# Jaw Growth - Fact or Fiction?



## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

I just spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out if steroids, GH, or anything other drug can actually result in any changes in facial bone structure, but I got no solid answers. There's a lot of anectodal accounts such as "I got a chiseled jaw when I started to juice" which is likely to be due to lower body fat. Other people have mentioned tooth and bite alignment issues which can indicate a change in jaw structure.

Scientifically it doesn't seem to make any sense, even with growth hormone: I'm not a doctor, but as I understand bones grow via growth plates which close at some point around the age of 18-25. (However, this guy seems to think that the TMJ jaw never fully ossifies..)

So I can see how maybe in a 20-year old it can promote a more masculine facial structure, but for someone in their late 30's or beyond that shouldn't be possible.

Another question is female gear users who end up with wide, square jaws. How is that possible? Is it just a matter of low body fat coupled with more jaw muscles?

If anyone can settle this with a scientific explanation I'd be very interested to hear it!


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## Jason Gray (Sep 4, 2015)

Ok, so I'm baasically failing immediately because this isn't a scientific explanation but, I'd say anecdotely jaw growth is possible after this growth plate closure age. And its down to GH. Only reason I'm pretty sure of this is by taking a quick ganders at Antonio 'Bigfoot' (should prob be Bigchin) Silva from the UFC. He's got acromegaly so he produces too much GH and I reckon his jaw looks a touch big, maybe its the angle but I'm still saying a little big:


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## 39005 (Nov 25, 2013)

problems with GH before puberty , dosage and timescale are major factors

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12868124

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9494780


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

Steroids will make your jaw muscles grow for sure, even though this isn't bone growing it can totally alter the shape of someone's face. Genetics would dictate how much which I'm sure why it is more prominent in some females than others.

There's a woman who instructs crossfit and competes in power lifting at my old gym, she clearly started taking gear as she got very muscular within the space of a year and her jaw muscles grew like mad, she was very pretty before and the jaw totally changes her look for the worse.


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## testosquirrel (Jan 14, 2015)

U slso get a fuller effect on gear which effects all muscles not just the ones you train. ..so neck muscles and jaw muscles are thickets ..ppl notice everyone I'm on.and look at pros when off and on next to each other. ..Victor martinez is a great example


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

aqualung said:


> problems with GH before puberty , dosage and timescale are major factors
> 
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12868124
> 
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9494780


 I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that these articles are talking about bone density, not bone size/shape.



MissMartinez said:


> You need pictures of him when he was 18-21 to see what his jaw was like though. Could have happened before growth plates sealed.


 Yeah that's the problem with the acromegaly argument, they could have grown before they were 25 or whenever you normally stop growing. Even those guys eventually stop growing, right? I get that the hands, joints, etc. will grow forever, but that's from cartilage and joint tissue growth.


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## Dark sim (May 18, 2013)

The jawline changes in some female bodybuilders from use of AAS


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## Scipio27 (Dec 25, 2015)

Certainly acromegaly causes jaw growth (prognathism), increase in hand size and supra-orbital protrusion. This all occurs after epiphyseal plates close. Now, whether this can be achieved by supplementing GH I don't know, and I suspect if it can, you're also going to have all the negative effects of GH excess as well, so it's not worth it.


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## 39005 (Nov 25, 2013)

Tomahawk said:


> I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that these articles are talking about bone density, not bone size/shape.
> 
> Yeah that's the problem with the acromegaly argument, they could have grown before they were 25 or whenever you normally stop growing. Even those guys eventually stop growing, right? I get that the hands, joints, etc. will grow forever, but that's from cartilage and joint tissue growth.


 re read it again - you need to read more than 2 lines in on both studies 

''Bone remodeling is the process of new bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts. GH directly and through IGF-I stimulates osteoblast proliferation and activity, promoting bone formation. It also stimulates osteoclast differentiation and activity, promoting bone resorption. The result is an increase in the overall rate of bone remodeling, with a net effect of bone accumulation.''


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## Jason Gray (Sep 4, 2015)

MissMartinez said:


> You need pictures of him when he was 18-21 to see what his jaw was like though. Could have happened before growth plates sealed.


