Boldenone Undecylenate - Equipoise

Equipoise is the popularly referenced brand name for the veterinary injectable steroid boldenone undecylenate. Specifically it is a derivative of testosterone, which exhibits strong anabolic and moderately androgenic properties. The boldenone undecylenate ester greatly extends the activity of the drug (the undecylenate ester is only one carbon atom longer than decanoate), so that clinically injections would need to be repeated every three or four weeks. In veterinary medicine Equipoise is most commonly used on horses, exhibiting a pronounced effect on lean bodyweight, appetite and general disposition of the animal. This compound is also said to shows a marked ability for increasing red blood cell production, although there should be no confusion that this is an effect characteristic of newly all anabolic/androgenic steroids. The favorable properties of this drug are greatly appreciated by athletes, Equipoise being a very popular injectable in recent years. It is considered by many to be a stronger, slightly more androgenic Deca-Durabolin. It is generally cheaper, and could replace Deca in most cycles without greatly changing the end result.

The side effects associated with Equipoise are generally mild. The structure of boldenone undecylenate does allow it to convert into estrogen, but it does not have an extremely high affinity to do so. To try and quantify this we can look toward aromatization studies, which suggest that its rate of estrogen conversion should be roughly half that of testosterone's. The tendency to develop a noticeable amount of water retention with this drug would therefore be slightly higher than that with Deca-Durabolin (with an estimated 20% conversion), but much less than what would be expected with a stronger agent such as Testosterone. While one does still have a chance of encountering an estrogen related side effect as such when using this substance, it is not a common problem when taken at a moderate dosage level. Gynecomastia might theoretically become a concern, but is usually only heaved of with very sensitive individuals or (again) those venturing high in dosage. Should estrogenic effects become troublesome, the addition of Nolvadex and/or Proviron should of course make the cycle more tolerable. An antiaromatase such as  Arimidex would be stronger options, however probably not indicated with a mild drug as such.

Although it stays active for a much longer time, Equipoise is injected at least once per week by athletes. It is most commonly used at a dosage of 200-400mg (4-8 ml, 50mg version) per week for men, 50-75 mg per week for women. Should a 25mg version be the only product available, the injection volume can become quite uncomfortable. The dosage schedule can be further divided, perhaps injections given every other day to reduce discomfort. One should also take caution to rotate injection sites regularly, so as to avoid irritation or infection. Should too large an oil volume be injected into one site, an abscess may form that requires surgical draining. To avoid such a problem, athletes will usually limit each injection to 3ml and reuse each site no more than once per week, preferably every other week. With Equipoise this may require using not only the gluteus, but also the outer thighs for an injection site. Of course all problems associated with 25mg and 50mg dosed products are eliminated with the newer 100 mg and 200mg/ml versions of this steroid, which clearly give the user much more dosage freedom and injection comfort.

Deca Durabolin: Miracle or Monster? Nandrolone decanoate Dosages

Deca Durabolin has a long history of use in the athletic community and remains, to this day, to be one of the most popular anabolic steroids in the sport's world. The popularity it enjoys stems from the fact that it has a very high anabolic activity and produces significant mass increases with relatively few side effects. It also produces less water retention, has less effect on blood pressure and is far less toxic to the liver and kidneys than most of its mass-building buddies.

Another interesting quality of Deca Durabolin is that is helps alleviate the pain of sore joints. Some speculate that it exerts this effect by occupying the same anti-inflammatory receptors that cortisol does. In doing so, it displaces the more catabolic cortisol and replaces it with an anabolic analogue that has similar anti-inflammatory properties. While this sounds like a miracle for athletes with connective tissue problems and moderate to severe joint pain, there's some data to suggest that it might also be the root of some chronic degenerative changes that occur in the joint later in life.

