History of Steroids

Are you interested in finding out how the steroids have evolved over the years? Click here!

What do you know about Testosterone?

Find out all the facts here! Effects, side effects and much more!

Alpha Pharma - Parabolin

Check out what we thought about Parabolin by Alpha Pharma, hit or miss?

Malay Tiger Metaxon-10

We have reviewed the Dianabol from Malay Tiger. Find out what we thought here!

British Dragon - Turanabol 10mg x 200 Review

How did the British Dragon Turanabol turn out? Read this review to find out.

Roid-store.com

Roid-store.com
Buy Steroids - Steroids for Sale at Roid-store.com

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Why Bodybuilders Should Buy Proviron for Their Steroid Cycles

Why Bodybuilders Should Buy Proviron for Their Steroid Cycles

Proviron is a steroid that is often overlooked by bodybuilders and gym rats. Proviron is an oral steroid of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone).

The good thing with DHT is that it is pure androgen but doesn't cause any water retention like testosterone would. It will make the muscle hard and grainy. It does also lower SHBG which actually prevents estrogen build up. So it also works as an aromatise inhibitor but not as strong as for example Arimidex or Aromasin. The bad thing with DHT is that it may cause hair loss.



Before people would think of DHT as a bad thing but today most bodybuilders use it. Some people like to use Proscar for reducing hair loss but when using Proscar it actually lowers the DHT and thus hindering potential muscle gains. Another side effect of Proscar is impotence, so choose wisely.

Now that you know the effects of DHT you may wonder how we use Proviron to benefit us. Since Proviron lowers SHGB it does allow the body to bind more testosterone to the receptors. In the body only about 10% testosterone is actually bound to receptors and being used, the other 90% is just “floating around”. When using Proviron it allows you to use more of the testosterone you have available, whether it is natural or injected.

You may also use it for it's anti estrogenic properties. 
In some aspects it is better than other Anti-Estrogen as there is no rebound effect from Proviron.

Proviron is a very good drug for pre contest as it give you definition and a hard ripped look. There is androgen receptors in your fat as well as muscle cells and since DHT bind so well there is also a fat burning effect from using it.

Although Proviron is a great steroid, using Proviron on it's own is not recommended as it needs some Testosterone to work well. It does not cause water retention but can however increase blood pressure.


The typical dosage of Proviron is 50mg and is enough to give you all the good effects you are looking for mentioned above.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Steroid Cycle for Muscle Mass

Steroid Cycle for Muscle Mass

If you are looking to put on insane amounts of muscle mass in a short period of time you need to try this cycle. It is a short steroid stack is loaded with the most powerful anabolic steroids. It is designed to put on lean muscle mass without body fat and water weight. The important point of this stack is that it increases your protein synthesis thus ensuring that all nutrition you take in is being used for maximal growth.

Testosterone Enanthate is used as a based and with the addition of Nandrolone Decanoate you will get that big full and round muscle look. But the most important use of the Nandrolone Deca is that it will make you recover faster from your workouts. In addition to this we also have Parabolan (Trenbolone Hex.) which will minimize the amount of body fat and water retention you put on. The final but very important addition to this stack is Dianabol. Dianabol is one of the most used compounds for bodybuilders and strength athletes. In combination with the other steroids in the stack it will take your body to the next level.

While using this stack you will notice an increase in muscle tissue, full and round muscles and also an increased appetite which is important because you need to consume a lot of food to grow.  Your strength should increase drastically and you will recover faster from your workouts in the gym.

There is no limit to where this stack may take you, as long as the products you are using are legit it can take you as far as you want. We recommend getting your products from a reputable source such as Star-shop.org or Roidking.com. Both theses sources have good reputation and have proven to be top sources on the internet.



