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The drug Trenbolone is, without a doubt, the most powerful injectable anabolic steroid used by Steroid.com members to gain muscle. However the full properties of the drug are not always fully understood. This profile will separate fact from fiction and help steroid.com members decide if Trenbolone is right for them.
Trenbolone is similar to the highly popular steroid Nandrolone, in that they are both 19-nor steroids, meaning that a testosterone molecule has been altered at the 19th position to give us a new compound. Unlike Nandrolone however Trenbolone is an excellent mass and hardening drug with the majority of gains being muscle fiber, with minimal water retention (1) It has an unbelievable anabolic (muscle building) score of 500. When you compare that to Testosterone, which itself is a powerful mass builder, and has an anabolic score of 100 you can begin to fathom the muscle building potential of Trenbolone. What makes Trenbolone so anabolic? Numerous factors come into play. Trenbolone greatly increases the level of the extremely anabolic hormone IGF-1 within muscle tissue (2). And, its worth noting that not only does it increase the levels of IGF-1 in muscle over two fold, it also causes muscle satellite cells (cells that repair damaged muscle) to be more sensitive to IGF-1 and other growth factors(3). The amount of DNA per muscle cell may also be significantly increased (3).
Trenbolone also has a very strong binding affinity to the androgen receptor (A.R), binding much more strongly than testosterone (4). This is important, because the stronger a steroid binds to the androgen receptor the better that steroid works at activating A.R dependent mechanisms of muscle growth. There is also strong supporting evidence that compounds which bind very tightly to the androgen receptor also aid in fat loss. Think as the receptors as locks and androgen’s as different keys, with some keys (androgen’s) opening (binding) the locks (receptors) much better than others. This is not to say that AR-binding is the final word on a steroids effectiveness. Anadrol doesnt have any measurable binding to the AR& and we all know how potent Anadrol is for mass-building.
Trenbolone increases nitrogen retention in muscle tissue (5). This is of note because nitrogen retention is a strong indicator of how anabolic a substance is. However, it’s incredible mass building effects do not end there. Trenbolone has the ability to bind with the receptors of the anti-anabolic (muscle destroying) glucocorticoid hormones (6). This may also has the effect of inhibiting the catabolic (muscle destroying) hormone cortisol (7).
Yet another amazing trait that must be noted is its ability to improve feed efficiency and mineral absorption in animals given the drug (8). To help you understand what this means for you, feed efficiency is a measurement of how much of an animals diet is converted into meat, and the more food it takes to produce this meat, the lower the efficiency. Conversely, the less food it takes to produce meat the, higher the efficiency& well you get the idea. Animals given Trenbolone gained high quality weight without having their diet adjusted, thus improving feed efficiency. Finding new compounds which can improve feed efficiency is a billion dollar industry, and has spawned many nutritional advances in the bodybuilding world over the last few decades (CLA, Whey Protein, and HMB are compounds which spring to mind as having first been introduced by the livestock industry). What does this translate to for the hard training athlete? The food you eat will be better utilized for building lean muscle, and vitamins and minerals are also better absorbed which may keep you healthier during cycle.
10mL sterile multi-dose vial
Winstrol is one of the most popular and well-known anabolic steroids on earth. Developed by Winthrop Laboratories in the late 1950’s, this is an anabolic steroid that has gotten a lot of media attention over the years. In fact, those who have never used anabolic steroids, if they can name a steroid it’s usually Winstrol or Stanozolol. The name Winstrol is actually the most commonly associated brand name of the Stanozolol hormone. This is an anabolic steroid that has garnered worldwide attention due to numerous athletic scandals over the years. When various athletes have been caught using anabolic steroids, Winstrol has been at the forefront of the scandal countless times. In fact, it is associated with the most important athletic steroid scandal in history.
In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for the steroid after taking the gold at that year’s Summer Olympics. Not only did Johnson destroy his competition, he handedly defeated the highly favored Carl Lewis with relative ease. This would lead to Stanozolol making countless news headlines for a very long time and more importantly truly usher in the U.S. government’s war on steroids. The Johnson scenario is not the largest athletic based steroid scandal to ever occur, which would probably belong to the decades long East German doping machine; however, the Johnson scandal would have the largest impact. When Ben Johnson destroyed the U.S. golden boy, many point to this as being the final nail in the coffin that the U.S. congress needed to justify classifying anabolic steroids as Schedule III controlled substances.
While one of the more well-known anabolic steroids, Winstrol is very popular among most in the steroid using population. It is in many ways a fairly mild anabolic steroid that can be safely used by men and women. Equally important, it has proven highly effective for numerous performance enhancement endeavors. It is a long standing favorite among competitive bodybuilders and physique based athletes during cutting or contest prep phases. It is also a top steroid of choice for numerous performance athletes due to its ability to promote strength and endurance without unwanted mass.
Beyond performance enhancement, Winstrol has had a lot of success in modern medicine. It has been successfully used to combat lean tissue wasting and has had a lot of success in preserving bone mass in cases of osteoporosis. Winstrol has also been used to combat prolonged exposure to corticosteroid treatment, given to burn victims and even used to aid in the healing of severe bone fractures. The steroid has also enjoyed a little success in treating obesity when hormonal assistance is needed, as well as treating delayed growth in some children. As the years have passed, Winstrol has remained available for treatment for most of these conditions as well as being proven highly successful in treating angioedema among a few other treatment plans such as specific forms of breast cancer. The steroid has never lost FDA approval and unlike many anabolic steroids has maintained approval for numerous therapeutic treatment plans.
