Opioids Opioids Reducing Testosterone Levels Significantly

[Michael_25]

I use oxycodone and codeine at night time about 4 or 5 times a week. I also lift weights 5 days a week to gain muscle. I was wondering if my level of opioid use is hampering my hypertrophy (muscle-building) ability? I really want a shredded, muscular physique, but I'm not sure if my indulgence in opioids is preventing this aspiration. If they do lower test levels, do they lower it to the point where gaining decent muscle becomes unattainable?

Thanks guys!

 

[Ayrios]

It could be enough to slow muscle growth. I don't really know, but I can tell you, prolonged opioid use makes you a pussy.

 

[Michael_25]

It could be enough to slow muscle growth. I don't really know, but I can tell you, prolonged opioid use makes you a pussy.

Hmmm, okay. I would like to hear about how significantly it slows muscle growth.

I do everything right in regard to my diet and exercise. So if opioids are severely hindering muscle growth, all that exercise and correct eating is a waste I have noticed that my libido has decreased, but I'm not sure if that's an effect resultant of reduced testosterone. Anyway, I don't care about my libido because I'm not getting any sex. I just care about muscle growth.

 

[Michael_25]

According to Wikipedia, chronic use of opioids can significantly reduce testosterone levels in men. However, I want to know what constitutes "chronic" use? (e.g. daily use for 4 weeks, 3 months, 1 year...)

 

[mistman23]

I'm 33, in pain management, and take hydrocodone as well as oxycodone. I was feeling like crap and went to my family doctor and my testosterone level was tested. My
level was at 80. Normal is 300-900. They put me on weekly testosterone injections.

 

[King Hop Head]

Try taking high doses of Siberian Ginseng and Tribulus Terrestis. My libido is hit by a double whammy of long terms SSRI and opiate use. I find the herbal supplements bring my libido back to normal or higher, and my muscle mass is increasing.

 

[speedball_racer]

I just wrote a long reply and poof my Mac f'd up and I had to reload the page... So here's the gist of what I wrote. I'm a male on bupe ('08 - today), methadone and IV heroin 2000 - 2008. When I started the methadone program I had no interest in sex, women, etc... I was fatigued, overweight (after a few months) and somewhat depressed. I figured, not sure how, that this could be testosterone related. I was 'scripted the patch in 2005, did jack shit except irritate the fuck out of my skin. I stopped that and lived with the symptoms above until the love of my life came along in '08 and I was concerned anew with my lack of drive, interest, ect...

In late 2008, after switching to bupe, I went to a new MD and he informed me of a new formulation of testosterone. It cannot be taken orally b/c of its extremely short half-life - something like 10 minutes! This is why there is no testosterone pill. The new formulation is a transdermal gel, two brands in the US that I know of, Testim (I use this one) and Androgel. I believe they are quite similar. You apply the gel in the AM to your upper arms/shoulders. You must use it daily. Takes a few days/weeks to notice the effect but if you need it and use it properly I think you'll really like it.

It's abusable, too much will have the effects many body builders look for but that's a seriously sharp double edge. Cancer, testicular atrophy, male breast, etc... Do not overuse to achieve desired physique, do that on your own, or pay the very serious price many former olympians could tell you about and regretfully so...

Get your blood levels checked, and ask for the gel. Shots do work - somewhat - but are a pain in the ass and don't maintain an even blood level. The gel does a wonderful job of mimicking the body's own production of testosterone. For me this was a wonderful development and helped me improve the quality of my life drastically.

I lost fat, gained muscle (net gain of weight, but better body shape), the return of morning wood, increased sex drive and performance like I'm 18 again, no shit - able to rip off multiple orgasms a day several days in a row if I want , I can wear my woman out! What a great feeling. It's been nearly four years since I started using the gel and I have no negative side effects that we can detect, normal PSA, no prostrate enlargement, testicles are fine, no lumps/bumps, normal testosterone levels, etc.. I noticed increased energy, faster rebound from injury and physical exertion, improved and more stable mood, etc...

Follow the directions to the letter. There are many important but very easy to follow instructions for use, don't expose others, apply every day, apply to the proper areas (shoulders/upper arms), etc.. Applying it to the fatty areas around your belly isn't a good idea as adipose fat contains enzymes that metabolize testosterone b/f it can get into your blood stream.

And people, don't try to use this gel as a transdermal agent for other substances. Use as directed. If you want transdermal delivery of your DOC see if it's soluble in DMSO and go that route at your own peril.

Hope this helps. Again, DO NOT overuse/abuse this product. It will backfire in a terrible and possibly irreversible manner. There are easy ways to know you're using too much, but these symptoms may not develop in everyone - acne (back and ass in particular - but this also happens at normal levels in some), male breasts, shrunken balls, aggression, loss of sexual function, excess muscle build up (yes, I know many 'roiders would like this, but that's a terrible reason to use a steroid...)

Best wishes on a renewed sex life, and life in general, to anyone who finds themselves low on testosterone for any reason. Opioid dependence definitely can lead to low "T" as the pharma marketing people like to term the disorder "hypogonadism".

