GP Turan (Turinabol) by Geneza Pharmaceuticals

GP Turan by Geneza Pharmaceuticals is an oral steroid which contains 10mg of the hormone Chlorodehydromethyltestosterone.

Oral Turinabol, as it is often called, was first discovered in East Germany in 1962. The steroid became very popular due to its high anabolic properties while being a fairly low androgen. This drug is considered to be the main component of the famous East German doping machine, in which thousands of Germany’s Olympic athletes were secretly given steroids in hopes of dominating the Olympics.

GP Turan is in the same family of steroids as methandienone. The results of this drug are often reported by bodybuilders as being similar to those of D-bol, yet without any of the bloat. Bodybuilders have nicknamed the drug “T-bol" due to this. The lack of bloat is due to the fact that GP Turan doesn't aromatize in the body, and therefore no estrogen related side effects become present.

Users of this steroid often report very good gains in strength along with a slight gain in quality muscle mass. T-bol is often used as a “jump start" to a cycle. Here the quick acting effects of the oral allow the bodybuilder to start experiencing gains and "pumps" early on, while the injectables being used in the cycle have more time to take effect. GP Turan is a very versatile steroid and can be used effectively in both cutting and bulking cycles. It stacks well with virtually all compounds, and is also effective at lowering SHBG in the body, thus making the other compounds, such as Testosterone, even more effective.

GP Turan is also commonly used as a "bridge" in between cycles. Here a low dose of the drug (10-15mgs a day) will be used in between cycles in order to prevent a total “crash" and to help the bodybuilder preserve gains made from the previous cycle. T-bol is a C-17 oral, and therefore can put some stress on the liver. Because of this, it’s recommended that users keep doses in reasonable ranges and try to limit their cycles of this steroid to no more than 8 weeks at a time. The common dosages used would be 20-40mgs a day.

Women bodybuilders also find this drug favorable and typically use it in a dosage of 5mgs a day.

GP Methan 10 by Geneza Pharmaceuticals

GP Methan 10 by Geneza Pharmaceuticals is an oral steroid which contains 10mg of the hormone Methandienone.

D-bol is the most popular name for this steroid by bodybuilders. D-bol is credited with being the second anabolic steroid ever created, with the first being testosterone. This steroid is the most popular oral that there is. It is popular with those new to anabolic substances due to how quickly it provides a gain in mass and strength.

Due to its fast effects on the body, GP Methan 10 makes a great "jump start" to any cycle. Here, bodybuilders, will take the drug at the beginning of a cycle to start seeing results immediately while waiting for the slower esters of the injectable anabolics to start taking affect. Users of this steroid often report significant gains in strength and muscle mass. D-bol is also famous for the intense "pump" that it gives the muscles during workouts. This is mostly due to the fact that it dramatically increases protein synthesis and nitrogen retention within the muscle cells.

Mg for Mg, GP Methan 10 is considered one of the strongest anabolic orals available to bodybuilders. It is important to note that some do suffer from estrogen related problems with the usage of D-bol, including bloat and sometimes "gyno" (the development of female tissue under the nipples in males resulting in unattractive and often painful lumps in this area). Because of this, bodybuilders may prefer to use an estrogen inhibitor such as anastrozole or tamoxifen while on this steroid. Like many other orals, GP Methan 10 is a C17-alpha alkylated compound, and therefore can be potentially toxic to the liver. It is recommended that bodybuilders using this anabolic also incorporate a liver protectant into their daily supplement regime, and that they keep their dosages of this powerful drug in reasonable range and try to limit cycle duration to 10 weeks or less. GP Methan 10 can make a great addition to any cycle, and is commonly stacked with all injectable steroids.

As mentioned earlier, this steroid makes a great start to any cycle, but it is also important to note that bodybuilders frequently use it as a "bridge" between cycles and as a means to recovery from a cycle. Here, GP Methan 10 can be taken in a low dose (10mgs a day) during PCT or in between cycles to keep androgen levels high and to maintain strength and mass, while allowing the body's natural testosterone levels to be regained.

D-bol is not a very popular steroid among women bodybuilders due to the fact that it is very prone to causing harsh masculizing side effects. Males typically use GP Methan 10 in a dosage range of 25-100mgs a day for a period of 4-10wks, and 10mgs a day for bridging or PCT purposes for as long as needed.

Deca 300 by Dragon Pharma

This ester makes hormone release from injection sight very slow. Bodybuilders often find that an injection schedule of twice per week is more than sufficient in keeping steady blood levels. This steroid is a poor choice for tested athletes due to how long it lingers in the system. Those looking to use nandrolone and have it out of the system quicker will generally opt for a product like Durabolin. Deca 250 is one of the most popular steroids being used amongst bodybuilders today. Deca is a low androgenic steroid with high anabolic effect. It will aromatize in high dosages, but not at the rate of testosterone. Progesterone buildup is one side effect that some have trouble with. Users sensitive to these issues might choose to add Cabaser or Dostinex to their cycle.

Deca 300 can be used for cutting or for bulking. Bodybuilders often stack it with Testosterone for one of the most common and effective bulking cycles. The deca / winstrol stack is also very popular. It is believed that Winstrol helps block the progesterone buildup while the Deca 300 heIps with the joint issues that some suffer while on Winstrol. The joint relief and healing that Deca provides is one of the main reasons it has become a very popular steroid with Bodybuilders.

Androgen side effects are typically not an issue with Deca 300 (Nandrolone Decanoate) as long as doses are kept within reasonable range. Bodybuilders using this substance by itself sometimes report a loss of libido, therefore, it is recommended that one run at least a small dose of testosterone or even a high androgen like Proviron to help prevent this issue.

Women bodybuilders are also fond of this substance, where it's mild androgenic nature makes it a safe steroid for them to use without fear of masculizing side effects.

Deca will shut down one's body's ability to make it's on natural testosterone, therefore a proper PCT program is recommended following a cycle of this substance. Male bodybuilders often use Deca 300 (Nandrolone Decanoate) in doses of 400-600mgs a week for 8-12 weeks, while women find a dosage range of 50-100mgs weekly to be sufficient for seeing desired results.

Trenbolone Information

Trenbolone is a very powerful steroid that has never been FDA approved for use in humans. It was originally developed as finaplex pellets for use as a vetinary product to be put under the skin of cattle. However over time bodybuilders have realised its unique properties and powerful benefits and it has become a favourite anabolic steroid for many, despite having more harsh side effects than most other steroids. Many people would convert the pellets into an injectable form, in a rather crude and dangerous manner that would neither be safe nor sterile, and poses many risks. However, despite being non-approved by the FDA, there are a number of respectable Underground Labs (UGLs) that produce quality injectable forms of trenbolone. For the user who understandably likes to stick to pharmaceutical grade steroids, unfortunately there is no such form of trenbolone available.

Trenbolone is a highly androgenic steroid, with binding to the Androgen Receptor (AR) in the region of three times as high as testosterone. It does not aromatise and so is not subject to estrogenic side effects. In addition to high androgenicity, it is also extremely anabolic too, thus is very good at building muscle mass, and retaining muscle mass in a calorie deficient mode. It is also thought that trenbolone inhibits cortisol production directly through the glucocorticoid receptors. Trenbolone is often found to be a body transforming drug, and also can aid a little in fat loss. This may be due to the very strong binding of trenbolone to the AR, which has been postulated to be one mechanism that results in the activation of fat loss pathways, possible through direct binding to fat cells' ARs. This makes trenbolone a favourite among bodybuilders for cutting, and in addition to these benefits, trenbolone usually results in large increases in strength due to its high androgenic effects.

Trenbolone although not converted to estrogen, does have progesteronic effects, which will be discussed further in the side effects section of this article.

Suggested Cycles / Uses
Typically today underground labs produce trenbolone acetate as 75g/ml or 100mg/ml. It is often recommended first-time users of trenbolone to use the faster acting acetate in case the side effects become too much for the user, they can then come off of the steroid very quickly and it is out of the system much quicker than, for example, the enanthate ester. For the novice user, 75mg or 100mg every other day (eod) is advised, however due to the acetate ester being even shorter than a propionate ester and the half life 1 day or less, to both reduce sides and aid gains, it is advisable that the user (if they can bear every day injections) injects trenbolone acetate every day (ed), at 37.5-50mg ed.

More advanced users may find that taking the trenbolone to amounts over 500mg per week has very desirable effects on strength and body composition, however note that the side effects will also increase with the increase in dose. Due to the negative effect that trenbolone has on libido, it is not generally recommended to take trenbolone without testosterone. However, one can take trenbolone for short periods without testosterone and introduce an aid such as Proviron (metsterolone) to help with the libido issues, along with proper extensive post cycle therapy (PCT) for recovery. A typical test-free cycle with trenbolone may include something like 600mg Primobolan per week, 400mg trenbolone enanthate per week, for 10 weeks, PCT starting 2 weeks after last injections. The enanthate ester and other similar esters of trenbolone can be injected twice per week. Below are some example cycles using trenbolone:

Novice:
Testosterone propionate 100-150mg eod, 6-8weeks
Trenbolone acetate 75-100mg eod, 6-8 weeks, PCT 4 days after last prop injection.

