Showing posts with label steroids. Show all posts

Jay Cutler Use Steroid - Must See It

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The Anatormy of a Steroid User

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WOOW : A Supplementation before training Kai Greene

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Smoking Marijuana Without Memory Loss? New Research Shows Hope!

The FDA has approved drugs based on marijuana’s active ingredient, THC, for limited use in some cancer patients, to help combat the nausea and vomiting experienced during chemotherapy treatments. It is limited because the main side-effect, memory loss, is such a concern. Little has been known about the molecular underpinnings of the memory impairments caused by marijuana. But a recent discovery by researchers at the Louisiana University Health Sciences Center has found a way to stop the memory loss side effect.
“Our studies have solved the longtime mystery of how marijuana causes neuronal and memory impairments,” lead investigator Chu Chen said Thursday in a statement. “The results suggest that the use of medical marijuana could be broadened if patients concurrently take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen.”
The memory loss that comes from using THC-based therapies is the result of an increase in the enzyme COX-2 in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Ibuprofen can lower COX-2 levels, thus preventing the memory loss. This not only works for patients taking THC therapies, but it can also work to prevent the neurological damage from Alzheimer’s Disease, opening up possibilities for treatments for other neurological diseases.
“Our results suggest that the unwanted side effects of cannabis could be eliminated or reduced, while retaining its beneficial effects, by administering a COX-2 inhibitor along with [delta-9-THC] for the treatment of intractable medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease,” Chen reported.
Alzheimer’s is a common form of dementia that is a neurodegenerative disease that eventually progresses toward death. First reported in the early 20th century it currently affects 26.2 million people around the world and is predicted to strike 1 in 85 people by 2050.
Why does any of this matter to an addiction treatment center? Because we are always interested in the science that helps people recover…for addiction or any illness. No drug is to be vilified. Prescription pain killers, for example, are appropriate for some people at some times. Medically used THC is no different. Any medication that can bring an end to suffering should be researched and clinical trials conducted when appropriate. Our goal in addiction treatment is to help those with addiction recover and help educate physicians as to the dangers of addiction where it exists, not deny access to medication to those in need.

WTF! Bull on steroids??

