Does Testosterone Weaken tendons?

[headtrainer]

Here’s what I can tell you from personal experience. Winstrol and Tren makes my joints and tendons ache. Tren seems to inflame the joints/tendons and winstrol seems to dry them out. Testosterone does not harm the joints/tendons as long as I don’t EGO lift. I believe testosterone usage does cause one to place more stress on the tendons and joints because the extra muscle it provides allows you to lift heavier weight than what your body type was supposed to do naturally. Deca is just the opposite as Tren—it worked as an anti-inflammatory and helped my joints the few times I used it. But as soon as I stopped using it, my joints hurt even more for a period of time.

 

[inoverdrive]

Yeah there are freak things that happen like Branch Warren slipping on ice and tearing his quad, but ego lifting due to the psychological impacts of AAS is what causes most tendon damage. I've never had a tendon injury and for years I've been benching 400-500, Hack squatting 600-700, leg pressing 1,000+, low rowing 6 plates, etc. They key has been no matter how good I feel I very rarely move up more than 5-10lbs. in weight over the last session.

For me warming up and stretching helps more then anything. I feel like a lot of newbies or young people underestimate the "warm up" work. I have severe arthritis but never had a tendon or ligament problem.

 

[01dragonslayer]

Whats your thoughts, does testosterone weaken tendons? Are you more likely to rupture a tendon because of testosterone injections.

It does not necessarily weaken tendons or ligaments. What happens when using AS you have a rapid increase in strength especially when using hormones like tren, dbol, adrol, just to name a few. This sudden increase causes excessive stress on your tendons and ligaments because they do not grow or not are not strong enough to handle the rapid strength increases therefore causing a higher probability of injury.

 

[Alzadosghost]

My experience is tendons are one of the slowest growing things for me other than my tolerance for some people. From the studies i have seen it does not seem that tendons every really grow equally to muscles.

Super physiological doses of testosterone can greatly negatively affect your collagen and elastin production . Making connective tissue more brittle. I believe the literature I read given to me by my orthopedic surgeon stated that doses over 300mg a week is where the negative effects starts happening.

 

[alfresco]

For me warming up and stretching helps more then anything. I feel like a lot of newbies or young people underestimate the "warm up" work. I have severe arthritis but never had a tendon or ligament problem.

Agreed on the warmups. (I am getting better at that.)

You can overstretch. People mistakenly think more is better. Joint, ligament stress and resultant injury is real and a unfortunately, can be a function of overstretching. Don’t try and be a yogi, slow gradual and recognizing and being aware of different types of pain is key, I guess to all things physical. To get the most out of stretching and highlighting awareness for me is holding stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds. This has worked better for me than more vigorous brief stretches.

And good you have no joint issues.

Sorry, did not intend go off in the stretching direction without be asked.

 

[blmcgee81]

Has anybody here ever incorporated a small amount of super high rep assistance work to strengthen tendons and ligaments? I have seen powerlifters like Dave Tate talk about this. I believe he mainly does it for tricep type assistance work.

I had bad bicep tendinitis from low bar squats and poor shoulder mobility and tight pecs. I took to strengthening the tendons with low weight high reps (25+) movements along with mobility exercises. I have seen incredible improvements in the tendon strength.

Like many others have said, AAS rapidly increases strength but the tendons are slow to improve making them the weak links.

 

[dantes]

I had bad bicep tendinitis from low bar squats and poor shoulder mobility and tight pecs. I took to strengthening the tendons with low weight high reps (25+) movements along with mobility exercises. I have seen incredible improvements in the tendon strength.

Like many others have said, AAS rapidly increases strength but the tendons are slow to improve making them the weak links.

Which movements did you do the high reps on to help biceps? Just a general curl motion? I already incorporate plenty of mobility work and did high rep movements to help my tricep tendon and I feel it helped a lot and as it forces a lot of blood in the area.

