Anabolic steroids are considered a controlled substance in the United States. This means that you cannot buy all steroids legally without a prescription from a doctor. There are some exceptions, such as testosterone replacement therapy, which is legal to buy with a prescription.
However, most anabolic steroids are illegal to possess and sell without a prescription. With over 100 types of anabolic steroids available, only a few of them have been approved for medical use.
Steroids are believed to give you strength and endurance and help your body recover fast from workouts so you can train every day. Although they are used mainly by athletes, other people use them for various purposes. Others take them to improve their physical appearance, reduce body fat, and increase their endurance, muscle size, and strength.
Anabolic steroids are also called by common street names, including gym candy, Arnolds, roids, weight trainers, pumpers, stackers, and juice.
Where do you get steroids?
Steroids are either obtained by prescription or illegally. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture anabolic steroids, and you can only have them legally by prescription. Steroids without prescription are either smuggled, stolen, or produced in illegal laboratories.
The most common illegal source of steroids in the United States is smuggled from other countries such as Mexico and European countries, where prescriptions are not required.
Nowadays, users use the internet to buy and sell anabolic steroids. Steroids are also bought from bodybuilding competitions, gyms, coaches, trainers, and teammates. Again, without prescription, these are all illegal.
The most common anabolic steroids that US law enforcement officers always encounter include trenbolone, oxymetholone, testosterone, nandrolone, methandrostenolone, boldenone, stanozolol, and oxandrolone.
How are steroids taken and abused?
Steroids come in different forms and can be taken in several ways. The tablets are taken by mouth, and the cream form like gels and patches are applied on the skin. The liquid form is injectable, and pellets are implanted under the skin.
Abuse happens when people using steroids take anywhere from 10 to 100 times regular doses to achieve their goals faster. Steroids stay in the body for two days to 12 months. Steroids are mainly used by bodybuilders, fitness buffs, and athletes. Users claim that steroids improve their physical performance and give them a competitive advantage.
When steroids are misused or abused, users face the risk of side effects ranging from mild to dangerous or even life-threatening.
Physical & Psychological side effects
Use and abuse of steroids have been associated with short-term and long-term physical and psychological effects.
Possible physical side effects include the following:
- High blood pressure
- Fluid retention
- Severe acne
- Thinning of hair and baldness
- Liver damage
- Steroids can affect fetal development during pregnancy.
- Sexual & reproductive disorders for both males and females
- Infections- This can happen with non-sterile injection methods where needles are shared and put steroid users at risk of possible infections like HIV and hepatitis B and C.
Possible psychological disturbances include the following:
- Depression
- Mood swings and manic-like symptoms
- Impaired judgment
- Delusions and hallucinations
- Nervousness
- Hostility and aggression
- Extreme irritability
Without the damaging side effects, you can use alternatives has the same fat-burning, muscle-building effects. Check out the safest steroid for cutting that could work for you. These alternatives come in daily supplement forms and are safe and legal.
Penalties for anabolic steroid abuse
Misuse of anabolic steroids by professional athletes began way back during the Olympics in 1954 when testosterone was given to Russian weightlifters. When the 1980s rolled around, steroids began to get famous and young men started using them to enhance their athletic performance and achieve the bodies they dreamed of having.
Congress enacted the Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 2004, banning over-the-counter steroid precursors and increased penalties for making, selling, or possessing steroids. The Act was to prevent the abuse of steroids by professional athletes.
Without a valid prescription, the possession or sale of anabolic steroids is illegal. If you are caught in possession of illegally obtained anabolic steroids, you could be fined a maximum penalty of one-year imprisonment and a minimum $1,000 fine. That is, if it is your first drug offense.
Trafficking steroids carry a maximum penalty of five years jail time and a fine of $250,000 for first felony drug offenders. Both penalties are doubled for the second offense. The penalties mentioned are on the federal level. You could still face penalties and fines for the illegal use of steroids in your state.
You probably read from the news of several athletes who got banned for using steroids over the past years. Most professional sports associations and athletic groups have banned steroids by athletes for some reasons. First, the potential side effects are great, and steroids give their users an unfair advantage against other opponents.
Legal steroid alternatives
Legal steroids are over-the-counter supplements and are also known as pre-workout supplements. They are intended to assist with bodybuilding and enhance the efficiency and durability of workouts.
Steroids are prescribed by doctors for legitimate medical purposes like treatments for delayed puberty, loss of function of testicles, low red blood cell count, and breast cancer, among others. Veterinarians also use steroids for animals like cats, dogs, horses, and cattle to improve weight gain, feed efficiency, and treat anemia and other illnesses.
Ten of the best legal steroid alternatives available are the following:
- Brutal Force HBbulk- an alternative to somatropin that helps improve blood flow and nitric oxide levels in your body.
- Clenbutrol is a legal thrombogenic steroid with natural ingredients that help you burn fat and calories even at rest.
- Crazy Bulk Growth Hormone Stack- primarily used as stack for bulking. It’s known for burning fat and building muscle and for faster recovery from workouts.
- Crazybulk Ultimate Stack helps bulking up, cutting fat, and boosting testosterone levels.
- D-Bal Max- workout supplement for bodybuilding and increasing muscle gains.
- Genf20 Plus- works best for fat loss. It helps restore youthful levels of human growth hormones in your body.
- Genfx- considered best for anti-aging and improving overall wellness. It also claims to boost energy levels and reduce cholesterol levels.
- HGH X2- considered best for HGH (human growth hormone) release. It’s known for tissue growth, organ function, and cell regeneration.
- Onnit Total Human – touted as the all-in-one solution for optimal human health and performance.
- Provacyl- known best for enhancing performance. It claims to boost testosterone levels.
Are anabolic steroids addictive?
People who take steroids for prolonged periods may develop a tolerance and become addicted to using them. When you take steroids for a 6-12 week cycle, your body becomes dependent on the drugs, both physically and emotionally.
Users addicted to steroids exhibit certain behaviors like having cravings for steroids and going to great lengths to get steroids. They may also prioritize using steroids without considering potential health risks.
When users who get addicted to steroids stop using them, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms can include mood swings, depression, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, headaches, muscle cramps, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, drug cravings, diarrhea, etc.
Withdrawal symptoms from steroid use can last from several days to two weeks. This depends on how frequently and how long a person uses anabolic steroids.
Bottom Line
One crucial aspect of curtailing abuse of steroids is knowing about the harmful and dangerous side effects of using them. Athletes and individuals who use steroids must understand that they can have great bodies and excel in sports without using steroids.
You have the safe option of focusing on getting regular exercise, a proper and healthy diet, adequate rest, and overall mental and physical health.
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