Some steroids have been much more effective than others. What determines and what determines the effectiveness of anabolic steroids? If you answer very briefly, it all depends on the following factors:
- the specificity of the steroid;
- the individual characteristics of a human being;
- patterns of use of steroids;
- the availability of sufficient amounts of amino acids and energy for the synthesis of new protein in the cell (the full problem, including specialized nutrition athlete);
- level of physical activity while taking the drug, because of the insufficient amount will adversely affect the effectiveness of the drug (the problem of proper selection of the mode and intensity of training).
Not all steroids have the same chemical structure, which determines the rate of conversion of the drug in the liver to biologically inactive compound and its excretion from the body and accordingly have different impact on the human body. In General, drugs with the greatest anabolic effect, contribute to the growth of the muscle tissue in the most. Traditionally, for example, it is believed that drugs such as Anavar, Winstrol and Primobolan are steroids with a high degree of anabolic effect on the body. An even stronger effect have Anadrol, Dianabol or Testosterone.
In medicine anabolic activity of a drug is determined in relation to the anabolic activity of testosterone, which is conventionally taken for 1. Similarly expressed in the androgenic activity of steroids in relation to androgenic activity of testosterone.
The ratio of anabolic to androgenic activity is called anabolic index. Hence it becomes clear that the most valuable is the drug, which has the highest anabolic index (AI) as the maximum of the predominance of anabolic over androgenic activity.
In the following table (Y. B. Bulanov) is anabolic and androgenic activity of different drugs according to different authors, where the standard is used the testosterone.
As we have said, another important factor influencing the effectiveness of anabolic steroids are the individual characteristics of the organism a specific user. Some athletes have an extremely high individual sensitivity biotransformiroetsa systems, as well as a large number of receptor molecules entering with steroid interaction and triggering in a complex biological effect. This provides a compound of receptors with a much larger number of free molecules, which in turn dramatically increases the anabolic effect. This explains the known fact that some bodybuilders taking small doses of steroids, continuously increasing the performance. Among athletes, there are individuals with a small number of receptor molecules in the muscle cell, in this regard, effective are only the most potent steroids and in large doses. Very often, these users are taking high doses of a mixture of various steroids with no visible effect.
With regard to the schemes of use of anabolic steroids, the foreign authors have described, at least a few ways of introducing anabolic steroids to the athletes who, in their opinion, cause maximum effects with minimal side effects:
- the method of "combinations" is the simultaneous use of multiple anabolic steroids (oral and injection) that work synergistically with each other;
- the phenomenon of the "plateau" involves the use of anabolic steroids in the case where the used drugs do not give the desired increase in muscle mass and strength;
- way to "quick switch" from one steroid to another, which allows efficient action of the drug after effect of the previous;
- the method of "narrowing" is slow (4-6 weeks) reduced dosages of steroids after a long course of admission to reduce side effects and return to the original state;
- the method of "firing fraction" permits the use of many drugs in small doses in the hope that one of them will complement the action of another.
But whatever regimen of steroids, we should not forget about the rather intense special training and the corresponding full protein diet. And if an athlete takes steroids, but not enough training, eats anyhow, no anabolic effect should be expected. The effect here will be negative only associated with a toxic effect on the body and, above all, on the liver. This truth is especially useful to remember the young people who are not especially loving regularly and to practice a lot and rely primarily on the wonders of chemistry.
There are other causes of unequal action of anabolic steroids and their effect on different individuals, which we describe in subsequent articles of this column.
On the basis of the foregoing include the following positive effects of anabolic steroids:
- the increase in strength as a result of adequate nutrition and exercise by increasing the number of contractile fibers in muscle cells;
- reducing the amount of fat in the result of an increase in respiratory quotient, effect on metabolism, nutrition and exercise;
- increase endurance by increasing the number of mitochondria and increasing oxygen consumption;
- the improve blood supply to the muscles associated with acceleration of blood flow in microvessels;
- prevent muscle breakdown caused by intense training;
- recovery after injuries and surgical operations, depending on the increased protein synthesis and influence on metabolism.
However, there is another side of the coin. Steroid the use of anabolic steroids is known to cause a number of side effects that you should know those who is going to recommend or use myself. Only after close examination of this negative side of steroid use, every athlete will be able to take the right decision.