Let me start with this: I do not wish to promote the use of anabolic steroids. I hope, in fact, you will avoid (or at least delay) steroid use after reading this article. But I also don’t believe the media hysteria about the dangers of anabolic steroids. I can’t expect you to believe me if I do nothing more than regurgitate exaggerated warnings.
What are steroids? Here’s a very simple answer—anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones related to testosterone. If used properly, they can cause an athlete or trainee to get bigger, faster, and stronger than his natural genetic potential.
Where did they come from? German scientists discovered testosterone in the 1930’s when Hitler was trying to find ways to develop “super soldiers” (makes me wonder if Stan Lee knew about this when he created the Captain America character). They also figured out a way to synthesize this hormone and put in a syringe.
Anabolic steroids were studied further in the 1940’s. The Soviet Union and East Germany used them to enhance the performance of Olympic athletes. America caught on and began developing its own formulas. This led to the development of the second steroid, dianabol. These drugs were banned in the Olympics in 1976.
Human performance has since been permanently altered. We’ll never know just how many medals, trophies, and championships were won with the help of “pharmaceutical assistance.”
Let’s fast-forward to the 1980’s, my teenage years. I still remember the first time I saw a commercial for a bodybuilding supplement. There was Lou Ferrigno, drinking some concoction from a blender (one of Joe Weider’s products). The advertisement claimed he drank said supplement before lifting weights. I figured if it was good enough for him it was good enough for me. I started drinking this (awful-tasting) stuff before football practice. This was the beginning of my expensive obsession with bodybuilding supplements.
This was long before the internet, so many naïve young men like myself got our information from the magazines. They were filled with pictures of steroid-using bodybuilders along with articles about the dangers of steroids. Young men like myself were fooled by the marketing and believed we could look like the pro bodybuilders with hard work, and of course, supplements.
I grew up idolizing guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone—both of whom used steroids. I never really knew just how much of a difference drugs made in the physiques of my idols. I’ve seen some of them admit to using drugs in interviews, but many seem to downplay the dosage and cycles they used.
80’s muscle (and fashion)
The US government decided to classify steroids as Schedule 3 drugs with the passing of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. Congress ignored the advice of the American Medical Association, Drug Enforcement Association, Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse—all of who agreed these drugs did not create psychological or physiological dependence (more on this later).
One of the first paradigm shifts for me came with a magazine called MuscleMedia 2000. This early 90’s publication actually interviewed bodybuilders about the “S word.” Someone was finally acknowledging the proverbial 500 lb. gorilla (with bulging biceps) in the living room.
The Internet came along a few years later. Information about steroids could be freely discussed on websites and forums. I began to learn the truth about these controversial drugs. Just as the discovery of testosterone changed human performance, the Internet has changed human knowledge. Supplement companies and their publications no longer had a monopoly on information.
The legal status of anabolic steroids has apparently had relatively little impact for those who really want them. Professional bodybuilders now use higher doses than ever (and usually add growth hormone and insulin to the mix). Modern bodybuilding contests have become a freak show and the aesthetic proportions of competitors from previous decades are a thing of the past.
The bodybuilding world isn’t the only place where these drugs are still widely used. Hollywood stars regularly use steroid cycles to bulk up for roles. Professional athletes are always trying to stay one step ahead of testing methods. Steroids are here to stay as long as there is money to be made from muscle.
The Hype vs The Facts
Why are steroids illegal? It has little or nothing to do with health or addiction. They were made illegal in response to doping in the Olympics. Why create a sweeping public policy (against the advice of all affected health and law enforcement agencies) based on issues with Olympic and professional athletes? Your guess is as good as mine. I find it odd that you can go to the corner store and legally buy cigarettes (which are proven to kill you) but you are treated like a criminal if you buy something to put on a few pounds of extra muscle. What you see on mainstream media is usually misinformed hysteria. Let’s cut through the hype and talk facts.
Are steroids dangerous? Yes… and no. Remember this: anything you inject or ingest can be dangerous, depending on the dosage and duration. Taking an aspirin for a headache will probably ease your pain. Taking the whole bottle may cause a permanent nap. Every drug (including over-the-counter medicine) has the potential for side effects. Anabolic steroids are no different in this regard.
One problem with the current laws is difficulty in conducting proper research—imagine the red tape and legal issues involved with testing what is now a schedule 3 drug. But here are a few things we know, based on studies and anecdotal evidence:
The primary danger of steroid use is unpleasant (though not life-threatening) side effects. These include gynecomastia (enlargement/development of breast tissue in men), testicular atrophy (shrinking of the testicles), baldness (especially if you are genetically inclined), acne, infertility, and impotence. The severity and duration of these would depend on multiple factors, including individual physiology, the specific drug used, and the dosage/duration. Most users manage these side affects by taking drugs to prevent them and limiting the duration of a steroid cycle. Post-cycle therapy drugs can also be used to minimize the effects of coming off a cycle.
What about health issues? I think this is the least understood aspect of these drugs. Oral steroids tend to stress the liver and kidneys. Blood lipid profiles (cholesterol/triglycerides) can be negatively affected during a steroid cycle, but it isn’t clear whether or not this has any negative effects on long-term health since things usually revert back to their normal state after the cycle is over.
Now let’s return to something I wrote earlier: risk is correlated with dosage and duration. A judicious cycle over 8-12 weeks can help you gain 15-20 lb. of muscle beyond your genetic limit (and probably produce even more drastic gains in strength). The risks of such a cycle are likely minimal, and the potential rewards may far outweigh them.
This is especially true for Hollywood actors. Let’s take Manu Bennett, for example (pictured above). Steroids were a part of his winning the role of Crixus in Spartacus. He used them in his mid-thirties to build an impressive physique for a role as a MMA fighter. The movie deal fell through and a broke Bennett was forced to earn a living as a day laborer. But the producers of Spartacus saw his photo and wanted him for the gladiator role. Bennett immediately began training (this time without steroids) and re-gained most of his muscle. From day laborer to action star—I’d say his cycle paid off. He is now in his mid-40’s and hasn’t ruled out using steroids to prepare for future roles. Can you blame him?
Final Thoughts
Let’s say a young trainee approached me and asked about using anabolic steroids. This would be my advice:
1. Forget about it if you’re a teenager. I just don’t think it’s wise to mess with your hormones when you’ve barely started shaving. I also suspect steroids may cause premature closure of growth plates, possibly stunting growth (there’s no ethical way to prove or test this, of course, but it seems quite feasible).
2. Train at least ten years to build your foundation of size and strength first. Take advantage of being at your natural peak years of testosterone production (early teens through twenties). Learn how to lift, eat and rest. You’ll be surprised at what you can do naturally if you put your mind to it.
3. Decide if the benefits of a cycle are worth the risks for you once you’ve reached your natural potential. The extra muscle or strength is not worth the legal risks for me. Impressing a few meatheads with my bench press isn’t worth sharing a prison cell with one.
4. Do plenty of research before trying something if you decide it is worth the risks. Don’t mess up your body or health with a poorly planned cycle.
5. Forget any bogus supplements that claim to be “steroid alternatives.” There is no such thing.
Read More: Five Ways to Boost Your Testosterone
Maybe it’s something like HGH instead of steroids, but do you guys think the fitness gurus(ex. Shaun T. & Tony Horton) of the world take them too? To make a name for yourself in the fitness industry, you have to be in great shape, and if you’re not already well established, how do most people afford all the organic fruits & veggies, grass fed beef, supplements & “supplements”? The whole Beachbody gang sure is in excellent condition and I’m not convinced it’s just from T25 & P90X3, lol.
Short answer, yes.
Close to 100% of the people who make their living in “fitness” are on some type of steroids (men) or cutting drugs (women). And anyone making their living with their looks (and doing well, because it’s not cheap) are likely on HGH. HGH has very few side effects and is very beneficial to everything except your wallet. It’s not nearly as “powerful” as something like testosterone, so most bodybuilders take it in conjunction with other drugs. But taking it alone will certainly give you a more youthful appearance and cut some body fat.
Yea, I thought so. A prime example is the black guy on the Yoga X workout in P90X. He looks like that just from organic chicken and spinach, right? lol
This guy?
http://www.shakadula.com/p90x/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/adam-ab-ripper.png
If so, his physique is actually possible without steroids with a VERY SMALL percentage of the population (of which most of them are black men, which he happens to be). So, yes, he COULD be natural. However, there’s a far better chance that he’s on something, you can’t really see it in this picture, but his legs look unnatural to me. Abs are 90% diet, doing ab workouts is a waste of time if you’re not already <10% bodyfat.
