There Are Steroid Alternatives

How do you do it? You know what you want; a lean, cut, defined body, something that stands out in a shirt and better without one.

You can buy anabolic steroids. You can. You probably wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t know this already.

The problem, of course, is that in order to buy anabolic steroids you have to wander through a minefield of regulations, laws, social stigmas and health risks. Sure, you can buy anabolic steroids online, or from a friend, or with a prescription. And you can use them with minimal risk, in some cases, and you can stay safe from legal complications with a prescription, and you can achieve the body you’re looking for with amazing results.

But there are alternatives. The term “legal steroids” is used loosely these days and can mean different things, but there are supplements that mimic anabolic steroids that are legal and safe (or safer) than anabolic steroids. These range from simple protein powders to new compounds just reaching the market.

Again, you can always buy anabolic steroids if you’re interested enough, and willing to take some chances. It’s always good, though, to recognize that you have choices in today’s supplement world.

The Law and the Anabolic Steroid, Plain and Simple

What is an anabolic steroid?

An anabolic steroid is essentially a drug that mimics the male sex hormone testosterone, although it's more properly called an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS).

Who defines an anabolic steroid?

For the purposes of this post, let's stick with the law. In this case, the pertinent law is the 1990 Anabolic Steroid Control Act, which defined anabolic-androgenic steroids as “any drug or hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone.” Can't get any simpler than that, right? This doesn't cover corticosteroids, such as prednisone, and it doesn't cover female hormone or hormone-like substances, such as those found in contraceptive pills/implants.

What's the anabolic law say?

The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 classified, for the first time, the anabolic steroid, as defined above, as a Schedule III Controlled Substance.

What's a Schedule III Controlled Substance?

Well. Here's what it isn't: A Schedule III controlled substance is not a Schedule II or a Schedule I controlled substance. That means, essentially, that it has less potential for abuse than those substances, although it's still considered dangerous and therefore legally restricted. Other Schedule III drugs include stimulants used for weight loss/appetite suppression, some depressants, and narcotics such as codeine, morphine, and hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin).

Some Thoughts On How To Buy Steroids

Considering the current climate regarding the use of steroids in competitive athletics, if you're considering adding steroids to your regimen you might be wondering how to buy steroids.

If you're going to buy steroids, you should be aware of the pitfalls first. Many steroids are illegal unless and except when prescribed by a physician or other health professional, and they fall under various legal jurisdictions depending on the country (and state). In any case, if you're going to buy steroids anyway it's probably best that you avoid situations that seem questionable or shady in the least. Not only are you risking legal complications, but you have very little ability to verify what product you're actually purchasing. Don't take chances.

On the other hand, many steroid users have been going online to buy steroids. The advantages are probably obvious: Privacy, of course, and also the ability to shop around, take your time, get opinions and do your research. As the world quickly moves toward an Internet shopping culture, in fact, many people find shopping online preferable to other experiences. When you're looking to buy steroids, why should that be any different?

Health Risks Of Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are hot topics for the mass media, and obviously popular among certain people, particularly athletes and competitive bodybuilders. There are fairly dramatic benefits, visible and evident, and a whole variety of horror stories regarding their use and misuse.

But what are the real hazards, the real health risks of taking anabolic steroids, and how real are they?

First, it should be noted that primarily these risks are attributed to misuse or overuse of anabolic steroids. In fact, anabolic steroids are used for a variety of legitimate medical reasons having nothing to do with cosmetic or strengthening goals. However, anabolic steroids can be abused and lead to a variety of health risks, including very serious ones, even cancer.

Other risks include hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol problems (lowering of HDL, or “good” cholesterol and an increase in LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, increasing risk for heart disease and stroke), liver and kidney tumors, and more minor but still significant side effects such as severe acne and tremulousness.

Perhaps the most serious risk from anabolic steroids, at least from those anabolic steroids that are injected, is the chance of contracting disease from shared needles, such as HIV/AIDS.

There are myths about anabolic steroids, but it’s always important to know the real risks, too.

What Do We Mean By "Steroids"?

It seems that steroids are constantly in the news, and not just on the sports page. Criminal prosecutions are common and generate headlines and interest. And still it seems most people have only a vague idea of what steroids are.

First, it’s important to differentiate between corticosteroids and anabolic steroids. Corticosteroids are naturally produced in the adrenal cortex area of the brain, and help regulate a variety of processes in the human body, including stress and immune response, levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc.), and carbohydrate metabolism.

Steroids that are manufactured (synthetic corticosteroids), such as prednisone and cortisone, are used to treat a variety of medical illnesses, from asthma to eczema to certain kinds of cancer.

On the other hand, anabolic steroids are used primarily for cosmetic purposes (in fact, the majority of use is not by competitive athletes or bodybuilders, but for exactly this reason). They do have other functions; for example, they are sometimes prescribed by physicians to help stimulate the appetites of people with chronic wasting diseases such as cancer or AIDS.

In either case, steroids are serious medicines and should always be taken under the direction of a physician or other medical professional. Side effects are serious and can be even deadly, so caution is always in order.