Week
Testosterone Enanthate
Trenbolone Hexa (Parabolan)
Nandrolone Decanoate
Dianabol 10mg
1
250-500 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
2
250-500 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
3
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
4
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
5
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
6
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
7
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
8
250-500 mg
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
2-4 tab/day
9
200-300 mg
200-400 mg
10
200-300 mg

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT): Use  Clomid or Nolvadex + Proviron, 19-21days after last injection of Nandrolone Decanoate

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Different types of Anabolic Steroids

Different types of Anabolic Steroids

Today almost everybody knows what the term anabolic steroid or "performance enhancing drugs" means. It is used in all sports today, Baseball, Football, Wrestling, Cycling you name it. But what are really steroids? How do they work and what do they do to our bodies? We will break down for you the most common steroids and what they are used for.



According to Dr. Bejamin Wedro, MD, there are two types of steroids that occur in our bodies. One of them is corticosteroids and they are produced in the adrenal gland. Corticosteroids include aldosterone which helps the body to manage sodium content and cortisol, which is the body's stress hormone.

The other type of steroids, the one that we are interested in is the androgenic anabolic steroids. The androgenic steroids are what makes a man "manly" such as a deep voice, thick beard and so forth. The anabolic steroids is what control the muscle growth. When female patients want to change their gender they often get prescribed androgenic steroids, but not necessary anabolic steroids. As you probably understand most athletes use anabolic steroids because they give them more muscle mass and an increased performance. Some commonly used anabolic androgenic steroids are Dianabol, Anadrol, Nandrolone and Testosterone.

To sum up, there are two types of steroids in the body. Both of them are being produced naturally in the body. Corticosteroids are mainly used for inflammation while anabolic steroids are used for gaining muscle size. So if your friend is telling you she is using steroids for a case of poison ivy, don't expect her to to bulk up and lift a car for you. All performance enhancing steroids are anabolic steroids.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Did Arnold Schwarzenegger Use Anabolic Steroids?

Did Arnold Schwarzenegger Use Anabolic Steroids?


Everybody knows who Arnold Schwarzenegger is. To some he is the biggest idol on the planet. He has become a public icon for bodybuilding and health world wide.

Arnold started lifting weights as a young man at only fifteen years old living in Austria at the time. His father wanted him to become a police officer and the mother wanted him to go to trade school. 
Ever since Arnold picked up his first pair of dumbbells he dreamt of fame and success.



After training for only a few years Arnold started competing in Olympic weightlifting and power lifting. He quickly packed on muscle size and by the age of 23 he was already a legend in the bodybuilding world.
He had already won Jr. Mr. Europe, Mr. Europe, Mr. Universe and even Mr. Olympia. Winning this would make him the best bodybuilder in the world. Seven times in a row he won the Mr Universe title. There is no one who doubts Arnold as one of the best bodybuilders in history.

Was it all just hard work and determination?


However after all his victories and success there has been speculation about how he got his incredible body. Was it all just hard work and believing in himself? Or was there something else? Did Arnold Schwarzenegger use anabolic steroids?

The answer is of course, yes. There are many people who can witness to this and even Arnold himself has openly admitted his steroid use. When he was competing as a bodybuilder he very freely spoke of his steroid use and how it gave him the edge.


It his however worth mentioning that during this time steroid use was completely legal and Arnold did not break any laws using performance enhancing drugs. Both weightlifters and bodybuilders used anabolic steroids excessively during this time.




Arnold said once that  “steroids were helpful to me in maintaining muscle size while on a strict diet in preparation for a contest. I did not use them for muscle growth, but rather for muscle maintenance when cutting up (losing weight).”

He does not regret taking steroids as it helped him reaching his goal which was to become a professional bodybuilder at the young age of 21. People estimate that he started using steroids when he was fifteen years old and on a strict diet he gained over 50 pounds of muscle during a short period of time. When Arnold was taking steroids there was no real information about them and any long term side effects were not known.

Arnold has also stated that once they were banned in 1990 he never took them again.




Friday, May 9, 2014

Clenbuterol facts and dosing

Clenbuterol is one of the most popular fat burners for bodybuilders and other athletes. It serves as bronchodilator for people who suffer from asthma to make breathing easier. But bodybuilders use it because of it's fat burning properties.

There are many other weight loss drugs used by athletes such as, T3 and Ephedrine.