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Best steroids

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Best steroids? Which are they? Are there steroids out there which are better for the user or produce better gains? Yes, there are best steroids! However, the results a particular steroid produces, and the quality of such results is purely based on the goals set before the steroid cycle. We cannot say which are best steroids for you, bu we can tell you which are the best steroids to reach your goals. Let’s look at some examples of goals set pre-steroid-cycle:
Goal 1: Bulk Up – Best Steroids for Bulking Up
1) Danabol
2) Nandrolone Decanoate
3) Testosterone (esters – enanthate, cypionate)
4) Androlic
5) Sustanon 250
6) Trenbolone
7) Boldenone (Equipoise)
When you are trying to bulk up, you are looking for steroid compounds which produce the most gains in the shortest period of time. Whether it’s lean gains or not, the steroids used in bulking will literally blow you up. Some of these steroids, such as Nandrolone Decanoate and Danabol is the favorite stack of many bodybuilders. Try to ask Arnold Schwarzenegger about his bulking beststeroids cycles, and what he thinks are the best steroids for bulking. Arnold Schwarzenegger will tell you they are Nandrolone Decanoate and Danabol for bulking up.
Nowadays, many extreme bodybuilders tend to stacking steroids such as Androlic and Danabol as well as Testosterone with Nandrolone Decanoate as one of full bulking stacks. We don’t recommend mixing Androlic and Danabol, for it is very liver toxic combination ! And this steroid combination can be very bad for your health in the long term.  It’s not the best steroids combination at all.
The Trenbolone critics will get upset that trenbolone is not no. 1, why is it so? The popular belief is that trenbolone is a cutting/bulking substances, which brings you lean mass, however, any realtrenbolone user will tell you that trenbolone injections every day are not reasonable. It’s not possible to inject yourself daily a dose of trenbolone unless you have an unlimited pain threshold; thus, it’s more clever to add trenbolone to an already existing steroid cycle such as Testosteroneand Danabol. On top of the daily injection problem, trenbolone is known for being terrible on cardio shape of the user. Cardio shape is diminished terribly with trenbolone.
Last on the list, you can see Boldenone. Boldenone is not so much on the list as a best steroids for bulking but for its’ ability to make you huge, but moreso for its’ ability to make you eat like a horse. Boldenone is one of the best steroids for increasing your appetite (probably the best one) than any other steroid, even better than B12 injections. On top of that, Boldenone is known to increase red blood cell count, which makes cardiovascular activity a breeze. Why is this good for your body? Well, if you’ve ever been on a bulking steroid cycle, walking around at 300lbs., you’d know why any help with your cardio shape is beneficial at all. Finally, many critics ask why Boldenone was not added in the Goal 2 section (*Best Steroids for Lean Out). It is easy to answer! How can you lean out when you appetite is asking you to eat as a small elephant?
Goal 2: Lean Mass (cut up) – Best Steroids for Lean Mass
1) Primobolan
2) Bonavar
3) Winstrol
4) Testosterone Propionate
5) Trenbolone
6) Masteron
Now, on to leaning out, what are the best steroids for leaning out and cutting up? Well, let’s take a look at our list above. The most prominent of the steroids is probably winstrol, which has been known for years to be one the best steroids for leaning out (rumored as the best steroids to lean out). Almost every steroid user has heard about or knows Winstrol in one way or another. Winstrol is on the list of best steroids for cutting up because of its’ unique ability to harden up muscle mass, making muscles appear harder and rounder.
Bonavar, coming in at no. 2 on the list of the best steroids is probably one of the best known steroids after winstrol. Bonavar is used by many bodybuilders as well as professional powerlifters. Bonavar has an amazing ability to increase strength while helping you burn bodyfat. A study done with Bonavar use in adult males suggest that average dosage of anavar between 10-20mgs per day increases fat burning capacity by 80%. This is not magic, but it’s significant.
Trenbolone, making the cutting list as well as the bulking list of best steroids, trenbolone is such a unique steroid that it deserves a lot of respect. Out of all the steroids available, trenbolone is one of the most effective, but also one of the most side effect filled drugs (right after Adrolic). So, why is it at no. 5? That’s because Trenbolone use is usually limited to 6 week periods, making it unrealistic for long term use in a 16 week cutting steroid cycle.
Primobolan is no. 1 of our list of Best Steroids for cutting up and leaning out! Primobolan is by far the best steroid for cutting up. Primobolan allows user to keep a low calorie diet while increasing muscle mass. Imagine a BodyOpus diet by Dan Duchaine, with primobolan and winstrol. It’s estimated a proper BodyOpus diet with the usage of Primobolan, Winstrol and Bonavar can acheive an average fat loss of 15-20% bodyfat as well as a muscle gain of around 10-15lbs. in a 12-16 week period. If that’s not the best steroids stack you’ve seen, we can’t say much more.
It was rumored that Arnold Schwarzenegger used Primobolan with Danabol to cut up for a bodybuilding show. We think this rumor is a bit overblown. It’s more likely Arnold Schwarzenegger used Primobolan as well as other steroids to cut up; however, the real belief is that Arnold Schwarzenegger used Primobolan, Danabol as well as human growth hormone (HGH). Human growth hormone (HGH) is the early version of HGH which was derived from dead human cadavers! These days all HGH is synthetic and belongs to the best steroids list.

Why steroids?

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1. There was a study done by the University of Michigan which showed that men using anabolic steroids had a higher rate of salary compared to their non-anabolic steroid using colleagues. Men who are driven enough to risk life and limb in the pursuit of their goals of physical perfection will no doubt apply the same fever to other arena’s.
2. Anabolic steroids though used for the musceles gain have an effect on one’s mental state. In public other men look at you with respect. Not all of you have to respect you yourself, but fear works just as well. The fact that other men step out of your way when you walk gives gives you a sense of security. Knowing how much stronger you are a gives you a  peace of mind. Your girlfriend would probably also appreciate the fact you are a big guy. You have a calm that only real strength and unnatural size of your muscles can give.
3. Anabolic steroids can give you the feeling of when you first started. Do you remember when you were young, each day you woke up you would look in the mirror to see if you had grown during the night? Once you reach the top of natural bodybuilding and then you do not feel you are growing. Steroids can change it. After anabolic steroids administration. Now when I go to the gym I look forward to seeing how much stronger I am today, how much bigger.
4. Anabolic steroids allow you the ability to overcome very mediocre genetics. Anabolic steroids allow you to break through that plateau. People usually reach the top of natural bodybuilding and they cannot improve and gain more muscles. Anabolic steroids let you break this plateau and you con continue improving your body. You can suddenly becme another person by using anaboic steroids.
5. I am a strength junkie. I have always been strong but Anabolic steroids have allowed me to perform on a level of Olympic athletes. In my gym we have some football players who are over me in height and weigh much more than I do , but are not even nearly as strong as I am mself. I , again , do not have the genetics to be a Professional athlete but  as a result of anabolic steroids I have taken what ability I have and refined it to a point that talent and genetics cannot even aproach. How many bodybuilders can say they are the best that they can possibly be ?
6. Anabolic steroids force me to go to the gym. I am not going to waste my money by administering anabolic steroids and lying at my sofa watching TV. I’ve never needed a partner to help motivate me , never. But ,there are somedays when I am so sore and tired and I have trouble walking. On these days I think of every excuse to skip training. When I’m on steroid cycles I don’t think twice about going or not, no matter how much I am hurting.
7. Anabolic steroids helped heal some of the injuries I have caused before. My shoulders use to hurt so much , from heavy benching. Somedays when it came time to do legs , my knees hurt so much. I would have given up on a lifelong dream because my body, could no longer adapt to the stresses I was imparting to it with my insane workouts.  Anabolic steroids have helped me stay in the game I so love.
8. The final reason for Anabolic steroids use. Some would say the most important reason. Anabolic steroids  allow me to nail the hottest most sexiest, nastiest women on this planet. I have dated models and dancers who would never have looked at me before. Most of the girls I have dated loved my chest. They always talk about how my tits are as big as theirs. As gives me the Body to nail whom ever I choose.
Using Steroids should be your own personal choice. I have simply shared with you the path of my journey and where it has thus far taken me.
source:isteroids.com

