent too high levels. Excessive DHT is converted into other, non-anabolic, substances. As mentioned, Testosterone is the mother of all AAS based on it. However, orally ingested testosterone has a very low active effect due to the liver’s breakdown. The metabolism of the liver breaks it down into “useless” metabolites such as androsterone and ketosteroids, which are excreted from the body via urine. Hence, many AAS are administered in other ways, such as injections, gels, or patches. To effectively ingest AAS orally, synthetic testosterone has been modified in various ways. Other modifications are aimed at use by injections. An example is the so-called 17 alpha alkylation. By adding a methyl group (CH₃ on the 17th position), the effectiveness is extended/enlarged. Some call this the improved “First pass,” the first time the liver is passed. However, the substances pass the liver more often. The question is whether it is specifically the first time the hormones pass the liver or every time the methyl addition does its work. The addition of methyl not only improves absorption but also poses a heavy burden on the liver. Liver tumors and damaged liver cells have already been attributed to the use of 17 alpha alkyl AAS. Experienced (and therefore regular) users therefore take into account the dosage, duration of use, or prefer injections.

Esters

One modification for injections is the use of ‘esters’. Testosterone itself has a very short half-life. It breaks down quickly, so you would have to inject it daily. By adding an organic acid to the steroid molecule, an ester is formed. This ‘esterification’ ensures that the substance is more soluble in fat/oil and less soluble in water. It mainly settles in adipose tissue where it is gradually broken down. The connection with the organic acid is broken, so it is converted back into the “mother-steroid molecule.” This ensures a gradual release into the blood (fluid). The advantage of this is that you don’t have to inject daily. There are various types of esters: Acetate, enanthate, and propionate are common. Other esters are isocaproate, caproate, decanoate, and undecanoate. The differences lie in the chemical composition and the ratio of solubility in fat versus water. The higher the solubility in fat and the lower in water, the longer the half-life. This ratio depends on the number of carbon atoms in the ester molecule. Testosterone enanthate (7 carbon atoms) and testosterone cypionate (8 carbon atoms) both take about 8-10 days to reach their respective half-life, so they are usually injected weekly (up to a maximum of 2 weeks) for good results. Testosterone propionate (3 carbon atoms) takes about 3-4 days to reach half-life, so it should be injected in lower doses and at least twice a week to every other day. Esters do not work on 17 alpha alkyl AAS because the access of enzymes to the ester is blocked by the 17 alpha alkyl addition.

19-nor

19-nor steroids are precursors (prohormones) of nandrolone (also called 19-nortestosterone). They lack the carbon atom (and associated hydrogen atoms) at the 19th position. They are also partly converted into Nandrolone by the body. In addition, they are less powerful than, for example, Nandrolone itself, so they produce less muscle mass. However, they are proportionally much less androgenic. Due to their flatter chemical structure, they bind more easily to muscle tissue than to the prostate and other sex organs. This means you don’t have to worry as much about estrogen and dihydrotestosterone (see above). In addition, Nandrolone itself cannot be taken orally, while the 19-nor variants can.

Aromatase

One of the major challenges of anabolic use is dealing with, or rather preventing, aromatase. Aromatase is an enzyme that removes the methyl group at the 19th position (or rather oxidizes it). In the case of testosterone, a new ring with 3 double bonds is created, the ring is then aromatized. This converts testosterone into the female hormone estradiol (a type of estrogen). This is an enzyme whose users would like to inhibit its action. For this, many use so-called inhibitors. There are so-called competitive inhibitors. These are substances that bind to aromatase at the position where aromatase can bind to testosterone. This makes it impossible for aromatase to bind to testosterone. However, the more testosterone there is in the system, the harder it is for the inhibitor to compete with it. In addition, there are the so-called suicide inhibitors that destroy the enzyme, and then themselves.

Growth Hormones

A completely different category of performance-enhancing, strength-boosting, and muscle-building substances are human growth hormones, or HGH, Human Growth Hormone (HGH). These do not fall under the category of AAS. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic hormones based on male, fat-based sex hormones, as explained above. HGHs are protein-based peptide hormones produced by the brain. Human growth hormones are therefore not steroids even though they have anabolic effects. They are often used in the medical world to promote the growth of very small children and to strengthen the muscles of the elderly.

