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Do you still feel you've got more muscle/look better a few years after?

The reason I ask in the guy in this Guardian story, seems to have gone from fat, to shit hot and then straight back to fat.

Is this normal?

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2280111,00.htm

ps... how do you make this link live?

No it's not. Waaaaaaaay back in the olden days I used to cycle on and off from a stack of Sostenon, Deca and Equipoise. When I quit about 10 years ago I lost a significant amount of mass in the first couple months, but I never lost all the gains I made. I didn't balloon back into a manatee either. I don't recommend anyone trying it because steroids are like potato chips, it's hard to do just one cycle. People also tend to over do it because they start thinking more is better when more is dumber. I'm not going to lie and exaggerate the side effects either. I had a moderate amount of backne that always cleared up a couple weeks into the cycle, no testicular atrophy, no roid-rage or bitch-tits. Maybe my experience is atypical, but the author of that article just comes across as a sensationalist hack.

Hey RBY,

Do you know anything about these so-called "legal" steroids? I've seen ads for these steriod alternatives in several legitimate fitness magazines, and when I read up on them, it appears that the mfgs are slightly modifying the chemical makeup of illicit steroids so that they can be sold as over-the-counter "supplements." Typical supplements have not really provided the gains I'm after, but I definitely don't want to cross the line into banned substances. I've taken Halodrol and similar products, which have resulted in some modest gains. I really want to increase lean mass by about 10-15%, though, and these supplements don't come close to providing that kind of a boost. Despite consistent and dedicated gym time, I just don't know how to reach my goals without "help."

Anyway, don't mean to hijack PicJon's thread; just curious about others' experiences.

PicJon said

ps... how do you make this link live?

When posting your message, click the URL button at the top of the text editor. It will display a bb-code type tag:

[ url ]HTTP ADDRESS GOES HERE[ /url ]
(no spaces inside of the square brackets, though)

Delete the 'http address' placeholder text and then paste in the desired link/URL. E.g.,

[url]http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2280111,00.htm[/url]

Cheers... do you know I think it's something about that link though that doesn't work even with the url on each side. Shame coz it's an interesting one.

Yeah I think the journalist is totally exaggerating just to plug his book and get in the papers.

He does say that he went into a 'funk' where he ate pizza and wanted to get fat.

I'm not quite sure I believe he totally changed his body in such a short space of time... I mean, he put on loads of muscle... but where did the fat go?

As per the "legal steriods" Ive been taking Winni-V for about a month now, its a cyclostanazol supplement that dissolves under your toungue and tastes like salty garbage.

I didnt notice any results from it until recently... maybe because I wasnt taking it daily. Anyways, its definately doing its job, though not as quickly as I would like.

As per steroid gains, a kid I know got put on some kind of steroids when he was younger, something to do with an illness he had. He started seeing an increase in muscle mass and just ran with it. Hes been working out a lot and he hasnt lost any of the muscle he had when he was on them. The only thing Ive noticed with him is the backne thing. I think it depends on your body type and if you keep up your training after you end it.

Gah! I feel kinda dumb asking this... but what's backne? I tried looking it up but can't find it.

reedw saidGah! I feel kinda dumb asking this... but what's backne? I tried looking it up but can't find it.

Just guessing: a combination of "back" and "acne" to refer to acne (pimples) on one's back.

I added an el ( l )' to end of the URL and it worked = .htm becomes .html

After reading the article and with significant experience in the area myself including an enlarged prostate, I was shocked that the author mentioned nothing about having sex while he was so huge and pumped and alluring.

For me, that, besides part of my HIV treatment, was the reason WHY I went there in the first place, never genetically blessed or athletically inclined. Yes, juice works if it's done right, prescribed by a savvy physician, cycled and monitored and conservatively.

Legal Steroids

In the UK you can buy superdrol and epistane legally.

Superdrol has a lot of side effects - epistane is slightly milder but less dramatic.

I don't know about the situation in the US. Even though they are 'legal' they are still steroids and need post cycle therapy etc etc

Keeping mass after a cycle

People seem to be divided on whether or not you keep your gains after a cycle.

Although personally I think you should keep something so long as you know what you are doing even without steroids

I can imagine someone with no knowledge of gaining by just taking a load of steroids and then, coming off and losing it all because they don't know about diet control etc etc.

That said, I'm sure if you gain muscle like the guy in the article... you've got to know a lot about losing weight and doing exercises etc etc

Yes, you do keep some of your gains, but not all. You especially keep gains from the first cycle. It's like you body sucks up all the hormones and pushes to a new level where it's been waiting to go. Later cycles are tougher to gain on and for maintaining gains.

So-called legal steroids do work, if they are precursors to steroids. Such as superdrol and the like. However, if taken in sufficient quantity to effect changes, you may also get steroid side effects (acne, oily skin, restlessness, thinning hair, shrunken testes, etc.). And you will spend a lot of money, because they are rapaciously priced. If you are thinking of going that route, real steroids give you much better bang for the buck.

[quote][cite]Do you still feel you've got more muscle/look better a few years after?[/quote]

Yes. I've kept it all.

