Q:
What are Anabolic Steroids?
A: Anabolic steroids
(AS) are synthetic derivative of testosterone (the male
sex hormone). Testosterone is responsible for normal
growth and development of the male sex organs and for
the maintenance of secondary sex characteristics which
include growth and maturation of the prostate, seminal
vesicles, penis, and scrotum. Furthermore, testosterone
can help in thickening of the vocal cord, the alteration
in body musculature and fat distribution, and the retention
of nitrogen, water, and electrolytes.
Q:
How long do steroids stay detectable in your system?
A: This, of course, depends on the
actual substance [amount and type] and the person
using them. 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,
testosterona], 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 are not.
Q:
I bought a 10ml bottle, how can I store it?
A: 10ml bottles are designed to be
pierced with needle thru rubber stopper. So you can
pull desired amount of liquid out with syringe and
needle. Then simply pull out syringe with needle and
it is ready to use. Since rubber stopper closes pierced
hole, bottle can be stored for next use.
Q:
What are the best ways and what are best steroids
for women to use?
A: Women athletes certainly do need
to take a different approach to steroid use than males
do. There are only a limited number of the drugs listed
in this text that a woman would even want to consider.
Among those are Primobolans, Proviron, Nolvadex, Nandrolones,
Anavar, Winstrol, and synthetic Growth Hormone. It
is important to note that even on the lowest dosages
of any of these steroids, women can start to experience
virilizing effects. This is because any amount of
steroid introduced into the woman endocrine system
is a serious jolt. Anabolic steroids are synthetic
derivatives of male hormones and can cause serious
adverse reactions in some women. The most prudent
approach to administering anabolic steroids to the
female involves the use of low dosages of very low
androgenic items. Women obviously do not have to worry
about the Gonadotrophic suppression that men do nor
do they usually encounter much of a problem with the
hepatotoxicity of anabolic steroids. This is because
they most often use low dosages of very clean items.
Since the most androgenic items tend to be the most
toxic to the liver, by avoiding these items women
also avoid the liver stress that most men undergo.
Women can however benefit from the use of estrogen
antagonists. Many women favor the use of Nolvadex
and/or Proviron while trying to attain muscularity.
Anabolic steroids have been extremely effective for
many women athletes who use them to obtain size, strength
and endurance. Since the virilizing effects women
suffer from using anabolic steroids tend to be permanent,
it is prudent to use caution at all times. One of
the safer ways that I have seen women use anabolic
steroids is to stack two low androgenic items for
a period less than six weeks and then take several
weeks off of the drugs before coming back to another
four or five week cycle and then taking a good two
months off of the drugs. With this pattern, women
can watch for adverse reactions which usually occur
in proportion to the duration of use by the female.
The use of Growth Hormone by women has proven to be
extremely effective in some cases. Since Growth Hormone
is not an androgenic drug, it does not result in any
virilizing effects for women. Growth Hormone greatly
increases muscularity primarily by reducing body fat
stores in the woman while leaving the lean muscle
mass unaltered.
Q:
How much of the weight that is usually gained on a
steroid cycle is actually solid muscle?
A: The majority of weight gained on
a steroid cycle is from retention of cellular and
extra cellular fluid. This is what many lifters will
call “water bloat”. This initial water
weight gain is beneficial up to a certain point. It
provides extra nutrients to the muscles and increases
their ability to contract by simply giving them more
area to work in. The average weight gain on a steroid
cycle ranges anywhere from five to twenty pounds.
Let’s say a lifter has gone on a two month steroid
cycle and gained a total body weight of twelve pounds.
By monitoring body fat percentages, through body composition
analysis, an athlete can keep an idea as to how much
of what they gained is body fat. Although anabolic
steroids can increase the body ability to mobilize
and use fat stores, many athletes find that they go
through an increase in body fat while on a bulking
cycle. This is simply because they take in an excess
amount of calories on an effective bulking program.
This is actually a benefit, not a hindrance, at this
time. Let say our subject who gained twelve pounds
determined through body composition analysis that
he had put on four pounds of body fat. This leaves
an eight pound increase in lean body weight. Of those
eight pounds, it is very likely that only two pounds
are skeletal muscle. It is known that for every one
pound of skeletal muscle you put on, the body brings
with it three pounds of supportive cellular and extra
cellular fluid. Still, an increase of two pounds of
skeletal muscle mass is a substantial gain.
