Bodybuilding Supplements VS Steroids
Supplements used for bodybuilding are basically dietary supplements which are involved in athletics and bodybuilding. Dietary supplements provide missing components such as Vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids in the diet of a person. Bodybuilding supplements can use instead of meals and hence they do encourage weight loss in bodybuilding. Some of the extensively used are protein, creatine, glutamine, BCAA, testosterone boosters and essential fatty acids etc. These supplements may also be used by people who are not bodybuilders but their dose may differ from what is used by the bodybuilders.
Protein is a widely used bodybuilding supplement which is available in the form of powder. It can be taken with water, milk or any juice. It can be taken in place of a meal or before or after the exercise. Protein is normally used to increase and enhance muscle mass more quickly as compared to normal. Human body breaks proteins into amino acids in intestines and muscles and as a result three Branched Chain Amino Acids are produced and these are metabolized in the muscles and counts for 33% of muscle protein. Glutamine is produced in the body and during exercise it gets used by the body and it is taken in the form of a supplement in order not to have weak immunity system and muscle tissue wastage. Creatine supplies energy to muscle cells for short burst of energy which are required during the exercise. All these supplements are allowed to be used by sportsmen.
On the other hand we have steroids. Steroids are popularly known as Anabolic Steroids which gives same effect in the body as given by natural testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Anabolism or build up of cellular tissues is caused by the protein synthesis in muscles and steroids increases the rate of this process. Steroids are not allowed to be used by any sportsmen in the world. If someone is using the steroid and is caught with the help of a test then that comes under cheating. World Anti Doping Agency checks the samples for a list of unauthorized substances. Many sports federations take regular random samples from players of different teams of different countries and if anybody proven guilty then they are punished according to the rules established for each sports organization. It is done so to have a fair competition among players and no one is allowed to take advantage by using steroids. There are countries where sale of these steroids is banned but there are black markets where smuggled or sometimes fake steroids are sold.
Apart from this there are many side effects also associated with using steroid which includes dangerous changes in cholesterol levels, high blood pressures, liver damages and heart diseases etc.
