Whomever it may concern,
Hope all of you are having a good holiday season. I don’t post much as I am still learning and don’t want to give someone an opinion that I can’t defend. However: earlier today at the gym I was working out with some of my Med-School friends and naturally, testosterone came up.
We all know the reported “feel-good” effects of testosterone such as increased confidence, libido and just general well being. However, my question is; have any of you experienced a noticeable change in the functioning capacity of the brain while on? I realize this may be hard to define and may go un-noticed, but with all the negative effects we hear about steroids, I was curious about a positive one like this.
While there is still much research to conduct, it has been hypothesized that testosterone may act in a protective way against neurodegenerative disorders, but that the hormone also may positively effect “neuron somal size, neuritic growth, and brain plasticity.” I know this is somewhat of a nuanced topic, and will differ from person to person, but I found the question interesting so I figured I would present it to you all.
I feel like it is a revolving cycle of cause and effect. The extra boost in Test I get, gives me more energy along with better mood, along with other benefits. That leads mes to working out which leads to eating better which leads to feeling better, etc. BUT I do feel like since starting TrT, the “brain fog” has cleared.
I was referring namely to those who run a cycle and boost their levels. Although, I suppose the argument could be made in either scenario that if there was an effect, it would be noticed.
@iron_yuppie that makes sense. Its just always been an interesting question whether or not steroids can vastly improve other functions within the body, besides the ones all of us here use them for.
I don’t have any research to suggest this but I personally feel high levels of AAS makes one less intellectual. I certainly know on a blast I am more forgetful and also need to read something a few times before I understand it, call it “test fog”.
Maybe its just a coincidence, but I don’t see any highly intellectual huge bodybuilders. There must be a link.
Or the guys who use high doses are on average lower IQ. Just throwing that out there.
Personally, I have noticed the very largest people I know (by using AAS), have always made impulsive decisions, and don’t spend very long weighing pros and cons. They were like that before the gear too.
I play poker for a living and chess for a hobby. When my estro gets high my brain function stops. Its like trying to think through a cloud…or how you feel when you first wake up.
As for high test I dont really notice anything, possibly more aggressive (more raises than calls etc) but I kind of doubt it.
LOL this is me…I do weigh the pros and cons, it just doesnt take me long to come to a conclusion. Now I know that is impulse control issues
Many very successful and intelligent people are famous for their fast and impulsive decision making.
Forgot which book it was but it said that successful people don’t think long about decisions and it had countless examples.
You are likely right, but those qualities also can be destructive. I know plenty of successful people who take a long time on decisions as small as spending $20 on something.
To be honest, you can find some sort of evidence or research to support any conclusion these days. That’s why even as a scientist, I hold more value with anecdotal evidence than scientific research.
Isnt that the exact opposite of the scientific method? I get what you mean about studies being bought etc but surely if a study was done bias free you would go with that hands down every time?
Yes but over my years as a scientist, I’ve learnt that we cant rely on a few studies using a subset of the population and generalise those results to everyone else. Every body is unique, hence their results will be individual.
So limited, yet ample samples of data indicate structural abnormalities are present within the brains of long term AAS users, however these abnormalities weren’t able to be correlated with significant alterations in regard to IQ, behaviour, manic/depressive scores… however differences in visuospacial cognition were close to reaching clinical significance comparative to controls. Another study indicated there was a statistically significant difference within visuospacial cognition. Structural abnormalities were most present within the right amygdala if I recall as this portion of the brain has one of the highest concentration of androgen receptors comparative to other regions
Rodent models indicate very high dosages (many micromolar) of test, deca and metandienone (dbol) to be neurotoxic, induce apoptosis in neuronal cells… dbol being the most toxic
There’s one exception to this… tren… tren appears to induce profound neurodegeneration when exposed to neuronal cells… so whether the studies are showcasing neurodegeneration primarily from tren or all AAS? I’d say all AAS but tren being a large aggravator… one of the many reasons I recommend only using tren if competing… using tren sparingly, and if using keep the dose at the minimum as to what you need to reach you’re goals
And people should be aware of these risks before they use strong compounds like tren, as the effects tren has on neurological balance can easily impair judgement, thus such a relevation may not matter to the user at that point… but prior to tren usage the idea of legitimately taking points of you’re IQ permenantly is serious contemplation as to whether the risk is worth it… aside from the risks of
treatment emergent diabeties (say if you develop type 2 diabeties from tren that’d go away if you stopped using, this is called treatment emergent diabeties)
cardiac ailment
nephrotoxicity
mood swings
erectile dysfunction
hypersexuality
making hardcore tren comments while on
increased platelet aggregation (stroke risk)
all other sides unique to all AAS
I can’t understand why one would use tren barring the weeks/months prior to a competition. It’s simply too harsh on the body. If you’re competing year round I can understand maintaining a low dose and bumping up in the weeks prior to a comp… but even then this isn’t maintainable for many years, and you’d have to be a genetic freak just to handle tren year round in general.
I’ve never taken tren, but I can’t imagine what it’d do to me neurologically even on 100mg weekly
Also, regarding how you don’t perceive to have significant side effects of tren (though you do) I think I need to give you an analogy that pertains to me to explain why perceiving no side effects and equating that with safe is a risky game
Alcohol… I can handle inhumane amounts of ethanol. To get me “drunk” throughout a night as in not throwing up, but speech somewhat slurring, flirty, dancing etc it’ll take between 20-25 standard drinks… so for reference an entire one litre bottle of vodka… it’s always been this way and isn’t related to tolerance. My brother and father are exactly the same. I feel literally nothing under 10 standard drinks (this is almost a twelve pack of beer for reference)… does this mean it’s healthy for me to drink a six pack nightly because I don’t feel anything?
@unreal24278
It makes me smile thinking about you ordering an “I’ll have two standard ethanol & sodas please” from the bartender after explaining its short & long term neurological effects and citing studies.
