Do Steroids Make Your Penis Shrink Or Do Steroids Make Your Penis Grow?

It’s a big concern for all men who are thinking of using steroids or andro prohormones…

In countless locker rooms across America a conversation very similar to this has transpired: Joe Sixpack: “so will using steroids make my penis shrink?” John Sixpack: “I don’t think it’s the penis that shrinks it’s the balls, right?” Jim Sixpack: “I don’t know, they always make fun of the buff guy in movies saying he has no dick because he used steroids.” And so the questions linger and get bantered around over and over again. Many of you may be considering using steroids or legal anabolics like prohormones and have the same questions as the guys were asking above and so, we will address them here in this article.
Will steroids shrink my penis?

Steroids do not impact the male’s penis unless he is still on the growing stage of his development. Some say that the growth stage is basically over at 18 and other at 21. Either way, it’s a pretty safe bet that if you are over 21 you should be good to go. This is why the common advice out there is to not use anabolic steroids unless you are over 21. So the short answer is, if you are over 21 and not growing anabolic steroids will have no effects on your penis size.

Just for discussion sake, if you were under 18 and still growing depending on the type of steroids you used you could either potentially make your penis larger or smaller. This can never be recommended however. There is some good evidence however that using creatine is safe for all ages and could shift your body to a more DHT laden anabolic state that would make a good environment biologically for growing a bigger penis.
Will steroids make my testicles shrink?

The short answer is yes, that most anabolic/androgenic steroids will cause temporary, key word here is temporary, testicle shrinkage as long as they are used in a safe and effective way. Basically, when a person uses steroids they are introducing a hormone from outside their body, at levels higher than their body could ever produce, and so the body signals itself to slow down making its own hormones because there is already plenty to go around. This leads to smaller testicles while “on” cycle.

Once you go off the steroids or prohormones normal hormone production within the body recovers and testicle size goes back to normal. Post Cycle Therapy can speed this recovery process along.

There are no scientific ways to induce lasting penis growth at this time without surgery

Sorry to say but there is no magic pill or machine that can make your penis grow larger than it already is if you are over 21 and done growing. Perhaps it’s time to focus on using what you have with excellence rather than trying to make it bigger.

If you’re looking for a safe and effective prohormone stack with built-in post-cycle therapy, scroll down and see our top recommendations. Your penis may not get any bigger, but your muscles will.

Hormone Therapy and Erectile Dysfunction: Why It Happens

Hormone therapy and erectile dysfunction is an expected combination because the therapy dramatically reduces a man’s testosterone production. Although the amount of testosterone needed for healthy erectile function has not been defined, levels between 300 and 800 ng/mL are often used as a range. With use of hormone therapy, testosterone levels drop below 100 ng/mL, a level that is too low for erectile function and a healthy libido. Such low testosterone levels also affect erectile tissue.

Another factor is that during treatment with hormone therapy the muscle potentially is replaced by fat, and the flaccidity leads to collagen deposits in the penis, which in turn cause venous leakage (failure to adequately compress the draining veins from the erection chamber) and erectile dysfunction. Animal studies suggest that men who are on hormone therapy for longer than six to twelve months may experience irreversible damage to their erectile tissue. Once the tissue is damaged, venous leak results, and most men with venous leak do not recover spontaneous erections nor respond well to pills. Thus hormone therapy and erectile dysfunction may be an irreversible combination for some men.

About 50% of men who take anti-androgens alone retain their libido and erections, but they may experience erectile dysfunction with long-term use of the drugs. Only about 20% of men who take anti-androgens for a prolonged time keep their ability to get an erection.

Surgery as Hormone Therapy?

Surgery can also be used as a type of hormone therapy and erectile dysfunction will result as well. When surgeons remove the testicles (a procedure called orchiectomy), this eliminates the main source of male hormone production. This is a radical and irreversible move, which is why some men opt for “chemical castration,” which simply means taking drugs to stop male hormone production.