Clenbuterol bind to the same receptors as the popular fat burning drug Ephedrine, but unlike Ephedrine which leaves the body within  a few hours, Clenbuterol stays for days. This means that Clenbuterol is active in your body all of the 24 hours a day thus making Clenbuterol more effective.




Clenbuterol accelerates the heart rate less than Ephedrine and it can be used in higher dose.

It is best to use Clenbuterol for shorter periods of time, like two weeks on and two weeks off and then repeat. This strategy is used because your body will get used to the drug fairly quickly and making it less effective, so it is wise to come of for two weeks and let the body rest.

A typical Clenbuterol cycle starts with 40 mcg per day and increases every 3rd of 4 day until you have reached a dose that you are comfortable with. Usually people go to 120 mcg or some more experienced users may go up to 160 mcg.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Tren Acetate vs Tren Enanthate

Trenbolone Acetate versus Trenbolone Enanthate

Trenbolone Enanthate

Trenbolone Enanthate does not cause feminine side effects in men, like Testosterone may do. Trenbolone is a steroid that has the ability of stimulating protein synthesis and promote new muscle growth. This steroid is widely used by bodybuilders and other athletes such as boxers, MMA fighters because it helps with power and speed. It can also reduce body fat as it has a cortisol-reducing effect and the possibility to bind to the glucocorticoid receptor.

Trenbolone Acetate

Trenbolone Acetate is the faster acting version of Trenbolone and has an anabolic-androgenic ratio of 500:500. The half life of Trenbolone Acetate is 2-3 days. It contains the 19-nor steroid family and is derived from the compound Nandrolone. There is no estrogenic side effects that may be caused by Trenbolone Acetate. This drug is one of the most popular versions of Trenbolone and even one of the most popular steroids all in all. It can improve the uptake of nitrogen in the muscles and increase the protein synthesis. It can be used in bulking cycles for lean mass and strength gains but it is in cutting cycles that this steroid really shines.




What's the difference between Tren A and Tren E?

The first and most important difference between the two of them is the esters. Trenbolone Enanthate is a slower ester and builds up slowly in the body and leaves the system slowly. Trenbolone Acetate is the opposite, it enters quickly, gets the job done and leaves quickly. Trenbolone Acetate is also better in keeping stable blood levels. It is also stronger when compared mg to mg.

Bodybuilders and athletes seems to favor Trenbolone Acetate over Trenbolone Enanthate, mainly because you will experience a much harder look in the muscles when using the fast version. When bulking it may however be wise to pick Trenbolone Enanthate because of it's ability to put on muscle size.


Trenbolone Acetate is also known for causing more side effects than Trenbolone Enanthate, even so it is recommended for a first time user to start with Trenbolone Acetate because if they experience side effects it will stop when they stop administering the drug. The side effects may include night sweats, insomnia and aggression.

Monday, May 5, 2014

T3 for quick Fat Loss

T3 is used for a very quickly fat loss. Normal levels of T3 at 12.5 mcg/day seems to have no detectable effect on the body's thyroid function. Same goes for the 25 mcg/day but here some fat loss will be noticed. When the user goes beyond 50 mcg per day the user will start to experience very quick fat loss. One should be careful with the dosages as higher dosages 75 mcg - 100 mcg and beyond may cause loss in both muscle mass and strength.



The doses above are calculated for the oral tablet version of T3, such as Tiromel by Abdi Ibrahim and other pharmaceutical manufacturers. Liquid T3 may work different and is not to be used with the dosages mentioned above.


It is in our opinion never worth going beyond 50 mcg/day if you are an athlete and want to keep your hard earned muscle gains. T3 is an excellent addition to a cutting cycle but if you need quicker fat loss than on 50 mcg I would recommend looking for other tweaks, such as diet, exercise and so forth.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

No more steroid use in UFC?

No more steroid use in UFC?












The president of UFC Dana White claims that the steroid problem in UFC has been solved.

Dana White who is president of Ultimate Fight Championship (UFC), said in an interview on ESPN's Sportsnation that the steroid problem was solved.