Do i need steroids?

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In our days more and more gyms visitors tend to take steroids, in the hope of the “easy” way to get pretty pumped body. Many of them before taking steroid learn hundreds of pages of information and feedbacks, consults with people familiarized with them and then “get on the cycle.” There is another group of person, who after a couple months of training begin looking for where to buy a pack of methane…
Goldenmuscles.co is not going to tell you that steroids are harmful. People, who competent take steroids, not only bring minimal harm to their health but also help themselves.
If you are in doubt to take steroids or not, have a look on the following:
1. If you do not have a long experience of training (2-3 years), you will not get a good result from the cycle.
2. If you do not have a long experience of training, recoil after cycle could reach 100%, in other world you can lose all gained weight.
3. If you think to take only 1 or 2 cycle, and then continue to train naturally, then you are naive as a child. Probably you will keep some gained weight, but further progress without steroids would be virtually impossible. Why? Read the next paragraph.
4. Be ready to seem boring and pointless the training after steroids. You should to be a big fan of gym to train between cycles as hard as during the cycle. You will train and wait for the beginning of next cycle … You will know that without pills and injections you will not grow up.

Anabolic steroids without recoil

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Anabolic steroids are used by many, what could be frank. But, it is very common that athletes being at eighth cycle didn’t get results yet. The thing is that the use of steroids requires certain knowledge and skills. Otherwise, in the final result, you can easily watch a full bouquet of side effects, which could be easily avoided with the right approach to cycle. Before you start using steroids, Goldenmuscles.com recommend, to analyze whether you have enough money, time and desire to carry out the goal. Let’s look at the most popular mistakes that “knock you from the correct course.”
Exceeding the dose
More doesn’t mean better. Remember this golden rule. Your body can take only certain doses of synthetic steroids (anabolic steroids). Oversupply of steroids will be transformed into estrogen. A liver and kidneys will function in extreme mode, which can cause adverse effects.
Meager diet
Effects of steroids can be expected only if your diet is high calorie and includes a large amount of protein. Otherwise, the effect of anabolic steroids will be reduced, and the number of side effects – increased. Remember that a balanced diet is a competent combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. This is one of the most important elements of your cycle and unconditional key to success.
Insufficiently intensive training
The main condition of training when using anabolic steroids is increased intensity. You should always provoke the catabolic process in which steroids are the most active. Constantly progress in your training, increase the intensity of the work and use the maximum weight – and then anabolic steroids will have on your muscles full impact.
Improper cycle
In compiling steroid cycle is very important to choose the right combination of drugs, their dosage and duration of administration. “The end of the cycle” is perhaps even more important than the cycle itself, as to the maximum to keep all the results achieved (mass, power), and not to return to the starting point. After the cycle must always follow a long period of rest, because the body has to recover and come back to normal after the stress that accompanies receiving steroids.
Neglect of blood tests
You have to make blood tests before the start of the cycle to determine the individual characteristics of your body, and then analyze the changes under the influence of anabolic drugs. The second test is recommended to take six weeks after the start of the cycle. The third analysis should be made a month after the cycle to oversee the restoration of the body.

Steroids and blood lipids

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U.S. researchers examined the bodybuilderswho use steroids. The aim was to find out how things are with the composition of the blood. At the same time, scientists expected to find in the blood any abnormalities associated with the typical bodybuilding diet. Actual experiment consisted in the fact that three days, scientists recorded the daily menu of athletes and made blood tests. On average, athletes take daily from 25 to 250 mg of steroids (in the form of pills or injections). What about diet, it was typical to that season: 49% of daily calories bodybuilders received from carbohydrates, 22% – from the protein (about 2.7 grams per kg) and 29% – from fat (cholesterol above the recommended norm to 2.8 times). In addition, the athletes took from 100% to 600% of the recommended daily doses of vitamins and minerals.
Strangely enough, but the composition of the blood of athletes remained within normal limits. And only some of the indicators (eg, the proportion of good cholesterol in the total cholesterol) deviated from the normal range … in a positive way.
See … All this, of course, does not mean that steroids can be taken without risk to health. If bodybuilders are genetically predisposed to heart disease, even a small increase of cholesterol can cause thrombophlebitis, heart attack, etc. On the other hand, the diet overloaded with carbohydrates and proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals, did not affect blood, the same as steroids. According to doctors, it should be quite the opposite.
What is the reason of being? Apparently, bodybuilding is one lifeline that has protected bodybuilders from the adverse effects of steroids and systematic overeating. Extreme loads transformed athletes’ physiology into a special mode when their bodies are ready for any alien biochemistry. In any case, the experiments deny common myth that bodybuilders – are walking disables.

