Today, almost everyone at the word "steroids" immediately thinks of anabolic steroids, known to amateurs as "anabolics". However, it is often forgotten that "steroids" is the general name for a whole group of various steroid hormones. Among them - hormones of the adrenal cortex (gluco- and mineralocorticoids), female sex hormones (estrogens and gestagens), as well as male sex hormones (androgens). This book will focus exclusively on the latter - androgens. With their most important representative, testosterone, the reader has already met in the previous chapter. Therefore, henceforth, with the word "steroids" we will mean anabolic - androgenic steroids.
Anabolic - androgenic steroids are synthetic obtained formations, similar in some of their qualities to the natural male hormone androgen - testosterone. The main reason for their development was the intention to create a drug that would have high anabolic qualities of testosterone, but at the same time would exclude its strong androgenic capabilities. "Enormous efforts have been made to create a pure anabolic drug without admixture of androgenic" side effects "(Kahakiyan, 1976; Kruskemper, 1965)." (Quote from "Doping - Prohibited Drugs in Sports", p. 51, Dirk Klasing, Manfred Donica et al.). To realize this idea, huge changes were made to the steroid molecule. Newly created steroids differ at that time either by an underestimated anabolic androgenic function, or have increased efficacy in both qualities. Some steroids have received such structural changes that have led to even higher androgenicity and decreased anabolic activity. This explains the differences in action, effectiveness, side effects of existing steroids. The creation of a pure anabolic, where the anabolic and androgenic qualities of the steroid would be completely separated, failed. Therefore, the so-called anabolic steroid (anabolic) has some degree of androgenic effects, and vice versa, androgenic steroid (androgen) has anabolic qualities.
And so you think that for fast strength gain and muscle building, it is better to use an anabolic steroid with minimal androgenicity. Nothing of the kind, because the name "anabolic steroid" does not tell you anything about the strength of the anabolic effect, it is only known that the anabolic - androgenic ratio of the initial testosterone - the ancestor is biased here. To determine this ratio and (define) a steroid as an anabolic or androgen, testosterone is used as a parameter. So, steroids in which androgenic qualities are reduced are defined as "anabolic steroids", and those with higher androgenic qualities are defined as "androgenic steroids". What's the problem? The fact is that a decrease in the androgenic activity of the drug invariably entails a decrease in its anabolic qualities, therefore the anabolic is less androgenic than the original testosterone, but at the same time it also has lower anabolic qualities. In reading the following chapters, the reader will understand that the so-called "mass steroids" come exclusively from the group of androgenic steroids, where, along with enhanced androgenic qualities, very strong anabolic qualities are observed. "... the best androgen, or rather testosterone, is the most important anabolic for men." (from "Doping - Prohibited Drugs in Sports", Dirk Klasing, Manfred Donike, etc.) The athlete is faced with a dilemma of what to choose, because Androgenic steroids are not only powerful in terms of their anabolic properties, but unfortunately they have a lot of side effects. It follows from this: the more effective a steroid is, the more androgenic it is, and therefore more dangerous for the body.
Therefore, one should not agree with the opinion often heard everywhere today that anabolic steroids cause permanent irreversible damage in those who take them. This is partly true, and androgenic steroids are responsible for most of the side effects. But the general opinion: "Steroids destroy the liver" is absurd, because steroid steroid strife.