Summary
Highlights
The speaker, Mike, discusses his personal experience with anabolic steroids. He estimates that without high doses of steroids, he would weigh about 200 lbs at his current body fat, compared to his current 230-235 lbs, representing a difference of 30-35 pounds of muscle. He emphasizes that he was already very muscular before using steroids, being an elite powerlifter at 270 lbs with a high fat-free mass index (FFMI) even without drugs, indicating elite genetics.
Mike highlights the significant genetic variability in response to steroids. Some individuals experience transformative gains, while others gain less. He also notes that some people retain most of their muscle mass after coming off steroids, especially if on TRT, while others revert to a 'mortal size.' For him, steroids added about 30 pounds of muscle over 13 years, but it wasn't a 'crazy' gain.
A key discussion point is the potential for natural testosterone production to resume after discontinuing steroid use. Mike states that he has been on steroids consistently for 13 years, but believes he could resume natural testosterone production within weeks due to his unique genetic response. He cautions that while most people can resume normal production (estimated at 90%), a significant minority (10%) may not, stressing the importance of careful consideration before starting steroids, especially for those who wish to have children.
When asked how much of his steroid-gained muscle he would retain if he went off steroids and onto regular TRT, Mike estimates about half. He explains that there's a permanent advantage from having used steroids due to cellular changes. Mechanistic data shows satellite cells incorporated into muscle tissue don't leave, leading to a higher baseline of muscularity even after cessation. This means if one achieves supra-natural muscle mass with steroids, they will likely never be as small as they would have been naturally again.
Mike explains that this permanent advantage makes it problematic for 'natural' bodybuilding federations to allow individuals who have previously used steroids to compete. He argues that using steroids, even temporarily, provides a lasting advantage beyond natural limits due to cellular adaptations in the muscles. This advantage is significant in sports where athletes can use steroids, then go off them to pass drug tests, while retaining some of the enhanced muscle mass.