Question expanded by another reader.
If I were to take steroids one time a week for 3 weeks and no more, would there be side effects? I'm 16 years old, 6'1", and weigh 155 lbs.

Thank you,
Chris

Cortisone is a catabolic steroid. It is used to decrease swelling and to treat arthritis, head injuries, and cancer. Overuse of cortisone can cause arthritis and mental instability.

I wonder if you could tell me something? One guy is taking SYNASTERON 50 (oxymetholonum). What is this used for: MAN, ANIMALS? He is just one of those guys who will do any thing to get Crazy F--ing Big. You know what I mean?

Thank you,
William

I was 16 years old so I got a friend of mine to get me a bottle. I started using it. I was on my 2nd month of it. I stopped for 1 month and continued the next. I gained 20lbs in 6 weeks. Then, after a year on it, I gained 40 pounds, but I had a very bad temper. You get in my way I will beat the s*** out of you. I would really get into fights everyday. I've been arrested for assault, kicked out of school, my family didn't want anything to do with me at all, and then came the acne. It was so bad I could not find the courage to go out side and face people.

The worst thing is that to get muscle on your body with steroids you damage the most important muscle in your body and for what? No woman wants a man who cant get it up. It's very sad what bodybuilders will do for that extra edge or pound. I just want you to know what your getting involved in with steroids. Think be for you do anything. At the present time, I am 21years old.

Thank you for reading. I hope I helped.

Needless to say I quit almost at the end of the year. I now have a furious temper and since I stopped using I am now stuck on a small frame and watching my friends outgrow me because their bones are bigger, and sometimes I have problems with the little guy, who used to be the medium guy if you know what I mean.

But as far as the retards that answered previously. Answer #2: I have a BS degree in pharmacology and minored in sport nutrition. Your friend should have taken the quicker route and just shot himself for being an idiot. THIS IS FOR EVERYONE: steriods are not even as dangerous as most of the substances you take on an every day basis. We are a society of drug takers: coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, tylenol, aspirin, all these are drugs but we have become accustomed to taking them in certain doses. Try taking a hand full of aspirin and a 5th of bourbon and maybe a pack of smokes and see how fast the ambulance shows up at your door. But try taking 1000 mg of test. and a couple D-Bol tabs all together, and maybe you might smart off to cop who gives you a ticket for going 5 over the speed limit.

Back to answer #2. Your buddy had no business whatsoever using any kind of steroid, and you have no business criticizing anything you have never tried. He should have educated himself on the use and dosages before ever touching them. It's sustanon 250 he was taking, and three times a week means 750mg a week in addition to 15mg a day of d-bol tabs which is 105mg a week. If he had his head out of his A** long enough to read up on it he would have known that it's probably 3 times the dosage a beginner should have taken.

And that goes for you too in answer #4. Haven't you ever heard of a cycle? Go 12 weeks MAX. then get off for 12 weeks, then back on and so on. This ensures that your body has time to heal and bring your hormone levels back on line before you do another cycle.

As far as Answer #3, it is called oxymetholone and it is Anadrol 50. It is the strongest oral steroid made. DON'T exceed 1-3 tablets a day for any period longer than 4-6 weeks. And if you are under age (anything below 19) don't take it. Anadrol has numerous side effects and should only be taken by those who know what they are doing.

And as far as the little penis thing in answer #4, you know nothing. The only thing that shrinks is your balls not your penis. And it did it because you didn't take any clomid or HCG when you got off your cycle.

I hope I have made my point. Stupidity has killed more people than any steroid. Educate yourself first and find out what steriods do what, and the dosages you should take. Don't get impatient. It takes several weeks before you will start seeing results, and unless your diet is right you won't see any results anyway.

As far as 15-16 year olds juicing. DON'T. You are not ready, and your body is still changing. Stick to MET-RX and creatine and wait until you master that before you move up to the next level. (Wait until 19-20).

The best thing to do for kids under twenty is a good diet. Carbs and add-ins till 3pm, and proteins until eight or nine. Make sure you eat about eight meals a day. If you get loggy eat more carbs. If you eat junk food during the weekends and no junk food during the week, your body will be fooled that it still has to burn all that junk food off during the week. This will rip you up, and give you the stuff you need to build your muscle. Have faith, and trust your body, it's the best machine ever built.

P.S. I'm eighteen, and have seen and done a lot in my gym.

