pro's con's. up's down's, high's and low's
please share your wisdom and experiences
how is your body/health now? was it worth it?
I've gained a ton of knowledge about how the human body and HPTA work. Gained plenty of muscle and had the best workouts of my life on AAS. Like someone said, natural training is just never the same after being on gear and you will always feel spoiled that you used AAS. If you have a goal it will help you get there faster, i've competed in bodybuilding and power lifting; have a closet full of trophies and a few swords. That's about all you will get from it financially and the chances of going pro are slim to none even for the guys who push the limits to the max.
My only lows were a few infections that thankfully went away on their own and when i came of a 4 year cycle i felt like complete shit for about 8 months, but after that my natural test came back and i felt normal again. As long as you get bloodwork done and keep the doses realistic, you shouldn't have too many issues. A few sides i got were acne, high BP, anxiety, insomnia, elevated Chol and liver values, a rug of carpet on my back and some minor hair loss. Most sides can be controlled with diet and you should do some maintenance cardio for health reasons. Always eat clean not just to stay lean, but for the sake of your health and future well being. A lot of guys brag about eating junk food on gear but forget that internal health plays the largest factor to your goals. A sick person will never make gains like a healthy person.
I'm good today, i have a long list of injuries due to pushing the limits in power lifting, but that doesn't mean it was caused by AAS, but they will make you strong enough to injure yourself more easily IMO. Today i'm a healthy man in his mid 30's with zero health issues apart from some herniated disks in my back from years of heavy lifting abuse, but again not really AAS related.
They make you feel good about yourself and can give you energy with the right compounds. Feeling better about your appearance gives you higher self esteem and can lead to a better life. This is why i think men over 40 should look into TRT. AAS are demonized and not as bad for you as many claim, but they sure as hell can hurt you if you abuse them.
If i could do it all over again, i would. I have no regrets and i'm in perfect health considering the massive amounts i used over 10 years. Always get blood work and listen to your body, if something doesn't feel right get it checked out. Don't be scared to see a Doc or ask advice from the good members of this board. Take it easy at first and slowly increase your doses, don't get all crazy and please invest in a BP monitor if you use gear, it can save you from a life of serious trouble. BP is the main side people get and ignore that leads to trouble.
Good luck and ask as many questions as you like.