Steroids are hormone derived. You manipulate hormones to obtain different types of steroids ... but, essentially, almost all steroids are forms of hormones ... and mostly of the Testosterone hormone. Yes, Test is produced naturally in the human body and more so in male than female and therefore, when you introduce the majority of your steroids (which are hormone derived ... mainly Testosterone) and you do bloodwork, you'll notice your Test levels are HIGH ... BUUUUUUUUT ... your body's ability to produce Testosterone on its own will be nullified (here comes into play the LH, FSH and balancing the HTPA). Why? Because you are injecting steroids (which are hormones ... nothing else) into your body and IT then figures "Hey ... there is so much of this shit in here that I don't need to produce it anymore". If you push your body with adding high volumes of this hormone and the level becomes 'uncomfortable' for your body, it will try to counter the high levels of Test by producing more Estrogen and there starts the side effects ... and water retention ... and bloat ... and if high estrogen and then also prolactin ... say 'Hi' to gyno ... etc. Anywho, I veered off here. Essentially a steroid is hormone based ... there is no difference between a steroid and a hormone. Yes, your body produces 'hormones' naturally and these 'hormones' are synthetically reproduced and manipulated by humans in labs to become 'steroids' to be put into the body from 'outside' and there is the intended meaning in difference between hormones and steroids ... BUUUUUUUT ... a steroid is a hormone and nothing else.