Stanozolol is a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derived anabolic androgenic steroid, or more specifically a structurally altered form. Stanozolol is the DHT hormone with two structural changes that give us the Winstrol compound. The first alteration is the introduction of an attached pyrazol group at the A-ring of the hormone replacing the 3-keto group. This modification officially classifies Stanozolol as a heterocyclic steroid. The hormone also carries an added methyl group in order to protect hormone after administration. This structural change takes place at the 17th carbon position officially classifying Stanozolol as a C17-alpha alkylated (C17-aa) anabolic steroid.
Due the combination of structural changes, this reduces the hormone’s androgenicity significantly and greatly increases its anabolic power. Officially Winstrol carries an anabolic rating of 320 and an androgenic rating of 20. More importantly, its ratings translate perfectly in real life effects giving us an extremely beneficial anabolic steroid.
Winstrol carries many positive steroidal traits, one of which is its ability to lower Sex-Hormone-Binding-Globulin (SHBG) significantly. This allows for more of the steroids being supplied to rest in an unbound state, as well as provides an increase in free testosterone. While many anabolic steroids lower SHBG Winstrol appears to have a much stronger affinity than most. In fact, studies have demonstrated nearly 50% reductions in SHBG in mere days of use and even at relatively low doses.
Beyond a reduction in SHBG, which is one of its primary traits, Winstrol will enhance protein synthesis and greatly increase nitrogen retention in the muscles. The steroid will also do a fairly decent job at increasing red blood cell count and inhibiting glucocorticoid hormones but not to the degree of many other steroids. In many ways, we have a mild yet evenly possession of some basic steroidal traits coupled with the dramatic SHBG reduction that gives us a controllable and unique compound. This really is one of the easiest anabolic steroids to understand.
When looking at the direct functions and traits of Winstrol there is one more issue we need to discuss. The Stanozolol hormone is both an injectable an oral anabolic steroid. Both forms are comprised of the same identical Stanozolol hormone. 1mg of one form is the same as 1mg of the other form. Some studies have suggested oral Winstrol may reduce SHBG a little more than its injectable counterpart, while others have said injectable forms may be slightly more potent on an overall milligram for milligram basis. However, overall these appear to be rather insignificant differences regardless of the direction they go. In fact, the individual should be able to receive the same identical benefits with either form.
Another important note often misunderstood about Winstrol forms is the C17-aa nature. Both oral and injectable Stanozolol are C17-aa anabolic steroids. Most oral steroids are C17-aa and while injectable steroids rarely are injectable Stanozolol is one of the exceptions. The injectable form is also commonly referred to as Winstrol Depot.
Although used to stave off lean tissue wasting, Winstrol is not what we’d call a bulking steroid. You will rarely find this steroid in an off-season mass gaining stack. However, it could be used in an effort to enhance the activity of the other steroids being used due to the strong SHBG reduction it will provide but this is generally not recommended. When we dive into the side effects of Winstrol, we will find it is very hepatotoxic and use should be limited to when it’s most valuable. For the male athlete, this will not be during the bulking phase.
When it comes to off-season bulking, we could make more of an exception with female use. Females are far more sensitive to the steroid and short burst plans could be very beneficial during this phase. But again, there are probably better options.
The effects of Winstrol are undoubtedly most beneficial to direct performance enhancement of an athletic nature. We’re talking about functional competitive athletes, not bodybuilders or physique athletes. This steroid has the ability to greatly increase strength and this can translate into both power and speed. Further, it will accomplish this without adding a lot of additional weight that could hinder some depending on the sport, as well as cause unwanted attention from prying eyes. There have been those who have said Winstrol isn’t good for competitive athletes, especially those athletes in explosive sports due to potential weakening of the tendons but this is more or less message board anecdotal hysteria that supports this claim. In fact, many studies have shown it can have a positive impact on strengthening tendons and we already know it’s good for the bones. If not, it wouldn’t be used to treat osteoporosis.
There are also some who complain of joint pain when using Winstrol. As a steroid that does not aromatize there will be no water retention but the “dry feeling” may not be what many think it is. Most who use the steroid will be physique athletes or gym rats during a cutting phase. They will also typically add it into a plan late in the diet once they’re already lean. Typically, when you become very lean, bodybuilding lean, this makes the joints a little uncomfortable. With or without Winstrol this discomfort could potentially exist. As for pro athletes who have nearly every last steroid at their disposal, remember, if Winstrol weren’t effective in competitive sports so many athletes wouldn’t make it a primary and favorite choice. In fact, the combo of Winstrol with low doses of Nandrolone is a very common stack among many athletes, and this stack will greatly eliminate any potential joint discomfort should it exist.
Beyond athletics, the gym rat or bodybuilding effects of Winstrol will be best displayed once you’re already somewhat lean. The steroid will help produce a dryer, harder look but only if you’re relatively lean. It will also aid in lean tissue preservation but not to a very strong degree that’s often needed in such a phase. It’s typically recommended that Winstrol only be used in this capacity as a secondary steroid, not a base or foundational steroid.
Both men and women can greatly benefit from Winstrol during the cutting phase. While it won’t be the best lean tissue preserver, many report maintaining more of their strength that is often lost when dieting when Winstrol is in play. Vascularity should also become more pronounced and overall the individual should enjoy an overall enhancement in definition.
