Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids? -

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Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids?

Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids?

Steroid prohormones such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have become popular in recent years as safer alternatives to anabolic steroids, but two questions need to be answered:

1. Are they effective in stimulating muscle growth?

2. Are they safe to use?

The theory behind prohormones is that they are building blocks for testosterone and are converted into testosterone by the body. Very little definitive scientific research exists to back up the claims of prohormone manufacturers. The difficulty seems to be that the minimum dosage levels recommended by manufacturers appear to be insufficient to stimulate a measurable clinical reaction. Many users point to the effectiveness of prohormones when doses that exceed recommended levels are taken, hence the difficulty for researchers - do you subject human participants to potentially dangerous doses?

Safety concerns are similar to those that relate to steroids. Some studies report that side effects can include acne, production of estrogen, development of breast tissue in males and development of masculine features in females.

At the time of writing some doubts surround the future of prohormones as health authorities may consider selective banning of some products.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081009/COLUMN0805/810090332/1001/NEWScid=0ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNF_iljiHyWblZh_B5oH_xUnBZdCgQBalance protein and carbohydrates to bbuild muscle/b mass/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStatesman Journal,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1First, dietary protein does provide your body with the necessary amino acids to bbuild/b contractile bmuscle/b. Your body requires essential amino acids from your b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/30802684.html%3Felr%3DKArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUJcid=0ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNGINSmx665TwPN-aNHblATH_fTSFwPaunch got you feeling punchy?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMinneapolis Star Tribune,nbsp;MNnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Now, let#39;s talk bmuscle/b. Untrained core bmuscles/b lead to weakness, protruding butts and bellies and lousy posture. So get to work. Our goal? b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.skynewswire.com/modules/news/article.php%3Fstoryid%3D6986cid=0ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNEq90Vh-Qxw_rDAl4Vz-XqcSTHpJgHow to bbuild/b a bigger and/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSkyNewswire.com (press release),nbsp;Netherlandsnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-15 sets, 8-10 reps per set at 75% of your 1 rep max if your looking to bbuild muscle/b and gain mass and size, stick to free weight exercises like the ones b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://theontarion.ca/viewarticle.php%3Fid_pag%3D1885cid=0ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNGe4OG7lEnRjEDkXP1VpxTt_zXIxwSupplements are like politicians/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fOntarian,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1That is, do they bbuild muscle/b, burn fat, and if so, do they do it in a more efficient way than you could do on your own? If you#39;re going to dip into your b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/australia-takes-the-advantage--ba-hrefhttpwwwsmhcomaunewsphotogallerysportcricketfirsttestindiavaustralia200810091223145532428htmlphotosab--a-hrefhttpmediafairfaxcomaurid42691bvideoba/2008/10/12/1223749837679.htmlcid=1256057627ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNFY8NEa4SW8e5JpIKqxhPWpdBikxgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Ac_QATgRaLUJimgurl=www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/12/hussey_wideweb__470x330,0.jpg width=80 height=56 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Sydney Morning Herald/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/australia-takes-the-advantage--ba-hrefhttpwwwsmhcomaunewsphotogallerysportcricketfirsttestindiavaustralia200810091223145532428htmlphotosab--a-hrefhttpmediafairfaxcomaurid42691bvideoba/2008/10/12/1223749837679.htmlcid=1256057627ei=HZjySPeuAaGO6APD_uCtDwusg=AFQjCNFY8NEa4SW8e5JpIKqxhPWpdBikxgIndia face date with history/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSydney Morning Herald,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This time, bowling with bmuscle/b and good lines, he trapped Kumble lbw for five and finished with figures in his comeback Test of 3-45. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids?

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