Risks Involved with Cycling at 21?

[J. Cole]

Hello Everyone,

I am planning on starting my first cycle this summer. I am 26, but my friend and lifting partner is 21. He expressed some interest in cycling with me, but I have seen almost on every corner of this site that it is either medically not healthy or morally wrong. Can you more experienced veterans please provide me with the cold hard facts about the health risks / issues involved with cycle at 21 years old so I can try to convince my friend not to. Thank you.

[Lemonada8]

Permanent shut down of natural test production. increased cardio-related problems. granted nothing super serious in the time view now, but 10-15 years down the road the problems will begin. Tell ur buddy that he has the max amount of natural test going for him and if he tries to pause it, he runs the risk of not being able to restart it/ permanently damage sperm production just to name a few...

[n00bs]

I think alot of younger people who are having problems need to test their natural production. And if it isnt optimal work with a medical professional to get there...

Rather then simply think they cant gain oding the right things and steroids are the only answer.. Get tested there may be a problem .

[CsB]

Permanent shut down of natural test production. increased cardio-related problems.

broscience.

[5x10]

roids creating a huge impression on a young mans confidence/ego, which creates a desire to always be on
never getting off, not doing blood work, drinking and partying all have impacts on lipids/cholesterol over time

[Lemonada8]

broscience.

Really? yea i guess being in medical school is considered bro science. but you prolly know more than me.

[vishus]

take it from me, 21yr old user, to tell him to NOT use. i use because im a serious competitor. he sounds like hes just a gym rat. he'll b better off not using anything

[CsB]

Really? yea i guess being in medical school is considered bro science. but you prolly know more than me.

lol sure doc, you said it wont cause problems straight away but 10-15 years down the line? because of steroids? quite a big time frame isn't it considering other life factors that can play a more adverse role than steroids? "looks like you have no natural test, you also have cardio problems herp derp you took steroids 15 years ago right!?"

[cro]

he will be hurting himself. hows his build now?

Hello Everyone,

I am planning on starting my first cycle this summer. I am 26, but my friend and lifting partner is 21. He expressed some interest in cycling with me, but I have seen almost on every corner of this site that it is either medically not healthy or morally wrong. Can you more experienced veterans please provide me with the cold hard facts about the health risks / issues involved with cycle at 21 years old so I can try to convince my friend not to. Thank you.

[Herpaderp]

21 is too young imo. Its better than 18-19 but you should still aim for 23-35.

[Eazy20]

lol sure doc, you said it wont cause problems straight away but 10-15 years down the line? because of steroids? quite a big time frame isn't it considering other life factors that can play a more adverse role than steroids? "looks like you have no natural test, you also have cardio problems herp derp you took steroids 15 years ago right!?"

In terms of non-cardiac morbidity, AAS use is associated with hypogonadism, testicular atrophy, impaired spermatogenesis, baldness, acne, gynaecomastia, and psychiatric disturbance. Such drugs also have toxic effects on metabolic profile and hepatic structure and function,10 as well as potentially promoting neoplastic growth.10 Indeed, Parsinnen reported the 12 year mortality to be 12.9% among 62 male powerlifters suspected of AAS use, compared to 3.1% in a control population.16
LVH is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and (through whatever mechanism) one might anticipate an excess cardiovascular mortality among AAS users in whom LVH occurs. In addition, the recognised association of AAS use with hypertension and dislipidaemia (raised low density lipoprotein and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and raised triglycerides),10 as well as influences on coagulation and platelet aggregation,10 might increase such risk. While it is debatable whether ASS use is indeed associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular death, 38% of the deaths in Parssinen’s powerlifting group were attributed to “myocardial infarction”,16 while several case reports have attributed myocardial infarction in athletes to ASS abuse.
In some cases, infarction has occurred without evident coronary thrombosis or atherosclerosis, leading to the hypothesis that ASS may induce coronary vasospasm in susceptible individuals.10 Similarly there are several case reports of increased thromboembolic risk.10 In a recent postmortem series of 34 AAS abusers aged 20–45 years (comprising 12 homicides, 11 suicides, 12 “accidental” deaths, and two of indeterminate cause), 12 of the deceased showed cardiac pathology. Findings included hypertrophy (7 cases), myocardial or endocardial fibrosis (5), cardiac steatosis (1), myocardial coagulation necrosis (2), and coronary atheroma (4). Cardiac changes were adjudged to have contributed to death by poisoning in two cases.17 However mediated, such a morbid burden is likely to rise with time.

[J. Cole]

he will be hurting himself. hows his build now?

His build is almost identical to mine, we have been lifting together. He is 21 years old, 6'1" 210 lbs 10% bf

[cro]

bro if his build is like yours hes growing just fine, your probably growing just fine with out aas.

