Testosterone is the quintessential hormone for building muscles in humans. For males, it is produced by the testicles. Just prior to the outbreak of World War II, German scientists developed a method of producing synthesized testosterone. This would then give birth to a revolutionary method of building muscle now known as anabolic-androgenic steroids. It is the perfect drug for competitive athletes from a wide array of sports. Not only do anabolic steroids greatly assist in muscle growth but they also helps the body and muscle fibers recover far more quickly than without.

Everybody Wants to Be a Bodybuilder...

Bodybuilding was never more popular than it was in the seventies and eighties. Joe Weider, CEO and creator of the International Federation of Bodybuilders, pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. He had the public believe that it was his own brand of supplements that were responsible for the monstrous size of men like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. In fact, as most people now know, it was not the millions of supplements sold to the poor schmuck that idealized Arnold but rather the rampant use of anabolic steroids. But Weider couldn't make a profit from selling illegal steroids. He could, however, sell his own brand of supplements. One little endorsement from Mr. Olympia was all it took to convince the public to open up and empty their wallets.

40 Years Later And Not Much Has Changed

This trend of false advertising continues today within the supplement industry. The men you see in the magazines with incredibly lean, muscular bodies are almost always using steroids. As a rule, if someone's career relies on looking the best they possibly can then it's safe to assume they're on steroids. But it's not steroids that they're marketing, that's for sure. It's an "astonishing new formula recently developed by cutting edge Japanese scientists." The models aren't necessarily lying when they tell you they take that supplement. But what they're not telling you is that they're taking anabolic steroids as well.

Supplements That Don't Work

Marketing works. And when millions of dollars is spent on advertising to separate you from your wallet it can be hard to determine what's real and what's not. Thankfully the internet has helped shed some transparency on the matter and finally people have come to a conclusion on what works and what doesn't work. Firstly, the only way you can boost your testosterone is through the eye of a needle. Anything sold over the counter simply does not work. The best you can hope for with products that claim to boost your testosterone is for the placebo effect to take place. 

The Holy Trinity

There are only three supplements that you should take if you're getting into bodybuilding. The first is good old fashioned caffeine. It can be consumed through coffee, green tea or pills. You should consume the caffeine an hour before working out. Caffeine improves intensity during your workout which in turn allows you to tear more of those muscle fibers. The second supplement that works is pure creatine monohydrate. Creatine is an amino acid found naturally within meats such as steak and fish. What it does is provides more energy to your muscles when they desperately need it, which in turn might allow you to squeeze that one extra repetition out. The final supplement that you should use is whey isolate, more commonly known as protein powder. Some might not even consider this a supplement but rather a food, since really it's only a by-product of dairy. The reason so many people use it in bodybuilding is due to its very high amount of protein - the essential amino acid involved with muscle growth. You could simply get the protein for other food sources, but eating three chicken breasts every night might prove too expensive or bland for your tastes.

Should You Take Steroids?

In the United States, it is still currently illegal to possess steroids. But that doesn't stop millions of Americans from doing so. Ultimately, it's your body and your choice. It's undeniable that you will grow faster if you choose to inject. However there are legitimate risks that come along with the abuse of steroids. These include risk of heart problems, liver abnormalities, acne, gynecomastia, balding and infertility. Steroids are not for kids or teenagers, period. As well, many experienced lifters will advise that you lift seriously for at least two years before considering taking steroids.  (For more information, contact SDI Labs.)

After two years of hard work, it's very possible that you will be more than pleased with your new body. It will feel all the more satisfying knowing that you did it completely naturally.