Anabolic steroids are widely used in professional and amateur bodybuilding to stimulate muscle growth. When combined with physical activity, they can do this quite well.
Official medicine does not approve of their use due to serious and often irreversible side effects.
However, the opinions of doctors are of little concern to most people nowadays.
“Who is a doctor anyway, and what do they know about steroids when they have never used them themselves?” – one supporter of pharmacology once expressed their outrage on a forum.
Main thoughts:
The effect of steroids is very interesting and tempting. Especially for beginners.
They really do produce rapid transformation: with them, one can quickly gain muscle mass and even lose weight.
But what is the price?
Information about deaths among professionals occasionally appears in the media, but the true cause is almost never specified. Meanwhile, those who have built their bodies and gained fame through steroids, spitting over their shoulders and crossing their fingers, continue to experiment, while the more conscientious beginners, influenced by an inner subconscious that has warned humanity of danger since ancient times, begin to hesitate.
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Is there anything to fear? Are steroids to blame for the tragic deaths of those who rebelled against nature?
There can be many causes of deaths in bodybuilding, proportional to the amount of all the crap that athletes inject into themselves (examples will be shown below).
Scientists from the UK decided to anonymously survey 100 athletes (aged 16 to 40, 33% of whom are professional bodybuilders and the remaining 67% are amateurs) who take steroids, to gather firsthand information about the changes they experience. Below we will introduce you to the results of their survey.
This article will be useful for beginner athletes plagued by doubts who are considering touching the dark side of power, as well as for those continuing to expand their pharmacological horizons and familiarize themselves with the experiences of Western colleagues. Our goal is to once again highlight the cost of using steroids.
Read on to find out which steroids are the most popular among athletes, what pharmaceuticals are used alongside steroids to enhance effects and eliminate side effects (such as breast growth, for example), what the most common perceived side effects of steroids are, and what will happen if one suddenly stops taking them.
Official medicine does not approve of steroid use due to serious and often irreversible side effects, including death.
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1 The most popular anabolic steroids
Two groups of steroids are used in bodybuilding: drugs with an anabolic effect and virtually no androgenic effect, and drugs with both anabolic and androgenic effects (mainly testosterone esters).
The anabolic effect is a desirable effect of muscle growth in bodybuilding; the androgenic effect is undesirable, responsible for the enhancement of male sexual characteristics: unpleasant odor, increased hair growth, coarsening of facial features, etc. See more details Anabolic steroids: what they are and how they work?
The anabolic effect of steroids is explained by several mechanisms. First, they have an anti-catabolic effect, minimizing the catabolic action of corticosteroids released during stress (training).
Secondly, they help maintain a positive nitrogen balance – a necessary condition for muscle growth – by making protein absorption more efficient.
Also, anabolic steroids have a psychological effect, enhancing motivation and aggressiveness, similar to drugs, providing a sense of euphoria, self-confidence, and reducing fatigue. All this results in increased intensity and effectiveness of workouts.
The table below presents a list of anabolic steroids used by athletes in the survey.
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The most popular steroids:
- Nandrolone decanoate or “Deca”, injectable – 84% of athletes in the survey use it;
- Testosterone esters, injectable – 75% of athletes;
- Methandrostenolone, oral – 68% of athletes.
85% of athletes use both injectable and oral steroids, 11% use only injectables, and 4% use only tablets.
Injections (shots) are most often made in the gluteus, as well as in the thigh and deltoid muscle.
| The most popular steroids used by athletes | |
|---|---|
| Anabolic steroids | Testosterone esters with androgenic effect |
| Nandrolone decanoate (Deca-Durabolin) Stanozolol (Winstrol) Methandrostenolone (Dianabol) Methenolone (Primobolan) Trenbolone (Parabolan) Oxandrolone (Anavar) Oxymetholone (Anapolon) Drostanolone (Masteron) Boldenone (Equipoise) |
Testosterone cypionate Testosterone propionate (Virormone) Testosterone blend (Sustanon 250) Testosterone heptylate (Theramex) Testosterone enanthate (Testaviron) Testosterone undecanoate (Andriol) |
The most popular steroids taken by athletes: nandrolone (or “deca”), stanozolol, dianabol, as well as various testosterone esters
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2 Duration of steroid cycles and overall usage time
The overall duration of steroid use is shown in the table below. As can be seen, for most athletes, the fascination with anabolic steroids lasts for years.
| Overall duration of steroid use | |
|---|---|
| Duration in years | % of athletes |
| <1 | 21 |
| 1-2 | 13 |
| 2-3 | 26 |
| 3-4 | 15 |
| 4-5 | 10 |
| >5 | 15 |
Almost all athletes in the survey use steroids cyclically (97%) and only 3% use them regularly. The cycle duration is from 4 to 12 weeks; it is determined independently or suggested by more “experienced” peers.