 

[phr]

Based on my personal experience, it's a significant enough drop to impede results.


Just look at your results. Are you consistently gaining at the level you were before starting the opiate use?


Regardless, I think there's enough research to suggest that the drop is significant. Just Google it.

 

[paranoid android]

I have been wondering if it's enough to cause significant drop in testosterone levels. I have been on opiates for 5 years + now and up until i fucked my shoulder a few years back i was in pretty good shape. I still have no problem with my libido which is still through the roof and i have no problems with my energy levels unless i am suffering from a bout of depression. I am trying to get back into weight lifting but i always keep coming up with some excuse

Would lifting weights and getting lotsa sexy time in prevent a drop in testosterone levels i wonder? Granted i am not really getting any symptoms of low testosterone.

 

[speedball_racer]

From the literature sexual activity does increase testosterone levels. To what amount/effect I don't know. I tried to increase my levels with a morning cleaning of the pipes so to speak b/f I started Testim and it did make a small but noticeable difference. There are ways to increase testosterone without taking the substance itself, as many above suggested many ways to do this. I don't know if someone posted above but supposedly the precursor to testosterone DHEA helps. It did jack crap for me. It's OTC in the US and sold as a "supplement", GNC and places like that should stock it. It's an oral tablet or capsule.

 

[THC2LSD]

Opiates lower luteinizing hormone levels, which will lower testosterone, however it raises growth hormone levels(it's not a HGH replacement). Also many body builders use nubain. I think it won't effect your mucsles either way.

Supposedly d-aspartic acid raises luteinizing hormone. Never tried it.

 

[verso]

...but I can tell you, prolonged opioid use makes you a pussy.

It's true and has been cited before in numerous medical journals, articles and write-ups from all over the world. 8)

 

[Ayrios]

It's true and has been cited before in numerous medical journals, articles and write-ups from all over the world. 8)

So sorry that technical jargon went over your head Anyone who has abused opioids long enough knows what I'm talking about, though. There are many accounts of it in the recent "Do opioids make you soft?" thread, where soft referred to personality and tolerance of discomfort after long-term opioid use, as opposed to flaccidity which many people assumed the thread was about. If you felt I was insulting opioid users, I have no problem admitting I've seen symptoms of it in myself.

 

[Pegasus]

Based on my personal experience, it's a significant enough drop to impede results.


Just look at your results. Are you consistently gaining at the level you were before starting the opiate use?


Regardless, I think there's enough research to suggest that the drop is significant. Just Google it.

Yeah, it is definitely significant. My progress is so much more noticeable since I've been off opiates.

OP, if you research this, you'll see that even a single use impacts testosterone levels.

 

[Pegasus]

So sorry that technical jargon went over your head Anyone who has abused opioids long enough knows what I'm talking about, though. There are many accounts of it in the recent "Do opioids make you soft?" thread, where soft referred to personality and tolerance of discomfort after long-term opioid use, as opposed to flaccidity which many people assumed the thread was about. If you felt I was insulting opioid users, I have no problem admitting I've seen symptoms of it in myself.

No, you're totally right.

 

[Michael_25]

Okay, thanks for your replies, guys. I will try to lay off the opioids. I really want to attain a fine physique, and the consensus is that opioids are hindering this. I have been weight-lifting for about 6 months now. And while I've made gains, I feel that they are quite minor, considering all the effort I put into my workouts and diet. It's disappointing to have to abandon one of my only vices to gain aesthetics. Oh well, such is life.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Buprenorphine doesn't have a comparable effect to the full agonist opiates which cause this.

According to people I have talked to about this, methadone is the worst culprit; worse than heroin. I'm assuming to some degree the effect is dosage-frequency dependent, which is why the wikipedia article mentions chronic opiate use leading to this effect.

 

[Michael_25]

Oh! One more quick question: If I stop using opioids, will my testosterone levels climb back into the normal range? Or have I permanently lowered them, to the point where they can't fully return to the normal level?

 

[Michael_25]

Captain.Heroin, do different opioids affect test levels to different extents? I'm interested to know about oxycodone and codeine specifically, as they are the opioids I use recreationally.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Oh! One more quick question: If I stop using opioids, will my testosterone levels climb back into the normal range? Or have I permanently lowered them, to the point where they can't fully return to the normal level?

Ideally, as long as you haven't abused heroin for years, or been on methadone for maintenance therapy, I am 100% confident, for an otherwise healthy adult, your testosterone levels should return to normal if you were to quit using them.

Captain.Heroin, do different opioids effect test level to different extents? I'm interested to know about oxycodone and codeine specifically, as they are the opioids I use recreationally.

They both will have some degree of effect.

Have you gone to an endocrinologist in the past? Ideally, you could measure your testosterone levels while on opiates, before, and afterwards as well, to track the effects it had on your testosterone level.

If you are at least in your mid 20's then your levels shouldn't be doing much other than 'plateauing'; opiate use of oxycodone/codeine, 4-5 times a week, at a recreational dosage, probably won't have an "extreme" testosterone diminishing effect like 200mg oral methadone / day would, but it could have some effect.