Testosterone is a hormone that is produced by specific glands in human body by both sexes. It regulates both sexually related and non-sexually related mechanisms. This happen by binding to receptors in several tissues of the body, such as brain, heart, lungs, muscles, bones, skin, sexual organs, and others. In bones, testosterone binds to receptors within osteoblasts. The osteoblast is stimulated to incorporate calcium and other proteins to form new bone tissue. In red blood cells, testosterone binding results in an increased hemoglobin concentration. Testosterone is one of the principal male sex hormone. It plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle, bone mass and the growth of body-hair.
Testosterone is classified as a steroid due to its molecular structure. A steroid represent any chemical that possesses the specific four-ring molecular structure. Testosterone’s chemical name is 17-beta-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one.
As a steroid – testosterone make part from the androgen class of hormones. Synthetic analogs of natural testosterone produced by human body is anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) that is widely used in sport especially in bodybuilding.
Testosterone characteristics cause building effects on the body. Prolonged protein synthesis can result in enhanced muscle mass and strength, especially when combined with athletic and weight training. Testosterone help to retein nitrogen in the muscle, and the more nitrogen the muscles contains the more protein the muscle stores, and the bigger the muscle gets. Testosterone also help to increase the activity of satellite cells. These cells play a very active role in repairing damaged muscle.
In bodybuilding testosterone is usually used as an injectable ester. Was noticed that the eficient dose is about 500 mg/week.
The conversion of testosterone into estrogens (estriol, estrone and estradiol) is governed by the aromatase enzyme complex and occurs mainly in the liver, brain and fat tissue. Some bodybuilders attempt to avoid / reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT or estrogens by maintaining low bodyfat and using drugs or nutritional supplements that block 5-alpha reductase and aromatase.
In case of exceeding with the doses such side effects as gynecomastia, acne, acceleration of male pattern baldness, masculizing effects at women was noticed. That is the reason to take an anti-aromatase supplement during testosterone cycle.
Written by: Golden Muscles
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