Are Anabolic Steroids and Testosterone the Same Thing?

Anabolic steroids and testosterone are often confused. This is understandable, as they do serve similar purposes. It is true that certain types of steroids (often ones used by athletes) contain amounts of testosterone or chemicals that act like testosterone.

The main difference between the two is the dosage of testosterone in each product. With testosterone replacements, they will only achieve a natural level of testosterone hormones in the body; steroids will increase them. It is common for steroids to also contain other substances to boost the overall anabolic effect. In other terms, they are ‘stacked’.

Uses of steroids and testosterone

Testosterone is a naturally produced hormone by both men and women. Each gender has a different natural level. Often people will take steroids to increase muscle mass and strength. On the other hand, the purpose for taking testosterone is more for medical needs, such as low testosterone levels.

Testosterone is a sex hormone. In the male body, when Testosterone levels are low it can reduce sex drive, decrease bone mass, irregulate fat distribution, and slow down the production of red blood cells and sperm. For women, once again, it will reduce sexual desire. However, it can also impact a woman’s sexual satisfaction and cause low moods/depression. 

Steroids are used by many athletes and bodybuilders to improve their performance, enhance strength, and alter their physical appearance. Nonetheless, steroids can be prescribed for medical reasons also. For example; delayed puberty. They are sometimes used in relation to diseases that cause muscle loss such as cancer or aids.

High testosterone - What it does and doesn’t do

Related to the confusion of - ‘are anabolic steroids and testosterone the same thing?’ - is what having an increased testosterone level actually does to the body.

Does do

Funnily enough, despite testosterone being a key factor in producing sperm, having too much of it can once again lower the sperm count. As well as this, in men, it can shrink the testicles and enlarge the prostate; causing difficulty urinating. For women, it can decrease breast size and enlarge the clitoris.

Other common side effects are;

• Increased risk of heart disease

• Balding

• High blood pressure

• Weight loss or weight gain

• Insomnia

• Acne

Doesn’t do

Potentially the most common myth related to testosterone is an increase in violent behavior and aggression. In fact, there is little science to back this theory. True - testosterone can impact a person's mood, making them more irritable; however, most of what we know about high testosterone is based on athletes taking steroids.

Blood levels can drastically change throughout the course of the day, therefore, what we perceive as a symptom of excess testosterone is often mistaken for a person’s normal behavior.

Mike