Androgenic-anabolic steroids - how they work

Author: Nikita Shilkin - Candidate for Master of Sports in Powerlifting and gym trainer.
2014-03-21

Important! We do not advocate for the use of steroids and other potent substances. All information is provided so that those who still decide to take them can do so with minimal health risks.

Steroids, in a general sense, are hormones that are chemically derivatives of cholesterol. There are two main groups of steroids: sex steroids (hormones) and corticosteroids (hormones of the adrenal cortex). The hormones of the adrenal cortex have a wide variety of effects, and most of them are designed to help the body survive in stressful situations. For example, cortisol reduces inflammation and stimulates tissue breakdown to obtain energy, while adrenaline stimulates blood flow to the muscles and brain during stress, clears the mind, raises blood sugar levels, and increases strength and endurance.

Simplistically, sex hormones always have two components in their effect – anabolic and androgenic or feminizing.

Androgenic action - the enhancement of male characteristics - is the property of the hormone to cause and amplify secondary male sexual characteristics: increased sebum production, resulting in acne, dandruff, baldness, prostate hypertrophy, increased libido and potency, and heightened feelings of dominance and aggression. These properties are characteristic only of male sex hormones. In women, this effect is called virilization (the development of secondary sexual characteristics in women along male lines).

Feminizing action is due to the estrogenic or progestogenic activity of the steroid hormone. It manifests as an increase in breast size, accelerated fat gain on the body, water retention, increased appetite, and a calming effect on the nervous system, which can cause some lethargy.

Anabolic action is the primary reason why steroids are used in sports. It manifests in:

• Increasing protein synthesis in cells;
• Accelerating the synthesis and accumulation of glycogen in muscles;
• Retaining fluids in tissues;
• Enhancing immune system function;
• Improving the absorption and storage of vitamins and minerals from food.

It is precisely because of their anabolic effects that anabolic steroids help build muscle more and faster, accelerate the healing of injuries, and make an individual stronger and more enduring.

Androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS), as pharmacological agents, represent the male sex hormone testosterone or its derivatives, obtained with the aim of enhancing the anabolic effects while weakening the androgenic effects of testosterone. However, many AAS also have estrogenic and/or progestogenic activity, as they partially convert to female sex hormones or their configuration is similar to those hormones.

Mechanism of Steroid Action on Cells

Any hormone affects a cell through a specific receptor designed for that hormone or a group of similar hormones. The receptor, in essence, is a complex protein machine that gets activated when a specific hormone binds to it, sending signals to the nucleus or other cellular organelles through substances known as secondary messengers or transmembrane ionic currents. After the hormone has done its job, it detaches and continues flowing through the bloodstream. Steroid hormone receptors and thyroid hormones are located inside the cell, while peptide hormone receptors, of which there are over two thousand known, are found on the cell membrane surface.

By introducing artificial hormones into your body, you thereby increase their concentration. Even at the lowest dosages, the concentration will rise to 2-3 times higher than physiological levels. This increases the likelihood of the hormone binding to the androgen receptor and, consequently, more frequently stimulates the nucleus to synthesize certain proteins. The steroid’s ability to stabilize the androgen receptor also plays a significant role. The greater this ability, the longer the hormone initiates anabolic processes within the cell.

However, the effect increases almost linearly only to a certain limit, after which even doubling the dosage will only add 10-20% to the beneficial effect (protein synthesis). For instance, 3000 mg of testosterone per week will not significantly increase your muscle mass compared to 1200 mg; however, the side effects will rise considerably due to partial conversion into female sex hormones. Therefore, there is no point in taking mega doses; it is much more productive and safer to use low to moderate dosages but to extend the duration of the cycles. Additionally, conditions should be created such that even minimal dosages of AAS will work effectively.

Summary

1. AAS are essentially derivatives of sex hormones that, when introduced into the body, exert anabolic and androgenic effects by acting on the androgen receptors within the cell.

2. They help the body recover better after exercise and gain more muscle mass.

3. However, the strength of their effects does not increase linearly with the increase in dosage, so there is no sense in using high doses of steroids; this only intensifies their side effects caused by partial conversion into female sex hormones.

4. Thus, it is more effective to undertake cycles with lower dosages, but of longer duration.