There was a thread on this a little bit ago. That guy was over the top. I think the key is not using the roids as a crutch. You need to feed and work out your body properly. there is no magic bullet to a perfect body.

Everyone is different. Some guys keep their gains and don't use any post therapy drugs to help kick their hypothalamus and testicular axis back into shape to produce its own natural test.
I, on the other had, have used Clomid and other ancillary derivatives to help me keep the gains that I made while on a cycle. I was 252lb at my heaviest and am currently 220 but not as nearly defined as I was back then. I've also had an interruption to training recently, due to a health concern, which is more the reason why I'm not as lean. But I plan to get lean and ripped toward the end of summer.

I loved being on cycles. I'm not sure if I will do them again. I will do hormone replacement therapy if my natural testosterone levels fall below normal. This is common and normally happens at the age of 40 for men and continue to decline from that age onward. By the way, it's important for men to keep track of their test levels. If they fall below normal, due to whatever reason which creates long term low levels, calcium absorption becomes critically impaired. So keep on eye on this.

All the hype about governmental authorities talking about the dangers in relation to steroid use is such a waste of time. Well, yes there are dangers but that comes from abuse, not just use. Aspirin can be dangerous too if abused. Cigarettes and booze are linked to health concerns but you'll never see them unlegalized because of all the tax revenue made off of them.

Thanks, it's a really interesting thread.

Most people say you can keep your gains - but probably won't keep all of them.

The guy in the Guardian Article must have just stopped living the 'fitness lifestyle'... he pretty much says as much.

there are more post cycle things to remember:

- lowered white blood cell count
- high blood sugar
- hogh liver fat
- lowered cholesterol.

I went on a cycle to regain muscle lost through years of treating my body wrong and bad training. I will likely keep a lot of the gains, but they are not very noticable. Mostly rebuilding muscle that was deep downand turned to fat. I am an easy gainer, so it was just the boost I needed at the time. I have seen more changes in my body from training naturally and knowing where I have pushed myself in the past.

I live with a guy who said he put on 3kg of muscle.

I've no idea what that looks like.

What are steroids, are they some type of supplement?

Anabolic steroids

are synthetic drugs similar to the male hormone,

testosterone. They are taken as tablets, in powder

form, or by intramuscular injection, to improve muscle

growth, strength, and power. They can be acquired on

prescription for the treatment of a number of diseases

including anaemia, breast cancer, and post-surgical

muscle wasting



Muscle Growth! Yum!

Chizzad said It is natural to lose a portion of what you have gained when coming off of steroids but a lot of people neglect the post or recovery part of a cycle. When the guys neglect the post cycle therapy they are just asking to lose it all.

What is post cycle therapy??

How would one monitor (test) ones natural testosterone levels?

Blood or urine tests?

Blood tests.

You can go to your doc for a testosterone levels test. If you are embarassed, say your sex drive suddenly dropped. Or you can order a home test kit on-line and send in results. do a google on "home testosterone testing" and you will see some labs to contact.

That's a good idea. Then you'll save money on a doctor's visit. Going to the doctor for testing only is a waste of money as the doctor gets paid his rate for doing basically nothing since the lab that it's sent to is what does all the work.

I did a 'light' 12 week cycle of test/deca, tapered off and stopped Mid-May. When will my body start making it's own tes again? I feel kinda listless and NO sex drive. I haven't taken Clomid or anything else at all.

You gotta take Clomid and it's also a good idea to take HCG. You're going to have no sex drive and your body is going to change and not for the better.

If you're going to do cycles include these ancillaries as a part of your arsenal for muscle development.

oh shit. what is HCG? Where do I get that and clomid and how much does it cost?

also, if I do nothing, will my body just eventuallty go back to making normal levels of tes?

thanks!

It's true that a first cycle is probably when your body responds the most. I did a 3rd cycle earlier this year and instead of losing anything, I feel I've kept it all and feel stronger than when I was on steroids. I think the key for me was making sure I kept at it in the gym. I work hard, and I'm keeping everything I gained so far--weeks later. Again, everyone is different.

FuzeBox saidoh shit. what is HCG? Where do I get that and clomid and how much does it cost?

also, if I do nothing, will my body just eventuallty go back to making normal levels of tes?

thanks!

Try doing a google search on clomid and HCG as ancillary drugs to help restore your testicular axis. Explaining here would be too long.

You may go back to your normal levels. Some people who heavily use/abuse steroids may permanently hinder their natural production.

Since your cycle was light it may restore itself but as you get older and keep doing more and more cycles it gets harder and harder.

HCG can be a tad costly, clomid is a bit more affordable.

wow it was so not worth it, doing a cycle. All this drama just to get laid.

but thanks for the 411!

Is that honestly why you did it or are you just joking? Cuz, if you're serious then yes I'd agree with you. That's way too much work just to get laid.

too bad you're not getting alot of em to fess up!!

well pretty much thats why, yeah. So stupid.

anyway- what about tamoxifin, thats an estrogen blocker right? Is it too late for that- I stopped cycle about 5 or 6 weeks ago.