Of course it would be misleading to present Deca Durabolin as a drug completely devoid of side effects. When dosages go beyond 400-600mg/week sensitive individuals may see an increase in blood pressure, prolonged bleeding time of cuts, increased oil production by the sebaceous gland (leading to acne breakouts), increased hostility, increased sex drive and a fall in sperm production. If blood pressure increases too much, headaches can become more frequent. Oh, and of course we can't overlook the fact that long-term use of this drug by male athletes can lead to impotence (which is the exact opposite of the increased sex drive experienced when dosages are kept within limits and for acceptable durations of time). The dreaded "Deca Dick" (as it has become widely known) doesn't seem to affect users that are combining Deca with another more androgenic compound such as testosterone, trenbolone, or dianabol.

As for the female user, women can usually get away with a dose of up to 50mg/week without any major problems. However, virilization (masculinizing side effects) is always a concern when women use any anabolic hormone. While each individual user has differing sensitivities and side effects , common problems include deepening of the voice, increased body and facial hair, increased acne breakouts, and clitoral hypertrophy.

As with all steroids, diet is very important for effectiveness to be maximized. Protein intake should be high, as should overall calorie intake if significant mass gains are to be experienced.

Recommened dosages:

Deca Durabolin is commonly used in the range of 200 - 600 mg/week. Injecting more than 600mg/week is not advised. Despite this fact, there are many reports of bodybuilders taking as much as 1000mg/ week. In the case of Deca Durabolin, more is not necessarily better.

Most male athletes experience good results with dosages as low as 400mg/week. If large gains in muscle mass are the primary goal then stacking Deca with drugs such as Dianabol and Testosterone is not uncommon.

For female athletes 25-50mg/week is the commonly used dose and this is often combined with Winstrol, Anavar, or Primobolan tablets. Dosages over 100mg are not advised.

In conclusion, Deca Durabolin is often used where problems with testosterone use have been encountered. It is less prone to aromatization and is deemed to produce an overall sense of well being. One final warning; for those intending to participate in sports that drug-test their athletes, it's important to understand that Deca Durabolin metabolites can last in the body for up to 18 months (and possibly longer depending on bodyfat levels during use) which can easily result in a failed drug test for upwards of a year and a half after the final injection

Proviron (mesterolone)

Proviron is an oral DHT steroid compound similar to Masteron. Although it is not an ideal compound for building muscle (actually it is not good at all for this purpose), Proviron is helpful in stacks because of its unique ability to keep the body from turning testosterone into estrogen, thus giving the testosterone a better anabolic effect. This aids the bodybuilder in many ways. First, it helps reduce estrogenic side effects of other steroids water-retention, lowered sex drive, gynocomastia, etc. Also, Proviron can help boost the potency of testosterone in the body by freeing testosterone from its binding to sex hormone-binding globulin.

Proviron is therefore best stacked with testosterone, which makes taking anti-estrogen compounds unnecessary. However, Proviron can cause high blood pressure so blood pressure medication may be required for those prone to hypertension.

Proviron is the Schering brand name for the oral androgen mesterolone (1 methyl-dihydrotestosterone). Just as with DHT, the activity of this steroid is that of a strong androgen which does not aromatize into estrogen. In clinical situations Proviron is generally used to treat various types of sexual dysfunction, which often result from a low endogenous testosterone level. It can usually reverse problems of sexual disinterest and impotency, and is sometimes used to increase the sperm count. Proviron does not stimulate the body to produce testosterone, but is simply an oral androgen substitute that is used to compensate for a lack of the natural male androgen.