The side effects of Winstrol most certainly exist, but they largely fall into the category of possible rather than guaranteed. The side effects of Winstrol can be controlled but it will take some effort on your part. There is also always the issue of individual response. We all respond to different things differently. This not only holds true with various anabolic steroids but all things we put into our body. Most of use can take Aspirin, but there are others who will experience horrible side effects if they touch the first pill. Most of us can tolerate dairy products, but there are others who become very sick if they even look at a glass of milk. Individual response dictates quite a lot. With that in mind, in order to help you understand the possible side effects of Winstrol we have broken them down into their separate categories along with all you’ll need to know.
Testosterone Cypionate
Testosterone is a hormone produced by all human beings and is the primary male sex hormone. Through our discussion, well take a look at Testosterone Cypionate, and examine the pros and cons of its use to improve performance in athletics and bodybuilding. Before we dive in, lets clear up a common misconception. Testosterone Cypionate is no more or less powerful or effective than its counterpart Testosterone Enanthate. The two compounds are virtually identical in every way.
Testosterone Cypionate is a synthetic version of the naturally produced testosterone hormone. This hormone is responsible for many different physical and mental characteristics in males. It promotes sex drive, fat loss, helps with gaining and maintaining lean muscle mass, increases bone density, and may even protect against heart disease. Whether it is naturally produced or through the use of Testosterone Cypionate, these traits do not change. All other steroids are actually the testosterone molecule that has been altered to change the properties of the hormone. Testosterone Cypionate carries a rating of 100 when measuring its anabolic/androgenic structure and this rating is used to measure all other steroids. This would make testosterone the “father” of all anabolic steroids used by athletes today. It should be noted; all testosterone compounds, including Testosterone Cypionate carry this anabolic/androgenic score of 100, as they are all merely testosterone.
Testosterone Cypionate is a highly anabolic and androgenic hormone making it a great steroid to use if one is in pursuit of more size and strength. Testosterone Cypionate promotes nitrogen retention in the muscle and the more nitrogen the muscles hold the more protein the muscles store. Testosterone Cypionate can also increase the levels of another anabolic hormone, IGF-1 in muscle tissue providing even more anabolic activity. Testosterone Cypionate also has the amazing ability to increase the activity of satellite cells. These cells play an active role in repairing damaged muscle. Testosterone also binds to the androgen receptor to promote androgen receptor dependent mechanisms for muscle gain and fat loss.
Testosterone Cypionate induces changes in shape, size and can also change the appearance and the number of muscle fibers. Androgens like testosterone can protect your hard earned muscle from the catabolic (muscle wasting) glucocorticoid hormones, in-turn inhibiting the related adverse reactions. In addition, Testosterone Cypionate has the ability to increase red blood cell production and a higher red blood cell count will improve endurance through increased oxygenation in the blood. More red blood cells can also improve recovery from strenuous physical activity. Even so, Testosterones anabolic/androgenic effects are dose dependent; the higher the dose the higher the muscle building effect.
Many athletes display massive strength gains while using Testosterone Cypionate as the hormone improves muscle contraction by increasing the number of motor neutrons in muscle and improves neuromuscular transmission. It also promotes glycogen synthesis providing more fuel for intense workouts thereby increasing endurance and strength.
Testosterone Cypionate also has the ability to promote fat loss through an enhancement of metabolic activity. Testosterone binds to the androgen receptor fairly well resulting in fat breakdown, and further prevents new fat cell formation. Another indirect action of fat loss that testosterone produces is the nutrient portioning effect it has on muscle and fat. Since the body is building muscle at an accelerated rate more of the food you eat is shuttled to muscle tissue instead of being stored as fat; nutrient efficiency is enhanced.
Testosterone Cypionate will also play a crucial role revolving around creatine. Creatine is essential to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the source of energy for our muscles and when the muscles are stimulated ATP is broken down into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and this is what releases energy. Unfortunately, the process is often too slow during strenuous activity but through the use of Testosterone Cypionate, this demand is met as ATP is replenished at a much faster rate.
With a well-planned Testosterone Cypionate cycle, nearly every anabolic steroid benefit can be obtained. For the off-season athlete, more lean muscle mass can be built with less body fat gain. In-order to grow, you must consume enough calories and fat gain will occur, but Testosterone Cypionate will ensure the brunt of your weight gain is the weight you want.
While off-season bulking use is the most common, the effects of Testosterone Cypionate can be tremendously beneficial during the cutting phase too. During this period of use, we are able to preserve far more lean muscle tissue that would otherwise be lost. In-order to lose body fat, we must burn more calories than we consume and this can and often does lead to muscle and strength loss. Further, the longer and harder you diet the more muscle and strength will be at risk, but due to the traits of Testosterone Cypionate muscle tissue and strength are protected.
Regardless of the purpose of use, Testosterone Cypionate defines performance enhancement by its ability to promote recovery and endurance. With a performance level dose of Testosterone Cypionate your body can recover faster and you wont tire out as quickly. This will allow you to workout longer and harder, and more progress can be made. This is performance enhancement at its best!
Testosterone Cypionate is only available in an injectable form and is regularly used to treat conditions such as low testosterone. More than twenty million men in the U.S. alone suffer from some form of low testosterone, and such a condition can severely diminish ones quality of life. Symptoms such as loss of muscle mass and strength, a decrease in libido and sexual performance, an increase in body fat, and low energy levels are all common characteristics of low testosterone. Further, when ignored low testosterone can be a gateway to Alzheimers, diabetes, osteoporosis and many other serious conditions. Most men will find one injection every seven to ten days at 100mg to 200mg per injection to completely eradicate such a problem.
