Do you plan to blast in old age (40+)?

[Primoisthebest]

With insulin the risk is in the dose. 5-10 iu of long acting and or short acting insulin 1x per day is a low risk activity. No one is dying or contributing to ill health with that. You’re not going to get diabetes, gh gut or anything remotely similar. The worst is getting a bit hypoglycemic from under eating carbs with short acting. Your body will tell you in clear terms if you need carbs, so take heed and eat/drink carbs.

If you haven’t had short acting insulin with carbs before and during workout, don’t underestimate how strong the effect is on performance, pump and I would say by extrapolation muscle growth. I never tried before myself until this past week. I ate low carb for 3 days. Bought some NovolinR at Walmart and did 10iu im with a high carb pre w/o meal. Drank 50g carbs in my w/o and had protein/rice meal after. Pretty intense, way beyond without insulin. So full it took 2 days of low carbs to flatten.

I like to eat low carb and have load days. So 5 days low, 2 high each week (not consecutive).I find it’s effortless to stay lean like this. Using insulin on the high carb days would be rocket fuel on this based on my experiment.

Insulin, like all ped’s is a slippery slope with dosage, as more drug almost always equals more effects. Approached with common sense and discipline I see no reason this can’t be used with little risk.

 

[Thegodofwar]

I'm not claiming it's healthy or smart.

I just turned 40 and being on gear simply makes me feel great and adds too much to my life. I've come to the conclusion that'll run between TRT and 1g of gear as long as I can.

> "Bro, you're just a drug addict."
Probably! Honestly I don't care. Honestly I'm proud of it at this age.

>"What about your health?"
My health markers are great. Not claiming that will last forever. Things might go to shit in a few years.

> Healthy gear choices
For me just test/primo/mast/gh. But I guess the dose makes the poison.

Anyone else feel the same?

Honestly brother whatever makes you feel good.
You do you and if it makes you happy then smash it
Don’t let anyone tell you to change what you are doing just because you have aged a little bit, who cares be happy enjoy!!!

 

[malfeasance]

Look fantastic! What changed in a few years?

Well, I am no longer a competing bodybuilder, so I am not "pushing" the envelope on anything.

I have intentionally lost quite a bit of weight. Ironically, I thought it would just melt off as I reduced my hormones down to just TRT level injections. The body likes to stay where it is, though, especially after four decades aimed at increasing body weight, and the weight stayed on. I actually left the gym for 9 months because every time I lifted after a shorter break the weight would just reappear (water and glycogen refilling the muscle).

I still work out now, but with nowhere near the crazy intensity that I did three years ago. I lift. I do cardio. Most importantly, I try most days to keep my diet in check. The dumb bells and barbells and plates on machines are not quite as heavy now.

I inject 75 mg a week of testosterone.

I got my weight down from 251 to 215 or so, and that took all of three years. I probably need to reduce it further, but it is tough to be too dedicated on the diet with no competition in 12 weeks (those of you who have competed will know how motivating a competition date is).

The temptation is always there to ramp up some test and deca and growth hormone and intensity in the gym . . . . lol, and maybe I will do some small cycles, but at my age I know it is not wise, and I wonder how much arteriosclerosis the steroids caused over the years, irreversible.


The normies, though, all still think I look "huge". LOL.

My wife told me, after I was talking to her about some folks' reaction and things they were saying, to realize I am still a really big guy, and that I do not look like other people, and that my perception was skewed from all of those years bodybuilding.

 

[Theworm]

Well, I am no longer a competing bodybuilder, so I am not "pushing" the envelope on anything.

I have intentionally lost quite a bit of weight. Ironically, I thought it would just melt off as I reduced my hormones down to just TRT level injections. The body likes to stay where it is, though, especially after four decades aimed at increasing body weight, and the weight stayed on. I actually left the gym for 9 months because every time I lifted after a shorter break the weight would just reappear (water and glycogen refilling the muscle).

I still work out now, but with nowhere near the crazy intensity that I did three years ago. I lift. I do cardio. Most importantly, I try most days to keep my diet in check. The dumb bells and barbells and plates on machines are not quite as heavy now.

I inject 75 mg a week of testosterone.

