Steroids in South Africa | What You MUST Know

Dr. Mike Jansen

Last Updated October 5, 2022

Dr. Mike Jansen

 October 5, 2022

Curious about steroids in South Africa?

Do you wonder what the South African government has to say about steroids, including whether they are considered a legal recreational drug, or a banned substance?

Then you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we detail everything you need to know about steroids in South Africa.

We also answer your most important steroid-related questions, including:

  • How quickly do steroids start working?
  • Do steroids have any long-term side effects?
  • Are there safe alternatives to traditional anabolic steroids?

…And much more!

Our team at Testosterone.org has analyzed all of the latest South Africa drug schedules, so you know you are getting accurate information that you can trust.

We also cover the latest research on ecdysterone, the most popular “legal steroid alternative” in the world, in case you want a safer alternative to traditional steroids.

Now let’s get started!

Disclaimer: The contents of Testosterone.org are for informational and educational purposes. We do not provide legal advice. Likewise, we do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician prior to consuming any over-the-counter supplements, like a natural testosterone booster, and/or getting a prescription for a pharmaceutical medication. Your access to Testosterone.org is subject to our full disclaimer and terms of use.


What Are Steroids?

Steroids are one of the most controversial drugs in the world. Many athletes use steroids to boost their athletic performance, but most health authorities label them as being extremely dangerous.

So what are steroids, and what effects do they have on the human body?

Steroids are man-made drugs that are used to raise muscle-building hormones in the human body. Many steroids like Dianabol work by raising the user’s total testosterone levels to supra-physiological levels.

This explains why they are so effective at building muscle mass!

Over time, steroids have increased in popularity. Today, as much as 6.4% of the male population admits to using anabolic steroids, and the numbers are even higher in certain undeveloped countries (1).

This begs the question, why are steroids so popular? The truth is, steroids have many advantages (2, 3):

  • Increased muscle mass / strength
  • Faster recovery from intense workouts
  • Improved body composition
  • Improved muscular endurance

Many athletes choose to use steroids to get an edge over their competition. They are banned from most professional sports organizations, but some sports still allow them to be used.

Unfortunately, steroids also have many dangerous side effects that you need to be aware of (4, 5):

  • Decreased natural T production
  • Shrinking testicles
  • “Man boobs” (gynecomastia)
  • Damage to internal organs
  • Increased blood pressure

These side effects are enough to scare most people away from anabolic steroids. However, many men around the world continue to use them for their muscle-building benefits.

In fact, steroids are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa and many African countries.


South Africa Steroids


Popular Steroids in South Africa

Steroids are becoming more and more popular all over the world.

Millions of younger men have admitted to using steroids to transform their physiques and improve their athletic performance. But is that really true in a country like South Africa?

The truth is, steroids are becoming very popular in South Africa – especially among younger men. Studies show that as many as 4% of high school boys in South Africa have experimented with anabolic steroids, and these numbers continue to rise (6).

Health authorities are alarmed by this increase in steroid use, as steroids have many dangerous side effects. However, the interest in these performance enhancing drugs continues to grow.

Here are some of the most popular anabolic steroids in South Africa today:

  • Anavar
  • Testosterone
  • HGH
  • Trenbolone

One of the most common drugs in South Africa is testosterone. Many athletes take supra-physiological doses of testosterone to boost muscle mass and strength.

Other common steroids include anavar, HGH, and trenbolone.

Anavar and HGH have relatively fewer side effects, and are often used by men new to steroids. On the other hand, trenbolone is a more advanced drug with serious side effects.

Most men choose to avoid trenbolone altogether, unless they are already very experienced with anabolic steroids.


What Do Steroids Do?

Anabolic steroids are some of the most popular drugs in the world.

Bodybuilders and other athletes are notorious for using steroids to transform their physique, and improve their overall athletic performance.

Based on our research, steroids have the following benefits in humans (2, 7, 8):

  • Increased Muscle Mass
  • Increased Muscle Strength
  • Improved Body Composition
  • Faster Recovery From Workouts
  • Increased Red Blood Cell Count

Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors.

The biggest benefit of anabolic steroids is their potential to increase muscle mass and strength. Many steroids like testosterone, HGH, and anavar are extremely effective for this purpose.

Steroids work by increasing the rate of protein synthesis inside your muscle cells. This means your body is more efficient at taking the proteins and calories you ingest from your diet, and using them to build new muscle tissue.

Best of all, steroids elevate your protein synthesis levels constantly, not just after an intense workout.

Many steroid users find they can build muscle mass significantly faster than their “drug-free” peers. In fact, most first-time steroid users are able to gain 10-30 pounds of lean muscle mass during their first 2-4 month cycle!