 Lol. He'd have been laying down. No way he could've got that chin off the ground.

In seriousness though, you don't understand the difference between Gigantism and Acromegaly if you think the above.

*Acromegaly* (/ˌækrɵˈmɛɡəli/; from Ancient Greek άκρος _akros_ "extreme" or "extremities" and μεγάλος _megalos_ "large") is an extremely rare syndrome that results when the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (GH) after epiphyseal plate closure at puberty.

Most commonly effects middle-aged men.


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## Dark sim (May 18, 2013)

MissMartinez said:


> Is that not from leanness and muscle rather than change in bone.
> 
> If you look at this thread on here and see posts by GBLiz towards the bottom, her face reverted back when she quit steroids.
> 
> http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/topic/84398-female-aas-peptide-use/?page=3


 A door lady I worked with still had huge jaw and hands like a shovel, but like I said, it doesn't apply to all females.

I'm pretty sure testosterone makes physical changes, adams apple, virilisation, hair growth, so probably some effects on jawline.


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## Jason Gray (Sep 4, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that these articles are talking about bone density, not bone size/shape.
> 
> Yeah that's the problem with the acromegaly argument, they could have grown before they were 25 or whenever you normally stop growing. Even those guys eventually stop growing, right? I get that the hands, joints, etc. will grow forever, but that's from cartilage and joint tissue growth.


 This is the difference between Gigantism and Acromegaly @Tomahawk. But looking at guys with Acromegaly and pro-BB's who we all know are on unreal amounts of GH, I'd say a significant increase in GH alone can't produce the level of bone growth that Acromegaly does.


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## Dark sim (May 18, 2013)

MissMartinez said:


> Probably I just was giving another perspective lol! I'd not risk it myself to be fair


 Depends on dose, length of time, compounds used. Its only some of the physique competitors that are borderline, and they use quite a bit, incl injectables.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Jason Gray said:


> Lol. He'd have been laying down. No way he could've got that chin off the ground.
> 
> In seriousness though, you don't understand the difference between Gigantism and Acromegaly if you think the above.
> 
> ...


 Wait so Acromegaly kicks in when you're middle aged, and not around puberty?


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## Jason Gray (Sep 4, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> Wait so Acromegaly kicks in when you're middle aged, and not around puberty?


 I'm not an expert and can't be arsed to look it up but I'd guess its not that it kicks in at say 30, its just after child-levels of GH being produced when they should've stopped 10 - 20 years previous, it starts getting really noticeable...


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## iamyou (Oct 29, 2012)

Just look at females abusing AAS. GH may even not be involved in all cases.


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## testosquirrel (Jan 14, 2015)

U get a fuller effect on gear which effects all muscles not just the ones you train. ..so neck muscles and jaw muscles are thicker from fullness..ppl notice everyone I'm on.and look at pros when off and on next to each other. ..Victor martinez is a great example ..it's obvious bone growth is minimal to non existent..the thickness of traps show from the front accentuating jaw strength too


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## testosquirrel (Jan 14, 2015)

More examples misle thickness in face neck and traps .making ja apear bigger....off gear they are skinnier narrow not as strong while off..jaw looking bigger thicker stonger more prominent plus being lean adding to the effect...then look at their jaws in off season when even more full


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## Fluke82 (Sep 10, 2015)

I have been on 9 months and feel my facial structure has changed slightly, look about 3-4 years older than a year ago and more masculine/defined Jaw...


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## testosquirrel (Jan 14, 2015)

Drogon said:


> I have been on 9 months and feel my facial structure has changed slightly, look about 3-4 years older than a year ago and more masculine/defined Jaw...


 Yep and when u go off it will return to normal and really stand out


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## Fluke82 (Sep 10, 2015)

testosquirrel said:


> Yep and when u go off it will return to normal and really stand out


 Well I will enjoy it now then


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## testosquirrel (Jan 14, 2015)

Drogon said:


> Well I will enjoy it now then


 Lol I would some ppl I know look real skinny in the face and neck once off but big everywhere else..looks odd


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## rakim (Apr 1, 2009)




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