"You know, Performance enhancing drugs have been cleaned up in the UFC", White said. "Usually when tests were made they only tested few of the competitors. Now, everyone is tested."

This means that White thinks that because everyone in the sport gets tested, there is no use of anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. And he claims that since no one in the UFC is testing positive anymore it is no longer a problem.

We know for a fact that this is not true. For example Dennis Siver tested positive for hCG, which you use when you are coming off a steroid cycle.

Either Dana White is really naive, or maybe he is just doing what the other bosses of most sports leagues have done in order to take care of the doping problems - lie their teeth of and pretend that their sport don't have any problems with doping. There are so many different ways and techniques to avoid getting caught at a doping test that assumptions like this is just absurd.

When you look at the statistics you can see that out of WADA's thousands of test every year only 1% of the athletes are caught with some sort of PED in their body. This is the same percentage that was caught over 25 years ago.

Maybe it's time to stop with the tests and let each athlete do whatever they want? Maybe that would be the option that is most fair?

Source: 

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/4/24/5646952/dana-white-ufc-ped-cleaned-up-drug-testing

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The importance of using HCG

The importance of using HCG

HCG (Human Chrorionic Gonadotropin) is a hormone found only in pregnant women. The hormone does not matter for women, but for athletes and bodybuilder it is very interesting. It stimulates the luteinizing hormone (HL) that is secreted by the pituitary gland which gives the testosterone signal.







If one use steroids for a long period of time the persons own production of testosterone will be suppressed. Testicles will begin to shrink and lose its functionality.


This is why HCG plays an important role - in getting the testicular function back and have them return to the normal size. This is the main reason we use HCG.

For someone you do steroids cycles on and off it is important in order to keep the gains that the person use HCG during their Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT). This will help you keeping

HCG does suppress testosterone production. The agent that stimulates HL introduces exogenous negative feedback and hypothalamus sends a signal to end the production of the hormone gonadotropin and also HL.
This is why it is very important to always use Nolvadex or Clomid when using HCG. As the androgen levels in your body decreases Nolvadex and Clomid will make sure that your estrogen levels is lowered. You should always continue to take HCG two weeks after Nolvadex or Clomid treatment has ended.

If you use HCG for a long time it can desensitize the testicles to HL, which in turn would mean that you are back to where you started. You may experience some side effects when using HCG such as acne, hair loss or prostate enlargement. But if you only use it for 3-4 weeks which is recommended it is too short to experience any of these side effects.

HCG is a fertility drug and can cause high blood pressure. When you purchase HCG it usually comes in two vials. One with powder and the other one contains Bacteriostatic water or some other sterile solvent. You should mix these contents in one vial before injection. It is important to keep your HCG in the refrigerator.


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Balkan Pharmaceuticals - Quality Brand