For performance enhancement, one injection per week is often enough; however, in many cases two smaller yet equal sized injections will prove to be far more efficient. The reason for multiple injections is to keep blood levels peaked; further, it is often needed to control side effects that may occur with performance level dosing. Like most anabolic steroids, the more you take the greater the reward, but the more you take the greater the risk. By splitting the injections up into smaller more frequent injections, you are introducing smaller amounts of the hormone for your body to deal with all at once. As for the actual performance doses, this can range anywhere from 200mg per week all the way to 1,000mg per week depending on needs and desires.
The typical dose for those who are using Cypionate to counteract the lowering of testosterone due to the use of other steroids is normally 200mg. If it is being used for direct performance purposes, most will find 400mg to 600mg per week will be effective, but it is important to note that higher doses will greatly increase the risk.
Regardless of the total dose, most steroid users will find this to be an extremely well-tolerated anabolic steroid and one that can be used for long periods of time. 12 weeks of total use is quite commonplace, as is 16 weeks. There’s nothing magical about these numbers, but they are solid guidelines in-order for the individual to plan out his desired goals.
Regardless of the total dosing or the cycles length, you will need to design a post cycle therapy (PCT) plan once your Testosterone Cypionate use comes to an end. For most men, if you are discontinuing the use of anabolic steroids for more than ten weeks, you will need PCT but if your off period is less then it can be skipped. For full post cycle information and planning, please see the Post Cycle Therapy page on Steroid.com.
It should be noted; when it comes to performance enhancement, Testosterone Cypionate for women is not recommended. This is a steroid that carries far too much androgenic activity; after all, it is the primary male androgen. Women can suffer from low testosterone and there can be therapeutic benefits from the use of Testosterone Cypionate; however such treatment plans will be tremendously low dosed and should be watched closely for virilization symptoms.
As an extremely well-tolerated hormone for most men, the side effects of Testosterone Cypionate are in many ways easy to control. When it comes to such adverse reactions, keep in mind they largely fall into the realm of possible and are by no means guaranteed. Even so, total dosing, genetic predispositions and your overall state of health will play a role.
As for the side effects themselves, Testosterone Cypionate like all testosterone compounds carries a high level of aromatase activity; aromatization referring to the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. As estrogen levels rise, this can lead to gynecomastia (male breast enlargement) and excess water retention. This excess water retention can even negatively affect blood pressure. In-order to combat such effects, especially gynecomastia, many turn to Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) such as Tamoxifen Citrate (Nolvadex) and for more serious protection Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) such as Anastrozole (Arimidex). Without question, AIs are the most effective; however, they can also prove to be problematic when it comes to cholesterol and caution is advised.
Beyond these effects, Testosterone Cypionate can promote dihydrotestosterone (DHT) related side effects such as acne, hair loss and prostate enlargement; however, it should go without saying DHT steroids will be the prime culprits. In-order to provide protection, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor such as Finasteride can be useful as it is an androgen suppressor and the androgen DHT is causing the problem. It must be noted; hair loss is only possible in men predisposed to male pattern baldness.
Anadrol (commonly called by athletes “A50” or “A-bombs”) was initially developed as a compound to help people with anemia, and has since been used very successfully to aid people who are suffering from many other diseases where weight loss is a concern. Thus, it is clearly an effective agent for promoting weight gain, increasing appetite, gaining strength, and increasing Red Blood Cell count. And, as with most Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (AAS), it has its downsides as well. Anadrol 50 will inhibit your body’s natural production of hormones (testosterone, etc ), will negatively affect your blood lipid profile, can cause water retention, is notorious for causing headaches, and is also highly liver toxic (in fact, it has the worst reputation for hepatoxicity out of all steroids). Paradoxically, although one the benefits touted by its original manufacturer (Syntex) is that it can be used to stimulate weight gain through increasing appetite, taking too much may actually inhibit your appetite!
I think, in order to gain a complete understanding of the Anadrol 50 effects on body, we need to take a look at its advantages contrasted with its disadvantages. Anadrol is a DHT-derived compound, and is 17-Alpha-Alkylated steroid, meaning that it has been altered at the 17th carbon position to survive oral ingestion. Most oral steroids are 17aa, and this helps them make it through your liver in a useful form. Sounds great, right? Lets 17alpha-alkylate everything! Well as you can imagine, there’s a down side.
This 17aa alteration, which makes it possible for Anadrol to survive its first pass through your liver, also makes it very taxing on your liver. How taxing is Anadrol and how much weight can you gain from its use? Well, there was a 30 week study done on Anadrol and, as you can expect, a reasonable amount of side effects were noted. The fact that Anadrol causes some side effects has really never been in debate. But how effective was the drug? Well, first it should be mentioned that this study was done on people with AIDS related wasting, and they actually gained weight (8+kg) while the control group lost weight, and had increased mortality rates. (1). I suppose, if you’re in a study because you have a wasting disease which is also a terminal illness, you don’t want to end up in the control group. Anyway, weight gain in this study peaked at 19-20 weeks, though, so the last 10 weeks weren’t very productive in this respect. Clearly, you wouldn’t want to run Anadrol 50 for 20 weeks, given its toxicity, but after that, any effect in terms of weight and strength gains would be negligible. So, with regards to sides from Anadrol, and the sheer fact that this study lasted so long (30 weeks), it should be apparent that they can be kept under control and the drug can be used safely. People are commonly told to limit their intake of Anadrol to 4 weeks or less I’m a bit less conservative and think you can easily run Anadrol for 6 weeks or more.