Serious Side Effects of STEROIDS

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What are steroids?

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Steroid RaidAccording to the Medical  Dictionary Steroidsrepresent a general class of chemical substances that are structurally related to one another and share the same chemical skeleton. It is a terpenoid lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings, generally arranged in a 6-6-6-5 fashion. We can find them in plants, animals, and fungi. All steroids are made in cells either from the sterol lanosterol (animals and fungi) or from the sterol cycloartenol (plants).
Even many of the body’s hormones have a steroid nucleus. Steroids include estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone. Estrogen and progesterone are made primarily in the ovary and in the placenta during pregnancy, and testosterone in the testes. Testosterone is also converted into estrogen to regulate the supply of each, in the bodies of both females and males.
For a long time Steroids became a large part of bodybuilding and many other sports. It has been around sport for decades. The fact is that Steroids are the artificial derivatives of the naturally occurring anabolic hormone testosterone, and some sportsmens take them to help improve their level of play. People start to use in the sports industry in about 1970 year. The most often used steroid in the sports industry are anabolic steroids. The drug started out in sports such as weight lifting and bodybuilding and moved its way into the professional areas of baseball and American football and other sports.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances related to male sex hormones (androgens). Although it is illegal in the United States to possess or distribute anabolic steroids for nonmedical use, a “black market” for them exists, and many amateur and professional athletes take them to enhance performance. In many cases, the athletes take doses that are extremely high—perhaps 100 times the doses that might be prescribed for medical use. As a result, they put themselves in real danger of short-term and long-term health problems. Blood testing, as has been used in the Olympic Games, can detect, identify, and quantify the presence of anabolic steroids in the blood of athletes, which can lead to the disqualification of an athlete.

Reason for use

Steroids are found in many sports. A lot of sportsmen rely on steroids to enhance their performance. Football, baseball and bodybuilding are three of the most common sports that are often linked to steroid use. Athletes involved in these sports use steroids to help them build muscle and increase stamina. Bodybuilders take steroids to enhance their muscle mass and increasing their strength and physique for competition.

Steroid cycle and stacking

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Steroid cycle and stacking

steroidsSteroids, for years, have run rampant through the sports world. UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have revealed that a combination of corticosteroids with traditional antimicrobial therapy may help people with pneumonia recover more quickly than with antibiotics alone. That is meaning that using steroid sometimes is useful for our health. People start using steroids to create a more direct, fast acting way to stimulate strength, enhances their glycogen levels after a workout and increases the way of their body synthesizes protein, for achieving tone, leaner looking muscles without having to sacrifice size to aerobic works out.  To obtain the more efficient and maximized result and in shorter time they started to combine steroids.
When two or more anabolic steroids are used at the same time, it is called “stacking”. The time period in which a person uses anabolic steroids is called a “steroid cycle”. Sometimes using different anabolic steroids have different effects on the body, that is why before you started to stock steroid, you should find out about them as more information as you can.
The positive side is effectiveness. Combining more than one steroid at a time often produces synergistic effect – each drug magnifies the other’s effects. Instead of two steroids producing 10 new pounds of muscle each (20 pounds total) they may produce 30 or 40 pounds when taken together. Some bodybuilding steroids like growth hormone don’t seem to be that potent on their own but when combined with steroids the results are nothing short of outstanding. Another positive reason for taking more steroids at the same time is tied into passing drug tests. Different steroids have different clearance times in the body. Injectables, particularly the ester-based versions, may linger in the body for nearly two years after their last usage. Orals on the other hand may clear out of the body in a few weeks. Bodybuilders and other athletes in sports with drugs tests work with this by stacking the different types of steroids together. They’ll use higher dosages of injectables initially and then decrease their dosage while increasing the dosage of orals. This way they can maintain their muscle size and strength while standing a better chance of passing a drug test.
There is a negative side too. With each steroid that is added to the body, the liver has to work harder to metabolize it and remove it from your body. This is why heavy alcohol users often develop cirrhosis of the liver. Their livers literally burn out from having to process all that extra drug. Also the thing that for somebody can be positive side, for another person can provide negative one. For example if you don’t want to gain many pounds at the same time, it would be better for you to take jus one kind of steroid, otherwise you will gain more weight that you want.
And finally  – synergy, which implies that two (or more) steroids used together will often compliment (and amplify) each other, providing a greater muscle gain than if they had been used consecutively.
But administrating steroids in a sensible and logical manner are most effective. That means that steroids must be divided into cycle. Steroid  cycle mean a 10- 12 week application of a single compound or a combination of two to three different steroids, followed by an interval of discontinuance of the same length. It was also proved that the combination of two to three steroids in moderate dosages is much more effective and also guarantees a longer duration of effect than when only one steroid is taken in a high dosage.
With the correct combinations one will be able to obtain a synergetic effect if the athlete pays attention to selecting steroids which have different influences on the factors of strength, tissue build-up, and recovery. A stack which fulfils these requirements, for example, would be Deca-Durabolin as an anabolic basic steroid with depot character, Sustanon to promote recovery and general mass build-up, and Oxandrolone to increase body strength. A long and even reduction of the doses at the end of the cycle helps in normalizing the body functions and preparing the organism for a suspension of the intake.