Balkan Pharmaceuticals - Quality brand

Are you contemplating on whether you should purchase steroids for bodybuilding or not? We suggest that you should consider buying your steroids from Balkan pharmaceuticals! They are apparently extremely profound for their produce because Balkan pharmaceuticals in body building are the best stores online where right from quantity to quality, both aspects are maintained securely.
While you are sorting your mind out whether steroids are harmful and affective, Balkan pharmaceuticals will provide to you steroids which are not only effective but also and side effect free. The role steroids are simply to increase body mass and size as well as improve the potency of the individual’s muscles. If you are planning on purchasing a monthly supply of steroids then consider buying your next supply from Balkan pharmaceuticals. Despite there being debacles over steroids and their efficiency, Balkan pharmaceuticals will provide the perfect alternative to a low quality supplement.
This is because the steroids don’t decrease or cause external changes in the body system. If you are searching for that ideal pack of ‘Dec 300’ or perhaps grabbing onto a box of ‘Primobolan Depot’ will improve your muscle capacity, at Balkan labs officially the supplements are prepared by skilled chemists who work laboriously to offer the perfect remedy.
If being a wrestler is in your ambition then check out the unlimited varieties of steroids that are being sold online on this famous pharmacy store. Purchasing the ideal box of steroids which ensures not only is your potency increased to a maximum level but also different aspects of your body undergo improvement will certainly give you a perfect physique!
As for expenses! Chuck aside your insecurities and order a box of supplements from Balkan pharmaceuticals because this online pharmacy store offers the very best solution to obtaining the perfect built. Looking for a dream physique? Searching for muscles which ripple all through your skin and have all eyes turned on you? Are you constantly bothered about your body and size and wish to make changes? What about preserving your manhood and potency?
Buy Balkan pharmaceuticals steroids online this instant if you are aching for obtaining that ideal physique which causes all the ladies to fall in love with you! If you are worried about cost then you shouldn’t have any issues purchasing a monthly supply from Balkanpharmaceuticals where affordable, durable and effective steroids will definitely provide the absolute physique you’ve dreamt about all your life.
Enjoy coursing through the various steroids which are available on this online pharmacy store where price isn’t an issue and neither is the delivery. Being an official establishment which focuses on eliminating troubles and eradicating insecurities, Balkan pharmaceuticals is the ideal store where you can purchase unlimited supplies of supplements which will provide that magnificent built to you within a month’s time.
So if you have let go of your insecurities about shopping online then feel free to contact Balkanpharmaceuticals from where you can order an entire carton of supplements which ensures a healthy and wholesome physique for you!
We recommend getting your products from a verified source such as Steroidtown.com. Although there are many good suppliers out there so have a look around. Steroidtown.com also offers Gen Shi which is another high quality lab which we will review in the upcoming weeks.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Malay Tiger Dianabol Review

Malay Tiger Dianabol Review


This is a review for Metanox-10 by the popular brand Malay Tiger. Metanox is a Malay Tiger's product name for Dianabol (Methandrostenolone).

Dianabol is probably the most used an popular steroid a side from Testosterone. We can safely say that it is the most popular oral steroid at least. 

Dianabol has been around for many years and is said to be the favorite steroid of Arnold Schwarzenegger and he described them as "breakfast for champions".

The Product




The Metaxon-10 by Malay Tiger comes in a very nice package. It contains 100 tablets and they come in blisters. Very professional look as we've come to expect from all of Malay Tigers products.

The Cycle

The cycle we used to try this product out consisted of 50 days of 50mg Dianabol every day. It was taken throughout the days one tab at a time. Because we didn't feel like getting a pair of "bitch tits" we used Arimidex 1mg every other day. This is something we highly recommend for all users who consider using Dianabol. This will also keep down some of the water gain.

What we expected

As Dianabol is one of the strongest compounds available and also the most androgenic we expected a big increase in weight on the scale. Getting big is always expected when using dianabol and if you don't want to get bloated and "watery" you may consider choosing another compound as Dianabol tend to bloat you very easily.

Effects

As expected an increase in weight was achieved. Although we used Arimidex to prevent some of the water gain we all experienced an increase in weight ranging from 15-30 lbs in the short period of 50 days it was used for.  Strength gains were tremendous and can only be compared to the ones of Anadrol.

Side Effects

The most noticeable side effect were the bloat. We all got very round in the face and puffy looking, even though Arimidex were used. The other thing we noticed was extreme lethargy, we all got very tired and could fall asleep just sitting down watching some TV. 

Other than that we got away with no real side effects.










Veridict

The results from Metaxon-10 by Malay Tiger were very good and even better than expected. Would recommend Metaxon-10 for anyone looking for good Dianabol.

We'll give this 10/10 Dumbbells for this product as well!





Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Alpha Pharma Parabolin Review

Alpha Pharma Parabolin Review

This is a review for the Parabolin by the famous and popular brand Alpha Pharma.



As with all Alpha Pharma products you can expect very high quality. The product comes in a very nice box with 5 ampules in it. The ampules are 1,5ml each and one ampule contains 76,5mg of Trenbolone Hex.

To ensure that you have real Alpha Pharma there is also a verification code on the box which can be verified at their website.

Results

The product was used for 8 weeks total and during this time an increase in muscle mass was very noticeable. Keep in mind that it was used on a calorie restricted diet for "cutting" purposes. The strength was also increased quiet a bit. This makes it an excellent product to use when you are getting ready for a bodybuilding competing or simply want to get shredded for the summer.