Synthol

Synthol actually has nothing to do with anabolic steroids. However, its use can be a symptom of the same desire to be big. Synthol is an oil based on natural fats. It contains benzyl alcohol, a substance that works both as a disinfectant and a preservative, and lidocaine, a powerful painkiller. The muscle is literally pumped full of fatty acids. This contributes nothing to strength, only empty mass. Moreover, because connective tissue is formed and there are so many fatty acids present, the muscle cannot contract properly and will lose strength! In addition, injecting so many fatty acids intramuscularly carries great risks: inflammation and the death of muscle cells and pulmonary embolism. Perhaps ‘The godfather of synthol’ is Greg Valentine. Almost every old school bodybuilder knows the images of his ridiculously shaped biceps that eventually sag all the way down to his triceps, upon which he takes a knife and cuts the pus out. Nowadays, we see these kinds of circus freaks and horror stories appearing a lot from Russia and Brazil. I have to make a distinction here between professional bodybuilders who use it to enhance underlying muscle groups and guys who just take the easy way out. Personally, I disapprove of both. Pumping up your muscles is done with training and nutrition, not with a needle.

“Which anabolic steroids should I use?”

Of course, I am morally obligated to say, “The best use is none.” But even if I ignore my own value judgment and remain substantive, it’s a difficult question. There are simply many different AAS with different effects. Moreover, these are often combined (stacked). So, it’s quite a challenge to inform yourself well to know what is likely to work best for you (and your results). Consider differences in the anabolic/androgenic ratio, water retention, detectability, risks, aromatization, etc. Furthermore, later in this article, I will explain that you can’t just walk into your local drugstore and ask for a jar of anabolics. They are illegal after all. So, you may receive the most fantastic advice and know exactly what you want, but the question is whether you can actually get it. Lastly, there are differences in the quality of different suppliers of the same product. Whether a product comes from Russia or Thailand can make a big difference. So, be aware of this. When something is offered to you, make sure you know exactly what it is and where it comes from. In practice, it may also be advisable to be informed by an experienced user, but also to know for yourself what you do and don’t want. Without testing everything you buy, you have no idea what you’re injecting into your body.

How do you use anabolic steroids?

First of all, a reminder. Building muscle mass is done through a good diet and the right training. If that’s missing, then AAS also have little use. So pay attention to the correct calorie intake and the ratio of protein-carbohydrates-fat. There are four common ways to administer anabolic steroids. Oral pills, injectables, creams/gels, and skin patches. Oral ingestion is the easiest. It is absorbed very quickly, but is mostly broken down and is therefore only available in active form for 1/6. For this reason, adjustments have been made where the liver breaks down less (methyltestosterone and fluoxymesterone). Due to the esterification mentioned, anabolic steroids can also be taken outside the gastrointestinal tract by injecting them. This ensures a greater activity of the anabolic steroids. They are injected directly into the muscle and not into the veins. This prevents a sudden and large change in the amount in the bloodstream. More importantly, esterified steroids are soluble in fat, not in water (moisture). In the bloodstream, they can therefore lead to an embolism (blood clot). Patches can provide a regular release into the bloodstream. Creams and gels are also available, but absorption is limited to an average of 10% (although this varies per person). This makes it relatively expensive because more must be used. Another disadvantage is that absorption takes 6 hours. During this time, you cannot shower because it will wash away. A greater disadvantage is that people who have physical contact with the patch may accidentally ingest the substance. Androgenic agents are very dangerous for women and children. Injection administration is therefore most common among athletes. Once in the body, there are not many differences in effectiveness. However, with oral use in high doses, there is increased danger of liver conditions. Maybe then it’s for you. However, continue to ask yourself the question as objectively as possible: ‘What am I actually doing this for and what does it effectively yield me’.

‘Cycles’

Anabolics are taken over a certain period, usually at least 9 weeks. The longer the cycle, the greater the chance of negative side effects such as the limited production by the body of its own hormones due to the habituation to external administration. You could write pages about cycles and then discuss each page.

Who uses anabolic steroids?