Look, your most important muscle is your brain. If you're going to take steroids, research the hell out of it. That's what I'm doing. If you are so anxious to get big that you can't spare a month for research, then you need to go to the psychologist, not to the gym. From what I've seen thus far, steroids can stunt the growth of the frame of an individual who is still growing, typically some one under 20. I know this and I've only been researching for about two weeks. I have also learned that there is an art to stacking. Certain steroids help to solidify gains while some volumize while others hit only certain muscle receptors while some hit other muscle receptors while some have many side effects while some have few, etc. There's a lot to learn. Do your homework whatever age you are.

I have been training since Jr. High. I started reading bodybuilding magazines my freshman year in high school. I also started playing football my freshman year too. I saw how big all the seniors were and thought "oh man, how can I ever get as big as them." I was 5'9 198 at the time. What I didn't realize was that they were 18-19 and I was only 14. But I trained religiously everyday (I was an eager over trained youth) and by my sophomore season I was 6'0'' 225. I started at guard from then on. Each year I got bigger, 245, 265 respectively without roids or creatine or protein. I just ate like a horse. I got recruited to play football at a academically oriented school (Newsweek top 10 school in the country) and I thought "this is college and I must go to the next level. I thought about roids and researched the hell out of them. I was only 18 and didn't feel comfortable with them. I decided to just take creatine and Andro. Man I got huge. I was 6'2' 280 with a 4.7 40 yd dash. I had about a 16% body fat.

Summer of 99' I decided to try roids. I did an incredible amount of research. I decided on orals only, because they were fast acting, and I didn't want to mess with needles. Plus I had to get drug tested. I took D-bol, Anavar, Halotestin, and Winstrol (Stromba). I took Halotestin for 4 weeks, and everything else for 8 at an average net dosage of 500 mg a week. I got really lean (7 percent body fat) and I weighed 260 at the end of the stack. I looked like a pro bodybuilder. Plus I got moved to fullback. I also got faster (4.5 40 yd).

If you are ready for steroids, they can be incredible, but wait a while. Would you rather be like Ronnie Coleman, tall and huge, or Lee Priest, short and huge (No offense Lee Priest, you have the best forearms and one of the best sets of arms in the business). I would rather be tall. Steroids will stunt your growth. Plus you have to be able to deal with the side effects. I got a few pimples (the most I ever got was about 5 big ones on my back, and maybe one or two on my face). Plus the Halotestin did not make me feel good. I had to drink huge amounts of water to help my liver and kidneys deal with all those orals.

Listen, if you don't know about workout splits, protein, and Weider principles, then steroids won't do s--- for you. Bodybuilding, weightlifting, and steroids are a science. Steroids are chemicals and lifting is an equation. IF YOU DO THIS TO THAT MUSCLE THEN THIS IT WILL GROW. This is the general equation. The specifics of it are different for everybody. Bro, learn about lifting and nutrition, grow up, and then see if you still want to put harsh chemicals in your body.

The honest truth is they work very well, but you have to know how to use them. Don't learn about it from some "guy" selling the stuff because he is just going to try to sell you more. Go talk to a doctor. If he won't help you, ask him to refer you to someone who will. People would rather see you doing it right if you're going to do it at all. If you want the best results, lift weights for about 5 years, then if you plateau (and I mean for a long time, up to a couple years) then MAYBE consider taking. Waiting until you reach your natural max then using small amounts just to break plateaus is going to take you from a local class athlete to world class. Honestly, 16 is not the time to start, 26 maybe!

If you use them right, it will be OK. There will not be many side effects, and one can minimize water retention various ways. The reason steroids have a bad rap is because people like YOU try to use the 'juice' when they are totally uneducated. Steroids don't kill or harm people. Uneducated people harm themselves.

I'm 25 years old. I started lifting at 16. I haven't used steroids or any steroid supplements or any protein supplements. 100% natural. Otherwise, I wouldn't be allowed to play my sport. For the idiot and other morons who say they have a BS or doctors degree in sport nutrition or phamacy, who say steroids are safe, go suck your 2 inch d*ck. You people are being trained to say that so the market will sell more steroids. It's all money.

Those of you who are seriously considering taking it, before you do see a real sport nutritionist that will tell you the truth. Most of them will not. All the people you see in fitness magazines who say they are doctors and that steroids or other supplements are safe to take: they have been paid to say that. Or otherwise, they worked in creating that substance and are now promoting it for for profits.