During this short time period of only 8 weeks, a great increased in vascularity was also noticed. Very visible veins and a dense hard look was achieved.

Side effects

Some side effects were experienced during the 8 weeks, but they were definitely tolerable. The side effects experienced was extreme night sweats and trouble to sleep at night. Also got irritated a whole lot easier.
But other than that no big side effects were noticed.

Veridict

Parabolin by Alpha Pharma is a very good product and we highly recommend it. It can be used for keeping, and even gaining size and strength during a calorie restricted diet. But it can also be used in the so-called
off season when your goal is to get as big as strong as possible.

We give Parabolin by Alpha Pharma 10/10 Dumbbells!

British Dragon Turanabol 10mg Review

British Dragon Turanabol 10mg Review

We have tried the Oral Turinabol manufactured by British Dragon. First off we must say that we was a bit suspicious if it was real Turinabol because the price was very low.


British Dragon Turanabol


The products comes in packs of 200 tablets with each tablet at 10mg.

British Dragon has chosen to call this product Turanabol.
There is also a code on the package that you can scratch of and verify it at Britishdragon.eu

Our products were verified as genuine so we know it was the real BD.eu we were using. As some of you may know there are very many "fakes" of British Dragon brand out there so this is very smart of BD.eu. 

We would like to add that we have tried Britishdragon.com as well and their products were also very good. 

Personally I would stay away from any British Dragon product that comes without code, as it could contain the wrong substance, underdosed or maybe even no active substance at all.

After trying it for 8 weeks at a dose of 60mg per day we can certainly say that it it is real Oral Turinabol.

All the expected effects were there. Lean hard gains with little to none bloat. No real noticable side effects but we all experienced a good increase in strength.

The weight went up on all of us as well but the weight gain wasn't as much as on dianabol or anadrol, obviously because of the bloat.

One thing we would like to add is that neither one of us used any typ of estrogen blocker, such as Arimidex or Aromasin.

To sum up this review, we were all very impressed with the Turinabol from British Dragon and would highly recommend it to anyone that want lean, hard and dry gains.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

History of Steroids

History of Steroids

In order to trace the history and development of anabolic steroids from their beginning to their present day form, we first need to look back towards ancient times, when it was known that the testicles were required for both the development and maintenance of male sexual characteristics. In modernity, this concept was further developed, by a scientist named Berthold and his experiments on cockerels done in 1849.

He removed the testes from these birds, and they lost several of the characteristics common to the male of their species, including sexual function.

So, we knew as early as 1849 that the testicles functioned to promote what we consider to be primary male sexual properties; in other words, they are what "make men into men". Berthold also found that if the testicles were removed and then transplanted to the abdomen, the sexual function of the birds was largely unaffected.


When the birds were dissected, it was found that no nervous connections were formed, but a vastly extensive series of capillarization took place. (1) This provided strong evidence that "the testes act upon the blood" (2) and he further concluded that this blood then had a systemic effect on the entire organism. Anabolic Steroid history, therefore, can be truly said to have made its first step with this simple series of experiments.

Later, in 1929 a procedure to produce an extract of potent activity from bull's testicles was attempted, and in 1935 a more purified form of this extract was created. A year later, a scientist named Ruzicka synthesized this compound, testosterone, from cholesterol, as did two other scientists, Butenandt and Hanisch (3).

Testosterone was, of course, the first anabolic steroid ever created, and remains the basis for all other derivations we have currently being used in medicine today. Testosterone was then used in 1936, in an experiment demonstrating that nitrogen excretion of the castrated dog could be increased by giving the dog supplemental testosterone, and this would increase its body weight. (4)

Shortly after this time, the Nazi´s were rumored to have given their soldiers anabolic steroids, but that rumor seems to be largely undocumented. Later, further experiments were carried out in men, of course showing that testosterone was a potent anabolic substance in humans. Later, between the years of 1948 and 1954, the pharmaceutical firms Searle and Ciba had experimented with the synthesizing of over a thousand different testosterone derivatives and similar analogues (15).



