Anabolic Steroid Blog. InfoFitness.Net

3 Most Popular Steroids
The three most popular steroids are following:
- Dianabol (Methandienone)
- Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate)
- Winstrol (Stanozolol)

1. Dianabol:
Methandienone (Methandrostenolone) or also known as Dianabol/D-bol is considered the grandfather of all anabolic steroids, and most bodybuilders who have used steroids got their first start with Dianabol. The compound was originally formulated by Dr. John Ziegler and released by the Ciba Corporation in the late 1950’s. Dr. Ziegler developed this steroid after talking to some Russian weightlifting coaches after the Russian weightlifters suddenly started dominating the sport in the early 1950’s.
Dianabol was all the hype in gyms during the 1970’s. In fact numerous stories are still told of the little blue tablets being sold at the main counters in the bigger bodybuilding gyms. Dianabol is probably the most popular steroid ever created and most pro bodybuilders, like Arnold, who are willing to talk, have admitted to using it as a main steroid in their cycles.
Ironically, It’s popularity was also the key to it’s downfall. During the 1980’s, Ciba discontinued the original D-bol when the FDA decided that its therapeutic uses were minimal compared to the common use by bodybuilders and the dosages that some bodybuilders were taking. But generic methandrostenolone has never been out of production. It’s reported that the Russians became quite fond of Dianaboll and that’s why “Russian D-bol” is now still one of the popular versions Dianabol on the black-market. However, most commonly used version today and most available is Methanabol from British Dragon, a Thailand underground production.
Dianabol is without a doubt one of the most effective steroids for bodybuilders and other athletes trying to gain on the high amount of muscle mass in the shortest time possible. Users usually report muscle weight gains of 2 to 4 pounds per week. It’s much desired effects are
- drastic increase in protein synthesis
- enhancement of glycogenolysis (restores glycogen stores after training)
- strength stimulation in a very direct and fast-acting way
The drug is not recommended for people in aerobic events, as there is some evidence to suggest that it may diminish cell respiration. Dianabol is often used at the beginning of steroid cycles which also contain injectables since the effects produced by injectables usually take 10-15 days to get noticed. But the effects of Dianabol are immediate.

The average dosage used by bodybuilders is 15-40mg/day (three to eight, 5mg tablets). Beginners do not need more than 15-20mg per day since their steroid receptors have not been exposed to the drug before and will experience dramatic results using small dosages over a 6 to 8 week period. When the effects begin to slow down (mostly because the steroid receptors have become saturated), and the individual wants to continue the cycle, the dosage should NOT be increased. Instead an injectable such as Deca-Durabolin or Primabolan may be added to the cycle.

2. Deca Durabolin:
With the possible exception of Dianabol, Deca-Durabolin is probably the most popular steroid available. Although most sources of Deca available are marketed under the generic name nandrolone decanoate, most bodybuilders still use the trade name Deca, which first became famous by the Organon Company. It’s huge popularity can be linked to its outstanding muscle building effects and relative lack of side effects. Bodybuilders place it very high on the cost-benefit scale of performance enhancing drugs.
Deca Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate) works by causing the muscle cells to increase retention of the nitrogen. This is what’s called positive nitrogen balance. A positive nitrogen balance is needed for increased muscle growth because muscle cells use nitrogen to promote muscle tissue synthesis. Bodybuilders have discovered that for Deca to work most effectively they must eat a sufficient amount of protein with their diet.
Although bodybuilders have been known to do crazy things with their cycles, most users take between 200 and 600 mg/week of Deca. Many users have discovered that an intake of 2-mg per pound of body weight, seems to provide the best gains with the fewest side effects possible. Those who take less than 200 mg/week usually only report slight anabolic effects. On the other hand, those who throw caution to the wind and inject 1000mg/week or more report great muscle gains accompanied by noticeable side effects. Most users experience great results by taking an average of 400 mg/week.
Most users don’t just use one steroid, but they combine multiple drugs into groups called stacks and use it during a time period, called cycles. One of the most popular mass-gaining stacks consists of Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol and a testosterone derivative. For example bodybuilders report a phenomenal gain in muscle size and strength when they take 400 mg Deca/week, 30 mg Dianabol/day, and 500 mg of Sustanon/week.
If Deca Durabolin has one big disadvantage for competitive athletes it’s that the drug is one of the easiest to detect in drug tests. Unlike some steroids that will be eliminated from the body within a few weeks or even days, the metabolites (breakdown products) for Deca can be traced back as far as 18 months from the last usage. Some users have reported being caught after two years of being off the steroids. So despite its popularity among noncompetitive and non-drug-tested athletes Deca is usually not used by those who know they will be subjected to a drug test.
Even those who take so-called “natural steroid replacers” are at risk for being caught in a drug test as one of the main ingredients in many steroid replacers is nandrolone.

