Anavar (Oxandrolone)
Anavar is not your drug of choice when trying to build massive amounts of muscle or increase your strength to any significant degree. It’s more of a regular hammer compared to the other sledgehammers that you normally hear about. Anavar is an oral steroid with weak anabolic effects and very low androgenic effects. Gains are gradual and slow but the tradeoff with quicker acting drugs is that you are spared many of the androgenic side effects, namely bloating, of those drugs when using Anavar. Because of the low androgenic effects, this is a steroid preferred by women who want to reduce the risk of virilization when using. Anavar is a 17-alkylated drug, as are most orals, and shares the same potential liver toxicity as others do; therefore, cycles should be limited to the same range as most 17-alkylated drugs, about 4-6 weeks. Liver function tests will no doubt rise while on and drop back down to normal when off. Anavar doesn’t aromatize and isn’t converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dosages range from 15-150mg a day, although the upper number is the extreme end of the range, and most will stick with 50mg or under per day. Tabs are mostly 2.5mg, but occasionally you will find 5mg tabs to make getting the proper dose easier. This is also an expensive steroid, and other than for women, it probably doesn’t have much of a place in your arsenal if you’re looking for big gains. However, if you have the money and are looking for small but steady increases in muscle mass and/or want to be on something that perpetuates less of a bloat while cutting, Anavar may be a drug you can benefit from.
Deca-Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate)
Deca-Durabolin is one of the more famous, or infamous (however you view it) steroids in the world. Its popularity surged in the 80’s and 90’s as it has very few nasty side effects when compared with other steroids. However, the one side effect that it does have turns many off to its use. We’ll get to that little surprise in a bit.
Deca is an injectable steroid with a long half-life on the order of a week or so. Because of this, it is more suitable for long cycles and should be frontloaded to get your blood levels up quickly. If you’re going to be drug-tested anytime in the near future, you’ll want to stay away from Deca and its long half-life. So why do people use Deca? Well, first of all it works. Deca binds to the androgen receptors in muscle better than testosterone; however, it exhibits somewhat weaker activity in muscle building when compared to testosterone. This is no doubt due to its lack of non-AR mediated effects. In other words, testosterone exhibits activity through both the anabolic receptor and other mechanisms, while Deca probably derives most of its benefits solely through the anabolic receptor.
What separates Deca from others is what happens to it in the body. Testosterone is reduced to DHT by an enzyme called 5ά-reductase, which exhibits more androgenic activity than testosterone. Deca is reduced by that same enzyme to a compound called dihydronandrolone. This is a weaker androgen than Deca and affects your hairline, prostate, and your propensity for steroid-induced acne far less than the metabolites of other steroids. People typically see fewer of those side effects when on a cycle in which Deca is the foundation. Still, Deca can indeed be converted to estrogens by the liver, but it occurs at a much lower rate than testosterone. Gynecomastia is uncommon but possible. This is probably mediated by both the conversion to estrogens and by Deca’s activity as a progestin.
The one side effect that was mentioned earlier but not stated is, unfortunately, the one that keeps people away from this steroid. Known rather unaffectionately as “Deca Dick”, erectile dysfunction is an unfortunate side effect of using Deca only cycles. It happens relatively commonly, but the solution to this is actually very simple. You just have to add testosterone, and the magic begins again. Your dick will love you for it. The typical ratio is using twice as much testosterone as Deca, so if you were using 400mg of Deca, you would simply use 800mg of test. Simple but effective.
Why would you risk playing Mr. Limpy when you can use other steroids? Well, you certainly don’t have to and many people shy away from it, but Deca has its place. Gains are steady, but unspectacular. Having said that, if you ever have joint problems when on, Deca can be a God-send. Talk to one person who’s used it and has had previous joint problems, and you’ll probably find a convert. Deca apparently promotes the production of synovial fluid in our joints, providing nice lubrication that many seem to lack. For that purpose, it’s probably a good drug to use while rehabbing injuries; that is, if you decide to use while recovering.
Typical doses are 200-600mg a week, and this can all be injected at once (with a frontload of twice that dose on the first week) due to the long half-life.