From personal experience, however, I can tell you that gains from Anadrol are quite dramatic for the first 3 weeks and then quickly level off. Unfortunately, I find that the side effects experienced from Anadrol (which include a headache, bloating, elevated blood pressure, and a general “unwell” feeling for me) remain for the entire duration of use. But I find as usual, side effects for this drug are pretty much half legend and half truth. Since Anadrol 50 is derived from DHT, it cant actually convert to estrogen (via the aromatase enzyme), and its not a progestin or a compound with progestenic activity so the estrogenic (?) side effects produced by it are of a very mysterious nature. It has been speculated that perhaps it can stimulate the estrogen receptor without actually being converted to estrogen and that’s about as plausible an explanation as Ive heard. However, things really get strange, when Oxymetholone has been used in studies to alter the female reproductive/menstrual cycle; in those cases, it has lowered plasma progesterone levels! (7)One would expect that an AI (aromatase inhibitor) wouldn’t be of much use with this drug, but many have found that Letrozole (which has, in some cases been shown to reduce estrogen in the body to an undetectable amount)(6) can greatly reduce or even eliminate many of the more noticeable side effects of Anadrol, such as the bloating.
As I’ve stated, however, the sides from this drug are certainly no joke, but are easily preventable, and controllable. One study even showed very few sides for subjects using up to 100mgs of Oxymetholone (2). In the original UnderGround Steroid Hand Book, Dan Duchaine states that he used it at doses up to 150mgs/day. Clearly, Anadrol’s hepatoxicity has been a bit exaggerated, in some circles. Be that as it may, my suggestion is still to limit Anadrol’s use to 6 weeks, at a maximum even if just to err on the side of caution. Of course, I have personally run this drug for much longer..
How should we use Anadrol? Id probably be willing to include Anadrol in a cycle including injectable steroids, but not other 17aa compounds. Id make any 6-week-run of this compound begin at the start of a cycle, as a form of “jumpstart” towards seeing gains quickly. The quick gains you will get from Anadrol (up to a pound per day for the first 2 weeks are not uncommon in Steroid.com members) are also just as quick to disappear upon cessation of use .unless you are simply using it as a kickstarter, while waiting for your other compounds to kick-in. Ill go out on a limb here and say that utilizing Anadrol as a “Jumpstart” is the most popular use of this drug for athletes and bodybuilders today. Ill also say that this drug is immensely popular with strength athletes who dont have to worry about weight classes (Field athletes and strongmen), and with powerlifters in the heavier weight brackets. Its also important to note that in one study by Schroder et. Al (2) Anadrol showed that it has the ability to lower serum SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin which binds to your free test and makes it no longer useful for anabolism, among other things) concentrations by 54.9 25.8 and 45 16.2 nmol/l in the 50- and 100-mg treatment groups. This means there will be more free test circulating around your body when you take this drug and clearly, this would produce some synergy when stacked with other steroids. Given the large amounts of weight and strength which can be gained in a relatively short time span on this drug, I’m sure this comes as no surprise to many.
Another important and often understated characteristic of this compound is that Oxymetholone doesn’t bind well to the androgen receptor (Relative Binding Affinity = too low to be determined) (3) which is the lowest Ive ever read about. Basically, what this tells me is that there are a lot of non-receptor mediated effects from this steroid, making it a very potent addition to ANY BULKING stack, because it wont be competing for the receptor sites with the other steroids you’re using. Its also, as you may have guessed a very poor choice for a cutting stack.
What is an Anadrol Cycle? How much should you use? Well, this is actually one of the most interesting facts about Anadrol 50. You see, most steroids produce what we call a “dose respondent curve” which is a fancy way of saying “the more you use, the more you gain.”
Anadrol is one of the few steroids where the dose respondent curve flattens out very quickly. When you take 50mgs of Anadrol, you’ll make some very good gains. When you take 100mgs of Anadrol, you’ll make even more gains. However, it has been found that 100mgs/day is as effective for weight gain as 150mgs/day but produces less side effects and was less toxic (4). I feel that the jump from 50mgs to 100mgs constitutes an acceptable rise in benefit vs. cost, but this is not the case as dosages get over 100mgs. Now, lets see how 50mgs and 100mgs of Oxymetholone actually effect strength, when compared with each other:
Relative (%) changes in strength are shown for the groups receiving placebo (filled bars), 50 mg/day oxymetholone (open bars), and 100 mg/day oxymetholone (gray bars). Nos. above bars represent relative change (%) from baseline to week 12 for the 1-repetition maximum tests of strength. Error bars represent 1 SE from the mean. * Significant difference from placebo, P < 0.05; significant difference from placebo by Wilcoxon test, P < 0.02. See text for additional statistical analyses.
As you can see, in this study, doubling the dose of Anadrol 50 nearly doubled the strength gains of the test subjects. Now, when we look at changes in body composition from Oxymetholone (chart below) we can see that although the guys taking the 100mgs (vs. the 50mgs group) had more fat lost and more Lean Body Mass gained, it wasn’t as dramatic as the differences in strength gains between the two groups:
Changes in body composition are shown for the groups receiving placebo (filled bars), 50 mg of oxymetholone per day (open bars), and 100 mg per day (gray bars). Numbers above the bars represent the mean absolute changes and the error bars are 1 SE. For total lean body mass (LBM) and total fat, differences among the 3 groups were significant (P < 0.0001, one-way ANOVA). * Significant differences from placebo, P 0.001.