It would take the average drug-free athlete 1-3 years to build this much muscle tissue, so this is an incredible outcome. Steroids definitely deserve their reputation as one of the fastest ways to build muscle mass.

Steroids are also extremely effective for reducing body fat levels, speeding up recovery following intense workouts, and improving muscular endurance. This means steroids are potentially beneficial for all types of athletes – not just bodybuilders and other athletes who need to “bulk up.”

In fact, many cyclists and other endurance athletes use steroids to improve their cardiovascular endurance.

At the end of the day, steroids are one of the most powerful and versatile drugs in the world.

They do have some dangerous side effects, and they should be used with extreme caution. However, after looking at these benefits, it’s obvious why steroids have become so popular in South Africa.


Side Effects of Steroids

Steroids are becoming extremely popular in South Africa. It seems like more and more young men are experimenting with anabolic steroids to transform their physique.

This has many South African health authorities concerned, as steroids are known to cause a wide range of side effects, including (9, 10, 11, 12, 13):

  • Gyno (gynecomastia)
  • Heart damage
  • Impaired judgement
  • Mood swings
  • Kidney / liver damage

Let’s take a closer look at each of these side effects.

One of the most common steroid-related side effects is actually gyno, or gynecomastia. Gyno is a condition where men develop small lumps of breast tissue underneath their nipples.

This gives their chest a “feminine” appearance – something no man wants.

Unfortunately, many long-term steroid users end up developing gyno during or after their steroid cycle. How is this possible?

The truth is, some steroids cause your body’s estrogen levels to rise. If your estrogen levels get too high, then that may signal your body to begin building breast tissue.

Gyno can be avoided by properly monitoring your estrogen levels, and performing an appropriate “post-cycle therapy” in between steroid cycles. However, it is always a potential side effect.

Other steroid side effects can be much more severe. For example, many steroid users suffer heart damage, or damage to their other internal organs. The human body was never designed to have supra-physiological testosterone levels.

Some steroid users choose to increase their testosterone levels 5x higher than the normal, healthy limit!

It’s no wonder these men suffer side effects.

One of the reasons some steroid users experience heart damage is due to a thickening of their blood. Some steroids increase the number of red blood cells in your blood.

This can be beneficial for athletic performance. However, it has a negative effect on your cardiovascular health.

Men with thicker blood often have high blood pressure, as the heart has to work much harder to pump blood throughout the body. This can lead to other problems down the road, including atherosclerosis and damaged blood vessels.

Other side effects of steroids include impaired judgement and mood swings.

Some people report feeling “invincible” while on gear. Self-confidence is generally a good thing, but some steroid users take it too far and put themselves in potentially dangerous situations.

Of course, there are many other potential side effects associated with anabolic steroids. Anyone interested in using gear is encouraged to conduct further research on this topic.


Steroids South Africa


Are Steroids Legal in South Africa?

You might be wondering if steroids are legal in South Africa.

Can you actually buy, possess, and use anabolic steroids in South Africa without breaking any laws?

The answer might surprise you.

The South African government classifies anabolic steroids as a Schedule III controlled substance under their Controlled Substances Act. They view anabolic steroids as extremely dangerous and addictive drugs.

As such, they have taken steps to limit their use by the general South African population.

In South Africa, it is illegal to buy, possess, or use anabolic steroids without a valid doctor’s prescription. Anyone caught buying or using steroids without a valid prescription from their doctor may be subject to heavy fines, or even jail time.

As such, we do NOT recommend buying anabolic steroids online in South Africa. A better solution is to obtain a valid prescription from your doctor for testosterone or other anabolic steroids.

Another possible solution is to use a powerful “legal steroid alternative” like ecdysterone.

Even if you are visiting South Africa, we do not recommend bringing anabolic steroids without a valid doctor’s prescription. It is illegal to import or export steroids in South Africa without a prescription.

Even if you are not a South African citizen, you are still subject to their laws while visiting the country.


Oral Steroids vs Injectables vs Steroid Creams

You may be confused about the different types of steroids. Are injectable steroids really your best option, or are oral steroids and steroid creams just as effective?

Here at Testosterone.org, our job is to give you the facts, so you can make more informed decisions.

There are three main types of anabolic steroids:

  • Oral steroids
  • Injectable steroids
  • Transdermal steroids

Each of these types of steroids has their own advantages and disadvantages.

Most bodybuilders and athletes prefer injectable steroids, as they have the most muscle-building benefits. However, oral steroids and transdermal steroid creams also have their own advantages.

Here are some of the most popular oral steroids on the market today:

  • Anadrol
  • Anavar
  • Dianabol
  • Winstrol
  • Restandol

Oral steroids have a couple of big advantages over injectable steroids.

