What are androgens and anabolic steroids?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2012-02-07

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 are substances of animal or, less often, plant origin that possess high biological activity. Steroids are formed in nature from isoprenoid precursors. A notable feature of steroid structure is the presence of a condensed tetracyclic gonane system.
(Material from Wikipedia)

Anabolic substances are any drugs/substances that stimulate anabolic processes in the body.

Anabolic processes refer to all chemical processes where complex substances are synthesized from simpler ones. Primarily, we mean protein synthesis. Thus, muscle growth, as well as fat mass increase, are purely anabolic processes.

Combining all of the above, we get:

Androgens and anabolic steroids (AAS) are chemical compounds (medications) that have a steroid skeleton and exhibit pronounced anabolic effects. Hence the name—anabolic steroids. Since the most prominent representative of this group of substances in our body is the male sex hormone testosterone, all "anabolics" are its derivatives.

In other words, anabolic steroids are hormonal medications that are artificial analogs of testosterone and possess the same properties and functions. Thus, "anabolics" are essentially artificial substitutes for testosterone with similar functions and effects on the body.

Sometimes you may encounter the term "Androgens." More precisely, you already have.

In general, androgens are natural male sex hormones. This means anabolic steroids that chemically replicate testosterone. To be honest, this division is rather arbitrary, and such classification has already fallen out of favor. The reason is that it is impossible to draw a clear line between testosterone and its derivatives. Therefore, a group of pharmacological agents known as AAS (androgens and anabolic steroids) is now distinguished.

Why are laboratories around the world continually developing more anabolic steroids that do not fully mimic testosterone but differ slightly from it? The reason is that by slightly modifying the original formula of testosterone, one can alter some of its properties in a certain direction. All properties of AAS can be broadly divided into two types.

1. The first includes androgenic properties. These are everything directly related to secondary sex characteristics. For instance, voice deepening, increased libido, male-pattern hair growth, increased aggressiveness, and so on.

2. The second includes anabolic properties. This naturally pertains to muscle growth and everything related to it.

Of course, all of this is conditional, and, ultimately, a larger muscle mass is also considered a secondary male sex characteristic. Nonetheless, this distinction exists, and it is quite logical. It is understood that in sports, substances with more pronounced anabolic properties are valued more than those with androgenic properties. In medicine, depending on the disease, both types of properties are appreciated.

One could discuss the harm or benefit of AAS for a long time, but I believe that this is a topic for another article entirely. I hope you now understand that "anabolics" are not the universal embodiment of absolute evil, but rather a group of pharmacological agents widely used in both medicine and sports.