3. Winstrol:
Winstrol (generic name Stanozolol), also known as Winstrol V or Winny, is one of the most popular anabolic steroids currently available and ranks right up there with Dianabol and Deca Durabolin in status when bodybuilders buy anabolic steroids. The number of high-profile positive drug tests involving Stanozolol will give some idea of its popularity. Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson, went from national hero to social leper after testing positive for Stanozolol after blowing away everyone in the 100-meter sprint at the 1988 Olympics. During the IFBB’s short-lived drug testing attempt at the 1990 Arnold Classic, the winner, Shawn Ray, and Canadian pro, Nimrod King, tested positive for Stanozolol. The reason for its popularity is simple - effectiveness and relative safety. Winstrol is a very safe and effective steroid - considering it is used correctly.
We have distinguished between the two versions of Stanozolol that bodybuilders use in their cycles today. Injectable Stanozolol is reportedly more effective than the oral form. One unique characteristic about the Injectable form is that unlike most other steroids, which are usually dissolved in oil, Stanozolol is dissolved in water, which means that the frequency of injection for Stanozolol can be much higher than oil-based steroids. Those steroids dissolved in water must be injected at least every second day, but the best results are usually seen when the injections are daily.
Winstrol (Stanozolol) is one of the favorite steroids with pre-contest bodybuilders because it doesn’t aromatize into estrogens and cause water retention and other side effects. Injectable Winstrol is reported to give the muscles a harder and more vascular appearance as well as speed up the oxidation rate (burning) of fat. Stanozolol is usually not used alone during the pre-competition period as its low androgenic components make it weak for preserving muscle mass. For this reason many bodybuilders stack it with another steroid such as Parabolan, Primobolan, or Deca Durabolin. Because of the low toxicity levels, higher dosages can be used and it’s also good for women. Men should take 20-50mg daily and women should not go over 20mg daily.
There are many fake steroids on the black market today, however real injectable Winstrol is easily recognized. Unlike most Injectable steroids which come in small bottles, Stanozolol comes in glass ampoules containing a milky, white, watery solution, which if not shaken for a period of time shows separation of the drug crystals and water. Faking all this and the ampoules is extremely difficult to do.
Because it should be injected every day or every second day, Winstrol can be one of the more expensive anabolic steroids to use. All those injections may also result in scar tissue developing at the injection sites. It’s because of this that many bodybuilders have adopted a sort of “round the clock” pattern of injecting the steroid. This means they rotate injections between their glutes, calves, shoulders, arms, and legs.

