Category Archives: Steroid

Buying Steroids in South Africa

Steroid, testosterone

Anabolic Steroid abuse is a major concern in South Africa,  and gyms have a zero tolerance policy towards steroids, however, there does seem to be a secretive steroids black market in South Africa.

If you talk to many well build body-builders, they will initially deny any steroid use, but as you get to know them, they start to open up about their past Steroid or performance enhancing drug use.

From News24:

“Types of steriods

In the fitness industry, the most commonly used oral anabolic steroid is Dianabol, aka Dbols, which helps users build mass in a relatively short time. It costs around R400 for 60 capsules.

The most commonly used injectable is Test Prop (Testosterone Propionate) which, according to steroid.com, promotes nitrogen retention in the muscle, and the more nitrogen the muscles hold, the more protein the muscles store. It goes for around R380 for 10ml.

One extremely dangerous steroid that some used is called Tren (Trenbolone Enanthate), which is in reality intended for livestock and referred to as the ‘greatest performance enhancing drug on earth’.

Directions for use would say ‘use 1ml for 100kg of cattle’. It is often used for its alleged fat-burning properties as well as reputed powerful muscle building, strength increasing and “hardening” qualities.

Clomid is another popular drug that’s used in post-cycle therapy, ie to ‘put you back to normal’. “

I tend to disagree with some of the content in the article.

“But in the fitness and sports world it is readily available, once you’ve found a seller.

One user (who requested to remain anonymous) told Health24 that there are always steroid pushers at the gyms, especially the larger ones.

They may approach you in the locker room and comment on your physique, thereby striking up a conversation.

Depending on your response, they may offer suggestions of how you can bulk up easier.”

This information is false, fake, a fantasy. I have never been approached by anyone and if I question anyone whom I suspect is taking Steroids, they will deny steroid use – outright! It takes them time to open up to you  once you get to know them.

“It’s also not unheard of for personal trainers to supply those they are training with illegal steroids. “

Rubbish. Personal trainers would be taking a huge risk if they do supply Steroid to anyone.  Personal trainers push a person hard to do their best, they will train a person to breaking points.

“They are also readily available online, although for every real supplier there are about 10 who run online scams and the buyer will most probably end up with a container of chalk rather than any performance-enhancing drugs.”

True, from what I understand, even the products purchase from sellers may be fake or dangerous. People are landing up at doctors with high blood pressure and other complications.

Jealous snitches and supplier rivalry

The biggest danger for a steroid user is jealous gym “friends” or rivalry between suppliers.   You might find the police waiting outside the gym because a rival supplier snitched on their competition. Unfortunately, the user will be in the firing line and will get caught along with the supplier.

A gym “friend” is also your competitor,  and unless you truly know the person, it is to be assumed that they will use the gym’s anonymous tip lines when they become jealous of your easy gains. Or it may just be religious beliefs or perhaps just moral guilt.

Side effects of steroid use

The side effects are quite sever and may include, among others:

  • Aggression – Roid rage
  • Acne
  • Body and facial hair
  • Abnormal breast development
  • Baldness
  • Increased blood pressure and strokes
  • Heart attacks
  • Male infertility
  • Loss of libido
  • Liver problems
  • Hepatitis
  • Liver cancer
  • Mental health problems, including depression, concentration and aggression.

In women, the above and also include:

  • menstrual irregularities

5 Ways to spot a steroid user: look for a distended gut/stomach,  disproportionate upper body development, gynaecomastia (man boobs),  acne,  stretch marks and a sudden increase in muscle mass.

The saddest part of steroid use is the rapid loss of muscle mass when the user gets off steroids. It may take several weeks to lose all the gains, but it is guaranteed that the muscle will disappear compared to a natural body builder. Natural builder will maintain muscles for years, whereas steroid users will lose it all.

Bottom line: Don’t use steroids.

Steroid users

Muscles like hulk

Steroids – are they worth it?

Steroid, testosterone

Steroids is not a magic pill or injection. By taking steroids, you will not automatically inflate to massive sizes, and you will not transform yourself in Hulk in a similar way as the “Hulk”.

Steroids is the name of many different chemicals that have one thing in common: To change your body unnaturally.

Steroids are not worth it!

You can achieve better, longer-lasting results naturally. If you are just looking at becoming lean, ripped and muscular, and  are not looking at competing, don’t use steroids.

Steroid gains do not last, the gains and strength somehow seem to reverse once a user stops using steroids, even if they continue to train.

Natural bodybuilders keep their gains and shape for many years, as long as they keep training.

Even if a natural bodybuilder stops training, the results quickly returns after a few weeks of training due to the magic of “muscle memory”.

Steroids

Steroids are drugs that change the chemistry of your body to produce a specific effect:

  • energy
  • strength
  • Build muscle
  • reduce fat

Steroids are illegal, and is usually purchased through underground (illegal, unlicensed) channels where quality is not guaranteed, and where no professional is available to check and correct for side effects. Irrespective of what is being told to you, if you are caught with Steroids, you will face legal consequence, you may land up in a court and may even get a criminal record.

It may sound unfair that a health freak can possibly get a criminal record, but  governments around the world are trying to discourage their use because of the devastating damage that steroids cause to people.