Here’s the thing, even if he did it without steroids, the only reason he was able to do it is because he’s a genetic freak. You/I would never be able to get a body like this, no matter how much ab ripper you did (unless you happen to also be a freak) without the help of steroids.
Here’s a good analogy. Imagine you are in a quiz show to solve math problems against someone who’s has the unique ability to do huge number math in their heads (very rare ability). If you try to match this guy using just your brain (natural bodybuilding) you’re never going to get there because, well, your opponent is a genetic freak.
So, instead, you pull out a pocket calculator. And now you can both do huge number math at the same speed. His genetic freak advantage has been taken away, you’ve leveled the playing field. That’s how I view steroids, they put us all on the same level, if you happen to be born with a very high testosterone level, you might be able to look like the guy in the picture. But, if not, steroid can give you that high level you weren’t born with so that you can compete with those who were more gifted from birth.
Haha, him and Shaun T have abs of steel. I’m not accusing them of HGH or anything, but they must have extremely good genetics.
Dude, this guy is doing steroids like it’s the end of the world. You can tell by the legs, I’ve never seen anyone clean with legs like that.
I did go to school with a half-black guy who was ripped almost like that. There’s no way he was eating super clean at his age and he actually seemed a bit lazy(didn’t play sports and I’d be surprised if he lifted heavy regularly). He had legs, maybe not that big, but they were visibly a lot stronger than everyone else’s just like the rest of his muscles, lol. In other words, I’m hesitant to just say “he’s on the juice” right off the bat.
What’s so special about his legs?
That’s another thing. Genetics are a major factor. Some people just have better genetics than others.
Yep, even w/ roids or anything else we want to take….we’ll never be the next WWE star.
That picture is not the greatest, but they are big and well-defined which is a hard combo to achieve sometimes.
That’s largely genetic though right? I have big legs relative to my waist and actually its a pain in the ass trying to fit into jeans.
I would assume he has better genetics than the average person, but to reach his peak, he still needs to work hard and eat right. He could also probably get by w/ a lot more slacking than the average person. In other words, yes, but no one can have pizza 6 times a day, lol.
hgh actually is the most dangerous anabolic substance cause it can increase the risk of diabetes and contribute to the growth of cancerous tumors.
also is totally useless for the general population its good for pros and guys whoi want 200 + pounds rip ir guys above 50 but anything apart that is a waste of money.
also most black market hgh are crap and dangerous to inject since they are counterfeit
The two things that have stopped me, are the strain that the drugs put on the liver and high cholesterol runs in the family and would only be compounded.
Only oral drugs strain the liver, injections bypass that part of metabolism and most people (including me) would recommend injections as the best place to start for all new users. Orals are popular with newbies, but, honestly, they really shouldn’t take them, they are for pushing through boundaries after you’ve hit the limit with injections and/or for contest prep.
Cholesterol is a risk, you have to keep it in check and steroids will typically bring up the bad cholesterol in most people. However, as most people will also lose fat/gain muscle, the net effect isn’t as bad as some doctors would have to believe. It’s a legitimate concern, but one that can be managed (similar to the hair loss issue I mentioned above).
This article may help re: cholesterol http://musclereview.net/lower-cholesterol-naturally-without-statins/
Thx!
“Why are steroids illegal? It has little or nothing to do with health or
addiction. They were made illegal in response to doping in the Olympics.
Why create a sweeping public policy (against the advice of all affected
health and law enforcement agencies) based on issues with Olympic and
professional athletes? Your guess is as good as mine.”
I can give you a very good guess. Because, as it sounds like you already know, steroids are incredibly effective. And, if everyone EXCEPT pro athletes was permitted access to any steroid they wanted over the counter, you’d have a situation where your neighborhood football game would be played at a higher level than pro football because everyone would be so much stronger/faster. The fastest runner in the world wouldn’t be an Olympic runner, it would be a guy down the street who happened to hit his drugs just right. The amateurs would roll all over the pros if one group was allowed to “juice” and the other was not. Shoot, some sports that are “pure strength or endurance” (biking, for example), any good rider from the neighborhood (a cat A rider) with pharmaceutical help, could likely beat any pro if the pro had to be totally clean.
The problem with all of this, of course, is that it creates an arms race. If linebacker A is taking 1000mgs of test per week, linebacker B takes 1500mgs and gets just a little stronger. Linebacker C takes 2000mgs and gets even bigger. So linebacker A ups his dose to 2500 and throws in some insulin for good measure. Then linebacker B goes to 3000, insulin and some growth hormone. Endless cycle, resulting in all pros on crazy doses of steroids in an effort to get some/any edge over the competition. This is probably not a good thing, but, at the same time, also not something I really give a crap about; the pros are already taking massive health risks, and they are already taking lots of steroids, including stuff that’s very unproven and dangerous (because there’s no test for it yet).
I’ve been on steroids for years now. I use a TRT level dose constantly and sometimes “blast” up to a higher dose for a few months. I look better, feel younger and have a great physique. Everyone you see in Hollywood (male) is doing this. They are all on growth and testosterone (at a minimum). The women in Hollywood are very often on growth and sometimes low doses of anabolics as well, but tend to gravitate more towards the “cutting” drugs like T3/T4 and Clen.
The real shame of all this, IMHO, is that we are giving men a totally unrealistic standard to emulate. If you look in any bodybuilding or most men’s magazines, 90-100% of the men in there are on some kind of cycle. Kids look up to these guys, go to the gym for years, never get results that look anything like what they see in mags, and then give up, get fat, and become just like most of the other men out there. With steroids, you can look like the guys in the magazines, but it’s not because you’re taking “Super Supplement XYZ”, it’s because you’re taking hormones, and, THEY WORK.
The other thing to know is that testosterone functions, for most men (90% or so), as male birth control. Yup, just like the pill for women, if you take testosterone regularly, you’re very likely to become temporarily sterile. I’ve been sterile for years because of my TRT, but can reverse it anytime I want using other drugs (HCG and clomid, if anyone wants to know). Male birth control has been around for 50+ years but the knowledge has been suppressed because, as we all know, men “can’t be trusted” and “steroids are bad”.
Finally, specific advice. If you are looking to juice for the first time, don’t get too complicated! I hear of people going out the first time and running 5 different drugs.. That’s crazy; there’s simply no need to do that, you can only grow so fast and there’s not much gained (except risk) by going poly drug. A great 8-12 week cycle for most men is 500mgs/wk of testosterone and .5 to 1mg 3X a week of Arimidex (depending on how you feel). That’s it. No need to over complicate things! Also, you need to get over any fear of needles. Oral steroids are ALL DANGEROUS because they need to go through your liver, and, because of that, they all stress your body a lot more than injections. It’s not that bad, I’ve been doing it 2X a week for years, you get used to it. Not the highlight of my day, but no worse than a lot of other things! If you just want to be sterile, 250mgs/wk of testosterone with .5 Arimidex 3X a week will do it for most men. That’s a high TRT dose, and will make most steroid newbies grow pretty well; but it’s low enough that most people can stay on it indefinitely. Oh, and, one other thing.. Get some Rogaine. 😉 That’s a real negative side effect of steroids, if you’re predisposed to male pattern baldness, steroids WILL accelerate the hair loss. Rogaine (or Propecia, if you can stand the sides) helps immensely.
I know we’ve got GLL posting here a lot as well, and know he’s got a lot of experience with this aspect of masculinity, but, if you’re ever looking for a guest commenter or someone to provide very specific steroid instructions (including how to get them legally from doctors), please reach out.
I agree–use is much more widespread than people realize.
Every Hollywood actor uses. Every guy on a magazine cover uses. Whats even crazier is the amount of women that run clen and anavar for just a bikini contest.
95% of guys who women think “have a great body” use steroids. There are so many guys who use that, to women, it’s become “normal” for a “good body” to be someone who, 60 years ago, would have won Mr. Universe because they are so muscular. It’s kind of like how big boobs have become so normal because of breast aug surgery that 34Cs don’t look “big” anymore (even though they are very big for a thin woman).
Professional bodybuilder before steroids:
http://mothernaturesdietdotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/charles-atlas.jpg?w=300
This guy was one of the “biggest and baddest” of the 1930’s (Charles Atlas). He was the Ronnie Colman of his day, considered a “mass monster” and “huge”.
And then, we have a mass monster today:
http://mothernaturesdietdotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/branch-warren-2.jpg?w=226&h=300
So, basically, if you see someone who looks more muscular than the “before steroids” photo, they are very likely on steroids. Remember, this guy was a genetic freak and was the best of his day, it’s very unlikely that you’d run into someone who’s more genetically gifted than he is.