According to figures from the Dutch center for Doping Issues (NeCeDo), annually 1.7 million people enter a gym. Between 100,000 and 135,000 individuals have ever used doping, of which 40,000 use it regularly. Moreover, 26% of the young visitors to fitness centers are interested in using these substances! These are the figures that once made me wonder “who are those guys? 6%-8% using AAS? I don’t see them. In retrospect, of course, I saw them daily but had no idea. I translated the percentage into the number of big guys that would have to be average in a gym, and then I didn’t find these numbers.” The mistake was, of course, to think that these users had already traveled a long road before using AAS. I did not realize that it was much more often the guys who had achieved nothing in bodybuilding and thought this would remain the same if they didn’t resort to these kinds of substances. By the way, I wonder to what extent that 26% interested in using these substances knows the difference between regular supplements and AAS. If after a workout at work I put creatine in my fruit juice and made my shake, I would sometimes hear “Hey man, back on the steroids?” Toe-curling, annoying ignorance that detracts from all your efforts to gain mass cleanly. If these 26% cannot make this distinction, then this percentage doesn’t say much. “Interest in the use of” is also a broad concept. I am also interested in the use of AAS, as evidenced by the fact that I have been writing all these articles related to AAS for a few months now. This does not mean that I am actually considering using them myself (which I am not!). TNO’s research also took into account uncertainty about the term performance-enhancing substances. In their study on the lifestyle of fitness practitioners, they made it clear what falls under this term and what doesn’t when asking the question. In response to the question of how many people use performance-enhancing substances, they also take into account possible errors in the statistical calculation of the total derived from the obtained information The number of people using performance-enhancing substances, according to the classic method, is 0.4%. The randomized response method shows that 8.2% of fitness practitioners use performance-enhancing substances. These percentages from the two methods differ significantly from each other. It can be concluded that the classic method leads to an underestimation of the number of people using performance-enhancing substances. According to these calculations, the number of users ranges from 8,000 to 164,000 (out of a total of 2,000,000 fitness practitioners)! Above, you could read that the VU Medical Center (and nowadays Kennemer Gasthuis) opened a steroid clinic for the 20,000 steroid users. In the overview of the substances mentioned by them, you can see that they: Either only counted the 1% steroid users and not users of growth hormones, prohormones, and insulin (according to the randomized method) or assumed that these are often the same people (which would be very logical). I presented this question to them and they indeed count this as one and the same group. Studies in the US have shown that about 1% of the population uses anabolic steroids. Most of these are so-called middle-class heterosexual men with the most common age around 25 years, who are bodybuilders who do not compete or even non-athletes. The (non-medical) use by students was less than 1%. A more recent survey in the US showed that 78.4% of users are bodybuilders who do not compete and non-athletes. 13% reported unsafe injection practices such as needle and ampoule reuse and sharing. However, another study concluded that unsafe use in injection was lower than 1%. Another interesting study on the educational level of users showed that users had a higher education than the average American. Moreover, a higher percentage had a job and the income was higher than the national median income. This is, of course, a nice argument against the cliché that bodybuilders are dumb muscleheads. Also interesting, but mainly unfortunate, is that 56% concealed their use from their own doctor. This is mainly due to a lack of confidence in (the knowledge of) the doctor about anabolic steroids (92%).

Trade in anabolic steroids

The Netherlands, like many other countries, has legislation on (or actually against) the use of anabolic steroids in sports. They are often manufactured in laboratories in countries where regulations are less strict and are then smuggled elsewhere. They are sometimes also illegally manufactured in home-based laboratories with imported raw materials. This means that organized crime also plays a role here. Some people who sold steroids to others as a favor ended up as dealers in other hard drugs in jail. In some gyms, they are available under the counter or someone knows where and/or from whom you can buy them. But also professionals like (veterinarian) doctors and pharmacists sometimes offer them illegally. Others go a step further and wait outside clinics for AIDS patients to offer them money for received growth hormones. Many fake anabolic steroids are also offered through mail-order companies and webshops.

Doping Controls

The most common way to test for the use of anabolic steroids is by urine testing. However, blood and hair are sometimes used as well. Depending on the dosage, type of steroids, and method of administration, they can still be detectable about 30 days after use. However, because the ”traces” of use can often resemble those of other endogenous hormones, it remains quite a challenge to determine that banned substances have been used. A “nice” example, of course, is the Tour de France where lab results are constantly disputed.

Conclusion

To write this piece and related articles, I have delved quite deeply into this matter while I previously kept myself as far away from it as possible. In one important respect, my opinion has somewhat changed: I genuinely believe that some anabolic-androgenic steroids can be safely used if you know what you’re doing, if you have good guidance, if you can access the right substances, and if you can handle the mental consequences. But there are so many “ifs” that in practice it is hardly feasible to do this completely safely. Moreover, the long-term effects of many products are still unknown, so it remains a gamble. In another important respect, however, my opinion has not changed: Only do and use what you can sustain in the long term. If you think beforehand that you will use it only once, realize that this is sometimes easier said than done. As described, AAS can be mentally addictive. If you think about anabolics, chances are you consider muscle mass very important. So you will by definition have a hard time when your strength and muscle mass disappear after a cycle. Do you think you are mentally stronger or do you think the prospect of regular use in the long term is not bad at all, are you not afraid of the dangers, are you sufficiently informed, is your wallet filled, and most importantly: have you really done everything possible to achieve the maximum result through years of dedicated training and nutrition and have you already hit a ceiling for a long time? Maybe then it’s for you. However, continue to ask yourself the question as objectively as possible: ‘What am I actually doing this for and what does it effectively yield me’.