See a real doctor. Your own PCP is the best person to talk to, and he will surely refer you to a real doctor who will tell you the truth about steroids. All you who take steroids are a bunch of pathetic losers with low self-esteem. Get real. Bodybuilding is not about being big. It's about being healthy. If you're using steroids, you're not a bodybuilder...your a loser. Besides the fact that you ruin the sport's name.

All the juice heads I know are people with low self-esteem and think they're tough because they're big. To all you pussies that use roids, all that muscle is fake. You didn't work for sh--! If you wanna have a roid rage, that's fine because I'll still kick your needle stickin' ass. The sad thing is I'm stronger then all the juice heads I know, and I can out rage them any day. So bring it on you no-balled bit--es. You think beating up your girlfriend and your friends is tough or cool. Well, it's not. Get a f---ing life. Steroids = PUSSIES.

Division I Football Player

I am 23 and am going go Seward county community college in Kansas. Yes, it is in the middle of nowhere, yet we still have the same expectations as the rest of you...to look like Greek gods. I have been lifting seriously for almost two years now. Well, a friend of mine wants to get on roids and I have been having dreams of juicing up for the last week. That's why I clicked on this page, to get as much info as possible. Thanks for your input. At least you're willing to give us your pearls of wisdom without having that $19.95 tag pasted on this page like most pages would. Keep it real and don't lose touch with reality.

Nickie

Anyways, my father blessed me with good genetics and I have been using them to my advantage since I first started lifting 5 years ago. I have been accused of steroid abuse by my coaches and my weight training teachers because I grew and developed so quickly. My senior year in high school and barely 18, I squatted 500 pounds and bench pressed 400, also contributed a 300 pound power clean. I have considered using steroids to follow in my father's footsteps as a professional bodybuilder, but the fact remains that I'm not as educated as I would like to be. Thanks to some of your articles, I will further pursue my efforts to learn as much as possible about anabolic steroids.

Oh yeah, to the so called Div I football player who claimed he would kick so much ass: Give me a call and I'd be happy to show you the ropes, because I too don't need steroids to lay the smack down on your candy as*!!! Good luck to all the rest of you and be safe.

These stories about these morons doing roids without knowing sh–– about them deserve everything they got and then some. I've learned a lot in the past 11 years about anabolic steroids, what works what doesn't, what causes acne, what doesn't, what causes bloating and what doesn't, how to prevent bitch tits, how to prevent liver and heart disease, how to keep most of your gains. There's a whole scientific approach to it. I practically have MD in the topic of anabolic steroids.

So now that I've educated myself to the fullest, and only now, have I decided to do a cycle. I started about 4 weeks ago and feel healthier than ever. I have lost body fat and gained muscle mass. I've always been strong as sh––, had good genetics, ate right and trained with great intensity. Without all of those, you can do all the roids you want but wont make good gains. After all my research, I've discovered that for me if done the right way and being safe, there are more pros than cons to do a cycle.

As for teenagers, don't even think about it. IT WILL STUNT YOUR GROWTH! Do I need say more? Some of you at 18 or 19 may think that you are finished growing, well think again. I didn't stop growing until I was a junior in college (I'm 6'4, 260 now). Eat your bodyweight in protein grams, take some creatine, take Glutamine. Your body is producing enough growth hormone and testosterone right now to get the gains you want. Trust me, I gained 100lbs. of muscle between 17 and 24.When you're older, you make the decision what you want to do. It's your body. Just do some research and be safe. In other words, use your f–––ing head.

I've been around a lot of different types of people. All of these guys who bad mouth steroids without even studying it like I have are the same guys that go out and do XTC , smoke weed, smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol and coffee every day...F–––ING HYPOCRITES. I ask you this. Why are cigarettes, alcohol and caffeine legal but steroids aren't? I think all substances should be legal, but think about which ones have killed more people and ruined more lives.

L8tr
thebig1

Another factor to take into consideration regarding the "boy who hugged his grandma" is that perhaps a bit of swollen ego was to blame for his attitude change. So many other factors are at work here that people are quick to take the side of the FDA and condemn a substance because of people's irresponsibility.

