Grappling with male body image and anabolic steroid misuse

[madman]

The Man, the Myth

Shalender Bhasin, MD, examines facts and myths surrounding male body image disorders and related anabolic steroid use.

magazine.brighamandwomens.org

Men’s health is typically associated with conditions related to urological and sexual function. But increasingly, problems with body image are among the top concerns we address in the clinic. Body image disorders are a serious public health issue, especially when linked to misuse of anabolic androgenic steroids, a synthetic hormone resembling testosterone that promotes muscle growth. Steroid use has risen in the past decade and has significant health consequences.

 

[madman]

Let’s examine some facts and myths about male body image disorders and steroid use:

We have come a long way in reducing the shame and secrecy around men’s sexual and physical health, but it can still be uncomfortable to discuss these topics. Please know there is no concern too embarrassing to talk about with your doctor—we are always here to help.

 

[madman]

Young Men Are Using Banned SARM Supplements to Bulk Up With Harmful Results

https://www.comhs.org/about-us/newsroom/health-library/2023/05/02/young-men-are-using-banned-sarm-supplements-to-bulk-up-with-harmful-results TUESDAY, May 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is once again warning consumers to avoid muscle-building "supplements"...

www.excelmale.com

 

[tareload]

Body image disorders are a serious public health issue, especially when linked to misuse of anabolic androgenic steroids, a synthetic hormone resembling testosterone that promotes muscle growth. Steroid use has risen in the past decade and has significant health consequences

Sorta like this public health crisis.

Trans women on hormones have higher heart health risk, study finds

The study looked at the records of 5,000 transgender people and found a higher risk of blood clots, stroke and heart attack for transgender women.

www.nbcnews.com

Still don't understand why the former has stigma and now the latter is celebrated. Pay to play either way

Wrap your head around this if you dare?

Transgender men and nonbinary people are asked to stop testosterone therapy during pregnancy – but the evidence for this guidance is still murky

Testosterone therapy is often essential for the health and well-being of transmasculine people. The choice to stop it to pursue pregnancy can be a difficult one.

theconversation.com

In my review of our interviews and the medical literature, I became increasingly concerned that this focus on producing “normal” children fails to attend to both natural human diversity in cognitive processing, bodies and identities, and the mental health of trans and nonbinary parents. It may also echo eugenicist policies that attempt to eliminate human characteristics and communities that society deems inferior or bad. But people from these communities have done a great deal of work over the past several decades to ensure they are granted equal rights and protections.

Paradoxically, the desire to protect offspring from testosterone exposure during pregnancy and chestfeeding may become a method to prevent the reproduction of some of the very same characteristics held by trans and nonbinary parents themselves. As one participant noted:

“There’s a bunch of research around androgen exposure in utero and intersex conditions. … I did have complex feelings around working hard to not have an intersex child. … As someone who is a gender ‘other,’ to work hard to not create a different body that is a gender ‘other’ feels weird. It feels hypocritical.”

But if an older guy or younger guy beware the T:

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA cautions about using testosterone products for low testosterone due to aging; requires labeling change to inform of possible increased risk of heart attack and stroke with use | FDA

[03-03-2015] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions that prescription testosterone products are approved only for men who have low testosterone levels caused by certain medical conditions.

www.fda.gov

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

This Bhasin character is a psychopath and a menace. Every one of these points above are deceptively worded and/or flat-out wrong. For example, where are all these people who are "over-exercising"? While there are certainly people who are addicted to exercise as an escape from something bad in their life, that is still likely a better thing than the anti-depressants mainstream medicine pushes. I think a good case could be made that anabolics are by far the most under-used class of drugs, especially for women over 50. As I've pointed out before, IME, frailty is the thing which sets otherwise healthy people into a permanent decline.

 

[tareload]

This Bhasin character is a psychopath and a menace. Every one of these points above are deceptively worded and/or flat-out wrong. For example, where are all these people who are "over-exercising"? While there are certainly people who are addicted to exercise as an escape from something bad in their life, that is still likely a better thing than the anti-depressants mainstream medicine pushes. I think a good case could be made that anabolics are by far the most under-used class of drugs, especially for women over 50. As I've pointed out before, IME, frailty is the thing which sets otherwise healthy people into a permanent decline.

Strange. We are converging in opinion or I am converging to your opinion.

 

[Deleted member 43589]

Here is the problem I have with this and won't hold back how I feel about this kind of article......I teach in one of my classes that most people get into fitness and wellness out of concerns about body image. Thus, they are kind of depressed about they way they look to begin with. So changing this body image effects their self-esteem.

