Australian amateur bodybuilders are flocking to Thailand on so-called steroid vacations. But it’s not all fun and games _ the substances they buy and take are illegal in Australia and fuelling a bustling black market, with serious legal and health risks.
The drugs are called anabolic-androgenic steroids, or synthetic versions of the natural male sex hormone testosterone. They come in tablet, injection and gel form. They’re usually combined with other muscle-building and weight loss drugs in a practice known as ‘stacking’ to maximise the effects of each. Often, they’re used with supplements such as protein powders and creatine.
Most of the steroids found in black market pharmacies in Thailand are imported from countries within the European Union, though some are produced locally. The pharmacy on Beach Road Soi 7 sells tablets of the popular anabolic steroid Dianabol, also known as methandienon. It sells for about $110 a pot.
A pot is enough to last a month for someone taking the recommended dosage. It’s a small price to pay for the benefits that the pills offer, like increased muscle mass, strength and endurance. They also help reduce body fat and speed up recovery from workouts.
But excessive use of steroids can have dangerous side effects, including testicular atrophy (shrinking), a decrease in sperm count and an increase in facial hair, erectile problems and high blood pressure and cholesterol. Many of these issues are reversible, but others are not. Steroids Thailand