Legal Steroids | Prohormones
Steroids – there is always a lot of buzz about anabolic androgenic steroids, but today there’s a new buzz, legal steroids. Many steroid sites and online pharmacies are offering a variety of legal steroids like prohormones. But are legal steroids too good to be true? And is the buzz all for nothing?
Under the United State’s Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 anabolic androgenic steroids are a controlled substance, defined as any hormonal substance or drug related to testosterone. It does exempt progestins, corticosteroids, and estrogens.
The act underwent some modifications in 2004 and so now we have the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004. This new law added the following to the controlled substance list - prohormones, androstenedione, tetrahydrogestrinone, as well as other chemical substances. It increased the punishment to a felony.
So are prohormones legal steroids or illegal steroids? You’ve got to admit the whole thing is just a tad confusing. Let’s look further at just what a prohormone is. A prohormone is a precursor to a hormone with hormonal effects. An enzymatic process converts prohormones to hormones. Once the prohormones are ingested they are metabolized into the hormone testosterone. As a result they are able to bring about both strength and muscle gains, exerting almost the identical affects as anabolic steroids.
Prohormones are a precursor to steroids. This makes them just under the radar of regulated substances, and it certainly makes for some confusion since the World Anti Doping Agency dubbed them “the functional equivalent of steroids.” They also concluded that prohormones pose a serious health risk to those that use them, stating there is little difference between prohormones and anabolic steroids.
Prior to the changes in 2004 prohormones actually enjoyed the status of being legal. They had become very popular with athletes and bodybuilders who had backed away from anabolic steroids because of the heavy legal penalties associated with them, instead moving towards prohormones because they were legal with almost the same benefits.
Just take the Mark McGwire case. Mark used androstenedione when it was still an over the counter supplement. Androstenedione fondly referred to as McGwire’s home run pill, was actually manufactured as a dietary supplement. It was used by many major league baseball players during the 1990’s, but it is now a banned substance, even in the US military.
Legal steroid analogs come under the Federal analog act and pertain to controlled substances on Schedule I and II. The Controlled Substance Act classifies a compound that is similar in effect and structure to a controlled substance, as being a controlled substance. What does this mean to you?
It means if you are sold a steroid analog and you are told it is legal you better start questioning because under this act it would be an illegal compound, at least if it has chemicals that are similar to an anabolic steroid. And if does not contain any of form of chemicals that act like a steroid then you’re being sold a bill of goods otherwise known as being ripped off.
A common question that arises is whether it is legal or illegal to buy steroids online from one of the many internet pharmacies that operate outside the US. The answer is yes and no. Without getting into a whole bunch of legal mumbo jumbo it can be summarized like this. The FDA law allows you to buy a 90 day personal supply of medication and anabolic steroids are a legitimate legal prescription drug.
But wait not so fast. The Drug Enforcement Agency states "For a prescription to be valid under federal and state law, there must be a bona fide doctor patient relationship, which is defined by a physical examination in most states. “Completing a questionnaire that is then reviewed by a doctor hired by the internet pharmacy is not considered a doctor/patient relationship.” And “if the prescription drug is a controlled substance and the drug is being imported into the U.S. from a foreign country and being shipped to anyone other than a DEA-registered importer, such transaction is a felony in violation of Sections 957 and 960 of Title 21, United States Code."
There is some good news here because there are some legal steroid alternatives such as creatine or protein powders, which are not only legal but much safer. These nutritional supplements never require you to have a prescription. They can be easily purchased over the counter and they are not banned from any sports organizations. And they can certainly aid your body in achieving muscle mass and strength. So although legal steroids like prohormones are no longer legal you do have other options.