Prohormones & Bodybuilding 101 part 2

For decades anabolic steroids have had a bad rap and now the ill-reputation also follows the prohormones. Most prohormones were easily available in health food stores and cyberspace. Well, the lax rules by the FDA have come to an end. Today, in America, the FDA subjects prohormones to the same category as anabolic steroids and considers them illegal to dispense, possess or distribute without a prescription.

For decades, the hormone Androstenedione was sold as a dietary supplement to build muscles. When it comes to a prohormone, a drug like Androstenedione can be ingested and then converted by the body into testosterone. Androstenedione is still used in hospitals to treat individuals with stunted growth. However, now the FDA has banned this substance from sale as a dietary agent. Of course, website and health stores sell it under other names.

Why the FDA is always banning everything related to anabolic steroids is a puzzle – the reason is that there is a strong belief that these prohormones possess a real health risk. As far as androstenendione and health risks are concerned, there is no study to show that. All the reports about side effects are anecdotal and there have only been a few complications reported. Motor vehicles accidents kill thousand times more people, but so far there is no ban on the use of cars! Just because Chris Benoit killed his family is not a reason to ban all steroids. There are estimated to be at least 2 million adverse drug reactions (with many deaths) each year in North American hospitals- so why have all these drugs not been banned?

Do prohormones work?

Definitely, they work, if one can get the real prohormone-it works just like the actual anabolic steroid. These prohormones can increase muscle mass, reduce fat, boost endurance and exercise performance. There is a major thrust among certain individuals who do not want to age to use prohormones. The anti aging or life extension purists believe that these hormones can prolong life and keep the body young. Many prohormones are sold at Life Extension websites under different names.

As far as side effects are concerned, there is no difference between the real hormone and prohormone. The side effects are dose dependent and increase with dosage. The typical side effects of anabolic prohormones include acne, oily skin, hair loss, breast growth, etc. when the prohormone is stopped, the side effects disappear.