Prohormones Vs Steroids – Understanding The Two

The moment people hear about 'steroids' they tend to have this conception that these are very harmful drugs and should be avoided, thanks to the way they are portrayed in the media. While steroids are capable of causing the body much harm, it is only when it is abused and used wrongly. When used in the right dosages and for the right purpose (for example, when prescribed by doctors), steroids are actually capable of delivering a lot of benefits! The same goes for prohormones, people are extremely intimidated by these as well. And they cannot be blamed as well, because a majority of the people have very little knowledge about facts concerning prohormones or steroids. This article will help you understand the two better.

Starting off with steroids, these are basically defined as hormones with cholesterol backbone. The general conception about steroids is that they are designed for men; very few people are aware of the fact that even women take steroids, for instance: birth control pills. Steroids are basically hormones which possess a cholesterol backbone. Prohormones, on the other hand, are supplements which remain 'dormant' or inactive until they are ingested into the body and the liver converts them into active hormones. These may or may not possess a cholesterol backbone. Thus, the ones having cholesterol backbones convert into steroids. However, this does not imply that prohormone means 'pro-steroid'!

There are different types of steroids available in the market. For comparison with prohormones, the right kind would be the anabolic steroids. These are basically synthetic versions of testosterones; they are sometimes referred to as performance-enhancing steroids. These drugs are capable of increasing the strength and muscle size in case of men in a wide array of ways. Extended use of this type of steroids is a strict no-no because it would cause the body to stop creating testosterone naturally and one would have to administer these synthetic variants of testosterone for life! Besides, these also come with side effects such as decreased testicle size, increased blood pressure, non-functional enlargement of the heart, liver diseases, hair loss, acne, breast enlargement, sensitive nipples and so on.

Prohormones, on the other hand, are a much better choice than steroids since they are legal and produced in FDA regulated and approved facilities or laboratories. Unlike real steroids, these do not have to be injected, instead they have to be consumed orally. These sub-lingual supplements convert automatically into active hormones after they are ingested into the body. They then bind to the muscle and perform the same function as anabolic steroids. Prohormones are generally safe for administration by adults over twenty-one years of age but there are a few exceptions, which are generally mentioned on the product label.

In terms of efficiency, prohormones may not be as fast-acting as anabolic steroids, but nevertheless they are still considered to be a better choice since they are safe to administer and do not generate harmful side effects. Nevertheless, it is advisable to choose the prohormones after thorough research to find out which is the best type of prohormone for your needs.