Do Steroids Accelerate the Aging Process?

[Angular Air]

Has any research come out to show that Steroids will shorten life-span?

I've read that rats will die off quicker when given steroids..

Is the fact that men lose hair on steroids a signal the the steroids are accelerating the aging process?

Male pattern baldness happens as we get older, and so if a steroid brings it about sooner, doesn't that mean you're getting to that biological age faster?

 

[BLee32x]

No, I don't think so. The reason that hair dies off using some steroids is that DHT can choke off hair follicles, causing the roots to die and the hair to fall out. If it DID accelerate the aging process, you would also see hairs starting to get grey and falling out....but they don't, at least I've never heard of any cases.

The reason I think those rats died off so quickly could be a number of reason, most likely that they were given huge doses that none of us would even think of taking. Remember, if they took something like 250mg...that would probably the equivalent of 10g's of test or something, well, some astronomical number.

If taken with precautions, moderation and knowing your sh*t, I believe that steroids do not have an adverse effect on your long term health....it may even lengthen your life-span, especially using hGH.

 

[CDB]

Don't know the study you're referring to, but in such studies you'll often find megaton, supraphysiological doses are given. People often blame steroids for a lot of things, premature aging and bodies just breaking down are a couple of them. Mark Maguire, Ed Corney and Mike Katz don't look too good these days for example. However, Schwartzanegger and Columbu look great and seem to be in great health, as does Lou Ferrigno. Some people just bite the dust earlier than others, regardless of what they do when they're young. Steroids used carefully and in moderation aren't likely to have any bad effects long term. That doesn't mean it won't happen, it's just unlikely.

 

[jarhead]

I agree with cdb in that steroids catch alot of undue blame. And I do believe the dangers are geratly overtsated. I've used them for a number of years but the closer I get to 40, the more concerned I'm becoming. The key thing for everyone to remember though is that ther are no longterm human studies to show the effects on health as you age. There have been various studies done with test, deca and a few others, but not in the dosages or lengths, combined with other drugs, that a typical bodybuilder uses. Arnold and lou do look good for their age but they also did not use the same drugs or dosages that guys today use. I believe that they can be used safely and certain studies have shown the benefits of HRT in aging men. But I really think guys are kidding themselves if they believe there will be NO longterm ramifications. For example, it's been shown that weightlifting ALONE causes an increase in heart size. Combine that with roids off and on for 10-15 years and does anyone think there will be no effect on heart tissue? Along with the fluctuations in blood lipids and weight a typical user experiences? It's a risk we all take. And I doubt we will ever see a study done on a human who has done ,say, 10 cycles of tren,1gram of test, with some dbol, over the course of his lifetime.

 

[ironviking]

Just look at most of the pros, how long do you think they've been using gear - year round with large doses even. I haven't seen any of them dropping dead recently

 

[glenihan]

many of the pros that have had problems, Flex Wheeler, tom prince, haven't necessarily had problems due to gear, although i'm sure it didn't help, but it was due to the HORRIBLE stress their kidneys were under from diuretics like lasix and the copious amounts of nsaids

 

[bioman]

There's so much we don't know that a viable discussion of long term impacts is nearly impossible.

IMO, based on tidbits of research I've seen I'd have to say that yes, we probably are shortening our lives a bit...meaning I'll probably drop in my 70's-80's instead of my 90's and even 100's like several in my family. All in all, I'd rather live the way I want now and shorten the "Golden Years" as arthritis is already on the doorstep.

It's known that professional atheletes tend to die younger. "He who burns twice as bright, burns half as long." comes to mind and we are all pushing our bodies into that pro-athelete categorey with the aid of steroids even if we are not genetically gifted atheletes.

Even after only a couple of years of use I've noticed cardio vascular changes...a huge increase in vasculariztion and cardio gets tougher as I get heavier. Enlargening of the heart is a real concern.

That said, we're living in an era of unprecedented medical and supplement innovation so who knows, there might be a pill for us one day. lol

 

[bioman]

Flex also had a hereditary disorder that he likely aggrevated with gear.

 

[CEDeoudes59]

. If it DID accelerate the aging process, you would also see hairs starting to get grey and falling out....but they don't, at least I've never heard of any cases.

Excellent point.