Dianabol (Methandrostenolone)
Now we get to a sledgehammer. Dianabol (D-bol) has been increasing people’s muscle mass and strength in huge amounts for many, many years now. Its popularity seems as big as ever these days, despite the fact that it’s one of the older steroids out there. Why mess with a good thing?
Dianabol is a 17-alkylated oral steroid with strong anabolic properties and fairly strong androgenic properties. As such, it produces very good muscle mass and strength increases, and has the potential for numerous and common side effects to occur. The actual mechanism of action for Dianabol is likely to be non-AR mediated, as it is a fairly weak activator of the AR. Stacking it with a steroid that has predominantly or strong AR mediated activity would tend to produce a synergistic effect rather than an additive one and should be the preferred method of use.
Any number of side effects from aromatization to estrogens, conversion to DHT, and the mere fact that it is 17-alkylated, are possible when using Dianabol. This includes worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, gynecomastia, bloating/water retention, elevation of liver enzymes, elevation of blood pressure, increased aggression, etc. Most of this can be avoided by using an aromatase inhibitor and by keeping your cycles short. The elevated liver enzymes and high blood pressure both tend to trend back down to normal after the cycle is terminated.
"D-bol pumps" are known to be both famous and infamous. Granted, they're pretty cool when working out your chest or arms, but can be excruciating when attempting to deadlift and/or squat due to the intense pump in the lower back region.
Typical doses are 20-50mg per day. The half-life of Dianabol is around 4-6 hours, so the most optimal dosing strategy is to divide up your daily dose into 4 or so smaller doses taken throughout the day. Cycles should be limited to 4-6 weeks to minimize potential liver toxicity.
Equipoise (Boldenone undecylenate)
Equipoise (EQ) is often associated with and compared to Deca in its activity and effects. EQ is an injectable veterinary steroid that exhibits moderately strong anabolic and somewhat weaker androgenic properties. Yes, it’s a drug produced strictly for veterinarians to give to animals, but that hasn’t stopped people from using that version. There is also underground production of EQ by steroid bootleggers for human use.
Much of what can be said of Deca can also be said of EQ. Gains are slow and steady with relatively few side effects. Erectile dysfunction doesn’t seem to be reported like with Deca use, nor does the joint protection seem to carry over to EQ. EQ is generally less expensive than Deca and some seem to think that it works a bit better. If joint problems aren’t an issue with you, you could probably substitute EQ for Deca in any cycle without missing much, and you may actually gain a bit.
The one side effect that seems to be most associated with Equipoise is polycythemia, or an increase in red blood cell production. This actually happens with almost all AAS, but it seems to be more pronounced with EQ. This can cause a rise in blood pressure and can manifest itself as more outward appearing vascularity, which is so coveted by lean bodybuilders. Again, this goes away when you come off your cycle.
Other side effects include increased aggression, acne, and worsening of male pattern baldness. Are we sensing a trend here, people?
A typical dose is about the same as Deca, 200-600mg a week. It can also be injected once a week with a proper frontload, and it can be detected for months, so it’s a no-no for drug-tested individuals.
Finaplix (Trenbolone acetate)
As you can see, most steroids tend to go by their most popular brand name. Trenbolone is one exception. It’s almost universally referred to as tren and is our second sledgehammer on the list. Tren is another veterinary steroid, but it was once made for human use and has been since discontinued. Luckily, that hasn’t stopped its use or production by bootleggers. The only caveat that I’ll mention is that it’s an injectable drug, but it’s produced in pellets that are injected under the skin of cattle, so it must be converted to an oil-based product before it can be used by humans. How to do that is readily available on the internet and can be found with a simple search.
So why am I calling this one a sledgehammer? Well, tren is a strongly androgenic drug (with good binding to the AR) with good anabolic properties that is not reduced by 5ά-reductase and does not aromatize. In other words, you are able to enjoy the good effects of the drug without having to worry as much about many of the side effects of others. It is commonly reported that tren is “toxic to the kidneys”, but this seems to be more of an old myth that will not die than fact. There is nothing special about tren that makes it anymore nephrotoxic than any other steroid. There are also reports of erectile dysfunction similar to Deca, but it’s reported to a much lower degree. Use with testosterone should greatly decrease this potential side effect.