Exercise will provide more positive social feedback and recognition from peer groups, and this will subsequently lead to improvement in an individual's self-image.

The relationship between physical activity and self-image and problem behaviour among adolescents - PubMed

It is likely that discussion of recreational or exercise involvement may provide a useful point of entry for facilitating dialogue among adolescents about concerns relating to body image and self-esteem. In terms of psychotherapeutic applications, physical activity has many additional rewards...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

You don't have to be an athlete to use steroids to increase your muscle mass thus increasing your self-esteem. This idea that most steroid users are middle school and high school students if wrong. We wasted millions here in Texas testing middle school and high school students involved in athletes and only a meniscal amount ever tested positive. Thus, the testing was dropped. Truth, steroids on the street are very expensive. Most pay $100 for a 10cc vial of testosterone. Kids don't have that kind of money for the most part and steroid dealers are very hard to even find. Especially one that will even consider to sell to a kid. In my 21 years coaching high school and middle school kids I never saw 1 kid I suspected was on steroids. They never even asked me questions about it. In the gyms I go to I may only see 1-2 guys there that are juicing. Most of the old guys are not even on TRT. When I coached and ran high school only powerlifting meets we had no one that was using steroids. We even tested. Despite all the adds on the internet its very hard to find steroids' on the streets. There is much more profit to be made selling cocaine, meth etc. That is easy to find. High school and middle school kids have weed problems, not steroid.

Steroids are not a gateway drug. I know very few guys use use steroids for athletic purposes that don't go on and start using heroin, meth, or cocaine, not even weed or alcohol. Talk about myths.

If steroids use means we are all going to die prematurely, every single one of us needs to start making funerial arrangements. How much research is out there that show it may increase our lifespan.

I think the ideal male body type that is being marketed is the "dad bod" in skinny jeans with a beard and some silly glasses. Take a look at commercials for anything. You have to wonder if these are really men. Go to a pro bodybuilding show and see the droves of extremely hot women hanging out. Despite what is being marketed a lot of men want to look masculine. Why? Because their chance to get a date increases dramatically. I don't know 1 single muscular steroid user that doesn't have his pick of the females. Despite what the media tells us women are attracted to a guy with muscles. I know some deny it but I have seen all of my life they are just kidding themselves......"oh, can I touch your arm?" In my life time I never had to ask for a date and I have been very muscular most all of my life. Plus, I worked in bars for a long time and saw which guys walked out with the hottest women every night. It was the dad bods in skinny jeans that we had to cut off and tell them it is time to go home.

This body image disorder is something made up to attack the masculinity. This has been going on since they stopped tried to stop the game of smear in middle school. They want guy to think there is something bad wrong with you for wanting to look your best. Oh, it not natural. They why did God make males so they could be muscular? There is nothing wrong with trying to improve your image. Nothing wrong with improving your self-esteem. What I fond wrong with steroid use is many seem to thing that is the answer to getting big so more is better. No, it still all about hard work and dedication. Most now days have a problem with that and want everything now, with no work or dedication put in to earn it.

My wife and I have been dealing with this kind of criticism most of our adult lives. When we went to the beach our son when he was little though the others there were sick and wanted to give them food. They just don't look like us. All he had ever seen is powerlfters and bodybuilders in his life. We go out to eat and everyone stares and some make rude comments. At some point in our lives we got where we enjoyed being different. So make what ever comment you like. It doesn't take much in life to look like everyone else. We are both very conscience of how we look and how we take care of our bodies. That is not a disorder. How many couples go outside of the marriage to have sex only because their partner gave up how they look? My wife and I were attracted to each other because of how we look. My wife wanted a man that was stronger than her and could protect her. She didn't want a weak man that she would have to protect. She always says YOU TARZEN, ME JANE. If you give a crap about your relationship you keep doing what you were doing to get your partner. Letting you self turn into a fat mushy slob is the best way to end a marriage.

Body image disorders are a serious public health? But we have no problem praising fat slobs like Lizzo. Being obese and sedentary is a serious health issue.

Here is a good study:

• n a study, women reported that their short-term sexual partners were more muscular than their other partners.
• Researchers have found that a man’s physical formidability is a better predictor than his attractiveness for how many partners he has had.
• While bigger muscles might not be highly attractive to women, they’re certainly intimidating to male sexual competitors.

1. Muscularity is sexy.
“women were more willing to have short-term relations with muscular men without the requirement that they demonstrate characteristics particularly desired in long-term mates (trustworthiness, emotional closeness, etc.), possibly because these men possessed physical indicators of genetic fitness.”

