A common problem amongst bodybuilders and other strength athletes is that of testicular shrinkage during the prolonged use of androgens / anabolic steroids.

This can be thought of in the following way: the hypothalamus in the human brain has a detection mechanism which regulates the release of many hormones which control the production of androgens by the testes and the adrenal glands. If this detection mechanism detects an abnormally high amount of androgen / anabolic steroids, which it recognises primarily as testosterone, then the hormones responsible for testosterone release will have their production decreased, and so the testes etc. will no longer be stimulated by these hormones, and so will cease, or decrease, production of natural testosterone, and so cause testicular shrinkage.

 Oestrogen (androgens can aromatise in the body into oestrogens) have even more of a shut-off effect upon the release of androgens via the hypothalamus, and so we have a "double-edged" problem, with both androgens / anabolic steroids (which are all basically androgens) and oestrogens causing shut-down of hormonal stimulation of the testes, and thus testicular shrinkage.

One of the best ways to avoid this is to take some Tamoxifen (perhaps 20mg per day) in order to stop the oestrogen, from the aromatisation of androgens, acting upon receptors in the hypothalamus. Therefore, even though the oestrogens are still there, their effect is blocked by the Tamoxifen. This is also very useful to prevent gynaecomastia (bitch tits), i.e. formation of breast tissue in the male, caused by aromatisation of the androgens to oestrogens in the body.

Another very good idea is to use chrysin (an isoflavone compound, derived from plants), which prevents the formation of oestrogen in the first place, by inhibiting the enzymes which perform aromatisation on the androgens, and so very much reduce the production of oestrogens from the steroids, hence reducing the effect upon the hypothalamus, and so upon the testes. Therefore, testicular shrinkage can be very much reduced, and so you are likely to be preserving that part of the function of your endocrine hormonal system.

 What if you say you don't care about it? Well, you can probably say goodbye to getting an erection if your own endocrine system is messed up, and you may also risk life-long infertility. Look after your health, and you will have a longer and happier life, and in this case, a more active sex life.

In general, if natural testosterone production shuts-down, then men experience problems in getting erections, or even become impotent, whilst wanting more sex! VERY frustrating, as you can imagine. Alternatively, sex drive may disappear completely, or be very much reduced.

 Therefore, the message from this article is to use Tamoxifen AND chrysin DURING, and for four or five weeks AFTER a steroid cycle. It is then advisable to be off steroids for as long a period of time as you were on them, before you begin your next cycle. It is also advisable to use HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) both during, and for four or five weeks after a steroid cycle. This acts directly upon the testes themselves, and helps to keep natural testosterone production going along.

If your testes do shrink slightly, then don't panic, as they will return to normal upon cessation of steroid use, as long as shrinkage is not severe: if so, stop the steroid cycle immediately by slowly tapering down the dosages (stop injectables first, followed by reducing oral steroid dosages).

Enjoy your bodybuilding, but remember, nobody should consider taking anabolic steroids until they have gained everything they can by using hard training, enough rest, a lot of protein, and everything else from the health food store i.e. by training naturally. This can take anything up to eight or ten years of consistent training, i.e. you have to make bodybuilding part of your life-style.

You are living dangerously if you don't follow this advice, and once you are so fit, you will experience far fewer, or no, side effects from steroids after all these years of natural training, i.e. you have 'prepared' your body for them.