The fame of steroids has gone far and wide. Many people, especially professional bodybuilders, and athletes, are familiar with their potency in delivering desired benefits.
But these substances are also highly controversial. While their efficacy is not in doubt, use is highly controlled and even banned in practically all sports. You could spend some time in jail if found in possession of these synthetics without a prescription.
The foregoing explains why more people are now taking an interest in the so-called “legal steroids.” Perhaps, you are as well. Are they real alternatives to illegal substances? This comprehensive article addresses everything you need to know.
What are Legal Steroids?
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One may describe steroids as substances that are used to build muscle, enhance strength or boost performance. Their legality depends on whether you are permitted by law to obtain or use them.
Those ones that your doctor can prescribe for medical treatment are described as legal steroids. Examples include corticosteroids (used for conditions such as arthritis) and testosterone analogs.
However, legal steroids mostly refer to natural alternatives to prescription anabolic steroids. These are what people usually have in mind these days when they mention that term.
You do not need to fear the imposition of any legal penalty with these products as they contain natural ingredients.
These ingredients are said to mimic the positive effects of illegal steroids. They eliminate the need for synthetic chemicals and work naturally.
Why Do People Buy and Use Them?
Apart from their being legal, most people prefer legal steroids for the following main reasons:
Safety – Sadly, the potency of illegal steroids also makes them likely to cause unpleasant side effects. This is a major reason their use is restricted. But legal alternatives are typically a lot safer. They produce less-serious side effects if they produce any at all.
Convenience – It is also more convenient using legal steroids than banned substances. These products typically come in easy-to-take pill form. You don’t need needles and injections as you would with illegal steroids.
Cost – Legal steroids tend to be cheaper, from observation. Many users who might be willing to dare using banned variants could find their prices rather exorbitant.
Are Legal Steroids as Good as Illegal Steroids?
Bodybuilders and athletes typically resort to anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and strength. The substances improve performance and help you recover faster from workouts. These are benefits you may also get with some legal steroids.
The promised benefits you can often expect with these natural products include:
- Improvement in muscle quality
- Increase in muscle size
- Greater endurance
- Increase in energy levels
- Reduction of body fat
- Enhancement of nitrogen retention in muscles
- Improvement of blood circulation
- Rapid strength recovery
- Libido boost
However, you should note the inclusion of the word “some” in an earlier paragraph. This emphasis is pertinent because not all legal steroids work, only some.
Even for those ones that work, you cannot rely on them singly. You still need to back them up with proper nutrition and regular exercise for best results. Dedication will also help.
To say the truth: the potency of illegal steroids is greater than that of their legal alternatives in most cases. The quality of results you see with the former tends to be more dramatic.
But the greater strength is also what makes banned substances more likely to cause safety issues. Their possible side effects include:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Breast enlargement in men
- Excessive sweating
- Liver damage
- Infertility
- Male pattern baldness
- Reduction of “good” cholesterol
- Increase in testicle size
- Prostate enlargement
- Renal hypertrophy
- Cardiovascular issues
Your preference between high potency and safety would determine whether it’s best to settle for legal steroids.
Some Common Ingredients in Legal Steroids
Let’s shift focus to some ingredients you’d typically find in legal steroids and what illegal steroids they try to mimic.
Tribulus terrestris
You are more likely to find Tribulus Terrestris in a legal Sustanon alternative. It contains steroidal saponins, which enable it to mimic the steroid. The plant is believed to stimulate the body to produce more hormones, including testosterone.
You can also find Tribulus terrestris in some legal alternatives to the popular steroid Dianabol.
Amino acids
Many legal steroids, especially those intended for bodybuilding, contain amino acids. Examples of these substances include leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
You’d usually find these amino acids in legal alternatives to Dianabol and other steroids that help you bulk faster.
Whey protein
This is a kind of protein obtained from whey, the watery part of milk. It offers essential amino acids for lean, muscular body and enhanced performance. You can find it in Dianabol and Anavar alternatives.
Garcinia cambogia
You can find this ingredient in legal alternatives to Clenbuterol, the famous weight loss drug. It assists in burning body fat while also suppressing your appetite.
Some other popular and possibly proven ingredients in legal steroids include the ones below (the illegal steroids which products having them aim to mimic are in parentheses):
- Dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA (Testosterone)
- Soy protein (Anavar)
- Guarana(Clenbuterol)
- Beta sitosterol (Trenbolone)
In essence, legal steroids offer a blend of amino acids, vitamins, and plant extracts. These work in synergy to try and replicate the positive effects of illegal steroids.
Popular Legal Steroids
There are numerous legal steroids on the market. But one name that you’d often hear people mention is Crazy Bulk. The brand’s name is almost synonymous with legal steroids.
Offerings by this company seem to dominate the market. It is not surprising then that the most popular legal steroids are by Crazy Bulk as you will notice in this section.
Of course, you are also free to search online to confirm the popularity of these products.
D-Bal
This is a legal alternative to Dianabol, arguably the most popular of all steroids that bodybuilders use. D-Bal combines natural ingredients, such as Tribulus terrestris and amino acids, to boost muscle growth and strength. It helps to improve nitrogen retention.