Long Term Effects

On the positive side, about 85% of men who have participated in hormone therapy for four to six months can expect to regain normal testosterone levels by one year after they stop treatment. The remaining 15% may take longer to have their testosterone levels restored, or they may not regain it at all.

Men who choose hormone therapy should also know that it also has an impact on libido and ejaculation, since testosterone is necessary for both sexual desire and the production of semen. About 10% of men may still have a healthy libido despite dramatically low testosterone.

Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy Side Effects

Treatments for prostate cancer include radical prostatectomy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiation (both external beam and brachytherapy), HIFU, and Cryotherapy.

The treatments for prostate cancer are all associated with varying degrees of side effects. When evaluating treatments to decide which one(s) may be most effective and also suitable for your preferences and lifestyle, one factor that drives that decision is the side effects associated with each treatment approach.

Side Effects of Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy consists primarily of antiandrogens and luteinizing hormone, anabolic steroids therapy, releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists, and in some cases, surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy). Estrogen therapy is rarely used.

    Breast pain and enlargement: Antiandrogens, estrogen, and orchiectomy may result in sensitive and/or painful nipples and/or an increase in breast tissue.
    Cardiovascular events: Continuous estrogen therapy is associated with blood clots, stroke, and other cardiovascular risks.
    Cholesterol changes: Antiandrogens can lower “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein—HDL) when combined with LH-RH treatment. LH-RH treatment alone can significantly increase triglycerides.
    Diarrhea and/or constipation: Antiandrogens can cause these side effects.
    Erectile dysfunction/loss of libido: Antiandrogens, LH-RH agonists, and orchiectomy are associated with erectile dysfunction, while LH-RH agonists can also reduce libido.
    Fatigue: Antiandrogens, LH-RH agonists, and estrogen can all cause fatigue.
    Hair and skin changes: Antiandrogens and LH-RH agonists are associated with hair growth on the head, hair loss on the rest of the body, and dry skin.
    Hot flashes: Antiandrogens, LH-RH agonists, and orchiectomy are associated with hot flashes.
    Osteoporosis: Antiandrogens, LH-RH agonists, and orchiectomy contribute to bone loss. Other factors include a man’s bone health before therapy, the length of hormone therapy, and fracture history.
    Penis/scrotum shrinkage: Any reduction in testosterone can reduce the size of the penis and scrotum.
    Weight and/or belly fat gain: Antiandrogens and LH-RH agonists can contribute to these side effects.

Prostate Cancer: Treating Pain and Other Symptoms

If prostate cancer or its therapy is causing pain, there's no need to suffer in silence. Effective treatments are available.


Most of the articles in this section talk about ways to remove or destroy cancer cells or to slow their growth. But it is important to know that having a good quality of life is also an important goal. Be sure to talk to your doctor or nurse about pain or any symptoms that are bothering you. There are ways to treat these. And getting good treatment can help you feel better and allow you to focus on things that are important in your life.

Pain Medicines
Pain medicines work very well. When the drugs are being used as directed to treat cancer pain, you do not need to worry about addiction or dependence. You may have symptoms like tiredness and itching, but these usually go away after you get used to the medicine. Constipation is the most common problem, but there are things you can do to prevent this. Side effects can often be managed by changing the dosage or by adding other medicines.

Bisphosphonates
This is a group of drugs that can help relieve bone pain caused by cancer that has spread to the bones. They may also slow the growth of the cancer cells and strengthen bones in men who are getting hormone treatment.

Bisphosphonates can cause side effects, such as flu-like symptoms and bone pain. Some men have had a very rare, but distressing side effect from these drugs. They have pain in the jaw and their doctors find that part of the jaw bone has died. This can lead to loss of teeth or infections of the jaw bone. Doctors don't know why some people develop these jaw problems or how to prevent them. So far, the only treatment has been to stop the bisphosphonate treatment. Some cancer doctors recommend that patients have a dental check-up and have any tooth or jaw problems treated before they start taking bisphosphonates.

Steroids
Steroids can relieve bone pain and increase appetite for some men.

