Doc told me the ONLY thing saving me is that I'm Natural. Said if all this size was steroid induced I'd already be dead or close to it.
I'm not well enough versed in in the differences between steroid induced muscles and naturally produced ones to have a knowledgeable opinion on this. My motto has always been moderation is always best with some exceptions like addictive drugs and poisons.
I have limited personal experience. Every Monday for that past several years I've injected about 1 mil of prescription Testosterone Cypionate to maintain a healthy and acceptable level of testosterone. Hardly enough to have much of an effect on muscle gains. Although, I believe that it has helped me maintain a status quo in that area plus gives me more zest for life.
I've been bodybuilding since I was in my middle teens. There have been a few times that I used D-bol. The first was when I was still a teenager and the family doctor recommended it because I was ridiculously skinny. The last time was when I was 29 years old and just wanted to become as big as I could. D-bol works, but like most things, it can also mess you up. My liver survived. The weight gain did not.
There have been periods when I consistently took in as much protein as I could, usually from protein enhanced drinks . Honestly, I think this is similar to taking mega doses of vitamins. What your body doesn't need, it just pisses out. However, who really knows what happens to all that extra protein?
One thing I firmly believe is that if we pay attention to our body's messages, we can learn what works and what is killing us. People who die from steroid abuse likely lost this ability somewhere along the line. Heart failure and kidney failure seem to be at the top of the list as to what happens when we ignore the signs.
Unless you are committed to being a contestant in major bodybuilding competitions with any hope of coming away with a title, you should always put good health before everything. Many of the greats have shown us this. They ignored all the risks, maybe earned a plastic statue and a title along the way and ended up dying too soon. There are just too many premature deaths in bodybuilding to ignore this. Moments of glory are not worth risking your health and you life for. Maybe for some, it is a death wish.