Q:
What accounts for the incredible pump I get while
I am using anabolic steroids?
A: The "steroid pump" does
have an actual physiological explanation. It is primarily
due to the fact that there is more blood available
in the body during a steroid cycle. One of the affects
of anabolic steroid use is an increased production
of RBC (red blood cells). That increases blood volume
and greatly improves the oxygen carrying ability of
blood. This increases the efficiency and endurance
of skeletal muscle cells. A 200 pound lifter could
carry an extra liter of blood during this time. This
increased blood volume partially explains why some
athletes feel "pumped" all the time while
they are on a steroid cycle. It also explains the
incredible pump you get while working out at this
time.
Q:
I have pondered the question whether or not to use
steroids for several years. I have finally made up
my mind that I am going to try them and I was just
wondering what kind of results I should expect?
A: This is really a difficult question
to answer. Results vary greatly from one individual
to the next. In general, steroid users find that their
first cycle is the most dramatic in terms of the gains
that they make. Some users claim to gain a solid thirty
pounds on their first cycle while others notice little
if any gains at all. Obviously, the athlete that has
weight trained for a number of years, and continues
to train intensely during the cycle and who eats a
high calorie nutrient dense diet, stands to put on
a lot more muscle than the athletes who are not disciplined
enough to follow through with the whole program. It
has been substantiated that a steroid user taking
moderate dosages of Nandrolone Decanoate and Dianabol
can gain twice as much muscle mass in a two month
cycle than they could in an entire year of effective
training. It is felt that an individual can gain a
maximum of 4 pounds of muscle per year for every 100
pounds of body weight that they possess. This would
translate to a 200 pound man having a maximum potential
to gain 8 pounds of muscle per year, which itself
would be an enormous gain. The first time steroid
user can gain as much as 8 pounds per 100 pounds of
body weight in a single ten week cycle. This means
that the first time steroid user could gain 16 pounds
of muscle in just 2 months. Their maximum potential
without drugs would be 8 pounds in an entire year.
It is easy to see that the steroid gains are substantially
higher. This does not mean that if a person can gain
16 pounds of muscle in two months on a steroid cycle
that they could gain 96 pounds of muscle if the athlete
were to stay on steroids for twelve months straight.
Certain inhibiting factors prohibit that. Evidence
suggests that the maximum gains of a steroid cycle
are reached before the eighth week. It is rare for
the first time steroid user who eats right and trains
hard not to gain at least four or five pounds of solid
muscle.
Q:
Do most professional bodybuilders use steroids?
A: Yes they do. I would estimate that
100% of all professional bodybuilders use steroids
and I would go as far to say that 90% of the athletes
that compete at the national amateur level use anabolic
steroids. Obviously, few of these athletes are admitting
to steroid use, especially at this point in time.
Anabolic steroid use has never been more of an antisocial
behavior than it is right now, and the stigma is getting
worse all the time. Professional bodybuilders have
to stand out and say that they denounce the use of
the very drugs that helped them achieve their current
status or they face serious consequences. The point
of being a professional bodybuilder to begin with
is that they have reached a level of notoriety that
is synonymous with marketability. Through seminars,
posing exhibitions and endorsements, the professional
athlete turns all of his hard work into financial
success. All of that is in serious jeopardy if that
athlete has been branded with the stigma of using
illegal and banned substances to reach their position.
Thus, you will see nauseating hypocrisy in athletes
at that level, not only in bodybuilding but in many
sports where the athletes are idolized by their fans
and the general public. Many professional bodybuilders
have sincere intentions when they condemn the use
of anabolic steroids in athletics, as they recognize
the enormous abuse potential for these drugs when
placed in the hands of ignorant individuals. I would
criticize their actions further if I could honestly
say that I would not do the same thing placed in their
position.
Q:
My doctor informed me that using veterinarian steroids
is very dangerous. He said that they are not fit for
human consumption. What do you think?
