Does Steroids Cause Weight Gain?

Steroid medicine has a large number of positive bodybuilding gains, such as: skeletal muscle mass growth, increased energy levels, incredible stamina, endurance, and strength.

Anabolic steroid use can also help to prevent and aid the quick healing of skeletal muscle tissue injuries that are the bane of most bodybuilders running a highly intense workout schedule.

But while steroid medicine offers users a tremendous amount of bodybuilding benefits, there are also side effects that bodybuilders need to be wary of. One of these side effects is weight gain.

According to one research study on steroid bodybuilding, it was observed that 70% of the test subjects experienced weight gain from using steroid hormones.

Steroid medicine will make you gain weight by influencing your rate of metabolism and also by changing your body’s water and electrolyte balance. Androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) will affect the way that your body is able to use up and store the glucose, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids derived from the foods you consume.

When steroids affect your metabolism, water and electrolyte balance, your body will react in the following ways:

1. Your appetite for food will be increased due to your rapid metabolic rate,

2. Your body retains excess fluids, a condition known as fluid retention or edema,

3. Your body stores more fat in your abdomen, neck, and face. The altered fat distribution will make you look, and feel heavier than before.

It is important to note that while steroid medicine can cause you to gain weight, the amount of weight you are likely to put on will depend on a variety of factors. These factors include:

• your genetics: if you are genetically predisposed to gaining weight, your use of anabolic steroids will only trigger your weight gain genome.

• the type of steroid used: steroids that have high androgenic effects compared to their anabolic effects are likely to make you gain weight as a side effect.

• the duration and dosage of use: using anabolic steroids pills for a longer than normal cycle or more than usual dosage can lead to imbalances in your electrolyte/water and also an increase in your metabolism.

Apart from weight gain, when it comes to using steroids pills, it is always advisable to run short cycles and safe doses to avoid a myriad of side effects including: drug-induced liver injury or damage.

With a short anabolic steroids pills cycle, you are less prone to adverse side effects and the side effects that do occur are reversible over a period of time more often than not.

I. Steroid Medicine in Bodybuilding

Steroid medicine in bodybuilding is mainly to achieve one of two goals. The first goal is to achieve skeletal muscle bulking gains while the second goal is to cut excessive body weight.

Steroid hormones help to promote the production of amino acids in the body. Your skeletal muscle tissue consists of androgen receptors which receive the AAS and then a chain-reaction occurs in the cells of your muscle tissue where the steroids bind with your DNA.

A sequence of activities occur, one of which is protein synthesis. When an increased protein synthesis takes in your skeletal muscle tissues, it leads to a rapid growth of your muscles.

In addition to muscle tissue growth, AAS will promote weight gain by increasing metabolism and causing you to eat more food than normal, as your appetite improves. This is why steroids are often recommended in the treatment of patients battling with wasting disorders like cancer.

Anabolic steroid is also used in shedding weight. Those steroids with a stronger anabolic effect than their androgenic effects can cause a rapid burning of excess body fat and/or the repartitioning of fat to lean skeletal muscle mass.

Steroid medicine also increases the production of red blood cells in the body. Bodybuilders need these excess red blood cells for extra energy, as the red blood cells convey huge amounts of oxygen to skeletal muscle tissue which slows down the formation of lactic acid in muscles when lifting heavy weights.

With the formation of lactic acid in the muscles slowed down, bodybuilders will be able to run longer training and workout sessions lifting heavy weights in the process.

Steroid medicine also increases the stamina, strength and endurance levels of bodybuilders. These are bodybuilding gains that anabolic steroids offer users when administered properly.

II. How to Reduce Weight?

The first step to take in reducing your body weight is to consult with your doctor or personal trainer. You may be placed on another steroid medicine or on the same anabolic steroid, but a much different cycle and dosage.

For example, rather than a daily dosage of steroids pills, you may be told to take the same dose every other day. It is also important that you do not abruptly stop using your steroids. Equally important is maintaining your scheduled dosages, do not alter your cycle or dosage at a whim. Before you decide to change your dosage/cycle, consult with your trainer or physician.

An abrupt stoppage of steroid use can lead to weight gain as well as other more severe health issues, such as: nausea, fever, joint pain, and muscle stiffness.

To reduce weight gain while using steroid medicine, you can do all of the following:

• Consume foods that are filling, but low in calories, such as: vegetables, and fruits.

• Eat anywhere from six (6) to eight (8) small meals daily rather than three (3) large meals. This way you would be able to ward off hunger pangs.

• Avoid refined carbohydrates. You should consume complex carbohydrates that are slow to digest, but are rich in natural fibre. These foods include: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and wheat bread.

• Always consume protein with every meal and this protein can be white meat (fish, turkey or chicken), red meat (beef or pork), legumes (peas or beans), and so on. One study that was recently published for general public consumption in the ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’ suggests that having between 25 to 30 grams of a good source of protein in each of your meals will help you to curb hunger pangs and also to effectively control weight gain.

• Drink plenty of clean drinkable water. By drinking lots of water, you will starve off a high rate of appetite while also burning calories in the process.

• Being active is another way to reduce weight gain. As a bodybuilder this really shouldn’t be a problem as you tend to be busy working out in a gym at least 3 times a week. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that staying active is one way to reduce weight gain, as you burn calories and excess fat in the process.

III. Conclusion

Steroid medicine may provide a lot of benefits to bodybuilders like skeletal muscle mass gains, strength, stamina, enhanced energy levels, speedy recovery from strained, torn or damaged muscle tissue, and exceptional endurance.

However, weight gain is a big possibility when you take anabolic steroids. As mentioned earlier, steroids stimulate a high rate of metabolism which leads to a greater appetite. In addition to this, AAS can alter the level of your body’s electrolyte and water balance which can lead to you gaining weight as a consequence.

Maintaining good dietary habits and running safe steroid cycles will help to keep your weight in check even as you stay active with regular workout sessions in a gym.