One of the most fiercely disputed themes on most bodybuilding online platforms is whether steroid-backed bodybuilding is superior to natural bodybuilding; whether it is feasible to get the same excellent and proper muscle mass and cuts in natural bodybuilding as steroid-backed bodybuilding, or is it all a hoax?
Even though a conservative anabolic steroids regime and balanced use is a sure way to get strong, slim, and flawlessly-cut muscles, let us put the assertions to the test and draw an analytical judgment.
But, before we go any further on steroids vs natural debate, let’s review what steroids are and why they’re crucial for seasoned steroid users, beginners, and natural bodybuilders.
What are Steroids?
In a nutshell, steroids are some of the most influential and controversial molecules, with astounding outcomes. They are molecules produced by the human body in a natural and modest amount as and when required.
Because male and female bodies differ, so do their steroid hormones. Males generate testosterone, responsible for secondary sexual characteristics such as muscular development, facial hair, and a deep voice.
On the other hand, the female body generates estrogen, identical to testosterone and responsible for secondary sexual characteristics such as breast growth and a high-pitched voice.
This is a crucial topic to remember since there will be interesting information about it for steroid users and natural bodybuilders in the last section of the article.
One thing to remember is that these steroids are naturally produced and in limited quantities. If you do not use anabolic steroids from outside sources, you may not get the muscle mass you desire, and it will take a natural bodybuilder longer to build muscle and attain the dream abs and bulk.
We will continue with the steroids vs natural debate but let’s first understand how anabolic steroids work for body fat, muscle mass and fat free mass index. If you are into natural bodybuilding and want information on anabolic steroids, continue reading.
How do Anabolic Steroids Work to Build Muscle?
Steroids are natural hormones designed by nature to act as anabolic agents, which means they assemble new proteins and aid in the production of bulk and muscle mass, enhance muscular girth, and repair damage.
They function by bringing more nutrition and growth factors to the muscle, increasing blood flow, bringing more repair proteins, and encouraging growth factors to build muscle.
This means that the more steroids there are, the lower the body fat and the better the muscle will be, but the workout is the key limiting component, i.e., a person who takes steroids but does not work in equivalent terms or manner will have detrimental impacts on the body.
How Big Can Steroid Users Get with Anabolic Steroids?
The elephant in the room is whether it is better to utilize steroids and, if so, how much better it is compared to natural bodybuilding.
First and foremost, as the old saying goes, “the more, the merrier.” Steroids for bodybuilders are as necessary as a kool-aid on a hot summer day to keep the body going. According to studies, steroid users have a superior muscle-to-fat ratio and a lower quantity of extra body fat. On the other hand, a natural bodybuilder has a restricted supply of steroids, resulting in lower development and muscular girth.
In addition, according to new scientific research, steroid-using bodybuilders have greater and higher lean muscle mass with cuts than natural bodybuilders. The time required to obtain the same mass as a steroid bodybuilder is also demonstrated by research since individuals who do not use steroids take longer to accomplish the same volume of muscles as those who do.
How Big Can Natural Bodybuilders Get Without Steroids?
The simple answer is that you can grow extremely big, much bigger than those who use steroids, but there is one catch: you will be enormous because you have more fat than muscles. Without a good steroid regimen, natural steroids are insufficient to put the entire food and nutrition system into perspective, which means that all of your proteins will end up as fats. This implies more fat, less muscle protein, and no lean muscle and no cuts.
Is it too dramatic to believe?
NO!
Some people have perfect natural muscles, but they are one in thousands, which means more gym training, more time under weight, more effort, and a gruelling regimen. The possibilities are minimal, yet they exist. In the case of steroids, however, the training is cut in half, and the results are four times better.
Benefits of Steroids vs Natural
Steroid use for bodybuilding, fat free mass and muscle gain is more manageable and has more excellent results than natural bodybuilding and for anyone considering hitting the gym floor soon.
Steroid use guarantees that the body has more repair agents, more nourishment directed into the muscles and that an anabolic steroid is even more effective at sustaining the body’s greater muscular level. It promotes muscle growth and makes the muscles more controllable. Compared to natural bodybuilding, the amount of steroids used is insufficient to provide adequate muscle juice to sustain the strain. Therefore, the end outcome is far from satisfactory.
However, one should be aware of the associated risks. Because more steroids are circulating in the body, several visible adverse effects may occur if not treated.
For example, remember how we mentioned how testosterone is related to estrogen? This is true when more unused testosterone is naturally converted by the body into estrogen, resulting in gynecomastia, or man boobs, which is just an uncontrolled side effect of higher anabolic steroids. But one does not have to be alarmed since anyone with a strict and better gym routine will not get it.
Conclusion on Steroids vs No Steroids
As a result, one may conclude that steroids are considerably superior in producing the required muscle mass, cut, fat-to-muscle ratio, and muscular mass. Although natural steroids work, the effect is substantially less than that of higher-grade steroid use mixed with improved training sessions.
Steroid users also face adverse effects, although they are related to reckless and inadequate use and the lack of proper gym sessions. Nevertheless, steroids work wonders in the context of improved exercise, good quality diet, and supervision from a better and trained individual.
References
- Maganaris, C. N., Collins, D., & Sharp, M. (2000). Expectancy effects and strength training: do steroids make a difference? The Sport Psychologist, 14(3), 272-278. Available at https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/tsp/14/3/article-p272.xml
- Elliot, D. L., Goldberg, L., Kuehl, K. S., & Catlin, D. H. (1987). Characteristics of anabolic-androgenic steroid-free competitive male and female bodybuilders. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 15(6), 169-179. Available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00913847.1987.11709381
- Monaghan, L. (1999). Challenging medicine? Bodybuilding, drugs and risk. Sociology of Health & Illness, 21(6), 707-734. Available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-9566.00180
- Berkovitz, G. D., Guerami, A., Brown, T. R., MacDonald, P. C., & Migeon, C. J. (1985). Familial gynecomastia with increased extraglandular aromatization of plasma carbon19-steroids. The Journal of clinical investigation, 75(6), 1763-1769. Available at https://www.jci.org/articles/view/111888
