 |
Image by Pavel Jurča from Pixabay |
Before starting I have a question for you all that why do you think that bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many more take anabolic steroids (I will be right back at this term later on) ? Why do they need it ? Well, if you know why don’t you say the answer in comment section. In case, you don’t know, I will explain this all to you I this particular article and obviously that’s my work here and that’s what my blog is all about to explain things.
What is Testosterone ?
 |
| Image by daniel64 from Pixabay |
So, first of all, what do we mean by this testosterone ? For me, Testosterone is a primary male sex hormone and androgen in males. In our human body, it plays a vital role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testicles and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass, and the growth of body hair (Next time you see a person having too much body hairs, just note that he/she has a higher level of testosterone in their body). It is a hormone mainly produced by the sex glands (testicles in males or ovaries in females), with naturally higher levels in people assigned male at birth. Well, it is found in both male and female bodies, but primarily produced in men's testicles and, to a lesser extent, in women's ovaries.
Now, you may ask if testosterone is an anabolic hormone or not ? Well, first let me make you all familiar with the term ‘anabolic’ – anabolic are the hormones which help in one’s muscle and tissue building and yes, testosterone is classified as an anabolic hormone. Testosterone, in addition to its role as a male sex hormone, has effective anabolic effects, particularly on muscle and bone tissues. That said, testosterone is not only a sex hormone but also possesses anabolic properties, which plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of muscle and bone tissues.
Why is Testosterone produced in the body ?
 |
| Image by Primal Future from Pixabay |
I
think I should give my theory on about why this hormone exists in our bodies. I
would like to correlate everything about this hormone with the history and
evolution of mankind. Well, we all know that it started with that one ape losing
his tail and that when it major changes happened in his body and he started
evolving from being monkey to getting in the first phase of mankind. From the
beginning of his existence, he has always lived with being similar to him. What
I am talking here about is that he lived in a community / society or group that
resembled his own self in terms of
physical characteristics, mentality and behaviour. One of the major things that
he did in his community was to intercourse and multiply his origins. And what
do you think the primary requirement of generating babies in nature would ? It
is the ‘Survival of the fittest’. Wherever you see in the nature, you will
always see his law becoming true.
If
any animal has any offspring who is physically or mentally disabled, its parent
will always try to decimate it. Ancient humans too followed this rule. If any
one of them, would be physically or mentally weak, he/she wouldn’t get any
chance to copulate and create an offspring. And thus, they followed the rule of
‘Survival of the fittest’. The weak one died and the one who evolved survived
and who do you think they were ? They were the one with bigger size of brain
and had physically fit body. And how did
they get this ? Through evolution and generation or increase in the
level of hormones like testosterone. This is what my opinion says about it.
There were also factors like physical work, labour, hunting and many more which affected evolution. You can also
tell about your theories in the comment.
What does Testosterone do in our body ?
 |
| Image by Total Shape from Pixabay |
Testosterone
helps in the development of male reproduction tissues in males. While during
puberty, increased testosterone levels contribute to the development of
secondary sexual characteristics in males. This includes the growth of facial
and body hair, deepening of the voice, and the development of Adam's apple. Studies
show that adequate testosterone levels are associated with higher energy levels
and overall vitality while low testosterone levels can lead to fatigue and a
decrease in energy. It also helps in increasing the production of red blood
cells in the bone marrow. This is important for oxygen transport in the blood,
contributing to overall cardiovascular activities and throughout the time it plays
an important role in metabolism, helping to regulate body fat distribution. It
is associated with a leaner body composition and may contribute to overall
metabolic health. At last, testosterone is crucial for the maintenance of bone
density. It helps in the production of bone tissue and contributes to the
prevention of conditions like osteoporosis.
Why do bodybuilders use testosterone (anabolic steroids) ?
.webp "Protein powder") |
| Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay |
When our
attention comes to muscles, testosterone stimulates protein synthesis. Protein
synthesis in simple terms is the process of generation of muscle mass from
amino acids and testosterone is one of the leading factor to see an increase in
muscle mass and strength. This anabolic effect is why testosterone and
synthetic derivatives (anabolic steroids) are sometimes used to enhance muscle
growth, especially in medical conditions where muscle wasting is a concern.
Muscle wasting is the losing or thinning of tissues of the muscles where people
often loss up to 40 percent of their muscle mass. Furthermore, testosterone
promotes the retention of nitrogen, an essential component of proteins, in the
body. This contributes to the overall anabolic effect by supporting protein
synthesis and muscle tissue preservation. And this also the reason of why bodybuilders
take anabolic steroids because it increases their testosterone levels.
What are side effects of anabolic steroids ?
Here are some of
the side effects of anabolic steroids as follows :
- Acne and pimple on face
- Hair fall
- Chances of organ failure
- Shrinking of male testicles
- Reduction of normal testosterone levels after usage
- Risk of liver damage
- Chances of reduction of sperm count and fertility in men
- Development of breast tissues in male
and much more.
References : As we come to the end of the article, I would like to give special credits to these below sites for the information they have provide us with.