Anabolic Steroids Experiences

It seems that most anabolic steroids normally work by activating the human androgen receptors, producing anabolic and virilizing effects.

Here you have some examples of anabolic effects:

• Elevated protein synthesis from amino acids


• Increased muscle mass and strength


• Increased appetite


• Increased bone remodeling and growth


• Stimulation of bone marrow increasing production of red blood cells

Some examples of virilizing effects, normally associated to side effects:

• Growth of the clitoris (clitoral hypertrophy) in females and the penis in male children (the adult penis does not grow indefinitely even when exposed to high doses of androgens)


• Increased growth of androgen-sensitive hair (pubic, beard, chest, and limb hair)


• Increased vocal cord size, deepening the voice


• Increased libido


• Suppression of endogenous sex hormones


• Impaired spermatogenesis

Many androgens are metabolized to compounds which also cross-react with estrogen receptors, producing additional (usually) unwanted effects:

• Accelerated bone maturation in children


• Increased breast growth (in males)

Probably a hormone with purely anabolic effects would have many uses, but in many cases the usefulness is limited by unwanted virilizing effects. Many of the synthetic anabolic steroids were devised in an attempt to find molecules that produced a higher degree of anabolic rather than virilizing effects.

Other side effects (some the opposite of intended effects) include elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, severe acne, premature baldness, reduced sexual function, and testicular atrophy. In males, abnormal breast development (gynecomastia) can occur. In females, anabolic steroids have a masculinizing effect, resulting in more body hair, a deeper voice, smaller breasts, masculinized or enlarged clitoris (clitoral hypertrophy), and fewer menstrual cycles. Several of these effects are irreversible. In adolescents, abuse of these agents may prematurely stop the lengthening of bones (premature epiphyseal fusion through increased estrogen), resulting in stunted growth. Serious medical illness can result from extreme hormone use. Enlargement of the heart (the heart is a muscle and thus affected by the muscle-building qualities of the hormones) is a risk which increases the chance of an adverse cardiac event occurring in later life. Another health risk is long-term liver damage, particularly if the anabolic steroid compound is 17-alpha-alkylated in order to not be destroyed by the digestive system when taken orally.

The carnosine content of vastus lateralis is elevated in resistance-trained bodybuilders.
Tallon MJ, Harris RC, Boobis LH, Fallowfield JL, Wise JA. School of Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences, University College Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

Tallon, M.J., R.C. Harris, L.H. Boobis, J.L. Fallowfield, and J.A. Wise. The carnosine content of vastus lateralis is elevated in resistance-trained bodybuilders. J. Strength Cond. Res. 19(4):725-729. 2005.-Resistance training is associated with periods of acute intracellular hypoxia with increased H(+) production and low intramuscular pH. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible adaptive response in muscle carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) in bodybuilders. Extracts of biopsies of m. vastus lateralis of 6 national-level competitive bodybuilders and 6 age-matched untrained but moderately active healthy subjects were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Significant differences were shown in carnosine (p < 0.001) and histidine (p < 0.05). Muscle carnosine in bodybuilders was twice that in controls. The carnosine contents measured are the highest recorded in human muscle and represent a 20% contribution to muscle buffering capacity. Taurine was 38% lower in bodybuilders, though the difference was not significant. Possible causes for the changes observed are prolonged repetitive exposure to low muscle pH, change of diet or dietary supplement use, or the use of anabolic steroids. The increase in buffering capacity could influence the ability to carry out intense muscular activity.

Nandrolone is a 19-nortestosterone derivate steroid that is more anabolic then androgenic. It does not easily convert into estrogen nor does it have many of the common steroid side effects like hair-loss and acne. The biggest side-effect a user will encounter with Nandrolone is erectile dysfunction which is commonly called “deca-dick”; there is also usually an accompanying loss of sexual desire associated with the usage of this drug. However, these side effects really seem dosage dependant and are not as evident in weekly dosages under 500-mgs. Nandrolone seems to help athletes with joint problems; certainly, the water-retention caused by this drug would “cushion” the region.

It is said that nandrolone was the drug that caused bodybuilders to start the practive of stacking. Whether this is true or not I don’t know. However, nandrolone is one of the most potent additions possible to any cycle. On its own, nandrolone can provide solid muscle gains but it is really when used in conjunction with other drugs that nandrolone shines. For bulking purposes, nandrolone combines well with testosterone and an oral steroid like Oxymetholone (anadrol). Nandrolone does cause water retention, which makes it less then perfect for contest preparation. Another important consideration is that nandrolone metabolites are detectable in the body for much longer then most other steroids; bodybuilders or athletes that are drug tested would be advised to stay away from nandrolone. If water retention is a major cosmetic concern, 25mcgs of cytomel (t3 thyroid hormone) will help reduce this “puffiness” or “smoothness”.

While I think a beginner could benefit from using Nandrolone on its own at dosages as low as 300mg per week, even a neophyte steroid user should add testosterone to the stack. It is one of my fundamental beliefs that no cycle should be without testosterone at a minimum dose of 500mg per week. Look, a dosage of 100-150 mg per week is roughly testosterone replacement therapy-what can you take away from that? Low dosages of testosterone will only serve to shutdown your natural production without providing much in the way of gains in the gym.