Why Steroids Are Bad for You :(

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If it makes athletes muscular and powerful, can steroids really be all that bad for you?
In your heart of hearts, you know steroid abuse can't be good. And your heart is telling you the truth. Even when used to treat medical conditions, anabolic steroids have all kinds of common side effects.
What, exactly, is so bad about steroids? WebMD is here with the FAQ.

What Are Steroids?

Don't confuse anabolic steroids with corticosteroids, warns physiatrist Kenneth Mautner, MD, of Emory University. Anabolic steroids are used to build up muscle. Corticosteroids are used to dampen overactive immune responses and reduce swelling.
The anabolic steroids abused by athletes are synthetic versions of testosterone, a male hormone. Both men and women naturally produce testosterone. But like all hormones -- which regulate the body's most basic functions -- throwing one's testosterone out of balance can have wide-ranging consequences.

Why Do Doctors Prescribe Steroids?

Doctors prescribe anabolic steroids to treat certain specific medical conditions. For example, they may be used to treat the muscle wasting seen in AIDS. Steroids may also be used to treat delayed puberty or loss of testicular function.
Mautner notes that doctors are not allowed to prescribe steroids to enhance a person's athletic performance.

Are Steroids Illegal?

Yes. Without a doctor's prescription for a medical condition, it's against the law to possess, sell, or distribute anabolic steroids.
Legal prosecution can be a serious side effect of illicit steroid use. Under federal law, first-time simple possession of anabolic steroids carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. For first-offense trafficking in steroids, the maximum penalty is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Second offenses double this penalty. In addition to federal penalties, state laws also prohibit illegal anabolic steroid use.
Anabolic steroids are powerful hormones. They affect the entire body. Some of the side effects are common to all users. Other side effects are specifically related to your sex and age.
Men who take anabolic steroids may:
  • Develop breasts
  • Get painful erections
  • Have their testicles shrink
  • Have decreased sperm count
  • Become infertile
  • Become impotent
Women who take anabolic steroids may:
  • Grow excessive face and body hair
  • Have their voices deepen
  • Experience menstrual irregularities
  • Have an enlarged clitoris
  • Have reduced breast size
  • Have a masculinized female fetus
Both men and women who take anabolic steroids may:
  • Get acne
  • Have an oily scalp and skin
  • Get yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
  • Become bald
  • Have tendon rupture
  • Have heart attacks
  • Have an enlarged heart
  • Develop significant risk of liver disease and liver cancer
  • Have high levels of "bad" cholesterol
  • Have mood swings
  • Fly into rages
  • Suffer delusions
Teens who take anabolic steroids may:
  • Have short height due to arrested bone growth
  • Girls may suffer long-term masculinization
Since steroids are often taken by injections, there is also the risk of getting HIV or hepatitis infection from an unsterile needle or syringe.
"There are a lot of side effects of steroids," Mautner tells WebMD. "They are not good for you. It is like Russian roulette. Five people may take them and have no long-term problem. The sixth may end up dead."

Startling Results After Steroid Use on Women

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These photographs display the startling results after steroid use on women. What is interesting about these photos is the stark contrast between the results.
As steroid use continues to be a controversial issue, especially when it pertains to professional sports, more and more people are using the drug substance to boost their overall physique. The photos show one woman, who begins in an average and slender size, progressing into a body builder with massive muscles. The definition can be seen in her upper body by her muscular forearms, biceps and chest.
In contrast, another photo featuring another average-sized woman portrays the opposite effect steroid use can have. This photo features a woman with an average face and muscle structure. After her use of steroids, her after photo shows a more slender and petite looking appearance. The effect of the steroids can be seen more dramatically in the young woman’s face, particularly in her cheekbone area.
Startling Results After Steroid Use on Women
Startling Results After Steroid Use on Women – photo from Imgur
Body altering using drugs has been an ongoing debate all over the world. What do you think about the use of drugs to change your appearance?
Startling Results After Steroid Use on Women.