Strength gains are simply amazing with tren, and the average user will notice them almost right away. Muscle gains are a bit slower to come, but happen moderately well without excessive bloat. Because of this and its very good androgenic activity, many people use tren when dieting with very good muscle sparing effects. Almost any cycle, including mass/strength or cutting, could benefit by including tren.
The half life of tren is on the order of a day or two, so it’s best used every day (ED) or every other day (EOD), and there is no need for a frontload. A typical dose would be 50-75mg ED or 100-150mg EOD.
Primobolan (Methenolone acetate)
Primobolan (Primo) comes most often in two forms, an injectable called Primobolan Depot and an oral form. The oral form is difficult to find these days, so the following discussion is solely about Primobolan Depot.
Primo has a reputation for being one of the “safer” steroids around. It is mildly anabolic and has very little androgenic activity, making it another good choice for women or for men who are dieting. Another common use for Primo is as a “bridge” between cycles of AAS. It’s used this way because it causes less suppression of the body’s natural testosterone production, so one can still be “on” while trying to recover from a more intensive cycle.
Gains are slow if you’re using it for building lean mass, but it comes without bloat. The muscle you do accumulate using Primo usually isn't the kind that goes away when you terminate your cycle. Its best use is probably for preserving muscle while dieting, and this is more commonly what it’s used for. Primo is also a good activator of the AR, so it should ideally be stacked with a steroid that has predominantly non-AR mediated effects.
Side effects are minimal to none as Primo does not aromatize and is not reduced to DHT. If anything at all is noticed, it may be slight hair loss in those prone to male pattern baldness and some acne. If doses are kept at a reasonable level, there is little chance of having major side effects from Primo. As with most drugs, sides are dose dependant.
The half-life of Primo is 6-7 days, so most will inject about once a week. A typical dose range is 200-600mg per week. Women typically use 50-100mg per week.
Winstrol (Stanozolol)
Winstrol (Winny) is another steroid that comes in both an oral and an injectable form, however both are readily available, so we’ll discuss both. The oral form is simply known as Winstrol, while the injectable form is commonly known as Winstrol V.
Winstrol is a 17-alkylated steroid (both oral and injectable versions) that exhibits weak androgenic activity and mild anabolic activity. As with others with these characteristics, muscle accrued using Winstrol is done so without much bloat, but it comes at the price of being rather slow when used alone. Winstrol also does not aromatize, so gynecomastia by that mechanism does not happen.
As stated before, muscle gains when using Winstrol alone are slow to occur, but when stacked with other steroids, it may produce a synergistic effect. This is thought to occur because Winstrol reduces sex hormone binding globulin, a protein that binds free androgens in the blood and keeps them from exerting their effects. When SHBG is reduced, you have more free steroid to act on the appropriate tissues.
Winstrol is a 17-alkylated compound, so liver toxicity is a potential issue with chronic use. Cycles should be limited to 4-6 weeks as with other 17-alkylated steroids. The half-life is hard to pin down for the injectable as Winstrol is not oil-based. It is simply a crystallized drug suspended in an aqueous solution. After being injected, it dissolves and is absorbed, rather than simply being slowly absorbed as oil-based drugs do. The most common use is everyday, and doses range from 10-25mg per day for the oral form and 25-50mg per day for the injectable.
Well, that about covers the vast majority of what you need to know about the most common and useful steroids other than testosterone (which we covered in Part II). In the next part of the series, we’ll go over a couple more that have more specific uses, and we’ll cover all the ancillary drugs needed to keep side effects to a minimum. There’s no need to have big muscles and big breasts at the same time! I highly encourage you to go find more sources and read, read, read. By the time we’re done with this series, you’ll know all you need to construct your own effective and safe cycles.
Ok guys, in the last two parts of this article series, we covered what I believe should be 99% of the anabolic steroids you'll ever need to achieve your goals. If you're looking to be Mr. Olympia, then that may not apply, but most of the rest of us will do quite well with those already covered. Another group that was included previously is the athlete/powerlifter, who is more concerned with performance than physique changes. In this article, I'll cover a couple of steroids that may be useful to those guys, and we'll also go over all the basics of ancillary drug use to minimize those nasty side effects that some AAS can cause.