History

Performance enhancing substances have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine by societies around the world, with the aim of promoting vitality and strength. In particular, the use of steroid hormones pre-dates their identification and isolation: medical use of testicle extract began in the late 19th century, and its effects on strength were also studied then. In 1889, the 72-year-old British neurologist Charles-Г‰douard Brown-SГ©quard injected himself with an extract of dog and guinea pig testicles, and reported at a scientific meeting that these injections had led to a variety of beneficial effects.
The development of modern pharmaceutical anabolic steroids can be traced back to 1931 when Adolf Butenandt, a chemist in Marburg, obtained 15 milligrams of the male hormone androstenone from tens of thousands of liters of urine. This hormone was synthesized in 1934 by Leopold Ruzicka, a chemist in Zurich. It was already known that the testes contained a more powerful androgen than androstenone, and three groups of scientists, funded by competing pharmaceutical companies in The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, raced to isolate it.
This testicular hormone was first identified by Karoly Gyula David, E. Dingemanse, J. Freud and Ernst Laqueur in a May 1935 paper “On Crystalline Male Hormone from Testicles (Testosterone).” They named the hormone testosterone, from the stems of testicle and sterol, and the suffix of ketone. The chemical synthesis of testosterone was achieved in August that year, when Butenandt and G. Hanisch published a paper describing “A Method for Preparing Testosterone from Cholesterol.” Only a week later, the third group, Ruzicka and A. Wettstein, announced a patent application in a paper “On the Artificial Preparation of the Testicular Hormone Testosterone (Androsten-3-one-17-ol).” Ruzicka and Butenandt were offered the 1939 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for their work, but the Nazi government forced Butenandt to decline the honor.
Clinical trials on humans, involving either oral doses of methyl testosterone or injections of testosterone propionate, began as early as 1937. Testosterone propionate is mentioned in a letter to the editor of Strength and Health magazine in 1938; this is the earliest known reference to an anabolic steroid in a U.S. weightlifting or bodybuilding magazine.
During the Second World War, German scientists synthesized other anabolic steroids, and experimented on concentration camp inmates and prisoners of war in an attempt to treat chronic wasting. They also experimented on German soldiers, hoping to increase their aggression. Adolf Hitler himself, according to his physician, was injected with testosterone derivatives to treat various ailments. The development of muscle-building properties of testosterone was pursued in the 1940s, in the Soviet Union and in Eastern Bloc countries such as East Germany, where steroid programs were used to enhance the performance of Olympic and amateur weight lifters. In response to the success of Russian weightlifters, the U.S. Olypmic Team physician worked with synthetic chemists to develop an anabolic steroid for American weightlifters, resulting in the production of methandrostenolone (Dianabol). Dianabol was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in 1958.
From the 1950s until the 1980s, there were doubts that anabolic steroids produced anything more than a placebo effect. In a 1972 study, participants were informed they would receive injections of anabolic steroids on a daily basis, but instead had actually been given a placebo. They reportedly could not tell the difference, and the perceived performance enhancement was similar to that of subjects taking the real anabolic compounds. According to Geraline Lin, a researcher for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, these results remained unchallenged for 18 years, even though the study used inconsistent controls and insignificant doses. In a 2001 study, the effects of high doses of anabolic steroids were examined, by injecting variable doses (up to 600 mg/week) of testosterone enanthate into muscle tissue for 20 weeks. The results showed a clear increase in muscle mass and decrease in fat mass associated with the testosterone doses.

Medical and non-medical uses
Since the discovery and synthesis of testosterone in the 1930s, anabolic steroids have been used by physicians for many purposes, with varying degrees of success.
• Bone marrow stimulation: For decades, anabolic steroids were the mainstay of therapy for hypoplastic anemias due to leukemia or kidney failure, especially aplastic anemia. Anabolic steroids have largely been replaced in this setting by synthetic protein hormones (such as epoetin alfa) that selectively stimulate growth of blood cell precursors.
• Growth stimulation: Anabolic steroids can be used by pediatric endocrinologists to treat children with growth failure. However, the availability of synthetic growth hormone, which has fewer side effects, makes this a secondary treatment.
• Stimulation of appetite and preservation and increase of muscle mass: Anabolic steroids have been given to people with chronic wasting conditions such as cancer and AIDS.
• Induction of male puberty: Androgens are given to many boys distressed about extreme delay of puberty. Testosterone is now nearly the only androgen used for this purpose and has been shown to increase height, weight, and fat-free mass in boys with delayed puberty.
• Testosterone enanthate has frequently been used as a male contraceptive and it is thought that in the near future it could be used as a safe, reliable, and reversible male contraceptive.
• Anabolic steroids have been found in some studies to increase lean body mass and prevent bone loss in elderly men. However, a 2006 placebo-controlled trial of low-dose testosterone supplementation in elderly men with low levels of testosterone found no benefit on body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life.
• Used in hormone replacement therapy for men with low levels of testosterone and is also effective in improving libido for elderly males.
• Used to treat gender dysmorphia (the belief that one was born the wrong gender) by producing secondary male characteristics, such as a deeper voice, increased bone and muscle mass, facial hair, increased levels of red blood cells and clitoral enlargement in female-to-male patients.