The Disturbing Result of Steroid Abuse

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An incredibly disturbing photo shows the result of steroid abuse as the image features a humongous arm with veins protruding the skin as though they are about to burst.

The photo, submitted by Reddit user winstoncash, shows the disturbing image of a bulked out arm that has obvious signs of steroid use. While many comments on the photo were directed at poking fun of the ginormous steroid arm, Reddit user RapNextDoor took time to explain the contents of the photo:

“Here’s the info: the bodybuilder who owns the arm pictured here is IFBB pro Frank McGrath. He does use many different steroids. However, most of this vascularity comes from his very low bodyfat and subcutaneous water retention combined with great genetics.
EDIT: So many comments asking why this is an example of great genetics. I mean this solely in terms of bodybuilding competition. Strong vascularity is beneficial in a competition. I understand that not everyone is attracted to vascularity ay this level, but that wasn’t really my point.”
While Reddit user RapNextDoor makes a valid point, there are many reasons why steroid overuse is harmful. While the physical affect of steroid use is obvious, there are many issues internally going on when one abuses steroids.
One of the key side effects of steroid use is high blood pressure and cholesterol. This can lead to severe cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks. The overuse of steroids can also lead to an enlarged prostate which can progress to prostate cancer if not treated properly. Lastly, one of the more prominent internal problems with steroid abuse is the effect it has on the liver. Progressive use of steroids can cause liver malfunction and can lead to Peliosis Hepatitis.
What do you think about this photo? Do you think steroids should be used in body building?
The Disturbing Result of Steroid Abuse.

Serious Side Effects of STEROIDS

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Many reasons have been given as to why men and to a lesser degree, women choose to abuse steroids. Among most abusers, it boils down to two simple concepts of performance and self-image. For over half a century, anabolic steroids have been used to enhance athletic ability. 

Most often, the answer lies in a need to improve a particular type of performance. Whether the goal is an increase in physical size, strength, speed or stamina, in the mind of an abuser, it is a worthwhile endeavor, regardless of the risk. 

Secondly, many abusers report a greater sense of fulfillment and a healthier self-image when taking steroids. Many young men report taking steroids simply because they want to look built, to emulate the bodybuilders they see in magazines, or even more importantly, to be more appealing to women. Moreover, a form of reverse anorexia seems to be prevalent in young males who are interested in fitness. The National Institute of Drug Abuse shows in recent studies that 325,000 teenage boys and 175,000 teenage girls are using steroids. 

The number of adult abusers is even higher. (Consider that often, steroid abusers are private about their use and never report it. The actual number of abusers could be far greater.) The idea that they can never be big enough, fast enough or strong enough dominates their perception of self. Anabolic steroids would seem to be the answer to their prayers.

RATIONALESide effects of steroids include acne and abnormal liver functionAbusers can seem pretty well educated on the subject of their vice, however, the problem lies in the quality of the information. Most often, it’s hearsay or internet chatter, combined with a skewed rationale that explains away all the bad. Many abusers will tell you the doses they take aren’t harmful because they “cycle” (come off of steroids for a period of time and then begin again) or they only take a certain “good” steroid or not enough of a dose to harm them. 

This couldn’t be further from the truth. When doctors prescribe steroids, it is generally to treat patients with a rare or specific disorder, and the drug is administered in the lowest possible dose as to minimize the negative side effects. But this isn’t about medicine; this is about unregulated, unsupervised abuse of a synthetic drug for the purpose of maximum muscle development and performance. Massive doses are required to achieve the results most abusers are looking for. When this is the case, there is no safe use. 

In both cases of performance and image, abusers throw caution to the wind as their sense of achievement far outweighs their consideration of the enormous risks involved. Medical research shows steroid users subject themselves to over 70 side effects ranging in severity from liver cancer to acne, and include psychological as well as physical reactions. The liver and cardiovascular and reproductive systems are most seriously affected by steroid abuse. When discussing the powerful effects of anabolic steroids on the human body, we look at the short term effects, which can take from a few weeks to a few years to present themselves and the long term effects, some taking up to a decade or more to appear.

SHORT TERM SIDE EFFECTS

The short term, more immediate side effects of steroid abuse are a veritable buffet of problems. Let’s start with the men. Acne, testicular atrophy, decreased sperm count, gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men), high blood pressure, increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, decreased HDL (good) cholesterol, fluid retention, abnormal liver function, and prostate enlargement, just to name a few. 

