DaveFoster
Member
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) increase fat free mass and promote muscle growth. Steroid users can train harder, recover faster, and reap the benefits of increased muscle protein synthesis for every workout session.
This study demonstrates that even remaining sedentary and taking AAS yields better muscle growth than a bodybuilding training regimen without AAS.
The take-away: optimize your hormonal levels and raise your testosterone to a maximum healthy level to maximize your genetic potential and muscle gains in the gym, and consider doing so prior to working out.
Thyroid (T3) or progesterone inhibits aromatase and can discourage estrogen conversion (through aromatization) and can increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis, where pregnenolone, DHEA or directly testosterone will promote anabolism and muscle recovery.
"We randomly assigned 43 normal men to one of four groups: placebo with no exercise, testosterone with no exercise, placebo plus exercise, and testosterone plus exercise. The men received injections of 600 mg of testosterone enanthate or placebo weekly for 10 weeks. The men in the exercise groups performed standardized weight-lifting exercises three times weekly. Before and after the treatment period, fat-free mass was determined by underwater weighing, muscle size was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and the strength of the arms and legs was assessed by bench-press and squatting exercises, respectively.
Among the men in the no-exercise groups, those given testosterone had greater increases than those given placebo in muscle size in their arms (mean [±SE] change in triceps area, 424±104 vs. -81±109 mm2; P<0.05) and legs (change in quadriceps area, 607±123 vs. -131±111 mm2; P<0.05) and greater increases in strength in the bench-press (9±4 vs. -1±1 kg, P<0.05) and squatting exercises (16±4 vs. 3±1 kg, P<0.05). The men assigned to testosterone and exercise had greater increases in fat-free mass (6.1±0.6 kg) and muscle size (triceps area, 501±104 mm2; quadriceps area, 1174±91 mm2) than those assigned to either no-exercise group, and greater increases in muscle strength (bench-press strength, 22±2 kg; squatting-exercise capacity, 38±4 kg) than either no-exercise group. Neither mood nor behavior was altered in any group."
Reference: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199607043350101
This study demonstrates that even remaining sedentary and taking AAS yields better muscle growth than a bodybuilding training regimen without AAS.
The take-away: optimize your hormonal levels and raise your testosterone to a maximum healthy level to maximize your genetic potential and muscle gains in the gym, and consider doing so prior to working out.
Thyroid (T3) or progesterone inhibits aromatase and can discourage estrogen conversion (through aromatization) and can increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis, where pregnenolone, DHEA or directly testosterone will promote anabolism and muscle recovery.
"We randomly assigned 43 normal men to one of four groups: placebo with no exercise, testosterone with no exercise, placebo plus exercise, and testosterone plus exercise. The men received injections of 600 mg of testosterone enanthate or placebo weekly for 10 weeks. The men in the exercise groups performed standardized weight-lifting exercises three times weekly. Before and after the treatment period, fat-free mass was determined by underwater weighing, muscle size was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and the strength of the arms and legs was assessed by bench-press and squatting exercises, respectively.
Among the men in the no-exercise groups, those given testosterone had greater increases than those given placebo in muscle size in their arms (mean [±SE] change in triceps area, 424±104 vs. -81±109 mm2; P<0.05) and legs (change in quadriceps area, 607±123 vs. -131±111 mm2; P<0.05) and greater increases in strength in the bench-press (9±4 vs. -1±1 kg, P<0.05) and squatting exercises (16±4 vs. 3±1 kg, P<0.05). The men assigned to testosterone and exercise had greater increases in fat-free mass (6.1±0.6 kg) and muscle size (triceps area, 501±104 mm2; quadriceps area, 1174±91 mm2) than those assigned to either no-exercise group, and greater increases in muscle strength (bench-press strength, 22±2 kg; squatting-exercise capacity, 38±4 kg) than either no-exercise group. Neither mood nor behavior was altered in any group."
- Group 1 (no exercise, natural) experienced no significant changes. No surprise there.
- Group 2 (no exercise, drug use) was able to build about 7 pounds of muscle. That’s not a typo. The group receiving testosterone injections and NOT working out at all gained 7 pounds of muscle.
- Group 3 (exercise, natural) was able to build about 4 pounds of muscle.
- Group 4 (exercise, drug use) was able to build about 13 pounds of muscle.
Reference: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199607043350101
