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Does this mean, that the use of anabolic steroids to build muscle at one point in time can lead to better performance years after usage? For example, a young at

Does this mean, that the use of anabolic steroids to build muscle at one point in time can lead to better performance years after usage? For example, a young athlete uses it in his late teens/early twenties to gain muscle and then lays off the drug for a while. Then he returns to competitive sports, reaping the benefits of the formerly enhanced hypertrophy without any means to test against it?

VoiceOfWisdom 7y ago
Correct, it does. Bodybuilders have known this for years.
- ddorian43 7y ago
  Same in fighting.
  - throwawaymanbot 7y ago
    "Fighting" lol.
- sgt101 7y ago
  And rugby.
rapsey 7y ago
Or if the athlete was once male...
- lawlessone 7y ago
  never too late to educate yourself. https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a26798247/trans-athletes-sporting-performance/ https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a26798247/trans-athlet...
  - rapsey 7y ago
    Not particularly educational and extremely one sided. The main source of information is by a gender identity doctor. One particular excerpt: > The connection between naturally occurring testosterone and athletic performance appears to be overstated. When researchers measured the T levels of elite athletes from 15 Olympic sports, more than 25 per cent of the men were below 10 nmol/L Yeah because training reduces testosterone.
    - lawlessone 7y ago
      why was my comment flagged but your bigotry ins't?
      - rapsey 7y ago
        I did not even down vote your comment, yet mine has quite a few votes. So I’m guessing the hivemind disagrees with you.
erichocean 7y ago
> Does this mean, that the use of anabolic steroids to build muscle at one point in time can lead to better performance years after usage? Yes, and it's very well known too. You don't need to take steroids for very long to increase your muscle mass, then you go off them and stay off them for a few months and maintain it. You can then repeat multiple times if you need/want to. I've been told that it's fairly safe when done this way, with appropriate monitoring, etc.
- barry-cotter 7y ago
  You just described steroid cycling. > cycling steroids involves alternating the active and in active use of steroids. This means that there would be times where a person would be using the drug as well as times where they would refrain from using them. https://www.whatsteroids.com/steroids/what-is-a-steroid-cycle/ https://www.whatsteroids.com/steroids/what-is-a-steroid-cycl...
- oceanghost 7y ago
  You are correct, but there is more to it than that. At one time I was a serious lifter-- and I did half a dozen cycles. Even though I haven't worked out seriously in 3 or 4 years (illness, childcare, divorce) my body shape is permanently altered, as are my overall strength levels. So, when I was entertaining trying to be a bodybuilder, I had two problem areas. Chest and arms. Also, I should mention that my trainer at the time was an IFBB judge, and has his pro card. I really, really dived into this. My chest got big from gear and stayed that way, and I kept most of my strength, even when I don't work out. The reason I can't be a bodybuilder is-- I can't get my biceps to grow, even on the most aggressive steroids they grow mildly and shrink back to crap the moment I'm not killing myself. My point is, bodies are weird. They're an indignity frankly. Anecdotally, I have evidence your supposition is correct and incorrect. It's mostly down to genetics.
_pmf_ 7y ago
Definitely.
kace91 7y ago
I've always wanted to try that, seeing as short term use of steroids seems to not have many harmful side effects - I'd probably have done it already if it weren't for my complete lack of knowledge about how to do it safely (where to buy, how to keep my health controlled, etc).
- amelius 7y ago
  It sounds tempting, but then again, what would you tell your children? That if they want to become like you they have to take steroids too? Or hope for some epigenetic effect?
  - kace91 7y ago
    Who knows, if steroids are indeed a net positive for the body they might even have legal choices available by the time they're adults - the trend of reviewing currently banned substances seems to be taking pace with new attempts to use Psychedelic drugs to treat depression and weed for pain management.
    - amelius 7y ago
      There is a difference though: steroids are produced by the human body, whereas most psychedelic drugs and weed are not. If steroids would be a net positive for the body in general, then evolution would just follow the gradient and produce more of it. > if steroids are indeed a net positive for the body they might even have legal choices available by the time they're adults That's a huge "if ... might" there. Again, what are you telling your children? That gambling with your health is ok?
      - whenchamenia 7y ago
        The body does indeed produce various psycedelics, albeait in very small quantity. The presence of thc and opoid receptors is no happy accident.
      - kace91 7y ago
ummm32 7y ago
This is exactly how some guys in gyms used to consume anabolic steroids, I'm talking about the practice around the 90s, for them this was just a dark pattern in sports (heavy weight lifting). Some used to train several months a year consuming, then stopping, and after a while (could be months to a year or more), they'd be returning to competition. the street theory, quite supported by old consumers and ex-competitors, was that, ok the "super-size" could be gone after some months, but the strenght increase would not. So you've got - and you'd be able - to train really hard in those months, consuming steroids, supplements, controlling diet, etc.