Anadrol (Oxymetholone)
To be honest, I almost put Anadrol in the third part of this series with other commonly used bodybuilding steroids, as it's often used in that manner. Putting it here is probably showing my personal bias in not liking it much when compared to other orals such as Dianabol. In keeping with my KISS approach to steroid cycles, I'd avoid it for bodybuilding purposes, but it may have a place in strength athlete or powerlifters' arsenal. We'll get to why that is in just a bit.
Anadrol, sometimes referred to as "A-bombs", is a 17-alkylated oral steroid that is very similar in action to Dianabol. It's strongly androgenic and moderately anabolic. It seems to work primarily through non-androgen receptor mediated mechanisms as it's been shown to have poor affinity for the androgen receptor. If you're going to use it for bodybuilding purposes, it would best be stacked with a stronger activator of the androgen receptor for a synergistic effect.
Like Dianabol, Anadrol causes a good deal of strength gains along with gains in muscle mass. Both can cause similar side effects, such as liver toxicity because of the 17-alkylation. For that reason, cycles are best kept short (4-6 weeks normally) and liver protective agents should be used throughout (milk thistle, r-ala). One major difference is that Anadrol does not aromatize to estrogen products, but it can cause gynecomastia. Not making sense? Well, gynecomastia is commonly known as a side effect of increased estrogen, but it can also be cause by drugs that are progestagenic, or similar to the female hormone progesterone. Gynecomastia caused by progestagenic drugs does not respond to anti-estrogens, both in prevention and in treatment. Interestingly, it has been noted that Anadrol doesn't tend to cause gynecomastia in the presence of non-aromatizing drugs, but does so when stacked with drugs that can aromatize. The mechanism behind this is unclear at the moment, but it is likely a non-progestagenic mechanism in addition to the inherent progestagenic properties of Anadrol.
So why do I classify this as a "performance" drug rather than a bodybuilding drug? It's mostly just my opinion. Honestly, you could use it for bodybuilding purposes as well, but I think Dianabol is a better choice, as it tends to give the same effects with fewer side effects. Anadrol also has a reputation among some for increasing aggression in the user, even more so than anything we've talked about so far. This is particularly useful to those in the martial arts, strength competitors, and powerlifters. The same increased aggression that may get the rest of us in trouble may help these individuals psych themselves up for whatever it is they're doing.
Typical dosages are 25-150mg per day, usually divided into several doses much like Dianabol. Side effects mirror those of Dianabol as well, including worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, bloating/water retention, elevation of liver enzymes, and elevation of blood pressure in addition to the side effects we've already spoken of.
Halotestin (Fluoxymesterone)
So, speaking of aggression, we come to Halotestin which may be near the top of aggression producing AAS. In fact, I would never recommend Halotestin to a bodybuilder, as it has numerous side effects and, as stated before with Anadrol, you can get the same wanted effects with Dianabol.
Halotestin is a 17-alkylated oral steroid that is strongly androgenic with mild to moderate anabolic properties. It is another drug that does not aromatize, so anti-estrogens are not needed if used alone. It is, however, strongly reduced by 5-alpha reductase, and the effects are seen in those tissues that contain the majority of that enzyme, namely the scalp, skin, and prostate. Knowing that, one should expect worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, and prostate hypertrophy as predominant side effects. Others include those associated with all strongly androgenic AAS, including elevation of blood pressure, water retention, and increased aggression. Like Anadrol, Halotestin is often taken merely for the aggression increasing effects by performance athletes.
All of this comes at a price, of course. As with any 17-alkylated drug, elevation of liver enzymes and potential liver toxicity are potential side effects. This seems even more pronounced with Halotestin. As such, cycles should be kept to roughly 4-6 weeks with adequate liver protective agents being taken throughout. Typical dosages are 10-40mg per day.
Ancillaries
There is much debate these days about ancillary drugs and their use during a cycle, but like everything else I'm presenting to you, I'll keep it simple. Minutia can be covered later, as 99% of what you need to know is the basics. What's worked for loads of people over the years isn't going to change because of what some guru says on the internet. With that, let's get to the nuts and bolts of ancillary drugs.