Overtaxed, send a message to me through my blog when you have time. Thanks!
My first girlfriend had the most beautiful Cs. I was very pleased with them and remember them well. I wouldn’t have called them “big” but they were a great size.
There are natural bodybuilders and athletes today who look better than Atlas. I believe Atlas focused on body-weight training. Lets not discount the advances in exercise methodology, nutrition and supplementation since Atlas’s day.
Nutrition today has improved drastically compared to what it was in the 30’s. Ditto for getting training help and diet advice and a whole host of other factors. I used to train with guys who didn’t juice at all, but they looked bigger and had a better build than Atlas.
Thats bullshit.
If anything, nutrition is worse due to lack of minerals in the soil and the use of pesticides and other destroyers of the earth.
Atlas is the ideal.
Girly men who shot nasty shit?
Scam artists and girly men.
The reason you have girly men is choice, not worse nutrition. Most men look for a solution that skips all the stuff in the middle, which obviously doesn’t work.
Holy shit, I’m natural and I’m bigger/leaner than Mr Atlas! Then again, so we’re Sandow, Reg Park, and a lot of others from that era. Atlas isn’t big today, but I’m surprised that he was ‘big’ even though he had much bigger contemporaries.
Atlas looks rubbish. Your comments on nutrition… you know this for a fact?
Atlas looks good to me. The other of the guy with the lifting bar is a total freak. He will have major man boob issues later in life.
I’m not comparing Atlas to the freak but by any modern standard of physique competition (drug free) Atlas would fail. Sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder but even in his day there were guys with more impressive physiques. Eugen Sandow was more impressive.
Physiology and nutrition knowledge have come a long way since the 30’s. Most men can become Atlas today, without supplements or steroids.
Great post, I’m actually about to run a cycle of tren and I have all the required things, however I’v heard mixed things between cabergolin/dex and B6 in regards to inhibiting prolactin. Just wanted to get your thoughts on it. Obv I’ll be running a serm at the end of the cycle and support supps throughout and a AI at the end as well.
First off, don’t even think about running tren without test. You’ll hate life. Tren will totally shut down your natural test production, you’ll have 0 testosterone and feel like hell. Incidentally, for those looking to get a script for testosterone, this is one way to do it; run tren for a few weeks and then go in and complain of the typical low test symptoms (yes, you’ll have them).
Anyway, off topic. Tren is a short ester, you need to inject every few days. It also isn’t fun to shoot, you’ll taste it and it can make you cough. Just remain calm and make sure you don’t hit a vein (that really sucks, but, again, it’s not going to kill you; the worst part of injecting is the fear that you’re going to hurt yourself; you wont, just relax and ride though any immediate discomfort).
I’d start with 150-200mgs of tren a week with 350-500mgs of test. Run that for 8-12 weeks. You’ll grow like a weed. Honestly, if you’ve never cycled before, I’d drop the tren and just run the test, it’s easier and less rough on the body. Shoot 2X a week, mix the test and tren in one needle (that’ll help with the tren cough).
Are you going to make the tren from fina? If so, make sure you sterilize everything really well! Take your time. I’ve done that several times and never had a problem, but I know some people who have given themselves infections because they didn’t filter or boil afterwards.
Assuming you are going to run 500mgs of test and 200mgs of Tren a week, I would start with 1mg of Adex 3X a week (MWF). I used Prami for prolactin control when using Tren, it’s a very strange drug. I’d suggest you start the Prami before you start the tren to try to get used to it. Try to get yourself to .5mgs 2X per day. It will make you feel like shit the first few times you take it, just grit your way through it. You also may not need any prolactin support if you keep your tren dose low, you could play it by year and see if you get any prolactin sides. Prami is an awesome drug though; once you get through the “adjustment” you’ll be so horny your head will explode. Multiple orgasms that are harder than any you’ve ever had before. And big growth hormone release after you take each dose. I run it continually, but, again, be warned, work up to .5MGs SLOWLY and be prepared for sides (exhaustion and vomiting are the most common). Don’t drive anywhere until you get used to it.
So, in summary, if you’re absolutely locked down on tren (again, if it’s your first cycle, DON’T DO IT, just take testosterone!) here’s what I’d suggest:
Testosterone: 500mgs/wk spit into 2 shots
Tren: 200mgs/wk split into 2 shots (mix in needle with test)
Adex: .5-1MG 3X per week (MWF). If you start feeling emotional or like you’re holding too much water, go up to 1mg. If your joints start to hurt, back down to .5mg.
Prami: .5mgs 2X per day (morning and right before bed), work up to this dose SLOWLY. Start with .1mg 2X per day and climb to .5 over 2 weeks or so.
Good luck! If you do the test/tren combo for 8-12 weeks, I’d be shocked to hear you didn’t gain 20lbs (assuming your diet and workout are dialed in pretty well). You will very likely get stretch marks from a cycle like this. Also, anyone who knows you well will notice a difference in your appearance by week 4 or so. It’s going to be dramatic and fast, so, if you don’t want people to know your “on the gear”, don’t do a cycle like this, do a lower dose of testosterone and spread it out over a long period of time (it looks much more natural). Finally, workout every day except one. Your body will heal like crazy when your taking a cycle like this, you don’t need off days (your wasting your growing potential to not workout).
Thanks for the information, you really know your shit. Yeah I have Prami .25 pills from a friend who just recently finished his tren cycle. He told me the only reason he choose caber over prami was because prami gave him huge lethargic/nausea side effects. Anyways, I do plan on running test as well .Again really appreciate you taking the time to right this out man.
Sure man, no problem, happy to help..
Caber is definitely easier on the stomach. However, Prami is “stronger”, not just on a dosage basis (which doesn’t really matter) but its a more complete agonist (which is why it has more sides). Because of this, it has more pronounced sexual side effects (multiple orgasms, crazy horny) for most people. It also has been shown to release lots of growth hormone (I don’t think Caber has that effect, but I could be wrong, I just don’t recall seeing any research indicating that it does). So, basically, IMHO, if you can stand Prami, run that. If you can’t, run Caber.
Prami, BTW, also has the benefit of being stable in liquid (Caber is NOT, if it’s not a pill, it’s not Caber) so you can get it from the research chemical sites at a very attractive price (good if you want to be on it indefinitely for the sexual/GH sides). I get all my Arimidex, Prami, Cialis and most other support drugs from research chem sites; dramatically cheaper. Just not for human consumption, but, it’s exactly the same thing (in liquid form), and, whatever you do with it after you get it is your business.
Thanks! I got both prami and caber , so I’m going to start with prami when I start tren and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll switch.
I heard taking tren as a first cycle was like taking a formula 1 racer for your drivers test
250mg test-e E3D is apparently the gold standard for first cycle
Yeah your right.
I’ve run just test and adex before, but this was the first time I was thinking about stacking with tren. Tren is one bad motherfuker.
Fantastic, well thought out response / comment. Thank you Overtaxed. BTW, how do you get your roids? Might this be something that’s easier to secure in Mexico?
I get everything through a hormone replacement doctor. It’s all legal, but, as you probably can guess, it’s more expensive than going to Mexico. I pick up my testosterone at CVS. 🙂 So I’m a bit more assured that it’s not horse urine or whatever else they might make test out of in Mexico.
Sorry, you make some solid points but really neglect the huge and i mean huge role that genetics play. There is a reason that people of West African descent have dominated the 100 even though many of Eastern European descent have far greater scientific use of drugs. Genetics trumps Drugs for the vast majority of people(in a filed of relatively even people all using drugs the person with dominant genetics still usually comes out on top). The genetics of elite athletes are so far superior to your commoner that drugs would still not put them in the same ball game. Many try and many fail. I say this as someone who has been around some of the greatest athletes of all time. Someone who has worked with physiologists who develop the drug tests and do the testing. I know some of this people really don’t believe but i employe you to watch Dave Epsteins the sports gene. We all wish we could beat genetics but thats as blue pill as it gets you gotta work as hard as you can with the tools that you were given. Notwithstanding Drugs do help but the bottom line is you don’t get anything for free in this world and those short term benefits may have some long term consequences for some.
I wouldn’t dispute this for most sports (that aren’t pure power). For pure power sports (like weightlifting, for example) I’m convinced that a guy with “good, not great” genes could beat someone with “the best” genes if the good, not great guy had drugs and the best did not. But, for most sports, no way. I’m not going to be Lance Armstrong no matter what I take. Nor am I going to be Jose C or Mark Mc. There’s a lot more to most sports than just being strong.
