Gear Stopped Working

[lifter]

I have a buddy at the gym who has been running 500mg of test for years

He asked me why he wasn’t really feeling it anymore and why he wasn’t growing like he used to

I guess upping the dose never occurred to him

Can’t imagine thinking that half a gram of test would make me grow forever… but here we are

500 is a blast + for me now. In my younger days the most I went with test was 600 mg a week and I would add one or two other compounds for a total of around 1.2 g a week max.

I generally stay around 300 to 350 a week now on blasts and don't go higher but that is because my goal now is strength maintenance and overall health maintenance. If I was younger, yeah, it would be different and I would not just keep doses the same.

 

[LK3]

i

Reaching out for some advice here.

I'm 14 weeks into the first cycle I've done in over 10 years. I'm 33 now.

At first I was getting huge strength increases, big pumps, I was feeling great, and even had some trouble sleeping I was so amped up. I was also getting high bp which I had to address by adding in Telmisartan.

Now at the same dosage I feel like I'm on hardly anything at all. Strength is going down, sex drive is decreasing, bp has also gone down to baseline, which is nice but...

Cycle:

500mg Test E/Wk.
200mg Primo/Wk.
200mg Mast/Wk.
10mg Anavar Pre-workout

I know that's probably a baby cycle but I'm just trying to figure out how much I need to take. It can get confusing hearing all this conflicting info out there from guys saying you only need small amounts to grow. Then this happens and I start to wonder if this is the reason Chase Irons is taking 3g Test/wk. lol.. Perhaps some of the gear I've got is no good? Hard to tell.

it sounds like you need to better understand how to tie your aas into your training and into your eating and into your life.
its not hard just spend some time reading.
if you spend a few hrs reading here you can probably figure it out.

 

[aHarness]

All jokes aside have you experienced loss of androgen sensitivity? I never knew this was a real thing

It’s not

 

[luki7788]

It would be best if you posted a photo of yourself because I don't think it's a loss of androgen sensitivity because there is no such thing but a loss of insulin sensitivity - you simply have too much fat but I could be wrong so this photo will answer this question

 

[pesty4077]

It would be best if you posted a photo of yourself because I don't think it's a loss of androgen sensitivity because there is no such thing but a loss of insulin sensitivity - you simply have too much fat but I could be wrong so this photo will answer this question

My thoughts exactly. If he is saying 14% bf, probably 18%. Most guys guess wrong and put themselves lower.

 

[gib68sg]

My thoughts exactly. If he is saying 14% bf, probably 18%. Most guys guess wrong and put themselves lower.

Ya know what’s funny? Having been on the forums so long and seeing so much of that had me jaded towards my own body fat levels lol. I thought it was 15-16% and my dexa scan just put me at 10.7%. I was happy with that. Still not happy overall, but it’s a work in progress.

 

[TomJ]

Diet hasn't changed, training hasn't changed.

I'm 5,11' 236 at around 14% bf. I'm 33.

Training is bro split. Sometimes I switch up the days.

Monday – Chest and triceps
Tuesday – Cardio
Wednesday – Back and biceps
Thursday – Legs and abs
Friday – Shoulders
Saturday and Sunday – Cardio

Thank you btw for providing insight as to the AR downregulation question. I was confused about that.

Perhaps one of my bottles of test is no good.

Did you switch up the days recently?
Is the volume the same as before your cycle/earlier in your cycle?

 

[intensevolume1]

Diet hasn't changed, training hasn't changed.

I'm 5,11' 236 at around 14% bf. I'm 33.

Training is bro split. Sometimes I switch up the days.

Monday – Chest and triceps
Tuesday – Cardio
Wednesday – Back and biceps
Thursday – Legs and abs
Friday – Shoulders
Saturday and Sunday – Cardio

Thank you btw for providing insight as to the AR downregulation question. I was confused about that.

Perhaps one of my bottles of test is no good.

Have you been progressive with your food?
just because you nolonger feel the gear doesn't mean it's no longer working.
If progress stopped or bodycompisiton isnt improving then it's most likely either a food, recovery or training issue

 

[3BILLS]

What did you think would happen at 14 weeks at the same dose?

 

[pesty4077]

Ya know what’s funny? Having been on the forums so long and seeing so much of that had me jaded towards my own body fat levels lol. I thought it was 15-16% and my dexa scan just put me at 10.7%. I was happy with that. Still not happy overall, but it’s a work in progress.

I gave up many years ago measuring bodyfat. I just go by the mirror and how my health is. I know I am leaner then most guys my age. How lean? I really don't know.

 

[gib68sg]

I gave up many years ago measuring bodyfat. I just go by the mirror and how my health is. I know I am leaner then most guys my age. How lean? I really don't know.

