I know bodybuilders use it to look/be bigger/stronger, but how does it actually achieve that goal?
In: Biology
It causes the muscles to synthesize more muscle proteins causing the muscle cells to get bigger this causing the muscles to grow bigger as well as reducing the recovery period for exercise.
The most commonly used, and abused, steroid is just plain Testosterone. All the users are doing is injecting to achieve elevated levels, usually 50-200% higher than the normal range. Most other steroids, like the now famous Trenbolone, are chemically similar to Testosterone.
As for how exactly it works, it’s complicated. But essentially the hormone just signals to your body that it should produce more muscle tissue.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone or related hormones. They mimic the same signals that cause boys to become men during puberty.
They literally just signal to the muscle cells to produce more muscle proteins and related muscle building processes. (This process also helps speed physical recovery and blood production.)
like an artificial on switch for growth.
They help counteract myostatin, which is a hormone that tells your body to stop making muscles any bigger. Which is why muscles only get so big on their own.
Two big factors of steroids is that your body doesn’t break them down into waste products as quickly as natural hormones, and you can take hundreds of times as much as your body would otherwise make.
Lifting weights causes tears in your muscles. Muscle growth is those muscle tears repairing themselves.
Steroids speed up recovery, allowing you to grow faster. They also increase the number of cells in the muscles.
Beyond testosterone, others will do the above with different effects/sides.
Imagine your body is full of small factories. Some factories make bones, others make muscle, and some even make parts for other factories to use. These factories have their own little space they need to work on and well they don’t really know who needs what and when.
So your body has postal officers that deliver and receive mail to these factories.
Example, you accidentally get injured and have a small bone fracture. These mail people will run around and deliver mail to the bone factories to tell them to make bone material asap and the delivery will come to put those in the right place. The bone factory workers just start building those and the delivery people come just as the mail people said.
Now, “steroids” are basically just a type of mail people that specifically talks to the muscle factories. Many of these steroids is something you already have naturally. But when you use steroids, you add MORE… like a lot more.
So imagine you workout without them. You have 15 mail people running around telling different muscle factories to make muscle. Everything takes time. This is natural! The body is just super busy so everything takes a while.
If you use steroids… those 15 mail people? Imagine if you added 1000. And all those people are running around telling muscle factories to make as much as they can. Some even starts bringing snacks so workers don’t have to rest! Everything is so much faster
But these new mail people? They’re new to the job. Sometimes they don’t know what they’re doing. Because they all want to contribute, sometimes they go to the wrong muscle factory like the heart and tell them to make thicker muscles for the heart. Well, the more experienced workers (your natural ones) know they’re not supposed to do that because it can cause your heart problems.
### How Steroids Build Muscle in the Body Alongside Weight Training
#### Introduction to Steroids
Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. They have both anabolic (muscle-building) and androgenic (male characteristic-enhancing) properties. When athletes or bodybuilders use these steroids, they aim to increase muscle mass, strength, and improve athletic performance.
#### Mechanism of Action
1. **Increased Protein Synthesis**: Steroids significantly enhance the body’s ability to produce proteins, which are the building blocks of muscle. When you exercise, especially with weight training, you create small tears in muscle fibers. The body repairs these fibers by fusing them, which increases the muscle mass. Steroids speed up this repair process and increase the size of muscle fibers by increasing protein synthesis.
2. **Reduced Muscle Breakdown**: Normally, muscles break down during intense exercise and from everyday metabolic activities. Steroids help to reduce the rate of muscle protein breakdown, so the net gain in muscle mass is greater.
3. **Enhanced Recovery**: Steroids also reduce the recovery time after workouts. This means athletes can train harder and more frequently without overtraining, leading to quicker and more substantial gains in muscle mass and strength.
4. **Increased Red Blood Cell Production**: Steroids stimulate the production of red blood cells, which enhances the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. More oxygen in the muscles means improved endurance and better performance during workouts.
5. **Enhanced Nutrient Utilization**: Steroids improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization in the body. This means the body can more effectively use the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates consumed, which contributes to muscle growth and energy levels.
#### Factors Influencing Effectiveness
1. **Training Intensity and Consistency**: Steroids alone do not build muscle. Intense and consistent weight training is crucial. The mechanical stress from lifting weights is what signals muscles to grow, and steroids amplify the body’s response to this stress.
2. **Diet and Nutrition**: Adequate protein intake is essential for muscle growth. Without sufficient dietary protein, the body does not have the raw materials needed for muscle repair and growth. A balanced diet that supports overall health and muscle growth is vital.
3. **Genetics**: Individuals respond differently to steroids based on their genetic makeup. Some may experience significant muscle gains, while others may see more modest improvements.
4. **Steroid Cycle and Dosage**: The type, dosage, and cycle length of steroid use can affect results. Different steroids have different potencies and side effects, and using them improperly can lead to health risks.
#### Health Risks and Side Effects
While steroids can enhance muscle growth and performance, they come with significant health risks and side effects, including:
– **Cardiovascular Problems**: Increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.
– **Liver Damage**: Oral steroids, in particular, can be toxic to the liver.
– **Hormonal Imbalances**: Suppression of natural testosterone production, leading to testicular shrinkage and infertility.
– **Psychiatric Effects**: Mood swings, aggression, and depression.
– **Other Effects**: Acne, hair loss, and gynecomastia (breast tissue development in men).
### ELI5 TLDR
Steroids help build muscle by boosting the body’s ability to make proteins and repair muscle damage faster after workouts. They also help muscles recover quicker and reduce muscle breakdown. But, you still need to lift weights and eat plenty of protein for them to work, and they can have serious health risks.
I read this as “How do asteroids work” and got really excited to learn a bit more about big space rocks
Was so confused when the top comment was about bodybuilding
Why do they make the balls shrink?
Lots of dudes here not explaining like you’re 5.
When you go through puberty, you reproduce a shit ton of hormones that signal growth to the body. Blasting steroids, keeps you in state as you do w/e you want that requires adaptation. Done. It doesn’t always have to be anabolics, could also be for force production, cardio, etc.
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