A: Veterinarian steroids do not have
to meet the exact same sanitary specifications that
human pharmaceuticals do; however, they are generally
made under sanitary conditions. Legitimate veterinarian
steroids are certainly a much better choice than using
any form of a counterfeit. I have never heard from
an athlete that felt they were harmed by the use of
a veterinarian steroid. Interestingly enough, some
of the most modern anabolic steroids are for animals.
However, there are numerous new veterinarian anabolic
steroid preparations being developed every year. A
number of these preparations look to be remarkably
anabolic with minimal androgenic qualities. These
agents should optimize muscle mass increases while
minimizing androgenic side effects. Australia seems
to be producing most of these new vet drugs.
Q:
Is it possible to use Anadrol in a pre-contest cycle
without retaining water?
A: The pre-contest use of Anadrol is
untraditional yet several bodybuilders claim to have
done it with outstanding results. Few if any steroids,
deliver the type size and strength gains seen with
Anadrol. Anadrol gives the muscles bulk and fullness
that would be extremely desirable in a bodybuilding
show. The problem is that Anadrol almost always causes
water retention and it aromatizes quite easily resulting
in high estrogen levels. Some bodybuilders have successfully
managed this estrogen and water retention problem
by using Nolvadex at 10 to 20 mg per day in a stack
with 50 mg of Anadrol right up to the day before the
bodybuilding contest. Very often, a prescription diuretic
such as Dyazide, Lasix, or Aldactazide is used for
three or four days before the bodybuilding contest
to eliminate what subcutaneous water retention did
exist. Usually, it is a good idea to supplement potassium
salts such as Slow-K when using prescription diuretics.
Some athletes have been able to control the water
retention with over the counter diuretics. Other effective
methods have involved taking the Anadrol right up
until the week before the contest and then switching
to Halotestin for the last seven days. This has worked
well for some who find that the Anadrol takes a good
two or three days to get out of the system and then
they find they still have the muscle fullness yet
do not have the water retention problem. Halotestin
maintains muscle hardness without the water retention.
Q:
I am currently cycling the steroids Deca Durabolin
at 200 mg per week and Sustanon at 250 mg every ten
days. I am making great gains on this simple cycle.
Unfortunately I am suffering from some acne on my
face and back that seems to be aggravated by the use
of these steroids. I have a prescription for Tetracycline
which I have used in the past to control acne. Would
there be any problem with taking the Tetracycline
while I was on these steroids?
A: Tetracycline and anabolic steroids
do not go well together. Tetracycline is a broad spectrum
antibiotic that has many purposes. It works primarily
by inhibiting protein synthesis. Since Tetracycline
does exhibit this anti-anabolic effect, it is working
in the opposite direction of the anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids increase protein synthesis and can
encourage bacteria growth which often aggravates acne.
Tetracycline may inhibit the functions of the anabolic
steroids, or the anabolic steroids may inhibit the
effects of the Tetracycline. Rather than try to examine
which drug would come out on top, it seems the easiest
solution is to not use Tetracycline while taking anabolic
steroids. Other ways that athletes have been able
to control acne that is caused by the use of steroids
include: showering more frequently, using prescription
soaps, using tanning beds, by using Retin-A and the
last course might involve using Accutane, a prescription
acne medication.
Q:
I have gotten in the habit of taking small amounts
of Primobolan Depot or Deca off and on between cycles.
For example, during an off cycle period of four months,
I usually take a single SO mg shot of Deca every two
weeks and occasionally take 50 mg Primobolan Depot.
Is this a bad practice?
A: It is common for athletes to use
a small amount of a mild anabolic steroid between
cycles, but it is not a good idea. Non-stop use can
inhibit the body natural testosterone production and
other endocrine system functions from returning to
normal. Although such low dosages would likely not
exhibit any toxicity nor promote any significant side
effects, they would also not yield much in the way
of positive effects. Many bodybuilders continue to
use small dosages of steroids between cycles because
of their insecurities with letting go of steroids
completely. Many steroid users develop an attitude
that if they are not taking any steroids they are
simply not making any gains, and to justify even training
they will use small amounts of steroids between their
cycles. If I were to make a recommendation on the
use of low dosages of mild steroids between cycles
I would not encourage it. The off cycle period is
a time to train natural and let the body fully recover
from the steroid use and I believe you can only fully
recover if all steroids are eliminated from the system.
Q:
What is the correct way to open glass ampules?