Best way to do it. I was really curious about the dexa scan though after @danieltx thread

 

[Liter O' Test]

I think he added too many different variables at once, getting back into the saddle after a decade off,
4 different variables + testosterone. As others have mentioned, his estrogen was already low naturally, if he already converts testosterone to estrogen at a low rate,
the 3 different DHTs base steroids sure aren't helping, dont forget to get the LC/MS sensitive version of the estrogen test.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

That was a lot of bro science in just a page and a half.

No one asked about training?
No one asked about diet?

@Proformance121 how has sleep been last few days? how's your recovery been? Have you made any changes to your training program? Do you follow a structured training program? How's your diet been? Any changes there?
What's your height, weight, and estimated BF?

As others have said, there's a chance your e2 is low, but that's just a small chance based on what you're running.

Desensitizing androgen receptors is definitely not the cause, because that's not a phenomenon that actually happens.
AR is upregulated with AAS use.

There are other fatigue factors from long cycles that can come into play, that do not involve the AR, but given this is your first cycle in a long time and you haven't had a ton of exposure time I'd consider this unlikely assuming you are generally in good health.

The reason no one asked that is because these threads are tedious and worthless.
No offense @Proformance121 but it's a waste.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say he doesnt track any of his training, doesnt track any food or recovery.
He mentioned NONE of this and said this is his first cycle in 10 years as if gear is the magic ingredient and forces everything to work.
So i'm just gonna assume that allll his other variables are fucked and now needs to say its something and gear is it. Even IF he does get his bloodwork back and his e2 is tanked, he needs to get his shit in order so he has sooome idea how to track progress. Again, these threads are as if some rando at the local 24hr Fitness asked u why his test is bunk....

also, he never even told us wtf his goal is...trying to get big, get lean. So im gonna assume what most rando's explanation is, "I want to do both" lol

 

[danieltx]

The reason no one asked that is because these threads are tedious and worthless.
No offense @Proformance121 but it's a waste.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say he doesnt track any of his training, doesnt track any food or recovery.
He mentioned NONE of this and said this is his first cycle in 10 years as if gear is the magic ingredient and forces everything to work.
So i'm just gonna assume that allll his other variables are fucked and now needs to say its something and gear is it. Even IF he does get his bloodwork back and his e2 is tanked, he needs to get his shit in order so he has sooome idea how to track progress. Again, these threads are as if some rando at the local 24hr Fitness asked u why his test is bunk....

also, he never even told us wtf his goal is...trying to get big, get lean. So im gonna assume what most rando's explanation is, "I want to do both" lol

I can't understand why guys like @Proformance121 think PROFESIONAL MUSCLE is right place to start initially or start back on a fitness journey. This is a place for hardcore guys, not weekend warriors.

 

[buck]

I have never noticed any androgen insensitivity when running long cycles. But i will grow slower as time goes by. It seems the body forms as many receptors as it needs for the amount of androgens in the system.
Big gains are easier early on. Just like losing weight dieting has the bigger drops in weight early in the diet.
When growing if my training and diet stay the same, things will plateau after a time. My calorie surplus becomes a maintenance amount given enough time.
If my workouts stay the same the body has no need to grow more muscle if it doesn't think it needs to to survive better.

 

[PRorER]

I can't understand why guys like @Proformance121 think PROFESIONAL MUSCLE is right place to start initially or start back on a fitness journey. This is a place for hardcore guys, not weekend warriors.

IMO this platform has been an immense learning tool, it is not meant for “hey I’m taking xyz and something is wrong”. That’s what coaches are for, to make sure those issues don’t arise in the first place. If you don’t have a coach, don’t experiment on yourself and expect perfect results

 

[slesh]

The reason no one asked that is because these threads are tedious and worthless.
No offense @Proformance121 but it's a waste.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say he doesnt track any of his training, doesnt track any food or recovery.
He mentioned NONE of this and said this is his first cycle in 10 years as if gear is the magic ingredient and forces everything to work.
So i'm just gonna assume that allll his other variables are fucked and now needs to say its something and gear is it. Even IF he does get his bloodwork back and his e2 is tanked, he needs to get his shit in order so he has sooome idea how to track progress. Again, these threads are as if some rando at the local 24hr Fitness asked u why his test is bunk....

also, he never even told us wtf his goal is...trying to get big, get lean. So im gonna assume what most rando's explanation is, "I want to do both" lol

When I hear something like this I am automatically done with that individual

 

[BaetrixReloaded]

gonna 2nd you crushed your e2 on those doses. go get bloodwork, or pop a DBol or HCG and see if you feel better.

losing androgen sensitivity because you ran a cycle longer than 8 weeks is laughable. that's when things really get going on a cycle with long esters

 

[Alzadosghost]

In never seen anyone use real gear and it had no effect. Like 55 said. Hes not doing all the things like eating and training correctly.

 

[aHarness]

@Proformance121 what is your current diet and training like?