Although I am usually not inclined to posit speculations on why a particular drug does or doesn’t do something, in this case I will. Im guessing that the higher doses of Anadrol cause enough appetite suppression (at least anecdotally) to make eating rather difficult. It can also increase insulin resistance and glucose intolerance (5). This has the effect of making macronutrient absorption more inefficient, and could also be a factor in reducing gains when the dosage goes over 100mgs/day. Unfortunately, Anadrol also has a reasonably profound effect on your body’s natural hormonal system, on par with most other oral steroids, but not as bad as most injectables, and its certainly not as harsh on your lipid profile as many anabolics are
(2). As an interesting side note, some of the medical literature on this compound suggests a dose of 1-5mgs per kg of bodyweight. Ill pause a second here for you to figure out how absurdly high of a dose that would translate to for the average bodybuilder!
Testosterone Propionate is a single ester testosterone compound and represents one of the most important testosterone compounds ever manufactured. When synthetic testosterone was first created it was in its pure form. Simply put there was no ester attached, thereby providing a fast acting compound that would necessarily require a very frequent administration schedule. In 1937 the pharmaceutical giant Schering out of Germany would release the first ester base testosterone in Testosterone Propionate under the trade name Testoviron. The same trade name it would eventually give to its Testosterone Enanthate product. By attaching the Propionate ester to the hormone, this would allow for the hormone’s release time to be controlled and provided a more efficient means in maintaining stable blood levels. Although this was not the first synthetic testosterone preparation created, Testosterone Propionate would become the first commercially available testosterone product. It would also dominate the medical community until the 1960’s and much of the newly born performance enhancing community.
During the 1960’s Testosterone Propionate would lose a lot of its popularity in favor of the larger ester base Testosterone Cypionate and Testosterone Enanthate compounds. However, it is still used medicinally today as well as by many performance athletes. You will find more of it among the latter group than anywhere else. Many performance enhancing athletes actually believe the Propionate form will lead to less water retention than the dominating large ester forms of Testosterone. For this reason, it is often the preferred form of testosterone during cutting cycles. While this is the common belief it is also a misconception. Regardless of the testosterone form the hormone does not become active in the body until the ester detaches and then the hormone is released. Regardless of the ester originally attached to the hormone you still have the same testosterone hormone in the body once the ester is removed. So where does this myth come from? Common sense tells us that when running a cutting cycle the individual will consume a calorie restricted diet, one that is often healthier and with less of an abundance in carbohydrates. As a result the individual will hold less water. Then we have the fact that many often use less testosterone when dieting and if your total dose is less than an off-season dose there’s less active hormone available to promote water retention. All in all, you can receive the same benefits with Testosterone Propionate as all testosterone forms. However, an advantage of Testosterone Propionate is that it can be easier to maintain stable and peaked blood levels of the hormone due to the very frequent injection protocol compared to large ester bases.
Outside of performance enhancement, Testosterone Propionate has found a number of therapeutic uses. However, like all testosterone forms the treatment of male androgen deficiency such as low testosterone has always been the most common point of use. Testosterone Propionate has, however, also found other points of interesting use over the years in treating menopausal issues, chronic cystic mastitis, excessive lactation and endometriosis. This was for a decent amount of time the most commonly used testosterone for female medical treatment, but it has largely been removed from U.S. FDA approval in female patients. It is still approved for male use in the U.S. but it will be found in medicinal circles more commonly in other parts of the world. However, Cypionate and Enanthate remain the dominate forms worldwide leaving Propionate to be primarily use in performance circles.
Testosterone Propionate is a pure testosterone hormone. Although synthetic it is a perfect replica of the primary naturally produced male androgen testosterone. By design, the hormone is attached to the Propionate (propionic acid) ester, a small/short ester that enables the hormone’s release time to be controlled. Without an ester, the hormone would disperse and dissipate rapidly post administration. By attaching the ester, this promotes a controlled release and allows the individual to inject the hormone less frequently. Once Testosterone Propionate is injected, the ester slowly begins to detach from the hormone. As the ester is detached the testosterone hormone begins to release into the blood. The half-life of Testosterone Propionate is approximately two days, which is substantially longer than ester free testosterone, which carries a half-life a little less than 24 hours.
As a pure testosterone, Testosterone Propionate carries an anabolic rating of 100 and an androgenic rating of 100 as well. The testosterone hormone itself represents the basis by which all anabolic and androgenic ratings are measured in all anabolic steroids. More importantly, while carrying these structural ratings, its translating rating matches up perfectly. Testosterone Propionate will yield a notable amount of anabolic and androgenic activity. This is important as not all steroids match their structural ratings in a translating capacity.
Although synthetic in nature, Testosterone Propionate is an efficient hormone for the treatment of low testosterone. Testosterone is an essential hormone produced by men and women that affects our physical, mental and sexual wellbeing. While produced and essential for both sexes, men require approximately ten times that of women. If you suffer from low testosterone and more than 20 million men in the U.S. suffer from some type of androgen deficiency, Testosterone Propionate will remedy the problem. However, while effective, after all, it is testosterone, it is not a preferred form of treatment as it will require frequent injections. Testosterone Cypionate and Testosterone Enanthate remain the dominant forms in treatment plans. However, if you suffer and Testosterone Propionate is what’s available it is a suitable option.
