Steroids, originally testosterone were originally invented during world war 2 by the Nazis. Russia then took it and used it for its athletes in the Olympic games. America then got ahold of this and made it in pill form called Dianabol. From there on they were then derived from testosterone and the family tree of steroids was made such as stanozolol, Anavar anadrol, trenbolone, Primobolan, etc.
These were prescribed for medicinal purposes mainly muscle atrophy. Steroids were made for weight gain, which is what anabolic means. (build up or prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue)
They are now widely available and known for bodybuilding or even just the typical gym rat. Athletes take them as Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Initially, anabolic androgens were used primarily by elite athletes before 1980, but their popularity has since risen significantly among the general population, especially recreational weightlifters.
A bill was passed in America to make them illegal from Joe Biden. Their aim was that they would all get disapproved. However, this backfired and scientists said they were not dangerous and should not be a controlled substance. The government passed the bill anyway.
1. Early Beginnings (1930s – 1940s)
Anabolic steroids were first synthesized in the 1930s, building on earlier research into male hormones. In 1935, testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, was isolated, leading researchers to understand its role in muscle growth, bone density, and secondary sexual characteristics. This isolation also led to an understanding of endogenous testosterone levels and their role in muscle growth and development. By 1939, scientists had synthesized synthetic derivatives of testosterone, designed to maximize anabolic (muscle-building) effects while minimizing androgenic (masculinizing) effects.
2. World War II and Post-War Period (1940s – 1950s)
During and after WWII, steroids began to be used for various medical purposes, particularly for promoting muscle growth in patients who suffered from malnutrition or muscle-wasting diseases. Meanwhile, anabolic steroid users, particularly athletes in the Soviet Union, began to experiment with these substances to enhance performance. Evidence suggests that Soviet athletes were among the first to use anabolic steroids in the late 1940s and early 1950s, although it remained secretive at the time.
Popularization of Anabolic Steroids in Sports (1960s)
Anabolic steroids started to make their way into the world of competitive sports during the 1960s. The Soviet Union’s use of steroids in Olympic athletes, combined with the growing number of steroid users aiming to enhance athletic performance and muscle growth, led to a broader awareness of these substances. Notably, American bodybuilders began using them in the 1960s, with prominent figures like Larry Scott and Arnold Schwarzenegger openly advocating their use to achieve enhanced muscle growth.
Anabolic steroids were initially developed for medical purposes to treat conditions where the body required additional hormones to stimulate growth, recovery, or repair. Here’s a brief overview of their origins and intended uses:
1. Early Development
- 1930s: Scientists isolated and synthesized testosterone, the primary male sex hormone. They aimed to understand its effects and potential therapeutic applications.
- Purpose: The goal was to create compounds that could mimic testosterone’s anabolic (muscle-building) effects while minimizing androgenic (male sex characteristic-promoting) effects.
2. Medical Applications
Anabolic steroids were designed to treat various medical conditions, including:
- Delayed Puberty: To help adolescents with delayed sexual development.
- Muscle Wasting Diseases: Conditions like cancer, AIDS, or severe trauma that cause significant loss of muscle mass.
- Chronic Illnesses: Stimulating weight gain and recovery in patients suffering from illnesses like chronic infection or after major surgeries.
- Hormonal Deficiencies: Treating hypogonadism, where the body doesn’t produce enough testosterone.
- Bone Marrow Stimulation: Early uses included treating anemia by stimulating red blood cell production before other treatments became available.
- Burn and Injury Recovery: Accelerating recovery from severe burns or injuries.
The Science of Steroids
Steroids function by mimicking the effects of testosterone, promoting muscle growth and the development of male sexual characteristics. They bind to androgen receptors in skeletal muscle, enhancing the body’s protein synthesis, and increasing muscle size and strength.
Conclusion
Steroids were made for medicinal purposes, to help maintain muscle atrophy and treat other diseases. Testosterone enanthate and testosterone propionate are commonly used in medical treatments for conditions like hypogonadism and delayed puberty. The demonization of them is mainly in a Western country. Commonly used in bodybuilding and sports, these can be easily accessible in pharmacies in countries such as Turkey, Ukraine, the Middle East, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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