What is it Anabolic Steroid?

Anabolic Steroid is the familiar name for synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones (androgens). Anabolic Steroid promote the growth of skeletal muscle (anabolic effects) and the development of male sexual characteristics (androgenic effects). Also Steroid has some other effects. The term Anabolic Steroid will be used through-out this report because of its familiarity, although the proper term for these compounds is anabolic-androgenic Steroid.

History of Steroids

Different types of Anabolic Steroid were developed in the late 1930s primarily to treat hypogonadism, a condition in which the testes do not produce sufficient testosterone for normal growth, development, and sexual functioning. The primary medical uses of Steroid are to treat delayed puberty, some types of impotence, and wasting of the body caused by HIV infection or other diseases.

During the 1930s, scientists discovered that anabolic Steroid could facilitate the growth of skeletal muscle in laboratory animals, which led to use of Steroid first by bodybuilders and weightlifters and then by athletes in other sports. Steroid abuse has become so widespread in athletics that it affects the outcome of sports contests.

Steroids is synthetic derivatives of testosterone

Anabolic Steroids are defined as being synthetic derivatives of testosterone . Testosterone was often referred to as the "male" hormone, because testosterone in Steroid is responsible for developing some of the male characteristics such as lowering of the voice and hair growth, and because the male body produces much more of it than the female. Steroid is produced mainly in the testis, a small amount being produced in the adrenal. It is synthesized from cholesterol. The regulation of its production may be simplified thus: the hypothalamus (part of the brain) produces gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) which acts on the anterior pituitary to increase the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). LH acts on the Leydig cells in the testis, causing them to produce testosterone. FSH, together with testosterone act on the Sertoli cells in the testis to regulate the production and maturation of spermatozoa. Testosterone in turn acts on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to suppress the production of GnRH, FSHand LH, producing a negative-feedback mechanism which keeps everything well-regulated. The small amount produced in the adrenal (in both sexes) is regulated by secretion of adrenal corticotrophin hormone (ACTH), also secreted by the pituitary.

Testosterone, and its metabolites such as dihydrotestosterone, act in many parts of the body, producing the secondary sexual characteristics often male: balding, facial and body hair, deep voice, greater muscle bulk, thicker skin, and genital maturity. At puberty it produces acne, the growth spurt and the enlargement of the penis and testes as well as causing the fusion of the epiphyses (through its conversion to estrogens), bringing growth in height to an end. It plays some role in maintaining the sexual organs in the adult, but only a low concentration is required for this.

This information precedes any explanation of anabolic Steroids. Synthetic means artificial or man made. This infers that man has created a complex substance from a simpler substance by chemical reactions or synthesis. Most anabolic Steroids are made from Mexican Sarsaparilla root. This natural plant is chemically altered and synthesized to form the active anabolic Steroid ingredients. This is not to infer that the Mexican Sarsaparilla root is an Steroid substance on its own. It is virtually inert when ingested before this synthesis has been applied. It would be almost like assuming that since wine is made of grapes, one could be intoxicated by ingesting grapes. Testosterone is the primary sex hormone found in men. It is produced primarily by the testes and controls a great number of metabolic functions. It is an androgen which stimulates growth in tissues in which it acts, one of them being muscle. Testosterone has anabolic and androgenic effects. The anabolic effects are isolated to be the ones which affect muscle tissue directly. The androgenic effects are primarily responsible for secondary sexual characteristics in men: facial hair, deepening of the voice, sex organ development and erection, as well as aggression. The term anabolic instead of androgenic steroid implies that some effort has been made to alter the testosterone molecular structure so that the drug exerts more of an anabolic effect than an androgenic effect. If we want a simplified interpretation of the original definition "anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone." we might do so by saying this: "anabolic steroids are man made copies of a male hormone. The hormone which makes boys men, and which makes muscle tissue grow."