Intermediate:
Testosterone enanthate 750mg per week, weeks 1-12
Trenbolone enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-12
Winstrol 50mg ed weeks, 8-14

Primobolan 600mg per week, weeks 1-10
Testosterone propionate 200mg eod weeks 1-12
Trenbolone enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-10

Advanced:
Primobolan 600mg per week, weeks 1-10
Trenbolone enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-10
Testosterone enanthate 1000mg per week, weeks 1-12
Trenbolone enanthate 500-700mg per week, weeks 1-12
Anavar 80-100mg ed, weeks 1-14

Very advanced/pre-contest:
Testosterone propionate 100-200mg ed
Trenbolone acetate 75-100mg ed
Masteron 400-600mg per week
Winstrol 50mg ed
Primobolan 600mg per week
Halotestin 10-20mg ed

Common Side effects
Out of all the injectable steroids available, trenbolone is the one that should be used with extreme caution and only after plenty of research into its side effects and common cycles have been carried out. Trenbolone side effects can be very bad to many users, so much so that they will not use it despite its very positive effects on the body and strength. Firstly, as trenbolone is so androgenic, all side effects that are seen with strong androgens can be expected (if prone) with trenbolone. If one is prone to male pattern baldness (MPB) than trenbolone will likely speed this up. Some users find acne on trenbolone worse than when on any other steroid. Certainly Trenbolone is not recommended for female users due to its strong androgenic properties and the common side effects that manifest themselves in females who use strong androgens.

Despite the fact that trenbolone cannot aromatise, due to the progesterone route it can cause things like gynecomastia, but this will only really happen in the presence of estrogen. This does happen though in many users, as trenbolone is usually stacked with a testosterone, which obviously can and will convert to estrogen. Gynecomastia from trenbolone can be quite bad many will find, however if you do not suffer from this than other estrogenic side effects should not be of worry, as trenbolone does not cause any water retention or similar, but in fact often gives a hardened look and feel to the muscles.

Trenbolone also seems to give many users poor sleep patterns and insomnia. In addition, it can cause severe sweating in many, both during the night time and also just from doing the smallest of activities such as walking up stairs, etc. It also can impair to a certain degree, cardiovascular function, which means that it is not ideal for use in those who regular partake in such sports or activity that require a decent level of cardiovascular fitness.

Trenbolone also increases blood pressure in many users, some to such a degree that they have to cease using it. Thus it is recommended that one who wishes to use trenbolone, invests in a blood pressure monitor so they can regularly measure their blood pressure and keep an eye on it throughout the cycle.

Many people claim that trenbolone has a negative effect on the kidneys. There are many of these claims certainly across the Internet since its use has become more widespread. However, there is no real evidence for these claims, and certainly I have seen many long-term users of trenbolone have kidney function tests that are well within the normal range. Perhaps the reason for this theory is the fact that when using trenbolone, many find that their urine can become a much darker more orange-brown colour. However, this is due to the fact that trenbolone undergoes very little modification or breakdown and is excreted as a rust-coloured oxidised form in the urine. In addition to this, any damage to kidney may not even be directly due to the trenbolone, but more to do with the increased sweating and water loss from excessive body heat whilst on trenbolone, without the sufficient addition of water intake. Thus it is recommended if running trenbolone to keep the water intake high.

As trenbolone is such a strong steroid, it is very harsh on the HTPA axis and will shut down the body's natural testosterone production very easily and, for many, very harshly. It is comparable to 'deca dick' that people can experience with deca, and longer cycles may need to include the use of HCG to restore one's own natural production of testosterone. Recovery from cycles containing trenbolone is not easy, and requires a very well thought out and stringent PCT routine and diet.

It has also been suggested through research that trenbolone actually (although aiding slightly in fat loss) reduces endogenous T3 levels. Thus some advocate the use of 25mcg T3 throughout a trenbolone cycle. This writer does not personally think that this is necessary; however it is something that users may wish to consider when using trenbolone, especially if their natural T3 production is on the lower side of the normal range. It is a very good idea to get blood work done both before and after any cycle including trenbolone.

Tren cough
The so called 'tren cough' or 'Fina cough' is well known amongst many tren users. Some users seem to get the cough following every injection; others never or extremely rarely will get the cough. Usually it is manifested upon injection, with a tightness in the chest, and a metallic taste in the back of the mouth, followed by an uncontrollable violent cough which can be quite frightening, as anyone who has experienced it will tell you, whether it's for the first time or not. There have been some very elaborate theories about the reasons for getting the cough from trenbolone, some of which have had mechanisms involving molecules that only trenbolone affects resulting in bronchioconstriction, etc. However, the fact remains that many users have also experienced the same cough from steroids such as equipoise and testosterone cypionate. In addition, these mechanisms that are proposed are highly unlikely to occur immediately upon injection, as that is too fast a timescale for the proposed mechanism. Thus it must be the result of something entering the blood stream and traveling to the lungs for the cough to be manifested that quickly.

This leads us onto the next theory suggested by many which is that trenbolone is produced by many UGLs, and as such is made with higher percentages of Benzyl Alcohol (BA) than pharma grade products are, and it is the alcohol that is causing the reaction. The only problem with this theory is that trenbolone is made by most UGLs with the same BA percentages as things such as testosterone propionate, and nandrolone decanoate. If it was purely the BA concentration, than we would expect to see the cough with these other products as well, which we do not. Thus, as we have eliminated the oil, solvents and carriers, it leaves us with the Trenbolone product itself as the potential culprit.

One thing that you notice about trenbolone is that it is often a golden-brown / rust colour when in oil solution. If the hormone powder is refined to greater than 99.5% purity or so, then the colour of trenbolone in solution actually gives a very light golden colour, much like other testosterone products; however, refining the hormone to this level of purity is extremely difficult. This is why there is colour variation from batch to batch with different underground labs; something as small as 0.1% purity can affect the colour of the final product.

As mentioned above when discussing kidney effects of trenbolone, the oxidised trenbolone is a rust colour – much like the colour seen of trenbolone in oil solution. What you also notice with steroids such as Equipoise and to a lesser degree, testosterone cypionate, is that these steroids too are hard to very highly refine and often a browny-rust colour, more so than products such as testosterone propionate, etc. It is very likely then that these oxidised particles get into the blood stream upon injection and this causes some sort of anaphylactic (allergic) reaction in the lungs as the particles react with the alveoli, perhaps. This seems to be confirmed by the fact that the darker the trenbolone is the more likely one is to get a cough (personal and general experience). The best way to try and avoid this is to firstly inject very slowly and not move the needle around after aspirating, and also mixing the trenbolone with another product such as test prop.

Anavar (oxandrolone)

Although Anavar doesn’t give users tremendous gains in muscle mass, it is an ideal steroid for burning fat and giving the body a more cut look. Additionally, the muscle mass gained and fat burned tend to be more permanent than with the steroids associated with large muscle mass gains. Anavar also causes more mild side effects limited effect on the liver and comparatively limited effect on the bodys natural sex hormones. Anavar is readily available in foreign countries and on the black market, although it is fairly expensive.

Anavar was the old U.S. brand name for the oral steroid oxandrolone, first produced in 1964 by the drug manufacturer Searle. It was designed as an extremely mild anabolic, one that could even be safely used as a growth stimulant in children. One immediately thinks of the standard worry, “steroids will stunt growth”. But it is actually the excess estrogen produced by most steroids that is the culprit, just as it is the reason why women stop growing sooner and have a shorter average stature than men. Oxandrolone will not aromatize, and therefore the anabolic effect of the compound can actually promote linear growth. Women usually tolerate this drug well at low doses, and at one time it was prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Anavar is a mild anabolic with low androgenic activity. Its reduced androgenic activity is due to the fact that it is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Although one might think that this would make it a more androgenic steroid, it in fact creates a steroid that is less androgenic because it is already “5-alpha reduced”. In other words, it lacks the capacity to interact with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme and convert to a more potent “dihydro° form. It is a simple matter of where a steroid is capable of being potentiated in the body, and with oxandrolone we do not have the same potential as testosterone, which is several times more active in androgen responsive tissues compared to muscle tissue due to its conversion to DHT. It essence oxandrolone has a balanced level of potency in both muscle and androgenic target tissues such as the scalp, skin and prostate. This is a similar situation as is noted with Primobolan and Winstrol, which are also derived from dihydrotestosterone yet not known to be very androgenic substances.

This steroid works well for the promotion of strength and duality muscle mass gains, although it’s mild nature makes it less than ideal for bulking purposes. Among bodybuilders it is most commonly used during cutting phases of training when water retention is a concern. The standard dosage for men is in the range of 20-50mg per day, a level that should produce noticeable results. It can be further combined with anabolics like Primobolan and Winstrol to elicit a harder, more defined look without added water retention. Such combinations are very popular and can dramatically enhance the show physique. One can also add strong non-aromatizing androgens like Halotestin, Proviron or trenbolone. In this case the androgen really helps to harden up the muscles, while at the same time making conditions more favorable for fat reduction. Some athletes do choose to incorporate oxandrolone into bulking stacks, but usually with standard bulking drugs like testosterone or Dianabol. The usual goal in this instance is an additional gain of strength, as well as more quality look to the androgen bulk. Women who fear the masculinizing effects of many steroids would be quite comfortable using this drug, as this is very rarely seen with low doses. Here a daily dosage of 5mg should illicit considerable growth without the noticeable androgenic side effects of other drugs. Eager females may wish to addition mild anabolics like Winstrol, Primobolan or Durabolin. When combined with such anabolics, the user should notice faster, more pronounced muscle-building effects, but may also increase the likelihood of androgenic buildup.

