Why Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Not the Same As Steroids?
Although the testosterone prescribed during hormone replacement therapy is itself an anabolic steroid, and steroid users seek many of the same benefits as those receiving hormone replacement, there are many differences between hormone replacement and recreational use of steroids. These differences include distinctions in legality, medical diagnosis, side-effects and motivation for taking the drugs. What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy? Hormone replacement therapy is a medical regimen prescribed by doctors to alleviate or reverse the effects of low testosterone in men. Testosterone is a naturally occurring steroid hormone that promotes muscle growth and bone density and produces sperm in the testes. After the age of 25, the body’s natural production declines by a rate of two percent per year, and many men begin to experience decreased libido, depression, loss of muscle that coincides with fat gain, fatigue, and a lessened sense of mental health and well-being. After receiving a doctor’s
