It’s my guess that were the only organisms that worry about how many calories or how many grams of protein we’re eating, etc. Sure, there are some predators who are picky about what animals they like to eat but not like us humans. We’re also the only animals I can think of, just off the top of my head, that use things like meal replacements and creatine and protein shakes, stuff like that. How ‘natural’ is that?? Finally, I should say that nobody is wrong for choosing one thing over another (meaning steroids vs. not), but I don’t see where the the line is drawn.
Anything is natural as long as it does not violate physics.
We are natural toolmakers
Mankind was never meant to be as strong or as agile as predators and we have already lost most of our abilities due to industrilization, so have we not invented the “tools” to make us competent with them we would have long been extinct. Also I do not believe that human is classified as an animal.
Personally I draw the line based on whether or not something is safe and legal. Laws can change and, hence, my opinion might change. Steroids can be dangerous if not monitored by a competent, trained individual. They are also illegal to obtain, at least in the US, without a prescription and, presumably, a valid health reason for taking them. Ed, in a post on the Steroid board, had a valid health reason for taking steroids and his blood was being monitored by a physician so I don’t have a problem with that. A 15 year old student who takes steroids illegally obtained and just wants to impress females is a different story. I would consider Ed natural and the 15 year old as not natural. This may not be a real scientific approach but it works for me. Taking legal enhancers such as MRP’s and tribex I consider to be natural.BTW, humans are, of course, animals. mammals in fact…species homosapiens.
Of course we are - what do you think we are - plants? fungi?
Exactly, what is natural? I have worked in the pet food industry for about 10 years, 7 of those years for the biggest manufacturer of dry pet food in Canada. Every pet food company need a “natural” line of products. Every dry product is made with at least 40% grains like corn or rice. Some brands have up to 70% vegetal content. How natural is it for a dog to eat corn? I’ve never seen a dog eating corn on the cob in a field, or chasing rice! Same thing for bodybuilders…what is natural? Is eating 5 chicken breasts and 10 scoops of whey daily natural? Frankly, I don’t care. I do what is good for my look and my health, natural or not.
Avoids Roids, you judge ‘Natural’ by the legality or safety of something? This says to me, that, in this case, steroids are not natural because they are not legal and because they have the potential to be unsafe. That doesn’t seem very logical, I would consider a grizzly bear to be rather natural, but they certainly have the potential to be just as unsafe as steroids if not moreso, and marijuana grows out of the dirt, just like tobacco, but isn’t legal, does that make marijuana unnatural? Not to get on you, but that seems like poor reasoning, I would consider anything that doesn’t naturally occur in nature to be unnatural, like people walking around with 10 times the amount of testosterone in their blood as that of the perfectly healthy person standing next to them. It just wouldn’t happen on it’s own. Tribex enhanced T-levels are a little tougher, as some Neanderthal could happen upon Avena Setiva and Tribulis Terrestis in the woods and decide to base their diet around it, and possibly get similar effects. Who knows, I definitely though don’t think it’s very natural to stab hormones into one’s own ass. When I got to puberty, I didn’t have to jam any syringes into myself to make sure I had a growth spurt and that my voice would change, but that’s just me, if it happens in nature it’s ‘Natural’ otherwise it is certain that humans have a hand in it somewhere, and that it is venturing away from ‘Natural’.
‘Natural’ can have it’s own definition for everyone depending on the context. in terms of bodybuilding, i think natural means maximizing your genetic potential without the use of illegal products.
AVOIDS ROIDS,
Though this might be a little too nit picky, humans, as we are today, are classified as “homosapiens sapiens”.