Radiation Therapy
While radiation therapy can be used as the main treatment for prostate cancer, it can also be used to treat bone pain caused by cancer that has spread to the bone.

Drugs called radiopharmaceuticals are also used for this purpose. This is a group of drugs that have radioactive elements. They are given into a vein. They settle in areas of bones that contain cancer and the radioactive part kills the cancer cells there. About 8 out of 10 prostate cancer patients with bone pain are helped by this treatment. The main side effect is a lowering of blood cell counts. This could increase your risk of getting an infection or bleeding easily.

Performance-enhancing drugs: Know the risks

Are you hoping to gain a competitive edge by taking muscle-building supplements or other performance-enhancing drugs? Learn how these drugs work and how they can affect your health.



Most serious athletes will tell you that the competitive drive to win can be fierce. Besides the satisfaction of personal accomplishment, athletes often pursue dreams of winning a medal for their country or securing a spot on a professional team. In such an environment, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly common.

But using performance-enhancing drugs — aka, doping — isn't without risks. Take the time to learn about the potential benefits, the health risks and the many unknowns regarding so-called performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, androstenedione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics, creatine and stimulants. You may decide that the benefits aren't worth the risks.


Anabolic steroids. What are they?

Some athletes take a form of steroids — known as anabolic-androgen steroids or just anabolic steroids — to increase their muscle mass and strength. The main anabolic steroid hormone produced by your body is testosterone.

Testosterone has two main effects on your body:

    Anabolic effects promote muscle building.
    Androgenic effects are responsible for male traits, such as facial hair and a deeper voice.

Some athletes buy steroids to boost their performance. Frequently, the anabolic steroids that athletes use are synthetic modifications of testosterone. These hormones have approved medical uses, though improving athletic performance is not one of them. They can be taken as pills, injections or topical treatments.

Why are these drugs so appealing to athletes? Besides making muscles bigger, anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the muscle damage that occurs during the session. This enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently without overtraining. In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs.

Designer steroids
A particularly dangerous class of anabolic steroids are the so-called designer drugs — synthetic steroids that have been illicitly created to be undetectable by current drug tests. They are made specifically for athletes and have no approved medical use. Because of this, they haven't been tested or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and represent a particular health threat to athletes.

Risks
Many athletes take anabolic steroids at doses that are much higher than those prescribed for medical reasons, and most of what is known about the drugs' effects on athletes comes from observing users. It is impossible for researchers to design studies that would accurately test the effects of large doses of steroids on athletes, because giving participants such high doses would be unethical. This means that the effects of taking anabolic steroids at very high doses haven't been well studied.

Anabolic steroids come with serious physical side effects as well.

Men may develop:

    Prominent breasts
    Baldness
    Shrunken testicles
    Infertility
    Impotence
    Prostate gland enlargement
    Aggressive behaviors, rage or violence
    Psychiatric disorders, such as depression
    Drug dependence
    Infections or diseases such as HIV or hepatitis if you're injecting the drugs
    Inhibited growth and development, and risk of future health problems in teenagers

Taking anabolic-androgenic steroids to enhance athletic performance, besides being prohibited by most sports organizations, is illegal. In the past 20 years, more effective law enforcement in the United States has pushed much of the illegal steroid industry into the black market. This poses additional health risks because the drugs are either made in other countries and smuggled in or made in clandestine labs in the United States. Either way, they aren't subject to government safety standards and could be impure or mislabeled.

The 6 Pillars of Prostate Health

The 6 Pillars of Prostate Health are a total plan for wellness and living a life of maximum prostate health and prevention. The foundations of the 6 Pillars are based on over 200 international studies over 15 years.

The 6 Pillars bring together a plan not just for prostate health, but a plan for total health and wellness based on nutrition, weight control, lifestyle, natural treatments, hormone management and a healthy sex life.