Maybe muscular men simply feel better about themselves. This higher-self esteem could explain their higher sexual success.

2. Women like muscles; men are intimidated by them.
Evolutionary psychologists have argued that throughout human history, dominance has been more important than attractiveness for men’s mating success. Male competition has given rise to male traits like strong muscles, deep voices, and facial hair. Men evolved these traits not so much because women find them sexy, but more because other men find them intimidating.

3. Muscles are indicators of health and fitness.

4. Muscles attract attention.
Researchers have found that, with all else equal, people spend more time looking at individuals who look more formidable (strong, able to impose physical costs). The researchers suggest, "formidability may begin to influence the course of social interactions almost as soon as they have begun.”

5. Strength correlates with health.
In a study on cardiovascular (heart) disease, researchers collected data from 1,104 male firefighters over the course of 10 years. They found that men who were able to do 40 push-ups or more had a 96 percent reduced risk of heart disease compared with men who could do less than 10 push-ups.

Now is there really any mystery why many guys in most cultures want to look stronger and will resort to the use of anabolic steroids to look more muscular? Now what in the heck to guys go after in a woman..... symmetrical face, full breasts, full lips, and a low waist–hip ratio. Exactly why 99% of the women in gyms are doing nothing but hip flexor exercises daily, trying to build up the size of the butt. Then save money to get a boob job and lip augmentation. Low waist to hip ratio is a genetic sign of fertility.

 

[tareload]

Solid build. Drop the hCG dose though.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Here is the problem I have with this and won't hold back how I feel about this kind of article......I teach in one of my classes that most people get into fitness and wellness out of concerns about body image. Thus, they are kind of depressed about they way they look to begin with. So changing this body image effects their self-esteem.

Exercise will provide more positive social feedback and recognition from peer groups, and this will subsequently lead to improvement in an individual's self-image.

The relationship between physical activity and self-image and problem behaviour among adolescents - PubMed

It is likely that discussion of recreational or exercise involvement may provide a useful point of entry for facilitating dialogue among adolescents about concerns relating to body image and self-esteem. In terms of psychotherapeutic applications, physical activity has many additional rewards...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

You don't have to be an athlete to use steroids to increase your muscle mass thus increasing your self-esteem. This idea that most steroid users are middle school and high school students if wrong. We wasted millions here in Texas testing middle school and high school students involved in athletes and only a meniscal amount ever tested positive. Thus, the testing was dropped. Truth, steroids on the street are very expensive. Most pay $100 for a 10cc vial of testosterone. Kids don't have that kind of money for the most part and steroid dealers are very hard to even find. Especially one that will even consider to sell to a kid. In my 21 years coaching high school and middle school kids I never saw 1 kid I suspected was on steroids. They never even asked me questions about it. In the gyms I go to I may only see 1-2 guys there that are juicing. Most of the old guys are not even on TRT. When I coached and ran high school only powerlifting meets we had no one that was using steroids. We even tested. Despite all the adds on the internet its very hard to find steroids' on the streets. There is much more profit to be made selling cocaine, meth etc. That is easy to find. High school and middle school kids have weed problems, not steroid.

Steroids are not a gateway drug. I know very few guys use use steroids for athletic purposes that don't go on and start using heroin, meth, or cocaine, not even weed or alcohol. Talk about myths.

If steroids use means we are all going to die prematurely, every single one of us needs to start making funerial arrangements. How much research is out there that show it may increase our lifespan.

I think the ideal male body type that is being marketed is the "dad bod" in skinny jeans with a beard and some silly glasses. Take a look at commercials for anything. You have to wonder if these are really men. Go to a pro bodybuilding show and see the droves of extremely hot women hanging out. Despite what is being marketed a lot of men want to look masculine. Why? Because their chance to get a date increases dramatically. I don't know 1 single muscular steroid user that doesn't have his pick of the females. Despite what the media tells us women are attracted to a guy with muscles. I know some deny it but I have seen all of my life they are just kidding themselves......"oh, can I touch your arm?" In my life time I never had to ask for a date and I have been very muscular most all of my life. Plus, I worked in bars for a long time and saw which guys walked out with the hottest women every night. It was the dad bods in skinny jeans that we had to cut off and tell them it is time to go home.

