Can Bodybuilders Take Steroids
When it comes to steroids, typically anabolic steroids, it’s a grey area on the implications and legalities. Why? Well, not every country has the same laws, and not every competition has the same rules.
In general, bodybuilders can use steroids for personal use only when prescribed by a pharmacist. However, if you’re hoping to compete, it’s imperative to check if they test for anabolic steroids; otherwise, a positive result may cause disqualification.
It’s recommended only to use steroids with medical advice; otherwise, you risk your health, reputation, and long-term testosterone production.
Embed from Getty ImagesDo Competitions Allow Bodybuilders To Take Steroids
Officially no. Competitions don’t allow or encourage bodybuilders to take anabolic steroids. Does this mean every bodybuilder who competes is entirely natural? Not quite.
While competitions prohibit steroid use, the extent to which they use their authority is questionable. Yes, they ban steroid use, but competitions like Mr Olympia don’t test for it! Despite being regulated by the IFBB, using anabolic steroids in competition is brushed under the carpet.
When you look at it for what it is, it’s obvious: it’s nearly impossible to get to their size without some sort of substance. But, the judges of competitions will turn a blind eye.
So, competitions formally ban steroids, but they won’t acknowledge their use. Why?
- Steroids increase muscle mass and reduce fat levels, allowing athletes to put on significant size without compromising fat levels. By nailing down steroid use, bodybuilders won’t be as impressive, competitions won’t be as engaging, and fans can become less interested.
- Money rules the world. Not only would it cost millions to thoroughly test, but millions may also be lost if fans react negatively to the ban. Mr Olympia generates nearly $55 million, and an anabolic steroid ‘proper-ban’ would hit this hard.
- A large proportion of Mr Olympia’s competitors are steroid users. If they introduced anabolic testing heavily, no competitors would be left.
Check out Ronnie Coleman, 8 times Mr Olympia openly talk about his steroid use. Interestingly, it was all prescribed to him rather than bought from the street, leading us to our next point.
Is It Illegal To Take Steroids
In most countries, it’s illegal to take steroids without a valid prescription from a pharmacy. This stretches further as it’s also illegal to possess, import, export, and sell anabolic steroids if you aren’t authorized or qualified within the medical industry.
So, if a friend, stranger in the street, or a family member who isn’t qualified to distribute drugs approaches you, it’s illegal for them to supply it and you to take/ purchase it.
What’s the punishment?
Every country has its own act which individuals break by selling/ distributing/ possessing anabolic steroids without a proper license. For example,
- In the UK, steroids are a Class C drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The penalty is an unlimited fine or even a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
- In the US, depending on the state, there are up to 10 years in prison, with fines of $500,000 or more. Steroids are Schedule III substances and are controlled under the Controlled Substances Act.
- In Germany, you can get up to 5 years of imprisonment. Anabolic steroids are classified as controlled substances under the German Medicines Act (Arzneimittelgesetz) and fall under the category of prescription drugs.
What Do Steroids Do In Bodybuilding
Anabolic steroids mimics testosterone, and helps bodybuilders to build muscle tissue, reduce fat levels, and increase body mass at an accelerated rate. As a result, they have a more desirable muscle composition during competition and are more likely to win.
Put simply, it’s a performance-enhancing drug.
Is it as linear as taking steroids, and the work is done for you? Not at all. Bodybuilders must still undertake effort some training for them to be effective. Without lifting heavy weights, training frequently, and keeping consistent, anabolic steroids won’t get you bigger alone.
Rather than magically giving you muscle, anabolic steroids will:
- Speed-up muscle recovery, meaning bodybuilders can train more frequently and put on size faster.
- Reduce fat levels and promote lean muscle mass, giving bodybuilders a desirable body.
- Increase capacity for muscle development so you can increase relative strength.
Steroids won’t guarantee you a position at Mr Olympia. Even though it enhances your training and recovery, it won’t give you the agility needed to pose, the determination required to exercise, or the necessary weight-lifting knowledge to isolate muscle groups.
You can’t take away the hard work bodybuilders put into training, even if they take steroids. However, you must understand it’s nearly impossible to reach their level without anabolic steroid use.
Do All Bodybuilders Take Steroids
Unfortunately, steroid users have given bodybuilding a bad reputation. There is an assumption that all bodybuilders take steroids, but this isn’t true.
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