When people see steroids for sale, people’s minds always go to working out and bodybuilding. Unfortunately, it’s also been associated with unwanted side effects resulting from misuse and overuse.
Even though steroids can help boost muscle growth, there’s much more to it than that. There’s even a huge misconception about it that the majority overlooks! So for this post, let’s explore the various types, uses, and benefits of steroids in this post. But first…
What Are Steroids?
Also known as corticosteroids, steroids are artificial hormones that mimic cortisol. It’s used to improve the immune system response and reduce inflammation. And because inflammation is something associated with a lot of health issues, its applicability covers a wide range as well.
When talking about steroids, this is usually what people in the medical community mean. This is also what we’ll be referring to moving forward. But just to get a little technical, there are other classifications too:
- Sex steroids like progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone
- Secosteroids like vitamin D
- Steroid alcohol like cholesterol
- Neurosteroids like Dehydroepiandrosterone
Corticosteroids vs Anabolic Steroids: What’s the Difference?
Did you know that the steroids that bodybuilders use are different from the ones you get from your doctor? While corticosteroids help in regulating inflammation symptoms like pain, swelling, stiffness, and redness, anabolic steroids do something different altogether.
Like your standard steroids, anabolic steroids are synthetic as well. But instead of being an artificial version of cortisol, it’s actually an artificial version of natural male sex hormones.
And when you introduce an androgen-like substance into your body, you’re accelerating the growth of your skeletal muscles. Other male characteristics are further developed as well. This is the type that bodybuilders and athletes usually get to improve their appearance.
But outside the sports industry, it’s also very useful in health conditions that are caused by low testosterone levels, such as:
- Testicle injury
- Pituitary disorders
- Obesity
- Undescended testicles
- Advanced HIV infection
Anabolic steroids also come with their own set of side effects like roid rages, development of breasts, infertility, and many more. That’s why you should always leave it up to experts so you can help you better manage all the risks involved.
What Types of Steroids Exist?
Depending on your condition, there are various types of steroids that your doctor may recommend.
- Topical Steroids
Topical steroids come in various forms like ointments, creams, and lotions. This is usually prescribed for skin conditions because it allows you to apply the topical product directly to the area. For dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and other skin allergies, this is the most suitable treatment.
What a lot of people don’t know is that the topical kind also comes in eyedrops and foaming forms. However, these are less common.
- Oral Steroids
For allergies, asthma, croup, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases, oral steroids are the way to go. These usually come in pills and capsules. But for younger patients, a liquid form may also be available.
This is prescribed when the doctor determines there’s a steroid deficiency that prevents the body from better controlling the inflammation and its symptoms.
- Steroid Inhalers
Used as treatment and preventive measure for some respiratory illnesses, steroid inhalers are breathed in to take effect.
Assuming that you got the right dosage, you should be able to breathe better as the inflammation in your airways subsides. If there’s any congestion, the inhaler should take care of that as well.
- Steroid Injections
Steroid injections are used for very serious illnesses like joint pain, sciatica, and arthritis. And unlike the other types that you can take on your own, you’d need a medical professional to administer this.
How Do You Avoid Its Potential Side Effects?
If you want to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment and minimize the side effects that there may be, please follow these tips:
- Monitor your blood pressure while you take your steroids.
- Get your steroids only from trusted and reliable sources.
- Take multivitamins to prevent bone density loss during treatment.
- Only take the minimum necessary for it to take effect.
- Take steroids only based on the instructions of professionals.
- Consult your doctor before taking steroids. If you’re taking other medications, inform them as well.
There’s always a chance that you won’t experience side effects. But just to be sure, it’s better to take these precautions. The last thing you want to happen is for the side effects to overpower the benefits that there are.
Conclusion
Like with all medication, there are potential side effects that you may experience. Some of them may be mild like excessive hair growth, but others like lower infection resistance can be more debilitating. We always want you to stay safe.
No matter the type of steroid you want to start using, we strongly advise you to talk to professionals. More importantly, only source your steroids from clean and reliable sources to protect your well-being.