Studies using low dosages of this compound note minimal interferences with natural testosterone production. Likewise when it is used alone in small amounts there is typically no need for ancillary drugs like Clomid/Nolvadex or HCG. This has a lot to do with the fact that it does not convert to estrogen, which we know has an extremely profound effect on endogenous hormone production. Without estrogen to trigger negative feedback, we seem to note a higher threshold before inhibition is noted. But at higher dosages of course, a suppression of natural testosterone levels will still occur with this drug as with any anabolic/androgenic steroid and therefore require post cycle therapy to restore the HPTA.

Anavar is also a 17alpha alkylated oral steroid, carrying an alteration that will put stress on the liver. It is important to point out however that dispite this alteration oxandrolone is generally very well tolerated. While liver enzyme tests will occasionally show elevated values, actual damage due to this steroid is not usually a problem. Oxandrolone is not as extensively metabolized by the liver as other l7aa orals are; evidenced by the fact that nearly a third of the compound is still intact when excreted in the urine. This may have to do with the understood milder nature of this agent (compared to other l7aa orals) in terms of hepatotoxicity. One study comparing the effects of oxandrolone to other agents including as methyltestosterone, norethandrolone, fluoxymesterone clearly supports this notion. Here it was demonstrated that oxandrolone causes the lowest sulfobromophthalein (BSP; a marker of liver stress) retention among all the alkylated orals tested. 20mg of oxandrolone in fact produced 72% less BSP retention than an equal dosage of fluoxyrnesterone, which is a considerable difference being that they possess the same liver-toxic alteration. With such findings, combined with the fact that athletes rarely report trouble with this drug, most feel comfortable believing it to be much safer to use during longer cycles than most of other orals with this distinction. Although this may very well be true, the chance of liver damage still cannot be excluded, especially with hogher dosages.

Dianabol Dosing and timing of Dianabol

Introduction:
Dianabol (dbol) is one of the more popular and well-known orals one can take. But there are often many questions surrounding how to use dbol, when to take dianabol, among other things. I will try to address these concerns and lay out possible solutions the best I can.

Dosing:
Liver toxicity is a concern when taking orals, but with proper protection and dosing, it is unlikely any harmful situations should arise. Common doses range from 20mg everyday (ED) to 50mg+ ED. The higher the dose generally translates to shorter duration of use. Those looking for benefits in the 20mg ED range can feel safe running dbol for around 8 weeks. This is of course a guideline and proper bloodwork should be taken to minimize risk. Those looking for more pronounced benefits, namely strength and pure size, can get away with running around 40mg ED for 3-6 weeks.

Timing: 
Timing can play a large role with this drug due to its 6-8 hour half-life. Those looking for mainly strength increases would benefit from taking the majority of their daily dose pre-workout; usually an hour or so before hand. This will not translate soley to strength gains, but moreso than spreading the dose throughout the day. That leads me to the next way of dosing dianabol. Other users may chose to take 5-10mg every few hours to keep a steady stream of the drug in their system; thus leading to being more anabolic. However, there can be a compromise. Users can also benefit from taking a large portion of their daily dose preworkout and the rest a few hours postworkout. The only disadvantage to this route is that there is not as steady a stream of the drug in your system throughout the day. However, you get the best of both worlds by getting a great workout and being very anabolic postworkout. This will aid in muscle recovery when it is most important, postworkout, and when you should be getting in the majority of your high protein meals.

Precautions:
First and foremost, bloodwork should be kept track of to make sure blood levels remain in a reasonable and healthy range. Although liver toxicity is generally over-emphasized, it still is an issue that needs to be addressed. Therefore, a liver support such as NAC is a great addition to any cycle containing a liver-harsh drug. High amounts of water (ie 2+ gallons) should be consumed daily with Dianabol and other orals. Sodium intake should also be watched more carefully due to the fact that it increases water retention and bloat. That is not something you want alot of while taking dbol. Now what about alcohol? It should be avoided at all costs and that's all I'll say on the subject. If you're serious about this then you should already have a good answer.

What To Expect:
One should feel the effects (namely in the gym) within the first week of beginning the regimen. Increased blood pressure and intensity are common. Rapid weight gain within the first two weeks are also very common, but don't be fooled. Most of this gain is water based. The "real" gains will begin to show usually after the first few weeks once your body is able to synthesize more protein more effectively, therefore increasing lean body mass. As noted earlier, strength increase is a major side effect of this drug. Therefore, one should pay extra attention on the new weight they are lifting in order to minimize risk of injury of the tendons and ligaments. This is because the tendons and ligaments do not grow in conjunction with the muscles, so as your muscles continue to grow, you are asking more and more from the same tendons and ligaments.

Keeping Gains:
Since Dianabol only cycles are generally a bad idea, it is assumed you are using test as a base for this cycle. Running test for a longer duration than the dbol is usually a good idea as your body is still very anabolic and thus, the ability to retain new muscle is increased. This is just a general rule of thumb and does not equate to holding onto any portion of your gains as there are many factors involved. Another factor, and probably the biggest factor, is diet. Diet during your dbol use and after will be the biggest determining factor on what you gain and what you hold on to. For the most part, expect to lose ~5 or so pounds once the dbol is out of your system. This number will usually be around the same to as much weight (bloat and water) that you initially put on. Your post-dbol diet should not differ too much than when you were taking dbol, but increasing calories and protein slightly is usually a good idea. You will need to "eat at your new weight." If you were originally 200lbs and now you're 215lbs, you need to eat like a 215 pounder to STAY at 215lbs. The inverse is also true.

Summary:
All in all, Dianabol is a great compound and should meet every one of your expectations, but it isn't perfect and considerations need to be taken based on your goals and YOU. Therefore, in order for you to get the most from it, you need to understand what is going on and what you need to do to maximize your results. Hopefully this piece has helped you to do that and has answered any other questions and concerns someone new to dbol may have.

Oxandrolone by Dragon Pharma

Oxandrolone by Dragon Pharma is an oral steroid which contains 10mg of the hormone Oxandrolone.

Oxandrolone is considered one of the mildest steroids that there is. It is mildly anabolic and mildly androgenic. Even though it is a C-17 oral, it still has minimal effect on liver values even at higher doses. Oxandrolone also isn’t known by bodybuilders as the steroid for big mass gains. Rather, the mass that is gained by Oxandrolone will be quality gains and gains that likely to be kept after the steroid is no longer being used. Users of Oxandrolone often note a very good increase in strength.

Due to its extremely mild nature, Oxandrolone is also one of the most popular steroids amongst women bodybuilders. Oxandrolone has also been shown in studies to actually decrease bodyfat during use, making it a great choice for bodybuilders who are in the cutting phase of their training.

Oxandrolone is also very mild when it comes to shutting down the body’s ability to produce testosterone, making it a great choice for those looking to "bridge" between cycles while allowing the body to recover. Those looking to stack Oxandrolone with something may chose a low dose of a testosterone to do with it.

Clearly, Oxandrolone is a great all around steroid. Male bodybuilders will typically use Oxandrolone in doses of 50-100mg a day for 6-12wks. Oxandrolone has a relatively short half life of about 8 hours. So one may chose to split dosages throughout the day in order to keep blood levels as stable as possible. Women bodybuilders typically find a dosage of 2.5-10mgs to be effective for promoting muscle gains and strength without the great risk of side effects.

GP Bolasterone by Geneza Pharmaceuticals

Bolasterone is an oral anabolic steroid which is structurally related to methyltestosterone. It differs only by the addition of a methyl group, which is the reasoning for its chemical name. The addition of this methyl group makes the activity of this steroid far different than its cousin however, and makes any comparison between the two difficult. This drug was first developed in the late 1950's. It was closely evaluated for anabolic and androgenic effect around 3 years later. The drug was developed by the pharmaceutical company UpJohn, and was sold in the United States during the 1960s under the brand name of Myagen. It was mainly prescribed for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in women, but was also investigated for use on lean tissue sparing activity. The medical use of this drug didn't last long however, and it soon disappeared off the market not too long after it was released. By the 1980s, the drug had pretty much been forgotten by bodybuilders and athletes. Although bolasterone is no longer produced, the drug remains listed in the U.S Pharmacopeias, suggesting that it wouldn't be impossible to see the drug available once again as a prescription medication in the U.S, however this remains very unlikely.

