Dr Peter Attia, a well-known physician focused on longevity and performance optimization, recently revealed a surprising experiment with PEDs during his recovery from shoulder surgery.
In a candid discussion with Derek Munro, founder of More Plates More Dates, Attia shared how he attempted to use powerful formulas to accelerate his healing process. However, he had to abandon the protocol within days due to concerning side effects.
The revelation came during a conversation about growth hormone, anabolic ster**ds, and their applications in both medical and athletic contexts. Attia explained that he had postponed shoulder surgery for 15 years until the injury became unavoidable.
Facing a four-month recovery period with severely limited mobility, he decided to explore pharmaceutical intervention to optimize his healing.
“I had been you know postponing for 15 years until it got to the point where I sort of had to have it,” Attia explained. “I really was so hesitant to give up so much you know because of the size of the tear in the labrum.”
After researching the available literature, Attia settled on a combination of nandrolone (also known as Deca-Durabolin) and growth hormone. This protocol represented what he believed would be the most effective approach to tissue repair and recovery.
Nandrolone is an anabolic st**oid derived from testosterone that has been studied for its potential benefits in healing connective tissue and maintaining muscle mass during periods of immobilization.
However, the experiment was short-lived. Within just one week of starting the protocol, Attia experienced troubling symptoms that forced him to reconsider. “My blood pressure went up, my temperature was up at night,” he recalled. “I felt so bad on the hormones that I was like, well, I’m definitely not doing this.”
Interestingly, Attia later suspected that his adverse reactions might not have been entirely due to the PEDs themselves. “In retrospect, what I realize is I think I was sick. I think I actually got an infection,” he explained. This possibility highlights the difficulty in attributing symptoms to specific causes, especially when dealing with post-surgical recovery and multiple variables.
During the discussion, Munro pointed out a potential issue with Attia’s protocol that might have contributed to problems. “I found that so interesting that you didn’t use a base of testosterone with the nandrolone because you could effectively wipe out your estrogen with that combination,” Munro noted.
Despite the failed experiment, Attia provides valuable insight into the challenges of using PEDs for recovery purposes.
