Hi,

I realise that this is topic is probably a bit of a bad thing to ask you guys, but I was wondering how 'bad' the use of Steroids is, if you're not intending to compete in any form of bodybuilding competition or any other competitive sport. IE If you're just training for personal gains.

I have heard varying opinions on the use of Steroids for this purpose, both bad and good, and was wondering what your opinions / advice may be. I have even heard claims that Steroid use can invoke (given the right training, diet and rest) 3 years of gains in as little as one year.

So, bearing in mind that I'm *NOT* considering entering Bodybuilding competitions or competitive sports of any kind, is it worth investigating Steroid use, or am I 'better off' sticking with natural methods for my training.

I am a 21 year old male who has been training for 12 months. I weigh 196 lbs and have a bodyfat percentage of around 10 - 12%. I operate a 4 day split routine.

I'd just like to say, that before I offend anyone by querying the use of Steroids, I'm not stating that I intend to utilise them, I'm just putting the question out there to some people who are more knowledgeable than me to see what their opinions are, particularly concerning the health risks. I would particularly like to hear from people that have used them. If you don't want to state that you have used them on the forum, then feel free to email me on kuzanagi@ntlworld.com and I assure you that I will treat any and all emails in strictest confidence.

It should also be stated that, in my opinion, there are no ethical issues for me, as I would not be using them to gain an unfair advantage in competitons of any kind.

Thanks,

Chris Cox.

If you are not going into competition, I would highly recommend avoiding AS. You can certainly make some serious gains, but there is always the risk of side effects. And for non-competitive bodybuolding, the point is to see how far you can push yourself and what you can accomplish (IMHO). I dont think taking supplements is necessarily cheating, but steroids is an entirely different animal. I know of many body builders that have no sides with AS, but I know almost equally as many that have. Do a lot more research and make an educated decision.

I don't think you should use them. Personally, I think they do more harm than good. You will develop breasts, and your testicles will get smaller. You will get acne on your back, baldness, and liver damage. I hope you will think seriously about these side effects and make a decision that will truly benefit your health.

research the heck out of it, then decide if vanity is worth the risks to you. thats a decision only you can make

H8CC

They are not as bad for you as the horror stories make them out to be. The problem is that most people want to see results like Yesterday, so they stack them and take dosages of 3-4X the norm. If taken correctly you should only see slight side effects -Acne, short tempered. But to see some of the other side effects you must stack them. You also need to cycle them correctly. Oral pills are very hard on the liver and injectable type are not. Injectable type also stay in the system much longer giving you better results. Most people that take the oral type have to take even more to get the same results as injectables at a lower dose.
I have never taken them but seriously thought about it in my younger days. Just didn't have the money. Nowadays there are other supplements that will give you good results without the worry of illegal drugs.