What exactly is a steroid, then?
Steroids are a type of anabolic drug that improve athletic performance and are commonly used by bodybuilders and other male athletes.
A recent investigation revealed that the largest bodybuilding website in the world, Bodybuilding.com, was selling steroids, more about here. It has been reported in a number of news publications that a small number of items have been discovered to contain anabolic steroids. The following are some of the components that were found in the products that were seized: Madol, Tren, Superdrol, Androstenedione, and Turinabol.
How could Bodybuilding.com be so careless as to commit such a significant error? They really did distribute items that included steroids, didn’t they?
The response is actually quite easy to understand. The substances that were stated are now thought to have steroid-like properties, but in the past they were not considered steroids. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted legal permission for the sale of ‘pro-hormones’ a number of years ago. These pro-hormones are molecules that, once metabolized by the body, turn into synthetic testosterone. A specific type of steroid.
In a strict sense, these pro-hormones are not steroids, but once they are delivered into the body, they transform into steroids. Simply expressed, the mentioned ingredients that the FDA analyzed and determined to be active in some goods had not been previously categorized as steroids. This was discovered after the FDA evaluated the products.
The fact that these medications were touted to have effects “like steroids” was not helpful in any way.
They do not even come close to matching the potency of genuine testosterone-based steroids. However, promises such as these did catch the attention of many potential purchasers. Regrettably, it also attracted the notice of the FDA.
It would appear that the FDA has reclassified these pro-hormones that have steroid-like properties. Putting them in the same category as steroids and other chemicals that are unlawful to possess.
This is where the conundrum lies. A description of what steroids are. The Food and Drug Administration needs to provide a full list of the steroid compounds that it considers to be prohibited.
It is anticipated that the FDA will publish regulations that are so stringent, it is possible that the supplement business will only be permitted to sell protein powders. It wasn’t that long ago that creatine was thrust into the spotlight as the protagonist of the steroid drama.
Therefore, this is a really delicate issue. The vast majority of dietary supplements do not include steroid ingredients.
And the extremely limited number that did have been sold had already been seized by the FDA in the course of their raids. As a result, we are left with pills that do not include steroids for the time being. That is, until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finds itself in the position of once again altering the meaning of steroids.
In spite of this, professional sportsmen have turned to steroid use, whether it be for legal or illegal purposes, in order to gain muscle and get an edge in their sport. And the rest of the world looks on.
For example, there is no universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a “illegal” substance in the sport of competitive bodybuilding
Which is one of the many examples given. Instead, different bodybuilding federations have different rules about whether compounds are prohibited by regulatory agencies. It is widely believed that professional bodybuilders make widespread use of illegal anabolic steroids as well as compounds known as prohormone and diuretics, all of which are substances that are normally banned by natural bodybuilding organizations.
Yet Another Philosophical School
Natural bodybuilding groups, as the name suggests, have an emphasis on both physical fitness and nutrition in order to create a level playing field for those who are interested in molding their bodies. These organizations frequently extend their competitions to include categories for related types of body aesthetics, such as figure, female physique, junior level, and physically handicapped competitors. A few organizations have their very own drug testing protocol that they administer to participants.
Many of these federations have decided to publish a list of prohibited substances on their websites in order to make their policies as clear as possible to their members. There is no guarantee that these will include products that are commonly referred to as steroid substitutes.