Anabolic steroids can affect women differently than men, and in some cases, dramatically so. Women can experience many of the same dangerous effects as men including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and liver damage. Many of the problems, however, are exclusively feminine representations of natural male characteristics such as male pattern balding, deepening of the voice, facial and body hair growth, and coarsening of the skin.

For both sexes, increased aggressiveness, otherwise known as "roid rage," commonly accompanies the use of steroids. 

Now let’s break some of these down into further detail.Acne is a common side effect of steroid abuseACNEOne common side effect is the onset of acne or, in cases of adolescents where acne is already present, a much more severe case can present itself. The scientific explanation is quite colorful. Steroids enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin. Then, they cause these glands to increase sebum (oil) production. The increased sebum leads to plug formation and serves as "food" for bacteria. 

Normal hormones surge at puberty, which is why teens develop armpit and pubic hair, and why boys develop facial hair and deeper voices. This hormonal surge also contributes to the cause of acne in teens. Introducing steroids to this delicate balance is just asking for trouble.

SHRUNKEN TESTICLESTesticular atrophy, a fancy term for shrunken balls, isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Because an outside source of testosterone is being introduced to the body, the testes no longer get the signal to produce their share. The brain is also being told to slow down the sperm factory, and that the body is getting sperm from an outside source, usually the hypodermic needle. The brain then sends a signal back to the testicles to take a break. This new function can cause temporary sterility, and the jury is still out on whether steroids are linked with permanent sterility or not. But why take the chance?Gynecomastia is the growth of breast tissue in menGYNECOMASTIAGynecomastia, a pretty word for man-boobs, is another not-so-good side effect of abuse that comes from the improper balance of testosterone. When the body converts the additional testosterone into estrogen and other female hormones in the male body, female breast tissue is sometimes formed. Often, surgery with a painful recovery time is the only method of removing the female tissue build-up. Basically, the surgeon enlarges the area to be liposuctioned with a large amount of sterile fluid then employs ultrasonic liposuction using sound waves to break up the fat. The surgery can cost upwards of $10,000 and you will be hard pressed to find insurance that will cover steroid abuse. 


HIGH BLOOD PRESSUREThe next effect on our list is high blood pressure, which is caused when the steroid forces the body to hold onto extra salt and water, rather than flushing it out as usual. Steroids also cause an increase in the body's red blood cell count and hematocrit levels, resulting in higher blood pressure. The long term effects of high blood pressure are a list all their own. It causes the heart to get larger, which may lead to heart failure. Small bulges (aneurysms) can form in blood vessels, the main artery from the heart (aorta), arteries in the brain, legs, and intestines; and the artery leading to the spleen. Blood vessels in the kidney can narrow, which may cause kidney failure. Arteries throughout the body can "harden" faster, especially those in the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs. This can cause a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or amputation of part of the leg. Blood vessels in the eyes may burst or bleed, which can cause vision changes and can result in blindness. 
 
HIGH CHOLESTEROLHigh blood pressure is also often a result of high (LDL) bad cholesterol levels and/or low (HDL) good cholesterol levels. Steroids change the levels of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in the blood. Steroids, particularly oral steroids, increase the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and decrease the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This increases the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty substances are deposited inside arteries and disrupt blood flow. If blood is prevented from reaching the heart, the result can be a heart attack. If blood is prevented from reaching the brain, the result can be a stroke.

Liver malfunctions are another side effectLIVER MALFUNCTIONLet’s move on to the liver, where just about everything you put in your body gets processed. In other words, just try to live without your liver. It won’t happen. Steroid abuse has been associated with liver tumors and a rare condition called peliosis hepatis, in which blood-filled cysts form in the liver. Both the tumors and the cysts can rupture, causing internal bleeding. Keep in mind, we’re talking short term effects. Long term liver effects, you don’t want to know, but we’ll get into that a little later.

ENLARGED PROSTATENext, the issue of prostate enlargement, which is a problem seen with aging males. This is not something you typically see in younger men, unless they’re taking anabolic steroids. Over the course of an average life span, the male prostate gland naturally grows thirty times its original size. It doesn’t need the help of additional testosterone to grow to the size of a grapefruit. However, when large amounts of synthetic testosterone are involved, the prostate grows faster. The long term effect of that is prostate cancer. It is medically proven that the cancer loves the taste of testosterone, which feeds the growth of cancer cells.

BALDINGBaldness in women steroid abusers is caused by the body’s confused over-production of DHT- a hair inhibitor enzyme, which generally affects both sexes similarly. Women see this change occurring first around the scalp line and can eventually cause balding that is irreversible.

MALE CHARACTERISTICS IN FEMALESA deepening voice is another naturally male characteristic that can develop in women abusers simply because of the large amounts of testosterone sending male signals to the brain, the control room for hormone production, and the various glands that manage the hormone output. Steroids play havoc with the entire system. 