Bolasterone is a fairly potent anabolic steroid, measured in human subjects to have approximately twice the anabolic effect of methandrostenolone. Despite being a derivative of testosterone, bolasterone is considerably more anabolic than it is androgenic in nature. Bodybuilders and athletes would often use this drug in bulking cycle, where adding extra weight wasn't a concern. Bolasterone is a very estrogenic steroid by nature, and one can expect to see all of the common estrogen related side effects when taking this drug, especially in higher doses. Estrogen related side effects can include such things as increased water and fat retention and gyno (the development of unattractive and sometimes painful female breast tissue under the nipples in males). To combat such issues, users often prefer to run some sort of anti estrogen compound such as arimidex or aromasin during cycle. This steroid can also be androgenic and can produce androgen related side effects as well. These side effects can include such things as oily skin, acne, and increased body and facial hair. In women, androgen can cause masculizing side effects such as deepening of the voice, the growth facial hair, and clitoral enlargement. Bolasterone is a C17aa compound, which means that it can be toxic to liver if taken in doses too large or for periods too long. Because of this, users are urged to try to keep cycles under 8 weeks and to run some sort of liver protection product such as liv-52. Like all anabolic steroids, bolasterone will shut down the body's natural testosterone production, making a post cycle therapy protocol necessary after the drug's use has been discontinued. Users often choose to run compounds such as clomid and HCG to get the body to start producing testosterone naturally again.

Users often choose run a dosage of 25-100mg per day for a period of 6-8 weeks. This level is sufficient for strong increases in muscle size and strength, although such gains will likely be accompanied by significant water retention due to estrogen. Bolasterone is generally not recommended for women due to its very strong nature and tendacy to produce virilizing side effects.

Sustanon 250

Sustanon 250 is the trade name for a mixture (or ‘blend’) of 4 different variations of esterified Testosterone in a particular ratio. It typically contains: 30mg of Testosterone Propionate, 60mg of Testosterone Phenylpropionate, 60mg of Testosterone Isocaproate, and 100mg of Testosterone Decanoate for a total of 250mg worth of combined Testosterone esters (hence the number 250 in the name Sustanon 250). The idea in combining all of these different Testosterone esters is to provide a Testosterone drug that will provide the user with both a fast immediate release of Testosterone followed by a slower more extended release. The opposite of such a drug would be single forms of esterified Testosterone, such as a Testosterone Propionate product, which, of course, contains nothing but Testosterone Propionate in the vial.

Sustanon was developed and manufactured by Organon and it was in the early 1970s that it entered the market. The idea behind it was to provide a preparation of Testosterone that would have an advantage over single esterified Testosterone products in a medical and clinical setting. The idea here was also that of convenience, as Sustanon 250 requires more infrequent injections than does Testosterone Propionate or Testosterone Suspension, for example. What is interesting to note is that Sustanon 250 was never approved for use or sale in the United States, but Sustanon 250 remains a very popular drug on the international market. Sustanon 250 is most likely one of the most popular Testosterone preparations in use by bodybuilders and athletes. It was commonly thought that this was the case due to misconception that its more potent than single esterified forms of Testosterone, but this is not true. Esters attached to different anabolic steroids only affect the half-life and release time of whatever anabolic steroid they are bound to. In the case of Sustanon 250, there are four different esterified types of Testosterone to be considered – but Sustanon 250 is no more ‘potent’ of a Testosterone product than a straight Testosterone Enanthate preparation, for example.

The real true and primary reason for its popularity among athletes and bodybuilders is instead the amount of steroid one is getting for the money spent. A blend of four different esterified Testosterone variants is considered a great value for the money spent in comparison to the purchase of a single esterified Testosterone variant. However, over the years this price difference has not proven to be extremely advantageous over other forms of Testosterone. The sheer truth of the matter is that Sust 250 was not developed for athletes and bodybuilders, but instead with medical application in mind, and it is therefore an optimized product for those requiring medical treatment from it. The idea with this product was to provide patients with a far more convenient and comfortable dosing schedule where administration of the drug is concerned. Many patients prescribed it need only to worry about an injection every 3 – 4 weeks. As a bodybuilder or athlete, this is very unrealistic seeing as though athletes and bodybuilders would require injections of this product weekly, and blood plasma levels of Testosterone as a result would end up peaking to the same levels in the same amount of time that any other type of Testosterone product would end up doing. Therefore, the perceived benefits of Sustanon really do not apply to bodybuilders or athletes, or to individuals looking to use it for the purpose of performance/physique enhancement.

The properties of Sust 250 is what one would expect from any Testosterone preparation. It is important to remember that Sustanon 250 is simply only Testosterone with a mixture of different release times. Therefore, the typical properties and effects are exactly what any expectations would be from Testosterone.

Testosterone is literally the original anabolic steroid, produced naturally within all humans and most animal species. It is considered the safest anabolic steroid one could use, due to the fact that it is the hormone that each individual’s body already produces, already uses, and is already accustomed to. Therefore, the use of Testosterone for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement is simply the equivalent of introducing more of a hormone into the human body that it already manufactures and uses.

Steroids and Injecting Anabolics: The Highs, Lows and Woes

Anabolic steroids are drug versions of the male hormone testosterone. Like most drugs, steroids can be taken by mouth or delivered by intramuscular injection. Tablets are a convenient way of taking medications: You simply pop them into your mouth and swallow. Injectable drugs, on the other hand, are a little less convenient, as they require a needle, a syringe and a sharp pinch.

The side effects are similar for both tablet and injectable versions of steroids. Generally speaking, the health risks are predominantly dose-related'the bigger the dose, the greater the risk. But tablets and injections differ slightly when it comes to complications. Tablets are potentially more harmful to the liver. Any drug that is absorbed from the gut passes through the liver before it's distributed elsewhere in the body. And when taken in large amounts by mouth, some drugs cause liver damage. Examples include an acute overdose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) or long-term alcohol excess. Anabolic-steroid tablets can also upset liver function when taken in large doses, so many steroid users choose injectable forms of the drugs to minimize toxic effects on the liver. Injectable versions are placed into muscle and released directly into the bloodstream, without passing through the liver first. That means larger doses can be injected without making the liver take a big hit. There's a trade-off, however. Although the liver is partly spared drug toxicity, injections are not risk-free.

Injection Problems

Sticking a needle into your body is not without risk'particularly if the person giving the injection hasn't been trained in the procedure. The common side effects of poor injection technique are as follows:

• Pain
• Bruising
• Scar-tissue buildup
• Nerve injury
• Infection or abscess
• HIV or hepatitis (from needle sharing)

Injection problems are unrelated to the type of drug inside the syringe. They are purely the result of the needle stick. It doesn't matter whether the syringe contains a steroid, growth hormone, insulin or synthol.

Pain. 
Intramuscular injection inflicts two forms of pain. The first is that sharp pinch as the needle penetrates the skin. The second is a deeper discomfort, as the injection pushes the muscle fibers apart, creating a pocket of fluid. The larger the volume of fluid, the greater the pain. Bigger muscles like the gluteals, or buttocks, and thighs can comfortably accommodate two to three milliliters of fluid. With smaller muscles like the shoulders one milliliter is about the limit. The fluid disappears as the drug gets absorbed, but the site remains slightly damaged and inflamed from the needle stick for a while longer. The degree of pain and how long the drug sits there depend on the type and brand of drug. For example, many steroid users report that injecting the drug Sustenon is like getting kicked in the butt by a horse. This long-acting, oil-based steroid sits in the muscle for several days, and the pain in the butt can last up to a week. If you inject into the same site within the space of a few days, you can double the amount of fluid, double the damage and double the pain. Water-based injectables like Winstrol are usually quicker-acting'they're more quickly absorbed and usually inflict less pain than the oil-based drugs.

Needle size also influences the amount of pain. Larger-diameter needles cause more damage than narrower ones. Needle diameter (in millimeters) is called the gauge. The larger the gauge, the finer the needle in thickness. Obviously, finer needles cause less tissue damage. The narrower the needle, however, the more difficult it is to push the fluid through, and the viscosity of oil-based steroids is simply too thick to pass through tiny needles. It's like a large pit bull trying to squeeze through a tiny cat door. And the small particles in some steroid suspensions, like Winstrol, can lodge in the barrel of small-diameter needles. As a rule of thumb, oil-based steroids can be injected with a 22-gauge (0.7 mm) needle, and the less viscous, water-based steroids can be delivered through 23- or 25-gauge needles. To improve comfort and safety with regular injections, it's better to use the smallest needle possible.

The length of the needle is also important. You need a 1 1/2-inch needle to deliver a deep intramuscular injection into larger muscles like the buttocks, whereas a shorter 5/8-inch or half-inch needle can be used to inject smaller muscles. If you sink a two-inch needle into a smaller muscle, you're likely to hit an underlying nerve or blood vessel.

Bruising. 
Every time a needle pierces muscle, a small amount of bleeding inevitably occurs. Under normal circumstances that's not a problem. But if the needle hits a blood vessel, the blood loss into the surrounding tissue can cause an unsightly (and painful) bruise, or hematoma. An injection-site bruise doesn't usually require treatment, but it will take a week or so to resolve. Bruising can be minimized by applying direct pressure on the injection site with a cotton swab or facial tissue. Keep pressing for a minute or two until you're sure the bleeding has stopped. Remember that a trained health-care worker draws back on the syringe before injecting. A back-flow of blood into the syringe indicates that the needle is in a blood vessel. Injecting an oil-based steroid directly into the bloodstream is hazardous, so the needle should be re-sited into muscle tissue before pushing the plunger.

