Do doctors prescribe anabolic steroids to gain weight in Singapore?

Doctor's Answers 1

Interesting question. You seem to have undergone some evaluation for low BMI/weight loss – possibly an OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) for evaluation of diabetes, of which the result seems within normal limits.

In Singapore, as is the case with all countries to my knowledge, doctors will ONLY prescribe steroids/anabolic steroids if there is a clear MEDICAL INDICATION (of which difficulty gaining weight, like in your case, is not). It’s otherwise illegal. This applies to all medications, for that matter.

Even when anabolic steroids are used for medical purposes, they are only used when other drugs have not worked.

Why? For the simple reason that doctors are bound by a do-no-harm oath – all medications have side effects, and anabolic steroids in particular have a worse than average rep where side effects are concerned.

Amongst others, you can look forward to:

  • Steroid acne (personally, I’d take being skinny over having to deal with acne. This is rather common amongst steroid users)
  • Baldness
  • Gynecomastia, or man boobs.
  • Stretch marks and thin skin.
  • Smaller testes (as your body gets away with producing less of it’s own testosterone)
  • Atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke
  • Liver damage, kidney damage and diabetes in long term users

I don’t know about you, but all these side effects sound like a pretty raw deal to me. Now, that’s from the doctor perspective.

From a personal fitness enthusiast perspective, I’m similar to you in that I’m more of a hard-gainer, or somewhere in between an ectomorph and mesomorph. My diet is pretty much loading up on milk, eggs, and other protein sources. Lifting big weights, and minimizing cardio. There are other high calorie drinks you can take to supplement your diet.

I don’t know what else you’ve tried, but steroids (to gain weight) would not be an option at all if I were in your shoes. Plus, any gains that you gain while using steroids will be quickly lost once you stop using it. What does the mass turn to? Fat. Not pretty.

What I’d do if I were you – seek out a dietitian and/or sport medicine doctor, who can put together a diet and weight training plan for you to gain weight and muscle mass.

So TLDR: Please banish all thoughts of using steroids to gain weight. Do it the right/healthy way – there are health professionals who can help you achieve this. I cannot comment on any “metabolic issue” (this QnA has a strict no medical advise policy), but if you are concerned about the medical angle, you can see either your GP or an endocrinologist to evaluate possible underlying causes of a low BMI.

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