Hi All,
I’m a male, 32, with normal/solid levels of testosterone (650 ng/dl TT). I’ve been exercising on and off since I was a teenager but have only been on a proper weightlifting and diet protocol for the past 6 months with a professional bodybuilder with my main goal being to obtain a decently good (but not necessarily great) body. I’ve seen some modest improvements in my physique, however, my genes are just not suited to gain fat free mass commensurately with the effort I put into my diet and exercise routine. To get the same results most people would, I’d have to work out twice as hard and with a perfect diet (weighing food, eliminating refined sugar, managing calories and fat intake to an extreme degree, etc.), essentially indefinitely.
I understand the importance of patience and I’m willing to wait to see results, but the point is that the sacrifice is just too great if it means doing this forever. Eating rice, broccoli, and chicken breast is no way to live, especially because I’m a huge foodie and amateur chef and enjoying unhealthy meals is a principal enjoyment of life for me. Thus, I’m exploring some PEDs to improve my physique while maintaining a somewhat normal diet. Of course, I’m no fool and understand that there’s no magic cure; I’ll still have to monitor my diet, consume proper amounts of protein, and maintain a consistent exercise routine regardless of any exogenous means of enhancement. But the hope is to get a solid edge so that the results are more commensurate with the sacrifices I’m making. Please note: I’m not going for a bodybuilder’s body or anything even remotely similar. I’d be very satisfied with perhaps 10-15 lbs of more muscle and a ~15% bodyfat percentage (I’m probably mid-20% range currently).
The options I’m considering are below and wanted to kindly request feedback, comments, and advice based on my assumptions and thoughts. The overarching question is, which of these options, if any, is best suited to my goals of moderate aesthetic improvement while minimizing, or ideally entirely eliminating, long-term risk to my health? If none of these options, what are some alternatives you recommend?
Option 1: TRT
- The plan here would be to increase my TT to the 1,100 range ng/dl, which is the upper limit of natural/therapeutic.
- I’d be following the proper bloodwork monitoring protocols: checking hematocrit, PSA, estradiol, blood pressure, etc. Donating blood, etc. as needed. I’d even potentially get regular EKGs to monitor any changes in my heart, particularly the left ventricle. Is this enough to ensure I’m not getting into trouble, or is there simply no way mitigate all the risks of long-term TRT?
- I have to be prepared for it to be a long-term commitment since there’s the risk of permanent endogenous testosterone shutdown, right?
- Some have told me that bringing my TT to this level won’t have any material impact on my gains and that to really see results I’d have to push past my levels past the 1,500 ng/dl mark. Is that true? Keep in mind that my gains and body ambitions are moderate.
- Concerned about some of the side effects, specifically hair loss. I’m planning to get a hair transplant; should I wait until after I do the TRT, since exogenous introduced after the fact might cause loss on the new hair that I’ve gained from the transplant?
Option 2: Peptides, specifically ipamorelin + CJC-1295
- This obviously is to increase production of HGH, not testosterone, but I understand that there will be improvements in muscle mass and reduction in body fat.
- There isn’t much data out there on long-term effects of peptides. Anyone have any to share? [Dosing will be moderate, not abusive.]
- I understand that this doesn’t have a risk of shutting down natural production of HGH the way TRT does for testosterone, correct? So there’s less risk in trying and seeing how it goes?
- Are there any peptides that increase natural testosterone production?
- Any other peptides I should be considering?
Option 3: Clomid
- My original understanding of clomid was that it was used primarily to maintain endogenous production of testosterone while on TRT or as part of a PCT protocol to restore natural production, however, I read that clomid also has standalone anabolic merit: I’ve been told that taking clomid 12.5mg to 25mg every day would get me to 1200-1500ng/dl of TT and with no harm to my HPTA , with it being the safest way to test those levels without harm. Any feedback on this?
- Is clomid at this level safe to stay on long-term?
Option 4: One Singular Cycle of Anabolic Steroids
- I have no interest in being on a long-term steroid cycle or even a blast-and-cruise protocol (no judgment from me on those who do; just not for me personally). I believe that even just one 10-16 week cycle would give me great gains and that while I may not keep all of them, if I follow a proper PCT protocol, I’ll keep some of them, correct? I’d be doing this not with the expectation that I’d get and keep a Greek god of a physique, rather to get gains in a couple months that would normally take me years and hope to keep as much of it afterwards.
- My biggest concern here, though, is that my natural testosterone production will permanently cease even with the correct PCT protocol. There is always that risk, correct?
- There are risks of long-term steroid use, but my understanding is that there’s little-to-no long-term risks of one singular steroid cycle (other than HPTA shutdown), correct?
Lastly, are there a few “go to” doctors you can recommend who are experts in everything anabolic and who will give me honest answers to my questions? The endocrinologists I’ve seen have only yielded some iteration of the following exchange:
- “Sorry, your testosterone levels are fine; there’s no need for introducing exogenous testosterone.”
- “I understand there is no medical need, doctor, but I nonetheless have a desire to improve my physique aesthetically.”
- “TRT is not indicated or permitted for aesthetic enhancement; only for those whose levels are pathologically low.”
- “With all due respect, doctor, I didn’t ask for your permission to take TRT. That decision is mine. I’m just asking you to explain the risks and provide the information I need to make an informed decision myself.”
- [you can sense my frustration, I’m sure]
Thank you so much for reading and for your help!