A: Glass ampules are a real pain. The
proper way to open them is to score them around the
narrowest part of their neck. To score these glass
ampules it is best to use a metal knife with small
teeth. Occasionally, these are provided with the ampule
and these knives work best. If these knives are not
provided it occasionally works to use a fingernail
file, grapefruit knife, or a type of kitchen knife
with very small teeth. This knife should be rotated
around the narrow part of the neck in a sawing motion.
After a white line or "score" is clearly
evident on the neck, the ampule is ready to be cracked
open. Before cracking the ampule open, it should be
placed inside a clean paper towel or a thin clean
cotton towel one hand should firmly grasp the lower
portion of the ampule, the other hand should grasp
the very top. A quick snapping motion should cleanly
remove the top of the ampule. A needle can then be
inserted and the liquid drawn out. Do not try to crack
open an ampule without scoring it or by using your
fingers directly against the glass ampule. Occasionally
the glass ampule can shatter and this glass can cause
a serious cut.
Q:
l have heard a couple of rumors that seem to indicate
that the calculated use of oil based testosterones
will go undetected by urinalysis. Are some athletes
using testosterone for contest preparation in drug
tested events?
A: The rumors you are hearing are repercussions
of a research project last year in which a half of
dozen males were given various dosages of oil based
testosterone (I believe it was Cypionate) for a period
of six weeks and tested to see if they would pass
a urinalysis. All six subjects displayed an acceptable
testosterone to epitestosterone level which would
not have resulted in a positive test. Two of these
subjects were using a dose of 300 mg per week, which
is quite a bit of testosterone. More and more bodybuilders
are using testosterones for contest prep. They must
learn to manage the water retention that can accompany
such use; this is often done with the use of unbanned
diuretics. The use of injectable testosterones amongst
college football players is reportedly very high.
You might guess that the NFL has a high percentage
of athletes using testosterones as well. One athlete
informed me that he used a high dosage of the oral
testosterone ester Andriol (testosterone undecanoate)
at a drug tested bodybuilding contest in California
and passed with an acceptable testosterone to epitestosterone
ratio. This bodybuilder stated that he used eight
capsules of Andriol per day for approximately four
weeks prior to the contest and only stopped using
the drug two days before the contest. His ratio was
4.5 to I (a positive ratio is 6 to I or higher in
most cases). Low doses of testosterones are the prototype
undetectable steroid. There are rumors of exotic European
steroids which cannot be detected as of yet but the
actual use of these products is very low. The actual
use of testosterone, on the other hand, has always
been popular.
Q:
I am using a type of injectable oil based steroid.
My problem is that I cannot get all the tiny little
bubbles out of the oil after I pull it into the syringe.
I have heard that if an air bubble gets in the syringe
and is injected, it can kill you. What should I do
to make sure I am injecting safely?
A: First of all, it would likely take
a full three ccs of air injected right into a vein
to cause a fatality. Small air bubbles injected intramuscularly
in an oil solution do not pose a hazard, yet it is
a good practice to eliminate them anyway. Small air
bubbles that appear in an oil solution after it is
drawn into the syringe will slowly rise to the top
of the syringe if held needle-side-up. This may take
as long as ten minutes with some persistent tapping
on the side of the case. After the air has all risen
to the top of the solution, the stopper can be slightly
pressed which expels the air from the syringe.
Q:
What is the difference between a cc, a ml, an I.U.,
a mg and a mcg?
A: A cc (cubic centimeter) is equal
to a ml (milliliter). They measure volume. For example
if a vial contains 10 ml of liquid, that is the same
as 10 ccs. A mg (milligram) measures the dose of a
drug, A mg is equal to 1/1000 of a gram. A mcg (microgram)
is equal to 1/1000 of milligram. An IU (International
Unit) is also used to measure the dose of a preparation.
Q:
What size of syringes and needles are proper?
A: Injecting oil based steroids
(deca durabolin, masteron, primobolan, sustanon, testosterone
enathate, cypionate, equipoise) is done with intramuscular
needle (1.5 inch long and 21 gauge), while water based
steroids (winstrol depot, human growth hormone, Hcg,
insulin, testosterone suspension ) are injection with
smaller and shorter subskin needle (1.0 inch long
and 23 gauge).
