The effect of Equipoise on the body of the athlete

Steroids (also known as cortisone or corticosteroids) are hormones that occur naturally in the body. Steroids decrease inflammation, suppress the body's immune system, block DNA from being made, as well as block a chemical called histamine (released during an allergic reaction). Steroid medicines are man-made but are similar to these natural hormones. The type of steroids used to treat disease are called corticosteroids. They are different to the anabolic steroids which some athletes and bodybuilders use. Anabolic steroids have very different effects. Steroids are available as tablets, soluble tablets and solutions, creams, ointments, inhalers, and injections.

Oral steroids are steroids that you can take by mouth - tablets, soluble tablets and liquids (solutions). Oral steroids available in the UK include: Betamethasone, Cortisone, Deflazacort, Dexamethasone, Hydrocortisone, Methylprednisolone, Prednisolone and Fludrocortisone acetate. They come in various different brand names. Prednisolone is the most commonly used oral steroid. This leaflet discusses the main possible side-effects of oral steroids as well as other important information if you take oral steroids. Oral steroids are used to treat a large number of conditions. Some examples include: inflammatory bowel diseases (for example, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), autoimmune diseases (for example, autoimmune hepatitis), joint and muscle diseases (for example, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica), allergies and asthma. They are also used to treat some cancers. In addition they can be prescribed as replacement treatment for people who have stopped making their own steroids - Addison's disease.

Consider the effect of Equipoise:
Equipoise was actually created while attempting to make a product which would be be a long acting injectable Dianabol (Methandrostenolone). What was actually created was a product which, in the real world acts nothing like D-bol, despite its similarity to it chemically. A simple way to think of Equipoise, chemically at least, is simply as Dianabol without the 17-alpha-methyl group (thats the thing which makes D-bol able to be ingested orally and not be destroyed by your liver). To make Equipoise, a double bond was added between carbon atoms 1 and 2 of the Steran Nucleus of Testosterone. What does this mean? Well, first of all, since Equipoise was created by one simple modification in the testosterone molecule, you could rightly suspect that it shares many similarities with it. Equipoise is just as anabolic as testosterone (as you can tell by its anabolic rating above), but only half as androgenic.

Its not very common to compare Equipoise to testosterone, however a far more common comparison is between Equipoise and Deca. Equipoise doesn't actually act much like deca at all. Deca is actually a progestin and a 19-nor derived steroid whereas Equipoise is more closely related to testosterone (being only one double bond differ rent). Duchaine later rescinded his original statement on Equipoise and said that it was disappointing as a mass builder when compared with deca, but a far better drug than for both strength gains and vascularity. Unfortunately, the myth that Equipoise's action is similar to Deca's has persisted for nearly 2 decades after he revised his opinion, this is most evident on internet message boards today, where many will advise against including both of them in a cycle because "they act the same way."

The 1-2 double bond that Equipoise has is responsible for many of its characteristics. First of all, it acts to slow aromatization (conversion into estrogen). The best estimate is that it does so at roughly half the rate of testosterone. This is the best number Ive found in studies. Athletes almost never report estrogenic side effects with Equipoise, even when the dose is up to a gram per week. Virilization (development of male sexual characteristics in women) is almost never seen with this compound, when reasonable doses are used by female athletes. This is one of the few injectable compounds which could be successfully be used by female athletes and bodybuilders, and isn't often faked. That double bond is also responsible for Equipoises resistance for being changed by the 5- 5-Alpha-reductase enzyme. This enzyme converts a small amount of Boldenone into Dihydroboldenone, which is a very potent androgen (7x as anabolic as testosterone). Such a small amount of it is converted that its really of no concern to most athletes taking Equipoise. This factor, plus its low aromatization rate mean athletes don't need to consider using ancillaries with Equipoise.

Equipoise Side Effects:
One of the most pronounced effects in Equipoise is its ability to raise your RBCs (red blood cells). This is very typical of anabolic steroids; however, Equipoise would appear to do it to a slightly greater degree than most. One of the other effects most Equipoise users report is an increased appetite. Its because of this ability to increase appetite that many will include Equipoise in a mass cycle, and its for the quality of muscle gained on it that many will include it in a cutting cycle.