The thing is, whatever it is on top of being strong that needed for a sport (coordination, speed, etc), by the time you get to the elite levels, you have it. At that point, it does become something that drugs can influence because you all have the “requirements” to compete at that level.
But, again, I agree with your premise. No amount of test is going to make a skinny guy the next Mr. Universe. Thing is, the reverse is also true, no amount of genes is going to let the next Mr. Universe win the contest clean. It’s a combination of the 2 that make the “best” at the highest levels.
I’m pretty sure steroids are the tools we’re given. When society tells us no we reply fuck you I’ma do what I want. When genetics tells us no we reply fuck you I’ma do what I want. Being anti drug is as blue pill as it gets. We have the tools to exceed our limits. Why handicap ourselves just for some smug sense of martyrdom? I’ll leave that to the feminists. When I struggled in school I took adderall, which is basically just a more dangerous form of methamphetamine, and doubled down on my studying by setting up rigid study schedules. I finished my degree on the dean’s list. When I struggled to be strong I took testosterone and doubled down on my diet and exercise efforts. You have no right to complain your shitty mudhut isn’t a mansion when you’re standing next to a pile of tools and materials to build a mansion that is there for you to use.
You don’t get anything for free in this world- that’s about as a red pill quote as it gets! When you take testosterone your body switches off the natural secretion. You essentially are now hooked on test. When you take adderol your body damages the neurological pathways in your brain. Some can manage it but then again that is a matter of genetics of who can respond with having less side effects. Anyone with even the most base understanding of pharmacology and pharmacodynamics will tell you that you don’t get effects without side effects. The bigger the effect usually the bigger the side effect! Taking testosterone and a high level stimulant sounds like a recipe for a coronary heart attack.
I did a few cycles back in my early twenties (i was a part of the steroid-encyclopaedia forum). i’m 32 now and have been clean since but have been thinking about possibly doing another cycle. Of course I had to get my gear illegally from overseas….. If you could please share with me how to get it legally I would greatly appreciate it! thanks in advance
the reason steroids are illegal has nothing to do with health issues.
Fyi hyprocrisy aside millions are dying form alcohol and smoke but those are legal
Peds (perfomance enchancing drugs) are very effective you control those and you control the champions. U.s, rusia , germany and china have the most champions not because they have the best ahtletes but because they control wada.
Just as nike adidas and so forth.
Btw anavar (oxandrlone ) is very safe for the liver with 0 like toxicity(since it isnt 17-hydroxy-10,13,17-trimethyl )and is the prefer able steroid for cutting but very expensive
A simple cycle can be 3x100mg propionate (almost every other day) + 20mg anavar a day for 10 weeks along with arimidex 0,5 a day. also pregnyl 500 ui every week for ur testicles to keep working inside the cycle
Var is not toxic, but I’ve heard it seriously messes up your lipid profile (single-digit HDL) in some cases. The effect would be transient, of course.
Every person ive ever known to take that stuff…+30 people…have had their lives ruined from it. They literally acted like hormonal women on roids.
Real men get in great shape naturally through hard work and a responsible diet. Thats all that is needed. This article is not rok quality material.
Lee,
Get new friends. The people you know who were doing it didn’t know how to use estrogen control drugs (like Arimidex), and, as a result, the testosterone aromatized to estrogen. That’s why the turned into bitchy women, they probably had more estrogen than a 15 year old girl!
Steroids don’t get you in shape. They let you get into a shape that you’d never be able to get your body into without them. I’m fine with people not taking them, but this is an important article and lots of people have their wires all crossed when it comes to how these drugs actually work and what they do.
If you don’t take steroids and aren’t a genetic freak, you’ll never be in “great shape” in comparison to what people expect of gym rats today. You can be skinny with good muscle definition, which, from many reports, is what women seem to like best. Or you can be heavy with lots of strength. But you’re never going to have massive arms with a 32″ waist if you’re not on gear. You’re never going to look like the guys in magazines. And you’re not going to stand out at the beach or in the club; you’ll look good, but not “incredible” like other guy who IS on gear.
You have to decide what’s right for you. Lots of guys are fine with being in good shape and having a small waist (as are most women). But if you want to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club, you’re going to need to gear up.
I think Pitt only weighed about 155-160 in Fight Club so he could have been natural. He also seems to be an ectomorph with naturally low body fat levels. I don’t care what he did or didn’t use, but someone of his size/physique doesn’t make me think of steroids.
He took pgcl. Or at least thats what the rumor is. Funny thing is how women view him in that movie as perfection. Hes 155 pounds…most ladies would never talk to a 155 pound guy.
I used to be 155 in similar shape to Pitt in my early 20s (no didn’t use ‘roids and what 20 year old would?). Girls to pat me on the head and say I was cute.
I think the difference with Pitt (other than being a movie star) is that on the screen he looked bigger than 155. Like how Sly Stallone was about 175 in Rocky III – not quite a heavyweight.
Brad Pitt in Fight Club certainly wasn’t above 160 in Fight Club, probably a little less.
The fact they know he’s rolling in the dough doesn’t hurt either.
Who the heck administered pgcl for Brad Pitt? Are you sure about that, or is it just a rumor of the “he’s ripped, hence must have used some psycho ripping concoction” kind? I can’t see any reason whatsoever to put Brad Pitt on anything like that. Back then, he was such a natural specimen, with so much potential, than futzing with that kind of high risk weirdness just strikes me as crazy. But, I wouldn’t doubt he’d try it, if it came recommended by his trainer/doctor. Who, for all I know, may have had plenty of experience with it from working with more hardcore Body Builders.
Women fall all over themselves for 155lb guys. It’s pretty much the gold standard on screen these days.
Off screen, in a bar, non famous people will inevitably be compared to the guy next to them. In my experience, this favors size. Even of the less than aesthetically “ideal” power lifter kind which doesn’t work too well in photos and film. But on screen, a ripped 150-175 is ideal for most people. Head still looks big enough to suggest brainiac not meathead, while ripped, lean muscles suggest strength.
Umm no retardo. Brad Pitt is one of the best looking humans of all time. His FACE is what gets vaginas wet, not his body or money. HIS FACE. He can rock any hair cut with any wardrobe and body and he will still get vaginas wet
When will u say that 2 my face, fukboy?
I think Jason Statham has a pretty ideal body. He looks pretty strong but not excessively lean or muscular. Looks like a guy who can fight.
I say this as a man that has experimented myself. Literally word for word ever bit of advice you posted on here all of my friends followed. You all get your same info on bodybuilding.com or another random bro science roid forums. The problem is what works for one man…destroys another. And bro scientists are not doctors. Most doctors are just guessing at best cause such little research has even been done on stacking and modern methods of usage.
All your advice given is correct…except when it doesn’t work.
Some people experiment…some people become users. All guys that have become users have one thing in common…they want to be something their not. Taking drugs cause you were unlucky with the genetic lotto is as beta as it gets. Your no better than the slut woman that abuses cocaine to stay thin.
“And bro scientists are not doctors. Most doctors are just guessing at
best cause such little research has even been done on stacking and
modern methods of usage.”
It’s a balancing act. Thing is, what makes you think that the balance you have “naturally” is the right one? For me, it certainly was not. Neither was 750mgs of test with 2mg of Adex, that destroyed me. It takes time to get it right, but, when you do, IMHO, it’s worth it.
It’s not natural to have ACL surgery either, does that mean we should all hobble around?
I don’t get my info on Bodybuilding.com (I’m not even a member there). I get it from hormone replacement doctors, I’ve been doing this under Dr’s orders for years now. I live in Florida, and there lots of anti-aging docs down here who have a good handle on how to do this correctly. I’m not parroting something I’ve read, I’m relaying my personal experience and what worked for me.
To “BigLegs”. Stop training legs. Don’t take so much anti-E that you wind up with dry joints. There are steroids (Deca is the most popular) that are incredibly joint protective, that was the primary steroid of MLB pitchers until they started testing (then they all moved to HGH) because Deca is detectible for so long. Some are joint neutral (test), some are joint negative (tren). You can’t generalize them all into “good” or “bad” for joints.
Don’t try to come on a blog about self improvement for men and tell them that doing something to improve their lives is “beta” . You look like an absolute retard at best and female troll at worst.
And taking drugs because you aren’t happy with your genetic potential is in no way similar to “abusing cocaine”. LOL definite female logic there.
Try again Lisa
Well I guess we know whos in the middle of the dbal/deca stack on this forum.