I got my weight down from 251 to 215 or so, and that took all of three years. I probably need to reduce it further, but it is tough to be too dedicated on the diet with no competition in 12 weeks (those of you who have competed will know how motivating a competition date is).

The temptation is always there to ramp up some test and deca and growth hormone and intensity in the gym . . . . lol, and maybe I will do some small cycles, but at my age I know it is not wise, and I wonder how much arteriosclerosis the steroids caused over the years, irreversible.


The normies, though, all still think I look "huge". LOL.

My wife told me, after I was talking to her about some folks' reaction and things they were saying, to realize I am still a really big guy, and that I do not look like other people, and that my perception was skewed from all of those years bodybuilding.

Why not just check a calcium score?

Seems like you want healthy, but also seems to me you want to be smaller even though you can be probably much leaner and bigger on 120mg test and not risk much health issues, etc. what does 75mg test put you in terms of TT and free T?

 

[malfeasance]

Why not just check a calcium score?

May do that - don't know much about it or what can be done about it if it is bad.

I don't think you can get rid of the calcium.

I am also not so sure about the calcium score and actual risk, as opposed to more recent soft plaques that rupture and cause a heart attack. The high calcium score is correlated with the coronary risk because it indicates a bad lifestyle with new plaque forming, not yet calcified, that presents the actual risk. Calcifications do not break free, block arteries to your heart, and cause a heart attack.

I hope all of that gibberish without any medical terminology makes sense. If any of you are cardiologists, feel free to laugh at me now.

 

[Theworm]

May do that - don't know much about it or what can be done about it if it is bad.

I don't think you can get rid of the calcium.

I am also not so sure about the calcium score and actual risk, as opposed to more recent soft plaques that rupture and cause a heart attack. The high calcium score is correlated with the coronary risk because it indicates a bad lifestyle with new plaque forming, not yet calcified, that presents the actual risk. Calcifications do not break free, block arteries to your heart, and cause a heart attack.

I hope all of that gibberish without any medical terminology makes sense. If any of you are cardiologists, feel free to laugh at me now.

Well at least the calcium score tells us something, luckily mine was zero. And yes something can be done about it, repatha has been shown to reverse it.
Only way to know for sure would be a cardiac cath. But calcium score is good for us older folks, it’s the younger people it’s not as good as calcium hasn’t yet formed in the plaques.

 

[malfeasance]

Maybe I will do it. I just need to learn more about it. Google, here I come. LOL. I guess I need to see what else should probably be checked. Maybe I will ask my doctor.

Looks like calcium score is around 200 bucks US, maybe less.

I wonder how difficult it is for me to discover whether any monkey can do this, or it requires skill to analyze accurately. That would help in determining where to get it done, big mega university center or well respected hospital or local strip mall business popped up to cash in on the calcium score fad among America's aging population.

 

[Theworm]

Maybe I will do it. I just need to learn more about it. Google, here I come. LOL. I guess I need to see what else should probably be checked. Maybe I will ask my doctor.

Looks like calcium score is around 200 bucks US, maybe less.

I wonder how difficult it is for me to discover whether any monkey can do this, or it requires skill to analyze accurately. That would help in determining where to get it done, big mega university center or well respected hospital or local strip mall business popped up to cash in on the calcium score fad among America's aging population.

Mine was 99 cash. And I think a computer analyzes it. Also check lipoprotein a, better marker for atherosclerosis than ldl etc

 

[malfeasance]

Also check lipoprotein a, better marker for atherosclerosis than ldl etc

My lipid panel was not that detailed

 

[buck]

I had a calcium score done a couple years back. Insurance didn't cover it but cost about $100 US. The score came back very high. I am in the top 10% for my age. The echocardiogram i had done showed no blockages or any real narrowing. I have ate very healthy i.e. lots of veggies etc. Done cardio. Low cholesterol, low glucose, low inflation, markers all my life. Lower blood pressure other then the high-very high pressures that happen when lifting heavy weights or happen when doing cardio.

 

[malfeasance]

I had a calcium score done a couple years back. Insurance didn't cover it but cost about $100 US. The score came back very high. I am in the top 10% for my age. The echocardiogram i had done showed no blockages or any real narrowing. I have ate very healthy i.e. lots of veggies etc. Done cardio. Low cholesterol, low glucose, low inflation, markers all my life. Lower blood pressure other then the high-very high pressures that happen when lifting heavy weights or happen when doing cardio.

