Blaine's Opinon on the subject...
I decided to expand this section for a couple of reasons. As some of you may have been able to infer, yes, I have used steroids in the past. And I would like to use them again, at some future point. When? I dunno. I'll explain why a little later. But, to get on with the point.
Steroids are irrevocably intertwined into the culture of strength training. It is pointless to try to argue otherwise. Accept it and get on with life. Why? Because as long as they're available, people will use them. Do you think that bodybuilding would be anywhere near as popular as it is now without them? Even in the "natural" shows (*snort*) there is drug use.
Point number one: In short, they are the only things that really work for putting on large amounts of quality mass in a time span measured in something less than years. The only thing that comes anywhere close is creatine monohydrate. Virtually everything else is a waste of time and money. If it claims to help you add mass, it might. Problem is that the mass will, in almost ALL cases, be FAT. Argue if you want. For a small percentage of the population, some of the products MIGHT work. But that percentage is very small, indeed.
Point number two: If you want to use steroids, they are EXPENSIVE. My first cycle cost me well over $400. It was a small one. I went for 10 weeks, and never got over 500mg/week of Test Enthanate. The more diverse cycles will run you even more money. And that was just for the drugs alone. The increased food I needed ran me probably TWICE that, over what I'd normally eat. You'll probably need new clothes after a cycle, so add that cost in there, too. See where I'm going?
Point number three: If you decide to use, for God's sake, DO SOME RESEARCH!!!! Don't go into this realm with your head in the sand. Before my first cycle, I did three months worth of research. I didn't just go say "I want some 'roids, man!" I carefully researched what each drug did, how much it cost, what it's side effects were and how likely it was to have side effects, and what would happen to me during the cycle. I talked to numerous people on what happened to them while on cycle.
With today's draconian anti-drug atmosphere, the dangers of counterfeits are at an all time high. Know what you're buying, so you don't, at minimum, eat sugar tabs, or at worst, inject yourself with some kind of lethal chemical mix that was never intended to contain 'roids (Yes, people, there are sickos that do this. Thankfully, though, only a very evil few.)
A good source of information is the World Anabolic Review, 1996. It has a wealth of information on just about every drug you can think of, plus it has good information on cycles, eating, training, and a good chunk on the theory behind the effectiveness on drugs. Also, it's relatively current, so you don't have to worry (much) about your information being several years old and out of date.
Bill Phillips' Anabolic Reference Guide is another good reference. The latest version is hot off the presses. It has a wealth of information on the more common drugs (that is, the ones most likely to be found in American gyms), their intended and side effects, as well as some pointers on nutrition and exercise while using.
Playing in this game without the knowledge of what you're getting yourself into is probably THE most Stupid Thing(tm) that you can do.
Point number four: The most two common myths about steroids are that they make gaining mass easier, and that turn you into a Grade A Asshole. THEY DO NOT!!
In fact, they make gaining mass almost infinitely harder. You have to work out MUCH harder, eat MUCH more, and they usually make it harder to sleep.
In order to get the full benefits of a drug cycle, you have to work out. HARD. Basically, you have to bust your ASS in the gym every DAY. The drugs allow you to do this (via tremendously boosting your recovery rate), but you HAVE to work out hard in order to see any benefit from it. You can't expect to start a cycle and then just sit there on the couch punching [channel up], waiting patiently for the muscles to miraculously appear (you'd be surprised how many gym rats actually believe this).
Additionally, the amount of food I ate increased at least two-fold. The increased recovery potential needs to be fueled from something, and even if your body starts cannibalizing it's fat stores (as mine did), you still need huge amounts of food. Yes, that means you'll likely become better friends with Mr. Porcelain. My suggestion: Bring a book with you. :-) (and a can of lysol! :-)
The downside to all this was that I had an extremely difficult time sleeping. The drugs drive your body temperature up a degree or so, plus you feel wired and ready to take on anything. The necessity to slow down and rest is basically abrogated while you're on a cycle. I had to use over-the-counter antihistamines (the kind that knock you unconscious) if I wanted to sleep at all. As a rule, THIS SUCKS. Sleep is when you grow, and if you can't sleep, you can't grow.
