In professional and amateur bodybuilding, anabolic steroids are widely used for muscle mass gain. This is their primary purpose, which has scientific backing.
However, looking at the dried-out bodies of professionals, a logical question arises: is it not thanks to steroids that fat is lost?
In this article, we will explore the question of the benefits of anabolic steroids for weight loss and body cutting from a scientific perspective.
Main thoughts:
Anabolic Steroids for Body Cutting and Weight Loss
Anabolic steroids are synthetic analogs of the male hormone testosterone.
Initially, they were created to treat certain diseases related to the disruption of natural testosterone production in the body. Then they began to be actively used by athletes to accelerate recovery and increase muscle mass. See What are anabolic steroids for gaining muscle mass?
But these are widely known facts that do not surprise anyone.
The greater intrigue surrounds the question of steroids’ ability to burn fat. It is now known that some of their types can indeed do this (but not all).
Almost all professional bodybuilders use them during the preparation phase for competitions, and the lean definition you see is achieved to some extent thanks to them. Read the confession of a professional bodybuilder about cutting agents.
The secret is that during the cutting phase in bodybuilding, steroids help preserve muscle mass, the risk of which being catabolized is very high due to strict calorie restrictions.
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Scientific Facts about the Effectiveness of Steroids for Weight Loss
Below are the results of some scientific studies that show that steroids activate the fat-burning process.
1 The body fat percentage of steroid-using athletes is lower than that of naturals
Researchers aimed to measure the relative fat and muscle content in the bodies of steroid-using athletes and naturals. To do this, they measured the Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) in 157 athletes (83 on steroids, 74 naturals) and compared it with known data for natural bodybuilders from the pre-steroid era (1).
What did they find?
For naturals, the fat-free mass index did not exceed 25 – a value that is considered normal in natural bodybuilding.
This figure correlates well with the average FFMI for 20 American natural bodybuilders from the pre-steroid era (1939-1959) – 25.4.
In steroid-using athletes, the FFMI significantly exceeded the value of 25.0, with some even reaching 30. The researchers concluded that the FFMI parameter may be a proxy indicator of steroid use.
The percentage of body fat in those who use steroids is significantly lower, which is an indirect indication of the benefits of steroids for weight loss.
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2 The effectiveness of steroids for weight loss in transgender individuals
To check how effective steroids are for body cutting, we can look at individuals undergoing hormone therapy. Let’s see how the percentage of body fat changes in transgender individuals (2).
The study involved 20 Male-to-Female transgender individuals who were administered female sex hormones, and 17 Female-to-Male transgender individuals who were administered testosterone.
After 12 months of the experiment, researchers found an increase in subcutaneous fat in the abdominal, thigh, and buttock areas (typical female areas) and a decrease in muscle mass in men transitioning to women.
In another group of women taking testosterone to become men, there was a significant increase in muscle mass and a decrease in body fat percentage in all the aforementioned “female” areas.
The researchers’ conclusion: sex hormones significantly determine the localization of fat in the body.
Experiments with transgender individuals of both sexes show that hormone therapy using steroids can be beneficial for weight loss.
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3 The fatter a person is, the lower their testosterone level
Scientific studies confirm that there is a clear relationship between the amount of fat in the body and levels of sex hormones.
In a study of 1265 men aged 20-90 years, it was found that the higher the percentage of body fat, the lower the testosterone and the higher the concentration of female sex hormones (3,4).
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4 Testosterone increases the rate of fat burning
Researchers have established that the administration of testosterone (steroids) into the body indeed leads to an increase in the rate of fat burning, weight loss in the abdominal area, and a reduction in skin fold thickness (5).
The action of steroids for weight loss is explained by two mechanisms (6):
- testosterone prevents the retention of fatty acids in fat cells, i.e., the increase in the size of fat stores;
- Testosterone stimulates the breakdown of fat cells for use as energy, increasing the number of certain receptors in adipose tissue that activate fat burning.
5 Not all steroids are beneficial for weight loss
Scientists aimed to determine the effect of different types of steroids on weight loss (7).
The experiment involved 30 men aged 40-60 years with excess weight. They were divided into three groups: one received testosterone enanthate, another an oral anabolic steroid oxandrolone, and the third a placebo (“dummy”). The duration of the experiment was 9 months.
After three months of the experiment, the group on anabolic steroids had a percentage of subcutaneous and visceral fat that decreased significantly more than in the others.
The natural production of testosterone increased in the testosterone enanthate group, while in the steroid group it decreased (along with some other thyroid hormones).
After three months of use, the steroid group saw a significant increase in bad low-density cholesterol, which led to the decision to replace the oral steroid oxandrolone with the injectable nandrolone.
