
HGH or Steroids: Which One Is the Best for Muscle Growth?
Are you a bodybuilder? Or you are someone who wants to add more muscles and look buff but the thing is, you have been hitting the gym for weeks and it seems you are making little or no appreciable efforts? If you answered yes, to any of the questions above then you must have thought of using a PED (Performance-enhancing drug).
In the news or athlete world, when PEDs are being discussed, the two most talked about are HGHs (Human Growth Hormones) and Steroids, so it’s not surprising that you’ll get confused about which one to go for to help in speeding up the process. In today’s blog post you’ll not only learn about HGHs and steroids but you’ll also learn about which one is best for bodybuilding amongst the two.
What’s a steroid?
A steroid is a term that applies to any compound that has a characteristic set of four rings arranged in a particular manner. Just like GHs, steroids occur naturally in a wide array of organisms such as animals, plants, and fungi. In animals, steroids are responsible for modulating cell wall (membrane) activity and act as signalling molecules (hormones). Steroids do not only occur naturally in nature, they can also be produced artificially and are used to exert a variety of biological functions in the body.
The two commonly used types of steroids are:
- The first type is the legitimate and recognized medicine that is used in clinical settings to control inflammation and swelling. These steroids are used to exert their potent immunomodulatory properties in order to calm chronic inflammation in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), etc.
- The second type is anabolic steroids. Most times when people mention the term steroid, they are often referring to anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are the ones used for bodybuilding and it was made famous by pioneers in bodybuilding sports such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, etc.
The difference between both types of steroids are, the former, also known as corticosteroids are legal while the latter is illegal and does not have any medical application.
When steroids are injected into the body, although it helps in building up muscles real quick, it does come with some risks or side effects which include:
- Increases the risk of stroke or heart disease.
- Hypogonadism.
- Aggressive behaviour.
- Decreased sperm production.
- Tumour growth.
- Unhealthy cholesterol levels.
- Male-pattern baldness.
What are Human Growth Hormones (HGHs)?
Human growth hormones are produced in the body by the pituitary gland and released in pulsatile secretions during sleep mostly at night. Even though HGHs are commonly associated with their growth-stimulating function in children, they are also critical for good health throughout one’s lifespan.
HGH often works in combination with a liver produced hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 and are used for various key growth-related activities such as:
- Promoting greater lean muscle mass.
- Regulating mental health (used to fight anxiety and depression).
- Managing metabolic responses.
- Fortifying bone density.
HGHs are often and mostly used to correct growth imbalance in children and adults; they can also be used to aid bodybuilding.
Between HGH and steroids: which is better for bodybuilding?
Now for the main event. Anabolic steroids are great bodybuilders but do come with a lot of health which makes them illegal. You won’t be able to purchase Anabolic steroids except you do so online through sketchy websites, because they are illegal and affect your health negatively.
HGH medications on the other hand are legal and you can process and use them only when they have been approved by a licensed physician who has issued a prescription that you can follow. Whereas anabolic steroids are illegal on all fronts.
When HGH is used for bodybuilding, what it does is increase the lean body mass of the individual and you’ll be able to start seeing the results within weeks of administration. HGHs will most likely be administered together with androgens since it’s unlikely for them to be administered alone.
When you combine the administration of HGH with resistance training, you’ll stand to achieve minimal gains in muscle size, lean body mass, and increase the voluntary strength in men when compared to resistance exercises without them.
Unlike steroids that are only found in sketchy and black market websites, you can buy HGH online in stores like juvepharma.
Conclusion
Both steroids and HGHs can be used for bodybuilding but what you should know is that steroids will produce maximum benefits but they are illegal and their production methods are questionable (the risk of using the product far outweighs its gains) that’s why they are only sold in black market websites while HGH is legal, they are used to treat a variety of growth-related problems and when used together with resistance training offers minimal gains in muscle size, lean body mass, maximal voluntary strength in mind.