Glad to see this getting more of the recogniton that it deserves. That is, the potential RHR increase that can be expereicend with AAS use. Particularly grateful to
@readalot who provided links not only here but in another thread recently that showed some discussion on t-nation about it (can't remember which thread). I think the general theory was that AAS can make you more sensitive to your own catecholamine release too, among other things.
I researched for 2 years before I took my first cycle, and of all the sides I was prepared for, not once did I see it mentioned that it could impact HR. I took my first 250mg shot of Test E, prepared for every other side effect on earth, and low and behold, from around 12 hrs later as blood levels rose, my HR was 15-20beats faster and uncomfortable - it was dreadful. Felt constantly on edge. Like being on clen, which I also can't tolerate even at low doses of 20mcg without beta-blockers, so for me there seems to be a natural sensitivity anyway.
In the end I settled on always running beta blockers alongside the gear. I've tried lower dosages of test and it still persists even until around 100mg or less per week. It also doesn't go higher with higher doses - it just kicks in straight away from around 100 onwards and I can scale to 600/700mg and it's the same rHR increase. Obviously this is not much of a threshold on the low end for use, so I simply had to either accept not taking gear, or use the beta blockers. We all know which one I was going to choose. BTW HgH does the same thing with my HR so it's definitely a no-no for me without beta blockers.
Alternatively, I've tested most other AAS too to see which have an effect, and the only ones I found not to have an impact on my RHR were boldenone, masteron, primo and DHB. Nandrolone and Tren made RHR go even higher than test. Orals do the same; var, winny and anadrol all cause it too.
The way I was able to tell what does and doesn't impact HR is because I did short periods where once test had cleared, I shot doses of mast, primo or boldenone only (each one separate - not at the same time of course) and measured its impact on my HR via fitbit over the weeks. I actually did a bolenone only run for 16 weeks at one point for this reason, so I could avoid having to use beta-blockers for once. I don't find a lack of test base causes me personally many problems - it didn't on that boldenone cycle. But i'd still always prefer to run it.
Anyway, my solution longer term has been to always run a beta blocker alongside any cycle with test, because even dosages of 100mg+ test as a base caused uncomfortable HR increases. Due to the recent post I saw by readalot, I decided to hold off on the test for now and reconsider focusing on mast/primo with as minimul test as I can. The problem with the beta blockers is the effect on memory. Nebivolol is the least egrigious, but I'd still rather not use them long term. Problem is, alongside test, unless the dose is miniscule, I have to.
Vast majority of this RHR increase due to cronotropic effect of AAS. What are your dosages?
<i>Introduction</i>. Androgen signaling comprises nongenomic and genomic pathways. Nongenomic actions are not related to the binding of the androgen receptor (AR) and occur rapidly. The genomic effects implicate the binding to a cytosolic AR, leading to protein synthesis. Both events are...
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Figure 4: Androgen Effects on the Adrenergic System of the Vascular, Airway, and Cardiac Myocytes and Their Relevance in Pathological Processes
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