Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids

@kyle, Your balls shrink!

@chodebalm, Please try to avoid the naturalistic fallacy that natural products are somehow inherently better or healthier than synthetic alternatives, for this generalization has no basis and often we find that things are better produced in controlled synthesis than allowed to produce in nature.

Moving on @kyle, Are you looking for a discussion on the ethics of steroids in competition? Or are you searching for assistance in your decision-making on whether you should take them or not. The latter depends on your goals and the decision is quite simple – Do you want to gain more muscle but feel that you’ve reached an impassable plateau in your intense training? Are you a professional body builder or power lifter who can’t truly compete at the top level without using steroids? If you answered yes to either of these questions then steroids are worth consideration. If you answered no to both of them, which I presume is likely, then you probably desire a shortcut to becoming bigger and/or stronger because you’re working relatively hard but not seeing enough progress; and to this I recommend you eat better and train harder and avoid succumbing to the temptation of laziness, for you will be much better for it in satisfaction and character should you reach your goals without the help of steroids (or most supplements).

I won’t delve into the ethics of steroids in this thread, as that would eventually spread into a discussion of general cosmetic enhancement, which is a lovely compelling discussion but one too broad for this thread I feel. @kyle,

In many cases natural alternatives of products ARE healthier than their synthetic analogues, my point is that by nature of something being natural it is not inherently healthier, these things must be considered on a case-by-case basis. For example, modern Western medicine is generally considered to be based on synthetic treatments, and yet this quality does not in any way inherently diminish the effectiveness of western medicine versus naturalistic medicine, to claim this would be illogical.

The term naturalistic fallacy is more typically applied to philosophy, specifically morality, but it’s also relevant to this argument. —-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_fallacy <— if you're curious

@manimal, Are you insinuating that so-called ‘natural’ products don’t also have effects other than strictly their intended purpose? If I’m not mistaken one of the goals of synthetic product production (health-wise) is isolating products in nature to REDUCE unintended effects.

How do you suggest increasing your body’s production of androgens?

@eyesopen, yes as manimal has stated, western medicine is a JOKE and natural cures ARE in fact better for you and don’t cause a flurry of side effects. Have you ever seen pill commercials? Sure they help with one thing but fuck the rest of you up by giving more side effects then help.

I can’t say anything from a bodybuilder point of view but, from a fighters point of view i am strongly against people who use steroids and are fighters. Fighting is meant to be a competition between 2 human beings with their natural bodies. Users (what most people i know call people who use steroids) don’t care about this and just take them to be stronger and faster without the work. Fighters take pride in what they do and show that through training and learning. Users disgrace that pride and honor by cheating a fighters way of life and themselves.