The Physical Effects of Steroids

Just like nutrition, exercise, and supplements, steroids can be a useful tool to achieve athletic greatness. A very effective tool at that.

Primary Physical Effects of Steroids

- Increased muscle mass/size.
- Increased strength.
- Increased speed.
- Increased power.
- Decreased body fat.

Increased Muscle Mass and Steroids

Gains of up to 30 lbs during a 12 week cycle is not uncommon. What may have taken you 3 years while naturally training can be achieved much faster, allowing you to break past plateaus and move in to uncharted size territory.

Getting bigger and growing more muscle is generally due to anabolic steroids effect on increased protein synthesis and nitrogen retention. Meaning... your body is more efficient at converting protein like beef, chicken, fish, and protein powder in to muscle.

Steroids Increase Strength

Massive increases in strength can be achieved during a properly designed exercise and steroid cycle. Think... 100 lbs added to your bench in 12 weeks! How about going from 200lbs to 300lbs, or 300lbs to 400lbs! If you think benching 4 plates a side looks impressive, they can help you achieve your goals much quicker and easier.

The method through which steroids increase strength is primarily through it's CNS (Central Nervous System) stimulation. Testosterone and it's analogs send signals to your brain to recruit more muscle fibers during exercise. This results in greater efficiency during workouts and athletic events.

Increased Speed from Steroids

Similar to strength, steroids increase speed through CNS activation. You can knock 0.2 to 0.4 seconds off your 40 yard time, or 0.4 to 0.8 seconds off your 100m.

Look at what Ben Johnson was able to achieve both natural and on steroids. His best time of 9.79 seconds during the 1988 Seoul Olympics was performance enhanced. After a 2 year ban, he wasn't able to break 10.2 seconds! That is the power of steroids on athletic performance. We're not playing around here. These are serious drugs!

Anabolic Steroids and Increased Power

Power is a function of acceleration times size i.e. Force = Mass X Acceleration. In sports like football, strongman, highland games, shot put, and discus, steroids can have a huge impact.

Back in the 1970-80's the old GDR (German Democratic Republic) had tables set to accurately predict how much steroids would help shot put and discus distances. It was estimated steroids would increase the athlete's shot put distances by 2.5-4 meters, and 10-12 meters on their discus!

It can be the differance between making national trials and breaking a world record!

Fat Burning Properties of Steroids

Bodybuilders have utilized the special physical effects of steroids to get that shrink wrapped skin look for years.

Anabolic steroids primary help to reduce the loss of muscle mass during dieting. I'm sure you may have noticed natural bodybuilders tend to look a little stringy, where as juiced bodybuilders look full and cut.

However, steroids don't directly decrease bodyfat. Thyroid hormone, hGH (human growth hormone), Clenbuterol, and DNP are much more effective. Although, certain steroids can help round out the "perfect" physique to give you a more balanced and aesthetic appeal.