Direct and Indirect Anabolic Effects

Although testosterone had been isolated, synthesized and actively experimented with for many decades now, there is still some debate today as to exactly how steroids effect muscle mass. At this point in time the primary mode of anabolic action with all anabolic/androgenic steroids is understood to be direct activation of the cellular androgen receptor and increases in protein synthesis. As follows, if we are able to increase our androgen level from an external source by supplementing testosterone or a similar anabolic steroid, we can greatly enhance the rate in which protein is retained by the muscles. This is clearly the primary cause for muscle growth with all anabolic/androgenic steroids. As our hormone levels increase, so does androgen receptor activation, and ultimately the rate of protein synthesis.

But other indirect mechanisms could possibly affect muscle growth outside of the normally understood androgen action on protein synthesis. An indirect mechanism is one that is not directly brought about by activation of the androgen receptor, but the affect androgens might have on other hormones, or even the release of locally a hormones or growth promoters inside cells (perhaps mediated by other membrane bound receptors). We must remember also that muscle mass disposition involves not only protein synthesis, but also other factors such as tissue nutrient transport and protein breakdown. We need to look at androgenic interaction with these factors as well to get a compete picture. Concerning the first possibility, we note that studies with testosterone suggest that this hormone does not increase tissue amino acid transport. This fact probably explains the profound synergy bodybuilders have noted in recent years with insulin, a hormone that strongly increases transport of nutrients into muscle cells. But regarding protein breakdown we do see a second important pathway in which androgens might affect muscle growth.

Anti-Glucocorticoid Effect of Testosterone

Testosterone (and synthetic anabolic/androgenic steroids) may help to increase mass and strength by having an anticatabolic effect on muscle cells. Considered one of the most important indirect mechanisms of androgen action, these hormones are shown to effect the actions of another type of steroid hormone in the body, glucocorticoids (cortisol is the primary representative of this group) Glucocorticoid hormones actually have the exact opposite effect on the muscle cell than androgens, namely sending an order to release stored protein. This process is referred to as catabolism, and represents a breaking down of muscle tissue. Muscle growth is achieved when the anabolic effects of testosterone are more pronounced overall than the degenerative effects of cortisol. With intense training and a proper diet, the body will typically store more protein than it removes, but this underlying battle is always constant.

When administering anabolic steroids however, a much higher androgen level can place glucocorticoids at a notable disadvantage. With their effect reduced, fewer cells will be given a message to release protein, and more will be accumulated in the long run. The primarily mechanism believed to bring this effect out is androgen displacement of glucocorticoids bound to the glucocorticoid receptor. In-vitro studies have in fact supported this notion by demonstrating that testosterone has a very high affinity for this receptor and further suggesting that some of its anabolic activity is directly mediated through this action It is also suggested that androgens may indirectly interfere with DNA binding to the glucocorticoid response element Although the exact underlying mechanism is still in debate, what is clear is that steroid administration inhibits protein breakdown, even in the fasted state, which seems clearly indicative of an anti-catabolic effect.

Testosterone and Creatine

In addition to protein synthesis, a rise in androgen levels should also enhance the synthesis of creatine in skeletal muscle tissue& Creatine, as creatine phosphate (CP), plays a crucial role in the manufacture of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is a main store of energy for the muscles. As the muscle cells are stimulated to contract, ATP molecules are broken down into ADP (adenosine diphosphate), which releases energy. The cells will then undergo a process using creatine phosphate to rapidly restore ADP to its original structure, in order to replenish ATP concentrations. During periods of intense activity however, this process will not be fast enough to compensate and ATP levels will become lowered. This will cause the muscles to become fatigued and less able to effort a strenuous contraction. With increased leves of CP available to the cells, ATP is replenished at an enhanced rate and the muscle is both stronger and more enduring. This effect will account for some portion of the early strength increases seen during steroid therapy. Although perhaps not itself technically considered an anabolic effect as tissue hypertrophy is not a direct result, androgen support of creatine synthesis is certainly still looked at as a positive and growth supporting result in the mind of the bodybuilder.

