Difference Between Steroids and Food Supplements
In today’s competitive world, it is normal for many people to be impatient and want everything fast, including results related to body work, exercise, and weight loss or weight gain diets . Those days of working hard for a long period of time are long gone. Difference Between Steroids and Food Supplements
Due to all this, there has been a significant increase in the use of drugs such as steroids to quickly build muscle and aid in training; also, a greater number of people consume dietary supplements. So much is said about these substances that some have come to believe that they are the same thing, ignoring that they are different things.
If you have doubts about it or just want a little more information, keep reading, because next we will tell you what is the difference between nutritional supplements and steroids.
STEROIDS Difference Between Steroids and Food Supplements
Steroids are fat-soluble organic compounds that are naturally present in the human body. They are responsible for various aspects of physical and reproductive development, tissue regeneration, and calorie synthesis.
They can be classified into three different types: corticosteroids, anabolic, and sexual. In the case of natural steroids, they are synthesized from cholesterol, in the gonads and adrenal glands. These forms of hormones are lipid, fat-soluble, and can pass through the cell membrane.
On the other hand, synthetic steroids are available under the name of anabolic steroids, which are nothing more than drugs that mimic testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. Both are responsible for increasing protein synthesis in cells, which results in the construction of cellular tissue (anabolism) in the muscles. Hence, the main uses of this substance are related to the development of muscle mass and good performance in sports.
FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
They are also known as dietary supplements and nutritional supplements, they are pills developed with the aim of providing nutrients; such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids and amino acids that a person needs to stay healthy and that through a normal diet they cannot obtain.
In some countries food supplements are classified as “food”, while in others they are in the category of medicines or health products. However, in a general sense they are recommended for additional use only; not as substitutes for food.
Finally, some dietary supplements used to lose weight or improve athletic performance have shown similar results to some types of steroids, but without the risks involved in the latter.
Supplements come in different presentations: liquid, powder, tablets, capsules … and are classified depending on the nutritional benefits they offer.
Note: Doctors and trainers always recommend a proper diet and regular exercise whatever the desired results.