Additionally, 'roids will not make you an asshole unless you are already an asshole. They bring latent personality traits to the surface, and intensify existing personality traits. That is, they'll make you MORE of what you already are. Just as you can't turn lead into gold, steroids do not make an ass out of A Nice Guy(tm).
I'll be honest. I had a few days when I was NOT Mr. Personality. My problem is that I lose control of my temper when I have very little sleep, very little food, or both. Normally, I can make up for one with extra of the other (i.e. extra sleep with less food, or more food on less sleep). BUT, while on cycle, this is very hard to do. So, I lost it a couple of times. It was, in a strange way, funny; my objective mind was sitting there going along for the ride like you would on a roller coaster, while my emotions ran away with me. After a few minutes of silliness, I'd calm down (usually with the act of eating) and I'd be fine, but if you go on a cycle, WATCH OUT FOR THIS.
Point number five: Perhaps the most overlooked (and undertalked) issue is the psychological addiction factor. Oh Dear God! You have no idea! The constant energy, the desire to do anything, any time, anywhere. The constant pump; the fact that you feel on top of the world. You're big. You're strong. (You're horny! :-) Your clothes are tight. EVERYONE knows you're a lifter, and you're proud of it.
These factors make it VERY difficult to come down from being on-cycle. Doing one steroid cycle is like eating one Lay's potato chip. You get the idea? I speak from experience here, and I'd bet money that every other person on steroids would agree with me.
Now, to satisfy the incredibly over-litigious society in which we live, I can neither advocate nor condemn steroid use. I can't offer any advice on where to get drugs. That's YOUR responsibility. And YOUR ass if you get caught. Remember they are ILLEGAL, (at least in the United States) regardless of the fact that they shouldn't be. (Oh, BTW: These are my views, not Netcom's.)
Why should they not be?
#define Rant-Mode ON
Ours is a society of instants. We have all sorts of methods of fixing things. In this particular arena, we have all sorts of drugs for fixing problems. Depressed? Take Prozac. Tired? Take a caffeine pill. Want sex? Take a birth control pill (which, incidentally, is ALSO a steroid). Want to not sneeze? Take an antihistamine. Want to get happy? Drink yourself senseless.
I want to touch a little on this last one. I find it absurd and offensive that a teen-ager can go down (in many states -- Texas isn't one of them) and LEGALLY buy enough beer to make himself too drunk to stand up. Then he goes out and gets in his car and drives to his friends house. What happens if he gets caught? Nothing more than a slap on the wrist, maybe a fine, and all's well that ends well. And in Texas, when this teen turns 18, as long as he has stayed out of trouble otherwise, that conviction gets dropped from his record! Yet I can't get a steroid prescription from a doctor; it's a third degree felony. What gives here?
If that teenager accidentally runs over someone while he's drunk, the penalty can go as high as intoxication manslaughter, but more often than not, it's a first time offense, and it gets plea-bargained down to a misdemeanor.
A man goes and gets drunk and beats his wife senseless in front of their 5 & 7 year old kids. If it gets reported at all, it gets a minor footnote in a police report. If, on the other hand, a steroid-user misses a meal, gets angry, and beats his girlfriend, it makes headlines on the evening news across half the state. What gives? (Please note here that I do not condone either of these situations; I only state them as examples. Most of the time I'd just as soon do the same to the offender...)
And what about powerlifting competitions? Did you know that it's legal in the USPF to approach the platform DRUNK?!? Yep, that's right. There's nothing in the drug bylaws that disallows alcohol. You can also step up to the platform high on pot. But that doesn't matter. It's not in the rules. Yet I can't approach the platform when I'm on decongestants and still be "drug free." That's because decongestants have pseudo-ephedrine in them. Now, mind you, I don't particularly care to OD on ephedrine to the point where it becomes a stimulant. BUT, I'd like to breathe. And thus, even when I'm not on steroids, I'm a drug user. Go figure.