The first advantage is obvious: you don’t have to inject these drugs into your body using needles! Many people dislike the idea of using insulin needles on a daily or weekly basis, so for these individuals, oral steroids may be the preferred option.

In addition, they tend to have fewer side effects than injectable steroids.

Now let’s talk about injectable steroids. Here are some of the most popular injectable steroids on the market today:

  • Testosterone
  • HGH
  • Trenbolone
  • Deca-durabolin
  • Equipoise

Testosterone is by far the most common injectable steroid on the market today. It is used by bodybuilders and athletes all over the world who are looking to improve their athletic performance.

Testosterone injections are also the preferred choice for most doctor-supervised testosterone replacement therapy protocols.

Finally, there are some steroid creams that can be used. For example:

  • Testosterone creams
  • SARM creams

Steroid creams are not nearly as popular as oral or injectable steroids. However, some people prefer the creams as they are painless and have minimal side effects.

Steroid creams are often used for testosterone replacement therapy protocols with patients who do not like the idea of using insulin needles.


Should You Take Steroids in South Africa?

You might be wondering if you should take steroids South Africa.

Is it a good idea to order steroids online while living in South Africa, or to bring your own steroids into the country?

Here at Testosterone.org, we believe you should NOT take steroids in South Africa. There are several reasons for this:

  • Steroids are illegal in South Africa
  • Steroids have dangerous side effects
  • There are safe and legal alternative to steroids

Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors.

First of all, anabolic steroids are 100% illegal in South Africa. The South African government views steroids as a controlled substance, with many serious side effects.

Because of this, they have banned steroids to limit their circulation within the country.

The only way to legally purchase steroids like testosterone in South Africa is with a valid doctor’s prescription.

Anyone who tries to purchase steroids without a prescription is breaking South African law. The punishment for illegally purchasing steroids may include heavy fines, or even jail time.

For obvious reasons, we do NOT recommend purchasing anabolic steroids while living in South Africa.

Steroids also have many serious side effects, and can be extremely dangerous when used improperly. For example, many drugs like testosterone and trenbolone are extremely toxic to the body – especially when taken in high doses.

These drugs can cause long-term damage to your cardiovascular system, and other parts of your body.

Besides – there are plenty of safer alternatives to steroids that you can use to transform your physique.


Steroids South Africa


Legal Steroid Alternatives

We do NOT recommend taking steroids in South Africa.

First of all, anabolic steroids are illegal in this country. The only way to legally purchase steroids in South Africa is with a valid doctor’s prescription.

Steroids also have many dangerous side effects. If you are looking for a way to get faster gains in the gym, we recommend using a safe “legal steroid alternative” like ecdysterone instead.

Ecdysterone belongs to a family of natural plant steroids called ecdysteroids. Plants produce this natural substance because it boosts protein synthesis levels. In other words, it speeds up their overall growth and development.

Many fitness experts believe that ecdysterone should have similar effects in humans. After all, ecdysterone has a similar chemical structure to testosterone.

Recent studies show that this theory is correct: ecdysterone does work in humans, and the results are almost too good to believe.

One study shows that ecdysterone can boost protein synthesis levels in humans by up to 20% (14)! Another recent study shows that ecdysterone works better than dianabol, one of the oldest and most effective steroids, for building muscle mass (15).

How is this possible?

The truth is, ecdysterone works by binding to the estrogen receptors on your muscle cells. From there, it directly boosts muscle protein synthesis, which explains the rapid size and strength gains seen while taking ecdysterone.

Best of all, ecdysterone has virtually zero side effects.

Unlike steroids, it does not bind to the androgen receptors on your cells, and it does not impact your total testosterone levels. This makes ecdysterone a great choice for anyone looking for a safe and legal alternative to traditional steroids.

If you are ready to get started with ecdysterone, then we strongly recommend the online vendor Huge Supplements.

They make all of their world-class products in the United States under FDA-regulated facilities. They also offer fast, reliable shipping to residents living in South Africa.

Order Ecdysterone from our top-rated USA vendor...

Ecdysterone is the #1 science-based legal steroid alternative on the market today. However, that may change in the near future. Turkesterone is a new product that many people believe is even more effective than ecdysterone.

So far, animal studies show that turkesterone builds even more muscle mass than ecdysterone (16).

Unfortunately, human trials have not been performed on turkesterone yet. However, many real-world users report that turkesterone works even better than ecdysterone for building size and strength.

If you are interested in using turkesterone, then we strongly recommend the brand Gorilla Mind.

Order the best Turkesterone from Gorilla Mind...


Steroids in South Africa | Overall

So what’s the verdict – should you take steroids in South Africa?

Based on our research, we believe you should NOT take anabolic steroids while living in South Africa.

There are several reasons for this.