Anavar is not your drug of choice when trying to build massive amounts of muscle or increase your strength to any significant degree. It’s more of a regular hammer compared to the other sledgehammers that you normally hear about. Anavar is an oral steroid with weak anabolic effects and very low androgenic effects. Gains are gradual and slow but the tradeoff with quicker acting drugs is that you are spared many of the androgenic side effects, namely bloating, of those drugs when using Anavar. Because of the low androgenic effects, this is a steroid preferred by women who want to reduce the risk of virilization when using. Anavar is a 17-alkylated drug, as are most orals, and shares the same potential liver toxicity as others do; therefore, cycles should be limited to the same range as most 17-alkylated drugs, about 4-6 weeks. Liver function tests will no doubt rise while on and drop back down to normal when off. Anavar doesn’t aromatize and isn’t converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dosages range from 15-150mg a day, although the upper number is the extreme end of the range, and most will stick with 50mg or under per day. Tabs are mostly 2.5mg, but occasionally you will find 5mg tabs to make getting the proper dose easier. This is also an expensive steroid, and other than for women, it probably doesn’t have much of a place in your arsenal if you’re looking for big gains. However, if you have the money and are looking for small but steady increases in muscle mass and/or want to be on something that perpetuates less of a bloat while cutting, Anavar may be a drug you can benefit from.
Deca-Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate)
Deca-Durabolin is one of the more famous, or infamous (however you view it) steroids in the world. Its popularity surged in the 80’s and 90’s as it has very few nasty side effects when compared with other steroids. However, the one side effect that it does have turns many off to its use. We’ll get to that little surprise in a bit.
Deca is an injectable steroid with a long half-life on the order of a week or so. Because of this, it is more suitable for long cycles and should be frontloaded to get your blood levels up quickly. If you’re going to be drug-tested anytime in the near future, you’ll want to stay away from Deca and its long half-life. So why do people use Deca? Well, first of all it works. Deca binds to the androgen receptors in muscle better than testosterone; however, it exhibits somewhat weaker activity in muscle building when compared to testosterone. This is no doubt due to its lack of non-AR mediated effects. In other words, testosterone exhibits activity through both the anabolic receptor and other mechanisms, while Deca probably derives most of its benefits solely through the anabolic receptor.
What separates Deca from others is what happens to it in the body. Testosterone is reduced to DHT by an enzyme called 5ά-reductase, which exhibits more androgenic activity than testosterone. Deca is reduced by that same enzyme to a compound called dihydronandrolone. This is a weaker androgen than Deca and affects your hairline, prostate, and your propensity for steroid-induced acne far less than the metabolites of other steroids. People typically see fewer of those side effects when on a cycle in which Deca is the foundation. Still, Deca can indeed be converted to estrogens by the liver, but it occurs at a much lower rate than testosterone. Gynecomastia is uncommon but possible. This is probably mediated by both the conversion to estrogens and by Deca’s activity as a progestin.
The one side effect that was mentioned earlier but not stated is, unfortunately, the one that keeps people away from this steroid. Known rather unaffectionately as “Deca Dick”, erectile dysfunction is an unfortunate side effect of using Deca only cycles. It happens relatively commonly, but the solution to this is actually very simple. You just have to add testosterone, and the magic begins again. Your dick will love you for it. The typical ratio is using twice as much testosterone as Deca, so if you were using 400mg of Deca, you would simply use 800mg of test. Simple but effective.
Why would you risk playing Mr. Limpy when you can use other steroids? Well, you certainly don’t have to and many people shy away from it, but Deca has its place. Gains are steady, but unspectacular. Having said that, if you ever have joint problems when on, Deca can be a God-send. Talk to one person who’s used it and has had previous joint problems, and you’ll probably find a convert. Deca apparently promotes the production of synovial fluid in our joints, providing nice lubrication that many seem to lack. For that purpose, it’s probably a good drug to use while rehabbing injuries; that is, if you decide to use while recovering.
Typical doses are 200-600mg a week, and this can all be injected at once (with a frontload of twice that dose on the first week) due to the long half-life.