I see people crying over and over about how powerlifting is going to hell in a hand basket. "Drugs are the reason!" they cry. I say, "Nay." Look instead at the equipment. I take reasonable amounts of drugs and lift almost raw. Joe Schmo over here doesn't take steroids; but, he drinks an entire pot of coffee before the meet, wears groove briefs, a squat suit, two pairs of knee wraps, a double-ply bench shirt, an erector suit, and only God knows what else....
And you have the gall to call *ME* a cheater?!?!? *SNORT*!
#define Rant Mode OFF
I guess my point here is that if you're gonna drug test, then drug test for real! Make the drug tests legitimate. Make the drug test penalties STICK. This two-faced bullshit only damages the credibility of the organization. I've heard in recent months that a number of high-ranking USPF lifters have been caught using various illegal substances. Yet they still get to lift. Drug testing in the IFBB was quietly dropped a number of years ago because of the detrimental effect it had on contestant quality.
While you make drug tests legitimate, publish guidelines on how lifters can beneficially use various substances. No one has mentioned how much Ephedrine you can take before it starts becoming problematic. Drug testing rules currently say that a 6:1 test:epitest ratio is considered a failure. So, how much test gives a 6:1 ratio? I've seen a chart on caffeine. Why not do the same for other substances?
The IOC guidelines on drug testing state that a lifter should not use any of the banned substances AT ALL. They say to check with their doctor on what alternatives are available for use. What a crock! Most doctors don't have a clue in this area! In some cases (decongestants come to mind) there ARE NO other alternatives. But the leaders are so concerned with politics that their motives are lost on the vast majority of the members of their organization. So whole hosts of otherwise innocuous drugs are on the taboo lists.
Consider this: Anabolic steroids are illegal because of politics. NOT because they're dangerous, but because of politics. Look at some other steroids: Cortisone (and it's derivatives) helps tremendously with allergic reactions and inflammation; it's a steroid. Birth control pills are steroids, too. (What about the emotional effects on women who take these?!?) Testosterone patches have been used for years on elderly men; so have low-dose injections of testosterone. Research has shown, recently, that 200 mg/week of Testosterone Enthanate makes a WONDERFUL contraceptive for men. It also happens that with proper rest and diet, 200 mg/week makes some pretty impressive gains in muscle size and strength. Yet, even the PDR still states unequivocally that anabolic steroids do NOT increase sports performance.
Everyone may say "what about counterfeits?" Well, before 1990, the chances of finding a counterfeit were pretty small. Steroids were readily available, and cheap. There was no reason to make counterfeits, unless you were a slimeball and happened to like giving people the shaft. But, once steroids were made illegal, suddenly there was a tremendous market for counterfeits. Since the drug manufacturers had their market taken away, they ceased to make them. The supply dried up, and prices skyrocketed. "Hey," says joe blow dealer. "I can put some vegetable oil in a bottle, put a label on it, and sell it for $100 a bottle! How easy can it be to make money?" And they proceeded to do just that. And they've gotten better over the years. Used to be, it was fairly easy to spot fakes. Nowadays, you have to have a keen eye to even try to tell the difference. Often times you can NOT tell the difference. All because they were made illegal because of a political whim.
Don't for an instant think that even amateur sports don't use them. It's not too hard to find kids in high-school taking steroids to get big for the football team (complete with the coach's blessing, no less!). Or stimulants before the game. Or depressants to calm them for the pistol or archery teams. And what about the aforementioned alcohol abuse?
And what about Nicotine? The most addictive substance known to man (as well as one of the deadliest) has been available to just about anyone for centuries. Did you know that the nicotine content of just two cigars is enough to kill a man instantly if injected? Yet the same amount of steroid is metabolized out of the system in a week or so, while having no ill effects to the user.
In short, I won't believe drug testing is either legitimate, or works, until it's done correctly and with no favoritism. And I won't believe making drugs illegal will work until we start legitimizing punishment for true problem substances.
And now, Scott's personal opinion...