Non-medical use and abuse
It is difficult to determine what percent of the population in general have actually used anabolic steroids, but the number seems to be fairly low. Studies in the United States have shown anabolic steroid users tend to be mostly middle-class heterosexual men with a median age of about 25 who are noncompetitive bodybuilders and non-athletes and use the drugs for cosmetic purposes. According to a recent survey, 78.4% of steroid users were noncompetitive bodybuilders and non-athletes while about 13% reported unsafe injection practices such as reusing needles, sharing needles, and sharing multidose vials. Another study found that non medical use of AAS among college students was at or less than 1%. Most users do not compete in sports. Anabolic steroid users often are stereotyped as uneducated “muscle heads” by popular media and culture; however, a 1998 study on steroid users showed them to be the most educated drug users out of all users of controlled substances. Anabolic steroid users also tend to research the drugs they are taking more than any other group of users of controlled substances. Moreover, anabolic steroid users tend to be disillusioned by the portrayal of anabolic steroids as deadly in the media and in politics. According to one study, AAS users also distrust their physicians and in the sample 56% had not disclosed their AAS use to their physicians. A recent study has also shown that long term AAS users were more likely to have symptoms of muscle dysmorphia and also showed stronger endorsement of more conventional male roles.
Anabolic steroids have been used by men and women in many different kinds of professional sports (cricket, track and field, weightlifting, bodybuilding, shot put, cycling, baseball, wrestling, mixed martial arts, boxing, football, etc.) to attain a competitive edge or to assist in recovery from injury. Such use is prohibited by the rules of the governing bodies of many sports. Anabolic steroid use occurs among adolescents, especially by those participating in competitive sports. It has been suggested that the prevalence of use among high-school students in the U.S. may be as high as 2.7%. Male students used anabolic steroids more frequently than female students and, on average, those who participated in sports used steroids more often than those who did not.

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Below we’ve compiled a list of some anabolic steroids, including their relative potency and some other info. Sometimes, the names of steroids can be confusing to a newbie. This is because you have the chemical name, the various brand names, and the slang or street names for each product.
For example, methandrostenolone is known to most people as Dianabol, but you probably hear it referred to as D-bol. Of course, you’ll likely be using the veterinary version called Reforvit-B, whose street name is Reffie or Reffie-B. Got all that? Don’t worry, the more you read the more you get used to all the terminology. To help you out, I’ve listed the chemical name as well as a few of the trade names for each ‘roid.

Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin, Stenox)
This is a 17-alpha alkylated steroid. In other words, it’s been altered in order to withstand the liver’s “first pass” metabolism to a better degree, i.e., the liver doesn’t inactivate the stuff before it can exert its effects. Without this alkylation, you’d need much higher concentrations to get results, as is the case with any 17-AA. Anyhow, this steroid appears to have a lower affinity for the AR, but can agonize the receptor at higher dosages.
As far as “real world” effects, fluoxymesterone has a reputation for increasing strength to a large degree. However, gains in muscle mass on this steroid aren’t very great. In clinical settings, dosages range from 2.5 mg to 40 mg a day in divided dosages. However, bodybuilders have been known to use from 30 to 80 mg per day. It has a half-life of approximately 9.2 to 10 hours. (I’ll talk about why knowing about half-lives is important later.) Oh yeah, and it doesn’t aromatize. This means it’s not likely to convert to estrogen, the female hormone. In the real world, that means the risk getting gyno (••••• tits, i.e. breast tissue growth in males) is small to nonexistent.