After this, as athletes note, a plateau occurs when steroids cease to produce a noticeable effect; the likely reason is a decrease in steroid receptor sensitivity.
Over time, side effects and toxic effects become more pronounced, which forces users to stop taking them.
Duration of breaks between steroid cycles (“bridge”) varies widely. Most often – 4-6 weeks, sometimes several months (for occasional users).
The average overall duration of steroid use is measured in years. The cycle duration is 4-12 weeks, and the break is 4-6 weeks
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3 Doses
50% of athletes use steroid doses of less than 500 mg per week; 38% have doses ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg per week; and 12% of the remaining, mainly professional bodybuilders, have doses exceeding 1000 mg per week.
Many athletes calculate their daily dose based on the rule of 1 mg per kg of body weight.
88% of athletes combine several types of steroids to achieve the specified doses, as well as due to the theoretical effect of synergy (the complementary action of each other).
The smallest recorded weekly dose is 250 mg, and the maximum is 3200 mg.
The weekly dose of steroids for different athletes ranges from 250 mg to 3200 mg; to achieve this, various steroids are combined.
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4 How steroids are taken: examples of cycles used by beginners, experienced, and professional athletes
Most often, steroids with only anabolic effects are combined with those that also have androgenic effects; oral with injectable; “long” and “short”.
The method of taking steroids is based on personal experience, recommendations passed from one athlete to another, as well as various self-written guides. The specific steroids used are influenced by their availability on the black market.
The table below provides examples of steroid cycles with accompanying pharmacological drugs and their costs for beginners, experienced steroid users, and professional athletes.
| Examples of steroid cycles and their costs for beginner athletes on steroids, experienced, and professional athletes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Level of Athlete | Used Steroids | Cost of Cycle |
| Beginner | Dianabol 25 mg/day, orally Nandrolone decanoate 100 mg/week, injection, 4 weeks Sustanon 250 mg/week, injection |
$56 |
| Experienced | Nandrolone decanoate 200 mg/week, injection, 4 weeks Testosterone propionate 300 mg/week, injection Stanozolol 150 mg/week, injection, 4 weeks Tamoxifen 20 mg/day throughout the cycle Gonadotropin 6000 mg at the end of the cycle, during 4 weeks of rest Sustanon 500 mg/week, injection |
$196 |
| Professional | Dianabol 40 mg/day, orally Testosterone propionate 300 mg/week, injection Primobolan 300 mg/week, injection Clenbuterol 4 tablets 80 mcg/day + ephedrine 75 mg/day, 4 weeks Stanozolol 150 mg/week, injection, 4 weeks Masteron 300 mg/week |
$518 |
Professionals typically follow specific steroid intake schemes: loading and pyramidal dose changes.
Long-acting steroids, such as Sustanon, are taken in the first weeks of the cycle, then replaced with “short” ones to prevent continued action during the break between cycles.
During body cutting (immediately before a competition), water-cutting steroids are typically used, such as primobolan and stanozolol.
Athletes usually take steroids in various combinations to achieve the desired effect at specific stages of the cycle; steroids with long-acting and short-acting, injectable with oral, water-retaining with non-water-retaining are combined.
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5 Other drugs used alongside steroids
86% of athletes who use steroids also take other pharmacological drugs for various purposes (see the table below). They can be divided into several groups depending on the target effect.
| Other pharmacological drugs taken by athletes alongside anabolic steroids | |
|---|---|
| Drug | % of athletes |
| Clenbuterol | 70 |
| Ephedrine | 57 |
| Human chorionic gonadotropin | 49 |
| Tamoxifen | 45 |
| Growth hormone | 12 |
| Diuretics | 22 |
| Nalbuphine or Nubain | 6 |
| Insulin | 2 |
| Thyroid hormone | 2 |
| Aminoglutethimide (Orimeten) | 3 |
| Esiclene | 5 |
| No more | 14 |
Non-steroidal drugs with anabolic effects: clenbuterol, growth hormone, insulin.
