Q: “Over the years I’ve averaged being ‘on’ as many weeks per year as I am ‘off,” and during steroid cycles have usually used about 1000 mg/week. I’m now approaching 55 and am starting to think that it would be hard on the body to maintain forever the kind of bodyweight I have now, and anyway older guys that are really fit are never really that big. It makes sense to me that the heart probably declines in its ability to support bodyweight. Plus, there could be something to the idea that steroid use is cumulative in adverse side effects. How might I slow down my use with time? I do still have good recovery between cycles.”
A: I’m in somewhat the same situation myself.
As a personal decision, it seemed to me that allowing for example a 1.5 lb drop per year could work out reasonably. For example, if 200 lb lean at 50, then 185 lb lean at 60 would be credible, and 170 at 70. Even possibly 155 at 80, though personally I’m really not thinking that far ahead. In my own case, that actually would still have me heavier at 80 than I was at 18!
(I’d previously considered a smaller drop of 1.0 lb per year, but on further thought, the above is probably more realistic.)
So part of “slowing down” use would be to slowly reset personal goals.
I’d also reduce total grams of steroid use per year to only the amount necessary to meet goals. Right now you’re at about 26 grams per year. Presently, you could likely cut to 15-20 grams per year to meet goals.
Unfortunately I don’t have sufficient case information to say for a fact whether it would be best for health to do this as fewer “on” weeks per year but at the same dosage per week, or the same number of “on” weeks per year but at a lower dosage. I’d make the decision based on lipid profile, blood pressure, hematocrit, and any abnormalities from blood tests at your current dosage. If your values are good presently, then I’d reduce the weeks per year; if values obviously should be improved, I’d reduce the dosage while keeping weeks per year the same.
Further down the road, you might find it most effective to enjoy “supplementation” level dosings such as 100-200 mg/week Masteron, or Masteron with HCG, with only the occasional steroid cycle, and then finally an HRT approach that keeps you at high normal androgen levels.
Best of outcomes!
About the author
Bill Roberts is an internationally-recognized expert on anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). He received a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and completed the educational and research requirements for a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at a major American university.
Bill entered the nutritional supplement industry prior to completing his doctoral thesis but his education was invaluable so far as being able to design/improve nutritional supplement compounds, since it was in the field of designing drug molecules and secondarily some work in transdermal delivery.
His education was not specifically "geared" toward anabolic steroids other than expertise with pharmacological principles having broad applications. This has allowed Bill to provide unique insight into the field of anabolic pharmacology with knowledge of points which he would not have known otherwise.
bill, why are u telling this guy at 55 to continue juicing at all? with all the bodybuilders dropping dead right and left why would you say such a thing?