STEROID ALTERNATIVES
Steroids do help build muscle, but at a very high price. But because of advances in sports nutrition lately, you now have healthy alternatives. Here are some good ways to achieve your goals naturally…
Anabolic steroids now seem to be a frequent subject in today’s sports news. While bodybuilders have traditionally been associated with using illegal steroids, professional wrestlers, baseball players, football players, and various other athletes have been caught up in the game — doing permanent damage to their bodies in the process.
Steroids obviously work, or else no one would be foolish enough to risk their health or waste their money on them. But strong evidence supports the fact that using steroids just is NOT worth it. In recent years, a number of natural supplements have been developed that can stimulate strength and hormone production in ways that actually mimic steroids. And to top it off, they won’t damage your health in the myriad ways that steroids can. While these supplements may not quite deliver the drugs’ full effects, they will come much closer than you ever thought possible. For the sake of your health and body, this IS the way to go!
The Best Natural Alternative to ‘Roids’
While nothing can produce temporary gains as quickly as steroids, there are many natural supplements that will promote anabolic responses in your body. The cornerstone of this is protein; be sure you are taking at least 1–1.5 g of protein per pound of body weight. Adding the following nutrients can make a significant difference in your progress, speeding up your gains and increasing your size potential… try and work all of them into your supplement program.
- Creatine
Creatine Monohydrate is the most popular and well-known steroid alternative. This nutrient is naturally found in your skeletal muscles, where it is involved in the energy pathway used for explosive movements like weight training. Supplementation has been shown to boost strength in many published clinical trials. This increased strength triggers enhanced protein synthesis, which leads to bigger muscles over time. While early experiments used a loading phase of up to 20 g per day, more recent studies have found that this phase is not necessary, although it will take a few weeks longer for the muscles to reach their peak creatine levels.[Tip: Take 5 g per day and use your new strength to train at peak intensity. Cycling creatine is not necessary. - Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid with an attitude — it helps release nitric oxide into your bloodstream, which increases blood flow in a process known as vasodilation. This means more muscle-building nutrients are shuttled into your muscle cells, helping to boost growth and strength while enhancing the satisfying “pump” that you get with hardcore weight training. Manufacturers of NO boosters have discovered other permutations of arginine, such as arginine ketoisocaproate (AKIC), and arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) that have shown to be even more effective in absorption by the body. But even in its most basic from, arginine delivers. [Tip: Take 3–5 g of arginine on an empty stomach three to four times per day, but dosage does vary due to formulation so be sure to check the label of your product of choice.] - Secretagogues
A variety of products on the market, known as secretagogues, boost growth-hormone secretion. These supplements contain combinations of amino acids that signal the hypothalamus in the brain, triggering the production of GHRH (growth-hormone releasing hormone). GHRH travels to the pituitary gland, which then releases growth hormone into the bloodstream where it can be picked up and utilized by the muscle cells. It also increases the release of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) from the liver, which is believed to provide some of the anabolic effects associated with GH. [Tip: The most common amino-acid combinations are glutamine, arginine and ornithine, although other synergistic amino acids are sometimes added to the mix. Secretagogues are available in capsule form and in effervescent formulations.] - Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB)
HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine, and has been shown to decrease muscle breakdown and enhance muscle-tissue repair. This effect has also been shown to lead to impressive gains in muscle mass and muscle strength. While HMB appears to have mixed results in experienced weightlifters, those with less than one year of training experience report the greatest benefits in strength and muscle mass while taking at least 3 g per day. Some experts believe that taking higher doses can show clear benefits in even the most experienced lifter. [Tip: To get a boost from HMB, take 1–4 g immediately after workouts, and shoot for a total of 3–12 g per day taken in several divided doses throughout the day.]
Of course, these natural products will not produce the “instant” effects that steroids can, but they will certainly speed up your gains and allow you to achieve your goals sooner than would otherwise be possible. And since they don’t have the side effects that steroids have, you can rest assured that your progress will not be interrupted by a negative drug-induced effect. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ll be able to hold on to your gains in the long term, without the roller-coaster ride that steroids can create. As in many things in life, slow and steady wins the race. It pays to think twice before taking anabolic steroids.
Quick Course On Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized primarily in the Leydig cells of the testes in men. It is also produced in much smaller amounts in the ovaries and adrenal glands of women. In males, synthesis begins when the pituitary gland secretes luteinizing hormone, which travels to the testes, where it sets off a chain of enzymatic reactions that starts with cholesterol and yields testosterone as the final product. Healthy adult men produce 2.5–11 mg of testosterone per day, while the average adult woman produces 0.25 mg per day.Testosterone produces various effects in the body and is responsible for a number of androgenic actions, such as the growth of the sexual organs, development of secondary sexual characteristics, maintenance of sexual function and fertility. Testosterone promotes the greater muscularity that men possess, particularly after puberty.
Testosterone: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly–
- The Good
Fundamentally, natural testosterone and man-made steroids have the same positive effects in the body. They promote a more efficient utilization of the amino acids in protein-rich foods by the muscle tissues. This results in increased muscle size and strength. Testosterone also acts through a number of indirect mechanisms. It counteracts the negative effects of cortisol, producing a significant reduction in protein breakdown. Testosterone is also necessary for the local production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) within the skeletal muscles, which also boosts anabolism. Studies have even suggested that testosterone may directly or indirectly suppress myostatin levels, which would have the effect of taking the brakes off of muscle growth. These are the reasons that athletes try to increase their testosterone levels by supplementing with anabolic steroids. - The Bad
Since steroids are chemically modified forms of testosterone, they can negatively impact the body by remaining active far longer than natural testosterone. This increases the chances for unappealing and even dangerous side effects.By and large, the main difference in steroid effects is dosage-related. Nature sets limits on testosterone production, seeking to keep a healthy balance with the body’s other hormones and processes. When you overcome these control mechanisms by ingesting or injecting testosterone analogs, you open the door to a variety of problems.For instance, a survey of 1,667 bodybuilders published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that the 97 male athletes who used anabolic steroids reported the following side effects:› testicular atrophy (shrunken gonads)› gynecomastia (breast tissue in men)› hypertension› fluid retention› frequent colds› liver and kidney dysfunction› sleep irregularitiesThere also appears to be an increased frequency of tendon injuries. This is because the tendons do not increase in strength to the same extent as the muscles they are attached to.There are negative impacts on cholesterol levels as well. HDL levels decline while LDL levels increase, sometimes dramatically. This effect is most pronounced when oral steroids are consumed. A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that HDL levels dropped 33% during six weeks of treatment with stanozolol (Winstrol), the steroid that sprinter Ben Johnson was busted for using. - The Ugly
The shrunken testicles and male breasts aren’t the only unsightly side effects associated with anabolic steroid abuse. Many who use testosterone experience excessive acne and premature hair loss. Yes, you may build more muscle, but such gains could be offset by unappealing visual side effects. Then there’s the fact that anabolic steroids are a controlled substance and using them can lead to serious jail time. In other words, if you want to be a muscular bald guy sitting in a jail cell with breasts, shrunken testicles and bad acne, then by all means, go for the juice.
|
Tags: arginine, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (hmb), creatine, secretagogues, steroid alternatives, steroids, testosterone