As far as taking them at an adolescent age...very ill advised. Best suggestion for those choosing to use is to wait for the body to peak out around 23-25, maybe more. Get all you can out of your body's natural ability before you decide to "supplement." Eat like a horse and you'll be as strong as one. It still amazes me that some of the opinions expressed before are actually typewritten with a computer and not a stone and tablet. If someone wants to live in the forest and eat twigs and berries au natural, so be it. But don't resort to condemning those that educate themselves and make the choice to enhance their physique or performance. It's not your place to do it. Also, take into consideration that you are hearing only the horror stories involved. It's easier to remember the bad over the good.

Remember this analogy: a man can build 1000 bridges and be considered a great builder....but if he sucks one #%# he is a #$% sucker for life. Get the point? Keep an open mind. If not, keep a closed mouth unless you have a valid point.

Another problem is that most anabolic steroids only strengthen the belly of the muscle and not the origin or insertion. If any 16 year old is pondering the thought of "hitting the vein," go to a local university and ask a professor of orthopedic surgery or trauma medicine to show you a picture of a detached and rolled up peck, quad, bicep etc. I honestly would rather my nuts shrink, develop tits, or die then have a muscle rip completely off its insertion. This tragedy is mainly done by power lifters who are "YOUNG JUICERS." I'm not degrading anyone who likes to chemically enhance his body, but simply stating facts.

If you are on roids, PLEASE have the courtesy to NOT give young lifters any incentive to try it. From the look of the other responses, there are some people on here that claim to have a knowledge of how roids "affect the body" or " how much to take." This is filling these kids' heads with all kinds of stuff. If you are 16 and pondering "hitting the vein" try Ribose stacked with Whey protein and Creatine Monohydrate. I've seen natural people make amazing strength gains naturally (485 bench 242 lb class, 800lb squat 242 class, 385 bench 181 class). I'm not claiming these lifts as world records but they are impressive to me.

It all began when a fellow competitor swept our league all of the sudden. He came back this year with an incredible amount of force. He looked ripped and cut and man, he looked like someone on the gun. I don't want to accuse him, because he's a good buddy of mine. However, almost all of the football players in my school are on prohormones. They ask me about it because I know a substantial amount of info on supplements because I worked at GNC and also researched a lot. I tell them that it's their choice, but I do tell the side effects. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bagging on you guys who do use it. If you're a competitive bodybuilder, then yeah, you need it because other guys are using it too. It all comes down to this: Everyone has to stop using it at once or no one will stop using it. As competitive athletes, we want an edge over our opponents. What we do is our choice.

I've built my physique on creatine and protein. I've gone this far without it, I will go farther. For you natural athletes who commented on "naturalism," thank you. I am with you. We are not users, we are not losers. I am better than those football players at my school. I am not a loser. Because I choose to not use drugs, I am a winner. As for my performance, I will do the best with my Buddha given genetics and my hard work.

I hope that other teenagers considering roids will find my comments thought provoking.

Protein Boy

I have never been an under achiever. I am very athletic. I was starting on my varsity football team as the free safety. I don't know what would have happened to me if I would've taken steroids (probably not anything positive). I will just work hard and eat a lot (but right) and take the advice of many here. I am convinced that I am too young for those kind of DRUGS.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HEAVILY FOR STOPPING ME FROM DOING ONE OF THE MOST STUPIDEST SH–– I WAS GOING TO DO IN MY LIFE.

Once again, THANK YOU. From now on I will be a regular here.

Sincerely,
Guti

If everyone just stopped taking cheap shot's at each other, this would be a productive site. Kids who come here would see that there are negative as well as positive effects on the body. Look, the truth is no matter what others say, if someone wants to use, they are going to. The best you can do is make them aware of the negatives and how to minimize them. I may not be a doctor or anything but I feel as if research is one's best tool. I know people are going to criticize this, but what can I do. If they can't just read and see the positives and what I'm trying to get across, oh well.

Roids are drugs, illegal and dangerous, but they can help produce size, strength and speed as well as elevate speed of recovery time. They can cause roid rage, bitch tits, various forms of cancers, testicular shrinkage, etc. I know may of you don't believe steroid usage is good, but let it go. Don't cut down those who use by calling them pussies and bitches. Instead, make it a point to help those who are thinking of using see the negatives. The truth is I will probably use them no matter what people say. I see the positives and feel I can minimize the negatives. You can call me an idiot or whatever, what can I do? Maybe you could have said something in the past that would have made me think otherwise, but you were to busy criticizing others. Thanks. hope this will help.