There are numerous symptoms associated with low testosterone. The symptoms themselves are not life threatening but they severally diminish your quality of life. More importantly, when the condition is ignored it can be an open doorway to many far more serious conditions, some of which are life threatening. The symptoms of low testosterone include:
Regular administration of Testosterone Propionate will remedy every last symptom on this list if it is due to low testosterone. In the early stages of low testosterone you may not display too many symptoms. Many men initially display one of the sexually related most commonly and perhaps one more from the list. However, while the sexually related symptoms are the most common it is possible to suffer from low testosterone without such symptoms initially. As time goes by, if ignored the symptoms will begin to mount. If continually ignored low testosterone can in part promote several far more concerning conditions including:
When compounds like Testosterone Propionate can so easily remedy a low testosterone condition, there really is no excuse for living with the problem. There are possible side effects to use, but keep in mind this is merely testosterone a hormone your body is well accustomed to. For the low level patient, while there are possible side effects of Testosterone Propionate very few men will have a problem.
While a perfect replica of the primary male androgen, treating low testosterone is not the only functional trait provided by Testosterone Propionate. This is a highly versatile anabolic steroid and high levels of the hormone will enhance several primary anabolic characteristics. When we refer to high levels, this is the realm of performance enhancement. With this type of use, the individual will be taking his testosterone levels far above and beyond what could ever be naturally produced. Through this action, Testosterone Propionate will promote five key steroidal enhancement traits that will serve most any man tremendously well. With this type of use, every man who supplements will enjoy improvements in his life in the same areas as a low level patient. However, it is the tremendous enhancement provided by the five traits that separate and distinguish this type of use. The five primary anabolic traits of Testosterone Propionate include:
By enhancing protein synthesis, this simply means we enhance the rate by which cells build proteins. Protein representing the primary building block of muscle tissue; this is essential to repair and recovery, which is where anabolic growth is promoted. The promotion of nitrogen will also enhance the anabolic atmosphere as all lean tissue is comprised of approximately 16% nitrogen. When nitrogen levels fall this can lead to a catabolic (muscle wasting) state. Conversely, the more nitrogen we retain the more anabolic we remain.
Then we have the promotion of red blood cells. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to and through the blood. Greater blood oxygenation results in greater muscular endurance, enhanced recovery and again promotes the anabolic atmosphere. From here we have the promotion of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a naturally produced protein hormone that is highly anabolic and essential to the body’s recovery and rejuvenation abilities. This is a hormone that affects nearly every cell in the human body and will have a positive impact on muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons, cartilage, and even the central nervous system.
Finally we’re left with inhibition of glucocorticoid or stress hormones. These hormones are necessary to the body’s wellbeing to a degree but they are muscle wasting and fat promoting hormones. Cortisol is the most well-known glucocorticoid and it is very easy for these hormones to become dominant in the body. A dominant atmosphere will lead to the opposite of an anabolic atmosphere. Thankfully compounds like Testosterone Propionate will ensure this doesn’t happen.
For the low testosterone patient, if you supplement with Testosterone Propionate you will suffer no more. This is the primary effect of Testosterone in this regard. Levels were low and now they’re not. Then we have the performance enhancing athlete, and as a versatile anabolic steroid the effects of Testosterone Propionate will cover a wide breadth in this category.
For the off-season athlete there is no anabolic steroid more important or beneficial than testosterone. High levels of testosterone will promote significant increases in lean muscle mass and strength. This is assuming that the individual is consuming adequate calories. Compounds like Testosterone Propionate are not magical, you will still need to feed your body enough calories. During an off-season period of growth, this means total caloric intake will need to be slightly above maintenance. This will, unfortunately, promote body fat gain. However, the key to a successful off-season is gaining lean tissue while minimizing body fat gain to the fullest extent possible. By supplementing with Testosterone Propionate you will be able to achieve this more efficiently. High testosterone levels will promote a stronger metabolic rate. This is not a license to eat like there’s no end in sight, but you should be able to make better use of your calories.
Then we have the cutting phase, and Testosterone Propionate can be invaluable here. In order to lose body fat we must burn more calories than we consume. You can follow the healthiest diet in the world and exercise yourself into the ground but if you are not in a caloric deficit you will not lose body fat. Unfortunately, this necessary caloric deficit puts our lean muscle tissue at risk, especially as we become leaner. The human body does not want to lose body fat due to its survival instinct. As energy demands increase during dieting the body will take what it needs from wherever it wants, and this is often from your muscle tissue. The key to successful dieting is not only losing fat but minimizing muscle tissue low. High testosterone levels will enable you to achieve this efficiently. Without an anabolic protectant like Testosterone Propionate, some lean muscle tissue loss will occur, this is a given. Due to the metabolic enhancement provided by high testosterone levels, the individual will also burn fat at a more efficient rate.
Regardless of your purpose of use, all who supplement with Testosterone Propionate will find their muscular endurance is greatly enhanced. You will not tire out as fast. You will also find your overall rate of recovery is greatly improved, and it is through recovery that progress is made. This makes Testosterone Propionate an excellent steroid for athletes who may not have any bulking or cutting in mind. The increases in endurance and recovery along with improved strength will simply lead to more effective athletic performance.
Testosterone Propionate is a very well-tolerated anabolic steroid for most healthy adult men. Healthy is excluding a low testosterone condition. While carrying a high threshold of toleration, there are possible side effects of Testosterone Propionate use. For the low level patient, the side effects of Testosterone Propionate will rarely be a problem. Side effects are possible, but keep in mind you’re merely replacing what your body is lacking. For the performance athlete, this will require supraphysiological doses of the hormone and this is where the side effects of Testosterone Propionate will be most common. However, most men can tolerate high testosterone levels very well. There is a cutoff point and it will vary from one man to the next, but most men can enjoy and control relatively high levels of the hormone. In order to help you understand the possible side effects of Testosterone Propionate, we have broken them down into their separate categories along with all the information you’ll need.
