New Member

[mntman15]

Hi all. Introducing myself. I'm in the US and on TRT. I went the clinic route I did not find much support using PCP, insurance, ect. I'm switching PCP again maybe this one will be better I'm not optimstic. I've been interested in a TRT+ situation just to see how it is. I'm pretty active and go to the gym 4 times a week. TRT has been great it's really fixed a lot of the issues I was having and it provides a nice boost. It has me interested to see what I'm leaving on the table. I have been researching around the different sites for information probably the usual sites all beginers find. Probably have the same questions that have been asked a million times so doing my best to read all the info out there. Anyways I'm trying to navigate all the aspects of this piecing things together. I'm somewhat familiar as I'm on TRT but not at all with this side of it. It's a little more complicated than I expected but I suppose being what it is this is the way.

 

[Elektrobot]

interested in a TRT+ situation just to see how it

Don't add drugs just for the hell of it dude. That would be absurd.

Being "pretty active" is not a situation where an increase in drugs is needed.

It's a little more complicated

What about it is complicated?


What bloodwork do you get done and what does it look like

 

[mntman15]

Don't add drugs just for the hell of it dude. That would be absurd.

Being "pretty active" is not a situation where an increase in drugs is needed.


What about it is complicated?


What bloodwork do you get done and what does it look like

Hey! Thanks for your feedback.

So activity wise I get around 24,000 steps a day and hit the gym about 8 hours a week. I do a lot of walking and hiking. I'm somewhat in decent shape. Where I hike is considered the toughest around so I'm not talking about a stroll in the mountains. I'd like more gains in the gym so that's got me interested. I'm not looking to randomly put stuff in my body for no reason what so ever. I have a goal. Don't most have a goal in mind? I'm taking for granted PED's come with an intended benefit....and some risk, I assume most people who go this route want the enhancement it offers.

The complication of my behavior from a legal standpoint is impacted if I consider moving forward. Then sourcing stuff. I can't go to the local store and pick it up. More involved than hoping in the truck, putting the stuff in my cart, and swiping the old debit card.

As far as blood work I get it done every 6 months now. I used to get it more often. The standard protocol for TRT. They pull the standard TRT labs. CBC, hormone panel, PSA...things like that. I'm dialed in with my TRT at this point so not much changes and labs are not as wide in scope. Other blood work I get less often every 12 months from a wellness visit. Some of that includes lipid, liver, kidney, and a bunch of other stuff.

 

[Elektrobot]

24,000 steps a day and hit the gym about 8 hours a week. I do a lot of walking and hiking. I'm somewhat in decent shape. Where I hike is considered the toughest around

This sounds lovely, but it doesn't require steroids. Do you know anyone who hikes like that and uses steroids? I'd think the pump alone would be crippling on a hike like that.

I'd like more gains in the gym so that's got me interested

This comes from advancements in training, keeping a proper food plan, and getting lots of sleep. Steroids aren't required to get gains. Hard work and discipline is.

I have a goal. Don't most have a goal in mind?

What part of your goal requires the use of drugs?

I assume most people who go this route want the enhancement it offers.

Absolutely we do. I'm just being devils advocate.

They pull the standard TRT labs. CBC, hormone panel, PSA...

How old are you, and what have your previous lipid panel results looked like? If your lipids are out of range, fix those before anything. When I say fix, I don't mean within range for general population. If you want to do enhanced shit, you gotta have enhanced level bloodwork. Get your ldl down to 70, hdl up to 60, nuke your triglycerides, and check your apob and lpa.

Whats your blood pressure?

There is lots of good info in the serum blood testing topic. You will want to run more comprehensive and frequent testing for yourself than your clinic or yearly checkup does.

 

[mntman15]

This sounds lovely, but it doesn't require steroids. Do you know anyone who hikes like that and uses steroids? I'd think the pump alone would be crippling on a hike like that.



This comes from advancements in training, keeping a proper food plan, and getting lots of sleep. Steroids aren't required to get gains. Hard work and discipline is.


What part of your goal requires the use of drugs?


Absolutely we do. I'm just being devils advocate.



How old are you, and what have your previous lipid panel results looked like? If your lipids are out of range, fix those before anything. When I say fix, I don't mean within range for general population. If you want to do enhanced shit, you gotta have enhanced level bloodwork. Get your ldl down to 70, hdl up to 60, nuke your triglycerides, and check your apob and lpa.

Whats your blood pressure?

There is lots of good info in the serum blood testing topic. You will want to run more comprehensive and frequent testing for yourself than your clinic or yearly checkup does.

I got you man. I think requirement is not a noun to be considered. I would not require anything besides a pulse and maybe a few other basic functions. So I would not require PED's for anything, but who would? Anyone can go bench press, or do whatever it's inconsequential to the activity, without a PED. Merely doing an activity to some basic level has almost no requirements or skills. I don't think any of us are here in this forum looking to do anything only at some basic level.

That being said there is a lot of use in endurance sports for example long distance biking. For a while it was the biggest news all over. That boy Lance sure put it on the map. It worked out pretty well for him speaking just from the performance standpoint.

