The concept of the perfect body has undergone constant change over the years. The Golden Age of bodybuilding with legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu and Frank Zane was all about symmetry and aesthetics. Those physiques were viewed as pieces of art, and something that even normal people could aspire to. Recent years have seen a huge shift in mentality. ‘The bigger the better’ seems to be the rationale behind the bodies of most professional athletes since the turn of the millennium. Competitions are now dominated by mass monsters boasting freakish size rather than any real conditioning or aesthetic appeal. People do not find such physiques attractive, and it has severely affected the popularity of bodybuilding as a sport.
But the ripped and athletic physique has never gone out of fashion. The Classic Physique section of Mr. Olympia features some of the most well-proportioned and defined physiques in the industry presently. They boast of a perfect mix of symmetry and conditioning, with realistic and attainable size and definition. Athletes make use of several steroids and drugs to achieve this look, with an oral cycle with stanozolol and primo one of the most popular choices.
HOW DO THEY WORK
Both Primobolan and Stanzolol, or Primo and Winstrol as they are more commonly called are steroids that are associated with lean mean physiques. They primarily help preserve muscle during the cutting phase, which is when athletes try to transform mass into definition and lower body fat levels. Both these drugs are primarily androgenic in nature. They combine with androgen receptors and stimulate protein synthesis.
These drugs have anti-catabolic properties. They help you increase the mass of lean muscle when you are eliminating fat from your body. This enables athletes to achieve unmatched definition and vascularity. But at what cost?
LEGALITY AND HEALTH ISSUES
Both these drugs are banned in the United States of America as well as most other countries due to their varied and potentially harmful side effects. Thus procuring and using them is risky from both a legal as well as health standpoint. The following issues have contributed to these drugs being banned.
- These are androgenic drugs i.e. they function by blocking off testosterone production. Thus prolonged and periodic issue of these drugs can result in a serious testosterone deficiency in the body, leading to issues such as Gynecomastia, shriveled testicles, erectile dysfunction etc.
- The very opposite effect is observed when women use it. They develop masculine traits such as facial hair and a deeper voice, as well as several other complications such as irregular menstrual cycles, enlarged clitoris etc.
- They also affect several other organs and can result in irregular heartbeat, metabolic disorders, cardiac issues etc.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
The illegality of these drugs makes research on their side effects difficult, but there are several preventive measures we can take,
- Use these drugs only under strict medical supervision. Ascertain that you are not allergic to these substances.
- Start using these drugs in minor doses, and proceed only if the body does not react adversely.
- Buy only from a verified source.