So what was the value to you of discovering this top 10% for your age information?

 

[buck]

So what was the value to you of discovering this top 10% for your age information?

Value, as for all things. Knowing where my health markers are is something i have followed for decades. That way i can be preventative as opposed to reactionary. My Dr had some questions since after a couple bought of covid my respiratory rates were a little higher for a time while doing aerobics. Which i figured was due to a slight upper respiratory infection from the covid. But he wanted make sure it was nothing else.

 

[malfeasance]

So did you do the echocardiogram as a result of the calcium scoring?

What is actionable as a result of knowing?

I am trying to determine the value of doing it myself. If "knowing" is all, then I do not know if it iw something I should do.

 

[Theworm]

An echo will not show blockage, only a cath would show actual blockage…

 

[buck]

So did you do the echocardiogram as a result of the calcium scoring?

What is actionable as a result of knowing?

I am trying to determine the value of doing it myself. If "knowing" is all, then I do not know if it iw something I should do

One can change their life style to try to achieve an actionable result, hopefully. And Vitamin K2 Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) has been shown in studies to reduce calcification. How well that will work in the general population is to be seen. There are a couple other things that have shown promise as i remember.

 

[buck]

An echo will not show blockage, only a cath would show actual blockage…

A CT coronary angiogram test can help diagnose many heart conditions, including plaque buildup, blockages, and narrowing of the coronary arteries.

 

[Theworm]

A CT coronary angiogram test can help diagnose many heart conditions, including plaque buildup, blockages, and narrowing of the coronary arteries.

Right but you were stating an echo can show blockage which is does not

 

[buck]

Right but you were stating an echo can show blockage which is does not

You are correct. I miss stated. Should have said my angiogram showed no blockages. You also said only a catheter could show blockage. Seems we both could have typed things out better.

 

[eryximachus]

One can change their life style to try to achieve an actionable result, hopefully. And Vitamin K2 Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) has been shown in studies to reduce calcification. How well that will work in the general population is to be seen. There are a couple other things that have shown promise as i remember.

The problem is calcium consumption. MK-7 can theoretically prevent calcium from building up in your arteries to an extent, but ultimately your body HAS to reduce calcium levels in the blood. Your heart functions through a calcium osmotic reaction. If calcium is too high, your heart stops working.

The real issue is your body does this primarily by putting calcium in your bones. Once your osteoblast cells are depleted, that's when the trouble starts and by then there isn't much you can do besides dramatically reducing calcium intake. Calcification of arteries begins to intensify in older age because people have osteoporosis due to having no osteoblast cells left.

Unfortunately, despite clear epidemiological studies that correlate heart attacks with calcium consumption (say, Sweden vs Japan), most people think consuming tons of calcium actually is a good thing when it's a significant public health hazard. Then there is the quantity of dairy products in the west, which doesn't help.

 

[buck]

The problem is calcium consumption. MK-7 can theoretically prevent calcium from building up in your arteries to an extent, but ultimately your body HAS to reduce calcium levels in the blood. Your heart functions through a calcium osmotic reaction. If calcium is too high, your heart stops working.

The real issue is your body does this primarily by putting calcium in your bones. Once your osteoblast cells are depleted, that's when the trouble starts and by then there isn't much you can do besides dramatically reducing calcium intake. Calcification of arteries begins to intensify in older age because people have osteoporosis due to having no osteoblast cells left.

Unfortunately, despite clear epidemiological studies that correlate heart attacks with calcium consumption (say, Sweden vs Japan), most people think consuming tons of calcium actually is a good thing when it's a significant public health hazard. Then there is the quantity of dairy products in the west, which doesn't help.

Do you have any good studies to support that theory? I saw this theory many years ago, but have seen many studies that don't support it. I see many countries where people consume more calcium then in the US but do not have higher cardio issues.

I have had middle of the road calcium blood levels all my life. And i am far from having osteoporosis as my orthros have told me i have bones of granite after doing surgery on me. Yet high calcification of the arteries. Which i see is quite common for people that do intense exercise all their lives. Likely due to inflammation from some research i have seen.