Early symptoms of steroid abuse are:

  • significant, sudden increases in body weight – this is the desired effect of body builders
  • serious cystic acne
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • severe leg and abdominal cramping
  • premature hair loss

Side effects of Steroids:

  • cholesterol modifications
  • heart disease
  • anaphylactic shock
  • high blood pressure
  • septic shock
  • death

Reproductive system problems:

  • genital atrophy
  • genital swelling
  • sexual dysfunction
  • sterility, impotence
  • prostate enlargement
  • fetal damage, and menstrual irregularities.

The liver and kidneys are under constant attack by steroids. Individuals do use liver tonics and tablets available at pharmacies, but these do not reverse the damage. These liver tablets are manufactured for infrequent alcoholic drinker, but the keyword is infrequent.

Effects to the liver includes:

  • cancer, jaundice, tumors, and Pelosis hepatitis.

Damage to the kidneys includes:

  •  kidney stones, kidney disease, and kidney malfunctions.

Taking steroids can also affect your skin and hair

  •  Acne, oily skin, rashes, purple or red spots on the body, hives, increased body hair, baldness, and increased facial hair in women.

Other side effects include edema bone pain, nausea, chills, diarrhea, insomnia, deepening of the voice, and changes in bowel and urinary habits.

Steroids can also affect the user psychologically. They can become depressed, aggressive, and very hostile. Some athletes are so aggressive that they have to use tranquilizes when not competing to cope with their hostility.

Are Steroids addictive?

Steroids are not addictive in that it does not change the chemistry in the brain in the same way alcohol or recreational drug would.

A person can stop using steroids at any time with no withdrawal or life-threatening symptoms, there are no cravings.

It is the desire to grow larger and to get leaner that pushes a user to use steroids over and over again.

Some steroid users stop growing,  or they are not happy with the results, and as a result, they continue to abuse new steroids to squeeze everything that they can out of their bodies.

Someone who starts receiving compliments feels good about themselves, and this pushes them to continue abusing the steroids.

And the feeling of achievement is also a strong contributing factor to the abuse.

The “addiction” is not the drug itself, but the mental and the self-esteem effect it has on a person.

Steroid users

muscles

Steroids – how to increase testosterone without using Steroids !

Gym supplements, Steroid, testosterone

Increase testosterone without using steroid

1. Start when your are young

Training when you are in your 20’s will go a very long way. Testosterone starts to decline from the age of 30 in men.  If you are younger than 30, take full advantage of your natural testosterone levels, your muscles will be retained throughout your life.

If you are over 30, and you have never trained before, then the struggle is real, but you can still do it!

2. Lose weight

Increase your testosterone by losing weight.  Overweight men tend to have lower testosterone levels.

Since you are exercising, this is already a step in the right direction.  If you are overweight, do cardio for 20 minutes (or more) on the days that you train.

You need to change your diet, in other words, what you eat. Reduce your carbohydrate and sugar intake. Reduce your fat intake.

  • Take-outs are bad – those burgers, pizzas and chicken pieces are all bad for your weight and testosterone.
  • Sugar is included in abundance in fizzy drinks and fruit juices, drop these immediately. Drink water.
  • Stop eating sweets and chocolates. Don’t even buy them. Don’t even look at them.
  • Milk has lactose – a sugar. Reduce milk intake.
  • Grains need to be cut out of your diet. No breakfast cereals or bread of any type.
    You may substitute your cereal with oats, and you may substitute your wheat bread with rye bread.
  • Replace your rice and pasta with “cauliflower rice” – Cauliflower is chopped up into fine pieces to resemble rice. Microwave for 5 minutes and your rice is ready to eat.
  • Include green vegetables (such as Broccoli, spinach) and fruits (such as Pears, apples. Note: bananas are carbs, avoid!) in your diet.
  • Reduce the amount of food that you eat, and eat 5 ~ 6 smaller meals split over the  day rather than 3 large meals. Don’t skip breakfast and eat your carbs during the earlier part of the day and more green vegetables and proteins at night. Don’t eat carbs at night. If you feel like having a snack, grab and apple.

3. Take Zinc

Take a zinc supplement – less than 40 mg a day, as this is the recommended adult upper limit. If you cannot test yourself for zinc deficiency, and you exercise regularly, then taking a zinc supplement covers this base.

Your testosterone levels decreasing if you are zinc deficient.

4. Do strength training

Increase the weight and reduce the reps, and train slower for good strength and increased testosterone levels.

5.  Increase your Vitamin D

Supplement with Vitamin D increases levels of testosterone.

6. Tan – spend some time in the sun

Tanning for a few minutes at noon will increase your Vitamin D levels and will increase your testosterone levels. Spend just enough time to tan without getting sun-burnt. If you get red and you itch the next day, then you have spent too much time in the sun.

7. Cope with stress better

Stress will inevitably reduce your testosterone levels. When you’re under a lot of stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which blocks testosterone.

8. Eat healthy fats

Your body needs healthy fats to function normally.

  • Olives and Olive oil
  • Coconuts and coconut oil
  • Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
  • Raw nuts, such as, almonds or pecans
  • Organic pastured egg yolks
  • Avocados
  • Grass-fed meats
  • Palm oil
  • Unheated organic nut oils

9.  Boost Your Intake of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) from supplements like Whey Protein

BCAAs results in higher testosterone level when taken along with resistance training.

Taking whey powder after training is great to boost testosterone levels as it enhances the satiety/testosterone-boosting impact. Hunger hormones cause the opposite effect on your testosterone and libido.