You know what the real problem is about steroids? Miseducation. "Roids are dangerous, they made me beat the sh–– out of my girlfriend." No, moron, you made the decision to beat your girlfriend up. No one against violence is going to become a raving lunatic just because he's now juicing up, so lets get real with this.

And the "Only losers use steroids." What kind of BS is that? I could easily say that everyone that takes a drink of alcohol is a loser then, because they need a chemical "to make them feel good." But I won't, because again, it comes down to the adult making this decision. No teenager should ever think about even touching roids. As adults, we should have the right to be able to improve our bodies as we see fit.

And one more thing, for the skater. WTF? You're going to talk trash about people that juice up? From your post, I take it that you have an eating disorder since you don't have a scale, are under weight for your age and not an average height because of the eating disorder you have. Man, you are the last person in the world that needs to say anything about steroids.

Paul.

It is true, if taken under the right circumstances and if educated properly you can limit harmful side effects and become a physical specimen. With all due respect, FU–– steroid users. You're all pussies. I bust my ass naturally and I think you're all taking shortcuts that make you look like a disgrace to the people who made it to their peak with some character. If you can't accept who you are, you're not worthy of calling yourself a man, and if you want to pay that money to maintain a "drugged athlete" then your just a chump. If you cheat your way to the top, you will fall. Do it right. Show some heart, show some character. I go to war every Sunday and when I leave that field they may not always fear me, but they sure as hell respect me.

So to all of those guys reading this, you do what u have to do. If you can do it naturally, more power to you, but don't put down the guy that had to cheat. I wish I could accept how I look after working out for 3 years and not seeing any more results. Just remember goals are goals. Don't run after them...hit them as hard as you can and knock the sh–– out of them and show this world who you are!


Mark
19 year, old 199lb man to watch out for

And all of you who think the guy in #6 is wrong, just check a book called the Physicians Desk Reference. Look up Winstrol and you will see that all the side effects are reversed with discontinued use. Then look up aspirin and you will see that it can KILL you. You won't find that about Winstrol or Testosterone.

Bottom line, most people who take steroids are just trying to be better at what they do. And take some advice from an old athlete who don't know anything. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, you are going to die, some sooner and some later, but it's only sad if you die with regrets.

I came on this web page because a friend I care about is using roids and I'm worried. I wanted all the information I could find, and this page helped me out. Now I am even more worried after reading this page. I only hope you people will never make a positive comment to children about roids. Living you life to the fullest is true! But when you're laying in a hospital bed with liver disease or a brain tumor, etc. from roids, what regrets can you have other than why did I do this to myself? Maybe you could have achieved more without them than you did using them, and not be living with a fatal outcome for the rest of your short life. I only hope you research and think long and hard before going down that path. Thank you for this site. It has been very helpful in my research for my friend. Good luck to all of you questioning your fate!

Normally, I am an intelligent individual, but there is none here so I will act like a moron like so many of you. Roids are bad. I hit my daddy with a suitcase. My dick is smaller. Number 35, we will see if you are singing the same tune in 3 or 4 years when you get dusted by everyone on juice.

There are a few of you with some sense here and you know who you are. Bottom line, if you are 16, you have no rights. You have the right to go to school and listen to your parents--that's it. For all you little f–––ers drinking and smoking, every time I see one of you I want to snap your necks. How dare you! You have not paid your dues, you are a baby, not even capable of supporting yourself. Bottom line, if you are not at least 23 or 24 and you go on steroids, you are a moron and get what you deserve.

I challenge you to compare the number of steroid related deaths in relation to the number of users, to the number of alcohol and tobacco related deaths in relation to the number of users. ANYTHING used incorrectly (blatant abuse) and for prolonged periods of time will cause side effects. Hell, if you eat 4 hot dogs a day, every day, I guarantee you will get cancer from the additives in about 30 years. Does this mean to stop eating hot dogs? NO, but eat them in moderation. Same as steroid use. If you exceed intelligent dosages weekly and don't take adequate time off for 15 years, guess what?

Just as with anything else, do your research and use your head. I firmly believe that if this is done, side effects are almost non-existent. And I am speaking from personal experience, not from an educated guess, and not from what I saw on TV.

P.S. As noted numerous times above, steroid use under the age of 21 is not wise.

