Sooner or later almost every visitor to the gym has a question - the so-called steroid hunger, which provokes to buy this miracle. The desire is caused by the fact that one wants to become stronger, bigger, more beautiful, more enduring, etc. Some people argue that they have exhausted their physical/genetic potential.
But before switching to the dark side, it is necessary to begin to understand the basics. The first point has to do with the reproductive system. Understanding this process will give a better perception of how drugs affect our body systems. What will begin to suffer in our body and, therefore, how to rehabilitate this case.
Many people associate everything with testosterone. However, we need to start at the top of the Hypothalamus system. Receiving signals from various organs with GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone) controls the production of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone by the pituitary gland.
Then Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone, affect Leydig cells, that is, testosterone synthesis and Sertoli cells for spermatogenesis synthesis. Testosterone is later converted to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone. These affect the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, controlling the production of GnRH and Luteinizing Hormone. This mechanism is also called: the negative feedback mechanism.
Why do you need to know this? When you use steroids, you are affecting this system. When you come off the course, you need to bring your body back to the numbers you had before the course. These are determined not only by total testosterone. But also a number of other hormones. And what is included in their spectrum and what you need to do in more detail we will discuss in the next article.
Anyone should pay attention to their health. And even more so if you're on a course. Regular health monitoring, can reveal small defects at the start. If you are getting on the dark path, you owe it to yourself to have a clear picture of your starting characteristics Before / During / After Course and Post-Cycle Therapy. If you don't, blame yourself. What tests should I pay attention to?
Sex hormones: Luteinizing hormone, Follicle-stimulating hormone, Total testosterone, Estradiol, Prolactin, Progesterone, Globulin binding sex steroids
Lipid Profile: Cholesterol, Triglycerides, High Density Lipoproteins, Low Density Lipoproteins
Blood count
Thyroid, kidney, liver, blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin, total protein.
When you take your hormones, remember your fasting state. This is very important. There are very interesting tests when a man took a carbohydrate meal before taking the test. His testosterone dropped to hypogonadism levels. And imagine, a man will see these tests and what will happen to his mood?
Eliminate sex, masturbation in 24 hours. Prolactin could be distorted to the plus side. Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone tests will be wrong.
It is advisable to exclude physical activity. Studies show exercise affects androgen and thyroid hormone levels.
You should take the test with a good night's sleep and without stress in the morning. This can very much distort the results.
I want to make one more important remark. Testosterone injected from outside is recognized on the test as testosterone. Other steroids are not detected this way. However, any steroid suppresses the Hypothalamus and Pituitary Arc. And there are drugs that suppress this arc more. For example, Cyproterone acetate is used medically to castrate men. So sometimes it is not a good idea to use Progestins for a long time on a course. Again, remember: Any androgenic anabolic steroid suppresses endogenous testosterone production.