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Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

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Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#51

Post by llm_nerd »

expertentipp wrote: post #16

After skipping gym for one month I'm losing all muscles and turning into the weakling I am. I'm wondering on every visit "how these guys maintain their muscles?! they must be injecting, inserting, and swallowing some substances... right?"

Maybe they just don't skip the gym?

For a lot of people the gym is a relaxing "third place"[1] that they truly are sad to miss for a period of time.

I'm sure some percentage are augmenting, but it is surprising how common it to see people on social media declaring that people with the slightest bit of definition or muscles as steroid users.

[1] Should we call it the "second place" in the era of WFH?

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#52

Post by satysin »

nkozyra wrote: post #4

TRT is now a fully embedded thing in the United States so this isn't totally surprising. I've talked to way too many 20 year olds who get cypionate from a doc in the box who manages to find "low T" It's just so easy now. And if you need it, great. But for a lot of people it's just a way to boost T for athletic/aesthetic reasons without a ton of attention to the health side of it. The risks are generally low, but boos…

This is of interest to me as I saw an Endocrinologist last Monday as I had a blood test a few weeks ago and my testosterone level was "quite low" at 257 (bottom of the range being 249).

Anything under 300 along with symptoms (of which I have several hence the blood test in the first place) means further investigation so I am now waiting for the results of a whole host of blood tests that I did last Tuesday that the Endocrinologist ordered. 9 vials! Never had so much blood taken in one go.

I am 39 and never really gave any thought to my testosterone levels if I am honest. But I have been suffering from a whole host of weird issues the past ~3 years. However I am not sure if TRT is something I want to do if it comes back that they are indeed low and it wasn't just a one-off in the first test.

At least it isn't something I want to try first, I will see what other things I can do naturally such as diet changes before I head down the TRT injections, gels, etc. route.

For what it's worth I am in [redacted] not the US and I've never known anyone on TRT. Honestly I had never even heard of it outside of sports with people that [ab]use such things.

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#53

Post by LanceH »

AbrahamParangi wrote: post #30
ravenstine wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be willing to bet a substantial number of these men wouldn't take steroids if society/women didn't reward them for having a chiseled (and often times unnatural) aesthetic, so considering it gender affirming care is a stretch in the general sense.

Gender affirming care actually can include gender-affirming procedures for cisgender people such as reconstructive or cosmetic surgeries. Under that frame I don't see how "I need higher T to feel like a real man" is much different.

Sure, if you want to deliberately conflate different issues.

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#54

Post by elektrontamer »

I don't care much about young users but I've always wondered why the body stops producing adequate amounts of it as we age. Is it because you're too old to have viable offspring by then (with few exceptions) so there are no selective pressures to maintain testosterone levels? If so, do the benefits of TRT far out weigh the risks at old age?

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#55

Post by jejeyyy77 »

nkozyra wrote: post #4

TRT is now a fully embedded thing in the United States so this isn't totally surprising. I've talked to way too many 20 year olds who get cypionate from a doc in the box who manages to find "low T" It's just so easy now. And if you need it, great. But for a lot of people it's just a way to boost T for athletic/aesthetic reasons without a ton of attention to the health side of it. The risks are generally low, but boos…

what are the health risks?

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#56

Post by yoyohello13 »

expertentipp wrote: post #16

After skipping gym for one month I'm losing all muscles and turning into the weakling I am. I'm wondering on every visit "how these guys maintain their muscles?! they must be injecting, inserting, and swallowing some substances... right?"

I don’t know if you’re serious or not, but one month is not enough time for you to lose significant gains. Even if you do lose strength or mass it’s much easier to get it back than it is to initially build. I took a year off during the pandemic and was able to get back to my previous lift numbers in about 2-3 months.

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#57

Post by bemusedthrow75 »

mrits wrote: post #17
EatingWithForks wrote: post #7

Is there a similar thing for estrogen? What's the estrogen use in the UK and how is it used comparatively?

I don't know about estrogen but I am really surprised that 98% usage are from males. Anecdotally I see an increase usage of steroids in women. The fat burning is incredible.

Yes. Apparently men using anabolic steroids only outnumber women by a factor of 10:1, which strikes me as kind of low!

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#58

Post by throwaway5752 »

schnebbau wrote: post #38

Used responsibly, testosterone supplementation has multiple upsides with relatively little downside, even for men who do not have naturally low T. Unfortunately it looks like a few tik-tok kids are going to ruin it for everyone. Same as most good things in life I guess.

Health impacts on the individual users of trt are just one aspect, it impacts other people. I live in an area where use is common and I'm tired of running into obviously roiding men who act much more aggressive than normal people in public. My experiences are retail and and driving. I've assumed that the tacit approval for steroid usage among law enforcement in the US has at least partially responsible police brutality incidents.

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#59

Post by r_p4rk »

expertentipp wrote: post #46
nfRfqX5n wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not that hard to maintain

I guess "fattish" or "thick boned" people have it easier...

To keep muscle all you need to do is counteract the catabolic pressure on lean muscle mass, you can workout your muscle groups at very low intensity 1-2 times a week and eat more in a caloric surplus/maintenance to achieve this.

Re: Are one million people in the UK using anabolic steroids? (2022)

#60

Post by throwaway22032 »

expertentipp wrote: post #16

After skipping gym for one month I'm losing all muscles and turning into the weakling I am. I'm wondering on every visit "how these guys maintain their muscles?! they must be injecting, inserting, and swallowing some substances... right?"

I don't know anyone who works out regularly who would take a month break. Maybe if they are injured they'd take a month (or more) off of that specific muscle group.

That's like not brushing your teeth for a month, it's not the done thing. The Americans I know don't even take a month off work, lol.

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