Steroid Fears of Those Over 30

[Ajax]

Well, what fears do you have if you are a bit older and are using steroids ? I think most people in the over 30 age bracket do consider the long-term risks before they take them. What concerned or concerns you?

[gymnut4u]

prostate cancer , it runs in my fam !

[Canes4Ever]

Cancer of some kind, mostly liver & prostrate problems.

I also worry about whether or not bulking at my age is okay and how do you get the fat off once you get it on, without losing too much muscle.

[Jack87]

Sometime I worry about not being able to have kids when I finally want too...
Hope to be a father one day you know...

[Kaz]

worry..... um... whats that all about then?

at the end of the day what is going to happen to us as individuals is going to happen no matter what we do - if any of us (God forbid) are destined to have a cancer of some kind then we will have it no matter what we do or do not do.

in many cases worrying about something, or attempting to avoid something simply puts you in a position where you cannot avoid it

the key i think is to live your life as best as you can, enjoy what you can, and dont worry about things you have no power to change. i would hate to die knowing that i spent one second of my life NOT enjoying myself becauase of something i cannot change anyway

one thing i learned a long time ago was to take the rough with the smooth - shit happens and how you deal with it, and adjust to it depends on your outlook on life. i AM going through life enjoying myself as much as i can - when i get down i fight with myself to get back up again.

relax, peace out, and try to be the best you can at whatever you do - worrying aint for me!

[Tarzan]

Right on Kaz !

Since I started AS in my late thirties I think there would be less of a chance for damage. Compared to guys who have been doing them since there twenties. I kinda look at it like hormone replacement with a kick LOL

[iron4life79]

well,
im with kaz also, and while i do worry about cerain things associated with a.s. use, im not a big worrier at heart. i think at this age you monitor your body a little more closely, and look for things that affect us older brothers. and lets keep in mind there are some major benefits also.......increased sex drive, lowered body fat, muscle mass increases.........etc. diet and training history play a huge role as well. my wife swears to me that this stuff(a.s.) is keepin me younger. she says i look nowhere near forty.......im not trying to downplay the risks we all know are there, we just need to watch things a little more closely.

peace bb79

[Ajax]

Kaz, I agree with yoou about 50%, but I am a bit less fatalistic. Yeah, there can be predisposition to disease, but that doesn't mean we are fated and nothing we can do (or not do) can change it.

I gave up smoking 'cuz it was a serious health risk. I want to lose fat 'cuz it's a serious health risk. I can't guarantee my health, but I can stack the odds in my favor!

I agree that it's worthless to worry about something you can't change though!

Personally, I think the positive effects of using AS (I started very late and don't do a lot) outweigh the negatives, but that does not mean that I am not concerned and that I would not change my mind if somebody put evidence in front of me that showed that the negative health effects were greater than the positive...

[ironmike7000]

I'm always a little bit concerned when I take AS. I wonder if it is causing any harm to me. But I honestly believe the benifits out weigh the bad. My moods are better, the extra muscle and increase in strength is great, I have more energy and the increase sex drive is great! I had a complete physical done last year and everything came out good. So I don't see where there is much to worry about. My doctor and I had a discussion about AS and in his opinion he believes AS has gotten a bad rap over the years. He said he believes there is some benifits to taking them especially for the over 40 crowd.

[Mighty Joe]

Damn Bros!

I logged on today thinking of posting this very question!

Tomorrow I add Winny to my cycle of EQ and frankly the liver issue doesn't seem to bother me so much.(i'm taking ALA at 900mgs), but the prostate I must admit has concerned me somewhat.
I am taking saw Palmetto @ 1000mgs/ed....I'll be on the winny for 6 weeks.

So hey, what else can I do to protect myself? I feel great, look great and emotionally on top of it.

So after my cycle ends I'll get back to the doc for another physical and if all checks out well I'll continue to plan "b".

Oh yeah, Plan "b" is whatever Hulk Hogan is taking!

MJ

[Ajax]

IronMike, I also agree that the benefits of MODERATE steroid use in those over 40 can easily outweigh the potential negatives. If it motivates you to stay in shape, eat better, exercise, stop smoking, drink less (and it has had all those effects on me!) then it would take a lot of negatives to balance that out!

One question I have: 17AA orals are liver toxic; so what risks does that present? Does each mg of 17AA I take cuase irreperable liver damage--or does damage occur only when a certain level is maintained for too long? Or? What is the manner that 17AAs can damage the liver?