His build is almost identical to mine, we have been lifting together. He is 21 years old, 6'1" 210 lbs 10% bf

[Jawcep]

General consensus is that 21 is too young. This being the case I do know of someone who started when he was 20 and is still going strong at 45 years of age. Also, Arnie and other top gun BBs out there were smashing the roids before they turned 20 - Arnie did admit in 1974 that he did it all under medical supervision.

[SlimmerMe]

^^^
If someone is going to juice early and get by with it, more than likely they have a serious dedicated lifestyle with their eating and training 24/7 as in counting every single macro and logging every single move minute by minute and training like a pro. AAS is really only good for those who are honestly already to a point physically where their body cannot go further on its own.

Anyone looking to look good in their summer swim suit will not hold their gains 9 out of 10 times. Not to mention end up without a girlfriend because of ED.

[n00bs]

Really? yea i guess being in medical school is considered bro science. but you prolly know more than me.

Well i know more about hormone modulation then my last 2 endocronologists, So yes it is possible.. Being is medical school gives you no real world experience on how things actually work. You learn drugs designed by companies for problems.. If a drug isnt made for a problem then you cant fix the problem.

Thus broscience...

[Far from massive]

I am no expert but I would like to point out that the main reason for waiting till 25 is that at 21 despite being full grown in most aspects, height, bone ends fully closed for the most part, the one thing that is still not finished developing is the endocrine system. This is the reason that damage is more likely than at 25 as any body sub system not fully developed generally suffers much greater damage from any substance that alters their function than a body sub system that is fully developed.

While you can certainly site AAS users who have started younger than 25 and seemingly suffered no major changes, its also easy to find just as many users who have. While you can certainly find many who have used AAS at 18-21 In my way of thinking the only time one should consider using AAS before the endocrinol system is fully developed is when ones career is on the line. In this situation if you are fully aware of the risks involved and still feel that the advantage gained from AAS usage outwieghs the potential for harm then as an adult its your decision to make. However if you are taking the same risks for vanities sake so that you can have a greater musculature to fulfill ones self image then I feel its a pretty poor decision and I also feel most who make the jump do so out of ignorance of the increased risk rather than a concious decision.

[SlimmerMe]

^^^^x 2

[n00bs]

In all honesty i would rather people use AAS at 18-25 then the amount of alcohol,smoking, and ilicit drugs that are used.

I do find it a little trivial that society turns a blind eye to these "normal" things... And this is so frowned upon. I think majority of things can be used in the right setting safely to a degree.

However i doubt many 18 year olds have the ability to be able to do this.

[Fetch]

Endocrine system damage is the primary reason. Until the age of 24-25, the average person's endocrine system is still in development. This is the system in your body that produces hormones naturally. Anyone who take steroids is shutting this system off. They are injecting testosterone, and in an effort to achieve homeostasis, their body stops producing it naturally. This is a very bad thing to do to a still developing endocrine system. It greatly magnifies the risks associated with steroids. You are shutting your endocrine system down while it's trying to grow. This often leads to low test for life. Symptoms of this include lethargy, depression, inability to achieve or maintain an erection, low libido, difficulty maintaining muscle, etc. Not a great thing to experience in your early 20s.

[J. Cole]

interesting points of views guys I appreciate it, feel free to keep them coming

[Tigershark]

Try to talk him out of it if you can. Have him read the stickies and some of the posts from guys who learned the hard way.

[cro]

arnold has all sorts of heart issues now.....

General consensus is that 21 is too young. This being the case I do know of someone who started when he was 20 and is still going strong at 45 years of age. Also, Arnie and other top gun BBs out there were smashing the roids before they turned 20 - Arnie did admit in 1974 that he did it all under medical supervision.

[Lemonada8]

Wow nice to see we have some brains out there... and truthfully my whole statement is a physiological truth. High Testosterone shorten life. Why so u think the average age of women is older? Less testosterone. To put excess test in ur body would only speed up the effects. Side effects baldness, why is that? Speeding up your own body timeline.
But since everyone here cycling eats perfect and lives healthy would decrease that effect.
So yes I know the drugs effects from having access to the true literature not just some guys summary of it. There's a lot more going on than u realize. Yes there are other factors than AAS for lifespan and developing cardiovascular problems.

[J. Cole]

Well guys I made him read everything you have written which makes great logical sense to me, but he is still cycling :x I tried to talk him out of it and have no part in supplying him hes on his own

[Shol'va]

Thats too bad. At least you tried. I didn't try it till I was 25 and it didn't afect me none. I didn't try it till I was 25 and it didn't affect me none. I didn't try it till I was 25 and............

[Bigd89]

Keep us posted on his results. What is he running?

[dec11]

Keep us posted on his results. What is he running?

mate you really are making yourself very obvious, you know we dont condone young usage on here, eevry underage thread you're in like a shot wondering what they're on and how they're getting on. give it up

[Bigd89]

mate you really are making yourself very obvious, you know we dont condone young usage on here, eevry underage thread you're in like a shot wondering what they're on and how they're getting on. give it up

Ok, you win.