The biggest problem with nandrolone is cost and availability. Nandrolone is one of the most counterfeited steroids in the world and the real stuff is expensive. Furthermore, the nandrolone that you could afford (Egyptian and Greek for instance) are going to come, usually, in 50mg per ml ampoules. That means even someone taking 300mgs per week is going to be taking 6ccs of nandrolone per week. That greatly increases the injection volume, which is not good in my opinion. Mexican nandrolone comes in 200mg per ml vials (10mls per vial) but quality is questionable; most people consider the product under-dosed.

Designing a cycle with Nandrolone is not complex. I would say to use as much as you can afford up to 600mgs per week. Really, beyond that, a higher dosage seems counter-productive because you are really just increasing your side effects without much gain. I would not go too much below 200mg per week. As I mentioned in a previous article, nandrolone can be used by women as well although I don’t feel comfortable really recommending a dosage level. Some women tolerate nandrolone very well, and can use significant amounts with little or no side effects. I’ve seen other women suffer from clitoral hypertrophy and deepening of the voice on doses as low as 50 mg/week.

Metabolic and hormonal changes of severely burned children receiving long-term oxandrolone treatment.
Przkora R, Jeschke MG, Barrow RE, Suman OE, Meyer WJ, Finnerty CC, Sanford AP, Lee J, Chinkes DL, Mlcak RP, Herndon DN. Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX 77550, USA.

OBJECTIVE:
When given to children for 1 year after a severe burn, oxandrolone significantly improves lean body mass, bone mineral content, and muscle strength. The beneficial effects of oxandrolone on height and weight were observed 1 year after treatment was discontinued. To study the efficacy of oxandrolone in severely burned children for 12 months after burn and 12 months after the drug was discontinued.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA:
Oxandrolone attenuates body catabolism during the acute phase after burn. It is unclear whether oxandrolone would have any beneficial effects during long-term treatment or if there were any effects after the drug was stopped.

METHODS:
Sixty-one children with 40% total body surface area burns were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized into those to receive oxandrolone (n = 30) or placebo (n = 31) for the first 12 months. Treatment was discontinued after 12 months, and the patients were studied without the drug for the following 12 months. At discharge and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after burn, height, weight, body composition, resting energy expenditure, muscle strength, and serum human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3, insulin, cortisol, parathyroid hormone, tri-iodothyronine uptake (T3 uptake), and free thyroxine index (FTI) were measured. Statistical analysis used Tukey multiple comparison test. Significance was accepted at P < 0.05.

RESULTS:
Oxandrolone improved lean body mass, bone mineral content and muscle strength compared with controls during treatment, P < 0.05. Serum IGF-1, T3 uptake, and FTI were significantly higher during drug treatment compared with controls, P < 0.05. Significant increases in height and weight with oxandrolone were observed after the end of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:
Oxandrolone improved body composition and strength in severely burned children during the 12 months of treatment. Its effect on height and weight continued after treatment was discontinued.

My intention in preparing this article was to focus attention on some of the common theories about post-cycle strategies that are widely being practiced today and hopefully prevent some common mistakes. I am also going to explore some of the lesser known ergogens used to maintain size post-cycle. This article is geared primarily towards the recreational athlete or occasional steroid user, although it can be of value to the professional athlete.

You just finished a steroid cycle and have made significant gains. Through brutal workouts, proper and generous food consumption, rigid supplement use, proper psychological attitude, and lots of rest, your performances have improved, and your physique has made a significant progress. You are satisfied with the accomplished results.

However, there is more to proper steroid use than making gains while on a cycle. Successfully maximizing your gains while on is only part of the bigger picture. The toughest part – that of keeping your gains – is yet to come. Through improper and erratic steroid use, your hormonal system will be disturbed. Even if you used steroids and other ergogens properly, your organism will still have to readjust to normal physiological hormonal levels.

Let me explain. Given proper training, food consumption, steroid use, attitude, and rest, it is relatively easy to gain quality weight while on a cycle. If you never have to discontinue steroid use, it is even easier to keep your gains. Unfortunately for most of us, that is not a viable option. Some of us have financial problems, making constant or at least frequent steroid use prohibitive, others have health concerns and don’t want to take the risks associated with long term steroid use. Other individuals (primarily professional athletes) have an upcoming drug test, and if they are to make a decent living, they have to pass clean. There is also a question of being stigmatized if they test positive. All of their previous achievements become questionable, even if the athletes were genuinely clean while accomplishing them.

So we all face the same dilemma: HOW TO KEEP ALL OR MOST OF THE GAINS OBTAINED ON A STEROID CYCLE?

Most of the readers of this article are familiar with relatively widespread underground anabolic steroid handbooks. There is undoubtedly a lot of useful information contained between the covers of those books. The authors report the proper use of various ergogens based on anecdotal use of the athletes "in the know." Well, I guess you have to be selective about what advice you are going to take.

A case in point:

Clenbuterol:
Clenbuterol has become a preferred pharmaceutical for maintaining size after discontinuing a steroid cycle. The reason, it is thought to be mildly anabolic and anti-catabolic. Hey, it is even illicitly fed to race horses and cattle with intent to produce leaner and meatier animals. A lot of money is won and lost at the race tracks

Here comes the revelation: IT IS TRUE that clenbuterol can significantly increase meat production in animals (muscle), but in MILLIGRAM dosages, not in the MICROGRAM dosages suitable for human consumption. Try taking even half a milligram of clenbuterol per day and see what happens (I definitely don’t recommend it)! You will suffer blinding headaches, experience cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia, and high blood pressure. If you are lucky, you will not suffer a heart attack or a stroke. This next story is completely anecdotal, but none-the-less, do any of you remember an incident with those pink pentangular Thai Anabols a few years back? There were a few batches of the stuff around, counterfeit of course, that were supposed to contain 5mg of methandrostenolone, but instead contained between 2 and 5 mg of clenbuterol instead. An athlete in my country took a few of these tablets and had to be taken to hospital. Luckily, he didn’t suffer any permanent consequences.