The story of steroids in athletics is now about to begin:


In 1954, a physician named John Ziegler attended the World Weightlifting Championships in Vienna, Austria, as the team's doctor.

The Soviets dominated the competition that year, easily breaking several world records and winning gold medals in legions of weight classes. According to anecdotal reports, Ziegler invited the Soviet´s team doctor to a bar and the doctor told him that that his lifters had used testosterone injections as part of their training programs.

Whether that story is true or not, ultimately, the Americans returned from the World Championships that year and immediately began their efforts to defeat the Soviets using pharmaceutical enhancement.

As you may have expected, when they returned to the United States, the team doctor began administering straight testosterone to his weightlifters. He also got involved with Ciba, the large pharmaceutical firm, and attempted to synthesize a substance with strength enhancing effects comparable or better than testosterone's. In 1956, Methandrostenolone was created, and given the name "Dianabol".

In the following years, little pink Dianabol tablets found their way into many weightlifter´s training program, fast forward a few years, and in the early 1960s, there was a clear gap between Ziegler´s weightlifters and the rest of the country, and much less of one between them and the Soviets. It was also in the 1960´s that another anabolic steroid had been developed and used to treat short stature in children with Turner Disease syndrome (13)


At this time, physicians around the United States began to take notice of steroids, and numerous studies were performed on athletes taking them, in an effort to stem the tide of athletes attempting to obtain steroids for use in sports. The early studies on steroids clearly showed that anabolic steroids offered no athletic benefit whatsoever, but in retrospect can be said to have several design flaws.


The first issue with those studies, and the most glaring one was that the doses were usually very low, too low to really produce much of an effect at all. In addition, it was neither common for these studies to not be double blind nor to be randomized. A double blind study is one where neither the scientists nor the subjects of the study know if they are getting a real medication or a placebo. A randomized study is where the real medicine is randomly dispersed throughout the test group.

Finally, in those early studies, nutrition and exercise was not really controlled or standardized. Not long after those flawed studies were concluded, the Physicians Desk Reference boldly (and wrongly) claimed that anabolic steroids were not useful in enhancing athletic performance. Despite this, in 1967, the International Olympic Council banned the use of anabolic steroids and by the mid 1970´s most major sporting organizations had also banned them.



Steroids in Olympics


Just prior to the ban on steroids in the Olympics, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) began a program with the goals of synthesizing new anabolic steroids for their athletes to use in various sports. Their body of research remains the most extensive collection of information on the use of steroids in athletes ever complied (5). Despite the small size of their country, they managed to consistently dominate the top ranks of various sports, competing with both the United States and the Soviet Union for total medals in both the Olympics and various World Championships. In 1972, the IOC began a full scale drug-testing program (8).



By 1982, the International Olympic Council had developed a test for the detection of excess levels of testosterone in athletes, known as the "Testosterone: Epitestosterone test". In this test, levels of testosterone vs/ epitestosterone are measured, and if the testosterone level is 6x that of the epitestosterone level, it can safely be concluded that some form of testosterone has been used by the athlete.


This is because testosterone is commonly no more than 6x the natural level of epitestosterone found naturally in the body. Thus, if there were more than that ratio, it was not naturally occurring, in all probability. The IOC was, as usual, one step behind the athletes. The GDR had already done a study on their athletes using a form of testosterone which would leave the body quickly, and thus they would be ready for the IOC test within three days of their last injection (6). They then developed a protocol to allow their athletes to continue steroid use, ceasing it only long enough to pass the drug test. In addition, the German firm Jenapharm, who had been supplying the government with steroids for their athletes, developed an epitestosterone product to administer to athletes to bring the ratio back to normal without discontinuing steroid use (5).

Their doping methods were so advanced, however, that they remained undetected for many years, until late 1989 when information was leaked to the western media about a government sponsored program of systematic anabolic steroid administration and concealment. Eventually, in the early 1990´s, the Germans had finally gotten caught, and the ensuing scandal was one which helped give anabolic steroids the bad reputation they have had ever since.