Clenbuterol is used by 70% of steroid-using athletes. It acts on the same receptors as anabolic steroids and stimulates muscle protein synthesis. It is also a powerful fat burner due to its thermogenic effect.
Growth hormone is taken by only about 12% of steroid users, likely due to its very high price. Only one of the surveyed athletes indicated that he injects growth hormone at 2 IU per day, with a monthly course costing $560.
Insulin is taken in doses of 1-2 IU alongside steroids by only two athletes.
Ephedrine is used in medicine as a drug that relaxes the bronchi and facilitates breathing. 67% of steroid-using athletes take ephedrine as a stimulant for the nervous system to increase physical activity, as well as as a fat burner.
Aminoglutethimide or orimeten is taken by 3% of surveyed athletes. This drug enhances the anabolic effect by blocking the corticosteroid mechanism of steroid metabolism and improving the testosterone to cortisol ratio.
Nalbuphine or Nubain is an analgesic and is used by 6% of athletes to reduce muscle pain. Regular use can lead to dependence, similar to other morphine-containing drugs.
Drugs for improving definition during body cutting before competitions.
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This category includes:
- l-thyroxine (taken in a dose of 200 mg per day for 4-6 weeks before competitions to burn subcutaneous fat).
- Clenbuterol and ephedrine, as mentioned, also have a fat-burning effect and are used during cutting;
- diuretics – taken in a dose of 20-40 mg per day; they remove excess fluid from the subcutaneous layers, which accumulates significantly with the use of most steroids;
- esiclene or formebolone – injected directly into the abdominal muscles; it causes a local inflammatory process, temporarily increasing muscle size for 24-48 hours.
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Drugs for combating and preventing side effects of steroid use
Tamoxifen has an anti-estrogenic effect (estrogen is a female sex hormone) and is taken by 45% of athletes to prevent and treat gynecomastia (growth of female breast tissue).
Human chorionic gonadotropin is taken at the end of a steroid cycle to accelerate the recovery of internal testosterone synthesis in the body, which is suppressed during steroid use. This helps avoid some undesirable symptoms afterward.
As we can see, the range of drugs that athletes take during a steroid cycle is quite impressive. Some of them even pose a greater risk of harm to health than the steroids themselves.
The independent use of diuretics, insulin, thyroxine, clenbuterol, and nubain can lead to very serious consequences, including death.
For those who are not aware: diuretics, commonly known as water pills, are one of the most dangerous drugs; a large percentage of deaths in professional bodybuilding occur precisely because of them. See Diuretics: side effects of use in bodybuilding.
If you are considering taking steroids, keep in mind that you will also have to take a considerable range of other drugs, some of which may be even more harmful than steroids.
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6 Side effects of steroid use
According to scientific data, the consequences of steroid use include disruption of liver enzyme composition, changes in blood lipid composition, increased blood pressure, formation of blood clots, enlargement of the prostate, and behavioral disorders. These side effects are reversible, meaning they may resolve upon cessation of use.
There is also another group of side effects – irreversible. These include liver tumors, myocardial infarction, heart enlargement (cardiomegaly), tendon rupture, decreased libido (sexual function), and others.
Interestingly, the results of a survey of athletes regarding side effects do not include those mentioned by scientists. They mainly consist of subjective assessments of changes that they believe are occurring in their bodies.
Thus,
- 54% report the appearance of acne,
- 34% – the development of gynecomastia (growth of female breast tissue),
- 34% – striae or atrophic stretch marks on the skin,
- 40% – reduction in testicle size.
The listed side effects are considered normal among athletes.
Only 12% of respondents reported a complete absence of any consequences from steroid use.
The side effects reported by athletes in the survey differ from the list of consequences discussed by scientists; they mainly consist of subjective assessments of changes occurring in the body (breast growth, acne, testicular atrophy).
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7 What happens when you stop using steroids?
When steroid use is discontinued, withdrawal symptoms and dependence are observed.
70% of athletes report a decrease in muscle strength mass. This, in turn, causes dissatisfaction and fear of losing results – the so-called “reverse anorexia”, which often leads to a resumption of use and can turn into a chronic form.
Many athletes note acute depression after stopping a steroid cycle.
Additionally, the androgenic effect of steroids enhances sexual desire; its decrease after stopping use also has a depressing psychological effect.
Severe depression, fear of losing results, significant reduction in muscle mass and strength – typical consequences of stopping steroid use that often compel resumption of use
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