Back to the analysis. Now don’t get me wrong, clenbuterol is a useful addition post-cycle. It increases strength temporarily, allowing harder workouts, which in turn helps preserve lean body mass. It also increases thermogenesis, aiding in the lipolysis of fat accumulated while on the cycle. Another benefit is its excitatory effect, causing a feeling of well-being and mental focus, thus potentially relieving some of the possible depression and lethargy associated with discontinuing steroid use (especially in conjunction with piracetam). But in my opinion, it has no direct effect on anabolism and anti-catabolism, at least not in human dosages.

Creatine:
In my opinion, one that I am certain is shared by many, introduction of creatine to the world of sports was a milestone that will not be easily repeated. If you noticed at the last summer Olympics, a vast number of records have been improved, some of them by a vast margin. This is the consequence of several factors, one definitely being creatine loading (others may include the increasing use of peptide hormones and growth factors, undetectable with present technology, use of the newest ergogens, drugs currently not on the IOC banned substance list, and improved training methodology). The most efficacious use of creatine (from all aspects) as far as I am concerned, is loading. Once this loading phase is completed, its use should be ceased for at least 2 weeks, preferably 3 (unless preparing for competition and not wanting to give away the possible advantage). The effects of creatine last from 3 – 5 weeks, so don’t worry about losing the benefits. Once the muscle is saturated with creatine, the organism starts excreting it at accelerated rate. I estimate that 60 percent of creatine used is wasted. I do not see the logic. Why employ a maintenance period (with 5 or 10 grams daily), if muscle is full and unable to use it. If that were true, all we would have to do is creatine load once in the lifetime, and then use only maintenance dosages and retain the fullness of the muscle. The fault for spreading this theory goes to supplement companies, which increase their profits with such dosage schedules. So use your creatine wisely and don’t waste any more money. One more thing: concomitant use of creatine and clenbuterol induces a shift in electrolyte balance, which can result in cramping. So electrolyte supplementation is necessary should such a combination be employed.

Glutamine:
Glutamine can be of great benefit to the athlete, on or off cycle. If used in proper dosage, it can have great impact on preserving both the performance and cosmetic benefit of any cycle. The most common problem with glutamine it is rarely used in enough quantity to produce the desired effect. Athletes 200 lbs or under can benefit from using 15-20 grams of glutamine daily. Athletes above 200 lbs should use around 25-30 grams of glutamine daily to obtain maximum benefit from this anti-catabolic amino acid.

Now lets explore some of the relatively less known substances, sometimes used by athletes in an attempt to preserve or further improve their performance or physique.

L-DOPA:
L-dopa is an amino acid, chemically known as dihydroxyphenylalanine, used in the treatment of a condition known as Parkinson's disease. L-dopa is pharmacologically practically inert. It is an immediate precursor to dopamine. Dopamine itself cannot penetrate the blood–brain barrier and as such it has no therapeutic effect in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This is a state when the dopaminergic system in the organism is depleted in favor of the cholinergic system. Both systems belong to a group of neurotransmitters, affecting a wide variety of physiological processes in the organism. L-dopa, once ingested, readily crosses the blood–brain barrier via neutral amino acid transporters, where it is effectively decarboxylated to dopamine, thus improving the dopaminergic system in the body.

From the athletes standpoint, L-dopa seems a worthwhile addition to post-cycle stack as it is purported to have a significant effect on growth hormone release and gonadotropin release. It also can improve sleep patterns and it is a powerful antioxidant.

L-dopa sounds great, right? Unfortunately, L-dopa is a powerful drug and the majority of users suffer from related side effects. These can range from mildly inconvenient to very serious. The common denominator to both its desired effects and side effects is the dosage. Since L-dopa is heavily affected by decarboxylation (degradation) in the peripheral tissues, relatively high dosages have to be used to obtain a therapeutic effect, causing in turn a myriad of side effects ranging from nausea and vomiting to mental disturbances (such as hallucinations, paranoia, mania, insomnia (rarely), anxiety, nightmares and depression). Additionally, L-dopa can cause abnormal involuntary movements. It is even linked to malignant melanomas (skin cancer), although this is inconclusive. Serious side effects are acquired with substantial use over a long period of time. But there is a risk involved, none the less.