Deca Durabolin Effect in bodybuilding

This is an injectable steroid that is a derivative of 19-nortestosterone. It is one of the most popular steroids of all time. Deca is a low androgenic steroid, with high anabolic properties. It is used for developing size and strength. It does not have very high liver toxicity nor does it disturb the body’s own hormone functions too excessively at low doses. Deca Durabolin is a 19-Nor compound (some would say that it is the 19-nor compound), and as such, it shares basically the same characteristics with all of them. One thing unique to Deca, above nearly all steroids, is the mystique it has had for the last quarter of a century. On a personal level, Ive included Deca in cycles at doses ranging from 100mgs/week to 2,000mgs per week. For many, this was and is the final word on Deca. Lets delve into some of the reasons that Deca's mystique may be well deserved. Nandrolone is by far one of the most popular anabolic steroids available. This is due to the compound's affinity for being highly anabolic but relatively mild in terms of androgenic side effects. Nandrolone is the base steroid 19Nor-testosterone, meaning that it is like testosterone in appearance except for the absence of a carbon atom in the 19th position. This small change makes a major difference in the characteristics of the compound. Notably, this change makes Nandrolone a less potent agonist of the androgen receptor. This of course reduces the chance that a user will experience androgenic side effects. Instead of forming Dihydrotestosterone when encountering the 5 alpha reductase enzyme like testosterone does, Nandrolone will form dihydronandrolone. Dihydronandrolone is extremely mild in terms of it's antagonizing the androgen receptor. Therefore androgenic side effects should be far less likely to occur with Nandrolone than with testosterone. It is of note however that Nandrolone is believed to have some activity as a progestin in the body. Although progesterone is a c-19 steroid, removal of this group as in 19-norprogesterone creates a hormone with greater binding affinity for its corresponding receptor. The compound will stimulate the progesterone receptor, along with progesterone. Side effects associated with this activity are similar to some of those related to estrogenic ones including water retention, acne, and gynecomastia among others. However these side effects are fairly rare in comparison to more androgenic compounds.

First of all, Deca Durabolin (and Nandrolone in general) doesn't produce many estrogenic or androgenic side effects. This is because Deca Durabolin has a very low rate of aromatization (conversion to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme), roughly equal to 20% the rate of Testosterone. Deca will aromatize in higher dosages, but not at the rate of testosterone’s or other high androgenic compounds. This drug can be used for cutting or for bulking. Athletes have stacked it with virtually every drug. It is a good base drug on any cycle. Deca is said to have the best effect to side effect ratio of any other steroid.

Women use this drug but only in very low dosages, 25mg per week. Deca has been established as a great soother of sore joints and tendons. Athletes report that sore shoulders, knees, and/or elbows are somehow without pain on the Deca cycle. This may be substantiated by proving it reduces the amount of cortisol getting into muscle tissue during the cycle. Deca also dramatically improves nitrogen retention and recuperation time between workouts. Deca has shown up positive on more steroid tests than any other steroid. This is due to the fact that so many athletes use it, and that it stays in the system at a detectable level for up to a year. The higher the fat content of the user, the longer it stays in your system. Deca can be active from 10-14 days after injection, but weekly injections of 300-600 mgs are common for men. Deca, or more precisely Nandrolone Decanoate, is commonly counterfeited.

Endocrine and Metabolic:
Endocrine side effects noted during exogenous administration of anabolic steroids have included inhibition of endogenous testosterone release by means of feedback inhibition of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH). Large doses of exogenous anabolic steroids may suppress spermatogenesis through inhibition of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The androgenic activity of anabolic steroids may decrease levels of thyroid-binding globulin and result in decreased total T4 serum levels and increased resin uptake of T3 and T4. Free thyroid hormone levels remain unchanged and there is no clinical evidence of thyroid dysfunction.
Metabolic effects occurring during anabolic steroid therapy in immobilized patients or those with metastatic breast disease have included osteolytic-induced hyperglycemia. Anabolic steroids affect electrolyte balance, nitrogen retention, and urinary calcium excretion. Edema, with and without congestive heart failure, has occurred. Decreased glucose tolerance requiring adjustments in hyperglycemia control has been noted in diabetic patients. Significant increases in low density lipoproteins (LDL) and decreases in high density lipoproteins (HDL) have occurred.

Bodybuilders And Anabolic Steroids

Many competitive bodybuilders take anabolic steroids to achieve their freakishly exaggerated physiques. That is no secret. But steroids can be only one part of an extreme regimen that can wreak havoc on the body. Human growth hormone, supplements, painkillers and diuretics can also be used to create the “shrink-wrapped” muscles so prized in the aesthetic. And the high concentration of muscle mass puts stress on the body, as if the lifter were obese. Lifting weights in the gym is “extremely healthy for you,” said Kenneth Wheeler, a former elite bodybuilder known as Flex. “But if you want to be a bodybuilder and compete at the highest level, it has nothing to do with health.” A relatively rare form of kidney disease forced Wheeler to retire in 2003 at age 37, and he needed a kidney transplant later that year. Determining the extent of the damage that bodybuilders inflict on themselves is difficult, in part because there is little interest in financing studies on such an extreme group, and because bodybuilders are not always honest about what they take. That is why a case study published last month by a top kidney journal is generating interest in the nephrology and bodybuilding communities. It is among the first to assert a direct link between long-term steroid use and kidney disease. The study began 10 years ago when a kidney pathologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York noticed that a bodybuilder had an advanced form of kidney disease. Curious, she started looking for similar cases and eventually studied 10 men with serious kidney damage who acknowledged using steroids. Nine were bodybuilders and one was a competitive power lifter with a similar training routine.