Using drugs to improve your appearance is not self improvement. You sound like every other beta who tries to build a facade. I bet your instagram says I just eat clean and train…boom! No…your a product of drugs. Man up and stop taking shortcuts through life.
there is no point getting all jacked when you take off your pants for a woman your penis of normal proportions to your small natural frame will look hilarious, even if your Wang is much bigger than her last one, she will only be able to compare the visual illusion, hence women believe that shorter men have bigger dicks because they have smaller bodies which makes their dicks appear larger, since a penis is not proportional to height , a 7 foot tall man can still have a 7 inch penis or a 5’5 man can have a 7 inch penis, sure having a big burly body makes you more alpha to MEN, and makes your peen0r humiliating to women, i stopped training legs , i have a large unit but it’d have to be 10 inches to even look big because of my lifting, most pornstars are below 5’8 in height and don 8 inch penises not bone pressed which makes their sch-longs appear more like 12 inches, for a big tall guy with a 6 inch penis it must be humiliating after a cycle of roidz, especially when she compares you to all those porn men who are jacked and hung , moral of the story, dont damage your health to impress meatheads , you cant stay jacked forever, your joints will fall apart eventually
As a general rule if you’re going to try and make a point it really helps to not make a fool out of yourself with wrong information. Steroids unabated do not shrink your penis, they shrink your testicles. A proper cycle would include the use of hcg along the way which makes the entire issue of shrinkage moot anyway. And then at the end you throw something in there about joints falling apart. Lol okay.
Slayer, I just have to point out the thick irony here. You… you… bah. Forget explanations. You just failed. You are a failure. I can’t believe you.
Are you angry that you are still living in your mom’s basement. Did she bust you with a bag of cheetos and an orange dick? Sorry but everything I said istrue so your post is just sad.
I don’t think he was saying that steroids shrink your dick. What he was saying is that if the rest of you gets bigger, the dick you have will look SMALLER, simply due to the illusion of your larger frame.
Brad Pitt wasn’t that impressive in Fight Club.
Brad Pitt in fight club is absolutely not that big
Come on .. anyone who thinks you need gear to look like this should first of all fix their shitty training and diet and get serious, not look for solutions in a syringe. Anyone who is disciplined and knows what they are doing can absolutely achieve this type of physique given enough time. Many can go much further naturally if they get really serious. You should see some of the natural (regularly drug tested) power lifters I know.
Brad Pitt was tiny in fight club. I’ve been lifting naturally for a year, and I’m 10 pounds bigger than he was, at a lower bodyfat percentage. Don’t lie to people. Reg Park would be incredible today, and he was natural. Also, even though I’m 5 9 180, I consider myself small for a natural, because there are people like Nick Wright running around.
Every person you ever knew? Really, including your parents? Claims over dem internets doesn´t weight much.
There should be plenty of stats, documented examples and articles about it if it is so darn bad.
Even stats and articles that are not accurate and/or biaised but even then, we have something to go after.
Try reading my comment…”Every person ive ever known to take that stuff”…dont know why you would mention my parents.
Seriously…the hamsters are really spinning to justify drug abuse for temporary gains.
Grandma too!
The day I see before/after pictures of skinny guys becoming huge WITH their regular blood-tests attached proving that they never used steroids, I’ll believe that getting muscular for a skinny guy without the use of steroids is possible. Of course it will most likely never happen. Young skinny men need and have to believe!
Every bodybuilder I know uses steroids, every muscular actor in Hollywood (Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, etc.) all of them have you roids to get where they are, some of them have admitted it.
Even the so-called “natty” bodybuilders people like to throw around like they’re proof have used steroids. Should we just believe they haven’t taken hormones because they say so? Like I said, they should do regular blood-tests and publish them.
On the article, it is irresponsible at best, like a lot of the recent articles (Rodger conspiracy, the killer instinct…). It’s a good thing there are some very good articles to counterbalance.
Bale’s more of a beach body but probably stills has “help”. I’m thinking more like the Rock & the whole Expendables crew.
The Rock is on bodybuilder doses of gear. That’s an obvious case. The thing that bothers me is when people say “but Bale is natural” or “Pitt is natural”; the one’s that aren’t “obvious”. None of those guys are natural, they are all taking something because, for them, their bodies are their livelihoods. That’s the same reason that most sports figures are taking all kinds of stuff, that’s how they make their living.
Agree, they’re not as bulky so it’s harder to accuse them of it, but there’s no way it’s just from “a healthy diet & exercise”.
For what it’s worth, I was a tall, skinny guy. 6 ft tall and 130 lbs. After 8 months of serious diet and gym dedication, I gained 20 lbs of pure muscle (body fat % is identical). I’m at 150lb now. I should hit 160-170lb by end of year.
Not trying to brag, but letting you know what is possible with pure determination. 100% natural (no steroids). Only thing stopping you is you. Going to be blunt here: stop being a bitch and making up excuses for your failures. You don’t have to believe I gained 20 lbs of muscle and aiming for 40 lbs of pure muscle in a year. Just go back to your beta ways and protect your ego by saying I’m making all this up.
Retard
There is such a thing as a natty limit
You’re just getting your newb gains now
it slows down
And? Why did you do that? What failures? I don’t see “not working out” as a failure. I don’t care.
The thing I’m tired off is people (what do I say, men only!) who like to put me down about the fact that I’m not musuclar (possibly encouraged by the fact that I’m bald and that I should compensate for it). That’s all.
For what it’s worth, I was a tall, skinny guy. 6 ft tall and 130 lbs. After 8 months of serious diet and gym dedication, I gained 20 lbs of pure muscle (body fat % is identical). I’m at 150lb now. I should hit 160-170lb by end of year.
Not trying to brag, but letting you know what is possible with pure determination. 100% natural (no steroids). Only thing stopping you is you. Going to be blunt here: stop being a bitch and making up excuses for your failures. You don’t have to believe I gained 20 lbs of muscle and aiming for 40 lbs of pure muscle in a year. Just go back to your beta ways and protect your ego by saying I’m making all this up.
Not that I have much knowledge of this topic, but it seems that playing around with hormone levels is a bad idea. I think there are good reasons our testosterone levels drop as we age.
What are those?
“Not that I have much knowledge of this topic”
Should have stopped there. The rest proves your first sentence.
Definitely not true. Respected organizations focused on longevity like the Life Extension Foundation recommend men try to achieve a T-level around 800-900 even as they age. At this (normal) level, men maintain better body comp, less visceral fat (the bad shit), better cholesterol clearance, and less heart disease. Bonus that you look better and maintain some virility instead of being a flabby, weak old man.
Of course, this should be done with a doctor and FDA regulated medications. Basically the opposite of what this article is talking about.
Thanks for the info b-nasty. I have an old high school friend who is prescribed regular testosterone injections as part of his treatment for osteoporosis. I’ve never taken these performance enhancers but have been consistent with regular exercise all my life, so I feel/look fine without them.
I class my self as an Alpha Brony. I am always the one that has the most success with girls and and the leader of our ‘herd’. But I have never seen the need to use anything that is not real and natural. Real and natural foods, not drugs are what will help us reach our potential.
I have been supplementing my Brony diet with equine urea and I also experimented on a weight loss program that included bot flies. I’ve been very successful and now consider myself an Alpha Brony too, I have at least 3 Spank Me Brony dolls with life-like flesh and a harem of women to which I loan them to and videotape their cosplay fetishes as I ram them from behind with my unihorn..
Are you implying testosterone isn’t natural? Also, check out equipoise, it’s a real drug made to beef up bronies, it just happens to be good for humans tooI’d sasay its used more by humans than in livestock. It’s a godsend for hard gainers. Nothing wrong with being a natty bitchboi, but some of us have lives and want to work hard, then go home to study or play or whatever. Curling babby weights for 8 hours a week is nothing compared to lifting as heavy as you can until just before failure then going home to eat a shit load and sleeping like a dead princess. II probably spend no more than 3.5 hours a week in the gym doing basic compounds with a couple accessory work thrown in yet I look better than every person there, even the veterans who are blasting and cruising. Work smarter, not harder.
There was a documentary that came out a few years ago on this subject that was pretty interesting called “Bigger, Stronger, Faster*”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigger,_Stronger,_Faster*
I’ve never used steroids or any kind of performance enhancers at all but it definitely opened my eyes up to the government propaganda against them.
“Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5/4 stars, saying that it is “remarkable in that it seems to be interested only in facts.”
Highly recommend watching it if you have time. The full documentary is available on youtube.
This was a very interesting film, I saw it when it came out.
The government has a hate on for these drugs, similar to the witchhunt that’s finally ending over pot. The fact that we spent taxpayer money investigating steroids in baseball should give you an idea of the government’s role in all this.