Some of the side effects can be avoided by using a combination of drugs – levodopa (L-dopa) with carbidopa (a peripheral inhibitor of decarboxylation), reducing the dosage required to obtain a therapeutic effect. So in effect, more of the drug can reach the desired receptors in the neostriatum (part of the brain), by crossing the blood–brain barrier. The combination used is usually concentrated 1:10 (1mg of carbidopa for each 10mg of levodopa). It has to be pointed out that the addition of carbidopa increases the effects of levodopa four-fold. Another inhibitor of decarboxylation is benserazide (with properties similar to those of carbidopa). Dosages required to obtain ergogenic benefit is about 500mg of levodopa with about 50mg of carbidopa daily. This would be the equivalent to ingesting 2 grams of straight levodopa per day. This dosage is sufficient to cause nausea and vomiting and possibly other side effects, so it would be wise not to take it all at once. My personal experience with administration of L-dopa has been using half the cited dose before the workout and the other half before bed, always on an empty stomach, as food in any form lowers and interferes with absorbtion of L-dopa. This way we obtain two additional growth hormone peak releases, both further facilitated by a natural release of GH in response to training and sleep. Ergogenic benefits of L-dopa seem to be temporary, in my experience lasting about 4 weeks, after which the positive effect is lost. At this point, continued effectiveness of L-dopa requires an increase in dosage, which I do not recommend, as the side effects are magnified overshadowing any further benefits. A possible remedy to the situation would be to add a dopaminergic agonist to the L-dopa, but again, the risk of side effects magnifies as well. I also do not recommend taking L-dopa before a workout if already using sympathicomimetic amines (beta agonists), as L-dopa magnifies the effects of the latter as well. Possible acute overdose of l-dopa is symptomatic to beta agonist overdose. This occurs due to further decarboxylation of excess dopamine to norepinephrine and epinephrine (noradrenaline and adrenaline) via different enzymatic pathways, resulting in possible tachycardia and cardiac arrhythmia, tremors, hypertension, headaches, etc. Acute overdose is treated with pyridoxine HCL (vitamin B6). If a combination of L-dopa with carbidopa is used, pyridoxine is rendered useless.

Similar effects to that of L-dopa can be obtained by implementing compounds from the group of dopaminergic agonists. These include ergot derivatives (BROMOCRIPTINE, PERGOLIDE AND LISURIDE). They are not as potent as L-dopa, but are potentially useful none the less. Bromocriptines can be used as an adjunct to L-dopa, once the therapeutic effects of L-dopa are lessened. Initial dosages range upwards of 25mg per day with a maximum dosage of 100mg per day. Extreme caution should be used when first using bromocriptine since it has a significant first dose phenomenon – sudden cardiovascular collapse. It should be used under medical supervision at first. Pergolide and lisuride have somewhat similar effects to those of bromocriptine.

Another possible course of action would be to prolong the effects of endogenous dopamine by inhibiting its degradation mechanism by using selegine (ELDEPRYL, DEPRENYL), a monoaminooxidase (MAO) inhibitor.

Other potentially useful compounds post-cycle include nootropic drugs (smart drugs) such as PIRACETAM and another ergot derivative dihydroergotoxinic methanesulphate (HYDERGINE), 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, better known as SEROTONIN). A combination of insulin, clenbuterol and T3 can also be used, but there is a possibility of significant fat gain, regardless of the clenbuterol and T3. DNP can also be used at this stage, although I do not recommend its use for the vast majority of the individuals.

Some athletes use andro products, which in my opinion should not be used at this particular time. Post-cycle is a period when maximum endogenous testosterone production is desired, and by supplying raw materials (andro products) for this production, we purposely sabotage the first part of the production process itself (conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone to DHEA to androstenedione).

As we have seen, most of the pharmacological activity in the post-cycle period is geared towards selectively activating GABA-ergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic, adrenergic pathways, thus preserving the acquired athletic and cosmetic benefits.

An example of post-cycle stack for the 200 pound athlete would look like this.

1. Immediately after the conclusion of steroid cycle, heavy antiestrogen therapy is initiated. Also a creatine loading phase is implemented (30 grams/day, for 5 days) in conjunction with glutamine (20 grams per day for the duration of the stack). At this stage, if so desired, insulin can be used to assist in creatine transport (20 I.U./day, 10 I.U. upon waking and another 10 at 2 P.M., with at least 10 grams of glucose or table sugar per each unit administered). T3 is used conditionally, only in conjunction with insulin.



2. Clenbuterol is used daily (100mcg), to increase thermogenesis and preserve strength. Another beta agonist can be used to the same advantage. Electrolytes should be used as well, to prevent possible cramping. Piracetam is also used daily (loading pattern, 10X400mg for the first 5 days, afterwards a lower dose can be employed (4X400mg).



3. Every other night, diazepam is used (5-10mg). As diazepam is habit forming, it should be used only 1 – 2 weeks at a time. L-dopa/carbidopa combination can be used as a substitute (500mg/50mg per day, twice daily – 250/25 before workout and 250/25 before sleep).



4. This post-cycle stack is employed for at least 4 – 6 weeks. This is, in my opinion, the minimum time required to at least partly recover your hormonal status, before engaging in another steroid cycle.

This practical application concludes this article. I hope I have at least partly introduced the theories behind the aforementioned applications, and the means of employing them relatively safely.

How long do steroids stay detectable in your system?

This, of course, depends on the actual substance (amount and type) and the person using them. Anabolic steroids can remain detectable in a persons system anywhere from 1 week to over a year after use. For the most popular substances like nandrolone (deca, testosterone), one year is the usual time that they could actually be detected. For injectable testosterone, between 3-6 months is commonly sufficient. Luckily, for steroid users, the cost of a steroid test is very expensive (heard its $280) and hardly ever done. If you are being tested for "drugs" 99% of the time a steroid test is not done. Random tests for college sports will test for them though (the cost is probably why they are random). People usually worry more than they should though. Even though a drug "can" be detectable, a lot of times they aren't.

Steroid Detection Times
These detection times were taken from different sources. This table if for informational purposes only, this website will not be held responsible if you are caught on a drug test. This isn't medical advice, only information gathered from various sources.