I'm 47m 5'7" and 157lbs currently. I live the vertically challenged life. My labs are really good. Far below even mid ranges not even close to high. Sunday my blood pressure was 92/55. Triglycerides were 39 in July. I don't think I've ever had APOB or IPA tested, I'm looking at my Quest results and I don't see those tested.

So I want a better body composition than what I've been able to accomplish up to this point naturally(ish). At 157lbs I'm a bit of a pencil neck but I can hold my own in the gym. A bonus would be any enhancement to my life outside of lean mass and the look. This is why I'm considering this route, because it's proven to work to achieve the goals I want. Not so much a requirement more so a tool I can use. Albeit a risky tool.

 

[Elektrobot]

Merely doing an activity to some basic level has almost no requirements or skills. I don't think any of us are here in this forum looking to do anything only at some basic level.

Using drugs does not change the level of your skill or training. Only hard work, education and discipline change that. If you can't change that without drugs, then there is no reason to take them.

but who would?

People who have a warranted case for use.

there is a lot of use in endurance sports

Cyclists and other endurance athletes use TRT, clenbuterol and blood doping. There is no anabolic steroid that increases your endurance. They have quite the opposite effect. Clenbuterol and blood doping are way outside your use case. TRT for the win.

157lbs

At less than 160 pounds of body mass, there is no need for more than TRT. You don't have enough contractile mass to use anything more. Anything you add will just spill over into conversion to other compounds and you will have all the side effects without additional benefit. Eat. If you can't get above 160 naturally, you need to improve your understanding of food and make a better plan. Food is the only thing that can add mass to your body.

At 157lbs I'm a bit of a pencil neck but I can hold my own in the gym.

Eat dude.

Make a real food plan. Match your food to your training. Train harder. Eat more. Food is the most anabolic thing in the world. If you haven't maximized that yet, why even bother with other things?

 

[the_pope]

As it has been pointed out to you, steroids aren't that good for endurance. And at your weight, you clearly haven't been eating properly to make gains in the gym. I'd work on that first, make sure you're on a caloric surplus and follow the basic nutritional guidelines for gymgoers.

Once you have dialed in nutrition in a few months, you'll make great gains only with TRT. But if you really want "TRT+", I think the best course of action for you would be to blast more testosterone for some weeks. Doubling your TRT test dose for 12 weeks would be a decent first cycle. Just make sure to have some AI prepared. But before that, you need to eat better or you won't be making much gains anytime soon.

 

[mntman15]

As it has been pointed out to you, steroids aren't that good for endurance. And at your weight, you clearly haven't been eating properly to make gains in the gym. I'd work on that first, make sure you're on a caloric surplus and follow the basic nutritional guidelines for gymgoers.

Once you have dialed in nutrition in a few months, you'll make great gains only with TRT. But if you really want "TRT+", I think the best course of action for you would be to blast more testosterone for some weeks. Doubling your TRT test dose for 12 weeks would be a decent first cycle. Just make sure to have some AI prepared. But before that, you need to eat better or you won't be making much gains anytime soon.

Yes more test is what I'm leaning to. I don't see much value, at this point anyway, to the other stuff out there. Also from what I've read first cycle test only is the way.

If I were 200lbs what then? I eat good? I'm curious to know how based on weight such a conclusion can be made. I could see if I listed my daily in/out or even what my chosen foods were there could be some assumption made, for example if I were vegan(I'm not).

 

[the_pope]

Yes more test is what I'm leaning to. I don't see much value, at this point anyway, to the other stuff out there. Also from what I've read first cycle test only is the way.

If I were 200lbs what then? I eat good? I'm curious to know how based on weight such a conclusion can be made. I could see if I listed my daily in/out or even what my chosen foods were there could be some assumption made, for example if I were vegan(I'm not).

Eating well in this case means eating in a caloric surplus with a high protein diet. Your weight tells us that a) you're barely a beginner in the gym and you haven't had time to increment your lean mass or b) you're not eating in a caloric surplus which is necessary to make gains.

 

[mntman15]

Eating well in this case means eating in a caloric surplus with a high protein diet. Your weight tells us that a) you're barely a beginner in the gym and you haven't had time to increment your lean mass or b) you're not eating in a caloric surplus which is necessary to make gains.

Gotcha, b) is generally true. I've never on purpose tried to overeat except of course a vacation binge or something out of the norm. I generally try to stay within what I like to see in the mirror. So bulking has never been my thing and I stay with 5-10lbs depending on the season which will dictate what I'm doing out of the gym.

 

[the_pope]

Gotcha, b) is generally true. I've never on purpose tried to overeat except of course a vacation binge or something out of the norm. I generally try to stay within what I like to see in the mirror. So bulking has never been my thing and I stay with 5-10lbs depending on the season which will dictate what I'm doing out of the gym.

You don't need to eat at a big surplus, although that would help a lot while blasting test to get the most out of your cycle. Anyway, if you eat clean, low on fat, you should gain mostly lean mass and a little fat that you can easily get rid off once you're off cycle and on TRT again.