Testosterone Supplementation
So we know that testosterone is key in building bigger and stronger muscles. We know we can boost Testosterone levels naturally through nutrition and training, and of course synthetic manipulation through the use of anabolic androgenic steroids will greatly enhance the rate in which protein is retained by the muscles. Remember that this is in fact the primary growth mechanism brought about by the use of anabolic steroids.


While adding new muscle mass may require a cocktail of several endogenous hormones, there can be no doubt that when it comes to the acquisition of superhuman strength and enviable virility, then testosterone is the undoubtable king! In fact, you would be hard pushed to find any individual who couldn’t benefit from an extra helping of testosterone, and that includes female athletes too, when it comes to competitive results. This is not to endorse the use of illegal testosterone manipulation of course.


The secondary mechanism by which anabolic androgenic steroids affect ones size and strength is the anti-catabolic effect that they have on the body. Catabolism is the opposite of anabolism - it is the breakdown of body cells, the breakdown of muscle tissue. The anti-catabolic effect of steroids show that these compounds affect the efficacy, and even levels, of the bodies catabolic hormone cortisol. You see, Cortisol sends a different chemical message into the cell of the muscle tissue - signalling the release of stored protein. Of course muscle growth occurs when the anabolic effects of testosterone out weigh the catabolic effects of cortisol. Naturally, with intense training and proper diet and recovery levels, the body will typically store more protein than it is breaking down. However this underlying battle between the two hormones is always being waged and never ends. It is very true that when one administers anabolic steroids within the body, a much higher than normal level of testosterone will put the degenerative effects of cortisol at a notable disadvantage. In this scenario, with heightened levels of androgens circulating within the bloodstream, there will be much fewer cells given the signal to release protein, and in the long run, more will be accumulated. Even more interesting is the very fact that certain specific steroids actually have an ability to bind to the very cortisol receptor site itself, clearly blocking the anti-catabolic effect as the cortisol hormone has nowhere to bind to and deliver its message.