Anvarol
A legal alternative to Anavar, Anvarol is mainly a cutting supplement for people looking to build a muscular body. In other words, it is for losing excess fat while retaining lean muscle. Among its ingredients are branched-chain amino acids and whey protein.
Testo-Max
Those who know can testify to the efficacy of testosterone (Sustanon) for muscle building and strength boost as well as to its potential side effects. Testo-Max is a popular legal steroid that aims to mimic its good effects. It contains ingredients, such as D-Aspartic acid, zinc, and magnesium, which are intended to improve natural testosterone production in your body.
Anadrole
Here is a legal steroid that seeks to mimic the positive effects of Anadrol (oxymethalone), one of the most powerful steroids used by professional bodybuilders. Anadrole aims to boost your ability to go through workout sessions without getting tired easily. It uses natural ingredients to boost red blood cell production and oxygen availability in muscles.
Winsol
Ever heard of the steroid Winstrol? This legal steroid is offered as an alternative to the popular illegal compound used for increasing strength and muscle size. Winsol purportedly offers you the benefits of Winstrol without its associated side effects, including water retention and loss of libido.
Trenorol
Featuring ingredients such as beta sitosterol and samento inner bark (cat’s claw), Trenorol is a legal alternative to trenbolone (Finajet). That steroid was originally used in cattle, but bodybuilders also use it to improve red blood cell production and muscle tone. This natural supplement by Crazy Bulk promises similar benefits minus the side effects of the popular synthetic compound.
Clenbutrol
You probably guessed it: this is a legal alternative to Clenbuterol. That drug is renowned for its ability to aid weight loss and bodybuilders use it for cutting. Clenbuterol combines ingredients like Garcinia cambogia, guarana, and bitter orange extract to mimic these benefits.
One name you might also see mentioned among popular legal steroids is HGH-X2. This is an alternative to synthetic growth hormone. Although that substance has anabolic properties, it is not really a steroid.
How to Choose Legal Steroids
As you might be aware, there are numerous products offered as legal alternatives to illegal steroids out there. It then means you need to be careful when making a selection.
What can you do to ensure you are making the right choice?
Let’s consider some of the factors that can help you get your choice right.
Goal
There is this tendency to think that all steroids help you build muscle or enhance performance. That isn’t entirely correct.
These substances have specific functions they perform. Some help you bulk up faster. Some help with cutting and enhancing vascularity. Still, some others help to increase strength and performance.
Of course, certain illegal steroids perform multiple functions.
What we are just driving at here is that you should choose precisely the legal alternative to the particular steroid that delivers the benefits you target.
Brand reputation
With so many legal steroids to choose from, it is normal to expect that some would be by dubious companies.
You should, therefore, pay attention to the brand of legal steroids you are purchasing. Consider how long it has been around. What are consumers saying about? What is the overall review trend like when you search on Google?
We do agree that you cannot believe everything you see online about a brand. But it is a good place to start.
You may also assess the quality of customer support. Evaluate the potential usefulness of ingredients in products.
Safety
This should normally be covered once you get the brand right.
Read what other people are saying about the product online. Does it produce adverse effects?
You may also do your research on possible side effects of ingredients. Find out about dose that can produce such.
Cost
This, ideally, shouldn’t be what determines the right legal steroids to buy. But then, when prices seem ridiculously cheap for a product, compared to others, chances are that it is not that effective, if at all.
Also, check what discounts and packages a manufacturer offer. These can help you make some savings.
Learn about the cost of shipping, if it’s not free. Also, find out if you are able to request a refund, especially when buying legal steroids you consider a bit dear.
Are Legal Steroids Permitted in Sports?
Everyone (or almost everyone) knows that sporting bodies and organizations prohibit the use of illegal steroids by athletes.
Can you get in trouble when you use these natural alternatives? Well, you may be able to get away with the use of legal steroids in sports. This is because they merely help to enhance natural processes. However, there is no guarantee that you are completely safe with these products.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) advises athletes to steer clear of dietary supplements that contain prohibited substances, including growth factors and hormone-releasing agents.
The American agency admonishes athletes to avoid natural supplements that promise similar effects as performance enhancers. You are not to use any product that produces comparable biological effects as these banned substances.
This clearly suggests some legal steroids may not be safe to use in sports.
If you are a professional athlete, we advise that you seek guidance from appropriate persons.
The Gist On Legal Steroids
Legal steroids can be a decent, safer alternative to illegal steroids. They may not be as effective as the notorious substances, but they could help to some extent.
You should note, however, that not all these natural products deliver promised benefits. We advise that you do your research on anyone you think of buying.
With legal steroids, you may be able to enjoy the benefits of illegal steroids without putting your health and wellness at considerable risk. You can get them without a doctor’s prescription or fear of arrest. They are also usually more cost-friendly as well.
References
Athlete Guide to the 2019 Prohibited List | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) (www.usada.org/substances/prohibited-list/athlete-guide-2019-prohibited-list/)
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