One of the most important substances that folks in the fitness world especially those in bodybuilding circles is steroids. In many instances, you may have even heard of individuals using prohormones. In some cases, the two are used to mean the same thing. However, steroids are vastly different from prohormones, although they work to help individuals attain stronger and better-formed muscles as well as other desirable effects. In this article we shall take a closer look into what differentiates steroids from prohormones so you will be better-informed on which of these you would want to use for your bodybuilding journey.
Steroids
Steroids are a group of hormones that are important in a variety of physiologic processes in the body. The kind of steroids that bodybuilders and athletes use to build and strengthen muscles as well as improve overall performance is just one type of the many kinds of steroids in the human body. There are also steroids that are responsible for regulating the immune system as well as the blood pressure mechanism of the body. Of course the steroid that we are all familiar with are the anabolic steroids, or more appropriately, anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS. This is the steroids that we are going to talk about here.
Anabolic steroids increase the level of proteins with cells particularly in skeletal muscles to help build and grow the muscle cell. This is the principal mechanism of anabolic processes. These are synthetic hormones that resemble the action of testosterone as well as other androgenic substances in the body. They are primarily used in the stimulation of muscle growth as well as in the treatment or management of chronic wasting such as what typically happens in patients diagnosed with AIDS or cancer. They are also indicated in the management of hypoplastic anemias in an effort to help stimulate the bone marrow to produce blood cell precursors.
When used outside these medical conditions and without the written prescription of a licensed medical professional, steroids are considered illegal in the US as these are classified as Schedule III drugs. Unfortunately, even with such illegal status and the high risk of abuse with its accompanying harmful effects on the body, many individuals especially those in competitive sports as well as bodybuilding circles use steroids because of its strength-building and performance-enhancing capabilities.
Anabolic steroids, while they may improve performance and build muscles, can also produce many side effects such as severe acnes, changes in sexual functioning, infertility, irritability, aggression, cognitive impairment, muscle atrophy, hypertension, stroke, liver problems, kidney problems, immune dysfunction, and a whole lot more. If you are looking for a great alternative to steroids, our high strength range of legal steroids are a great solution to help with strength and fitness.
The World Health Organization, through the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified anabolic steroids as potentially carcinogenic perhaps because of its ability to stimulate cellular and tissue growth. One of the most critical side effects of anabolic steroids is the thickening and enlargement of the left ventricle. This can severely impair its ability to pump blood throughout the rest of the body, leading to a reduction in oxygen delivery to body tissues. Sadly, there is a much more serious threat to left ventricular hypertrophy. Death can ensue following cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks.
Prohormones
Prohormones, as the name suggests, are an entirely different kind of molecule that is processed by the liver and converted into a hormone. Whereas anabolic steroids are readily used by the body upon administration, prohormones will have to undergo biosynthesis first to turn it into an active hormone. It’s like giving your body the building blocks it needs to produce the kind of hormone that you need. This is unlike the steroid preparation that already comes in hormone form.
There are several unique advantages to having prohormones instead of the actual steroids. Since these are building blocks, you can actually choose which prohormone to take for a specific kind of result. For instance, if you need something that will help you increase your body’s fat-burning abilities, then you have to choose a prohormone that will convert into a substance that is especially designed for increased lipolysis. If, however, your objective is to build more lean muscles, then you have to pick a prohormone that is designed specifically for such a result.
The second advantage of prohormones is that they are generally safer than anabolic steroids. This doesn’t mean they don’t have side effects, of course, since they will still be converted into any of the different types of anabolic androgenic steroids. Nevertheless, since prohormones will be initially processed by the liver, the side effects should be less severe than those seen in anabolic steroids.
Some of the more common side effects that have been associated with prohormones include increased hair loss, mood swings, the development of gynecomastia or man boobs, and pain localized in the prostate glands. Some prohormones are also known to cause impotence. The good thing is that there is fewer incidence of cardiovascular effects as well as growth-related abnormalities.
The third advantage of prohormones is that they are considered as steroidal supplements. Since supplements do not undergo rigorous and strict control measures by the FDA, they are perfectly legal and are readily available. The implication is such that you can actually travel anywhere without having to worry about being accosted for possession of an illegal substance. If you were carrying steroids and cannot show a medical need for it such as a valid prescription, then you can be charged for possession of a controlled substance. On the other hand, since prohormones are supplements and are perfectly legal, you won’t run into problems with the law.
To summarize the differences between steroids and prohormones, steroids are pre-packaged hormones that are primarily intended for building and strengthening muscles as well as many other effects. Prohormones, on the other hand, are building blocks that need to be converted by the body into targeted hormones to produce the effects of these hormones. Steroids produce a host of serious side effects while those produced by prohormones are usually less severe. Steroids are illegal in the US without a valid prescription, but prohormones are perfectly legal and are readily available owing to their status as supplements. The full range of legal steroids from Flexx Labs are a great way to support muscle building.