   
The Prostate Diet: Cancer experts estimate that our food choices account for up to 90 percent of cancers of the prostate, breast, pancreas, and colon.  Making changes to your diet can significantly lower your risk of getting prostate disease.  In The Prostate Diet you will find meal plans, recipes, supplements and the 10 Foundations of The Prostate Diet; a total diet, supplement and eating plan for inflammation management, cancer prevention and prostate health.  In order to make informed nutrition decisions you also need to know what foods and additives to avoid and what supplements can actually contribute to prostate disease.

Exercise and Weight Control: Both exercise and weight loss can have a significant impact on prostate health.  Men who have prostate cancer have more than double the risk of dying of the disease if they are obese than if they were of normal weight.  Some specific exercises are also great for prostate disorders and reduce your risk of prostate cancer, prostatitis and BPH while others such as Kegel exercises can also aid in sexual health and stamina.

Lifestyle: Smoking, sleep patterns, some medications and alcohol all can affect your prostate.  

Natural Management: Natural prevention and treatment approaches for prostate health include acupuncture, biofeedback, homeopathy, hormone restoration, massage, reflexology and stress management techniques. 

Hormone Balance: Hormone management and hormone balancing play a major role in prostate health.  According to the World Health Organization “diet might influence prostate cancer risk by affecting hormone levels.” Learn all about the major male hormone players and what you can do to keep them in balance; and keep you free of prostate disease.

Sex and ED (Impotence): Sex is generally healthy for your prostate but can you have too much of a good thing? 

Conquering Erection Problems - 7 Reasons it Might Not be Erectile Dysfunction after All

Erection problems are often seen as a problem for older men, but the truth is that men of any age can experience a less-than-stellar performance from time to time. While a bedroom flop might seem like a reason for panic, men who have only occasional bouts of erectile loss may want to look at some other aspects of their lifestyle. Some non-ED causes of erectile problems are detailed below, along with some simple suggestions for improved penis health.
8 Non-ED causes of erection problems:

Erection problems are not always related to erectile dysfunction perse. Other factors related to a man’s physical and emotional health can lead to temporary issues in the bedroom, including:

1. Alcohol use - While a drink or two can help to break the ice and move things toward the bedroom more quickly, overdoing it can have an unintended and unfortunate effect. Alcohol is a depressant, or downer, and one of the victims of the "downer" effect is the ability to become erect. Men who have romantic intentions for the evening should keep their consumption to no more than 2 drinks in order to avoid an embarrassing end to an evening.

2. Smoking - Smoking wreaks havoc on the body in numerous ways, including hardening and narrowing the blood vessels, interfering with neural activity and reducing a man’s stamina. Crushing out the butts is a proactive step toward overall better health, not to mention improved sexual ability.

3. Stress - The pressures of maintaining a job, caring for a family, studying for exams, or anything else that keeps a man up at night can cause chemical stress reactions that tend to interfere with erectile ability. Reducing stress or finding better ways to cope can help to improve a man’s ability to react to stimulation.

4. Poor circulation - Reduced circulation to the penis, whether due to excess body fat, reduced heart function, or just sitting at a desk for too long can restrict blood flow and result in at least temporary reduction in erectile action.

5. Depression - Depression and other emotional or mood disorders can manifest as loss of erectile ability; on the flip side, loss of erectile function can actually lead to depression. In either case, treating the depression with counseling and/or medication may help.

6. Relationship issues - Whether faced with partner conflict or just an old relationship in which the sex just doesn’t feel new and exciting any more, a man who is not feeling comfortable with his mate may not feel aroused every time the occasion calls for it. Couples counseling - or even a change in partners - might provide the answer in this case.

7. Medications - Finally, certain prescription medications can lead to loss of function; when medications are in the mix, talking to a doctor about an alternative may help to resolve the issue.

When erectile dysfunction may be diagnosed

Of course, there is always the potential that there is a more serious underlying health problem that is responsible for impotence issues, and in this case, ED may really be at stake. Erectile dysfunction may be diagnosed when a man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to complete intercourse more than 25% of the time, or when he fails to experience night time erections. In this case, treating the health problem appropriately is an important step in restoring normal function.