Methandrostenolone (Dianabol, Reforvit, Anabol)
This 17-AA steroid was the first to be introduced to athletes in the 50s. Bodybuilders caught on soon after, no doubt. It’s aromatizable, and therefore can increase estrogen levels. Since it doesn’t bind very well to the AR, it’s thought that it works by antagonizing the effects of catabolic glucocorticoids.
D-bol has a great reputation for increasing both size and strength to a pretty good degree. While the half life isn’t readily available in the literature, it can be assumed through deductive reasoning that it’s around four to seven hours. Bodybuilders typically use around 25 to 100 mg per day depending on whether it’s used alone or in conjunction with another steroid (a practice called stacking).

Stanozolol (Winstrol)This steroid is also17-AA. It can’t aromatize and doesn’t bind very well to the AR. Consequently, it’s likely to exert its anabolic effects in a similar fashion to that of methandrostenolone. In other words, it affects glucocorticoids in a beneficial manner.
Another benefit may be its ability to antagonize or block progesterone from binding to receptors. Progesterone is one of the reasons why certain anabolics cause water retention.
Stanozolol has a great reputation for increases in strength as well as moderate increases in muscle mass. Actually, these “moderate” gains are rather impressive, considering that this drug doesn’t cause much water retention. In clinical settings, typical dosages are between 2 to 6 mg daily. In order to see desired effects, bodybuilders typically consume between 25 to 100 mg daily. While I can’t locate any literature on its half-life, based on its molecular composition it would seem to have a slightly longer half-life than most of the other orals. I’d say it’s likely to be in the range of 7 to15 hours.

Oxandrolone (sold as oxandrolone powder or Oxandrolona)
This is yet another 17-AA. It won’t aromatize but appears as though it will bind to the AR as long as the dosages are high enough. It has a reputation for increasing strength gains, as well as having a “hardening” effect. This is supported somewhat, as oxandrolone was shown to reduce subcutaneous fat to a greater degree than Testosterone. Whether this is an inherent property of all 17-AA steroids or an effect that’s unique to oxandrolone, I’m not sure.
Oxandrolone, along with most of the other synthetic steroids, are thought to be equally (if not more) anabolic than Testosterone on a milligram per milligram basis, while minimizing androgenic side effects. Oxandrolone was shown to have approximately six times the anabolic effect of methyltestosterone in human subjects, following oral doses. Oxandrolone may also increase the number of skeletal muscle androgen receptors.
In clinical settings, dosages have ranged from 1.25 to 80 mg per day. Bodybuilders may take anywhere from 25 to 160 mg per day. The half-life is approximately nine hours.

Methenolone Acetate and Enanthate (Primobolan)
This steroid doesn’t aromatize and can either be ingested via the acetate version or injected via the enanthate. This steroid does bind rather well to the AR and is known for its mild gains in muscle mass. Still, considering that it’ll cause next to zero water retention, these gains are rather good. (Note that some bodybuilders think certain steroids work better based solely on the weight they gain. In actuality, they could be just retaining a lot of water along with the muscle gains. These are the same guys who think they “lose” a lot of muscle after their cycle is completed, when they actually just lost much of the water they’d been holding.)
Clinical dosages that are commonly seen with methenolone range from 10 to 20 mg daily, sometimes a little higher for the oral version. For the enanthate version, dosages are usually 100 mg every two to four weeks. Bodybuilders typically use 400 to 1000 mg a week. The half-life appears to be very similar to Deca, perhaps slightly shorter. So with this in mind, I’d say the half-life would be around five to seven days.

