Preventing permanant natural testosterone shutdown

**CR500** · 01-09-2020, 06:06 PM

I'm 50 years old so my natural testosterone production will already be slowing down, but I am cautious about whether a few cycles might cause permanent shutdown? I don't want to have to rely on injecting TRT for the rest of my life after I give up the gym and anyway TRT seems to be much more difficult to get approved for here in Australia.
What are the main risk factors of testosterone production shutting down permanently and what are the solutions?
I will be taking arimidex during cycle and Novaldex afterwards for PCT.
Does HCG reduce the risk of permanent shut down?

**Windex** · 01-09-2020, 08:43 PM

At 50 I would connect with your doctor and ask for a referral to an endocrinologist or urologist to run some bloodwork. That is going to be foreshadowing to recovery. Cycling you always take a risk, the risk is amplified with age increase.

Is the aversion to TRT from the uphill battle to get a legit script or the idea of poking yourself?

If it's just a concern of legitimacy, you can always go the UGL route if you aren't successful with the medical system. Although not optimal, even a once a week injection with Test Decanoate would provide a huge quality of life improvement at 50.

**CR500** · 01-09-2020, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Windex

At 50 I would connect with your doctor and ask for a referral to an endocrinologist or urologist to run some bloodwork. That is going to be foreshadowing to recovery. Cycling you always take a risk, the risk is amplified with age increase.

Is the aversion to TRT from the uphill battle to get a legit script or the idea of poking yourself?

If it's just a concern of legitimacy, you can always go the UGL route if you aren't successful with the medical system. Although not optimal, even a once a week injection with Test Decanoate would provide a huge quality of life improvement at 50.

The aversion is that if I give up going to the gym in a few years that I will be still needing to take weekly injections to have a normal (for my age) testosterone level. Last time my testosterone level was checked (3 months ago for other reasons), I was higher than average for my age so I don't need it now
I actually don't mind injections, but being forced to do it every week even in 10-20-30-40 years time is what I would prefer not to go through.

Oh, and from what I've heard from other older lifters is that if doctors in Australia suspect you killed your own production by taking roids (kind of suspect it when they see my physique is not like most 50 year olds) they wont want anything to do with you. Then I am stuck with buying from UGLs at the moment, but will I want to do it in 15 years?

**Test Monsterone** · 01-09-2020, 10:20 PM

I had the same questions as you, but I was 32 years old. The 2x/week injections don't bother me too much. I just go sub q into the belly fat and normally don't feel a thing. I was under average in testosterone for my age group, and I used to be in the high range just 10 years ago. At 50, if you didn't start steroids by now and still have above average levels, then maybe you should just continue to be natty. I don't think a few cycles are going to do much, to be honest. In the long run I think you will end up on TRT if you cycle anyway, whether that's through a doctor or on your own.

**AR's King Silabolin** · 01-10-2020, 01:52 AM

If ur considering cycles, why the heck would u give up the gym.
Every guy on earth should lift to he dies. There are plenty of benefit outside looking good. Heart strengthening and bone density f. i.
Studies show lifting is better for heart than cardio.
(both is best)

Sent fra min BLA-L29 via Tapatalk

**CR500** · 01-10-2020, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by AR's King Silabolin

If ur considering cycles, why the heck would u give up the gym.
Every guy on earth should lift to he dies. There are plenty of benefit outside looking good. Heart strengthening and bone density f. i.
Studies show lifting is better for heart than cardio.
(both is best)

Sent fra min BLA-L29 via Tapatalk

Quite a few hardcore body builders do indeed lift until they die.
On the other hand I am hoping to enjoy my twilight years strolling along a beach and fishing each day. But I am still hoping I will have enough natural testosterone to feel like giving the old girl a run once in a while.

**Arcânn** · 01-10-2020, 03:55 AM

The way I see it, if I'm too old to lift, I'm too old to fuck. And if I'm too old to fuck, I'm too old to live

Maybe I'll feel different when I'm old

**CR500** · 01-13-2020, 12:21 AM

So anyway, what are the main risk factors for whether you might shut down permanently?
Is it length of cycle?
Is it time between cycles?
Is it age?
Is it more aggressive AAS when on cycle?
Is it luck?

**Windex** · 01-13-2020, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by CR500

So anyway, what are the main risk factors for whether you might shut down permanently?
Is it length of cycle?
Is it time between cycles?
Is it age?
Is it more aggressive AAS when on cycle?
Is it luck?

There are 101 variables.

Cycling at 51 is Russian Roulette

If you don't want to be on TRT then you shouldn't be anywhere near gear. Furthermore, most people these days on HRT (general public) don't even lift. It's a medical intervention that is extremely valuable. Not going on HRT at 51 is a mistake in my opinion and in optimal for health.

**SampsonandDelilah** · 01-13-2020, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Windex

There are 101 variables.

Cycling at 51 is Russian Roulette

If you don't want to be on TRT then you shouldn't be anywhere near gear. Furthermore, most people these days on HRT (general public) don't even lift. It's a medical intervention that is extremely valuable. Not going on HRT at 51 is a mistake in my opinion and in optimal for health.