Mitchell, I didn’t say I had a good definition of natural. It is just one I happen to apply to steroids. As a matter of fact, yours may a better one. However, is it natural for diabetics to jab needles into themselves? I think it is since it is life saving. And they do it legally and with medical supervision. I have no problem with aids patients taking steroids or for children who can’t grow normally to take human growth hormone. The intent of these drugs is not to make a BB freakishly big which is why, I think, the government tries to stop their abuse. The only way they can do that, at least in their mind, is to make them illegal. As for grizzly bears, it would not be natural (or legal) for a human to keep one in his back yard. Could it be harmful? Yup. MJ though is a tricky one and I don’t believe the government is right on that but that is the way it is. Alcohol is probably even a trickier one (as I sit here having a Bud Ice). Is it harmful? It can be. Is it legal? In certain circumstances it is…in others it isn’t. Is it natural? Probably not. I don’t have a good answer to what is natural in a universal sense. However, in BB, I don’t think roids are and I suspect that is one of the reasons that they are illegal. Nuff said. Lift smart, lift heavy and lift “naturally”. 
“Natural” is a reified concept, so creating any objective definition of it is, de facto, impossible.
Avoid Roids. I don’t agree with your definition of natural. It is not natural for a diabetic to inject insulin, it is not natural for a kid to take growth hormone, or aids patients to take steroids. It is not a bad thing but it is not natural. In nature these people would die. That is natural. It is a good thing that people have created some things that are not natural.
Avoids … you still seem to mix legality with natural.
In some Locations even in the US it’s illegal to have oral sex, even if you’re married.
I think it’s natural… but I guess some level of government believes it is protecting it’s citizens… just because there is a law about something doesn’t mean it’s all good. Many laws are inflicted on the masses to protect the few who are stupid. Alcohol & smokes should be illegal, but since they are not…(anywhere in North America) I guess they are not that bad or how could our governments possibly allow their use… and the possibility of children being harmed with them… Law maker’s obviously looked into it and determined that nothing harmful would result as there is no potential for abuse. There are some pretty anal laws… and too much power given to governments over freedom of choice… and alot of it is due to people like you who like to exert there opinions and beliefs on others.
Molsonman, sorry but those unfortunate individuals who may have no growth hormones or may have aids, for whatever reason, are replacing what is “naturally” missing. How can that be not “natural”? If you replace what should have been manufactured by your body naturally, but for some reason can’t be, how is that not natural. My God, according to your theory, it is not natural to where glasses or have contact lenses. I agree with you in some respects but is it perhaps not natural that your mother may have reading glasses? Is your mother not natural?
TO AVOIDS ROIDS,IS IT REALLY NATURAL TO ALTER YOUR STATE OF MIND THROUGH ALCOHOL.CONSIDERING ITS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE KILLERS IN THE U.S. IN ALL TRUTH FAR MORE DEATHS AND LEGAL PROBLEMS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ALCOHOL THAN STEROIDS.
[Note from moderator: Please do not use all caps]
Well, I think roiders shouldn’t even try to redefine natural as in the bodybuilding definition of roids. “It depends on what the definition of is, is.” -President William J. Clinton-
One other question, why do many bodybuilders strive for that circus freak look?
WATERBOY, I never said it was natural to drink alcohol. As for alcohol causing more deaths than steroids, on a per capita basis more people drink than shoot roids so of course the deaths will be higher. If that was your justification for using steroids, it was a mighty poor one. No mas sobre “natural” por favor.
The question stated for this thread was. What is Natural? We only have to look at the word, it means ‘from nature’, reading glasses, not natural, insulin injections, not natural, along with all kinds of everyday things, it certainly doesn’t mean they are bad, but if we were all, all natural, a lot of us would be dead, just like in the animal kingdom, those who are weak or diseased, or who lack basic biological functions will die off, however, our human nature has allowed us to damn near preserve everyone, but only our desire to help one another is natural, but not the means in which we do so.
Natural is bullshit if you are on supps!! Let’s not blur the lines . . . The only difference between steroids & supps is that steroids are A) illegal B) more dangerous C) work better - I lifted 100% natural for 6 years - no supps, not even MRP’s. Went to supps in year 7 and have found this to be helpful and recently have tried a mild steroid cycle and was very impressed. So, if you on supps but not steroids, don’t call yourselves “natural”!! Unfortunately I don’t think many people know what it’s like to train their ass off naturaly for several years and that’s too bad. They would be surprised at the minimal difference supps really make!
Do we live in jungles and eat each other? ;
and I do not include the freaky tribals out there, just the general human population. We might be “classified” as an animal in the science of biology but for me it is nothing but a label.