Although Proviron is strongly androgenic, the anabolic effect of it is considered too weak for muscle building purposes. This is due to the fact that Proviron is rapidly reduced to inactive metabolites in muscle tissue, a trait also characteristic of dihydrotestosterone. The belief that the weak anabolic nature of this compound indicated a tendency to block the androgen receptor in muscle tissue, thereby reducing the gains of other more potent muscle building steroids, should likewise not be taken seriously. In fact due to its extremely high affinity for plasma binding proteins such as sex hormone-binding globulin, Proviron may actually work to increase the activity of other steroids by displacing a higher percentage into a free, unbound state. Among athletes Proviron is primarily used as an anti-estrogen. It is believed to act as an anti-aromatase in the body, preventing or slowing the conversion of steroids into estrogen. The result is somewhat comparable to Arimidex (though less profound), the drug acting to prevent the buildup of estrogen in the body. This is in direct contrast to Nolvadex, which only blocks the ability of estrogen to bind and activate receptors in certain tissues. The anti-aromatization effect is preferred, as it is a more direct and efficient means of dealing with the problem of estrogenic side effects. Another disadvantage of Nolvadex is that if discontinued too early, a rebound effect may occur as high serum estrogen levels are again free to take action. This of course could mean a rapid onset of side effects such as gynecomastia. Most actually prefer to use both Proviron and Nolvadex, especially during strongly estrogenic cycles. With each item attacking estrogen at a different angle, side effects are often greatly reduced.

The anti-estrogenic properties of Proviron are not unique to this compound. A number of steroids have in fact demonstrated similar activity. Dihydrotestosterone and Masteron (2methyl-dihydrotestosterone) for example have been successfully used as therapies for gynecomastia and breast cancer due to their strong anti-estrogenic effect. It has been suggested that nandrolone may even lower aromatase activity in peripheral tissues where it is more resistant to estrogen conversion (the most active site of nandrolone aromatization seems to be the liver). The anti-estrogenic effect of all of these compounds is presumably caused by their ability to compete with other substrates for binding to the aromatase enzyme. With the aromatase enzyme bound to the steroid, yet being unable to alter it, and inhibiting effect is achieved as it is temporarily blocked from interacting with other hormones.

Proviron is also favored by many during contest preparations, when a lower estrogen/high androgen level is particularly sought after. This is especially beneficial when anabolics like Winstrol, oxandrolone and Primobolan are being used alone, as the androgenic content of these drugs is relatively low. Proviron can supplement a well needed androgen, and bring about an increase in the hardness and density of the muscles. Women in particular find a single 25mg tablet will efficiently shift the androgen/estrogen ratio, and can have a great impact on the physique. Since this is such a strong androgen however, extreme caution should be taken with administration. Higher dosages clearly have the potential to cause virilization symptoms quite readily. For this reason females will rarely take more than one tablet per day, and limit the length of intake to no longer than four or five weeks. One tablet used in conjunction with 10 or 20mg of Nolvadex can be even more efficient for muscle hardening, creating an environment where the body is much more inclined to burn off extra body fat (especially in female trouble areas like the hips and thighs).

The typical dosage for men is one to four 25 mg per tablets per day. This is a sufficient amount to prevent gynecomastia, Proviron is often used throughout the entire cycle. As mentioned earlier, it is often combined with Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate) or Clomid (clomiphene citrate) when heavily estrogenic steroids are being taken (Dianabol, testosterone etc.). Administering 50mg of Proviron and 20mg Nolvadex daily has proven extremely effective in such instances, and it is quite uncommon for higher dosages to be required. And just as we discussed for women, the androgenic nature of this compound is greatly welcome during contest preparation. Here again Proviron should noticeably benefit the hardness and density of the muscle, while at the same time increasing the tendency to burn off a greater amount of body fat. Proviron is usually well tolerated and side effects (men) are rare with dosages under 100 mg per day. Above this, one may develop an excessively high androgen level and encounter some problems. Typical androgenic side effects include oily skin, acne, body/facial hair growth and exacerbation of a male pattern baldness condition, and may occur even with the use of a moderate dosage. With the strong effect DHT has on the reproductive system, androgenic actions may also include an extreme heightening of male libido. And as discussed earlier, Women should be careful around Proviron. It is an androgen, and as such has the potential to produce virilization symptoms quite readily. This includes, of course, a deepening of the voice, menstrual irregularities, changes in skin texture and clitoral enlargement.

