The topic of reducing the effectiveness of the protective mechanisms of the body with the use of anabolic agents is quite relevant. Of course, if you use steroids occasionally, then to notice a decrease in immunity will be very difficult. Another thing is when anabolic/androgenic steroids are used constantly. Today we will try to understand how anabolic steroids affect the immune system and how to enhance immunity.

What is immunity?

To understand the mechanism of steroids effect on immune system, it is necessary to find out what it is. The immune system is a collection of various organs, the main of which are the thymus and bone marrow. They are responsible for the production of lymphocytes.

The immune system is important for a person, since it protects him from various diseases. All organs that make up it synthesize various substances, whose task is to combat foreign substances and microorganisms. For example, phagocytes are designed to kill harmful cells, and T-suppressors produce antibodies used by the body for preventive purposes. The immune system is very complex, and it is meaningless to describe the mechanisms of its operation in detail.

Causes of decreased immunity

The state of the immune system can be influenced by a fairly large number of different factors, but we are primarily interested in sports-related activities and most often these are high loads. In high-intensity occupations or if they have a long duration, changes occur in the organs that make up the immune system.

This can be expressed, say, in increasing the amount of lymphoid mass or, in other words, increasing the speed of the course of immunopoietic processes. This in turn leads to a significant increase in resistance. The duration of this stage directly depends on the intensity of the training. The stronger is load, the phase of resistance is shorter, which leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of protective mechanisms. If we talk about this in more detail, the main reasons for the lowering of immunity are as follows:

• Violation of equilibrium in the endocrine system;
• Significant metabolic changes in the body, for example, increased urea concentration;
• Lack of nutrients.

How to strengthen the immune system

For this purpose it is desirable to use special preparations, among which there are a lot of plants. They are called immunomodulators and for most of the athletes, many of them are well-known. Preparations of this group are intended to increase the ability of the organism, to resist various external stimulations having a chemical or physical origin.

To increase the efficiency of the immune system, it is necessary to consume vitamin C, A, E, as well as additives containing zinc. Glutamine is also a very good tool for enhancing immunity. Many athletes believe that this amino acid compound should be used only to enhance immunity. Most often, glutamine is used in amounts of 4 to 8 grams throughout the day. If there are no problems with the digestive tract, then take this drug best on an empty stomach.

It's just not possible to mention omega-3. Now everyone talks about these fats, but it should be noted that such increased attention is fully justified. Scientists have conducted quite a large number of omega-3 studies and all the properties attributed to this substance have been fully confirmed. If you bought anabolics online, then every day you need to take at least three to four grams of fish oil (this is omega-3, if someone else does not know).

Note also the apilac, which is made on the basis of milk of bees. This drug excellently strengthens the immune system, but it should be remembered that it is a medication and it is desirable to take it at the first signs of disease. Although many athletes use it in small dosages as a preventive measure.

Most often, apilac is taken in the amount of one or two tablets during the day. It is very important not to swallow the pill right away, but to dissolve it. Otherwise, the efficiency will decrease.

In addition to the use of drugs, you should try to exclude stress as much as possible. Stress very significantly reduces the effectiveness of the immune system. You should also drink more liquid. This can be ordinary water or juices. It is best to use freshly squeezed juice, but not every athlete has this opportunity.