I really liked the last 5 points at the end of the article. They nailed my thoughts on it exactly. I’ve been around steroids for years through athletics and gyms but never used any. The short term goals you attain don’t out way the long term damage it inflicts on your body. Most people do not realize how many other drugs you need to take to balance out the chemical effects taking place in your body especially when coming off a cycle. Nothing supplements a strong disciplined eating and lifting regimen. At the end of the day its your own personal choice though. good article.
Good common sense article. One thing to add, gynecomastia (bitch tits), impotence, and roid rage aren’t guaranteed side-effects, but makes the risk almost a no-brainer.
I did a cycle few years ago and had a wicked case of the rage. Had a friend who got jacked but ended up with bitch tits. Unless your pro-contract is on the line, natural is better.
For me the question is why? One of the things I’ve started to believe is that being a slave to anything is one of the easiest ways to fuck up your quality of life. Debt, alcohol, drugs, material possessions, etc……shortcuts and cheat codes typically don’t work in real life.
You start out owning this shit, but it ALWAYS ends up owning you.
It always starts out innocently enough, a simple trade off. “Sure there are some downsides, but there are workarounds for those, the key is to just keep it under control”.
A few months later and you are knee deep in this shit without even realizing it. A little testicle shrinkage here, some baldness and bitch tits there……no bigs, just supplement your supplement with these supplements, and don’t forget the Rogaine and maybe some Tetracyline will help with that acne….its all good.
Yo maybe need to buy a backpack to haul all that shit around in though.
For what? To get bigger muscles? Past a certain point, nobody gives a shit (actually that point comes pretty quick). Chicks avoid meat-heads and overly muscled guys, even the author admits they tend to go for a leaner, harder look (Pitt, Beckham, etc.)
Steroids are just another bullshit quick fix that will suck up your time and money, enslave you to a bullshit routine, and basically net you zip. Avoid.
Some are trying to make it in the NFL, lol
stfu faggot
you’re the typical “I don’t work out because I don’t wanna get too big” type
pathetic loser
One cycle of test-e can make you look incredible with no side effects in most cases as long as you have an estrogen blocker and a pct
Post a pic of your body please. Please. DYEL? U MAD?
I actually agree with the OP. Most of the hottest women I’ve met are extremely turned off by the monstrous guys at the gym that all look exactly the same. I think it’s a HUGE mistake to go the steroid route.
I know a couple of people who did some steroid cycles. The first one was a guy my age who quit after he started to develop these hard fatty pockets in his skin in one of his cycles. He’s now a Wal-Mart security guard with an average body and bitch tits.
The other guys is an awesome dude who is a male nurse that I work with. He still looks built. In school he was the smallest guy so he wanted to get built. He worked out tirelessly and even looked up how to sleep to promote the release of human growth hormone (Its released about 1.5 hours into sleep so he would wake himself up every two hours). He got pretty darn built but later developed Crohn’s and had to fight cancer (he beat it).
Don’t take your bodily integrity lightly. I recently learned that while taking Phentermine for weight loss. I had some side effects and injured myself while working out. For about a week and a half I had symptoms similar to a heart attack. I even went to the ER. I had an anxiety attack and I’ve never had one of those before. My blood pressure and pulse went crazy and my pulse is still acting funny so I’ve got an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow to run some more tests to make sure that my heart is fine.
I think these movie stars, fitness coaches, bodybuilders, pro athletes, and whoever else will eventually have to admit what they’re doing. “You can work hard, switch up your fitness routine every now and then, eat the healthiest diet you can manage to get down, but if you want to at least RESEMBLE us, the average guy will need to take something.” That’s all they’d have to say if they were honest.
This.. This, dead on. There’s so much shame and dishonesty that there’s a whole generation of men out there that don’t understand why they can’t get themselves to look like those the see everyday on TV/movies. Some honesty around this issue would be wonderful for everyone! Read Jose C’s book (Juiced), for a view into what it’s like in the MLB. It’s much worse in other sports. There are a few books about the Tour de France that talk about the lengths these guys go to win, forget steroids, they are using blood transfusions to try to up their hemocrit before they ride. And all kinds of exotic substances to try to get around the regulations, stuff that nobody really knows what the heck it does to you long term (or even short term). It’s nuts, all the rules are doing is making people use stuff that’s totally untested so they don’t get caught. It would be much safer to just let them use the older/tested steroids.
I think you should not use them, unless you are a professional athlete (you compete and get paid for that). Because you don’t know how your body would react to that. Professional atheltes have doctors, you don’t.
I do believe it’s kind of a drug. At least a psychological. After you stop using them, you loose all the benefits you’ve scored (power + muscle). This will lead you to use it on and on.
As for steroids being ilegal. People don’t read books today and you expect them to read dozens of articles (and understand them) about stuff that have a potential to ruin their life? Wake up.
I’m not sure there’s a consensus on how much of your gains you loose when you stop using steroids. But I have a theory: the more you go over your natural genetic potential, the more you loose. I’m pretty sure you do not loose ALL your size and strength when you go off a cycle. If you get 20 lb. bigger than your genetic limit you’ll probably keep some of that when you go off. But going 70 lb. over your limit . . . you get the idea.
Here’s the deal, and it’s boilerplate American Double Standard.
If you take steroids to become some kind of real world Incredible Hulk, you risk:
Blood clots
Stroke
Cancer
If you take hormones to become some kind of girly shemale trans thing you risk:
Blood clots
Stroke
Cancer
But why is the steroid route illegal and the estrogen route “accepted” to such level that there are organization trying to get everybody (who pays taxes) to foot the bill?
We know why.
Testosterone is a 3 B dollar legal medical product. Companies such as Eli Lilly and Abbott sell T products legally to those with a physicians prescription. Most commercial health plans play for these products.
Your claims are interesting but just not true.
Pay*
Annnnd how many would-be trannies/shemales get busted and convicted when they are caught with estrogen? I’m pointing out the double-standard.
3 Billion dollars is a lot of legal testosterone use for men with low T. None of them have been put in jail or busted. This is just a little delusional victim fantasy on your end.
I’m saying that if I went and got some steroids at the back of the gym and got caught, I would be charged with a crime. But when someone goes to one of those little parties for people who want to play around with their identity and gets some estrogen, you never hear of them getting busted. All I want is equal treatment under the law. Either allow people to do what they want with their bodies (like abortion for example) OR bust people for breaking the law in any case. Fair is fair. If you don’t like that, then make it an actual law that growing pecs is bad but growing tits it OK so that we at least know there’s a double standard and can then come in later to get that equality that the so-called “left” says they want. Fair is fair. If you don’t like equal treatment under the law then see if North Korea is taking immigrants.
People on estrogen therapy need a prescription from a health care provider: be it tranny or older women.
Men who need testosterone therapy need a prescription from a health care provider.
Both need prescriptions for health plan reimbursement to access legal drugs. If they sold prescription drugs “on the streets,” it is a federal crime regardless of whether it is T or estrogen.
Seems pretty equal to me.
Estrogen isn’t scheduled whereas testosterone is. India pharmacies selling estrogen and progesterone are easy to find and get through customs without a cinch. If my test e and tren were looked at it customs at best they’d seize it, at worst I’d be going to prison.
Here’s Бай Хуй
http://blog.bg/photos/170892/rakovksi-2013.jpg
Steroids or not?
built like Ryan Reynolds in his Blade days, not quite the next Arnold or whoever, perhaps not steroids, but not all natural like a diet from just oatmeal and kale, lol
I’ve heard this about considering steroid use:
Big / Lean / Natural – Choose 2
Your thoughts? Me personally, at 30 years old I’ve been working out around 100 days a year for 10 years so I’ve built a solid foundation at 6’2″ 190 lbs. Pretty lean. Next week I’m getting bloodwork done, I’m taking a hormone profile to see where my baseline is. I would like my T levels to be optimal and healthy going forward. I have no desire to get “huge” but I wouldn’t mind getting up to 200-210lbs by lean gains.
Steroids aren’t “synthetic”.
The majority of steroids come from horse and/or bull semen.
That doesn’t make them “synthetic” though.
Everyone I have ever met who was on this crap was an idiot though.
Seriously.
Talk about misusing your body.
No real men take steroids.
Just gym rats.
Exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic.
That depends on your definition of synthetic… No it doesn’t.
Synthetic doesn’t mean bad , if you take vitamin D in supplement form that is synthetic vitamin D.
The problem is idiots, not the tools that when used by intelligent people that understand them treat disease and save lives.
Dude. Testosterone does not come from bull semen. Who in the name of hell told you that? Test is synthesized in the lab, typically starting from an extract of soy protein (which is an estrogen mimic, and therefore, can be pretty easily manipulated into testosterone).
