Avoid Anabolic Steroids for Testosterone Replacement Therapy

By: Lily McCann

Near the beginning of David Fincher’s Fight Club, Edward Norton’s Jack meets a character played by Meat Loaf. This guy suffered testicular cancer and the treatment led to him growing man breasts. As you might guess, the treatment is testosterone replacement therapy, and this is one of the few times where it is legal to use anabolic steroids. 

For people like Meat Loaf’s character, testosterone replacement therapies are needed to replace a loss of testosterone production within the body, but these steroids have side effects and can be quite harmful to those who take them. For any athlete who has a legal need for such drugs, it is important to explore safer alternatives where possible. This article will give you an outline on steroids, the side effects and some alternative therapies you might want to consider.

On Steroids

Not all steroids are bad. In the media and modern parlance, steroids have been associated with ridiculously huge bodybuilders, cheating athletes and so on. There are actually two types of steroids. The bad ones everyone talks about are actually anabolic steroids. The other type is called corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are used to dampen immune responses that are too active. They are, for example, needed by people suffering eczema and asthma. They take the form of a cream and inhaler respectively.

Anabolic steroids are effectively illegal unless prescribed by a doctor. They are a form of synthetic testosterone used to build up muscle mass or to replace a loss in testosterone production within the body. Testicular cancer is a common reason for this loss of production, while conditions such as AIDS can cause a loss in muscle tissue that can prove harmful to the individual. Another reason for their prescription may be delayed puberty.

Anabolic Steroid Side Effects

The side effects are legion, some affect just men and some just women, plus a range of them affect both. Let’s look at those that affect both first. The abuse of anabolic steroids can affect the skin, certain organs and a user’s personality. They can cause acne, oily scalp and skin, baldness in both genders and a yellowing in the skin often associated with jaundice. It is not surprising therefore to learn that liver disease and liver cancer can be caused by anabolic steroids. They can also cause high levels of cholesterol, an enlarged heart and a greater potential for heart attacks. In terms of personality effects, steroid abusers are known to have mood swings, to suffer delusions or some sort and be quick to explode in anger.

For women, anabolic steroids can cause a reduction in breast size and an enlarged clitoris. The voice is likely to deepen and an excess of face and body hair can develop. Menstrual irregularity is possible, and the likelihood of giving birth to a masculine female baby is increased.

As for men, testosterone abuse can cause a shrinking of the testicles, a reduced sperm count, infertility and impotency. Erections can become painful... and as Meat Loaf’s character in Fight Club realized, men can grow breasts.

Natural Alternatives

If you believe you are suffering from a lack of testosterone, the best idea is to get your blood tested by your doctor. If this is the case, or if your oestrogen levels are too high, look at trying some testosterone boosting natural remedies instead of using anabolic steroids.

The first one to consider is a zinc supplement. Zinc is used throughout the body, but nowhere more so than the male organ. A lack of zinc can also be blamed for erectile dysfunction  and for blocking the pituitary gland from producing prolactin. As this kind of dysfunction is also linked to low testosterone levels consider taking zinc supplements, but also remember that fitness improves performance too.

Eat plenty of tomatoes. This fruit-vegetable contains plenty of lycopene. This nutrient is used by the testicles as an antioxidant and appears to be more powerful than vitamin C, E and also grape seed extract. Maybe this explains the longevity of Italian  lotharios. 

Sticking with food, look to fresh herbs. Some that are recommended to help, especially for women, include damiana, false unicorn root and angelica root. Tongkat Ali is a flowering plant from Indonesia and its root extract (not powder) helps to get the pituitary gland producing LH. This is a messenger that runs down to the testicles and tells them to get a producing on the testosterone front. Also consider fenugreek, horny goat weed and  tribulus terrestris.

Get plenty of restful sleep.  If you are not sleeping well, try to see if you can find the root of this problem. A general lack of sleep affects the body in many ways. We know about the lack of energy, the lack of concentration and other mental issues associated with poor sleeping patterns, but it can also suppress testosterone.

Finally, if your oestrogen levels are too high, consider using an oestrogen blocker. Before taking any of these consult your doctor and especially if you partake in professional sports to ensure they do not contravene doping rules. Examples of oestrogen blockers include chrysin, resveratol and DIM.