This body image disorder is something made up to attack the masculinity. This has been going on since they stopped tried to stop the game of smear in middle school. They want guy to think there is something bad wrong with you for wanting to look your best. Oh, it not natural. They why did God make males so they could be muscular? There is nothing wrong with trying to improve your image. Nothing wrong with improving your self-esteem. What I fond wrong with steroid use is many seem to thing that is the answer to getting big so more is better. No, it still all about hard work and dedication. Most now days have a problem with that and want everything now, with no work or dedication put in to earn it.

My wife and I have been dealing with this kind of criticism most of our adult lives. When we went to the beach our son when he was little though the others there were sick and wanted to give them food. They just don't look like us. All he had ever seen is powerlfters and bodybuilders in his life. We go out to eat and everyone stares and some make rude comments. At some point in our lives we got where we enjoyed being different. So make what ever comment you like. It doesn't take much in life to look like everyone else. We are both very conscience of how we look and how we take care of our bodies. That is not a disorder. How many couples go outside of the marriage to have sex only because their partner gave up how they look? My wife and I were attracted to each other because of how we look. My wife wanted a man that was stronger than her and could protect her. She didn't want a weak man that she would have to protect. She always says YOU TARZEN, ME JANE. If you give a crap about your relationship you keep doing what you were doing to get your partner. Letting you self turn into a fat mushy slob is the best way to end a marriage.

Body image disorders are a serious public health? But we have no problem praising fat slobs like Lizzo. Being obese and sedentary is a serious health issue.

Here is a good study:

• n a study, women reported that their short-term sexual partners were more muscular than their other partners.
• Researchers have found that a man’s physical formidability is a better predictor than his attractiveness for how many partners he has had.
• While bigger muscles might not be highly attractive to women, they’re certainly intimidating to male sexual competitors.

1. Muscularity is sexy.
“women were more willing to have short-term relations with muscular men without the requirement that they demonstrate characteristics particularly desired in long-term mates (trustworthiness, emotional closeness, etc.), possibly because these men possessed physical indicators of genetic fitness.”

Maybe muscular men simply feel better about themselves. This higher-self esteem could explain their higher sexual success.

2. Women like muscles; men are intimidated by them.
Evolutionary psychologists have argued that throughout human history, dominance has been more important than attractiveness for men’s mating success. Male competition has given rise to male traits like strong muscles, deep voices, and facial hair. Men evolved these traits not so much because women find them sexy, but more because other men find them intimidating.

3. Muscles are indicators of health and fitness.

4. Muscles attract attention.
Researchers have found that, with all else equal, people spend more time looking at individuals who look more formidable (strong, able to impose physical costs). The researchers suggest, "formidability may begin to influence the course of social interactions almost as soon as they have begun.”

5. Strength correlates with health.
In a study on cardiovascular (heart) disease, researchers collected data from 1,104 male firefighters over the course of 10 years. They found that men who were able to do 40 push-ups or more had a 96 percent reduced risk of heart disease compared with men who could do less than 10 push-ups.

Now is there really any mystery why many guys in most cultures want to look stronger and will resort to the use of anabolic steroids to look more muscular? Now what in the heck to guys go after in a woman..... symmetrical face, full breasts, full lips, and a low waist–hip ratio. Exactly why 99% of the women in gyms are doing nothing but hip flexor exercises daily, trying to build up the size of the butt. Then save money to get a boob job and lip augmentation. Low waist to hip ratio is a genetic sign of fertility.

Wow, this is a hell of a post for anyone trying to justify getting big or dying trying. It's almost a manifesto.

 

[bixt]

Guilty as charged, body image -> better confidence

But is that a bad thing?

Greater confidence and a better body can both work to get you better women.



Whats the alternatives. Counselling, anxiety drugs?

Or settling to be happy with how you look and the resultant things that affects like quality of women.


Life is short and there isnt a second ticket. If there are ways to bring you more of the things you desire, take advantage of them. Use all the tools available. A great body is an easy way to bang hotter younger women.

Or settle for being happy (or pretending to be happy) with what you have.

Ill personally use every advantage I have to increase my odds of winning more, at least every advantage that doesn't hurt my fellow men.

 

[bixt]

Wow, this is a hell of a post for anyone trying to justify getting big or dying trying. It's almost a manifesto.

I dont think he meant die trying, theres always middle of the road.

Its not a tradeoff of getting stupid big and dying in the process or remaining thin and weak and single.

There are safe(ish) ways to get attractive enough without resorting to relatively more dangerous compounds or higher doses. Maybe it knocks off a few years of your life - a tradeoff you make for a better quality of life. Even that is a big maybe, ever consider that the stuff makes you a fitter more healthy person?