The side effects of Testosterone Propionate will predominantly surround its estrogenic nature. The testosterone hormone has the ability to convert to estrogen through its interaction with the aromatase enzyme. As aromatization occurs, if estrogen levels become high this can lead to gynecomastia and excess water retention. Severe excess water retention can also lead to high blood pressure. Fortunately, it is very easy to control and avoid the estrogenic side effects of Testosterone Propionate.
Many men are commonly encouraged to use an anti-estrogen when supplementing with exogenous testosterone. You have two choices in anti-estrogens, Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERM’s) like Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) and Aromatase Inhibitors (AI’s) like Arimidex (Anastrozole). AI’s will be the most effective as they inhibit aromatization and lower serum estrogen levels. SERM’s will not inhibit or reduce estrogen, but rather bind to the estrogen receptor preventing the estrogen hormone from binding.
While AI’s are the most effective, they can also be harsh on cholesterol. They do not appear to be too harsh on their own, but when combined with an aromatizing steroid like Testosterone Propionate the problem is enhanced. SERM’s will not promote any negative cholesterol activity. In fact, while anti-estrogenic SERM’s actually act as estrogen in the liver and will promote healthy cholesterol. SERM’s should always be your first choice if they can get the job done. However, some will need an AI and if so they will need to put more effort into controlling their cholesterol.
Testosterone Propionate is a potent androgenic hormone and as a result androgenic side effects are possible. The possible androgenic side effects of Testosterone Propionate include acne, accelerated hair loss in those predisposed to male pattern baldness and body hair growth. While these side effects of Testosterone Propionate are possible, they are highly dependent on genetic predispositions. Many men will not have an issue at all, while others may need to exercise a little caution.
The testosterone hormone has the ability to reduce to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) due to it being metabolized by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This is what promotes the androgenic activity in the target areas of the skin and scalp. Some men may find a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor like Finasteride to be useful as it will reduce the hormones relative androgenicity. It will not completely reduce this activity but it will have a pronounced effect.
Testosterone Propionate can have a negative impact on cholesterol, particularly HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in suppressing total HDL levels. A therapeutic dose should not support a strong statistical decrease, however, the same dose could promote HDL suppression when conjoined with an AI. With a supraphysiological dose, total HDL suppression by as much as 20% is very possible. If conjoined with an AI it will more than likely be exasperated.
If you’re going to supplement with Testosterone Propionate, especially if you’re going to include an AI a cholesterol friendly lifestyle will be important. The individuals diet should be rich in omega fatty acids, low in saturated fats and simple sugars, and plenty of cardiovascular activity should be part of your normal routine. Those who ensure a cholesterol friendly lifestyle will rarely have an issue unless some underlying condition exists.
Regardless of who you are or why you’re using it, the side effects of Testosterone Propionate will always include the suppression of natural testosterone production. For the low level patient this is of no concern. Such an individual is not producing enough testosterone to begin with. For the performance athlete, during use this is also no concern as the exogenous testosterone will provide your body all it needs.
Once use is discontinued, natural testosterone production will begin again. This, however, does not apply to the low testosterone patient. A low level patient will more than likely always need exogenous testosterone therapy.
For the performance athlete, although production will begin again on its own more are encouraged to implement a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan. This will cut down the total recovery time and ensure you have enough testosterone for proper bodily function while your levels continue to naturally rise. No, a PCT plan will not return you to normal on its own, there’s no PCT plan that can do this, but it will ensure a more efficient and comfortable recovery. It will also greatly protect your lean muscle tissue. Once a cycle is discontinued and natural testosterone levels are low, it is very easy for cortisol to become the dominant hormone, and this will put your lean tissue at risk. Implement a PCT plan and this problem is solved.
An important note on natural testosterone recovery; this assumes severe damage was not done to the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular-Axis (HPTA) due to improper steroidal supplementation. It also assumes no prior low testosterone condition existed.
Testosterone Propionate is not hepatotoxic. This anabolic steroid will present no stress or damage to the liver.
For low testosterone treatment standard Testosterone Propionate doses will normally fall in the 25-50mg per injection range and are normally given 2-3 times per week. However, keep in mind in the modern age it is rarely used when compounds like Cypionate or Enanthate are available.
For performance enhancing athletes, 25-50mg every other day is generally a solid dose of Testosterone Propionate to combat suppression caused by the use of other anabolic steroids. For a true anabolic benefit, doses will normally fall in the 100mg every other day range. This is a very safe dose, easy to control and should be well-tolerated by most adult men. Higher doses can be used, most men can tolerate 150mg every other day very well. Many men will be able to tolerate 200mg every other day with relative ease. However, always keep in mind that the higher the dose the greater the probability of adverse effects. Higher doses will require more caution and effort in controlling side effects but it is more than possible to control them.
Testosterone Propionate will stack well with any and all anabolic steroids. Off-season bulking plans will often include compounds like Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate), Anadrol (Oxymetholone) or Dianabol (Methandrostenolone). During the cutting phase, you will find Test-P as it’s often known stacks well with Anavar (Oxandrolone), Masteron (Drostanolone), Primobolan (Methenolone), Trenbolone and Winstrol (Stanozolol). The Trenbolone hormone can also be very beneficial during periods of off-season growth.