[iron4life79]

ajax,
im not sure in what manner the 17aa drugs work on the liver, im assuming its through the cleansing process that the liver does for us, but not positive. i have read that the level of 17aa's in your system needs to be maintained for a certain period of time before permanent liver damage occurs. i think thats why the shorter dbol and anadrol cycles are the norm. higher dosages and longer run times are a big no-no as far as im concerned. i dont think its mg to mg issue unless the dosages are extremely high. i think its more of length of time issue.

peace bb79

[Kaz]

the liver is a very tough cookie and any minor damage that may incur from the (limited) sensible use of 17aa's will basicly heal itself when you stop taking them.

thats not to say that this is good! but as long as we dont abuse 17aa's we are in no more danger than the younger guys who are doing the same thing as us.

one thing i DO beleive in for us older guys (and gals) is a strict adherence to the OFF period between cycles - none of this bridging crap! a bridge is only a mini cycle! we NEED that time off to make sure we are fully recovered, since our recovery from the use of AS is probably slowing down a bit as we get older.

i am a VERY strong believer in time off = time on, plus at least another few months just to make sure - lets face it, none of us are going to be competing in the MrO so i dont see the need for cycles back to back - of course if you ARE in competition how you deal with this is up to you!

[Ironweb]

I do not worry too much. I made the choice and if something bad came out of it then I am man enough to except that. I take all the precaution that I can but if I sat around worring all the time then I would never cycle. I did not do my first cycle till last year at 33. I am now on my second and plan on doing 1 cycle a year. I truly beleive that testostrone is a positive thing the older you get and the medicial community is starting to see that. If woman take estrogen for what is lost then why not men for test that is lost. The production of test in men begin to reduce around age 25. Why not keep your test up while you age.

[CutieFace]

I don't worry about it too much....I basically do mild cycles...take plenty of time off.....and as long as I feel good...that's what's important to me....have to admit glad I don't have that prostate to worry about....*wink*


*smile*

Cutie

[silverfox]

prostate is probably biggest concern, you can avoid the liver concerns by staying away for aa17. Stick with low to moderate dose, for most part. That kinda depends on goals. You guys should do a seach on anti-aging, starting to be a lot of benefits from hormone replace. Most Test, GH, Deca .

[monsterback]

I live in Miami and see daily the results of what loss of hormones do to people. Lots of old people here.

At 49 I feel like moderate use of AS is more beneficial than harmful. Loss of muscle and bone mass in aging is devastating, I see it daily.

I also agree with Kaz, that shit happens and if we live our lives in fear, we are wasting alot of energy.

Quality of life to me is more important the longevity. I see people hanging in wheel chairs and walkers and say why? Did God mean for us to stay alive like that with no quality of life.

I better quit here before this gets boring.

Monsterback

[feelnfit]

i am 44 and waited till this age to start my first cycle. i feel great an iam getting check out by my dr after this one before i start
my second cycle

[lowell34]

Health concerns, I think, are what seperate us from the younger crowd. A lot of you guys are like me and are looking at doing your first cycle in your mid 30's or later. Not only are we asking questions from the experienced guys, but we are actually listening and altering our approaches accordingly.
I agree with what Tarzan said above about our using AS as a form of hormone replacement Therapy. I have always known I would, at some point, use AS because I refuse to get soft and weak just because I'm getting older. Like most of you, I no longer have the desire I did 15 years ago to be 300 lbs and ripped. I am much more mature and content now and my goal is to impress myself and not others. I want to look in the mirror and flex with a smile for many years to come.
I understand and respect my mortality so I will keep my goal to be muscular in line with my goal to see my children grow up.
Good question Ajax.

[TNT]

I"m finally catching up on reading, and am glad I found this one.

I had a philosophy professor in college who said, "We live in a contingent universe, and nothing is certain. But all things are possible except, perhaps, for squeezing toothpaste back into the tube."

When it comes to steroids , as much as anything else, I use a risk-versus-benefit analysis. And if you use AS intelligently, the risk outweighs the benefits unless you have a predisposing medical condition that contraindicates the use of AS.

I think it's important to remember the difference between possibilities and probabilities. Steroids can cause elevated prostate, kidney, and liver readings, but that does not mean that they will cause elevated readings. That's why I recommend lab tests before, during, and after a cycle.

I think that mature users are more realistic than younger users about the fact that if you cannot use AS, it's not the end of the world. We don't feel the same peer pressure to do a shoot-em-up because our buddies are doing so; we have no fear of not "belonging" to our circle of friends if we can't use them, nor even if we simply choose not to use them.

More than younger users, we consider the health benefits of androgenic or anabolic supplementation, just as women have been aware of the benefits of estrogenic supplementation for several years now. In other words, the guys are just beginning to catch up.

Two anecdotal notes: First, last year I asked my doctor for a Dexa Scan - bone density scan - to establish a baseline for the future, since it has been discovered that men can also get osteoporosis. I found that the only place I could get one at my local hospital was at the Women's Health Center. No sweat; I bragged for the next week about going to see a gynecologist.