The next issue is obtaining steroids. Gym "roid" dealers are the low men on the totem pole and are considered "expendable" by their suppliers up the line. Drug surveillance takes place over a period of months. When it comes to anabolics, many law enforcement agencies will "pop" the users as well as the dealers, and with false promises of reduced sentences or "plea bargaining", a dealer selling out anyone he can to save his own butt is very likely. This is especially true if sales to minors on a high school campus were involved. Law enforcement in such cases wants "everybody" in order to hold up the "offenders" as an example and for shock and scare value. If the risk of getting "busted" was not there, do you think that you can 100% place your faith in a guy selling illegal drugs? Do you think that you can count on this guy for "good" advice? He, like any other "businessman" wants to move the "merchandise" that he has on hand, and he will tell you anything necessary to sell it to you. If what he has is pig growth hormone, he will make it sound like the greatest thing imaginable.

For those who want to look at the "big money" aspects of the illegal steroid business, to a degree you are correct. Correct, but also blind! Next time you go to the supermarket, pick up a copy of any bodybuilding magazine and look at it a little differently than maybe you have in the past. Look at what percentage of that magazine is composed of advertising versus what percentage is actual story or "editorial" content. You will find that most of these magazines are far bigger "profiteers" off of unsuspecting people than are the steroid dealers. When Dr. John Doe says that "Super Monster Mega Muscle 99,000" is a great product in a given magazine, look and see if "Dr. John Doe" appears anywhere in the "head page" of that publication. If "Super Monster Mega Muscle 99,000" spends $250,000 per year to advertise in said magazine and "Dr. John Doe" works for that magazine, his opinion was dictated by the advertising sales department! His editor and publisher will see to that!

Are there any legal alternatives that work? Yes, there are several smaller manufacturers that have been able to legitimately back up their claims with verifiable research data! Here's the problem...use what works and you better be a sixteen year old with very rich parents because the supplements purchased in the quantities necessary will cost in dollars about five times what the illegal steroids would have. When the final decisions are made, understand that if you were professionally competing in state or national level contests, determined to make your living as a professional bodybuilder, and needed the "anabolic boost" that "juice" offers, because of the prize money and product endorsements, then a little "risk taking" might be in order. If you are a sixteen year old kid with less than seven years of good, consistent and educated weight training under your belt, then the risks just might outweigh the benefits.

I'm 23 years old and am in pretty good shape (not to brag or anything). At 21, I almost died in a car wreck. After a 12 day coma, the Lord let me come out of it and live abundantly! Since then, I've put back on almost the exact amount of weight I was at (188lbs, 7% body fat). I like to workout, and plan to keep doing it for a while.

Yes, steroids have side effects and some of them are dangerous if they persist, but if you look on any pharmaceutical information sheet about any drug, there will be a list of side effects just as dangerous as steroids. The problem is in super high doses by abusers. If you take anything 10 to 20 times more than what is recommended, something has to give! I am 29 years old and have used steroids on and off for the last few years, either by doctors' prescription or via the gym. I keep chart of progress and work with my doctor by getting blood tests every few months to make sure things are good. It costs money, but it is the only way to be safe.

The worst side effect I've had is acne on my back. I just came off a cycle of Sustanon 250 and Oxymethalone stack--7500 and 2500 mg respectively. No mood swings, no testicular atrophy (ball shrinking), and no depression (this was an 8 week cycle), no side effects whatsoever! As a matter of fact, I have sex with my wife every day. This drug has helped me go from 125 lbs. of bone to 170 lbs of lean muscle in 30 months! My self esteem is better and my wife can actually hug on me without getting beat up by my bony frame.

Some people may not need anabolics--I know guys that can just look at a weight and grow, not so with many people. I busted my ass to gain hardly nil, now I bust my ass and gain! NO, TEENS SHOULD NOT USE STEROIDS! Your body is still growing! At about 25 or 26, you will slow down and your hormones will slow and aging and deterioration will slowly start. It is a personal choice and the only victim will be yourself, so why don't the ones condemning the use get a life and stay out of others. It's like imposing the death penalty on someone for an attempted suicide--it doesn't make sense! Will I have side effects down the road? Will I die from too much cholesterol from the local burger joint? Will I die or get cancer from the many toxic chemicals I'm exposed to every day in everyday society? Who knows? But I do know steroids did for me what I wanted them to do--AND I'M HEALTHY!

