what age did you start using AAS?

EastJerseyBeast · Jul 11, 2012

Started at 20.....just turned 22 a couple days ago...looking to do my first show sometime next year. Just read up on here and be smart about what your doing and you'll be fine.

TIMMO · Jul 11, 2012

19, you only need test for 1st 2nd and 3rd cycle imo

iintensity · Jul 11, 2012

thatbloke said:
understandable why your doc did this

but theres no evidence to show steroids effect growth plates in anyone, irrelevant of what age or phase they are in growth, testosterone has no effect on growth plates,
its theorised it could and for medical ethical reasons it's argued it shouldnt be used on adolescents becoz they havent full developed, and thus docs cant determine whether they need testosterone or not as they havent fully developed
but there is still is no evidence to show testosterone effects growth plates, theres more supporting evidence showing test has no effect on growth plates becoz growth plates are influenced more by genetic traits and signals as alot of DNA and genetic signals in the body develop according to time

this is what is shown more recent these days anyways

You may be interested in this. There is in fact evidence as it use to be prescribed to those with tall stature who normally have a young bone age. Although I agree with you, you only grow ( height wise) once in life so as might as well make the most of it and not take any risks.

High-dose sex steroid treatment to reduce final height of tall boys has been widely used. Possibly due to greater social acceptance of tall stature, fewer adolescent boys are treated these days. The treatment of tall stature is based on the understanding that exposure to gonadal steroids leads to epiphyseal fusion of the long bones during pubertal development. Commonly used treatment is an im-injected preparation of testosterone ester mixtures (Sustanon 250; Schering-Plough, Houten, The Netherlands) in a dose of 250 mg/wk for, on average, a period of 1.5 yr.

High doses of androgens are known to greatly reduce sperm production, which is reversible in adult men, although it sometimes may take years until full recovery. However, because in the maturing gonads the initiation of spermatogenesis is stimulated by hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, treatment given during puberty may have lasting effects on pituitary-gonadal functioning. Therefore, several studies have looked at possible side effects of high-dose androgen treatment for tall stature.

Short-term side effects are well documented and include: weight gain, acne, gynecomastia, muscle ache, and edema. A few studies have reported on long-term fertility and reproductive function after a follow-up of up to 10 yr. One study found marginally higher serum FSH levels and lower serum LH levels in androgen-treated boys compared with untreated tall boys at an average follow-up of 10 yr. None have found significant effects on sperm quality or fertility. The aim of this single center retrospective cohort study was to evaluate fertility and testicular function in a cohort of tall Dutch men who did or did not receive high-dose androgen treatment in adolescence.

At a mean follow-up of 21 yr after high-dose androgen treatment, we conclude that fatherhood and semen quality in tall treated men are not affected. Serum testosterone levels, however, are reduced in androgen-treated men.

Hendriks AEJ, Boellaard WPA, van Casteren NJ, et al. Fatherhood in Tall Men Treated with High-Dose Sex Steroids during Adolescence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;95(12):5233-40.

Background/Objective: Sex steroid treatment to reduce final height of tall boys has been available since the 1950s. In women, it has been shown to interfere with fertility. In men, no such data are available. We therefore evaluated fertility and gonadal function in tall men who did or did not receive high-dose androgen treatment in adolescence.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 116 tall men, of whom 60 had been treated. Reproductive and gonadal function was assessed by standardized interview, semen analysis, endocrine parameters, ultrasound imaging, and fatherhood. Mean age at treatment commencement was 14.2 yr, and mean follow-up was 21.2 yr.

Results: Sixty-six men (36 treated and 30 untreated) had attempted to achieve fatherhood. The probability of conceiving their first pregnancy within 1 yr was similar in treated and untreated men (26 vs. 24; Breslow P = 0.8). Eleven treated and 13 untreated men presented with a left-sided varicocele (P = 0.5). Testicular volume, sperm quality, and serum LH, FSH, and inhibin B levels were comparable between treated and untreated men. However, treated men had significantly reduced serum T levels, adjusted for known confounders [mean (sD) 13.3 (1.8) vs. 15.2 (1.9) nmol/liter; P = 0.005). In addition, testicular volume and serum inhibin B and FSH levels in treated men were significantly correlated with age at treatment commencement.

Conclusion: At a mean follow-up of 21 yr after high-dose androgen treatment, we conclude that fatherhood and semen quality in tall treated men are not affected. Serum testosterone levels, however, are reduced in androgen-treated men. Future research is required to determine whether declining testosterone levels may become clinically relevant for these men as they age.

Lemcke B, Zentgraf J, Behre HM, Kliesch S, Bramswig JH, Nieschlag E. Long-term effects on testicular function of high-dose testosterone treatment for excessively tall stature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996;81(1):296-301.