Ironically, it was also in the early 1990´s that anabolic steroids had started to be used by the medical community to improve survival rates of AIDS and Cancer patients, when it was discovered that loss of lean body mass was associated with increased mortality rates respective to those diseases (14).

A similar story was being played out in the United States at about that same time. Before 1988, steroids were only prescription drugs, as classified by by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). FDA determines which drugs will be classified as over-the-counter versus those which will only be available through prescription. At this time, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, was invoked to restrict the access of steroids, making them available only by prescription. They were still not controlled substances at this time, however.

A "Controlled substance" is one that is more firmly regulated than uncontrolled prescription drugs. As an example, contact lenses can only be legally purchased with a prescription, but they are not &qont;rolled" per se. This stricter control of steroids created a vastly more intense examination of the doctors prescribing them; and of course, more harsh penalties for wrongful dispensing. 1988 also marked the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which put steroids in a totally different prescription category, one that stipulated very severe legal penalties for illegal sale or possession with intent to distribute.

Now, steroid possession and/or distribution was considered a felony. Next, the United States Congress added steroids to the Controlled Substances Act as an amendment known as the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. Steroids were now placed in "Schedule III" classification, along with amphetamines, methamphetamines, opium, and morphine, and carrying the same penalties for buying or selling them.


This legislation and classification was passed without the support of the American Medical Association, the FDA, the DEA, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, all of whom actually protested the federal and state lIn the early part of the new millennium, steroids have again been pushed to the forefront of the news by the introduction of "prohormones" which were first developed and marketed by Patrick Arnold.


It is at this point that the history of steroids in baseball begins to become more prominent; this is in all probability because Major League Baseball had no steroid testing program in effect during this time. During his epic quest to break Roger Maris´ home-run record, Mark Maguire was spotted by a reporter to have had a bottle of Androstendione in his locker. Although androstendione is not a steroid, and is simply a prohormone, the word /spanym-buyer, as did demand& and unfortunately, the prevalence of fake or counterfeit steroids.

Steroids remained in the media, occasionally making an appearance when an athlete tested positive, or admitted using them, but for another decade, they remained uncharacteristically out of the medias attention.

In the early part of the new millennium, steroids have again been pushed to the forefront of the news by the introduction of prohormones which were first developed and marketed by Patrick Arnold.


It is at this point that the history of steroids in baseball begins to become more prominent; this is in all probability because Major League Baseball had no steroid testing program in effect during this time. During his epic quest to break Roger Maris home-run record, Mark Maguire was spotted by a reporter to have had a bottle of Androstendione in his locker. Although androstendione is not a steroid, and is simply a prohormone, the word steroid was again found circulating in the news on a nightly basis.

Not shortly after Roger Maris record was broken, another baseball player, Jason Giambi and various other athletes were either suspected of, or proven to have, taken anabolic steroids.


Again, Congress convened a hearing, and just as they did the first time in 1990, they did not determine that steroids were a danger, but rather that the danger was more in protecting professional sports organizations.


The updated statute has been updated to proscribe pro-hormones also The definition of an anabolic steroid as defined currently in the United States under (41)(A) is that "anabolic steroid" means any drug or hormonal substance, chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone (other than estrogens, progestins, corticosteroids, and dehydroepiandrosterone (7).


Currently, steroid use is far from declining. Among 12th graders surveyed in 2000, 2.5% reported using steroids at least once in their lives, while in 2004 the number was 3.4% (9). A recent internet study also concluded that anabolic steroid use among weightlifters and bodybuilders continues (12), and by all accounts, there are no signs of it stopping in athletics any time soon.


In addition, the legitimate use of anabolic steroids for a variety of medical problems also continues, ranging from the treatment of Andropause or Menopause, and ranging from speeding the recovery in burn victims to helping improve quality of life in Aids patients, to helping fight breast cancer and stave off osteoporosis.



Thus, the history of anabolic steroids is not something that has already occurred and been written, but rather it is a continuing history being written every day by scientists, lawmakers, doctors and of course, athletes.