Scar tissue.
An injection needle actually damages muscle. As it plunges inside, it inflicts a tiny hole that heals by forming a scar. A small slither of scar tissue from one injection is no big deal; however, repeated needle sticks eventually create a large area of scarring. And subsequent injections into the hard scarification become more difficult and painful. It's like trying to stick a needle through the sole of a leather shoe'you'll need a hammer to get that needle in your butt. What many bodybuilders don't realize is that scar tissue is not normal muscle tissue'it doesn't contract. It just sits there in the muscle like a golf ball.

Site injection with the oil implant synthol'a practice I call 'spot welding'also creates scar tissue. The muscle tissue becomes inflamed, eventually forming a bump of scar tissue that resembles a tumor. The spot weld doesn't contract: It's false, a fake bulge, the kind you see on a padded bra.

So how can you minimize scar tissue buildup? You've got to reduce the number of injections in the same area. Give your poor butt a rest. There are several ways to achieve this: Stop injecting (duh!), cut back on injectable drugs, or rotate injection sites. Employing an injection-site rotation means using a different site each time you inject, thereby avoiding injecting into the same area for at least a week or two. To illustrate that point, let's say that you require regular intramuscular injections for a legitimate medical reason. The qualified technician would select a different injection site each time.

For example: injection

1. right buttock; injection 
2. left buttock; injection 
3. right thigh; injection 
4. left thigh; injection 
5. right buttock again; and so on. 

Get the idea?

Nerve damage.
Be warned that injecting into other muscle sites is not as risk free as it may seem. Over the years I've treated a number of bodybuilders with injection-related complications. It's scary how bodybuilders play their own version of Russian roulette with steroid injections, blindly stabbing different bodyparts without knowing the location of nerves and blood vessels. Most muscles are intimately adjacent to nerves, blood vessels and other important anatomical structures. For instance, the radial nerve lies immediately under the triceps horseshoe, the sciatic nerve under the lower portion of your glutes and the quadriceps teardrop directly over the lining of the knee joint. If your misplaced needle hits an artery or vein, the extra blood loss creates a good-sized bruise. Strike a nerve with your needle, and it feels like an electric shock. The damaged nerve can result in loss of feeling and muscle weakness.

So what are the safe injection sites? Unfortunately, an in-depth anatomy lesson is beyond the scope of this article, but medical texts will tell you that the three commonly used safe sites for administering intramuscular injections are as follows:

• the upper outer quadrant of the gluteal (buttocks) muscle
• the outer aspect of the mid-to-upper thigh
• the outer portion of the deltoid (shoulder) muscle.

Infection.
Another possible side effect of poor injection technique is infection. That usually results from accidental contamination of a needle. All injections should be given using a sterile technique in a clean environment, without contaminating the end of the needle. The locker room of your local gym doesn't qualify as a sterile area.

Cleansing the skin with an alcohol swab can help reduce the risk of infection. If the needle does get dirty after it's removed from the sterile packaging, then there's a risk of introducing a bacterial infection under your skin. That can develop into an abscess filled with pus, which usually needs to be lanced or surgically removed. Fake or counterfeit steroids that have not undergone proper sterilization can also increase the risk of bacterial infection.

How can you tell when an injection site is infected? Well, the area is painful, swollen, red and warm to the touch. As the days pass, an infection gradually gets worse rather than better. In contrast, the pain and redness from a noninfected injection-site irritation resolves within a few days. If you don't get treatment for an infected injection site, the infection can spread, causing you to feel generally unwell, with a fever. If you reach that stage, you need to see a doctor right away.

Hepatitis and HIV.
A more serious complication arises from sharing needles. That hazardous practice risks the transmission of HIV (AIDS) and hepatitis B or C. During the 1980s there were a few reported cases of HIV infection in bodybuilders sharing needles, but let's hope no one is crazy enough to share these toys nowadays.

If everybody jumped off a cliff, would you? Or would you stop for a moment and look before you leaped, considering the consequences of your actions, rather than regret your decision when it's too late? Self-administering anabolic steroids is illegal, and so is the unlawful possession of needles and syringes. If you don't have some form of medical training, administering intramuscular injections can be risky, so please make safe, sensible decisions. If you do run into any problems, seek the advice of a medical doctor immediately.

What to eat when using Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids have a ‘building’ effect on the body. They increase synthesis of cellular and sub-cellular structures and are responsible for the increase of overall muscle mass. Steroids have widespread use and indications; they also have powerful adverse effects on almost all systems of the body and should therefore be administered carefully and if possible, locally. Systemic steroid administration is a critical thing and should be done very carefully and only after prescription of a doctor. Systemic administration is either through antral route (oral) or parentral route (intramuscular).

Protein-rich diet
Steroids increase synthesis of proteins in the body. The overall result is increase in muscle mass and this lean body mass increasing effect of the steroids is the reason athletes all over the world use it so frequently. Increase in muscle mass is naturally accompanied by the increase in muscle strength. This is also the reason of steroid administration in people with debilitating diseases like AIDS or chronic hepatitis.

This is only possible if sufficient raw material is present. The raw materials required for protein synthesis are amino acids. These amino acids are acquired from the daily diet. Animal proteins are similar to human proteins. These proteins after consumption are broken down into their component parts. These component parts are then used for building human proteins. It is necessary to eat all sorts of meat including mutton, beef and chicken to stay healthy. Other sources of animal protein include eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.

Other types of amino acids can also be obtained from pulses but plant proteins are not as beneficial as the animal proteins. Their amino acid content differs remarkably. However, for complete protein diet, both types of amino acids are required.

Eat sufficient Cholesterol
Steroid hormones have a cholesterol nucleus in their structure. This means cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of steroid hormones in the body. When on the steroid hormone therapy, it is important to take cholesterol rich diet so that the hormone synthesis within the body also boosts up. Substances rich in cholesterol include egg yolk and dry fruits like cashews, pistachios, and almonds.

Too much cholesterol is however, not recommended. This is because if blood cholesterol is very high, it starts depositing in blood vessels. This might cause arterial occlusion and can be even more harmful if the rough surface of cholesterol plaque activates coagulation system of the body. The resulting blood clot will decrease the diameter of the blood vessel even more and may even dislodge and form embolus in the arteries of the brain or lungs.

Consumption of Complex Carbohydrates
Consumption of complex carbs is important. Fiber adds bulk to your food and prevents constipation. By adding bulk, it also prevents over-eating. Consumption of simple sugars depends upon the condition of the patient. If steroid production in the body is less, simple sugars are recommended. Simple sugars increase insulin levels in the blood, which in turn boosts estrogen production. These carbohydrates are however, contra-indicated in people undergoing steroid cycle management to control the excess amounts of steroid hormones being produced in the body.

Caloric requirement with steroid therapy
Caloric requirements increase when on steroid therapy. This is because insulin levels in the body increase and these increased levels decrease the blood sugar making the person feel hungry. Instead of eating abundantly three times a day, eat small infrequent meals. Splitting your daily food into six and seven small meals is helpful and results in a much better utilization of the energy reserves of the body.

Foods rich in Potassium
Steroids cause blood potassium levels to deplete. Potassium is a very important cation. It is necessary for maintaining resting membrane potential and so prevents muscles from contracting or the nerves from firing impulses in the absence of sufficient stimulation. It is better to incorporate potassium rich foods in your daily diet like apricot, peaches, dates, and milk. Low potassium levels can cause abnormalities pumping of the heart. This can lead to arrhythmias in severe conditions and may even prove fatal.

Foods which neutralize HCL
Steroids can also be taken orally. A number of harmful effects like candidiasis accompanies oral intake of steroids . Candidiasis is oral thrush caused by yeast of normal flora called Candida albicantes, which are normally non-pathogenic, but manifests as oral or vaginal thrust or skin wounds. When the immunity of the patient is compromised, steroids blunt the rapidity and intensity of the immune response and therefore make the person prone to innumerable infections.

Moreover, steroids irritate the gastric mucosa. Due to this, HCL secretion increases and mucous lining of the stomach becomes prone to damage. It is best to eat foods like yogurt and milk, which neutralizes stomach acid and protects the epithelium from corrosion.

It is best to avoid foods that can further harm the GIT mucosa, including:

• Spicy foods
• Fruits rich in citric acid like oranges, lemons
• Fizzy drinks and alcohol
• Coffee and tea. Caffeine and theophylline present in coffee and tea respectively, stimulate gastric glands and thus increase production of gastric acid.

Do not take non-selective COX inhibitors or COX-1 inhibitors. These are drugs like aspirin. By inhibiting COX (or cyclooxygenase enzyme), they block the synthesis of protective prostaglandins which maintain the integrity of the gastric mucosa. In the absence of these prostaglandins, the mucosa becomes prone to damage by acidity.

