The issue of clogged muscle receptors is often discussed on specialized resources, but not all athletes understand what it is about. Why do steroids clog receptors and how to prevent it? On various resources dedicated to bodybuilding, novice athletes are often interested in the question of how you can avoid clogging of receptors when using any steroid, or how to refresh the receptors. Now it is difficult to say where this myth came from, but the time has come to dispel it.
What is a receptor?
When talking about receptors in relation to bodybuilding, one should mean receptors of the androgenic type. All receptors are protein molecules. Receptors also have a certain lifespan. Simply put, after a certain time, the receptor is destroyed and a new one takes its place.
Androgen-type receptors are located inside the cells of any tissue, not necessarily muscle. Also in medicine, there are two concepts - upregulation (increasing the number of receptors) and downregulation (decreasing their number). We will talk about this in more detail.
A very important fact is that androgen receptors are very similar to progestogen receptors. Thus, the progesterone molecule can interact with androgen receptors, blocking them. In girls, when using AAS, the concentration of progesterone decreases, which is one of the factors of muscle growth.
How steroid drugs work
Now it is necessary to understand the mechanism of action on the body of anabolic steroids. Steroid molecules, connecting with receptors, form a stable complex that penetrates through the membrane into the cell. This promotes the activation of the processes of synthesis of protein compounds. Having completed its task, the complex leaves the cell and disintegrates. Thus, the receptor becomes free again and waits for new steroid molecules.
Note that different molecules of anabolic steroids, after attachment to receptors, are capable of creating different complexes and, therefore, activating different reactions of synthesis of protein compounds. At the same time, not every complex formed by molecules of anabolic steroids and receptors is stable enough to get through the cell membranes. In this case, it disintegrates almost immediately after creation.
In addition, it must be said that the complexes can not only activate the reactions of synthesis of protein compounds, but also perform other functions. For example, having penetrated into the taphole, the complex increases the rate of ion transport or enhances the activity of growth factors.
How can receptors become clogged?
What athletes mean by this term is quite difficult to say right away, but options are possible. Let's talk about this now.
Situation 1
After the molecule has connected with the receptor, the created complex needs a long period of time for it to disintegrate. If you believe the theory of receptor clogging, then this can take up to several weeks, and sometimes more time.
But these complexes exist for only a few minutes and after completing their tasks, they immediately disintegrate. Steroid molecules enter the bloodstream again, and then into the liver. In this organ, they are deactivated. In turn, the receptor waits for other AAS molecules to repeat the cycle.
You must understand that until the lifetime of the receptor has passed, it does not disappear without a trace. At the same time, after its destruction, a new one is created, which continues to work according to the scheme described above.
Situation 2
After exiting the anabolic cycle, the number of androgen-type receptors decreases. This is what some athletes assume. However, the downregulation process does not depend on the dosages of anabolic steroids. This fact has been confirmed by numerous studies. In addition, during the use of AAS prone to aromatization, the number of receptors increases (upregulation occurs). Simply put, if you use, say, any of the testosterone esters, the number of receptors will increase.
Situation 3
Steroid molecules and receptors no longer interact. Assuming this, athletes make recommendations to change the drug. There is not much to say here, since such a situation is simply impossible. The receptors will always bind to steroid molecules.
It's time to take stock of today's conversation. When you have planned your AAS cycle correctly, it can continue for any length of time and will not become less effective. You don’t need to refresh your receptors, as such a concept simply does not exist.
If you use aromatizing anabolic steroids, the number of receptors will only increase. This suggests that you need to introduce these drugs into the course at least periodically. It should be noted that this will lead to an increase in the concentration of globulin, which will somewhat reduce the efficiency of the male hormone. But this is a topic for a separate article.
Esters of anabolic steroids differ only in terms of pharmacinetics and their replacement during the course will not give you any advantages.
For more information on the effect of steroids on the bodybuilder's body, see this video:
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