Steroids: The Neural Side of Performance

PEDs

25 Jun

Most people think steroids make you stronger just because you get bigger.

But here’s what most lifters don’t understand:

Steroids don’t just build more muscle — they unlock the ability to use that muscle better.

If you want to understand why strength increases on gear often outpace the size gains, this blog will explain exactly how steroids affect your nervous system, motor unit recruitment, and inhibition thresholds.

Steroids & The Nervous System: Strength's Hidden Driver

Most lifters focus on hypertrophy.

But the nervous system is what determines how much of your muscle you can actually use. And steroids interact directly with it.

The key areas affected:

Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulation
Motor unit recruitment & rate coding
Inhibitory mechanisms (like GTOs and Renshaw cells)
Androgen receptor density in neurons

CNS Drive: The Real Boost

Some compounds are notorious for creating a sense of aggression, focus, and explosiveness. That’s not just placebo — it’s the CNS response.

Particularly with androgenic compounds like Anadrol, Methyltestosterone, or Tren:

Increased dopaminergic tone in the brain
Faster and more forceful motor unit firing
Enhanced rate coding (how quickly motor units fire in succession)

This makes you not just stronger — but quicker to express that strength.

Blunting Inhibition: Disabling the Brakes

Your body has built-in protective mechanisms:

Golgi Tendon Organs (GTOs): shut down force if tension rises too fast
Renshaw cells: limit how much a motor neuron can fire

But under high androgen levels, these brakes become less sensitive. The result?

Higher force outputs allowed before inhibition kicks in
The body "trusts" it can handle heavier loads

That’s why enhanced lifters often lift beyond what natty biomechanics would tolerate.

Motor Unit Recruitment & Coordination

Steroids also enhance the efficiency of your nervous system:

More fast-twitch (high threshold) motor units are recruited earlier
Better intermuscular coordination (prime movers and stabilizers firing in sync)
Stronger signal transmission from brain to muscle

This means more of your muscle is being recruited, faster, and in the right sequence.

Compound-Specific Neural Effects

  
    Compound
    Class
    Neural Drive
    Strength Effect
    Key Side Effects
  

    Testosterone (E/C/P)
    Test-based
    Moderate
    Moderate
    Bloating, acne, gyno, hair loss (in prone)
  

    Halotestin
    DHT-derived
    Very High
    Very High
    Liver strain, aggression, poor recovery
  

    Methyltrenbolone
    19-Nor
    Extreme
    Extreme
    Toxicity, aggression, zero tolerance window
  

    Trenbolone (A/E/H)
    19-Nor
    High
    High
    Night sweats, aggression, cardio suppression
  

    Anadrol (Oxymetholone)
    DHT-derived
    High
    High
    Bloat, BP increase, headaches, gyno
  

    Masteron
    DHT-derived
    Moderate
    Moderate
    Hair loss, acne (in prone), dry joints
  

    Winstrol (Stanozolol)
    DHT-derived
    Moderate
    High
    Joint pain, hair loss, liver stress
  

    Anavar (Oxandrolone)
    DHT-derived
    Low
    Moderate
    Cholesterol impact, expensive
  

    Nandrolone (Deca/NPP)
    19-Nor
    Low
    Moderate
    Deca-dick, prolactin, low CNS output
  

    Dianabol (Methandrostenolone)
    Test-derived
    Moderate
    High
    Bloat, gyno, liver stress
  

    Equipoise (Boldenone)
    Test-derived
    Low
    Mild
    Appetite swings, mild cardio suppression
  

    Turinabol
    Test-derived
    Low
    Moderate
    Dry gains, mild suppression
  

    Primobolan (Methenolone)
    DHT-derived
    Low
    Mild
    Safe, low suppression, high dose needed
  

Why Strength Gains Outpace Size Gains on Gear

Because steroids:

Reduce inhibition (you can push harder, faster)
Improve CNS recruitment (you fire more muscle)
Raise motor unit firing frequency (you apply more force, quicker)

You're not just bigger — you're more neurologically efficient.

And that’s why enhanced athletes often display a level of strength that seems disproportionate to their size.

The Dark Side: Masking Dysfunction

Here’s the danger:

Steroids lower your body’s built-in safety mechanisms.

That means:

You can now move heavier loads through poor mechanics
Injuries are more likely if you’re compensating or lacking structural balance
CNS over-stimulation can lead to burnout, poor sleep, or anxiety (especially with compounds like Tren)

The takeaway? Just because you can lift more, doesn’t mean your body is ready to.

UnlockING Strength Intelligently

Use PEDs with intent:

Improve joint position and movement patterns first
Let chemistry enhance quality, not compensate for dysfunction
Periodise compounds based on training demands (not ego)

And if you want to truly maximise your results, you need a system that integrates biomechanics, neurology & chemistry

That’s exactly what we do inside The JMSTRENGTH SYSTEM.

James Morley