NTA

Come on! If you use steroids once a week for 5 years, of course you're gonna get some crazy side effects like tumors, balls shrinkage, acne, etc. If you abuse it, you're gonna get fu––ed. If you're smart and do a cycle or two, you will be alright...like me for instance. I'm 23 years old, 5' 9" 147lbs and I've been working out for 6 months. I was on supplements and they helped some, but I'm gonna go ahead and do a cycle and see my results. That will be my stepping stone, because that will be the first and last time I will do it. Like I said, don't abuse it. Be smart, use your head. And for you kids that are 16 years and want to do it...DON'T! Wait and take supplements and protein. You'll be alright.

P.B.

The mental pain of being the "skinny guy" far surpassed any medical problems I experienced from using steroids. I went from a 6 foot 155 pound bean pole to a 6 foot 195 pound frame. My bench went up 60 pounds and my arms went from a wimpy 13 and a half inches to 16. I brought up my self-esteem which made me better in everything I do. So, until you have to experience the torment of being called names because of your structure, keep your half-assed, unthought, uneducated comments to your damn self.

As for the D-1 football players who think they're bad mothers without steroids, wait until you get to the pros and you get hurt. I'm sure that's not just cortisone they put in your knee (assuming that you don't slap your girlfriend around because practice is too hard and lose your scholarship).

Just be safe and be smart. And remember, not all of us are 200 pounds in 10th grade.

When I stopped using steroids, I began to notice a loss of size and I wasn't myself. My body was going through withdrawal. I couldn't handle the little things. I wanted to start another cycle, but I decided not to. Us teenagers have the same kind of drive as the older people. We too want to get bigger quicker. If you're young and you think you would like to take steroids, be selective and don't be in a rush. It could affect you for the rest of your life. Hope this helps.

I'm 18 years old. At the time I started working out, when I was 16, I was 5'7" and I weighed about 130lbs. My bench was only 115lbs. I started to workout because I got weightlifting as a class and I figured I would try something new in my life. I started to workout and began to love it. There was about two weeks left in the first semester when I started to workout. It was the beginning of January. I got up to benching 160lbs. by the middle of February. On February 18th, I was walking to my bus stop in the morning and I got hit from the back by a Jeep Wrangler going about 40 MPH. By this time, I was weighing about 145lbs. Well, I was in the hospital for 6 days, surprisingly! I broke my pelvis in 4 places, my pubic bone had line cracks, I ruptured my right kidney and lost 20% of it, busted open the back of my head and got a concussion, banged up my elbows, and bit through my tongue. You know, little things like that.

Well, it knocked 30lbs off of me at the same time. So I was down to weighing 115. I was devastated. My dad tells me that when I was in the hospital I was crying about how I just got up to benching 160 and how I thought I was never gonna be able to workout again in my life or be that strong again. I lost some drive to do it because I felt dumb coming back to school after 2 and a half weeks of being out, knowing I was gonna be so weak and that I was also gonna be on crutches for the next 2 months. It didn't take but about a week for me to convince myself that I could do it again.

When I started back, I was benching 85lbs. I know what you're thinking, "holy sh*t," right? Yeah, me too. I thought that I needed to get my hands on some steroids to get strong again. I wanted to show everyone that I didn't lose anything for long, and that I was gonna be stronger than ever! Thought about it though, didn't do it. I just got in the weight room and worked my ass off. I got my bench up to 165lbs in a month and a half. By the end of May, the end of the school year, I was benching 185lbs and weighing about 145lbs again. That was a great feeling to accomplish so much in such little time. The following summer, between my 10th and 11th grade year, I didn't workout at all. I was too busy trying to have fun with friends and get girls. So when 11th grade came around, I was benching 175lbs and weighing about the same (145lbs). I only had weightlifting for the first semester during that year. My bench climbed up to 235lbs. I was impressed as well as others, but some of them were thinking negative things, like me taking steroids.

One day my weightlifting coach pulled me into his office and asked me if I was taking any kind of steroid because he had heard some rumors going around that I was. That's just the way high school is though, one guy sees how much stronger you're getting and how much stronger you are than him, so he decides to spread rumors about you. Jealous f***s! I hated that and my coach was so convinced that I was on something that he wanted me to get a test done. I gladly accepted the offer and did it. The next week I came back with the results and threw them in his face as well as others! I wasn't about to stand around and let people judge me wrong. My weight was about 155lbs by the end of the semester too.