Way too many variables as Windex mentions. Much of the stigma around men’s health and hormone optimization had changed drastically in the past 5 years..at least here in the States. Woman’s health has mandated hormonal intervention for years with none of the stigma associated with what men have had to deal with. Luckily all of that is going by the way side recently. I ran a cycle at 40 and PCT’d like I had previously in my 30’s and just didn’t bounce back like before. I tried and tried and ultimately with diminished levels, I suffered from low energy libido and was flat in the gym. My first labs place me in the middle for total test but my free test scores were shit and I was symptomatic...I made the decision to stay on test and have labs run a couple times a year, that was almost 6 years ago and the best decision I could’ve made for myself. At 51, it really is Russian roulette and who’s to say whether you bounce back or not...you just need to be prepared if it’s the latter. I would look into a men’s health clinic in AUS and see what’s available to you, you may find that stigma has diminished there too.

By the way, the US is rooting for you guys with the fires. Hope and pray it gets under control soon. Godspeed

**GearHeaded** · 01-13-2020, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by CR500

Quite a few hardcore body builders do indeed lift until they die.
On the other hand I am hoping to enjoy my twilight years strolling along a beach and fishing each day. But I am still hoping I will have enough natural testosterone to feel like giving the old girl a run once in a while.

your 50 , and if this is your ultimate goal , then why are you wasting your time thinking about doing cycles and going to the gym now only for a few years. don't waste your time then.. spend your time investing money, saving for a fishing boat and vacation money.
doesn't make sense to take the risk for something your not committed to in the long haul .

my natty test is shot. I'm fine with TRT for life.. I take the risks cause I want to be jacked for the long haul. I want to be twice as strong and look like a shredded jacked beast at 50 years old and further. but I also make a living in the fitness industry.
for a guy that just wants to hang out on the beach and fish, the effort doesn't really seem worth it.

the risk of permanent shut down is real

**CR500** · 01-13-2020, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by GearHeaded

your 50 , and if this is your ultimate goal , then why are you wasting your time thinking about doing cycles and going to the gym now only for a few years. don't waste your time then.. spend your time investing money, saving for a fishing boat and vacation money.
doesn't make sense to take the risk for something your not committed to in the long haul .

my natty test is shot. I'm fine with TRT for life.. I take the risks cause I want to be jacked for the long haul. I want to be twice as strong and look like a shredded jacked beast at 50 years old and further. but I also make a living in the fitness industry.
for a guy that just wants to hang out on the beach and fish, the effort doesn't really seem worth it.

the risk of permanent shut down is real

Why waste my time?? Because I want to, that is all. I don't want to compete in body building, I already spend most of my time either working on my other non lifting related sport, or going fishing in my 2 week old boat, or going on holidays as I have been lately. I only work a few days a week so I can now do what I want. For the last 2 years I have been back into lifting and am enjoying looking and feeling better than 99% of men at my age. Will I be into lifting in 10 years??? No idea, I have come and gone from lifting a few times over the last 30 years. I intend to travel a lot more in the next few years, but in the mean time it is my time to do what I want, not what my boss or kids want.
As for TRT, if I end up needing it, I will go with it. My housemate (who is on this forum) has been going through the rigmarole for the last few months to get onto TRT so I know what is involved.
At the moment my test levels are closer to what most 40 year olds have so if I can keep it, I would like to. If it does go, well so be it.
But it would be silly of me to not make an attempt to look into risks and precautions to see if there is anything I can do.

**SampsonandDelilah** · 01-13-2020, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by CR500

Why waste my time?? Because I want to, that is all. I don't want to compete in body building, I already spend most of my time either working on my other non lifting related sport, or going fishing in my 2 week old boat, or going on holidays as I have been lately. I only work a few days a week so I can now do what I want. For the last 2 years I have been back into lifting and am enjoying looking and feeling better than 99% of men at my age. Will I be into lifting in 10 years??? No idea, I have come and gone from lifting a few times over the last 30 years. I intend to travel a lot more in the next few years, but in the mean time it is my time to do what I want, not what my boss or kids want.
As for TRT, if I end up needing it, I will go with it. My housemate (who is on this forum) has been going through the rigmarole for the last few months to get onto TRT so I know what is involved.
At the moment my test levels are closer to what most 40 year olds have so if I can keep it, I would like to. If it does go, well so be it.
But it would be silly of me to not make an attempt to look into risks and precautions to see if there is anything I can do.

You’re a grown ass man and we have one life to live...sounds like you’re doing an awesome job living it! Run a cycle...500 test (250 x 2) is a cookie cutter cycle and certainly yields results, I can testify to it. Make sure and have your ancillaries on hand and plan a proper PCT. I’d recommend having all of your gear on hand before you start. Bada bing bada bang. You can keep a lot of your gains, falling back to earth after feeling like Superman can be humbling. Lift and eat during your PCT and don’t give way to the emotion of not feeling as strong as you did. You could easily add an oral compound as well for 6 weeks as well if you’d like. The possibilities are almost endless. You know the risks and you know the rewards. Sounds like you have a buddy at home you can talk too and you have this community too. Hopefully you have a good source that you can trust and access to everything you need. New boat, nice tan, couple of holiday trips planned and some new muscles...what’s not to love?! Work your ass off and eat smart.