Anabolic Steroid Name	Time to be detected
Nandrolone decanoate	Up to 18 months
Nandrolone phenylpropionate	Up to 12 months
Boldenone undecyclate Metehenolone enanthate Trenbolone Trenbolone acetate Injectable methandienone	Up to 5 months
Testosterone-mix (Sustanon & Omnadren) Testosterone enanthate Testosterone cypionate	Up to 3 months
Oxymetholone Fluoxymesterone Injectabel stanozolol Formebolone Drostanolone propionate	Up to 2 months
Methandienone Mesterolone Ethylestrenole Noretadrolone Oxandrolone Oral stanozolol	Up to 3 weeks
Testosterone propionate	Up to 2 weeks
Testosterone undecanoate	Up to 1 week
Clenbuterol	4 days

YOU WILL NOT LOSE ALL YOUR GAINS

I think I hear this more then any other statement about steroids…people think that your gains are totally temporary. That should not and need not be true at all. Granted most steroids cause water retention, when the androgen levels fall your going to drop some water…maybe 8 pounds or so. But that is not muscle loss. The way that you lose muscle on a cycle is by being sloppy. If you were a poor bodybuilder with bad habits before you started your "therapy" I will bet that, without the help of great genetics, you lose more of your gains. Steroids do not teach people bad habits, but they help cover them up.

You can get away with crazy shit and still come out looking good. But when the drugs are gone and you try a marathon two hour workout, go back to eating three thousand calories a day, or party all night and fuck up your sleep cycle you will discover that your old friend catabolism is more then willing take a bite of your muscles. When you come of a cycle be smart. Keep your calories high. A good suggestion is that as long as you are using clomid, which should be at least 14 days after your last injection, you should keep your calories up and protein very high. Take it easy in the gym, keep the workouts short. You will find that you keep more of your gains then you thought.

THE BODY WILL MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS

The body will spare no expense to bring itself back to a baseline level. This means that long periods of hormone therapy will cause drastic feedback. It is in this retaliation that most of the side effects of steroid use come about. However the body is less likely to respond as drastically to shorter more frequent periods of interruption. The up shoot of this is that steroid cycles should be shorter and more frequent. If you want to spend 12 weeks a year on steroids then do that in 2 six week bursts with a month or 6 weeks off in between.

YOU WANT TO INCREASE YOUR RECEPTOR CAPACITY DURING A CYCLE AND CLEAN THE RECEPTORS "OFF" QUICKLY WHEN YOU COME OFF THE CYCLE

Hard contraction of muscle (read heavy resistance training) in itself causes receptors to be up regulating. This means that more receptors become available. This is important because the body, in an attempt to maintain its sense of balance, is going to shut down receptors as a response to elevated hormone levels. Exercise brings these sites back online. So go hard and heavy during your cycle and stay hard and heavy (but less total volume) when you are off. This will free up the most number of receptors.

Agents that increase your metabolism will also speed up receptor up-regulation on and off a cycle. T-3 thyroid hormone liothyronine (trade name Cytomel) in low dosages not only increases protein synthesis (making anabolic agents more effective) but speeds up metabolism. However, since Cytomel can be catabolic it is not recommended following a steroid cycle (by all means it should be a part of any cycle); Cytomel has other problems too but that's a different article. Clenbuterol (and its legal cousin ephedrine) increase your basal metabolism rate by increasing, among other things, the conversion rate of T-4 (a storage form of thyroid hormone) into its metabolically active brother T-3. Viola, increased receptor recovery. Clenbuterol and ECA should be used during and after a cycle. Of course DNP will help too…but I will not even suggest its use.

Yes, Read my lips clenbuterol does not have an anabolic effect. At least not in humans. The studies that show clenbuterol to be anabolic were done in animals such as cows and chickens.

Clenbuterol is a beta-antagonist to adrenic receptors. It blocks these receptor sites. The anabolic action of clenbuterol is though to be because of antagonism occurring on 4th beta-adrenic receptor (b4); humans do not have sufficient amounts of these receptors to be comparable to animals. Clenbuterol is a nutrient partitioning agent and may promote lean muscle growth by "directing" nutrients to that end, but there is no anabolic action that is comparable to steroids.

All steroids are generally going to promote the same process; increases protein synthesis and a general redistribution of body composition towards more lean mass. The term "cutting" drug as applied to steroids should really be "pre-contest". Pre-contest bodybuilders are concerned with not holding water and looking hard. If you are just trying to get down to a nice summer level of body fat then is doesn't make that much difference whether you hold water during your cycle. You are not being judged as strictly as a contest body-builder…unless the retention is just obscene don't sweat it.

Anavar, primobolan, winstrol…these are the most coveted of dieting drugs. But they are not some holy grail of leanness. They simply do not cause the same degree of edema (read water retention a.k.a. bloating…) that other androgens do. Testosterone is actually the most powerful of the "cutting" drugs. So if you are not going into a contest forget about those more exotic drugs. Go with heavy dosages of testosterone and see how far that gets you. Remember…qualities like "hardness" require that the muscle be readily apparent. What good would halotestin-hardened muscles be if they are hidden behind fat?

In the latest 'twist in the tale' to involve athletes and drugs , it turns out that it's possible for any athlete to test positive... by having sex with Brazilian women!

In Brazil, clostebol - a synthetic androgenic steroid with anabolic effects that is frequently used in sports to increase physical performance - is also present in medicines for dermatologic and
gynecologic treatments.