Proviron is also not a c17 alpha alkylated compound, an alteration commonly used with oral anabolic steroids. Not using this structure in the case of Proviron removes the notable risk of liver toxicity we normally associate with oral drugs. It is therefore considered a “safe” oral, the user having no need to worry about serious complications with use. This steroid in fact utilizes the same 1-methylation we see present on Primobolan (methenolone), another well tolerated orally active compound. Alkylation at the one position also slows metabolism of the steroid during the first pass, although much less profoundly than 17 alpha alkylation. Likewise Proviron and Primobolan are resistant enough to breakdown to allow therapeutically beneficial blood levels to be achieved, although the overall bioavailability of these compounds is still much lower than methylated oral steroids.

The popularity of Proviron amongst bodybuilders has been increasing in recent years. Many experienced bodybuilders have in fact come to swear by it, incorporating it effectively in most markedly estrogenic cycles. Due to high demand Proviron is now very easy to obtain on the black market. Most versions will be manufactured by Schering, and should cost about $1-$2 per 25 mg tab. This drug is packaged in both push-through strips and small glass vials, so do not let this alarm you. There is currently no need to worry about authenticity with this drug, as no counterfeits are known to exist. If money and availability does not prevent it, Arimidex, Femara, or Aromasin ares actually a much better choice than Proviron though. These drugs were designed specifically as an anti-aromatase, and works much more effectively than anything else we have available.

How Anabolic Steroids Work in your body

Most people who are close-minded only think of the negative effects of anabolic steroids. Many despise body builders or athletes who take anabolic steroids just to get faster results or becoming bigger and stronger. What’s interesting is that our body naturally produces anabolic steroids through the male hormone, testosterone. And if you actually have natural steroids in you, then why should people condemn those who are taking them for their own purposes?

The fact is anabolic steroids are actually very helpful especially to patients in hospitals who have lost amounts of body tissues due to chronic wasting. These supplements can help build not only muscles for bodybuilders or endurance for athletes, but they can also help build tissues for medical patients who need to have faster recovery for the tissues lost.

Steroids are lipids from cholesterol in the body, which is secreted by various glands. The anabolic steroids that are typically used in bodybuilding are actually synthetic derivatives of the male hormone, testosterone, which promotes the growth of bones and muscles.

Since anabolic steroids come from testosterone, it has the same effects as this male hormone. Like the testosterone, which is produced in a man’s testicles, steroids have also anabolic and androgenic effects. The former is the primary target of both athletes and bodybuilders.

Anabolic steroids have been a huge part in bodybuilding and used mostly for their advantages such as anabolic benefits including the increase of muscle strength and size, increase of energy levels during activities, for faster recovery time and to increase the oxidation rise of fat. What anabolic steroids do is that they increase the testosterone levels in the body without passing through the usual pathway for the synthesis of the hormone by directly adding testosterone into the bloodstream. Generally, anabolic steroids are used for increase in muscle mass. However, the anabolic and androgenic benefits of these supplements actually still depend on the steroid type used. Increasing the male hormone in one’s body does not exactly cause chemical reactions. However, this just basically amplifies the reactions that already exist between your body and the male hormone.

Anabolic steroids are basically “man-made” testosterone chemically altered to optimize the anabolic effects with the minimum androgenic consequences as possible. We ourselves produce steroids inside our body so what you will only be doing if you take in some more steroids is to increase its effects. However, even the best anabolic steroids have certain side effects especially when taken in at huge doses. In the end, it always goes down to discipline and how you take anabolic steroids moderately. If you abuse anabolic steroids, you might get the side effects that all people are afraid of. But if you follow directions and control your urge to want some more steroids for more benefits, then steroids may not be so bad for you. As long as discipline is integrated in your anabolic steroids intake, then not only can you finally get the body as well as the energy that you desire, you can also have a positive change in your mood and sleep patterns, prevent depression and symptoms of arthritis as well as have your bones strengthened.

Because of these benefits, steroids have become a very significant part in athletics as well as in bodybuilding. In fact, it almost seemed like bodybuilding is synonymous to anabolic steroids. But other than these two pursuits, anabolic steroids can also be used with other strenuous hobbies such as dancing, wall climbing, etc., so that you can have a better endurance and an increased level of energy during these activities. Because of this, people are able to train more, and thus improve more on what they are best at.