STEROIDS

STEROIDS

We've all heard of "steroids" but do you really know what they even do? Here's a 50,000 ft view of what they are and what they do. 

The type of steroids that people are referring to when talking about athletics are anabolic steroids.  They replicate the male adrogenic hormones like testerone that are naturally occuring in the body.  Their role is to interact with the receptor cells in muscle that activate the genes that stimulate muscle growth and recovery.   In addition to their anabolic (muscle building) function, they blunt the effects of cortisol and other stress hormones in the body which aids in both stopping muscle breakdown and in speeding up recovery between workouts. 

You don't grow muscles simply from taking steroids however.  Without heavy weight lifting, none of the hypertrophic (growth) effects of anabolic steroids take place.

So now you know!