Nandrolone over the next 6 months had a different effect: the mass of visceral fat significantly increased, while fat in the abdominal area continued to decrease. Muscle mass also decreased.
Another study showed that testosterone can be converted in the body to estradiol – a female sex hormone that has the opposite effect (increased fat mass). Therefore, testosterone is less effective for weight loss than other steroids (9).
Not all steroids are equally beneficial for weight loss. Additionally, some of them suppress the natural production of testosterone and other hormones, as well as negatively affect blood cholesterol levels.
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6 The difference between weight loss with steroids and without them
In this experiment, scientists aimed to determine the difference in weight loss “on steroids” and without them, when simply restricting calories (8).
The study involved 100 elderly men with varying degrees of obesity. Initially, for 10 weeks they were on a diet with strict calorie restriction. Then, for 56 weeks, some of them were administered testosterone undecanoate intravenously.
During the diet, all elderly individuals lost weight both due to fat mass loss (on average ~3 kg) and muscle mass loss (on average ~4 kg). Those who subsequently took testosterone regained muscle mass.
Weight loss through calorie restriction leads to the loss of both fat mass and muscle mass. The use of steroids helps to lose weight while preserving muscle mass.
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Mechanism of Steroids for Weight Loss
There are several mechanisms through which steroids activate fat burning:
- action on androgen receptors;
- action on glucocorticoid receptors.
Androgen receptors are sensitive to testosterone. They are found in both muscle and fat tissue. The action of testosterone (steroids) activates muscle growth (when they are in muscles) and stimulates fat burning when they are in fat tissue. The higher the concentration of these receptors, the stronger the effect (10).
Testosterone (steroids) suppresses the action of another type of receptor – glucocorticoid receptors. These receptors are sensitive to another hormone, cortisol, which is responsible for fatigue. Therefore, when taking steroids, athletes can train longer. Additionally, cortisol stimulates fat mass gain and catabolism (destruction of muscle tissue).
When the action of cortisol receptors is suppressed by steroids, it activates fat burning.
The effect of steroid use on weight loss is explained by their action on specific receptors in fat tissue that activate the process of burning fat for energy.
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Popular Steroids for Cutting and Weight Loss
Oxandrolone (oxandrolon) and trenbolone (trenbolone), stanozolol (stanozolol) – the three most popular steroids used for cutting.
Their feature and advantage is that they do not convert to estrogen (the female sex hormone that stimulates fat mass gain).
Also, Oxandrolone and Trenbolone act significantly stronger on androgen receptors than testosterone and even nandrolone, making them much more effective for weight loss (11, 12).
As for testosterone itself, it can also be beneficial for fat burning, but its effectiveness is significantly lower for the two reasons mentioned above:
- it converts to estrogen;
- it activates androgen receptors less effectively.
Clenbuterol
Let’s say a few words about clenbuterol.
It is often mistakenly taken for a type of anabolic steroid, but it is not.
This is a very powerful fat burner that is popular in professional bodybuilding during cutting and in bulking (for weight loss).
Its extreme effectiveness is explained by a strong stimulating effect on the nervous system and a very long duration of presence in the system (body). This is also the reason for serious side effects, up to death.
The most popular steroids for cutting and weight loss are oxandrolone, trenbolone, and stanozolol. They are several times more effective in fat burning than testosterone.
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Conclusion
Anabolic steroids may seem like an enticing weight loss tool… for the lazy. Don’t be fooled. There are no miracles.
Yes, as we found out above, they have a fat-burning effect. And most likely, steroids are the secret ingredient in the sensational drops and products advertised on the internet, promising quick results in weight loss.
But.
Before deciding to experiment, take the time to study the topic of the consequences of steroid use. There is much to think about.
We recommend that you lose weight in the following way (these are the basic rules of natural and long-term weight loss, recognized by all nutritionists):
- Eat to create a calorie deficit
The most important rule of weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you expend. The size of the deficit should not be very large – about 300-500 kcal.
Read about the primary importance of proper nutrition for weight loss (rather than exercise) in a large scientific study here, and here you can see a cutting program from a natural bodybuilder.
- Lead an active lifestyle
You don’t have to run. Running is far from the most effective sport for weight loss.
Engage in bodybuilding and pay attention to HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training). Scientific studies indicate that the latter are among the best exercises for weight loss.
About iron: it is commonly believed that bodybuilding makes you bulky and deforms your body, especially women are afraid of this… You don’t need to.
Strength training activates your internal metabolism, stimulates fat burning, and creates a beautiful muscle framework that will make you irresistible when the fat is gone.
Don’t believe it? Read The Benefits of Strength Training for Women. (Men can do it too.)
See you at the top of that mountain 😉