Go for less salty items

Steroids alter the homeostasis of the body that results in salt and water retention and potential edema may be seen at sites where skin is loose such as on ankles, scrotum and eyelids. This can be controlled and prevented from being aggravated if low-salt diet is used. Avoid adding salt to curry or any other meal you consume. This has additional importance for hypertensive individuals as salt raises blood pressure. This increase in blood pressure is also due to the retention of water caused by increased salt intake. Avoid cheese, salted nuts, peanut butter and sausages as these contain a lot of salt in them.

Anabolic Steroid Side Effects

Anabolic steroids are effective in enhancing athletic performance. The trade off, however, is the occurrence of adverse side effects which can jeopardize health. Since anabolic steroids have effects on several organ systems, a myriad of side effects can be found. In general, the orally administered anabolic steroids have more adverse effects than parenterally administered anabolic steroids. In addition, the type of AS is not only important for the advantageous effects, but also for the adverse effects. Especially the AS containing a 17-alkyl group have potentially more adverse affects, in particular to the liver. One of the problems with athletes, in particular strength athletes and bodybuilders, is the use of oral and parenteral anabolic steroids at the same time ("stacking"), and in dosages which may be several (up to 40 times) the recommended therapeutical dosage. The frequency and severity of side effects is quite variable. It depends on several factors such as type of drug, dosage, duration of use and the individual sensitivity and response.

Liver Function

Anabolic steroids may exert a profound adverse effect on the liver. This is particularly true for orally administered anabolic steroids. The parenterally administered anabolic steroids seem to have less serious effects on the liver. Testosterone cypionate, Testosterone enanthate and other injectable anabolic steroids seem to have little adverse effects on the liver. However, lesions of the liver have been reported after parenteral nortestosterone administration, and also occasionally after injection of testosterone esters. The influence of anabolic steroids on liver function has been studied extensively. The majority of the studies involve hospitalized patients who are treated for prolonged periods for various diseases, such as anemia, renal insufficiency, impotence, and dysfunction of the pituitary gland. In clinical trials, treatment with anabolic steroids resulted in a decreased hepatic excretory function. In addition, intra hepatic cholestasis, reflected by itch and jaundice, and hepatic peliosis were observed. Hepatic peliosis is a hemorrhagic cystic degeneration of the liver, which may lead to fibrosis and portal hypertension. Rupture of a cyst may lead to fatal bleeding.

Benign (adenoma's) and malign tumors (hepatocellular carcinoma) have been reported. There are rather strong indications that tumors of the liver are caused when the anabolic steroids contain a 17-alpha-alkyl group. Usually, the tumors are benign adenoma's, that reverse after stopping with steroid administration. However, there are some indications that administration of anabolic steroids in athletes may lead to hepatic carcinoma. Often these abnormalities remain asymptomatic, since peliosis hepatis and liver tumors do not always result in abnormalities in the blood variables that are generally used to measure liver function.

Anabolic steroids use is often associated with an increase in plasma activity of liver enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). These enzymes are present in hepatocytes in relatively high concentrations, and an increase in plasma levels of these enzymes reflect hepatocellular damage or at least increased permeability of the hepatocellular membrane.

In longitudinal studies of athletes treated with anabolic steroids, contradictory results were obtained on the plasma activity of liver enzymes (AST, AST, LDH, GGT, AP). In some studies, enzymes were increased, whereas in others no changes were found. When increases were found, the values were moderately increased and normalized within weeks after abstinence. There are some suggestions that the occurrence of hepatic enzyme leakage, is partly determined by the pre-treatment condition of the liver. Therefore, individuals with abnormal liver function appear to be at risk.

Anabolic Steroids and the Male Reproductive System

Anabolic steroids are derivatives of testosterone, which has strong genitotropic effects. For this reason, it will not be surprising that side effects include the reproductive system. Application of anabolic steroids leads to supra-physiological concentrations of testosterone or testosterone derivatives. Via the feed back loop, the production and release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) is decreased.

Prolonged use of anabolic steroids in relatively high doses will lead to hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, with decreased serum concentrations of LH, FSH, and testosterone.

There are strong indications that the duration, dosage, and chemical structure of the anabolic steroids are important for the serum concentrations of gonadotropins. A moderate decrease of gonadotropin secretion causes atrophy of the testes, as well as a decrease of sperm cell production. Oligo, azoospermia and an increased number of abnormal sperm cells have been reported in athletes using AS, resulting in a decreased fertility. After stopping anabolic steroids use, the gonadal functions will restore within some months. There are indications, however, that it may take several months.

In bodybuilding, where usually high dosages are uses, after stopping steroid use, often choriogonadotropins are administered to stimulate testicular function. The effectiveness of this therapy is unknown.

The various studies suggest that using more than one type of anabolic steroid at the same time ("stacking") causes a stronger inhibition of the gonadal functions than using one single anabolic steroid. After abstention from anabolic steroids these changes in fertility usually reverse within some months. However, several cases of have been reported in which the situation of hypogonadism lasted for more than 12 weeks.

A well known side effect of anabolic steroids in males is breast formation (gynecomastia). Gynecomastia is caused by increased levels of circulating estrogens, which are typical female sex hormones. The estrogens estradiol and estrone are formed in males by peripheral aromatization and conversion of anabolic steroids. The increased levels of circulation estrogens in males stimulate breast growth. In general, gynecomastia is irreversible.

Anabolic steroids may affect sexual desire. Although few investigations on this issue have been published, it appears that during anabolic steroids use sexual desire is increased, although the frequency of erectile dysfunction is increased. This may seem contradictory, but sexual appetite is androgen dependent, while erectile function is not. Since sexual desire and aggressiveness are increased during anabolic steroids use, the risk of getting involved in sexual assault may be increased.

Anabolic Steroids and the Female Reproductive System

In the normal female body small amounts of testosterone are produced, and as in males, artificially increasing levels by administration of anabolic steroids will affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. An increase in circulating androgens will inhibit the production and release of LH and FSH, resulting in a decline in serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogens and progesterone. This may result in inhibition of follicle formation, ovulation, and irregularities of the menstrual cycle. The irregularities of the menstrual cycle are characterized by a prolongation of the follicular phase, shortening of the luteal phase or amenorrhea. Although these changes are generally more pronounced in younger women, large inter-individual responsiveness to anabolic steroids exists. The effects of anabolic steroids dosages as generally used in sport, on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in females are hardly studied.

Other side effects of anabolic steroid use in females are increased sexual desire and hypertrophy of the clitoris. The few systematic studies that have been conducted suggest that the effects are similar to the effects in patients, treated with anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroid use by pregnant women may lead to pseudohermaphroditism or to growth retardation of the female fetus. Anabolic steroid use may even lead to fetal death. However, these side effects have not been studied systematically. It is likely that the severity of the side effects is related to the dosage, duration of use and the type of the drug.

Additional side effects of anabolic steroids specifically in women are acne, hair loss, withdrawal of the frontal hair line, male pattern boldness, lowering of the voice, increased facial hair growth, and breast atrophy. The lowering of the voice, decreased breast size, clitoris hypertrophy and hair loss are generally irreversible. Females using anabolic steroids may develop masculine facial traits, male muscularity, and coarsening of the skin.

When anabolic steroids are administered in growing children side effects include virilization, gynecomastia, and premature closure of the epiphysis, resulting in cessation of longitudinal growth.

Serum Lipoproteins and the Cardiovascular System

Anabolic steroids also affect the cardiovascular system and the serum lipid profile. Relatively few studies have been done to investigate the effect of anabolic steroids on the cardiovascular system. No longitudinal studies have been conducted on the effect of anabolic steroids on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Most of the investigations have been focused on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and in particular the effect of anabolic steroids on blood pressure and on plasma lipoproteins. In most cross-sectional studies serum cholesterol and triglycerides between drug-free users and non-users is not different. However, during anabolic steroid use total cholesterol tends to increase, while HDL-cholesterol demonstrates a marked decline, well below the normal range. Serum LDL-cholesterol shows a variable response: a slight increase or no change. The response of total cholesterol seems to be influenced by the type of training that is done by the athlete. When a great deal of the exercise consists of aerobic exercise, the increasing effect of anabolic steroids is counterbalanced by an exercise-induced increasing effect, which may result in a net decline in total cholesterol. Aerobic training does not seem to be able to offset the steroid-induced decline in HDL-cholesterol and its subfractions HDL-2, and HDL-3.

The precise effect of anabolic steroids on LDL-cholesterol is unknown yet. It appears that anabolic steroids influence hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTL) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Males usually have higher levels of HTL, while females have higher LPL activity. HTL is primarily responsible for the clearance of HDL-cholesterol, while LPL takes care of cellular uptake of free fatty acids and glycerol. Androgens and anabolic steroids stimulate HTL, presumably resulting in decreased serum levels of HDL-cholesterol.

The effect of anabolic steroids on triglycerides is not well known. It is suggested that relatively low doses do not affect the serum triglyceride levels, while it cannot be excluded that higher doses elicit an increase.