Testosterone and IGF-1

It has also been suggested that there is an indirect mechanism of testosterone action on muscle mass mediated by Insulin-Like Growth Factor. To be more specific, studies note a clear link between androgens and tissue release of 15, and responsiveness to, this anabolic hormone. For example, it has been demonstrated that increases in (GE-i receptor concentrations in skeletal muscle are noted when elderly men are given replacement doses of testosterone . In essence, the cells are becoming primed for the actions of IGF-i, by testosterone. Alternately we see marked decreases in (GE-i receptor protein levels with androgen deficiency in young men. It also appears that androgens are necessary for the local production and function of (GE-i in skeletal muscle cells, independent of circulating growth hormone and IGF-1 levels Since we do know for certain that (GE-i is at least a minor anabolic hormone in muscle tissue, it seems reasonable to conclude that this factor, at least at some level, is involved in the muscle growth noted with steroid therapy.

In looking over the proposed indirect effects of testosterone, and pondering the effectiveness of the synthetic anabolic/androgenic steroids in these regards, we must resist the temptation to believe we can categorize steroids as those which directly, and those which indirectly, promote muscle growth. The belief that there are two dichotomous groups or classes of steroids ignores that fact that all commercial steroids promote not only muscle growth but also androgenic effects. There is no complete separation of these traits at this time, making clear that all activate the cellular androgen receptor. I believe the theory behind direct and indirect steroid classifications originated when some noted the low receptor binding affinity of seemingly strong anabolic steroids like oxymetholone and methandrostenolone If they bind poorly, yet work well, something else must be at work. This type of thinking fails to recognize other factors in the potency of these compounds however, such as their long half-lives, estrogenic activity and weak interaction with restrictive binding proteins (See: Free vs. Bound Testosterone). While there may possibly be differences in the way various compounds could foster growth indirectly, such that advantages might even be found with certain synergistic drug combinations, the primarily mode of action with all of these compounds is the androgen receptor. The notion that steroid X and Y must never be stacked together because they both compete for the same receptor when stimulating growth, while X and Z should be combined because they work via different mechanisms, should likewise not be taken too seriously. Such classifications are based on speculation only, and upon reasonable investigation seem clearly invalid.

Anabolic Steroid Side Effects

The action of testosterone can be in ways both beneficial and detrimental to the body. On the plus side, this hormone has a direct impact on the growth of muscle tissues, the production of red blood cells and overall well being of the organism. But it may also negatively effect the production of skin oils, growth of body, facial and scalp hair, and the level of both "good" and "bad" cholesterol in the body (among other things). In fact, men have a shorter average life span than women, which is believed to be largely due to the cardidvascular defects that this hormone may help bring about. Testosterone will also naturally convert to estrogen in the male body, a hormone with its own unique set of effects. As we have discussed earlier, raising the level of estrogen in men can increase the tendency to notice water retention, fat accumulation, and will often cause the development of female tissues in the breast (gynecomastia). Clearly we see that most of the "bad" side effects from steroids are simply those actions of testosterone that we are not looking for when taking a steroid. Raising the level of testosterone in the body will simply enhance both its good and bad properties, but for the most part we are not having "toxic" reactions to these drugs. A notable exception to this is the possibility of liver damage, which is a worry isolated to the use of ci 7-alpha alkylated oral steroids. Unless the athlete is taking anabolic/androgenic steroids abusively for a very long duration, side effects rarely amount to little more than a nuisance.

One could actually make a case that periodic steroid use might even be a healthy practice. Clearly a person's physical shape can relate closely to one's overall health and well being. Provided some common sense is paid to health checkups, drug choice, dosage and off-time, how can we say for certain that the user is worse off for doing so? This position is of course very difficult to publicly justify with steroid use being so deeply stigmatized. Since this can be a very lengthy discussion, I will save the full health, moral and legal arguments for another time. For now I would like to run down the list of popularly discussed side effects, and include any current treatment/avoidance advice where possible.

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