Research published in the journal Clinical Chemistry shows that sexual intercourse (lasting 20 minutes) following intravaginal application of 5 grams of clostebol acetate can lead to a positive
dope test:

http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/50/2/456

How long will it be before athletes stop blaming supplements for positive doping tests and start taking holidays in Brazil so they have a ready-made excuse when they're caught? It might get them off
the hook with the IOC, but they'll have to think up a pretty good story to convince the wife...

Body types determine your steroids gains & should determine your tye of cycle.

Genetics determine largely how many androgen receptors you have, but the difference is not going to account for the varying results that people see from steroids. There are too many unknown factors. Still, I assure you, Lee Priest will get more results from a moderate cycle (like he claims to use) then most of us will. But lets be real…if you are a bodybuilder your goal is to look the best you can, carry the most muscle with least fat. We all know that the basic body types (ecto,meso,endo-morph) are not entirely accurate, but lets use them as a general guidelines. Ectomorphs are going to be naturally lean…therefore your primary cycles should be heavy bulking cycles were you eat like shit. After the cycle you are going to lean out naturally.

I have Ectomorph friends who don't want to eat Burger King because they don't want to get a gut. Fuck that. If you have never been fat its unlikely that you can even get fat. Mesomorphs are just genetic bastards and should be shot…they can get away with murder when on steroids. Their cycles are going to be the most effective. Endomorphs are capable of making tremendous size gains on cycles but are not going to stay as lean, even though steroids do tend to "lean" you out. Therefore, it is my recommendation that an endomorph use primarily cutting type cycles where the steroids prevent muscle wasting while stored body-fat is removed. Not to say that endomorphs should never bulk up, but you will look better at 220 with 10 percent body fat then you will at 255 with 17 percent body fat. A good rule is never to go above about 12 percent body fat except in the rarest of circumstances. Lastly there is information that suggests that endomorphs may be more insulin-resistant. Therefore, they should probably avoid the use of insulin while ectomorphs will see more gains from proper insulin use.

Cypionate leans you out. Undecoanate makes your dick bigger….whatever, this is all bullshit spread throughout the gym. There is no difference in the biochemical changes to your body based on what ester of testosterone you are taking. If the milligram (almost wrote gram there) dosage is equal you cannot say whether 1000 mg of propionate is better then 1000 mg of cypionate.

The difference between these compounds has to do with period of action in the body, pharmacokinetics . Some testosterone esters last only briefly in the body and require daily injections (propionate and solution). Other esters are more slowly absorbed and have longer periods of time (ethanate). As long as you know the time table for these drugs you need to only decide on the dosage level (frankly between 600-1000 mg of testosterone a week is required to grow) and the dosing scheme. 700 mg of propionate per week should be given as daily 100 mg injections; longer lasting compounds can be given less frequently. But don't be a moron, if a drug takes several days or a week to start working in the body you are not going to see gains right away whereas you would see rapid change with a faster androgen. Perhaps this is where the misinformation began… Regardless do not be misled by gym myth.

There is no reason why any ester of testosterone is any better with the exception of timing. Take whatever you can get.

Any amount of injected testosterone (or its derivatives) in the amount required to produce gains is going to shut down your natural production. Studies show sterility (temporarily, guys and gals) at dosages around 200 mg of testosterone per week, from which you can assume that your natural testosterone production has come to a halt.

Keeping this fact in mind, you need to find the weekly dosage of hormones you want to use to get your gains and stick to it throughout your cycle. Now granted receptor sites are being occupied and only a small portion of them are becoming "free". Think of it like a parking garage. When the movie is showing the garage is packed, but a few people will trickle out early opening spots for the
few desperately circling cars. If you had extremely limited amounts of drugs you could load up your sites with a great deal of drugs then use very small amounts to fill up those open receptors as they become available. This is impractical. Your best option is find a weekly dosage of androgens (say 750 mg per week) and keep on it for the 6-8 weeks you are on. You may want to switch esters of the drugs (esters generally change solubility and absorption time) as your cycle nears its end so that you can be sure when the drugs are out of your system, but that's about it. Let your "helper" drugs like HCG, clomid and nolvadex get your body back online. Non-testosterone drugs, like nandrolone (trade name deca-durabolin) or trenbolone acetate (parabolan-want to buy some…here the best thing to do…build a time machine and travel back to the 1980s because that was the last time it was manufactured…) absolutely should not be tapered in my opinion.

Food is your most anabolic agent

Pop Quiz. What's the most powerful of all these anabolic agents…halotestin; anadriol-50, testosterone, or a double bacon cheeseburger? The cheeseburger! This point cannot be stressed enough. It doesn't matter if you are taking perfect dosages of the most powerful drugs with a full range of complimentary anti-estrogens, etc stacking with growth hormone and insulin like growth factor (if that even does anything…) you WILL NOT grow large without excessive amounts of food.

I will not go into this much because you can see excellent articles about how to eat to gain weigt at: http://www.gainweightnow.info I will simply re-iterate the most important thing for any bodybuilder trying to get obscenely large; care only about total protein intake and total calorie intake. Nothing else matters except that and adequate hydration. You have to be eating every two hours. Consider eating your job, it's not something you do to support your body's natural cycles of feeding-you are pushing your body to grow to a level it has never done before (except perhaps as a baby); you need a constant influx of calories and protein. If, by some miracle, you have the time and money to prepare and eat 6-8 meals that each consist of a thousand clean calories go ahead and do that. But, realistically, it's much better to stuff yourself with ice cream and hamburgers.