High-dose testosterone treatment is applied during puberty to reduce the predicted adult height in excessively tall boys. To date it has remained unclear whether this therapy produces any long-term effects on reproductive functions of the patients. To clarify this question, we performed a follow-up study in 47 tall men, determining seminal and hormonal parameters 10.6 +/- 2.5 years (mean +/- SD) after cessation of therapy. The tall men treated were compared with 123 normal men attending the Institute of Reproductive Medicine as volunteers for various clinical studies. Clinicalexamination revealed a significantly higher prevalence of varicoceles and history of maldescended testes in the testosterone-treated tall men compared with the controls. Semen analysis revealed significantly lower progressive motility in the tall men compared with the normal men (49.2 +/- 13.4 vs. 54.3 +/- 12.8%). A nonsignificant tendency towards lower sperm concentration (43.8 +/- 35.4 vs. 57.8 +/- 45.6 mL/mL), lower total sperm count (184.4 +/- 158.0 vs. 225.4 +/- 277.5 mL/ejaculate), and reduced normal sperm morphology (27.6 +/- 12.5 vs. 30.9 +/- 13.1%) was evident in the testosterone- treated tall men. Although there was no difference in testicular volume and FSH between the groups, testosterone was lower in the testosterone- treated tall men (19.9 +/- 7.4 vs. 23.9 +/- 7.0 nmol/L). Statistical analysis of the subgroups of testosterone-treated tall men and control men without varicocele and cryptorchidism revealed no differences in any ejaculate parameter. The small difference in semen variables may be explained by a higher prevalence of varicocele and maldescended testes in the testosterone-treated tall men.

Drop SLS, de Waal WJ, de Muinck Keizer-Schrama SMPF. Sex Steroid Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Stature. Endocr Rev 1998;19(5):540-58. Sex Steroid Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Stature -- Drop et al. 19 (5): 540 -- Endocrine Reviews

I. Introduction
II. Normal vs. Extremes of Growth
_____A. Defining CTS
_____B. Endocrinology of CTS
III. Endocrinology of Bone Growth and Maturation
IV. Sex Steroid Action on Bone Growth and Maturation
V. Height Prediction
_____A. Skeletal maturity or BA
_____B. Computed assisted skeletal age-scoring systems
_____C. Accuracy of height prediction
_____D. New prediction equations in constitutionally tall children
VI. Treatment of CTS: General Concepts
VII. Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Boys
_____A. T treatment modalities
_____B. Height reduction
_____C. Effects on gonadal function
_____D. Other clinical effects
VIII. Estrogen Treatment in Tall Girls
_____A. Estrogen treatment modalities
_____B. Height reduction
_____C. Effects on gonadal function
_____D. Other adverse effects
IX. Alternative Treatment Modalities and Future Research
X. Conclusions and Recommendations

evser · Jul 11, 2012

used some ph at 18 then did test at 19

ADRAKE21 · Jul 11, 2012

started at 19 now 21 not coming off ever

JuicedMayhem · Jul 11, 2012

I started at 23, now I'm 26 on my 5th cycle.

Juice3000 · Jul 11, 2012

25. And I'm glad I waited honestly. Competed naturally, twice, once in a natural org and once in npc. After taking 2nd in npc I made the decision to start. I've never run a pct just cruise but I wouldn't have done it like that if I started younger. I found learning how to do things and look good without anabolics made it easier once I added them in. Dieting and doing a show with them is completely different though. That's one thing I'm still figuring out. But putting on new muscle is so much fucking easier now.

sbc5966 · Jul 11, 2012

My dad used me as a guinea pig at 16 (227 with leg veins!) at 5'11''

Started back on at 19- Been on and off since

Unvme2 · Jul 11, 2012

36. I had exhausted my natural ability. And even after that worked out for a year. I was really tired of putting in all this work and not seeing the results. So on second cycle now sust 350 and it just makes a huge difference. But did my homework and asked the right questions. But at my age any amount of test would make a difference. But I will cruise and blast for life.

Dezzy · Jul 11, 2012

sbc5966 said:
My dad used me as a guinea pig at 16 (227 with leg veins!) at 5'11''

Started back on at 19- Been on and off since

Wait a minute. Your dad gave you steroids at 16? Who does that?

msmoke44 · Jul 12, 2012

bump for results

RowRow · Jul 12, 2012

Dezzy said:
Wait a minute. Your dad gave you steroids at 16? Who does that?

Didn't The Hercules Kid's Dad give him them at like 8?

MrSaturatedFat · Jul 12, 2012

Started at 26... 27 now. Only 3 cycles under my belt.

I'm still going to run a few more cycles before I pull the HGH card. I figure if I can still make gains on Test/Tren/NPP/etc etc, I'll keep doing that. Maybe experiment with a full year of blast/cruise and see if I can fully recover from it.

khungus03 · Jul 12, 2012

Started training at 15, gear at 21. Now 23, never had anything adverse beyond a little temporary acne, high bp while on, temporary testicular atrophy. Bloodwork is normal at my 6 week post coming off test.

lntense · Jul 12, 2012

22, still havent but will in august. Ive done a couple phs tho, never will again.

Pharm_Fed · Jul 12, 2012

First cycle at 26. Almost 29 only 3 cycles so far. Pretty tame compared to most here.

Queefer · Jul 12, 2012

28 yo for me. Didn't compete til I was 39

Big D84 · Jul 12, 2012

Simpllyhuge · Jul 12, 2012

Excess estrogen is said to close the growth plates. So unless you were using a small dose, I would be weary of closing growth plates. It is true however than test is used to induce growth in boys, but it is also a fact that estrogen closes growth plates.