5. IMPROPER DIET:
Ignoring the importance of
nutrition can completely impair the positive effects of steroids, and
increase the negative side effects. Anabolic steroids are most effective
when used with a high calorie, high protein diet. In fact, only one
steroid has exhibited any anabolic effects on a limited calorie diet. An
optimum diet when on steroids involves consuming 6,000 to 9,000
calories per day. Most people regularly consume 2,500 to 3,000 calories
per day. Second only to intense training, a high calorie diet is the
most important factor to be in place for significant muscle gains. In
other words, a thirty pound gain in lean muscle mass has to come from
somewhere. Of those calories, 60% should be complex carbs, 20% complete
protein, and 20 % fat. Supplements may be needed to meet this goal. Many
athletes do not eat enough food for steroids to work, or if they do
intake enough calories, often too much fat is consumed. Anabolic steroid
themselves can increase cholesterol levels and blood pressure. This may
lead to heart disease. An athlete should always attempt to keep
excessive fat out of the diet to offset any additional threat of heart
disease that steroids present. Concurrently, make sure protein and
overall caloric consumption is high enough to fuel the full
effectiveness of the steroids.
6. POOR TRAINING TE CHNIQUE:Weight
training must be intense to create a state of catabolism in the body.
Steroids are most effective in this situation. An athlete can attain
this state with regular, intense workouts. Remember, weight training is
the stimulus that allows skeletal muscle cells to use the anabolic
steroids. Without this proper catalyst, anabolic steroids will not exert
the desired effect. Workouts should be progressive and involve maximum
weights. The most important concept to understand, and one of the few on
which almost all experts in the bodybuilding community agree, is the
idea of training to muscular failure. In other words, if when performing
a set, you are able to complete the ten repetitions without aid from a
partner, then the set was performed with a weight that was too light.
Although the experts often disagree on the most effective work-out
duration, with opinions ranging from twenty minutes to three hours,
almost all agree that the last two or three reps of each set should not
be possible entirely by oneself. This holds true for both steroid users
and non-users alike.
7. FAILURE TO OBTAIN REGULAR BLOOD TESTS:
A simple blood profile can be of incredible benefit to steroid user. An
initial plasma screen should be performed to establish a reference
range, and to determine any existing problems that might preclude the
use of steroids. If the initial test shows no contraindications, then
another should be done about 6 weeks into the cycle to check for further
abnormalities. During the initial weeks of a cycle, many readings often
become elevated only to return to normal several weeks later. Blood
screening every six weeks should bypass this normal fluctuation and give
a more accurate interpretation. If this blood test shows elevated serum
levels, it might justify ending the cycle to avoid serious damage. If
this test checks out okay, another should be done a month after the
cycle to indicate that the body is recovering from the steroid cycle.
Finally, another blood test should be done before starting a new cycle.
This test should confirm that all levels are back to normal before a new
cycle commences. Hemoglobin testing can prevent many asymptotic side
effects that do not surface until damage has been done. Unfortunately,
only a fraction of steroid users ever gets a blood test.
8. USING THE WRONG STEROIDS:
Many athletes increase the risk of side effects by using the wrong
steroids. The use of androgenic steroids is frequently linked to serious
side effects. Androgenic steroids exert their effects primarily on the
secondary sexual characteristics of the body like the deepening of the
voice, development of the sex organs, and male pattern baldness. If one
feels he must use these items; they should never be used for more than 4
to 6 weeks at a time. Also, when stacking, it is not wise to use more
than one highly androgenic product at a time. Injectable steroids are a
better choice in most cases as they not only provide a steady influx of
the drug to the blood stream, but they are not subject to first pass, a
stage where an oral steroid goes through the liver losing a great deal
of its potency, and causing a great deal of stress to the
organ. Most
athletes still are not aware that they can achieve great gains on low
androgenic and high anabolic or muscle development inducing steroids,
while avoiding many hazards. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that a
thorough knowledge of which steroids are highly anabolic versus those
that are primarily androgenic is of paramount importance. The company
Elite Fitness Research maintains a database of the various brands of
steroids and how they exert their effects on the body.
9. USING COUNTERFEITS:
This heading speaks for itself. Phony steroids are being used by
thousands of unsuspecting athletes. Some of these bad steroids contain
impurities that cause infections or even poisoning at the extreme. Other
fake steroids, contain only inert ingredients, which will of course
result in no muscle gains. Other counterfeits carry the name of one
drug, but actually contain another. This can result in the athlete using
a drug he or she does not desire to be using. For example, a recent
test of a product called Liquid Anavar was found to contain a mixture of
testosterones. Many athletes used this drug for contest preparation
thinking it would help enhance definition, when in fact the drug was
making them retain water and look bloated. This item was also used by
several women who were told it was a very low androgenic steroid, when
in fact the testosterone which the 'Anavar' contained was exactly what
they wanted to avoid. Fake steroids do pose a serious threat to
athletes. It is increasingly difficult to spot counterfeits; however,
with a good eye and an accurate description of the real version’s
packaging it is possible.
10. FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE INFORMATION:
This
last mistake is almost self explanatory. Information is the key to
successful and safe steroid usage. One point bears additional
consideration. The information should come from a reliable and
knowledgeable source. Many athletes begin a cycle with only the advice
of a black-market steroid drug dealer. Another source of very poor
information is conventional gym wisdom. Often this information is based
solely on anecdote with no regard to psychological fact. Finally, it is
important to realize that the knowledge of steroids in the medical
community varies widely from doctor to doctor. Some have excellent
information and some have either very little knowledge of the subject or
significantly outdated views. Make certain to ask anyone who has an
opinion on the subject where he or she got the facts and do not be
afraid to question those sources.Of the athletes that I have interviewed
that tried a cycle of legitimate anabolic steroids, those that did not
make good gains in lean body mass most often have not paid special
consideration to points 2, 5, and 6. For anabolic steroids to be
effective, they must be used in relatively high dosages, on a high
calorie diet, and an athlete must train intensely.