Second, when I had my hernia surgery done recently, one of the surgeons I visited started his patient information form with questions like, "How long have you had a lump on your breast? At what age did you experience menopause?" He was a general surgeon, but he specialized in working with breast cancer patients. And when I joked about the form, he told me that several of his breast cancer patients were men.

So it's a whole different world out there, campers. And unlike the kiddies that simply want to bulk up and look like they could be hired by the World Wrestling Federation, older users are looking for specific health benefits as well. Not to mention that there are just as many of us who use AS not to gain weight, but to lose weight or, at the very least, to reverse the ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass.

Fears are natural, and they are healthy. They cause us to be more careful about our decisions and actions and to make informed, intelligent choices about steroid use .

[Canes4Ever]

Originally posted by TNT
Not to mention that there are just as many of us who use AS not to gain weight, but to lose weight or, at the very least, to reverse the ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass.

Thank God you finally saw this bro, we've been waiting for your imput on this one, or at least I have.

I think your last paragraph really relates to me. I'm not looking anymore to become The Incredible Hulk, I just would like to really maintain at 220-230 lbs but reverse that BF% from 20 to single digits if I can. I think with the help I recieve from you TNT and others, I will be able to do this safely and very intelligently.

TNT thanks for responding to this important thread.

[JohnnyB]

Very good post.

JohnnyB

[phast1]

Originally posted by lowell34
Health concerns, I think, are what seperate us from the younger crowd. A lot of you guys are like me and are looking at doing your first cycle in your mid 30's or later. Not only are we asking questions from the experienced guys, but we are actually listening and altering our approaches accordingly.
I agree with what Tarzan said above about our using AS as a form of hormone replacement Therapy. I have always known I would, at some point, use AS because I refuse to get soft and weak just because I'm getting older. Like most of you, I no longer have the desire I did 15 years ago to be 300 lbs and ripped. I am much more mature and content now and my goal is to impress myself and not others. I want to look in the mirror and flex with a smile for many years to come.
I understand and respect my mortality so I will keep my goal to be muscular in line with my goal to see my children grow up.
Good question Ajax.

Right on AJAX!
Good thread

[kuad]

I just started winni two days ago
on this forum it seems everybody stacks it(winni)
this is my first time using steroids
i am 40 yrs old,5'6",150lbs
and about 9% body fat
my goal is to get really ripped
will the winni work by itself?
can i keep using ephedra and creatine?
thanks for your time,
kuad

[ragept]

My only worries are b**ch tits and heart attack. But other than that I am with Kaz.

[craneboy]

i'm only gonna live once and this is it , im gonna do it my way with the help of my friends. and the help and advice of AR bros

[Benches505]

Prostate problems are something to worry about....Keep eating those tomatoes!

[SwampGator]

I am with Kaz on this one! Worrying is a waste of time and energy that could be better spent in the gym!

[over40mule]

I'm 41 yrs and just completed a 16 wk deca /winny/halotestin cycle. Blood work before/mid/post cycle. All was well until i kicked the winny into the cycle. My LDL and HDL went way out of whack in just 4-weeks. However, my liver (SGOT/SGPT) decreased due to the LIV52 and Milk Thistle therepy. I did quite the Milk Thistle due to slow gains. It inhibits AAS receptors but kept the LIV52. Listen, Halo is suppposed to be toxic but my values went down after I incorporated the LIV52. It really works, now I need the cholesterol down

[stitch1967]

I don't worry about prostate and liver as much as chlosterol and BP. But that's because mine were both on the mid-ranges before I started my cycle.

I look at it like many of the posts before me stated as HRT. I am a former powerlifter and Marine, I knew how to get into shape realizing of course that progress would come slower in my 30's. But I was getting very frustrated with the minimal changed I was seeing in my body after 4 yrs of strict diet and exercise. Finally I got some tests done and found that my test levels are lower than normal for my age, but not low enough for a doctor to start therapy. So I decided to self-medicate, if you will,....take a little bit back from what papa time had taken.

I'm doing my first cycle now, it is a low dose, low risk cycle and will continue in that fashion.

Besides when I look back at my life, AS are the safest controlled substances I've ever put in my body. Like Ajax said, AS motivates me to lay off the bad and lean on the healthy habits by virtue of health safety and to maximize the gains while I'm on cycle. I'm probably healthier on AS than without just because of all the vices I cut down on or completely stop.

