Like any drug, steroids can be abused. The overuse of steroids, in particular testosterone, by athletes has led to a view that considers all steroids a hazard or danger. However, careful management of steroid dosages can help many people overcome serious health issues. As ever, your decision to consider steroid usage can only be safely undertaken under the care of a physician. During your dosage, you should be carefully monitored to make sure that the replacement steroid level in your bloodstream is healthy and that you are not suffering from potentially dangerous side effects.
Myth 1: All steroids are the same
Steroids are a form of hormone replacement therapy. If your body isn’t producing enough of a hormone due to a disease or genetic condition, steroidal hormone therapy can allow your body to maintain better health than you would without the hormone.
The pituitary gland determines hormone production. The pituitary gland lives deep in your brain and determines what hormones your body produces and when. In the years leading up to puberty, your body is producing growth hormones. During puberty, the body “stacks” or compiles hormone production to create the typical signs we see in adolescents; boys go through a voice change and sprout facial hair, while girls develop breasts and wider hips.
Sex hormone production starts to decline as adults enter their 40s. Menopause and andropause symptoms begin to occur at this time. If you notice a sudden drop in strength, energy, or flexibility, there could be a problem with your endocrine system overall. Your physician may prescribe steroid supplements to help maintain health and vigor.
Myth 2: Steroids are only used by bodybuilders
There, indeed, are some in the world of sports who have abused steroids. However, bodybuilders are not the only people who can gain benefits from steroids. Men with low testosterone can suffer from depression and may even become agoraphobic. TRT can make a huge difference.
There are many good reasons to get on a course of supplemental steroids to maintain your health. The key is to be fully tested before using steroids to determine the cause of your lowered hormone production. If lowered hormone production can be tied simply to age or family history, supplemental steroids can give adults back their confidence. The mental health benefits of steroids should not be ignored.
Myth 3: Steroid medications are always harmful
Many medications, if taken without medical supervision or taken without the required preliminary testing, can be harmful. However, if you have gotten a clean bill of health and still suffer from low testosterone, products such as depo testosterone injection can bring your testosterone levels back up without increasing your risk of cardiac or liver complications.
When you start a course of steroids such as testosterone, you should be prepared for more testing. The goal of any course of such drugs is to gently elevate your current hormone level to a healthier level. Low testosterone becomes healthy testosterone. The goal is never to get to a level of excess. Excessive doses constitute steroid abuse.
Myth 4: Steroids are addictive
Much of the anecdotal evidence about steroid abuse points to the addictive nature of steroids. If you’re taking enough of any steroid to reach an excessive dose, stopping the drug can cause an energy or mood crash that certainly would appear to be a form of withdrawal.
There are those using steroids inappropriately who will “stack” the product, taking growth hormones in combination with testosterone. When they back off of one or simply stop taking it, the resulting drop in vitality can be pretty distressing.
When you buy online testosterone injections under the care of a physician, the dosage and testing requirements mean that your testosterone injection will be followed up by careful screening. Again, a properly managed course of steroids will bring your hormonal level from a low count to an average count. If you suffer any signs of dangerous side effects, tapering off the steroid or trying another dosage schedule will not cause a crash. You simply won’t be allowed to reach and maintain an excessive dosage.
Myth 5: Steroids always cause severe side effects
There are certainly side effects related to steroid dosages. Once you have a clean bill of health that your physician can use as a baseline, future testing of cardiac and liver function will allow your doctor the ability to note any risks of side effect damage. Your dosage may need to be adjusted, or your dosing schedule changed. However, the risk of severe side effects is relatively tiny with proper monitoring.
It is not uncommon for hormone production to slow with age. However, adding steroids to the mix without proper medical testing and supervision can be highly hazardous. Adequate testing and monitoring is key.