Anabolic Steroids Help HIV Patients To Gain Weight

People with HIV who are treated with anabolic steroids to prevent AIDS wasting may realize modest gains in weight and muscle mass, a new review shows.

The review covered 13 studies of adults age 24 to 42 with HIV, 294 of whom received anabolic steroids for at least 6 weeks and 238 of whom received placebo. The average weight increase in those taking anabolic steroids was nearly three pounds.

"The magnitude of weight gain observed may be considered clinically relevant," said lead author Karen Johns, a medical assessment officer from the agency Health Canada. "One hopes there would be greater weight gain with the long-term use of anabolic steroids; however, this has not been proven to date in clinical trials."

The review appears in the most recent issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

AIDS wasting, which leads to significant weight loss in people with HIV, causes severe loss of weight and muscle and can lead to muscle weakness, organ failure and shortened lifespan. Researchers have long sought to reverse this common, destructive effect of HIV with mixed success.

The wasting stems from loss of the body's ability to grow muscle and from low levels of testosterone.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone that promote growth of skeletal muscle and the development of male sexual characteristics.

Although most recently in the news for their misuse by professional athletes, anabolic steroids have legitimate medical application for men with low testosterone and people with certain types of anemia. Two anabolic steroids available in the United States, nandrolone decanoate and oxandrolone, have been used to help increase weight and muscle mass in small studies of people with wasting.

Conversely, anabolic steroids use has been associated with increased rates of HIV in those who share needles or use nonsterile needles when they inject steroids.

In the review studies, anabolic steroids were administered to patients either orally or by injection. The main side effects were mild and included abnormal liver function tests; acne; mild increase in body hair; breast tenderness; increased libido, aggressiveness and irritability; and mood swings -- all common side effect of anabolic steroid use.

"The risks and side effects of taking anabolic steroids long-term are certainly of concern," Johns said. "We were unable to assess these risks in our review due to the short duration of treatment in the studies."

Wayne Dodge, MD, the HIV/AIDS program director at the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, suggests that clinicians should obtain blood testosterone levels, "if an HIV-infected individual has had significant weight loss, significant fatigue or muscle wasting, and particularly if associated with a significant decrease in libido and erections. If [testosterone] is in the low or low-normal range then a trial of [steroids] could be tried. The individual and the clinician should decide what result would constitute a successful trial: weight gain of 15 pounds, a 30 percent improvement in sense of well-being [or] a successful erection once a week."

The reviews authors conclude that further studies are needed to determine if increase in weight leads to improved physical functioning and quality of life, and ultimately increased survival, as well as the potential for serious side effects, especially with prolonged use.

REFERENCE:
Johns K, et al. Anabolic steroids for the treatment of weight loss in HIV-infected individuals. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4.

Aromasin (Exemestane) is one of those weird compounds that nobody really knows what to do with. What we generally hear about it makes it very uninteresting…It's a third generation Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) just like Arimidex (Anastrozole) and Femera (Letrozole). Both of those two drugs are very efficient at stopping the conversion of androgens into estrogen, and since we have them, why bother with Aromasin? It's a little harder to get than the other two commonly used aromatase inhibitors, because it's not in high demand, and there's never been a readily apparent advantage to using it. And I mean…lets face it: It's awkward-sounding. Aromasin doesn't have much of a ring to it, and exemestane is even worse. Arimidex (Anastrozole) has a bunch of cool abbreviations ("A-dex" or just 'dex) and even Letrozole is just "Letro" to most people. Where's the cool nickname forAromasin/exemestane? A-Sin? E-Stane? It just doesn't work. It's the black sheep of AIs. And why do we even need it when we have Letrozole, which is by far the most efficient AI for stopping aromatization (the process by which your body converts testosterone into estrogen)? Letro can reduce estrogen levels by 98% or greater; clinically a dose as low as 100mcgs has been shown to provide maximum aromatase inhibition!

So why would we need any other AIs? Well, first of all, estrogen is necessary for healthy joints as well as a healthy immune system. So getting rid of 98% of the estrogen in your body for an extended period of time may not be the best of ideas. This may be useful on an extreme cutting cycle, leading up to a bodybuilding contest, or if you are particularly prone to gyno, but certainly can't be used safely for extended periods of time without compromising your joints and immune system.

That leaves us with Arimidex, which isn't as potent as Letrozole, but at .5mgs/day will still get rid of around half (50%) of the estrogen in your body. Problem solved, right? Use Arimidex (Anastrozole) on your typical cycles, and if you are very prone to gyno or are getting ready for a contest, use Letro.

But what about Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)?

I think at this point most people are sold on the use of Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) instead of Clomid for PCT, since both compete estrogen at the receptor site, both increase serum test levels, and both drugs may also alter blood lipid profiles favorably. But since 20mgs of Tamoxifen is equal to 150mgs of clomid for purposes of testosterone elevation, FSH and LH, but Tamoxifen doesn't decrease the LH response to LHRH I think most people agree to Nolvadex's superiority for PCT.

Aromasin with Nolvadex

I've always been in favor of using Nolvadex during PCT, along with an AI, because reducing estrogen levels has been positively correlated with an increase in testosterone (7) so in my mind, it's be beneficial to increase testosterone by as many mechanisms as possible while trying to recover your endogenous testosterone levels after a cycle. SO which AI do we use? Letro or A-dex? Well, why don't we just keep using whichever one we used during the cycle, and add in some Nolvadex? Unfortunately, Nolvadex will significantly reduce the blood plasma levels of both Letrozole as well as Arimidex (8). So if we choose to use one of them with our Nolvadex on PCT, we're throwing away a bit of money as the Nolvadex will be reducing their effectiveness.