Dianabol (Methandrostenolone)
Now we get to a sledgehammer. Dianabol (D-bol) has been increasing people’s muscle mass and strength in huge amounts for many, many years now. Its popularity seems as big as ever these days, despite the fact that it’s one of the older steroids out there. Why mess with a good thing?
Dianabol is a 17-alkylated oral steroid with strong anabolic properties and fairly strong androgenic properties. As such, it produces very good muscle mass and strength increases, and has the potential for numerous and common side effects to occur. The actual mechanism of action for Dianabol is likely to be non-AR mediated, as it is a fairly weak activator of the AR. Stacking it with a steroid that has predominantly or strong AR mediated activity would tend to produce a synergistic effect rather than an additive one and should be the preferred method of use.
Any number of side effects from aromatization to estrogens, conversion to DHT, and the mere fact that it is 17-alkylated, are possible when using Dianabol. This includes worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, gynecomastia, bloating/water retention, elevation of liver enzymes, elevation of blood pressure, increased aggression, etc. Most of this can be avoided by using an aromatase inhibitor and by keeping your cycles short. The elevated liver enzymes and high blood pressure both tend to trend back down to normal after the cycle is terminated.
"D-bol pumps" are known to be both famous and infamous. Granted, they're pretty cool when working out your chest or arms, but can be excruciating when attempting to deadlift and/or squat due to the intense pump in the lower back region.
Typical doses are 20-50mg per day. The half-life of Dianabol is around 4-6 hours, so the most optimal dosing strategy is to divide up your daily dose into 4 or so smaller doses taken throughout the day. Cycles should be limited to 4-6 weeks to minimize potential liver toxicity.
Equipoise (Boldenone undecylenate)
Equipoise (EQ) is often associated with and compared to Deca in its activity and effects. EQ is an injectable veterinary steroid that exhibits moderately strong anabolic and somewhat weaker androgenic properties. Yes, it’s a drug produced strictly for veterinarians to give to animals, but that hasn’t stopped people from using that version. There is also underground production of EQ by steroid bootleggers for human use.
Much of what can be said of Deca can also be said of EQ. Gains are slow and steady with relatively few side effects. Erectile dysfunction doesn’t seem to be reported like with Deca use, nor does the joint protection seem to carry over to EQ. EQ is generally less expensive than Deca and some seem to think that it works a bit better. If joint problems aren’t an issue with you, you could probably substitute EQ for Deca in any cycle without missing much, and you may actually gain a bit.
The one side effect that seems to be most associated with Equipoise is polycythemia, or an increase in red blood cell production. This actually happens with almost all AAS, but it seems to be more pronounced with EQ. This can cause a rise in blood pressure and can manifest itself as more outward appearing vascularity, which is so coveted by lean bodybuilders. Again, this goes away when you come off your cycle.
Other side effects include increased aggression, acne, and worsening of male pattern baldness. Are we sensing a trend here, people?
A typical dose is about the same as Deca, 200-600mg a week. It can also be injected once a week with a proper frontload, and it can be detected for months, so it’s a no-no for drug-tested individuals.
Finaplix (Trenbolone acetate)
As you can see, most steroids tend to go by their most popular brand name. Trenbolone is one exception. It’s almost universally referred to as tren and is our second sledgehammer on the list. Tren is another veterinary steroid, but it was once made for human use and has been since discontinued. Luckily, that hasn’t stopped its use or production by bootleggers. The only caveat that I’ll mention is that it’s an injectable drug, but it’s produced in pellets that are injected under the skin of cattle, so it must be converted to an oil-based product before it can be used by humans. How to do that is readily available on the internet and can be found with a simple search.
So why am I calling this one a sledgehammer? Well, tren is a strongly androgenic drug (with good binding to the AR) with good anabolic properties that is not reduced by 5ά-reductase and does not aromatize. In other words, you are able to enjoy the good effects of the drug without having to worry as much about many of the side effects of others. It is commonly reported that tren is “toxic to the kidneys”, but this seems to be more of an old myth that will not die than fact. There is nothing special about tren that makes it anymore nephrotoxic than any other steroid. There are also reports of erectile dysfunction similar to Deca, but it’s reported to a much lower degree. Use with testosterone should greatly decrease this potential side effect.