Oxymetholone (Anadrol)
This 17-AA steroid can’t aromatize, but has been known to have progestenic properties and thus, can cause water retention. It has a great reputation for increasing muscle mass and strength to a large degree. It’s also thought to have a very high anabolic/androgenic ratio.
The typical dosage in clinical settings is one to five milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. So, a 150 pound person would consume anywhere from 68 to 341 mg per day. However, the higher dosages aren’t employed that often. Bodybuilders typically consume around 50 to 150 mg per day. While I can’t find info on the half-life in the formal literature, it would seem it’s similar to that of stanozolol. Obviously, this isn’t a hard fact, but the half-life should be right in the neighborhood of 7 to15 hours. Only God and Bill Roberts know for sure.
Testosterone Enanthate, Cypionate, Propionate, Suspension (commonly called “T”)
This steroid can aromatize and binds well to the AR. It’s well known for its ability to produce great gains in muscle size and strength, provided that the dosages are high enough. It does cause quite a bit of water retention and has quite a few side effects when compared to the other anabolics.
Clinical dosages vary, but cypionate and enanthate are both injected every two to three weeks at dosages of around 200 to 300 mg. Propionate and suspension aren’t preferred as they don’t provide that long of a sustained release. Bodybuilders typically use around 500 to 1,000 mg per week. The cypionate ester has a half-life of around eight days. Enanthate is just slightly shorter and propionate is quite a bit shorter. By the way, Testosterone in a suspension has a half-life of only 10 to 100 minutes.

Nandrolone Decanoate and Laurate (usually referred to as Deca)
This steroid binds very well to the AR and doesn’t aromatize. It can produce moderate gains in muscle mass with little water retention. However, it, like oxymetholone, can be progestenic leading to water retention when higher dosages are used.
In clinical settings, dosages are around 50 to 100 mg every three to four weeks. Bodybuilders use around 300 to 800 mg per week. The decanoate ester has a half-life of six to eight days and the laurate ester commonly seen in veterinary products has a slightly longer half-life.
How to Construct a Cycle The dosages should be determined after evaluating two things: one, what results you’d like to see and two, which drugs you’re stacking. There are other factors to consider, but for the sake of simplicity we’ll stick with these two for now.
Regardless of what type of results you’re looking for, it would be wise to stack two drugs that work through different mechanisms in order to get a synergistic effect. For instance, you’d get better results by stacking nandrolone with stanozolol as opposed to nandrolone and oxandrolone. This is because nandrolone and oxandrolone both bind to the AR. I’ve given you a few examples of stacks below. I’ll give a quick review afterward.

Stack 1: Nandrolone, 450 mg per week along with 50 mg per day of stanozolol

Stack 2: Nandrolone, 450 mg per week along with 50 mg per day of methandrostenolone

Stack 3: Oxandrolone, 40 mg per day along with 50 mg per day of stanozolol

Stack 4: Testosterone enanthate, 500 mg per week along with 50 mg stanozolol or methandrostenolone per day

Stack 5: Testosterone or nandrolone, 500 mg per week with 50 mg oxymetholone per day

Stack 6: Methenolone, 600 mg per week with 50 mg per day stanozolol

Let’s take a closer look at the first stack. You’d inject 450 mg on day one and then six to eight days later another 450 mg and so on. The stanozolol (or any oral) would yield the best results when spread out as evenly as possible in order to allow the drug to remain in the bloodstream throughout the day.
Also, by knowing the half-lives of drugs, you can figure out, to an approximate level, how much of the drug is currently active in your body. So, if on day one you injected 450 mg, then on day seven or eight you should have around 225 mg that’s still active. When you inject another 450 mg, you then have approximately 675 mg of nandrolone in your body at that moment. However, that number then begins to slowly decline in an instant. By simply applying the half-life, you can figure out just how much of the drug is still in your bloodstream.
As a quick note, half-lives can vary depending on a number of factors, and this is why most texts give you a range, like four to nine hours. One such thing is the size of the person. Generally speaking, the larger the body mass of the person, the shorter the half-life is going to be. While some guys will only ingest oral steroids on the days that they work out, you don’t necessarily have to do this. Remember, you’re recovering on those off days, so why not help accelerate the process?
The oxandrolone and stanozolol stack above (#3) would be for those who are “needle phobic.” However, this particular stack shouldn’t be used for too long, because the 17-AA are the steroids that are most associated with liver damage.
As far as how long to stay “on” and how long to go “off,” here’s my take: It really depends on what your goals are. I mean, if you want to gain 35 pounds in two months, then chances are you won’t be able to cycle off and still attain that goal. If, however, you’re keeping safety in mind and would only like to gain something like eight to twelve pounds, then a two to three week “on,” followed for four to six weeks “off” cycle will suffice.

