The one single desire of most bodybuilders is to have lean, dry skeletal muscles. While having a well-thought-out dietary plan, workout regimen and disciplined lifestyle are absolutely essential to meeting these muscle building goals – but for some people – this may not just be enough, especially if the goal is to build muscle in record-quick time.
This is where anabolic steroids come into play. Along with eating clean and exercising right, the use of Androgenic-anabolic Steroids or AAS has been proven to boost testosterone levels and increase protein synthesis in muscle tissue which can lead to skeletal muscle growth in a short space of time.
But just how fast do steroids work to build muscle? Well, this post provides answers to this question and many more.
However, we begin by answering the most frequently asked question about steroids, and that is:
What exactly Are Androgenic-anabolic Steroids?
Androgenic-anabolic steroids are man-made, synthesized chemicals that are designed to mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body. And the one naturally hormone that is associated with muscle growth is testosterone. So AAS for muscle growth are made to imitate the natural functions of testosterone in the body; only on a much greater level.
The usage of steroids in the bodybuilding community is referred to as a “steroid cycle” which may be a standalone cycle where just ons AAS is taken or a stack in which steroids are combined. Exogenous Testosterone will cause the body’s natural production of testosterone to cease, the body’s natural testosterone hormone production will commence only after steroid use and during post-cycle therapy (PCT).
How do Steroids Work to Help Build Muscle Mass?
Strength training and other natural methods of increasing muscle growth are no match for the anabolic effects of steroids. It is not uncommon to find several steroid users claim that they experienced significant muscle building benefits in as little as just three weeks.
Using AAS is indeed one of the quickest ways to acquire muscle, and as a consequence, AAS is often taken by bodybuilders and athletes, who want to become bigger and stronger as quickly as possible.
Given how fast the effects of steroid use manifests, many elite athletes (including bodybuilders and powerlifters) start their steroid cycle anywhere from one month to just before a competition.
However, it is worth noting that the speed at which the effects of steroid use is felt will vary from one person to another and this is mainly due to several variable including:
- Steroid dosage
- Combine steroid use or stacking
- Exercise, nutrition, and way of life
All right, let’s take a closer look at each variable.
Steroid Dosage
The rate at which an anabolic steroid causes muscle growth is directly proportional to the dose taken. Most athletes tend to modify their dosage according to the results they are getting.
If the steroid cycle doesn’t show results after the first week, for instance, the steroid user may increase their dosage.
When people start using steroids, they often increase their dosage for the first month, then gradually decrease it as they begin to feel the positive effects.
It has been shown via scientific research that utilizing anabolic steroids in larger doses results in quicker rates of muscular growth, but puts the user at risk of experiencing greater side effects.
Stacking
Bodybuilders and powerlifters are more likely to include many steroids into their routine. In order to gain muscle mass more rapidly and efficiently, they use a variety of anabolic steroids.
A bodybuilder may use human growth hormone (HGH) and clenbuterol, for instance, to expedite muscle building and fat loss.
Human growth hormone is useful for increasing muscular mass, while clenbuterol is well-known for promoting rapid fat loss.
The effects of stacking various anabolic steroids have been studied and found to vary.
But typically, most bodybuilders would choose to stack steroids that may assist them in reaching peak performance in muscle mass and tone, strength, stamina, and endurance.
Exercise, nutrition, and way of life
If you have a terrible life cycle consisting of poor eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of sleep, using large doses of testosterone won’t help you much.
It is important to balance your steroid use with a proper clean nutritious diet, loads of regimented exercise, good sleep, and generally a healthy lifestyle free of cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
The benefits and risks of using steroids for muscle growth
Benefits of steroids
Cutting or shredding body fat:
Clenbuterol, like other anabolic steroids, speeds up your metabolism, making it easier to shed pounds and become ripped in a short period of time.
Bulking or increasing muscle mass:
Steroids which increase testosterone levels are used to speed up the process of building lean skeletal muscle mass by increasing protein synthesis which in turn leads to faster muscle growth, development and recovery.
Optimal performance:
In addition to building muscles, AAS also helps to improve performance in bodybuilders including boosting stamina, strength, and endurance levels to enable bodybuilders attain optimal
Risks of AAS Use
Roid rage:
Steroid usage is linked to hormonal imbalances, and as a result, “roid rage” is widespread among steroid users, who are more likely to experience anger and irritability than the general population.
AAS abuse:
There is a high risk of steroid abuse in person’s prone to addiction or when bodybuilders self-medicate with a proper steroid cycle and PCT plan.
Shrinkage of testicles:
Hypogonadism, or the diminution of testicles, is another serious side effect of steroid abuse.
Steroid Alternatives that may be Safer and More Effective
There are other alternatives to consider, of you are not open to using steroids for bodybuilding. Some of these alternatives are safer and may just be as effective as steroid use, but requires a tremendous amount t of patience and discipline before significant results can be achieved.
Legal steroids
One of the most effective ways to enhance your testosterone levels without resorting to the use of traditional AAS is to take legal steroids. You may gain muscles and shed fat thanks to the usage of all-natural substances that also increase testosterone levels. If you have low testosterone, they may be a good alternative for you.
You may also use legal steroids to assist you overcome your genetic limitations on muscular growth. It is common practice among natural bodybuilders to utilize legal steroids for these purposes.
However, like conventional AAS, you will only be able to get the best out of legal steroids when you take them in conjunction with a vigorous exercise and nutrition plan.
Good sleeping habit
Sleep deprivation may lead to low testosterone levels since your body produces the most testosterone when you are in a state of rest.
A lack of sleep prevents the body from recovering from even the most strenuous workout.
Altering your sleep habits is a great way to boost your testosterone levels without resorting to artificial means.
Testosterone boosting foods
Several foods may help increase testosterone levels in the body simply by being added to your diet.
Foods like extra-virgin olive oil, onions, green leafy vegetables, oysters, fish oil, ginger, and pomegranates provide various health advantages in addition to enhancing your natural testosterone.
Muscle gain, strength enhancement, and fat loss might all be possible with these other methods. And there are no known negative side effects to worry about, making them a far better alternative to androgenic-anabolic steroid use.
Final Thoughts
The short-term benefits of steroid use; increased strength and muscle mass gains; may not be worth the long-term risks in some people. This is particularly true if these people belong to the self-medicating, steroid abusing category.
AAS offers tremendous skeletal muscle mass gains in a short period of time, but the actual length of time for people to experience such gains would vary from person to person as a result of several factors including:
- genetics,
- dosage,
- stacking,
- length of cycle,
- the type of AAS administered,
- nutrition,
- exercise,
- lifestyle, and so on.
Ultimately, you should reach out to a personal trainer if you want to start a steroid cycle today. We offer you a chance to discuss with our fitness and health experts to know what AAS cycle, nutrition, workout and PCT plan would be best suited to your bodybuilding goals.