Keeping the penis in game-ready condition

It goes without saying that being ready for sex means not only being able to get it up, but also feeling confident; and in order to feel confident, a man needs to believe that he is sexy and appealing. Some overall attention to grooming can help to take care of this issue - a shower, change of clothes and a shave can go a long way toward making a man feel attractive.

When it comes time to drop trou, a guy needs to be assured that his equipment is also ready for action - with smooth skin, no rough spots or blemishes, and most of all, no unpleasant, mushroomy odors. Adding a penis health creme (most health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) fortified with targeted male nutrients and all-natural moisturizers is a good way to ensure that the skin is in top condition. Nutrients like vitamin A, for instance, can help to eliminate odor-causing bacteria, while amino acids like L-arginine can promote the skin’s responsiveness to tactile stimulation. On top of these, a natural moisturizer - like Shea butter, olive oil, or jojoba oil, can keep the skin looking smooth and supple, giving it a pleasant appearance.

Testosterone Therapy vs Anabolic Steroid Use

There is a lot of confusion between the use of anabolic steroids and bioidentical testosterone replacement therapy. For this reason, many people shy away from testosterone therapy, thinking it’s a bad thing. Too many people believe that there is no difference between anabolic steroids and bioidentical testosterone replacement. Yet, although anabolic steroids are related to male sex hormones like testosterone, there are some vital differences.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that are similar in many ways to the androgens, or male sex hormones. Like bioidentical testosterone, the anabolic steroids do promote the growth of skeletal muscle and the secondary male sexual characteristics. Anabolic steroids can be used in productive ways to treat conditions that occur when the body produces abnormally low levels of testosterone. However, bioidentical hormones would actually be a better choice because there are fewer side effects associated with them; those side effects that are possible are less dangerous than those posed by synthetic hormones such as anabolic steroids.

Most people are not as aware of the potential usefulness of anabolic steroids as they are of the potential for abuse. Athletes have been known to use anabolic steroids to develop muscle mass more quickly and become stronger or faster or just plain better at their sport. Of course, the public frowns upon the practice of using anabolic steroids. There are serious and undesirable side effects that can occur as a result of using anabolic steroids to achieve higher levels of athletic performance. For example, abusers can develop liver or kidney tumors, cancer, jaundice, high blood pressure, severe acne, and trembling. Men's testes may shrink and they can develop breasts. In women, anabolic steroid abuse can lead to a growth of facial hair, menstrual changes, and a deepening of the voice. Teens who abuse anabolic steroids may stop growing prematurely and permanently.

Bioidentical testosterone therapy is different from anabolic steroid use or abuse in several ways. First of all, bioidentical hormones are identical in structure and function to the hormones produced by the human body. Synthetic anabolic steroids, in contrast, differ ever-so-slightly from the testosterone produced in the human body. These slight biochemical differences between human testosterone and synthetic androgens are the reason for most of the dangerous side effects associated with the synthetic hormones.

As with most substances, abusing bioidentical testosterone could cause undesirable effects like feminization in men, hair loss and severe acne. Since bioidentical testosterone is typically used to replace testosterone that the body is not producing in adequate quantities either due to disease or old age, it is difficult to abuse. When the body has excess testosterone, it converts it into estrogen and DHT, causing feminizing effects in men. Replacement therapies simply replace missing testosterone; anabolic steroids, however, add more testosterone to the body than it needs, generating some nasty side effects.

Men who are considering bioidentical hormone therapy need to understand that anabolic steroids and bioidentical testosterone are not the same. Bioidentical doctors monitor liver function and lipid levels in men who are using bioidentical testosterone to replace what they are missing. Side effects of this type of therapy do exist, but they are less common than those experienced by men who use anabolic steroids. Bioidentical testosterone can have some important health benefits for aging men. Talking with a bioidentical hormone doctor can help clear up any fears and misunderstandings and help you understand how bioidentical testosterone can improve your overall health as you grow older.