Excess facial and body hair growth and coarse skin, both male characteristics, are unsavory by-products of steroid abuse by women caused by an overabundance of male hormones. While aggressiveness and heightened libido are side effects that can be experienced by both genders, some effects are uniquely female. For example, the enlarged or lengthened clitoris is inherently female as well as a confused and erratic menstrual cycle. Other traits may include shrinking breasts, anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress. All of these characteristics can be caused by introducing the amounts of synthetic steroids in the female body necessary to see a change in muscle development.

AGGRESSIONMany steroid abusers become aggresiveIn both men and women steroid abusers, evidence of “roid rage” or increased aggression from too much testosterone is a hotly contested topic. However, in animal studies, the relationship between steroids and aggression has always been pretty clear.

In some studies, more than 80 percent of steroid-treated animals become extremely aggressive. In humans, the picture has been clouded by alternative explanations and a lack of hard evidence. Only in recent years have researchers been able to confirm that steroid-induced aggression is a real human phenomenon that can occur in individuals who take large doses of steroids for extended periods of time. This heightened aggression can lead to irritability, stress, and violence. 

When the circuits in the brain that are responsible for impulse control are influenced by steroids, it affects this system that inhibits aggressive response, predisposing some abusers to violent outbursts. Researchers do not yet know the key as to why some abusers are more affected than others, but the correlation between steroids and aggressive behavior is a documented phenomenon.

LONG TERM SIDE EFFECTS

Only in recent years have researchers been able to define the long term effects of steroid abuse. They are learning more each year as abusers age and problems present themselves.

HIVOne of the deadliest side effects, scoffed at by many abusers, is HIV. Intravenous needle sharing, combined with a heightened sex drive and libido function can be a very dangerous combination. This is especially true in adolescent teens and young adults who often have weaker decision-making skills and a high susceptibility to peer pressure. HIV and AIDS-related deaths are on the rise and the epidemic is not as popular in the media as in past decades. Most people adopt a “that stuff happens to other people” attitude, and many steroid abusers, already practiced rationalizers don’t even consider it at all.

LIVER FAILUREPeliosis Hepatitis, a condition where blood-filled cysts replace liver and spleen tissue, has been reported in patients receiving long-term anabolic steroid treatments. These cysts have been associated with liver failure. Discontinued use of steroids has shown a regression and sometimes a complete disappearance of these cysts; however, during the course of steroid use, the cysts can create tumors. These tumors are less evident and can be silent until a life-threatening abdominal hemorrhage occurs.

Major heart problems are a side effect as wellCARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEMSHigh blood cholesterol levels, as discussed earlier in this article, can lead to premature heart conditions, heart attacks and stroke. The increase in muscle mass can put undue strain on the rest of a body that is not prepared for the surprisingly fast new muscle development. The heart is put under more pressure to provide blood to more muscle tissue, while processing greater levels of bad cholesterol. Moreover, high blood pressure due to salt and water retention can put even further undue stress on the heart. No doubt, steroid abuse over long periods of time will inevitably cause damage.

STUNTED GROWTHStudies have shown that adolescents who abuse steroids are at risk of being short for life. Because the body responds to puberty by slowing and eventually stopping growth, the pubescent period of life is crucial to future development. When the adolescent brain senses a certain level of hormones in the body, it will send messages to the bones to stop growing, closing the growth plates in the long bones. Young male abusers can expect to be permanently shorter than average height.

LIGAMENT AND JOINT INJURYSteroids increase muscle mass and muscle strength, but they leave the joints and ligaments out of the equation. Steroid abusers can expect to eventually put too much strain on ligaments that cannot properly anchor the new muscle strength, leading to possibly severe injury and future surgery to correct torn shoulder joints or knee ligaments. The muscles are exerted, and the joints simply can’t handle it.

WEIGHT PROBLEMSSteroid abusers who stop abusing often deal with atrophied muscle mass which converts to fat. Many former abusers report a problem managing weight gain, or losing excess flab and soft tissue that occurs when the muscles are no longer being fed high doses of testosterone. Excess body weight contributes to a host of long-term problems including the aforementioned cardiovascular issues.

NEUROLOGICAL ISSUESStudies have confirmed steroid abuse has a long term effect on the neurological pathways of the brain. Depending on the age when steroids are taken, the effects can sometimes be permanent. For example, abusing steroids in the teenage years of development has shown to affect the brain’s ability to properly produce serotonin, the enzyme tied with our sense of well-being. This tampering with serotonin can lead to permanent increases in depression and aggression. In women, this hormonal tampering can also lead to significantly lower levels of progesterone and estrogen, potentially upsetting the delicate balance of female chemistry and inducing severe anxiety and depression.
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