No unanimity exists about the influence of anabolic steroids on arterial blood pressure. The response is most probably dose dependent. There is some data suggesting that high doses increase diastolic blood pressure, whereas low doses fail to have a significant effect on diastolic blood pressure. Increases in diastolic blood pressure normalize within 6-8 weeks after abstinence from anabolic steroids. It appears that repeated intermittent use of anabolic steroids does not affect diastolic blood pressure during drug free periods.

There is evidence that the use of anabolic steroids does elicit structural changes in the heart and that the ischemic tolerance is decreased after steroid use. Echocardiographic studies in bodybuilders, using anabolic steroids, reported a mild hypertrophy of the left ventricle, with a decreased diastolic relaxation, resulting in a decreased diastolic filling. Some investigators have associated cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, and cerebro-vascular accidents with abuse of anabolic steroids. However, a possible causal relationship could not been proved, because longitudinal studies that are necessary to prove such a relationship, have not been conducted yet. There is convincing evidence that oral administration of anabolic steroids has stronger adverse effects on the mentioned variables than parenteral administration.

Although the effects of anabolic steroids have an unfavorable influence on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, no data are available about the long term effects. Most of the mentioned effects appear to reverse within 6-8 weeks after abstention. It is unknown, however, whether the structural changes as reported in the heart, are reversible as well.

Psychological Effects

Administration of anabolic steroids may affect behavior. Increased testosterone levels in the blood are associated with masculine behavior, aggressiveness and increased sexual desire. Increased aggressiveness may be beneficial for athletic training, but may also lead to overt violence outside the gym or the track. There are reports of violent, criminal behavior in individuals taking anabolic steroids. Other side effects of anabolic steroids are euphoria, confusion, sleeping disorders, pathological anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations.

Anabolic steroid users may become dependent on the drug, with symptoms of withdrawal after cessation of drug use. The withdrawal symptoms consist of aggressive and violent behavior, mental depression with suicidal behavior, mood changes, and in some cases acute psychosis. At present it is unknown which individuals are particularly at risk. It is likely that great individual differences in responsiveness may exist. Some individuals try to minimize the withdrawal affects by administration of human choriogonadotropins (hCG), in order to enhance endogenous testosterone production. However, it is unknown in how far the hCG administration is successful in ameliorating the withdrawal effects.

Additional Side Effects

In addition to the mentioned side effects several others have been reported. In both males and females acne are frequently reported, as well as hypertrophy of sebaceous glands, increased tallow excretion, hair loss, and alopecia. There is some evidence that anabolic steroid abuse may affect the immune system, leading to a decreased effectiveness of the defense system. Steroid use decreases the glucose tolerance, while there is an increase in insulin resistance. These changes mimic Type II diabetes. These changes seem to be reversible after abstention from the drugs.

There are some case reports suggesting a causal relationship between anabolic steroid use and the occurrence of Wilms tumor, and prostatic carcinoma. In the literature also sleep apnea has been reported, which has been associated with AS-induced increased in hematocrit, leading to blood stasis and thrombosis.

AS use may affect thyroid function. Administration of anabolic steroids has been found to decrease thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH), and the products of the thyroid gland. In addition, thyroid binding globulin (TBG). These changes reversed within weeks after discontinuation of anabolic steroids use.

A serious consequence of anabolic steroids use may be the multiple drug abuse. On the one hand athletes use different kinds of drugs in an attempt to counterbalance the side effects: hCG, thyroid hormones, anti-estrogens, anti-depressants. On the other hand people try to support the anabolic effects of anabolic steroids by using additional anabolic hormones as for instance: different types of anabolic steroids at the same time, growth hormone, insulin, erythropoietine, and clenbuterol. Because most of this takes place outside the official medical circuit, it is likely that these practices may lead to serious conditions.

T3 and the Modern Athlete

So you've decided to use T3 to help you shed fat now that you've read up on it and gotten past the nay sayers who expound the ills of shutting down your body’s own production of natural thyroid. Wonderful, T3 when used correctly can be a great addition to any diet and cardio plan. Read that again boys and girls, IN ADDITION TO ANY DIET AND CARDIO PLAN!!! If you've turned to T3 because you think it's a magic pill that will allow you to eat like crap and still lose weight you've been listening to the wrong advice. Can you lose weight/fat while using T3 and still eating junk food, unfortunately yes to a degree. I say unfortunately because this fact often leads people to do just that, it starts with a cheat meal that turns to a cheat day, which eventually has the athlete eating whatever and whenever they want and still they lose some weight. So what's wrong with this if the eventual out come, weight loss that is, is reached? The first problem is the weight you are losing may not be fat if your eating like crap, the second is what happens when you stop the T3 cycle and your metabolism is suppressed temporarily, if you were eating sloppy during the T3 usage your most likely to keep following that pattern and the combination of a slow metabolism combined with sloppy eating results in rebound weight gain. So in the end what have you really accomplished outside of being able to eat what you want with out getting any fatter for a month or so? And that's if you’re lucky and the rebound weight gain doesn't push you past your starting weight!!!

Now that I have your attention and you know what NOT to do, let's concentrate on what TO do. Just like any other chemical we find in our arsenal, T3 can and is used in a variety of ways when it comes to dosage and length of cycle, both for cutting and bulking. This article will deal with cutting use only. There are some who prefer to "hit it hard" and go high dosage with a quick taper down at the end losing a great amount of weight in a short time, but this way tends to eat as much muscle as fat in my experience and you end up looking basically the same as when you began, except that you weigh less and are smaller. There are those who like to use the same dosage throughout the cycle with no taper up or down figuring if your metabolism is going to be sluggish anyhow why waste the days using it at a low dosage when you could be burning more fat on those days. Then there are those who slowly taper up, maintain the highest dosage for a set time and then slowly taper down. It's the last group I'll concentrate on here, as this is the system that has shown it's best overall results with those I've worked with.

Let's start with the dosage, T3 is a very individual drug, when it comes to dosage I've seen guys use as high as 250-300mcg/day and others as low as 25mcg/day where both athletes lost fat and reached their goals. As a rule I start everyone (and for now I'm dealing with men I'll pen an article on women’s usage in the future) at 25mcg/day. I usually base the time of the cycle on their individual weight loss goals, if it's a smaller amount I'll go 3 weeks tops, if it's a lot of weight to lose we'll go 4, 5 and sometimes 6 weeks. I generally don’t go over 6 weeks with anyone, as T3 tends to stop working in most people after that amount of time. I’d rather they run 4 weeks cycles with 2 weeks off where they use an ECA stack or Clen during the break to continue to lose fat, then run another 4 week cycle. So the 1st 3 days in this cycle would be 25mcg/day, then the 2nd 3-day period is 50mcg/day, etc. The typical 21-day cycle will look like this:

Days 1-3.................. 25mcg/day
Days 4-6...................50mcg/day
Days 7-9...................75mcg/day
Days 10-12................100mcg/day
Days 13-15................75mcg/day
Days 16-18................50mcg/day
Days 19-21................25mcg/day

As you can see the dosage is increased by 25mcg/day every 4th day until the maximum dosage is reached for the subject, in this case 100mcg/day, then lowered the by the same 25mcg/day increments every 4th day until the end of the cycle. Given that most of the people I've worked with have tried everything else and are still considerably overweight when they start, the full 4-week cycle is often used instead of the 21-day cycle. The one I've used lately with the most success is as follow, remember the jumps are still 25mcg/day but this time you increase/decrease the dosage every 4 days:

Days 1-4...................25mcg/day
Days 5-8...................50 "
Days 9-12.................75 "
Days 13-16...............100 "
Days 17-20...............75 "
Days 21-24...............50 "
Days 25-28...............25 "

Note: You could also do the 3-day increase/decrease and hold the maximum dosage of 100mcg/day for days 10-19, but some find 100mcg/day makes them too uncomfortably warm and they sweat too much, especially during the warmer months.

There you have it, simple yet effective. If you remember to supplement your diet with plenty of protein (which every lifter should anyhow), eat a clean calorie controlled diet, drink 1-2 gallons of water per day and to take a mild steroid cycle to minimize muscle loss you should be able to see rapid fat loss with this cycle. I should also mention that some people like to stack T3 with Clenbuterol for even better results. Good luck and may you all reach your cutting goals!!!

The Myths and Dangers of Anabolic Steroid Usage

There are a lot of misconceptions about what steroids are, how steroids work, and why steroids are dangerous. If you are curious about the subject of steroids, let's eliminate certain misconceptions that surround these drugs. I have never experimented with steroids and do not endorse their usage but this unbiased and researched report is intended to provide you with objective information of what these drugs are and what they can and cannot do.

What are Anabolic Steroids?

Anabolic steroids are a synthetic copy of the hormone testosterone. They have been the subject of much debate over the last few decades as well as misinformation. Athletes, especially bodybuilders, may feel lured towards them as these drugs do increase muscle size, strength, and stamina.