The only “steroid” (in quotes because it’s not actually an anabolic steroid) that I know of that came from anything alive is HGH. HGH was, for a time, pulled out of cadavers (it’s not anymore).
Again, the myth machine surrounding steroids is just amazing.
LOL at this fucking moron. Bull semen?? Anabolic steroids are near exact synthetic molecular replicas of the hormone testosterone with slight variations in the molecular makeup which can make some more androgenic or more anabolic but I know you have no fucking clue what any of this means.
Keep drinking your kool aid…..I think a new episode of ” Owww my balls!” is on..better hurry!
I took a cycle of equipoise and deca for 16 weeks during a rotation to Afghanistan. Before the cycle I was a fit 190. I did 99 push-ups in 2 minutes and was running 2 miles in ~12:30. After the cycle I gained 10 lbs, dropped 2% bf, was able to do 112 push-ups, and run in the low 12s on a 2 miler. I also used proper pct and retained a good 75-80% of my gains one year later. Steroids, when used properly, work.
I was thinking that in some circumstances, steroide use may increase one´s chances of survival, even if only slightly.
It absolutely did. And I can guarantee plenty of operators are using some form of PED.
You took equipoise and deca without testosterone? Good lord, if you saw gains like that with such a f**ked up cycle, imagine what you would have seen if you did it right. Deca and equipoise BOTH bomb testosterone levels, you shouldn’t take either without adding test back in. Your body sees deca, equipose, tren (see my post below) and other AAS as testosterone and shuts your natural production down. All fine and dandy as long as your ALSO taking testosterone with it. If not, you’ll have plenty of deca/tren/eq running around but no test! And test is what you need to feel good, have a sex drive, have motivation, be aggressive, etc… Your test levels while on deca/eq must have been around that of a 5 year old girl. 🙂
Deca is so effective at suppressing sex drive that it’s actually considered a form of chemical castration. Bodybuilders call it “deca dick”. 🙂 The treatment is more test and something like Caber/Prami to control the prolactin.
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/anabolic-steroids/deca-durabolin-nandrolone-decanoate-670917-3.html
1. I wanted to increase my red blood cell count as I was at altitudes of 8k+ feet in a combat zone. It worked great for that as I was always the most capable person at getting vertical under fire.
2. I had zero problems during or following the cycle. So your supposition that I would have problems was inaccurate.
3. Everyone responds differently to steroids. Assuming what I took was fucked up is very naive based on the successful results it yielded compared to the guy so knew taking test cycles who bulked up more but were not nearly as effective at their jobs.
By “fucked up” I mean “could have been so much better” with the addition of just a little bit of test in there. Most guys feel terrible with their test levels very low (as your must have been). But, as you say, everyone is different. I’d never recommend a cycle like that to anyone; deca is great and EQ is wonderful for RBC count, but both are very suppressive of testosterone production. However, as you said, you were doing it for a specific purpose, and, for that, it sounds like it worked great.
Getting guys ready for pre-contest or photo shoots they do the same type of thing. Massive doses of stuff that cannot aromatize (like tren) with lots and lots of strong anti-E drugs (like letro). Cuts the water out of you like crazy, makes you look wonderful, but feel like doom. But again, for a specific purpose, it’s the right regimen to take.
Soon enough, if it hasn´t already begun, it will move one step further…
10 years is a little ridiculous. If you’re careful with tendons and ligaments you can start roiding the moment you have a solid routine and basic form down, though it’s best to exhaust noobgains for all theyre worth first. In 6 months your nervous system should be ready, diet should be controlled by then too. As long as they’re not adding 15 pounds to the bar each workout they’re fine.
Anyone against roids isn’t a real man. Men like tools, women bitch and moan and want things handed to them or go about it in retarded ways. Roids helps you train harder than you could natty, faster results, and makes you feel alpha as fuck. It’s respectable wanting to be drug free I guess, kind of like monks who vow to be celibate, poor, or silent. Also kind of dumb because who would purposely avoid wealth, sex, and talking? It’s one thing if you’re religious, but there is no excuse for not taking aas otherwise.
Anabolic steroid induced hypogonadism … in other words they make your dick shorter in length when erected.
As Бай Хуй I can’t allow this to happen. LOL
Another lamestream media myth. Steroids DO NOT make your dick shorter lol. They make your balls shrink in size because that is where your natural production of testosterone comes from and when you have large amounts of exogenous hormone in your body well…your natural production shuts down temporarily.
Such misinformation regarding this. For fucks sake all it takes is 5-10 mins of your own study time which you can pull up on any number of websites. I know thats too much to ask when living in the Idiocracy though.
Anything that makes the brain tell the testes to stop producing testosterone is No-No with Бай Хуй. When anything atrophies, you don’t get it back, its dead.
p.s. see my picture below. all natural.
You realize many vegetables influence your bodies estrogen and testosterone levels right? If you stop eating you’ll fade away faster than your nuts on 2g test a week. I think you have a lot to learn on biology and health related stuff though. You’re confusing atrophy with necrosis. There’s a huge difference between the two. You absolutely can get back something that has atrophied. Even with necrosis if this stem cell, regenerative medicine, and organ printing work out even necrotic stuff could be gotten back.
There are no drugs that make your dick shorter. The gonads would be your testicles, and while they do get a little smaller the longest I’ve been on is 14 weeks and after clomid and nolva they were back to their usual size in about 3 weeks. I’m very close to my testicles so I make sure to take care of them . That said it was worth it for the 34 pounds I put on(15 was water and fat, but still). If anything steroids made my dick bigger, I would get a boner from just seeing a girls ankle, no matter how fat or old. I came faster too, and even though prolactin wasn’t a problem I added cabergoline so I can fuck again with no break after the first round. Aas is not a decision to be taken lightly because there are risks, but unless you’re blasting for 6 months I think the family jewels will be ok, certainly size wise. The bigger problem is fertility, but hcg willgt ththe sperm production back up.
Real man don’t do roids. Why do you need them? To satisfy your narcissistic self-image? Fag. Enjoy being reliant on them to keep an unnatural amount of muscle mass from vanishing. You will hinder your natural test production for the rest of your life for your temporary gains. Unless you’re a high level athlete that doesn’t get caught or a movie star a man should not do steroids. Reliance on an external factor is for weaklings.
Once again, I am thankful as fuck to not live in America, which has become a fucking fascist police state. You can’t walk down the street nowadays without the risk of someone suing you because you “looked at them the wrong way”.
In the rest of the world, many drugs, including steroids, are easy to get and basically legal. Just a daily reminder that America is one of the LEAST free places on earth.
Steroids are legal all over Southeast Asia (Philippines, Thailand, etc).
This post is worthy followup to yesterday’s “America’s culture of narcissism”.
Women have fake tits, ass, lips using botox and what not.
Men having fake muscles using steroids or what not.
What a fucking fake country America is.
My friend that took steroids ruined his dick. He did what every other bro-scientist told him to do, “take estrogen blockers.” Unfortunately, once your testes have their testosterone production shut down, that’s it, it’s over for your sex life. “Hypogonadism”, google it. That’s when your testicles can no longer produce testosterone. You will have to take artificial testosterone for the rest of your life. No amount of post cycle therapy can restore your testicles to 100% production. Steroids are harmful each time you take them. There are no shortcuts to getting the body you want.
Dude, don’t throw scare “DARE” garbage around. He didn’t “ruin his dick”. As long as he takes his testosterone, I’m sure his dick works just fine. He’s just shutdown himself hard, and, yes, that can be “forever”. Guess what? If you don’t take steroids, it happens to pretty much all men as they age, eventually their production will taper off. If you shut yourself down hard you accelerate the process. It’s only a problem if you want to come off the drugs, as long as you stay on, your dick (and everything else, with the possible exception of sperm) work just fine.
Also, most docs have NO CLUE how to restart a shutdown. In almost all cases it’s possible, but it requires strange regimens of drugs, a lot of which docs have no experience with at all in men (HCG and Clomid are 2 of the biggies).
People like me on TRT are on for life, I’m not coming off, so I don’t really give a crap about my natural production.
Are you insane??
You can have the testosterone supplement, I’ll keep my above average body without the supplementation.
At least I don’t need Viagra and hormones to fuck my girl, bro. Lol
Argh I haven’t even finished the article and already im steamed. lets be very clear about this – testosterone IS produced by the male form and is natural in varying quantities relevant to age etc.
the best examples of why steroids are a BAD THING are when steroids are used by idiots, bought from idiots, for idiot reasons – and where I do not advocate it (although I cannot deny the effort put in) is examples in the IFBB like Jay Cutler or Phil Heath or Dennis Wolf who have epitomized effort, blood, sweat and tears to create what they have.