Great thread I'm glad someone started it

[seanw]

Great thread !!! I am just about to start my first cycle at 49. My biggest concern is bone loss, I have heard this could be an issue for us older guys. I will be doing a ten week cycle starting with sust and dec at 250 each for the first two weeks then test and deca for the rest of the time 250 dec all the way and test from 200 to 300. All I want is to gain about 20 lbs.

[artcien]

worry..... um... whats that all about then?

at the end of the day what is going to happen to us as individuals is going to happen no matter what we do - if any of us (God forbid) are destined to have a cancer of some kind then we will have it no matter what we do or do not do.

in many cases worrying about something, or attempting to avoid something simply puts you in a position where you cannot avoid it

the key i think is to live your life as best as you can, enjoy what you can, and dont worry about things you have no power to change. i would hate to die knowing that i spent one second of my life NOT enjoying myself becauase of something i cannot change anyway

one thing i learned a long time ago was to take the rough with the smooth - **** happens and how you deal with it, and adjust to it depends on your outlook on life. i AM going through life enjoying myself as much as i can - when i get down i fight with myself to get back up again.

relax, peace out, and try to be the best you can at whatever you do - worrying aint for me!

I agree 110%

[seanw]

I think if you worry too much the worry will kill you, not the AS. I watched my daughter die of cancer when she was three and a half years old and I can tell you, there is not much in life that worries me any more. Live each day as it comes and enjoy it to the fullest.

If you keep the doses low enough there is nothing but benefit going to come to us older guys with AS.

[jackaroo]

Just throwing in my 02 - I'm on the last two weeks of my 1st cycle. 33 y/o, 5 11, 198 when I started, 215 now. I admit some is fat, but I look better than I ever did, all around, I feel great. By the way, 500mg sust 250/week, 300mg deca /week. Sex drive is up, overall well-being is up, Never looked better.

I Looked into a cycle for honestly 2 yrs before committing, and I have to say _ REASERCH! this board is great, the net is great, just don't go in half assed.

I'm looking forward to March for my 2nd cycle, prop, enan, deca. And I'll make sure I get the sleep, take the precautions, etc.

I just love steroids - ha ha

jackaroo

[AnabolicBoy1981]

It is my opinion that high levels of male hormones for a brief period of time is not a cause of prostate cancer. I believe cancer to be part of nutritional deficiancies and too much refined foods. Nearly every vitamin and mineral has been linked to cancer some way or another if there is a deficiancy. From what I understand, overdosing on vitamins would take quite a bit of effort. Bottom line is, i think many people are deficint in many nutrients. So I myself take a shiit load of vitamins every freakin day.
Also, when high male hormones do cause the cancer of prostate, i believe it to be in extreme steroid users. Guys who spend most of th eyear on something. If you want to elevat your hormones for 6-10 weeks beyond that of normal levels out of your 30+ years of life, i seriosly doubt it will have any impact on you as far as cancer. It is a short time. You are not exposing yourself chrincally to high androgen levels.
If your worried, than stick to someting that has a low DHT conversion, and take propecia while doing the cycle. You may retain more water and gain a tad more fat fro the cycle, but as long as your not eating like a complete pig it is nothing you wont be able to undo.
Getting a little soft on a cycle is normal, but sometimes guys get harder. Some fat will be gained, but just try to lose it slow. If you eat clean, you can get away with gaining little fat. Just watch the TYPES of carbs you eat, and wathc the amount of carbs a little in the evening, but still eat them. Stay away from sugar as much as you can on a cycle. Limit it to what is in your creatine, but that's it. Don't you dare touch soda or fruit juice.
If you get an urge to pig out, try to pig out on protien foods as apposed to high glycemic carbs. Sometimes roids make you wanna eat like a pig.

[yannick32]

I have done steroids once and was amazed of the effect i add, but this is then and this is now, i still have the flame to train have been since i am 13 years old, i am now 32, and when you reach 30 you got something that the younger guys dont have, thats muscle maturity.

I am satisfied with the way i am right now, at 186 pounds i am working with this, of course if someone wants to be 250 pounds of muscle natural thats another story and gens play a big role into this.

But for the recreational bodybuilder like everyone here i am pertty sure i dont see why steroid use is needed to build a body.

When you get your nutrition and supplement program in gear, and your training split to allow recuperation training 3 times a week with heavy weights at least for me thats all i need.

Of course fear of cancer is there, fear of fake steroids, sore ass LOL and more.

[dr9999]

at 38 and finishing my 1st cycle, i felt is was the right time. as for others that no longer want to lift heavy, i feel the opposite. i want to keep benching over 300 and squating 8 plates. i'm almost as strong as i was when i was 25. i can't want for my 2nd cycle. bigger and stonger are my reasons for taken AAS. yes, i sweat while injecting but to me it was time. i can't see in the future but hope i feel as good as i do today.