I'm a latecomer to the world of 'gear' - I ran my first cycle at the age of 38...
I pride myself on the fact that I train ridiculously hard - much harder than anyone else I see in my gym... I pretty much eat clean year round, I'm methodical with my TDEE and macro intake, I supplement my diet with various multivits and minerals and I drink gallons of water... I knew by the time I hit 36 that I'd hit my natural plateau... I literally couldn't do any more to grow...
So I ground it out for another couple of years and noticed things starting to wain, my energy levels had dropped slightly, my strength dipped a bit and my appetite and hunger for the gym decreased aswell... it wasn't anything I was doing wrong... it was purely that my natural testosterone levels were starting to lower and literally affecting everything I was doing... (bedroom included!)
I spoke to a friend in the gym who I knew was connected and he started me off with a Test only cycle... within 2 weeks I felt like a 30yr old again. All my hunger was back, and then when I saw the overnight results I couldn't get enough... all my old vests were coming back out of the closet, my veins were hanging off my arms, my libido went through the roof, as did my strength... I was gutted when I'd pinned my last pin.... unfortunately this friend failed to inform me about PCT and I was oblivious to the fact that my own Test levels would crash as bad as they did when I came off... the next 6 months were torture!
I needed to go back on...
Then I found this forum and started to read, read and read some more... seriously, these stickies are invaluable to any newcomers dipping their toe in the water... I researched my next cycle in great depth and then ran a good 14 week Test and Deca cycle... again, loving how it made me feel... I got in amazing shape for my 40th birthday (see avatar) and I can honestly say I have never been so proud of myself or felt so good....
On cycle - I'm confident, enthusiastic at work, a porn star, crush the iron, vibrant and good company to be with... it's only when I come off that I go back to the grumpy conservative 42yr old - with sore joints and depression at seeing my poundages come crashing down....
NB: I am literally just about to see a specialist regarding going on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to address my natty levels... so hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel for me with regard to those issues...
I would add though - I'm proud of myself to be able to say I ground out 20 good years of clean 'gear-free' training - getting the most out of what god gave me - before resorting to gear... I think I'm a dying breed!
However I'm now also delighted that I know that the next 20yrs training won't be as bad as I once thought it would be.
Take from my story what you will... hope it helps
BigBen