This, of course, is where Aromasin comes in, at 20-25mgs/day.

Aromasin, at that dose, will raise your testosterone levels by about 60%, and also help out your free to bound testosterone ratio by lowering levels of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), by about 20%…SHBG is that nasty enzyme that binds to testosterone and renders it useless for building muscle. But what about using it along with Nolvadex for PCT?

Difference Between Type-I and Type-II Aromatase Inhibitors

To understand why Aromasin may be useful in conjunction with Nolvadex while both Letro and A-dex suffer reduced effectiveness, we'll need to first understand the differences between a Type-I and Type-II Aromatase Inhibitor. Type I inhibitors (like Aromasin) are actually steroidal compounds, while type II inhibitors (like Letro and A-dex) are non-steroidal drugs. Hence, androgenic side effects are very possible with Type-I AIs, and they should probably be avoided by women. Of course, there are some similarities between the two types of AIs…both type I & type II AIs mimic normal substrates (essentially androgens), allowing them to compete with the substrate for access to the binding site on the aromatase enzyme. After this binding, the next step is where things differ greatly for the two different types of AI's. In the case of a type-I AI, the noncompetitive inhibitor will bind, and the enzyme initiates a sequence of hydroxylation; this hydroxylation produces an unbreakable covalent bond between the inhibitor and the enzyme protein. Now, enzyme activity is permanently blocked; even if all unattached inhibitor is removed. Aromatase enzyme activity can only be restored by new enzyme synthesis. Now, on the other hand, competitive inhibitors, called type II AI's, reversibly bind to the active enzyme site, and one of two things can happen: 1.) either no enzyme activity is triggered or 2.) the enzyme is somehow triggered without effect. The type II inhibitor can now actually disassociate from the binding site, eventually allowing renewed competition between the inhibitor and the substrate for binding to the site. This means that the effectiveness of competitive aromatase inhibitors depends on the relative concentrations and affinities of both the inhibitor and the substrate, while this is not so for noncompetitive inhibitors. Aromasin is a type-I inhibitor, meaning that once it has done its job, and deactivated the aromatase enzyme, we don't need it anymore. Letrozole and Arimidex actually need to remain present to continue their effects. This is possibly why Nolvadex does not alter the pharmacokinetics of Aromasin.

Conclusion

Before we close the book on Aromasin, it's worth noting that you can (and should) still use one of the non-steroidal AIs during your cycle to reduce estrogen, if necessary. When you are ready for PCT, you can then switch over to Aromasin and still experience the full effects of an AI, since there is no cross-over tolerance experienced between steroidal and non-steroidal AIs. Since Aromasin is about 65% efficient at suppressing estrogen (10), it's certainly a very powerful agent, especially considering you won't experience reduced effectiveness because of your concurrent use of Nolvadex or from any sort of tolerance developed by using other AIs on your cycle. There is also a decent amount of preclinical data suggesting that Aromasin has a beneficial effect on bone mineral metabolism that is not seen with non-steroidal agents, and it may also have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism that are not found in the non-steroidal Letro and A-dex.

Finally, as we're going to be using Nolvadex for PCT anyway, and we ought to be using an AI with it for maximum recovery…I think Aromasin- considering it's compatibility with Nolvadex and beneficial effects on bone mineral content and lipid profile, has finally stopped being the black sheep of AIs and found a home in our cycles.

By Anthony Roberts (Source: http://www.mesomorphosis.com)

WHO KNEW?

In a 16-page special report feature titled "Who Knew?" ESPN The Magazine reports on how steroids spread throughout baseball and how many of those closely involved with the game - executives, the players, the trainers, the media - watched it happen and looked the other way. The Magazine traces the arc of the steroids age in baseball from 1987-2005 through several principals: a trainer, a supplier, an FBI agent, a baseball executive, a writer, a doctor and four players.

The product of a six-month investigation, "Who Knew?" is told in four parts, each weaving together a series of scene-driven narratives: "Steroids Meet Baseball" (1987-1994), "The Tipping Point" (1994-1998), "Busting Out" (1998-2001) and "Crash and Burn" (2002-2005). The report reveals:

• MLB attempted to outlaw steroid use in 1991 and again in 1997, earlier than it has previously acknowledged addressing the issue.


• More than 20 Major League players were using anabolic steroids as early as 1991, according to a dealer who claims to have supplied them.


• In the mid-1990s, one bodybuilder turned spring training for a player on the Phillies into his personal chemistry experiment.


• In 1998, Wally Joyner asked Ken Caminiti to help him get steroids, and Caminiti supplied him with pills that Joyner ingested. He then regretted taking the pills and threw the rest away.


• Team doctors began trying to get information about the effects of supplements and steroids to players as early as 1997, but were repeatedly delayed by MLB and the Players Association, who felt more research was needed and didn't distribute such data until 2001.


• BALCO founder Victor Conte, in an exclusive analysis for The Magazine, has concluded that under MLB's current steroids policy, it is still remarkably easy for players to cheat.

"Who Knew?" was written and reported by Shaun Assael, Peter Keating, Buster Olney Amy K. Nelson and Tom Farrey, who collectively interviewed more than 150 subjects and examined hundreds of pages of documents.

This special report appears in the Nov. 21, 2005 issue of ESPN The Magazine, available on newsstands and on ESPN.com this Wednesday, November 9