Form many bodybuilders, supplementation is considered nothing more than chemical wizardry. The guys with the best doctors and drugs would always win. If competitor X takes two steroids, then I must take three to beat him. Sadly this attitude has permeated right down to the noncompetitive ranks, and even teens as young as 11 and 12 are reported to have used these drugs without first even considered safe and legal bodybuilding supplements.



Steroids go by many names including juice, gear, and roids. Biochemically they are synthetic copies of the male hormone testosterone. They were first developed to treat hormone problems and to combat the side effects of such wasting diseases as cancer. As derivatives of testosterone these compounds cause a rapid increase in the strength and size of muscles. It wasn't long before bodybuilders and other athletes heard about these magical qualities and started using them just as regularly as their protein shakes.

If the only effects of steroids were to promote increased muscle size and strength, then no problem.Unfortunately these drugs can cause side effects. In men they can cause baldness, liver abnormalities, and testicle shrinkage. In women such side effects as a deepening voice, hair growth, and masculinization of the genitalia can occur. Besides the previous side effects, teens may experience such psychological problems as aggression, depression, and suicide.

Many teens tell themselves they'll only use steroids for one or two seasons while in school. Unfortunately, steroids can be addictive, and are very difficult to stop once you start. And some users who do manage to stop may be at risk for developing irritability, paranoia, and severe depression, which may lead to suicidal thoughts and even suicide. Some school counselors suggest that teens that use the drugs may also be at greater risk for using such other drugs as alcohol and marijuana.

Play it safe ? Don't be an easy target!

Given that bodybuilders made easy targets, and that the drug war was still politically correct, the United States Federal Government reclassified anabolic steroids as controlled substances in 1991. This means that the drugs were placed in the same category as such hard street drugs as cocaine, heroin, and hashish; with possession or dealing in them potentially leading to serious jail time.

As with alcohol prohibition in the 1920's, banning anabolic steroids didn't decrease the demand for the drugs. In fact demand went up as the increased publicity only let the masses in on what was previously a bodybuilding secret. Up until the late 1980's and early 1990's, the only people who knew about the drugs were bodybuilders and other power athletes (i.e. football, rugby, wrestling, etc). But the publicity surrounding the new legislation against the drugs let the Jeanie out of the bottle.

Bodybuilding Supplements - Safe, Legal, and Effective!

When anabolic steroids were reclassified as illegal substances in 1991, bodybuilders turned to supplement manufacturers to fill the void. But today's bodybuilders demand more than their counterparts of 20 or 30 years ago. They want effective products containing pharmaceutical grade ingredients. These products also must be safe and legal.

In many respects the bodybuilding supplement industry mirrors the black-market in anabolic steroids ? you may not always get what you paid for. Every year dozens of new supplement companies burst on the scene offering their new wondrous products. Sadly many are nothing more than fly-by-night operations that are in operation for one purpose ? to separate you from your hard earned cash. When shopping for bodybuilding supplements, don't fall for the basement bargain deals. It costs money to manufacture top quality supplements, and some of this expense will be passed on to you, the consumer. Odds are that that basement-bargain brand you see advertised is of very low quality and may contain questionable ingredients. Remember it's buyer beware.

Be knowledgeable. Be informed. Make the right choice!