Hi Everyone,
Quick question if I may;
I have read several comments on several posts which seem to imply that AAS usage (for bulking) should only be done when you are already fairly lean (below 20% BF). Is this only because during a bulking cycle you are likely to gain some fat, which just gives you more to shift post-cycle, or does the excess BF have a detrimental effect on AAS usage.
If anyone will know it's the vets on MG!
Cheers,
T40
Hey Brother,
Great question and easy to answer. Here is my outlook on it purely from a health and physique standpoint and many strength athletes would not fit this stereotype-
A high BF% means that the individual is not in healthy shape or fit and from a discipline aspect is "health" immature for steroid supplementation.
A higher body fat % leads to increased estrogen production which can lead to higher negative side effect risks. High BF can hinder your bodies ability to build muscle. A high body fat percentage plays havoc on your hormones and introducing more through steroid use will increase this stress. Hormones like testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, thyroid, and insulin all play very important (and interdependent) roles in the process. Not to mention the rest of the health risks associated with a high BF% such as heart disease, high bp, blood sugar, etc.
If we are not healthy before steroid use why would we think we would be after use? 
Being facetious- Before steroids I couldn't control my diet. I had no idea how to count macros. I was not training properly and I am not self motivated. Now with steroid use I have to correct all that PLUS I have to think about addition health issues. I have to maintain a regular diet and exercise. I need to properly dose the steroids. I have to have the proper discipline to educate myself in the safe use and understand the proper administration of AI's. Now I am invested in needing to understand PCT. Not to mention reading blood work. Don't worry I got this handled for sure.
SEMPER FI
Always get as lean as possible before hopping on AAS. Before you blow up it is a very good idea to be lean.A lean person will always look a million times better than bloofy individual. A lean fella will also respond to hormones much better than bloofy person. An individual with high BF% will also be at a greater risk for gyno than an individual with a low BF%. Fat cells contain estrogen. The more fat cells the more estrogen. The more estrogen the higher the chances of estrogenic sides. Which include water retention gyno, and acne.
+1 Semper Fi and X2. When you put it like that, it makes it easy to understand just how much goes into optimizing the effects of a cycle.
For me, when I see someone at 20% or higher wanting to use gear I assume their goal is to be at a much lower percentage than they're currently at. Maybe 8-12% range. So why would you do a bulk? Why would you even consider raising your bodyweight if you have 20, 30 or more pounds of fat hanging off your body that you want to lose?
I am currently 14% BF. I am dying to start a bulk. Dying to eat oatmeal. Dying to eat carbs at more than 3 meals a day. I want to liberally put ketchup on my eggs. But, my goal is to eventually be about 20 pounds heavier and 10%. So how does increasing my bodyfat in order to bulk help me move toward my goals? Seems more like I'd be moving away from them if I ended up and running 17% and 20 pounds heavier.
Furthermore, if someone has a goal to be in the 8-12% range and they've had this goal for awhile, but have been unable to reach it and now want to use gear as a means of "providing an edge" to achieving their goal of being bigger and leaner, then not only do they fail to understand the role of AAS, but it also tells me that they don't have the necessary work ethic/discipline/knowledge to get to their goals. So adding in gear, as Semper Fi said, is only going to complicate things for this person.
I definitely wouldn't bulk at 20%. I wouldn't start a cycle at 20% either at this point because it would mean that I haven't been eating or training very well and it's always best to have some momentum going before you start at cycle.
Dying to be able to work whole wheat bread into my macros. I miss toast.
All very great comments so far!
To add to this the average joe who's never cycled before and is iver 20% bf also tends to think that aas is a magic pill. We all know this is not the case, and that it's just an aid in helping us acheive our physique goals. Diet is the magic pill! If one does not have the discipline to get their diet in order they're not ready for aas.
On a similar note this is also one of my issues with tren being run by newbs and novices. Tren can cover up for a completely shitty diet. Youngsters run tren and eat like shit, but still lose bf. I've personally watched guys eat 80% clean and eat 20% garbage and shed bf like nothing.
X2 Dolf. One of the things that bothers me is when people go into a Tren cycle knowing they aren't going to eat clean. It's blatant disregard for one's health.
"I can't stick to a disciplined diet so instead I'll just use this highly toxic compound riddled with side effects so I don't have to be so strict."
And even when they take this approach, they're missing out on the real gains that come with an optimized diet while on Tren. It's a waste of money, in my eyes. Too many cycles with Mast and Tren in them have been wasted on people who don't have their diets dialed in and probably were too fat to begin with. I won't be touching Tren until I'm in that 10% range again. I'm sure Tren is an amazing bulking steroid, but I can bulk without it. I think it's going to be the tool I use to reach single digit BF. And obviously you can't get there if you're starting the cycle over 15% no matter how much Tren you use.
Its all relative to ones goals I believe. However as stated, generally speaking high bodyfat makes you more susceptible to negative side effects AAS can create. Estrogen build up, high BP, RBC, Hematocrit, cholesterol, hdl, ldl, etc......these are common issues with cycling, and starting with high BF only exacerbates the potential for thes eto pose a problem. However, athletes in other aspects (powerlifters, strongmen, etc...) will routinely cycle with high BF because thats just how that sport operates. They are exceptions to general usage however....most folks at higher BF do not fit that mold, so should think twice about cycling until they can lower it.