 

[jarhead]

Just look at most of the pros, how long do you think they've been using gear - year round with large doses even. I haven't seen any of them dropping dead recently

These guys are mostly in their 20's-30's. A few close to 40. A little earl to see any "longterm" effects. Look, I use them and will continue to. But the reality is if you think it is COMPLETELY safe or will NOT effect your longterm health, then you are kidding yourself. It's been shown that people who even just EAT more over the course of their life, die sooner. There are so many variables with your health that maybe it's not a case of inject then boom your dead, but the added stress(blood pressure, lipid fluctuations,etc.) to your heart can have a cumulative effect over the years that may not have happened without roids. I think we all agree roids have short term side effects. Now if you use them for years...it's that simple IMO. As far as flex, don long, tom prince, mike francois, etc. goes- do you really think they would come out and say roids caused my illness? Some of these guys would have their family and everyone else believe that they never juiced. And unless you are their doctor, close personal friend or family member, than what you know about their conditions is what magazines print or what shows up on the internet. Not reliable unbiased sources IMO. I am by no means against juicing. I just think that sometimes our beliefs and anger at the fact they're villified by the media and illegal make us forget the fact that there are risks that we don't know about yet.

 

[CDB]

Arnold and lou do look good for their age but they also did not use the same drugs or dosages that guys today use. I believe that they can be used safely and certain studies have shown the benefits of HRT in aging men. But I really think guys are kidding themselves if they believe there will be NO longterm ramifications. For example, it's been shown that weightlifting ALONE causes an increase in heart size. Combine that with roids off and on for 10-15 years and does anyone think there will be no effect on heart tissue? Along with the fluctuations in blood lipids and weight a typical user experiences? It's a risk we all take. And I doubt we will ever see a study done on a human who has done ,say, 10 cycles of tren,1gram of test, with some dbol, over the course of his lifetime.

True. When I do use steroids which is pretty rarely, I usually stick with low to moderate dosages, or doses similar to what they were taking in the gold old days. I think the only think I've ever used that hasn't been around for a long time is 1 test. Now that's out the window. :sad: Stuff made me horny as hell too.

 

[ironviking]

These guys are mostly in their 20's-30's. A few close to 40. A little earl to see any "longterm" effects. Look, I use them and will continue to. But the reality is if you think it is COMPLETELY safe or will NOT effect your longterm health, then you are kidding yourself. It's been shown that people who even just EAT more over the course of their life, die sooner. There are so many variables with your health that maybe it's not a case of inject then boom your dead, but the added stress(blood pressure, lipid fluctuations,etc.) to your heart can have a cumulative effect over the years that may not have happened without roids. I think we all agree roids have short term side effects. Now if you use them for years...it's that simple IMO. As far as flex, don long, tom prince, mike francois, etc. goes- do you really think they would come out and say roids caused my illness? Some of these guys would have their family and everyone else believe that they never juiced. And unless you are their doctor, close personal friend or family member, than what you know about their conditions is what magazines print or what shows up on the internet. Not reliable unbiased sources IMO. I am by no means against juicing. I just think that sometimes our beliefs and anger at the fact they're villified by the media and illegal make us forget the fact that there are risks that we don't know about yet.

I didnt say there weren't risks, but this post is if they accelerate the aging process. Now if roids, at the doses they are taken at today, will cause problems later in life is yet to be seen. Maybe they will maybe they wont but as roids accelerating the aging process is a different subject and I really dont see that as a one of their side effects. If you want to label that as causing undue stress, which result in health risks, on the body well that applies to just about any drug out there.

 

[bioman]

As to specifically accelerating the aging process..No, I don't think so. In fact I think that while using them it has quite the opposite effect. During use there is an increase of IGF, after use (hypothetically) you're at a higher atheltic level than you were before. The better your athletic conditioning and discipline, the more HGH you tend to release via your training.

L Rea. mentions that men who stay atheletic tend to not experience the drops in test, DHEA et cetera as they age..or at least not as dramatically as a sedentary person. These factors alone will stave off some age related effects.

Using high levels of roids where you are exerting a toxic effect on one or more organs may indeed age you quickly. If we're just talking about Test then I'd say it would probably have more antiaging benefits than negatives.

I know M1T probably aged something in me. lol

 

[Renton405]

Ive seen kids at 17-18 years of age doing cycles, and when time comes to their PCT they definatly look like they've put on a few years and look like their in their 20s...Steroids increase muscle maturity, so there could be an outpouring effect on the maturity on other parts of the body...

 

[jarhead]

I didnt say there weren't risks, but this post is if they accelerate the aging process. Now if roids, at the doses they are taken at today, will cause problems later in life is yet to be seen. Maybe they will maybe they wont but as roids accelerating the aging process is a different subject and I really dont see that as a one of their side effects. If you want to label that as causing undue stress, which result in health risks, on the body well that applies to just about any drug out there.

Yeah we kind of veered off topic, more towards the side effects. As far as increasing aging, I guess it depends on whether you connect a shortened lifespan with increased aging. Cosmetically, I don't believe you age quicker using. We don't have any studies done about the longterm health effects so there really isn't a definitive answer. But as you said pretty much any drug can have an impact on longterm health. My opinion is that longterm health is affected, to what degree, who knows.