Many up and coming bodybuilders looking to incorporate steroid medicine into their training program are often reluctant to do so. These newbies often have several questions to ask, some of which are -what are anabolic steroids?, how do anabolic steroids work?, what are steroids used for?, is it safe to use steroids to build muscle? and what are the side effects of steroids in bodybuilding?
As a bodybuilder myself and one with more than a decade of steroids bodybuilding experience, I can relate with these questions, as they were the exact same ones I asked when I started out.
Well, before I get into whether or not anabolic steroid use is safe to build muscle, it would be best to start with the basics by explaining what anabolic steroids are, why bodybuilders use steroids, and what steroids would be ideal for newbies.
What are Anabolic Steroids?
Think of steroid medicine as testosterone on steroids! Sounds weird, but that is basically what steroids are. Androgenic-anabolic steroids or AAS for short, are actually synthetic compounds that are derived from natural hormones such as testosterone.
However, unlike your body’s testosterone which is released into your bloodstream in really small amounts, AAS are larger amounts of synthetic steroid hormones that are designed to provide you with both androgenic and anabolic effects when used.
Now your naturally produced testosterone is what is called an androgen. This androgen has a positive effect on muscle tissues, as it will bind itself to androgen receptors in your muscle tissue. When this happens, a chemical reaction occurs in your muscle cells with protein synthesis occurring at a rapid rate. This consequently leads to a significant growth in your skeletal muscles amongst other anabolic effects.
Why Do People Take Steroid Medicine?
Steroid medicine is used by people for a whole lot of reasons. For one, anabolic steroids may be necessary if a person has a health condition. Steroids are known to be given to people recovering from a surgical procedure or to individuals with serious health issues that cause them to lose muscle mass. Steroids can help these patients to build their skeletal muscles.
While you can’t get a high from anabolic steroids unlike narcotics, such as; marijuana, heroin, and cocaine; some people still use steroids because it gives them a psychological boost.
Let me explain in more detail.
Steroids can help to build muscle mass (as explained already) which can be a great morale booster to individuals with low self-esteem. Such people will use steroids regularly because it makes them feel physically and mentally bigger. However, many may not use steroids in a safe way and this could eventually be detrimental to their health.
Bodybuilders use AAS in steroids bodybuilding either to shed excessive body fat, what we call ‘running a cutting cycle’ or to increase muscle mass, which we refer to as ‘running a bulking cycle’.
Why Do People Want Huge Muscles?
This is a question that only you can answer. Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to bulk up. But as a bodybuilder and personal trainer, my own reason was clear, I needed to have huge muscles in order to compete and to convince clients that I could make them as big as I was.
Imagine looking skinny (no disrespect to skinny people) and claiming that you are a professional bodybuilding trainer, I doubt that you would be taken seriously by any prospective client.
While this is my primary reason for wanting huge muscles, it didn’t really start off like that. Initially I wanted huge muscles to look like Arnold, you know – the terminator guy!, but later on I found out after I had gotten huge muscles that I wanted to be more than just a guy with huge muscles.
So I decided to start sharing my bodybuilding experience with gym mates and then online as I am doing so now. But not everyone can be like me, so here is a list of why I think people want huge muscles.
- Ego trip: It feels good having bulging muscles especially when you walk down the street with a tank top and all the ladies are staring in admiration.
- To compete: Many strength athletes need to run steroid cycles in order to be fit enough to successfully compete at their respective competitive events.
- For the paycheck: If you are a personal trainer like me, you need to look big in order to win clients, so having huge muscles was a no-brainer.
There may be many other reasons why people want huge muscles, but they all fall under these three basic reasons.
Anabolic Steroid Products for Beginners
Now we are getting into the nitty gritty of steroid medicine for bodybuilding. With more than 100 different anabolic steroid drugs in existence, not all are ideal for running a bulking cycle or great for beginners.
Steroid bodybuilding for newbies should be easy to take, inexpensive and have subtle or no side effects. Steroid use can adversely affect people in different ways, this is why before you begin a steroid cycle, you get advice from a medical doctor or a qualified trainer.
It is important that whatever steroid medicine you take, you do not react negatively to it. Your health comes first before steroid use. For starters, anabolic steroids pills are perfect for newbies and here are four relatively safe steroid products that will help you build muscles.
#1: Anavar:
Anavar is one of the brand names for an anabolic steroid called Oxandrolone. This steroid medicine drug was produced back in the early 1960s and was originally used in building skeletal muscle mass in patients that are recovering from a surgical procedure. Anavar is also given to patients afflicted by wasting syndromes like HIV/AIDS and cancer.
These anabolic steroids pills are safe for building muscle as well as increasing bone density. The hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity) of Anavar is low, so you don’t have to worry too much about damage to your liver. Although it is advisable to stick with my recommended safe dose.
My Anavar beginner cycle:
This is a cycle that will run for 6 weeks and entails the use of only Anavar while you workout. From week 1 to 3, use 15 mg of Anavar daily, then from week 4 to 6 increase your daily dosage to 20 mg.
#2: Anadrol:
Anadrol is the brand name of another orally taken steroid medicine for building muscle known as Oxymetholone. This drug was initially developed for medical use and in the treatment of wasting syndromes, osteoporosis, and anemia. Though this steroid can cause masculinization in female users, the symptoms are reversible provided the drug is not used continuously beyond a recommended cycle.
Here is my recommended Anadrol standalone beginner cycle:
Use 50 mg daily from week 1 to 3, then increase your daily dosage to 75 mg to be taken from week 4 to 6.
#3: Winstrol:
Winstrol is an anabolic steroid developed as Stanozolol by an American pharmaceutical company in the early 1960s for the treatment of hereditary angioedema.
This steroid medicine is available as pills or as injectable steroids. Winny as this drug is fondly called, is subtle on the liver and provides long lasting androgenic-anabolic effects. Winstrol will help build you skeletal muscle and bone mass while also boosting metabolism to help reduce body fat.
The safest Winny beginner cycle should run for 5 weeks. I recommend that you take a daily dose of between 30 and 60 mg of Winstrol during this period.
#4: Dianabol:
Dianabol is the brand name for Metandienone. D-bol as it is popularly called is an androgenic-anabolic oral pill that can help to build muscle. This steroid medicine has potent anabolic effects, but coverts to estrogen in your bloodstream which can result in the development of male boobs, a condition referred to as gynecomastia.
However, this condition is reversible provided you use the recommended dose provided here and you also undertake post cycle therapy (PCT) after you complete a D-bol cycle.
I recommend a 6 week D-bol (only) cycle with 20 mg taken daily from week 1 to 2, then from week 3 to 6, you should take 25 mg per day.
In Conclusion
The steroid medicine drugs highlighted are safe steroids pills for building muscles as a bodybuilding beginner. However, you should ensure that you drink a lot of water when using these drugs and also use liver supplements or liver protection medication (like TUDCA) to keep your liver healthy.
Short cycles are recommended to help prevent an escalation of side effects and undertaking a post cycle therapy (PCT) is essential for regulating your hormones after a bulking cycle. During PCT, estrogen blockers like Nolvadex or Proviron are used to reduce estrogenic side effects and to restore balance to your hormones.
Finally, in answering the question of – ‘is it safe to use steroids to build muscle?’, my honest answer is – Yes, it is safe. However, you need to be responsible with your steroid medicine use. Make sure you stick with recommended safe cycles and doses, and please don’t misuse or abuse steroids.