During the second semester nor the following summer did I workout, besides skipping into the weight room to max out every so often. My senior year came around and I was weighing about 155lbs still. My bench had dropped to 215lbs. This year I also only had weightlifting for the first semester. During that time, I got up to benching 260lbs. By the end of the year, I was weighing about 165lbs and benching 275lbs, mind you that I didn't have weightlifting during the second semester, I just worked out at the local gym periodically. Luckily, I must have great muscle memory because my max drops hardly any. I just started to workout again and I can still bench 260lbs. But this time I'm gonna stick to the gym because I've graduated school and I have a great workout plan, so I have time to workout all the time now.

My moral of this story is just to stay dedicated to things that you love about life and you will succeed in them. When you reach a plateau, which everyone will someday, just give it time. It can take a while to break through hard barriers like that, and if you think you can't, then it's your choice to take something you think can help you do it. Just make sure you know what kind of drug you're taking, what are its side effects, how you should take it, etc. You should indulge yourself in knowledge about things that can make such a big change in your life, whether good or bad. Also, remember that lifting is more mental than it is physical. Keep that in mind when you're about to lift or make a decision like taking steroids.

Sincerely,
Triple6

Thank you,
Zach

P.S. Of course steroids would cause negative side effects in anyone who ever uses them.

Most decent women don't like guys who will build up their muscles with a drug and, at the same time, build themselves down, if you know what I mean. I'm reading this site because I'm doing a paper on steroids in school. I'm only a 14-year-old girl and I'm smarter than some, or maybe even most of you jackasses!

Thank you to #17. You took most of the words right out of my mouth. #18 - If you EVER decide to take steroids, this info will come in handy. How? Even if you do know the info, you'll still be doin' the s---! Don't start so that you won't have to finish. That's all for now folks! But I'll be back!

I'm a 19 year old college football player and I know for a fact first-hand that more than 90 + percent of all football players at any level use some type of illegal substance. I know many pro players personally that use. I am also not here to ridicule anyone's answer, but taking steroids to HELP you reach a goal or a level is sometimes needed. Take myself for example. Out of high school, I was 5'11" 160. I took a year off from college and football and worked out religiously, thinking by doing that I could contest highly, even at the Division 2 level. I had a job for a year, and in that year I NATURALLY (naturally = no supplements, just correct nutrition and a multivitamin) gained 20 lbs. So then I was a whopping 6'0" 185...nowhere near what I needed to be to play the level I wanted.

Then I realized all my friends that came home from school that played football got bigger, faster and stronger in a lot less time. Since seeing them, I have trained hard with Deca and Winstrol (I only took one cycle of 8 weeks). I gained 20lbs and earned myself a full scholarship to a Division 1 school as a defensive back. I plan on taking Omnadren with Winstrol this summer before leaving for school to get a bit stronger, but for only six weeks. So not only did steroids help me get to the level I wanted to, it also helped me earn a free education at a top school in the country.

I was carefully watched by a physician during this cycle and I did not experience one side effect. I asked why, and the doctor said because I have good body balance and took the correct supplements to counter the side effects that are possible with taking steroids...i.e. cod liver oil, etc. He told me there are many things you need to take and do if you want no/minimal side effects. As I said before, cod liver oil cleans your system of the sh–– you put in it. B-complex helps in maintaining correct energy during the day and does many other things for your body. Also, I took vitamin E for my skin to minimize breakouts, vitamin C, a very good multivitamin, a lot of water, and most important of all is sleep of no less than 8 hrs. I also know that if I was not looking to play D1 football, I would have never taken steroids!

So, my advice to anyone who wants to take them to look bigger and cooler, is it's not worth the money and time you will spend unless you have a reason better than "I wanna be big to intimidate others or so the chicks will like me". So, like I said before, if I would not have needed them, I would not have taken them (but also, I don't know what I'd do not being able to play at the level I wanna be at). To the so called D1 player before, if that's true about you not using and being in the very low percent of athletes that don't use, more power to you. But as the facts show, you probably do. I would love to know what D1 school you're playing at, because if you're a specialty player, you won't last. If you think you could, I'll meet you on the field...all 6'1" 205lbs of my ass will be waiting at the cornerback position in Florida to blast your weak ass.