Strength gains are simply amazing with tren, and the average user will notice them almost right away. Muscle gains are a bit slower to come, but happen moderately well without excessive bloat. Because of this and its very good androgenic activity, many people use tren when dieting with very good muscle sparing effects. Almost any cycle, including mass/strength or cutting, could benefit by including tren.
The half life of tren is on the order of a day or two, so it’s best used every day (ED) or every other day (EOD), and there is no need for a frontload. A typical dose would be 50-75mg ED or 100-150mg EOD.
Primobolan (Methenolone acetate)
Primobolan (Primo) comes most often in two forms, an injectable called Primobolan Depot and an oral form. The oral form is difficult to find these days, so the following discussion is solely about Primobolan Depot.
Primo has a reputation for being one of the “safer” steroids around. It is mildly anabolic and has very little androgenic activity, making it another good choice for women or for men who are dieting. Another common use for Primo is as a “bridge” between cycles of AAS. It’s used this way because it causes less suppression of the body’s natural testosterone production, so one can still be “on” while trying to recover from a more intensive cycle.
Gains are slow if you’re using it for building lean mass, but it comes without bloat. The muscle you do accumulate using Primo usually isn't the kind that goes away when you terminate your cycle. Its best use is probably for preserving muscle while dieting, and this is more commonly what it’s used for. Primo is also a good activator of the AR, so it should ideally be stacked with a steroid that has predominantly non-AR mediated effects.
Side effects are minimal to none as Primo does not aromatize and is not reduced to DHT. If anything at all is noticed, it may be slight hair loss in those prone to male pattern baldness and some acne. If doses are kept at a reasonable level, there is little chance of having major side effects from Primo. As with most drugs, sides are dose dependant.
The half-life of Primo is 6-7 days, so most will inject about once a week. A typical dose range is 200-600mg per week. Women typically use 50-100mg per week.
Winstrol (Stanozolol)
Winstrol (Winny) is another steroid that comes in both an oral and an injectable form, however both are readily available, so we’ll discuss both. The oral form is simply known as Winstrol, while the injectable form is commonly known as Winstrol V.
Winstrol is a 17-alkylated steroid (both oral and injectable versions) that exhibits weak androgenic activity and mild anabolic activity. As with others with these characteristics, muscle accrued using Winstrol is done so without much bloat, but it comes at the price of being rather slow when used alone. Winstrol also does not aromatize, so gynecomastia by that mechanism does not happen.
As stated before, muscle gains when using Winstrol alone are slow to occur, but when stacked with other steroids, it may produce a synergistic effect. This is thought to occur because Winstrol reduces sex hormone binding globulin, a protein that binds free androgens in the blood and keeps them from exerting their effects. When SHBG is reduced, you have more free steroid to act on the appropriate tissues.
Winstrol is a 17-alkylated compound, so liver toxicity is a potential issue with chronic use. Cycles should be limited to 4-6 weeks as with other 17-alkylated steroids. The half-life is hard to pin down for the injectable as Winstrol is not oil-based. It is simply a crystallized drug suspended in an aqueous solution. After being injected, it dissolves and is absorbed, rather than simply being slowly absorbed as oil-based drugs do. The most common use is everyday, and doses range from 10-25mg per day for the oral form and 25-50mg per day for the injectable.
Well, that about covers the vast majority of what you need to know about the most common and useful steroids other than testosterone (which we covered in Part II). In the next part of the series, we’ll go over a couple more that have more specific uses, and we’ll cover all the ancillary drugs needed to keep side effects to a minimum. There’s no need to have big muscles and big breasts at the same time! I highly encourage you to go find more sources and read, read, read. By the time we’re done with this series, you’ll know all you need to construct your own effective and safe cycles.
Ok guys, in the last two parts of this article series, we covered what I believe should be 99% of the anabolic steroids you'll ever need to achieve your goals. If you're looking to be Mr. Olympia, then that may not apply, but most of the rest of us will do quite well with those already covered. Another group that was included previously is the athlete/powerlifter, who is more concerned with performance than physique changes. In this article, I'll cover a couple of steroids that may be useful to those guys, and we'll also go over all the basics of ancillary drug use to minimize those nasty side effects that some AAS can cause.