Taking Any Kind of Steroid Will Result In Death

The first thing that we need to understand is that steroids are drugs. Even Tylenol and Aspirin can cause serious problems if you take them in large quantities. All drugs when misused and abused haveOn the issue of variety, there are many different types of steroid out there. There are injectable steroids and oral steroids. The injectable kind are generally more androgenic (provide male characteristics like hair growth and aggression) in nature and less damaging to organs like the liver. The oral versions are more anabolic in nature and cause more side effects than their injectable brothers as they have to be processed by the liver. Different steroids have different properties so there are some that have more tendencies to build muscle mass while others have a tendency to increase strength. As their properties vary, so do their side effects. Usually the stronger the steroid (especially if oral), the more side effects you can expect.

The Good Side of Steroids

On the issue of variety, there are many different types of steroid out there. There are injectable steroids and oral steroids. The injectable kind are generally more androgenic (provide male characteristics like hair growth and aggression) in nature and less damaging to organs like the liver. The oral versions are more anabolic in nature and cause more side effects than their injectable brothers as they have to be processed by the liver. Different steroids have different properties so there are some that have more tendencies to build muscle mass while others have a tendency to increase strength. As their properties vary, so do their side effects. Usually the stronger the steroid (especially if oral), the more side effects you can expect.

Based on the fact that steroids give you all of these good effects that bodybuilders constantly look for, it is no surprise that they cause a psychological dependence. Think about it. If you have been taking them for the past 8 weeks, assuming good diet and training, chances are that you got very big and strong quick. You feel unstoppable after the 8 weeks of use. Suddenly you taper them off, up until you completely stop their use. A week later after cessation of use you notice that you are not getting good pumps, that your strength is diminishing regardless of your best effort and that your muscle mass is shrinking! Add to that the fact that for the first few weeks after cessation of use you will feel depressed due to low testosterone levels and it is no wonder that there are people out there that never get off from them.

The Psychological Effects of Steroids

Based on the fact that steroids give you all of these good effects that bodybuilders constantly look for, it is no surprise that they cause a psychological dependence. Think about it. If you have been taking them for the past 8 weeks, assuming good diet and training, chances are that you got very big and strong quick. You feel unstoppable after the 8 weeks of use. Suddenly you taper them off, up until you completely stop their use. A week later after cessation of use you notice that you are not getting good pumps, that your strength is diminishing regardless of your best effort and that your muscle mass is shrinking! Add to that the fact that for the first few weeks after cessation of use you will feel depressed due to low testosterone levels and it is no wonder that there are people out there that never get off from them

Depression Effects of Steroids

Due to the post cycle low period of testosterone along with the fact that your estrogen levels will rise, depression at this time will be very real. In order to minimize this, you would need to get with a doctor and jump on many post cycle drugs that will re-establish your natural testosterone production along with supressing your estrogen levels. If you have an understanding doctor that is willing to help, he may prescribe you with the medications you need. However, chances are that your medical insurance will not cover these drugs due to the fact that the condition was caused due to illegal steroid use. If you do not get these medications, then expect a very bad depression and total loss of gains.

If you do not know what you are doing (i.e. you used steroids with the most side effects, you abused the dosage, etc) then not only will you get bad side effects during the period of use, but you also will also get worst side effects after the use. Again, the degree of side effects is directly proportional to the dosage and type of the steroid and also dependent of the genetic propensity of the subject to get such side effects. Therefore, it would be impossible for me or anyone else to exactly predict what kind of side effects a user might encounter during a period of use. However, one thing is for certain. If you abused the drugs by using super high dosages and for very long periods of time, you may never be able to re-establish natural testosterone production, so you will then need to get with an endocrinologist and possibly stay on low dose testosterone therapy for life.

Steroid Users Risk:

1. Increased Liver Function.
2. Depression of Natural Testosterone Production.
3. Increase in Cholesterol Levels and Blood Pressure (Not conductive to good cardiovascular health).
4. Altered Thyroid Function. 
5. Headeches.
6. Nose bleeds.
7. Cramps.
8. Development of breastlike tissue in men (Gynecomastia).
9. Insulin Insensitivity (Even though Deca Durabolin improves the insulin metabolism). 
10. Androgenic Side effects such as thinning hair, enlarged prostate, oily skin, water retention, increased body hair, aggressiveness. 
11. Stunted growth if you are a teenager.
12. Oral Steroid specific side effects: In addition to the above, the orals also tend to cause nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting.
13. May accelerate the growth of tumors. 

Again, keep in mind that different steroids offer different side effects and that everything is dosage dependent, so the list above is a generalized list of side effects.

I am not even going to go into the kind of side effects that females encounter when they decide to use these drugs, especially the androgenic ones like testosterone. That could be a whole article by itself, but I think that most people could imagine what happens when you start introducing abnormal amounts of hormones from the opposite sex into your body.

Winter Bulk Cycle with Oral Anabolic Steroid for Added Mass Gains.

Bulking is an art. An art that takes a ton of effort to be successful at. Especially when you are a seasoned juicer who has already put on some mass. If you have not gained at least 20 pounds over the weight you were at before coming over to the dark side, you just have not been juicing effectively and you will be very happy with the information that follows. If you have put on a good deal of size, you will still find useful information in the following paragraphs, but for now, we will not discuss usage of other non-anbolic steroid bulking drugs such as insulin. We will get to that soon though. Keep reading!

The catch with bulking drugs is that you have to accept not being so pretty if you are to really put on some size. Water and a little fat weight have to come with adding considerable size unless you are a genetic abnormality. The most potent drugs for bulking involve the heavy androgenic drugs which also cause large amounts of water retention. All the testosterone esters, anadrol, dianabol, and deca or equipoise when combined with any of the former make for a good bulking team.

One thing you want to take into consideration with here is the mechanism by which each drugs works. Anabolic steroids are either known to have a high affinity for the androgen receptor, and thereby cause growth through this mechanism, or they have effects on growth outside the receptor. For max benefit you want to combine drugs that work by different mechanisms. All orals will work by different mechanism purely on the fact that they are ingested and not injected. The way you get a drug into your body is called the route of administration. When an oral drug is taken it must eventually pass its way through the liver. The first time it does this a few hours after you ingest the oral is the popular term, "first pass". This is just code for the first time the liver has a chance to break down the oral drug. This site of metabolism is also where the functionality of oral anabolic steroids come into play.

The 17 alkylation of oral anabolics is what makes the drug able to pass the liver and not be fully degraded. Otherwise you would be able to drink testosterone and it would work fine. We all know this is not the case. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach would destroy the testosterone molecule way before the liver even gets a chance to metabilize it. This is why the oral test "methyltestosterone" came into existence. Although it is not a very effective drug, it is highly toxic. Methyltestosterone is a prototype oral. It has the most basic of structures added to testosterone to enable its hepatic(liver) survival. They simply added a CH3 or "methyl" group to the 17th postiion on th molecule (you've most likely seen it, it is the thatched roof part of the steroid structure). The reason why I mention this is that the toxicity of orals due to their chemical make-up is not all bad. When a 17 orally alkylated drug passes by the liver, it forces the liver to kick out a little extra IGF-I each time. IGF-I is the most potent anabolic substance in the body. It is through IGF-I modulation that the use of growth hormone exerts its muscle building effects.

The moral of the story:
USING AN ORAL DRUG WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE RESULTS OF YOUR BULKING CYCLE.
Regular old testosterone is one of the best bulking drugs there is. As long as you are not super sensitive to estrogenic side effects, this should be your staple for mass building. Novices usually use around 500mg a week of a long acting ester. More advanced bodybuilders use upwards of 1000mg a week. The best way to do this is to find yourself some cheap multi-dose vials of a long acting test like enanthate. But I'm not "telling you to do this", ummm...this is for information purposes only...ok...hypothetically...If you use a shorter acting ester like propionate, it will be much more painful to administer and you will definitley not administer this amount. Prop at 100mg eod is more the norm for novices, 100-200mg daily for advanced. Prop usually comes 100mg/cc, two cc's in one shot of prop hurts!! You will definitely experience some welting if you try this. I do not recommend it. You will either be limping or rubbing your shoulder almost daily. This is miserable. Long acting esters like sustanon, enanthate, cypionate, etc. do not cause this extrem discomfort. Please keep this in mind.

Okay, so we have an oral, either Dianabol or Anadrol, with an injectible testosterone, and now you need a even blood level anabolic like deca or equipoise. Either one will suffice. Remember though, as we've said before, combining aromatizing drugs such as anadrol testosterone esters with progestagenic drugs such as anadrol is very risky for all but those who are not susceptible to gyno. So be careful. Even if you have used androgenic drugs such as test before with no chest soreness, be careful. If you decide to do this, you will want at least one estrogen on hand for precautionary reasons.

Assuming all is well, and you choose to take this aggressive technique, you will need at least a 2mg/lb of bodyweight per week of the injectible anabolic. You could technically use primo or winstrol as well for a little less overall bloat. The dosage patterns will be different with these drugs if used for this purpose and we will talk about this in the future. For now lets assume either Deca Durabolin or Equipose. Deca Durabolin at 300-400mg/week is often used by novices, 600-800mg for advanced. In all the athletes I have known, I have not seen a reason to go above 500mg when combining Deca Durabolin or Equipose with both an oral and a testosterone ester. This dose should be more than enough to get you gaining and keep your joints from aching while you push all that heavy iron (we will get into joint/ligament/tendon properties of anabolics soon).