Anabolic steroids are illegal in the country of South Africa. The South African government classifies steroids as a “controlled substance,” which means you need a doctor’s prescription to purchase testosterone and other performance enhancing drugs.

Anyone caught trying to purchase or use steroids in South Africa without a prescription will receive heavy fines and / or jail time.

For obvious reasons, we do NOT recommend using steroids in South Africa and breaking the law.

If you are serious about transforming your body, then you can always look into doctor-supervised TRT to optimize your testosterone levels. Using a powerful “legal steroid alternative” like ecdysterone or turkesterone is also a great choice.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a bottle of Huge Supplements ecdysterone today and take your physique to the next level!


References

  1.  Sagoe D, Molde H, Andreassen CS, Torsheim T, Pallesen S. The global epidemiology of anabolic-androgenic steroid use: a meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis. Ann Epidemiol. 2014 May;24(5):383-98. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.01.009. Epub 2014 Jan 30. PMID: 24582699.
  2. “The Influence Of Anabolic Steroids On Physiologic Processes And Exercise.” Physiopedia. https://www.physiopedia.com/index.php?title=Special%3ACiteThisPage&page=The+influence+of+anabolic+steroids+on+physiologic+processes+and+exercise.
  3. Andrews MA, Magee CD, Combest TM, Allard RJ, Douglas KM. Physical Effects of Anabolic-androgenic Steroids in Healthy Exercising Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2018 Jul;17(7):232-241. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000500. PMID: 29994823.
  4. Chegeni R, Pallesen S, McVeigh J, Sagoe D. Anabolic-androgenic steroid administration increases self-reported aggression in healthy males: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Jul;238(7):1911-1922. doi: 10.1007/s00213-021-05818-7. Epub 2021 Mar 20. PMID: 33745011; PMCID: PMC8233285.
  5. Albano GD, Amico F, Cocimano G, et al. Adverse Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: A Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2021;9(1):97. Published 2021 Jan 19. doi:10.3390/healthcare9010097
  6. “Big Is Not Better: The Cost of Steroids.” The Mail & Guardian, 19 June 2014, https://mg.co.za/article/2014-06-19-big-is-not-better-the-cost-of-steroids/.
  7. Friedl KE, Dettori JR, Hannan CJ Jr, Patience TH, Plymate SR. Comparison of the effects of high dose testosterone and 19-nortestosterone to a replacement dose of testosterone on strength and body composition in normal men. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1991;40(4-6):607-12. doi: 10.1016/0960-0760(91)90283-b. PMID: 1958561.
  8. Andrews MA, Magee CD, Combest TM, Allard RJ, Douglas KM. Physical Effects of Anabolic-androgenic Steroids in Healthy Exercising Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2018 Jul;17(7):232-241. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000500. PMID: 29994823
  9. Chegeni R, Pallesen S, McVeigh J, Sagoe D. Anabolic-androgenic steroid administration increases self-reported aggression in healthy males: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Jul;238(7):1911-1922. doi: 10.1007/s00213-021-05818-7. Epub 2021 Mar 20. PMID: 33745011; PMCID: PMC8233285.
  10. Albano GD, Amico F, Cocimano G, et al. Adverse Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: A Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2021;9(1):97. Published 2021 Jan 19. doi:10.3390/healthcare9010097
  11. NIDA. 2018, August 12. Anabolic Steroids DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids on 2022, February 23
  12. Harvey, O., Keen, S., Parrish, M. et al. Support for people who use Anabolic Androgenic Steroids: A Systematic Scoping Review into what they want and what they access. BMC Public Health 19, 1024 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7288-x2019
  13. Harvey, O., Keen, S., Parrish, M. et al. Support for people who use Anabolic Androgenic Steroids: A Systematic Scoping Review into what they want and what they access. BMC Public Health 19, 1024 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7288-x2019
  14. Parr MK, Botrè F, Naß A, Hengevoss J, Diel P, Wolber G. Ecdysteroids: A novel class of anabolic agents?. Biol Sport. 2015;32(2):169-173. doi:10.5604/20831862.1144420
  15. Isenmann E, Ambrosio G, Joseph JF, Mazzarino M, de la Torre X, Zimmer P, Kazlauskas R, Goebel C, Botrè F, Diel P, Parr MK. Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agent: performance enhancement by ecdysterone supplementation in humans. Arch Toxicol. 2019 Jul;93(7):1807-1816. doi: 10.1007/s00204-019-02490-x. Epub 2019 May 23. PMID: 31123801.
  16. Dinan L, Bourne P, Whiting P, et al. Synthesis and biological activities of turkesterone 11alpha-acyl derivatives. J Insect Sci. 2003;3:6. doi:10.1093/jis/3.1.6
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