 

[blmcgee81]

Which movements did you do the high reps on to help biceps? Just a general curl motion? I already incorporate plenty of mobility work and did high rep movements to help my tricep tendon and I feel it helped a lot and as it forces a lot of blood in the area.

Yeah pretty much, I used a machine preacher curl and db hammers curls mostly. At home or during work I would use a mini band for curls also. Nothing special.

 

[buck]

Super physiological doses of testosterone can greatly negatively affect your collagen and elastin production . Making connective tissue more brittle. I believe the literature I read given to me by my orthopedic surgeon stated that doses over 300mg a week is where the negative effects starts happening.

That is more or less the way i have always heard it. While the tendon may get bigger the structure of the matrix(or what ever it is called) becomes less flexible. So while it can handle a heavier load it is less flexible and can break. As the cross linking of the tendon fibers has changed. At least that is the theory the last time i put any real reading into it which was some time back.

 

[Fa Seeshus]

Using too much AI while on test and completely nuking your estrogen levels will jack up your tendons. I've made that mistake.

Also IMHO, concurrent GH use helps counteract much of the tendon issues gear use might cause.

 

[inoverdrive]

Agreed on the warmups. (I am getting better at that.)

You can overstretch. People mistakenly think more is better. Joint, ligament stress and resultant injury is real and a unfortunately, can be a function of overstretching. Don’t try and be a yogi, slow gradual and recognizing and being aware of different types of pain is key, I guess to all things physical. To get the most out of stretching and highlighting awareness for me is holding stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds. This has worked better for me than more vigorous brief stretches.

And good you have no joint issues.

Sorry, did not intend go off in the stretching direction without be asked.

Definitely like holding the stretches. Somewhat like the DC style of deep stretches and holds.

 

[totalrecomp]

Agreed on the warmups. (I am getting better at that.)

You can overstretch. People mistakenly think more is better. Joint, ligament stress and resultant injury is real and a unfortunately, can be a function of overstretching. Don’t try and be a yogi, slow gradual and recognizing and being aware of different types of pain is key, I guess to all things physical. To get the most out of stretching and highlighting awareness for me is holding stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds. This has worked better for me than more vigorous brief stretches.

And good you have no joint issues.

Sorry, did not intend go off in the stretching direction without be asked.

I hold a minimum of 60 seconds. I also like VERY SLOW AND GENTAL "ballistic" or "dynamic" stretching pre.

I also HAVE TO SLOWLY release from stretches. If I abruptly stop a stretch I tweak something.

 

[alfresco]

I hold a minimum of 60 seconds. I also like VERY SLOW AND GENTAL "ballistic" or "dynamic" stretching pre.

I also HAVE TO SLOWLY release from stretches. If I abruptly stop a stretch I tweak something.

1 minute requires a lot of concentration 👍

 

[Fa Seeshus]

1 minute requires a lot of concentration 👍

When I stretch now (generally post workout) I switch off the high energy music and just listen to a good book on audible. Distracts you and let's the nervous system release into the stretch.

 

[Tim Zane]

Anabolics in general are suspected of weakening tendons via impaired elasticity and increasing calcification.

I've read that testosterone in doses above TRT levels tend to weaken tendons, which seems to align with other testosterone traits that turn negative from positive over a certain dosage (visceral fat for example).
This may be due to unmanaged estrogen, but the studies don't look at that - unfortunately.
My surgeon was steadfast on the position that AAS increases the chance of injury.

A few anabolics such as Anavar and EQ show improved collagen synthesis in a good way, in contrast to Winstrol which degrades tendon elasticity.
Nandrolone can prevent fatty deposits in healing connective tissue, but there isn't much positive evidence beyond that.

I dosed Anavar at 20mg a day for six months following my injury along with EQ for the last three months.
It is very hard to know how much it helped, but I had an amazingly fast recovery per my surgeon and PT.

So estrogen that gets too high leads to that you think? I have gotten injured a few times and my estrogen usually runs high...