All You Need to Know About Anabolic Androgenic Steroids
The most widespread use of anabolic steroids is in the treatment of certain medical conditions. But they have nearly as large an application in the non-medical field, namely, in sports settings.
Athletes, bodybuilders, and powerlifters use anabolic steroids from Intex Pharma for sale (and others) for bulking, cutting, and performance enhancement. They have the following benefits:
- Enhanced muscle mass
- Better athletic performance
- Increased stamina
- Lower recovery time post-workout
Anabolic androgenic steroids or AAS are synthetic hormones that mimic the naturally-occurring testosterone. This is crucial in building and maintaining lean muscle, improving energy, and developing the secondary male sex characteristics.
However, incorrect and unregulated usage can lead to severe and long-term adverse consequences. This blog will guide you through the mechanism of AAS, allowing you to undertake a safe cycle.
What are anabolic steroids?
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. Androgenic anabolic steroids are its synthetic variants. They mimic the properties of the naturally produced testosterone. As such, AASs work in similar ways.
They affect various parts of the body like hair, muscles, bones, kidneys, liver, and blood. They also have a significant impact on the immune, reproductive, and central nervous systems.
The body experiences a testosterone surge at puberty. This enables the development of the secondary male characteristics, such as increased facial and body hair, deeper voice, and sex drive. Testosterone is also responsible for muscle growth, increased height, higher self-esteem, and competitiveness.
By imitating testosterone, AASs help in boosting the above, thereby significantly improving overall athletic performance. This explains why athletes and bodybuilders buy Intex Pharma steroids.
How should you take anabolic steroids?
Uninterrupted AAS usage can cause tolerance issues. As your body becomes more and more used to the influx of the synthetic hormone, it stops producing testosterone by itself altogether.
To minimize the chances of this happening, you are advised to follow different patterns of steroid usage.
Cycling
You go ‘on’ and ‘off’ steroids for fixed periods of time. An average steroid ‘on’ cycle lasts for about 6-12 weeks, followed by at least a month of an ‘off’ period. The latter allows your body to rest and recover its natural ability to produce testosterone.
Stacking
Instead of relying on a single steroid, you combine or ‘stack’ multiple steroids and/or supplements. This allows you to maximize your benefits from steroids and can significantly shorten the time you take to reach your fitness goals.
Pyramiding
You start with the minimum dose, and then gradually increase the dosage and then stop altogether. This is great for beginners as they need time to build up tolerance.
What are the different types of anabolic androgenic steroids available?
There are approximately 32 different types of AASs available commercially. You can buy from Intex Pharma and other manufacturers. These have different applications- medical as well as non-medical.
People buy steroids for:
- Therapeutic reasons, to treat a certain medical condition
- Enhancement of athletic performance
- Bulking cycles, that is, building muscles
- Cutting cycles, that is, burning fat
- Improving stamina and endurance
- Enhancing metabolism
- Reducing recovery time
They are available as oral tablets and injections.
Oral steroids: Fluoxymesterone, Methyltestosterone, Oxandrolone, Stanozolol.
Injectable steroids: Boldenone undecylenate, Methenolone enanthate, Nandrolone decanoate, testosterone enanthate, trenbolone propionate.
These are only a few of the AASs commercially available.
Oral steroids must be taken with water or warm milk. They should be taken at a scheduled time each day. They must not be crushed or dissolved as that can reduce the efficacy of the drug.
Injectable steroids are either intramuscular or subcutaneous. They must be administered at scheduled intervals, only by a licensed doctor or nurse. It is best not to self-inject.
How do AASs work?
Both oral and injectable kinds of anabolic androgenic steroids bind to an androgen receptor by traveling through the bloodstream to muscle tissue.
AASs travel through the bloodstream to the muscle tissue, where they bind to an androgen receptor. The drug can subsequently interact with the cell’s DNA and stimulate the protein synthesis process that promotes cell growth.
Androgenic anabolic steroids that you buy from Intex Pharma or other manufacturers generally work in two ways:
- Anabolic: Being anabolic in nature, AASs increase protein synthesis. This signals to the cells to start building muscles, thus boosting muscle mass.
- Androgenic:The anti-estrogenic nature of AASs prevents them from aromatizing into estrogen in the body, thus increasing free testosterone levels. This leads to enhancement of the secondary male characteristics.
Some AASs have weaker androgenic properties. This means that while they push the body into an anabolic state, they do not mimic the androgenic properties of testosterone as strongly.
This leads to less pronounced male characteristics such as deepened voice or hirsutism.
Medical uses of steroids
Certain kinds of steroids, such as corticosteroids, are commonly prescribed to treat certain conditions. They can prevent asthma attacks and reduce inflammation, thus reducing pain.
Although an anabolic steroid, testosterone can also treat certain conditions like hypogonadism.
Anabolic androgenic steroids are a schedule III controlled substance. You can buy Intex Pharma steroids (or from other manufacturers) only if you are of legal age and carry a valid prescription by a licensed doctor.
Most commonly, AASs that are medically prescribed are testosterone and its esters, such as nandrolone decanoate,methyltestosterone, and oxandrolone. These are generally prescribed to treat the following medical conditions:
- Delayed puberty
- Illnesses that contribute to muscle loss, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS
- Certain forms of anemia
- Hypogonadism
- Bone loss due to osteoporosis
What are the Side Effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids?
Steroids that you buy even from reputed manufacturers, such as Intex Pharma for sale, show some side effects. These depend on your age, sex, dosage levels, duration, and the product itself.
In men
- Gynecomastia or enlargement in breast tissue
- Low sperm count
- Shrinking of testicles
In women
- Menstrual irregularities
- Clitoral enlargement
- Deeper voice
- Hirsutism
- Smaller breasts
Some effects are common in men and women
- Oily skin and acne
- Fluid retention
- Lower HDL and higher LDL
- Increase or decrease in sex drive
- Changes in mood
- Difficulty sleeping
In most cases, steroid side effects are temporary. However some of them might become permanent even after withdrawal. It is essential to monitor your progress and follow up with your doctor while you are on an AAS cycle.
Conclusion
Whether you are buying steroids from Intex Pharma for sale or from some other manufacturer, it is important to note that caution is key.
Even with all their benefits, AASs can be quite harsh, and you need to maintain a balance while using them.
They are not a substitute for your diet and exercise regimen; rather, they are meant to supplement your efforts.