 

[tareload]

Greater confidence and a better body can both work to get you better women.

Haha. I have said this before and I am not in the market but all my body gets me is the adulation of many young men. The younger females and older ones just look on in disgust and fright mostly.

Remember this is extremely jacked to most ladies ...

Andreas Munzer not approved.

He died for us.

 

[tareload]

Use all the tools available. A great body is an easy way to bang hotter younger women.

Better tools are good helmet, face, personality and wallet.

Pareto rule for the win.

Get your priorities straight. Get jacked (and i mean properly jacked not calistenics fit) for the adulation of young men and old at your gym and grocery store LOL.

 

[bixt]

Remember this is extremely jacked to most ladies ...

Exactly (Referring to pic of brad pit). And that's entirely doable natural if you are not hypo or with T doses under 200mg if you put in the effort.

A few 500mg 10 week cycles\blasts to speed things up I consider safe(er) steroid use, and can get you there faster. Thats what I mean by middle of the road steroids.

Use grams and grams for a few decades and the past few months have shown us the probability of not making it past the age of 50-55 is quite high.

 

[Deleted member 43589]

Wow, this is a hell of a post for anyone trying to justify getting big or dying trying. It's almost a manifesto.

Are people really dying to get big? There have been millions of guys who use steroids to achieve the strength and body of their dream and never have a health issue. Not every guy who uses steroids is doing 2g/wk. Bodybuilders that die are ALWAYS found to be abusing other drugs like cocaine or pain pills. Its the media that loves to demonize steroid users. I honestly wonder how any of us TRT guys can criticize anyone who uses anabolic steroids, none of here are natties. I hit many world records in my life on minimal amounts of testosterone and I am still very much alive and kicking. Probably one of the few here that has used for over 42 years of my life. I know I would feel very hypocritical telling someone else wat they are doing is wrong, but would encourage them to do plenty of blood work and keep an eye on unwanted side effects. Anyway, my criticism is how the media and phycologist love to make a psychological disease out of those who want to look good but promote fat slobs like Lizzo.

As much as some scientist and the media love demonizing steroids use here is the truth:

While steroids were not the direct cause of death, 62.5 per cent of men died from taking toxic amounts of steroids together with other illicit drugs - including cocaine and methamphetamine - either alone or in combination with heart disease. More than half had serious heart disease, including thickened arteries and damaged heart muscles.​

​

About a quarter of deaths were caused by suicide or homicide, said Professor Darke, which links long-term steroid use with an increased risk of aggressive and violent behaviour.​

Young men dying from heart disease linked to steroid use

Men in their late 20s and early 30s who abuse steroids are dying from serious heart disease, a NSW study has revealed.

www.smh.com.au

​

Perhaps these same people demonizing the use of anabolic steroids should spend more time demonizing the use of illicit drugs, alcohol the huge amount of mental issues this country seems to have. If you truly care about making yourself look better then you stay away from illicit drugs including weed, eat a healthy diet and so no to alcohol.

Is there really an big problem anyway?

Absolutely not

ANABOLIC STEROID USAGE IN ATHLETICS: FACTS, FICTION, AND... : The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research

eroid usage declines progressively from high school to college and beyond; however, anecdotal evidence claims the opposite trend. In this clash between “hard” scientific data vs. “soft” anecdotal information, it is natural that professionals would gravitate toward scientifically based...

journals.lww.com

Abstract​

Anecdotal evidence suggests the widespread usage of anabolic steroids among athletes (20–90%), particularly at the professional and elite amateur levels. In contrast, scientific studies indicate that usage is rare and no higher than 6%. Conclusions from scientific studies suggest that anabolic steroid usage declines progressively from high school to college and beyond; however, anecdotal evidence claims the opposite trend. In this clash between “hard” scientific data vs. “soft” anecdotal information, it is natural that professionals would gravitate toward scientifically based conclusions. However, in the case of anabolic steroids (a stigmatized and illegal substance), should word-of-mouth testimony from individuals closest to the issues—those who have participated in and coached sports, those who have served as drug-testing overseers, and journalists who relentlessly track leads and verify sources—be set aside as irrelevant? Not if a complete picture is to emerge. In this review, hard scientific evidence is placed on the table side-by-side with soft anecdotal evidence, without weighting or bias. The purpose is to allow the opportunity for each to illuminate the other and, in so doing, potentially bring us a step closer to determining the true extent of anabolic steroid usage in athletics.​

​

As I said, I coached from Division I-AA football to middle school athletics and only knew for sure in those 23 years that 1 college athlete actually took steroids. Hell, we have always tested. I have also been in gyms since the 70's and seen only a very small handful of guys that I believed were juiced. I can pick them out of a crowd. In the big picture competitive BB'er and powerlifters are a very small percent of the total USA population, both are very much fringe sports. While I see a lot of guys in the gyms, I see NONE that are juicing. If they are they are wasting their money. However, I see many that do illicit drugs and drink alcohol. I see no guys my age that are on TRT. So this whole body image thing using steroids is a myth and blown way out of proportion. Most all of us here are using "steroids" , HRT, TRT, hormone optimization or what ever you like to call it and also with the goal of trying to look our best.

