What Are Performance-Enhancing Drugs or Prohormones?
Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and the other colloquial term “prohormones” are products that are often used by many fitness enthusiasts and in body-building competitions. They are usually available as over-the-counter androgen compounds (hormones that regulate the development of male characters and promote muscle growth) that are known to build muscle and burn undesirable body fat. Just like steroids, which are a different group or category of performance or testosterone (a hormone produced by testicles, important for sex desires and physical appearance) boosting/enhancing drugs, prohormones are a different androgen category that is illegal in the United States but are often imported and are also legal in many other countries, possibly purchased as over-the-counter supplements.
What Are the Different Types of Prohormones?
There are many widespread prohormones used as ergogenic aids in sports or athletic competitions, while some prohormones are synthetic and often mislabeled and imported, known to be the primary anabolic (relating to the process of building tissues) steroid precursors, used illegally for muscle growth or synthesis. One of the commonly classic examples of such anabolic steroid precursors are the prohormones of androstenedione and androstenediol, both of which are completely banned compounds in the United States and in some developed countries as well. It is surprising, however, that many illegal steroids, with the documented side effects reported with prohormones like testosterone, are still widely available illegally in many countries.
Further, it would be astonishing to know that these prohormones can be produced legally under different chemical brands or trade names, with the majority of supplements not having any clinical research studies conducted on them. This brings us to the global awareness of the dangers of prohormone anabolic supplements that are mainly marketed for bodybuilders, weightlifters, athletes, and sports players for performance enhancement—in a bid to boost higher muscle synthesis and testosterone production, akin to the properties of commercial steroids.
In the body, these prohormones tend to be converted by the enzymatic process into an anabolic set of hormones. These, in turn, may probably generate protein synthesis and stimulate higher muscle growth or change the body composition of the user in a short period. However, scientific research currently disputes these attributed or purported facts, saying that the safety concerns are larger and they may not hold any of these benefits due to limited scientific evidence.
What Are the Research Findings on Prohormones?
Nutrition demonstrated that supplementation with prohormones during resistance or strength training does not increase testosterone levels at all, nor does it boost muscle gain. In contrast, it may result in detrimental health sequelae.
According to a major research study in the International Journal of Nephrology and Renovascular Disease, there was little or no medicinal use of vitamin D-based prohormones compared to placebo (an inactive material that bears the same appearance and dosage as an active medication under inquiry), in treating patients with hyperparathyroidism or in patients with reduced renal functions in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
However, some preliminary research suggests that supplementing some medications with prohormones may help alleviate the clinical symptoms associated with some vitamin deficiencies.
Though prohormone supplements that are physician or nutritionist-recommended are third-party tested and are completely legal in some countries (for medical uses such as in hyperparathyroidism (overproduction of parathyroid hormone) or CKD), they may still pose safety concerns because scientific research and evidence raise concerns linking their consumption in some individuals, who would possibly bear the detrimental health risks that are documented with its regular supplementation. Just similar to the long-lasting detrimental impact or side effects associated with the intake of steroid hormones, prohormone supplements also hold various side effects and safety concerns.
What Are the Side Effects of Using PEDs or Prohormones?
Some documented medical research cases of individuals supplemented with prohormones have been shown to report the following symptoms or side effects clinically, which raise safety concerns for these supplements:
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Increased heart rate.
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Stomach pain.
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Sleeplessness or insomnia.
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Headaches.
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Increased stress and anxiety.
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Fatigue.
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Acne.
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Mood changes.
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Possible personality-based disorders.
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Acute hair loss.
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Testicular shrinkage.
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Aggressive behaviors.
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Increase or decrease in libido.
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Enlarged female breast or areolar tissue or gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in males).
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Lack of empowerment or motivation.
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Depression.
Even severe or long-lasting side effects of prohormone use regularly have been implicated in the development of elevated cholesterol levels or lipid markers leading to cardiovascular, renal, and hepatoportal (related to liver and portal veins) damage. Combined with moderate-to-high-intensity strength or resistance training regimens at least twice a week, this can ensure and significantly improve both cardiovascular health and fitness.
Who Should Avoid Prohormone Use?
Prohormone use or supplementation should be specifically avoided by high-risk population groups, as it can cause the above-enlisted side effects even more in these sensitized individuals:
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Children, young adolescents, or teens under 18 years of age.
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Lactating or breastfeeding women.
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Pregnancy or those trying for pregnancy.
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Individuals following low-fat or low-calorie diets or individuals who are looking forward to losing weight healthily.
By refraining from taking prohormone dietary supplementation, the above invisible who are at greatest risk can help maintain their well-being and health, avoiding any possible side effects of its use.
Conclusion:
Currently, there is not enough substantial evidence to highlight the positive or beneficial muscle-boosting or testosterone-enhancing effects of prohormone supplements. It is important to be aware of the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet along with exercise regimens, which makes all the difference in your long-term systemic health sustenance journey. To depend either on performance-enhancing drugs, steroids, or other supplements that are not in tune with your body's natural metabolism or knowing well about the risks, side effects, and safety concerns associated with such supplements can only result in a threat to life.
One of the most important and efficacious ways to stimulate healthy muscle growth and enhance muscle synthesis is to consume heart-healthy fiber from varied or different food groups, complex carbohydrates, high proteins, and unsaturated heart-healthy fats. You should always consult your physician, nutritionist, or healthcare professional, such as a dietician, before you incorporate any additional supplements, and be aware of the dangers of hormone supplements.