Anadrol (Oxymetholone)
To be honest, I almost put Anadrol in the third part of this series with other commonly used bodybuilding steroids, as it's often used in that manner. Putting it here is probably showing my personal bias in not liking it much when compared to other orals such as Dianabol. In keeping with my KISS approach to steroid cycles, I'd avoid it for bodybuilding purposes, but it may have a place in strength athlete or powerlifters' arsenal. We'll get to why that is in just a bit.
Anadrol, sometimes referred to as "A-bombs", is a 17-alkylated oral steroid that is very similar in action to Dianabol. It's strongly androgenic and moderately anabolic. It seems to work primarily through non-androgen receptor mediated mechanisms as it's been shown to have poor affinity for the androgen receptor. If you're going to use it for bodybuilding purposes, it would best be stacked with a stronger activator of the androgen receptor for a synergistic effect.
Like Dianabol, Anadrol causes a good deal of strength gains along with gains in muscle mass. Both can cause similar side effects, such as liver toxicity because of the 17-alkylation. For that reason, cycles are best kept short (4-6 weeks normally) and liver protective agents should be used throughout (milk thistle, r-ala). One major difference is that Anadrol does not aromatize to estrogen products, but it can cause gynecomastia. Not making sense? Well, gynecomastia is commonly known as a side effect of increased estrogen, but it can also be cause by drugs that are progestagenic, or similar to the female hormone progesterone. Gynecomastia caused by progestagenic drugs does not respond to anti-estrogens, both in prevention and in treatment. Interestingly, it has been noted that Anadrol doesn't tend to cause gynecomastia in the presence of non-aromatizing drugs, but does so when stacked with drugs that can aromatize. The mechanism behind this is unclear at the moment, but it is likely a non-progestagenic mechanism in addition to the inherent progestagenic properties of Anadrol.
So why do I classify this as a "performance" drug rather than a bodybuilding drug? It's mostly just my opinion. Honestly, you could use it for bodybuilding purposes as well, but I think Dianabol is a better choice, as it tends to give the same effects with fewer side effects. Anadrol also has a reputation among some for increasing aggression in the user, even more so than anything we've talked about so far. This is particularly useful to those in the martial arts, strength competitors, and powerlifters. The same increased aggression that may get the rest of us in trouble may help these individuals psych themselves up for whatever it is they're doing.
Typical dosages are 25-150mg per day, usually divided into several doses much like Dianabol. Side effects mirror those of Dianabol as well, including worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, bloating/water retention, elevation of liver enzymes, and elevation of blood pressure in addition to the side effects we've already spoken of.
Halotestin (Fluoxymesterone)
So, speaking of aggression, we come to Halotestin which may be near the top of aggression producing AAS. In fact, I would never recommend Halotestin to a bodybuilder, as it has numerous side effects and, as stated before with Anadrol, you can get the same wanted effects with Dianabol.
Halotestin is a 17-alkylated oral steroid that is strongly androgenic with mild to moderate anabolic properties. It is another drug that does not aromatize, so anti-estrogens are not needed if used alone. It is, however, strongly reduced by 5-alpha reductase, and the effects are seen in those tissues that contain the majority of that enzyme, namely the scalp, skin, and prostate. Knowing that, one should expect worsening of male pattern baldness, acne, and prostate hypertrophy as predominant side effects. Others include those associated with all strongly androgenic AAS, including elevation of blood pressure, water retention, and increased aggression. Like Anadrol, Halotestin is often taken merely for the aggression increasing effects by performance athletes.
All of this comes at a price, of course. As with any 17-alkylated drug, elevation of liver enzymes and potential liver toxicity are potential side effects. This seems even more pronounced with Halotestin. As such, cycles should be kept to roughly 4-6 weeks with adequate liver protective agents being taken throughout. Typical dosages are 10-40mg per day.
Ancillaries
There is much debate these days about ancillary drugs and their use during a cycle, but like everything else I'm presenting to you, I'll keep it simple. Minutia can be covered later, as 99% of what you need to know is the basics. What's worked for loads of people over the years isn't going to change because of what some guru says on the internet. With that, let's get to the nuts and bolts of ancillary drugs.
