[quote]Poacher1632 wrote:
Lets be real. Is this not unlike the overblown negative affects of marijuana often spouted to our youth? Telling every youth theyre going to never get it up again and have a nice set of bitch tits is just ignorant. Isnt this site here to help dispell certain myths invented by the media?[/quote]
Just so you know my perspective, I’m making my living as a biochemist, while also being a grad student in biochem. I won’t pretend to be an expert at knowing all the different brand names/street names/prices/anything related to the market. However, I do know science, and I know chemistry. I believe that comparing AAS to marijuana in this respect is a bad analogy. Yes, both these substances have been demonized, but that does not translate into saying that AAS less potentially harmful than mary jane. Messing exogenously with hormone balance in a developing child or adolescent is something that should be done…well, ever. Unless they have a documented deficiency or disease already and it is to treat/cure that.
There are studies out there that have looked at the effects of estrogen (birth control) on adolescent and young girls. Lots of negative sides and the potential to totally screw them up for the rest of their lives. Estrogen/synthetic E. is a hormone, just like test. and synthetic T. There are also studies out there that have looked at soy consumption in regards to feeding infants and while pregnant. Let’s just say they’re not pretty. At all. All of these stages are key developmental stages at which hormone balance regulation can define the rest of your life. I have no time to dig these studies up at the moment, and even if I did I’m not really inclined to, as I spend my life on pubmed doing searches and readings for hours on end anyway and I’m sick of it right now. I do recall an interview with a gal here on T-Nation about her book “The Whole Soy Story” in which she mentions some of these studies and their effects.
Hormone are some of the most powerful non-enzyme regulators of bodily function and health known to date. On that basis alone I would never intentionally want to screw with hormones in someone who was still developing and not at homeostasis endocrinologically speaking. Endocrine homeostasis only begins in adulthood.
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You are spouting the same stuff that the media is spouting. Sure there are inherent dangers with steroid use but as you should well know only with a percentage of the population. If a 17 year old has a high propensity toward estrogen conversion he will likely still have that problem as a 25 year old. [/quote]
I don’t think I’d lump the people here in the same basket as the media. A lot of people, as previously mentioned, have first hand experience using, are pro-choice where intelligent AAS is concerned in adults, and generally think that vitamin T is the best thing ever. It is probable that if a 17 yr old has a genetic predisposition to hormone imbalance he/she will probably have it through adulthood as well. However, there is really no reason to potentially screw things up more by exogenously unbalancing what they’ve got unless treatment is approved by the Dr. Besides, and probably more importantly, no 16-17 yr old is going to go get tests done to see if he has a hormonal problem that might be fixed by hormone supplementation. He’s just going to use, stupidly and unintelligently.
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All Im trying to say is lets keep an open mind about things. I feel strongly becuase I am not one of the “poster boys” as you would like to call it for why you shouldnt use steroids as a 17 year old. I didnt go crazy, I didnt get bitch tits, and I didnt kill anybody. Three years later Im healthy, happy, natural, and still lifting. [/quote]
On this board you’re talking to some of the most open minded people there are when it comes to AAS. I understand that you feel strongly about it from your experience, but in my opinion the risk/benefit ratio is horribly skewed before adulthood.
Just for the record, I’m pro-use when it comes to AAS for adults. I’m natural personally however. I did use MAG-10 when it came out, so I suppose if you wanted to make a federal case out of it, we could debate. I used it younger than I should have (not 16-17 young though). I also did not have any problems. I don’t have any problems now either. That doesn’t change my stance on teen use though.
Also for the record, I’d rather have some teen bent on using talk to me and use intelligently than just go out and go crazy on their own. I agree with you there. However, no teen that I’ve met has diet or training in order, and none of them have a solid physique (besides biceps and chest :)) to warrant them feeling justified asking. In my experience, most people are thinking of it as a short cut from hard work, even if they personally don’t workout or have an interest in using (read: lay public). The “magic pill” syndrome again. I hate that thinking with the passion of a 1000 Suns. Additionally, I haven’t seen many college kids my age with diet/training in order either.
Finally, I will say that it is conceivable that there could be even be some developmental advantage to using AAS/test. supps if you could 100% for sure avoid endogenous endocrine shut down. The problem? There’s no way in hell you can do that. Even if you could, you’re still entering unknown territory as far as effects because we honestly don’t know all the things these substances can do.
$ .02