Would I advocate its use for your average Joe looking to pack on?? Hell’s no – plenty of gains can be had with just hitting the gym, diet and consistency consistency consistency!!!!! Sure you wont look like some of the guys listed above and if you want then its there.
would I advocate it to men 30+ who have followed a healthy lifestyle??? Absolutely – studies are rampant of the decline in male testosterone past the age of 40 not only that but the decay of the body is also rapid past that age, I would advocate and support those who take it with the following conditions:
– Prescribed by a doctor in sensible dosages
– Administered by a doctor
– The obligation by the patient to maintain a healthy lifestyle
– Bloodwork checked and reviewed regularly
the end of the article was spot on – all those points are correct.
Did Jack LaLanne do steroids as well?
Why take steroids at all? It makes sense for those where it’s the difference between signing a multimillion dollar contract and nothing. But for everyone else who stands to make no money and impress virtually no one? Meh.
When I posted about hookers, you censor/ban me. But steroids are okay. Just checking. Should I shoot them IM, IV, or hotline into my neck?
Here in Bangkok they are totally legal and over the counter and you see lots of Aussies coming here for “steroid vacations.” Female hormones can also be picked off the shelf and hence so many ladyboys.
I can’t believe no one ever mention Deer/elk antler velvet or Bovine colostrum. These are natures most anabolic substances, More anabolic than liver or eggs. I use elk velvet antler and I’m strong, lean and muscular with very low body. I have a high sex drive, deep voice and sweat a lot lol. This shit works at $25 bucks for a 2 week supply. It ain’t that bad. It will increase your body’s level of testosterone, Insulin Growth like Factor 1 (IGF-1) and Human growth Hormone while reducing cortisol, an extremely catabolic hormone that causes belly fat and muscle wasting. Stupid people fuck with man made inventions and they end up getting what they deserve sooner or later. Use natural super foods that have been used by ancients for thousand of years. Maca powder, Colostrum, Elk/deer antler. Sheep and deer placenta. Reishi mushrooms. Ginseng teas. This is where energy and vitality is at. Not some synthetic drug created in a lab only a couple of decades ago.
Yeah, right http://musclereview.net/deer-antler-spray-review/
Steroids can cause baldness? Give you man-boobs? Shrink your balls? Make you sterile? Give you acne? Sounds sexy. Count me in.
And aspirin can kill you.
And water can kill you.
I lost a Nut to Cancer 5 years ago. That and the combined intensive chemotherapy have resulted in significantly decreased testosterone production I.e Hypogonadism.
I get a shot of the good stuff every 3 months (used to be every 2 weeks, Sustanon) and the benefits are tangible. If I skip I suffer from depression, fatigue, forgetfulness, lethargy and of course, zero libido.
If you think you may suffer from low Testosterone, I would strongly recommend talking to your Physician.
TLDR: Testosterone is fucking magic.
Commie,
What are they giving you that only needs to be administered every 3 months? Undecanoate? Even that, with a crazy long 1/2 life, I’d want to get a shot every month. The idea is to get your levels as constant as possible. I currently do 2 shots a week of enanthate, and less frequently than that and I start to feel peaks and valleys.
And yes, I agree, the benefits are huge and really do, IMHO, justify the risks. Particuluarly if you’re not going into the “way high” doses. 100-200mg/s per week will put most guys into the high or slightly supra-physiological range. That’s a great level for many people to maintain, you’ll feel good, add muscle easily, but, typically, won’t have a ton of negative sides.
Its amazing how everyone thats posting has never used steroids and are speaking like they are experts. Who are you to tell people if they should or should not use steroids. Which im sure you smoke and drink alcohol but thats acceptable.
Do you know how many ppl were admitted to the hospital last year from steroids, 195 people. And thats bc they used dirty needles and got infected. Testosterone is a hormone already present in your body, but when you injected it it just becomes present at higher level. Absolutely nothing foreign to your body. Birth control works the same by elevating estrogen or progesterone past a certain limit, but birth control is acceptable and test is not bc test is demonized and there is a huge propaganda.
Used responsibly, steroids are safer than tylenol and any other medication. The horror stories you hear are of people taking mega doses, which would be equivelent of having a headache and taking 5 bottles of tylenol to treat it. And still noone has died as a direct result of steroids ever.
Anyway end rant. The reason I know alot more than all the idiots commenting is because I have used steroids, and I have used then alot. I used to work out naturally for 7 years, I ate healthy, I lifted heavy, I did everything right. At my peak I did 275 lbs for 7 reps on bench press at 211 lbs which is not bad. But I put in serious work to reach that. Result? I still looked like shit and I gained maybe 10 to 15 lbs of muscle tops. And I cud not make any more gains no matter how much I ate, how much I rested, muscle confusion, change in reps, you name it I did it.
Now considering im very tall at 6’5 I looked very awkward bc I was skinny looking and I had zero confidence. And I wud get made fun of from working out so much but never really looking like I work out. This means I wasnt blessed with the best body building genetics.
So I decided to do a cycle of testosterone 500 mg a week for 12 weeks, which for ppl that dont know anything about steroids is the smallest dose possible. Your body makes about 150 mg a week, so I did about 3 times the supra physiological dose. Fast forward 3 months and im at 250 lbs. My bench press was 315 for 10 reps and I got big as hell.
End result? Never felt better and more confident in my life. Compliments started like crazy, people respected me so much more and took me alot more seriously. And whichever idiot says girls dont care about muscles is a fucking moron. The amount of girls I started banging exponentially increased. And my gf right now is a dime peice, which before I was lucky to date a 7.
And your prolly thinking this cost me a fortune, nope, 200 bucks, about the price of supplements for 3 months.
Did a few more cycles and now im at 275 lbs and people treat me like a god now. Bench press is 405 lbs for 6 reps.
Anyway what I’m trying to say is that steroids have its place. Theyve changed my life big time and I have never been happier in my life and it’s the best investment I have ever made.
Once my friends saw everything that went thru, they all jumped on the train as well and are enjoying the benefits of it. And also know steroids are very common, estimate is that at least 10 million americans use steroids. If they were dangerous people would be dropping left and right.
So do alot of research before making ignorant claims especially on something you know nothing about.
I’ve used (and am using) steroids. And couldn’t agree with you more.
Pictures/Videos or it didn’t happen …
One point no one really seems to have touched on is health, and one thing that is true, is ANY pharmaceutical drug has side effects and negative consequences, from aspirin to Ritalin to steroids, they all go against the body’s natural order and disrupt various pathways in the body, because the body works like a web; it’s interconnected on every level if one thing goes out of balance, in this example synthetic testosterone then that puts many other things out of balance, even immune and inflammatory markers and reduces various nutrients in the body such as zinc in this example. Of course the severity of side effects and short term/long term health effects vary with any drug however to say steroids don’t impact optimal health is wishful thinking and plain stupid.
I’m a weightlifter myself and i even bought some steroids (injectables) a couple years back thinking i would take them at some point, although I never did as i started to get into health more and more and realised there was no point; I also had and still have an amazing natural physique (with average genetics imo) to the point where guys always comment and ask me about working out and women comment and open me on practically a daily basis.
All it took was a real quality diet and training like a man. most guys I see training these days lift until there a little fatigued whilst in between exercises or sets texting on their phones etc.
To any guys out there who are not sure whether to take or not, let me tell you that YOU CAN build a very impressive and desirable physique in not that long a time naturally ifyou give your body the right tools and stimulus to build, I recommend starting reading about health and how the body works and that will give you the key. I honestly think that any guy who decides to get overly big with steroid use either has a chip on his shoulder; in that he needs to be the biggest, the strongest in order to make up for his lack of confidence and self esteem, so in actual fact steroids are a pretty blue pill beta thing to do.
either that or they have some mental health condition, I’ve never met a guy on gear (and i’ve met countless) who wasnt obsessed with weights and the gym and a bit of a boring asshole. With that said your all men make your own minds up; Also a side note, remember what testosterone is used for (naturally) apart from obvious sexual male characteristics, it spikes when we are in certain situations or around women to make us behave as we should around them and having elevated artificial levels all the time will make you think differently in situations where it doesn’t warrant.
anyway I’m off to sprint up some hills like a man and reap the benefits of my natural test BOOM!!!!!!!!!
I banged the hottest woman I’ve ever seen with these two eyes, and I never used steroids. You don’t need them period. Not worth the risk.
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