VoiceOfWisdom 7y ago

Correct, it does. Bodybuilders have known this for years.

ddorian43 7y ago
Same in fighting.
- throwawaymanbot 7y ago
  "Fighting" lol.
sgt101 7y ago
And rugby.

rapsey 7y ago

Or if the athlete was once male...

lawlessone 7y ago
never too late to educate yourself. https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a26798247/trans-athletes-sporting-performance/ https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a26798247/trans-athlet...
- rapsey 7y ago
  Not particularly educational and extremely one sided. The main source of information is by a gender identity doctor. One particular excerpt: > The connection between naturally occurring testosterone and athletic performance appears to be overstated. When researchers measured the T levels of elite athletes from 15 Olympic sports, more than 25 per cent of the men were below 10 nmol/L Yeah because training reduces testosterone.
  - lawlessone 7y ago
    why was my comment flagged but your bigotry ins't?
    - rapsey 7y ago
      I did not even down vote your comment, yet mine has quite a few votes. So I’m guessing the hivemind disagrees with you.

erichocean 7y ago

> Does this mean, that the use of anabolic steroids to build muscle at one point in time can lead to better performance years after usage? Yes, and it's very well known too. You don't need to take steroids for very long to increase your muscle mass, then you go off them and stay off them for a few months and maintain it. You can then repeat multiple times if you need/want to. I've been told that it's fairly safe when done this way, with appropriate monitoring, etc.

barry-cotter 7y ago
You just described steroid cycling. > cycling steroids involves alternating the active and in active use of steroids. This means that there would be times where a person would be using the drug as well as times where they would refrain from using them. https://www.whatsteroids.com/steroids/what-is-a-steroid-cycle/ https://www.whatsteroids.com/steroids/what-is-a-steroid-cycl...
oceanghost 7y ago
You are correct, but there is more to it than that. At one time I was a serious lifter-- and I did half a dozen cycles. Even though I haven't worked out seriously in 3 or 4 years (illness, childcare, divorce) my body shape is permanently altered, as are my overall strength levels. So, when I was entertaining trying to be a bodybuilder, I had two problem areas. Chest and arms. Also, I should mention that my trainer at the time was an IFBB judge, and has his pro card. I really, really dived into this. My chest got big from gear and stayed that way, and I kept most of my strength, even when I don't work out. The reason I can't be a bodybuilder is-- I can't get my biceps to grow, even on the most aggressive steroids they grow mildly and shrink back to crap the moment I'm not killing myself. My point is, bodies are weird. They're an indignity frankly. Anecdotally, I have evidence your supposition is correct and incorrect. It's mostly down to genetics.

_pmf_ 7y ago

Definitely.

kace91 7y ago

I've always wanted to try that, seeing as short term use of steroids seems to not have many harmful side effects - I'd probably have done it already if it weren't for my complete lack of knowledge about how to do it safely (where to buy, how to keep my health controlled, etc).

amelius 7y ago
It sounds tempting, but then again, what would you tell your children? That if they want to become like you they have to take steroids too? Or hope for some epigenetic effect?
- kace91 7y ago
  Who knows, if steroids are indeed a net positive for the body they might even have legal choices available by the time they're adults - the trend of reviewing currently banned substances seems to be taking pace with new attempts to use Psychedelic drugs to treat depression and weed for pain management.
  - amelius 7y ago
    There is a difference though: steroids are produced by the human body, whereas most psychedelic drugs and weed are not. If steroids would be a net positive for the body in general, then evolution would just follow the gradient and produce more of it. > if steroids are indeed a net positive for the body they might even have legal choices available by the time they're adults That's a huge "if ... might" there. Again, what are you telling your children? That gambling with your health is ok?
    - whenchamenia 7y ago
      The body does indeed produce various psycedelics, albeait in very small quantity. The presence of thc and opoid receptors is no happy accident.
    - kace91 7y ago

ummm32 7y ago

This is exactly how some guys in gyms used to consume anabolic steroids, I'm talking about the practice around the 90s, for them this was just a dark pattern in sports (heavy weight lifting). Some used to train several months a year consuming, then stopping, and after a while (could be months to a year or more), they'd be returning to competition. the street theory, quite supported by old consumers and ex-competitors, was that, ok the "super-size" could be gone after some months, but the strenght increase would not. So you've got - and you'd be able - to train really hard in those months, consuming steroids, supplements, controlling diet, etc.