Teenagers and steroids: risks and consequences

Given today's boom of steroids among the young, the hundreds of questions on the internet, when steroids seem like a luncheon cake and the froth of praise about how great everything is, let's also talk about some of the negatives that aren't talked about much and that's a shame. Ignoring the things that I've already talked about in our YouTube video, and that's specifically the change in lipid profile, the burden on the liver, the higher blood density and the associated heart and liver problems and the greater likelihood of stroke or heart attack, we've got the endocrine system, which we're going to look at today.

Article Content:

• What is hpta? What is hpta?
• The risk of steroid use at a young age
• Conclusion

Most young steroid users will not understand what we are talking about and that is the problem, because today every amateur from Dolní Lhotka is taking steroids. How can a 15 year old boy ask a friend for his first bout? How can a 17 year old boy ask for steroids when he doesn't even know how to exercise, eat and hasn't experienced hard training? Why pump steroids into yourself when you don't yet know your genetics, concept of what health is, hormones, blood tests and your natural testosterone levels are just increasing due to your young age?

Yeah, I'm immortal now and I don't care what happens in 10-20 years. Okay, you may be lucky, but you also may not and even if I were to discourage even one young guy from steroids with the following lines, it will be a success and the article will have served its purpose. Keep in mind that everything has a development, a time, and those who put the puzzle together and wait will avoid a lot of problems and in the end will extract more.

There is no exact age if we all stop developing and growing because it is predetermined by our genes and DNA. We are all genetically programmed individually and inherit our genes from our parents. Determining the exact age when we stop growing would be incorrect because everyone's genetic development is different. The main development of our bodies is up to the age of 21, but this can vary between individuals. There are parts of our body that slowly develop and adjust until the age of 25, which is the example of the brain.

The endocrine system is part of the brain, which is a very complex system that keeps the body in a state of homeostasis (maintaining the stability of the body's internal environment). Our testosterone levels begin to rise at puberty and peak around age 25. After that, they begin to slowly decline and a dramatic decrease in testosterone (dependent on lifestyle, body fat and exercise) begins after 40. So, although some of us may stop growing at age 21, others can still develop until age 25.

What is hpta? A brief explanation

Before we continue, it is necessary to explain what HPTA is. Only briefly, as the whole system would be a chapter of two pages on its own. Steroid users should know what gou is about, but I doubt it.

HPTA - Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis is a complex endocrine system in the body. It consists of only three organs that together weigh no more than a pound. HPTA refers to the release of hormones by the three glands and the effects of these hormones on the body. These three glands release more hormones and cause more widespread and localized effects on the body.

The hypothalamus produces and releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH is a peptide hormone that is synthesized and released by neurons in the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland produces luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The gonads produce estrogen (women) and testosterone (men). This axis is functional in all animals and controls development, reproduction and aging.

The risk of steroid use at a young age

Endocrinologists generally regard the HPTA as a highly sensitive functional unit that intricately controls the human body. Steroids disrupt the HPTA and the associated normal balance of hormones in the body. This can cause reversible and irreversible changes at any age. The risks are much higher if exogenous androgens are administered during development. This puts you in a very unnatural environment during a critical period of development where your hormones should be treated with care, especially in the early stages of maturity. Side effects can include irregular HPTA behavior and potentially threatening therapy when you are older.

What therapy? Steroids suppress your own testosterone production and may even stop it altogether. You will have no testosterone production of your own, therefore reducing your quality of life. Muscles and strength will suddenly disappear, libido will vanish, leaving problems in your sex life and overall you will also jeopardize your health as extremely low TST levels carry with them a host of health problems. You will have to supply testosterone to your body for the rest of your life, but now as a treatment. Now you can rejoice, hooray for a lifetime of TST! But believe me, it's no fun and even long-term treatment with low doses of TST carries its risks, annoys and shortens your life.

So from what age would be the "safest" route in terms of risk of HPTA damage?

Probably from the age of 25, which would give the HPTA time to establish your natural hormonal balance and also you will have already reached the peak of your natural testosterone production.

If you decide to take steroids, a blood test will easily determine your natural levels and this is handy before starting any cycle as you can keep an eye on whether your levels have returned to the normal range thanks to PCT (post cycle therapy) once you have finished. Well some don't even know what to do after such a cycle, how to help the body get back to producing its own TST production that has been suppressed thanks to steroids and what to watch for in blood tests, which is another issue and another topic.

Conclusion

Obviously, not everyone will suffer irreversible side effects if they start taking steroids at a young age, but the article wants to point out the possible irreversible risks that young steroid users are definitely at risk of. Think about it, learn to eat right, exercise and tap into your natural potential. When you reach your maximum natural development and become an adult, then feel free to consider steroids, that's your business. Not only will you ensure much better progression and muscle development then, but it will be safer at the same time.

Source: anabolic steroid users who have not been lucky enough to be on HRT (hormone therapy) for the rest of their lives and the findings of foreign endocrinologists. That is, personal experience, which is more than any study or rant on the internet in your forums and groups.