musclebuildingforum.com

Many bodybuilders live “in the moment”... They don’t think about too many things in the long-term... The use of steroids, particularly heavy androgens, can dramatically reduce overall health and possibly, total life span... However, many bodybuilders use these drugs without much thought of long-term viability... Their goal is go get big, get ripped, and feel and look superhuman... There is another type of bodybuilder who uses hormones for another purpose... They want to have the best quality of life, not the best physique onstage. Their goal isn’t a plastic trophy or a non-laminated pro card... Rather, they use artificial testosterone with the purpose of living longer, feeling better, and assisting their body in becoming a better functioning machine... When steroids are used for this purpose, they can be a useful, non-destructive tool... People who use them moderately with the correct intent can find they significantly increase life span... Let’s examine the reasons why... The types of drugs which are thought to increase life span include testosterone and growth hormone... Already used by elite world class athletes, they are also used (much more often) in low doses by men and women reaching their golden years... The use of these compounds by such a potentially huge segment of the population has resulted in an influx of resources (read: money) into the research and development of said compounds... Studies are now being conducted on many levels, and each month we’re learning more of the positive benefits of these compounds... Some of the perceived benefits of hormone use include increased muscle mass, more energy, greater sexual vitality, better sleep patterns, and lower body fat... These benefits have the effect of decreasing the likelihood of illness, injury, and other debilitating factors which can lead to deterioration of quality of life... In other words, the older man who lift weight regularly may be less likely to fall, and then less likely to break a bone if he does fall... The older woman who uses GH and very small doses of testosterone (yes, women do!) will be less likely to contract the flu, which will significantly reduce her chances of coming down with pneumonia this year... There are some potential side effects of hormone use which should be considered... They are minimal risks when GH and testosterone is used in larger amounts by bodybuilders, and almost miniscule when used by older men and women for life improvement... Still, they should be discussed... Enlargement of prostate in men, increased blood cell count (which may interfere with some medications) and carpal tunnel syndrome in the arthritic can occur... Typically, however, these issues are not of major concern. .. Growth hormone and testosterone (most useful and synergistic when used in conjunction with one another) are available to just about anyone with a physician and health insurance, provided your doctor has the forward thinking mentality to prescribe such a thing for overall health and vitality... If your doctor will not prescribe it, then it may be time to get a second opinion from another doctor not in your network, or you may just do it on your own and go with a UG lab... __________________