What Are Steroids?

Steroids, sometimes referred to as roids, juice, hype, weight trainers, gym candy, arnolds, stackers, or pumpers, are the same as, or similar to, certain hormones in the body. The body produces steroids naturally to support such functions as fighting stress and promoting growth and development. But some people use steroid pills, gels, creams, or injections because they think steroids can improve their sports performance or the way they look.

Anabolic steroids are artificially produced hormones that are the same as, or similar to, androgens, the male-type sex hormones in the body. There are more than 100 variations of anabolic steroids. The most powerful androgen is testosterone (pronounced: tess-toss-tuh-rone). Although testosterone is mainly a mature male hormone, girls’ bodies produce smaller amounts. Testosterone promotes the masculine traits that guys develop during puberty, such as deepening of the voice and growth of body hair. Testosterone levels can also affect how aggressive a person is.

Athletes sometimes take anabolic steroids because of their testosterone-like effects.

Another group of steroids, sometimes called steroidal supplements, contains dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and/or androstenedione (also known as andro). For the most part, steroidal supplements, which used to be found at health food stores or gyms, are now illegal and require a prescription. DHEA is one of the few exceptions and can still be bought over the counter.

Steroid supplements are weaker forms of androgen. Their effects aren’t well known, but it’s thought that, when taken in large doses, they cause effects similar to other androgens like testosterone. Here’s what is known about steroidal supplements: Companies that manufacture them often use false claims and very little is known about the long-term effects some of these substances have on the body. That’s one reason why the government took action to protect citizens by passing laws controlling steroid distribution.

Steroids: Stacking and Addiction

Some people combine or “stack” anabolic steroids with other drugs. Other steroid users may “pyramid” or “cycle” their steroid doses, starting with a low dose of stacked drugs and then periodically increasing and decreasing the dosage of the steroid, which users believe helps their bodies recuperate from the drugs.

Because even scientists don’t understand exactly how steroids interact with each other or possibly cause reactions to other medications, it’s possible that a person who stacks or cycles steroids can take a deadly combination. Emergency departments have reported cases of vomiting, tremors, dizziness, and even coma (unconsciousness) when patients were admitted after taking combinations of steroids.

A lot of people tell themselves they’ll only use steroids for a season or a school year. Unfortunately, steroids can be addictive, making it hard to stop taking them.

Steroid users can spend lots of time and money trying to get the drugs. And once users stop taking steroids, they’re at risk of developing irritability, paranoia, and severe depression, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. Some of the long-term effects of steroids may not show up for many years. People who use steroids also appear to be at higher risk for using other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine.

What Is Human Growth Hormone?

You may have heard of something called Human Growth Hormone, or hGH, in relation to sports supplements and maybe even related to steroids. Like steroids, hGH is only legal when prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition. Doctors prescribe hGH for people whose bodies don’t naturally make enough growth hormone, a condition known as growth hormone deficiency. However, recent trends show an increase in growth hormone being abused as an athletic supplement.

