Everyone has heard the myths; steroids will turn any body into a lean, muscled machine. It’s the easiest way to gain a competitive edge in any athletic fields. A darker side of steroid use exists as well; steroids cause catastrophic organ damage and eventual death. Where does the truth truly lie?
Steroids can be an invaluable tool to increase muscle mass if used properly. The type of steroids generally used by athletes to increase performance are known as anabolic-androgenic steroids, or AAS, which are man made substances related to male sex hormones, such as testosterone. These hormones are the same that tell the body to grow and those that trigger puberty; when these hormones artificially trigger cell division and growth the resultant increase in tissue leads to the larger muscles most steroid users seek.
Steroids are used in cycles, with six to twelve weeks on and ten to twelve weeks off. It is extremely important to allow for time off between cycles to give the body time to regulate its hormone levels. Most long term steroid users only complete one to two cycles a year. In addition to increased side effects, excessive use decreases effectiveness as the cells receptor sites fail to recognize the drug. continue reading »
The influence of anabolic steroids in the United States of America is so deep and wide that the largest steroid bust in the history of the United States of America lasted for one and a half year and involves a lot of other countries. Nine other countries were involved to be exact. In that particular steroid bust, there are 56 drug laboratories being raided and a whopping 11.4 million doses of performance enhancing drugs being seized. Not only that, during the steroid bust, a database of thousand of buyers too were being confiscated.
The steroid bust, which is also called as Operation Raw Deal, is spear headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is also known as the DEA. According to them, the majority of the steroids came from China. It is not surprising seeing the cheap labor there makes producing steroids so much cheaper.
The steroid bust just did not stop there. The Drugs Enforcement Administration has given the China authorities information about the companies that have been producing these illegal anabolic steroids. According to the DEA, by working with the Chinese government, the steroid bust can be more effective. Since then, they have tracked down emails, suppliers, buyers, laboratories and information regarding the entire supply chain of these illegal anabolic steroids. continue reading »
Are steroids legal? I bet that is one of the first questions that pop up in your mind when you initially want to start using it. Before we get into that question, we need to know what are steroids. Steroids which also known as juice or roids is used to enhance the body hormonal functions.
So, are steroids legal to use? First of all, if you are talking about using it in competitions or events, there is only one answer. Steroids are definitely illegal! Take Marion Jones for example. She has used steroids in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is now banned from any more Olympic competition by the International Olympic Committee. That is serious enough to say that using steroid is illegal in competitions and the consequences are heavy and serious.
But are steroids legal for personal usage? Well, that depends on certain countries and also certain districts within one country it self. In America, you can just buy anabolic steroids or any sort of performance enhancing drugs from the Internet but in Arizona, you are considered breaking the law if you have steroids in your possession or if you are caught using steroids. Steroids are considered dangerous drugs in that state. continue reading »