 

[Deleted member 43589]

Guilty as charged, body image -> better confidence

But is that a bad thing?

Greater confidence and a better body can both work to get you better women.



Whats the alternatives. Counselling, anxiety drugs?

Or settling to be happy with how you look and the resultant things that affects like quality of women.


Life is short and there isnt a second ticket. If there are ways to bring you more of the things you desire, take advantage of them. Use all the tools available. A great body is an easy way to bang hotter younger women.

Or settle for being happy (or pretending to be happy) with what you have.

Ill personally use every advantage I have to increase my odds of winning more, at least every advantage that doesn't hurt my fellow men.

I have had a great life of having some of the hottest women throw themselves at me. It took a very shy guy with lots of personal issue to being a very confident man with no issues other than a hot temper. Nothing to regret here either. Because of how I developed my own body I was very confident at my job as well. I remember I showed up to my 20 HS anniversary and I was the ONLY one there that didn't look like a broken down old man, I also by far went in with the hottest women in the building, nothing but stares. While I went through more of them than I can count in my life, I am married to the best of them all an have a great life. My wife was 38 years old when I met her and swore she would never get married. But she finally met a man who was so much bigger and stronger than anyone she had ever met. I swept her off her feet instantly. Like you said, you can be depressed about what you don't have and may never get or you can be happy and get my age and look back at what a great, full life you have had and what a great trophy wife you have. I have never been willing to be anything but my best. Rather die younger that regret my whole life. Fortunately my wife feels the same.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Are people really dying to get big? There have been millions of guys who use steroids to achieve the strength and body of their dream and never have a health issue. Not every guy who uses steroids is doing 2g/wk. Bodybuilders that die are ALWAYS found to be abusing other drugs like cocaine or pain pills. Its the media that loves to demonize steroid users.

I don't know if I sounded critical above but I actually find your arguments very persuasive. I'll tell you what I am worried about though:

Anabolic steroid use, brain health and dependence

Anabolic steroid use has been found to have negative effects on brain health, cognitive function, and mental health, particularly in long-term users and those who develop dependence. Highlights Anabolic steroids can lead to smaller brain volumes, reduced cortical thickness, and structural...

www.excelmale.com

If that is a real trade-off that has to be made, I wouldn't want to make it.

 

[tareload]

I don't know if I sounded critical above but I actually find your arguments very persuasive. I'll tell you what I am worried about though:

Anabolic steroid use, brain health and dependence

Anabolic steroid use has been found to have negative effects on brain health, cognitive function, and mental health, particularly in long-term users and those who develop dependence. Highlights Anabolic steroids can lead to smaller brain volumes, reduced cortical thickness, and structural...

www.excelmale.com

If that is a real trade-off that has to be made, I wouldn't want to make it.

Definitely exists. I must be 115 IQ right now. Almost functionally incapacitated.

 

[tareload]

Do what you gotta do just don't pretend like you were not warned. Ymmv.

 

[Deleted member 43589]

I don't know if I sounded critical above but I actually find your arguments very persuasive. I'll tell you what I am worried about though:

Anabolic steroid use, brain health and dependence

Anabolic steroid use has been found to have negative effects on brain health, cognitive function, and mental health, particularly in long-term users and those who develop dependence. Highlights Anabolic steroids can lead to smaller brain volumes, reduced cortical thickness, and structural...

www.excelmale.com

If that is a real trade-off that has to be made, I wouldn't want to make it.

Honestly I thought you were being critical. Apologize for misreading your comments. Yea, we all worry about the unknown. I may have a problem and drop dead tomorrow who knows. But I can safely say I lead a great life and did things not very many people could dream of. The use of anabolic steroids and lots of hard work gave me the chance.

I have a hard time understanding how anyone could jump out of a perfectly good airplane and the consequences of things going wrong are very deadly. But lots of people do it and love it. Not this guy.