A lot of myths surround hGH and its effects on athletes. As with steroids, there is absolutely no evidence that growth hormone helps to improve athletic performance. Here are some risks you should be aware of:

Any type of hGH that is not obtained by prescription is not regulated by the government and could be almost anything.
If you buy what may be called “growth hormone,” “growth stimulators,” or “growth factors” online, it’s likely they’re not really hGH. Many websites claim to be selling growth hormone, but they’re really selling amino acids that don’t significantly increase growth hormone levels in your body.
If the false claims of performance benefits from hGH don’t bother you, the price probably will — $5,000 for a month’s prescription, meaning that the street value for just a month could run anywhere from $5,000–$10,000.
Because growth hormone can only be injected, like some steroids, there’s a risk of contracting HIV or other diseases (like hepatitis) if people share needles.
Strong Alternatives to Steroids

Anabolic steroids are controversial in the sports world because of the health risks associated with them and their unproven performance benefits. Most are illegal and are banned by professional sports organizations and medical associations. As seen in the high-profile cases, if an athlete is caught using steroids, his or her career can be destroyed.

When it comes right down to it, harming your body or getting disqualified aren’t smart ways to try to improve your athletic performance. Being a star athlete means training the healthy way: eating the right foods, practicing, and strength training without the use of drugs.

Methandrostenolone (Dianabol)

is an anabolic steroid originally developed by John Ziegler and released in the US in 1956 by Ciba. It was used as an aid to muscle growth by bodybuilders until its ban by the FDA under the Controlled Substances Act. Despite this, methandrostenolone continues to be produced in countries such as Mexico under the trade name Reforvit-b, and is being manufactured in Russia, as well as Thailand, and subsequently is still seen on the United States black market. production in most of Western Europe and the United States has ceased.

Several successful athletes and professional bodybuilders have come forward and admitted long-term methandrostenolone use, including Arnold Schwarzenegger [1] and Sergio Oliva [2]. Despite its illegality many athletes continue to use the drug for the muscle mass gains it can cause.

Methandrostenolone does not react strongly with the androgen receptor, instead relying on activity not mediated by the receptor for its effects. These include dramatic increases in protein synthesis, glycogenolysis, and muscle strength over a short space of time. However, due to its mode of action, it decreases the rate of cell respiration and decreases production of red blood cells. In high doses (30 mg or more per day), side effects such as gynaecomastia, high blood pressure, acne and male pattern baldness may begin to occur. The drug causes severe masculinising effects in women even at low doses. In addition, it is metabolised into estradiol by aromatase. This means that without the administration of aromatase inhibitors such as Anastrozole or Aminoglutethimide, estrogenic effects will appear over time in men. Many users will combat the estrogenic side effects with Nolvadex or Clomid. In addition, as with other 17?-alkylated steroids, the use of methandrostenolone over extended periods of time can result in liver damage without appropriate care.

In the early 1960s, doctors commonly prescribed a tablet per day for women as a tonic. This use was quickly discontinued upon discovery of the heavily masculinising effects of methandrostenolone. However, despite the lack of any known therapeutic applications, the drug remained legal until the early 1990s. The ban by the FDA was not completely successful in eliminating its use by bodybuilders, and methandrostenolone continues to be used illegally to this day, typically being stacked (combined) with Drugs that react strongly with the androgen receptor, such as Oxandrolone, in order to increase the overall effectiveness of steroid use.

The 17?-methylation of the steroid does allow it to pass through the liver without being broken down (hence causing the aforementioned damage to the liver) allowing it to be taken orally. It also has the effect of decreasing the steroid’s affinity for sex hormone binding globulin, a protein that de-activates steroid molecules and prevents them from further reactions with the body. As a result, methandrostenolone is significantly more active than an equivalent quantity of testosterone, resulting in rapid growth of muscle tissue. However, the concomitant elevation in estrogen levels - a result of the aromatization of methandrostenolone - results in significant water retention. This gives the appearance of great gains in mass and strength, which prove to be temporary once the steroid is discontinued and water weight drops. Because of this, it is often used by bodybuilders only at the start of a “steroid cycle”, to facilitate rapid strength increases and the appearance of great size, while compounds such as testosterone or nandrolone with long acting esters build up in the body to an appreciable amount capable of supporting anabolic function on their own.