Is it possible to achieve a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger without taking drugs and anabolic steroids?
Although it’s impossible to gain the same level of muscle mass and strength as you could with anabolic steroids, you can build a very impressive physique by training naturally. There are several serious side effects when using steroids. The major one is the shutdown of your natural testosterone levels. When you inject or orally take anabolic steroids, your body sees all this exogenous (outside the body) testosterone coming in and naturally shuts down its own production because of the overload. When this happens, one of the worst side effects starts to happen which is the shrinkage of your testicles. Along with this very unfortunate side effect, the steroids will also attach to what are called “receptor sites”. Some of these receptor site areas are oil glands which contribute to the excessive acne which many steroid users experience. Then, you get into some of the worst and demasculating side effects such as gynecomastia (bitch tits) and loss of hair. The reason for these side effects is the high conversion rate to estrogen (female hormone) which some of the high-powered steroids have. Gynecomastia (bitch tits) is the side effect when too much testosterone is converted to estrogen and you basically end up growing female breasts as the result. The only way to truly get rid of gynecomastia is to surgically have the fatty tissue removed from the breast via cosmetic surgery, which will cost you thousands of dollars.
These are just a few of the physical side effects of anabolic steroid use. There is also a very serious area which is usually not covered much which is the mental side effects and destruction the drugs cause. Many people have already heard about the “roid rage” stories about people going crazy while being on steroids, but a more serious issue is with depression, muscle dismorphia and addiction from anabolic steroids. There is a vicious cycle that is created when someone gets addicted to anabolic steroids. These individuals gain unheard of strength and muscle mass in a very short time when they are on a steroid cycle and once they get off, they usually crash hard and completely lose all of the size and strength they once had. This can cause serious depression and self-esteem issues with many users. The majority end up getting right back on another cycle of “juice” because they can’t handle looking small and feeling weak. When they are on the “juice”, they probably hear so many comments in the gym like, “Wow, you’re huge!” or “I can’t believe how strong you are!”. However, when they are “off cycle”, many “juicers” quit training altogether because they are too embarrassed to be seen in the gym. This turns into an eventual lifelong cycle of steroid abuse and truly reeks havoc on the body and mind.
So, I would highly recommend not using any type of anabolic steroids. With the right training and proper nutrition, you can build an impressive physique which you can maintain for a lifetime. You will also know its 100% natural and you got there with hard work, discipline and determination!
