Don’t let media pressure you into getting immediate results, forget steroids!
We live in an age where the internet, peer pressure, and popular culture are driving most people to go over the top just to showcase the best version of themselves on their social media accounts and vlog posts. This is especially true for millenials and the younger generation, and in an age of Marvel cinematic superheroes, showing off that popping biceps, hulking shoulders, and washboard abs for friends and strangers alike to gawk at would constitute the pinnacle of self-gratification for many men.
Achieving that MCU-level physique, however, takes tons of effort, energy, time, patience, and dedication – qualities which many of today’s meme-hungry and viral video-following generation don’t necessarily have ample supply of. So, is there a way to attain that muscled physique without having to put up the usual time and effort traditionally exerted by other people?
Steroids vs. Natural
The quick answer is yes. Steroids will allow you to gain extra muscle mass at basically half the time compared to others who are just hitting the gym naturally. A comprehensive study confirmed that taking anabolic steroids drastically increases fat-free mass, muscle size, and strength among its subjects especially when combined with strength training. [1] Other benefits include faster post-workout muscle recovery, which means that steroid users can hit the gym harder, longer, and more frequently leading to even more drastically impressive results.
Disadvantages of steroid use
If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. For all the purported muscle-building benefits that steroids bring there are as many possible side effects also associated with steroid use to temper your enthusiasm. Many of these side effects are backed by science, [2] but for the most part, they are considered as ‘possible side effects’ which means that they do not necessarily affect all steroid users at the same rate, but you will be putting yourself at a certain risk of experiencing them if you do.
Some of the possible side effects attributed to steroid use are insomnia, high blood pressure, headaches, nausea, bloating, acne, weight gain, light sensitivity, gynaecomastia (man boobs), diabetes, liver toxicity, depression, and hair loss.
Going natural
If you were freaked out after reading the list of possible steroid side effects or you just happen to prefer doing it the natural way, you would be pleased to hear that bulking up is still possible without resorting to steroids. You just have to work harder and do it slowly over a longer period of time before you can see any significant results although most people won’t be able to realistically attain the action figure proportions that steroid use can bring, save for a few genetically gifted individuals. You can maximize your natural potential by working out as often as you can, getting enough sleep, and having a well-balanced diet.
But what if you still want to bulk up some more but you insist on doing it naturally?
Improving muscle mass and boosting your energy with herbal supplements
Fortunately, there are herbal supplements that can mimic the benefits of steroids, including muscle growth, without having to experience any of its possible side effects. One of the most popular herbal supplements for muscle building is Tongkat Ali.
Tongkat Ali is a Southeast Asian plant that has been known to increase testosterone levels and muscle mass, as well as provide energy, boost athletic performance, reduce fatigue, and improve endurance and sexual stamina.
References:
- The Effects of Supraphysiologic Doses of Testosterone on Muscle Size and Strength in Normal Men. Shalender Bhasin, M.D., Thomas W. Storer, Ph.D., Nancy Berman, Ph.D., Carlos Callegari, M.D., Brenda Clevenger, B.A., Jeffrey Phillips, M.D., Thomas J. Bunnell, B.A., Ray Tricker, Ph.D., Aida Shirazi, R.Ph., and Richard Casaburi, Ph.D., M.D. N Engl J Med 1996; 335:1-7
- Long-Term Psychiatric and Medical Consequences of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse. Gen Kanayama, James I. Hudson, and Harrison G. Pope, Jr. PMC 2009 Nov 1