All 10 men in the case series, published in November by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, showed damage to the filters of the kidney. Nine had an irreversible disease known as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis — the same disease contracted by Wheeler — even though the men in the study did not have other apparent risk factors. Their disease was worse than in obese patients with a higher body-mass index, suggesting that steroids — combined with the other practices — might be harming the kidneys.  Bodybuilders and modern fitness models present physiques that make them look like aliens from outer space compared to the average person with a beer belly you meet on the street. They look quite powerful, strong, aesthetic and lean. Since the time of Arnold Schwarzenegger and before bodybuilding has been considered always a source of health and longevity. Many even consider it the fountain of youth. Unfortunately, behind the scenes the story is quite different and it seems that inside that muscular and lean body there’s often damaged hardware that can cause bugs in the future. There’s nothing wrong with exercising. Since the beginning of time exercising has been presented as a healthy activity that makes you a better version of yourself. What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger, correct? This is one of the reasons why many people often refer to gyms as health clubs. They lift multiple plates on each side of the barbell and don’t fuck around with nonsense. Similar ego lifting is known to cause multiple injuries and it’s not uncommon for a bodybuilder to tear a few tendons during his career.

People like Branch Warren have become notorious for their poor training form. The idea behind Branch Warren’s style of lifting is simple: if the bar ain’t bending, you are just pretending.  If you put your ego to the side just for a little bit, you can avoid a lot of potential injuries. While exercising can obviously cause health problems it’s not what makes bodybuilding and fitness unhealthy. It’s actually the cause of the least amount of problems bodybuilders and fitness models experience. There is no doubt that steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs (PED) have been part of bodybuilding since the very beginning of the sport and they are the reason why bodybuilders keep getting bigger and bigger. It’s not that nutrition and training changes – it’s the syringe size and its content that increase and improve. Anabolic steroids are a huge part of a bodybuilder’s life. Most bodybuilders would rather have a coach experienced with drug protocols than somebody who knows how to train and eat correctly. This is not a surprise since no matter how well your training is, you will never reach the physical development of modern professionals unless you ‘juice’. If you don’t have somebody to tell you how to win the chemical war, you are doomed to fail in your pursuit of a super muscular body. In general, steroids are not as dangerous as people make them appear. They are medical products that in certain situations save people’s lives and help them get back on their feet. That’s one of the main reason why anabolic steroids are produced in the the first place. They are like morphine – it can help you or break you. The main reason why bodybuilders as well as modern fitness models experience health problems due to steroid abuse is the amount of different drugs they use. It’s not uncommon for a bodybuilder to be on a few grams of testosterone a week coupled with a large cocktail of other powerful muscle enlarging pills. Abuse of similar substances is known to cause liver, kidney and heart failure. There are also many minor side effects such as hair loss, testicular atrophy and reduction of natural testosterone production. Females are also seriously affected by anabolic steroids and after a certain point they start turning into men.

Deca Durabolin - Nandrolone Oil-Based Injection

In general, USA Deca Durabolin is probably the post popular, sought-after steroid. It is oil-based and comes in either 100-mg./ml or 200-mg/ml. injection. The drug is considered slow to convert to estrogen, a good mass and strength-builder and, for a variety of suggested chemical reasons (none really proven), it is considered to ease joint pain. However, it will suppress the pituitary-testosterone loop in due time. The USA pharmaceutical versions are hard to obtain. Lately, Some of the Mexican veterinary steroids (of all kinds) have tested poorly.  Deca-Durabolin is the Organon brand name for the injectable steroid Nandrolone Decanoate. This compound came around early in the wave of commercial steroid development, first being made available as a prescription medication in 1962. This steroid is an extremely long acting compound, with the Decanoate ester said to provide this drug a slow release time of up to three or four weeks. While perhaps true in a technical sense, what we find with further investigation is that the release parameters after a single injection are such that a strong release of Nandrolone is really only maintained for one to two weeks. This figure admittedly fails to take into account drug buildup that may occur after multiple injections, which may allow a longer duration of good effect to be seen. Figure 1 is provided to illustrate the release dynamics of a single 200mg injection. As you will see, by the end of the second week levels are already approaching baseline.

World Wide "Deca" is one of the most widely used anabolic steroids. Its popularity is due to the simple fact that it exhibits many very favorable properties. Structurally Nandrolone is very similar to testosterone, although it lacks a carbon atom at the 19t" position (hence its other name 19-nortestosterone). The resulting structure is a steroid that exhibits much weaker androgenic properties than testosterone. Of primary interest is the fact that Nandrolone will not break down to a more potent metabolite in androgen target tissuess. You may remember this is a significant problem with testosterone. Although Nandrolone does undergo reduction via the same (5-alpha reductase) enzyme that produces DHT from testosterone, the result in this case is dihydronandrolone. This metabolite is weaker than the parent Nandrolones, and is far less likely to cause unwanted androgenic side effects. Strong occurrences of oily skin, acne, body/facial hair growth and hair loss occur very rarely. It is however possible for androgenic activity to become apparent with this as any steroid, but with Nandrolone higher than normal doses are usually responsible.

Nandrolone also show an extremely lower tendency for estrogen conversion. For comparison, the rate has been estimated to be only about 20% of that seen with testosterones9. This is because while the liver can convert Nandrolone to estradiol, in other more active sites of steroid aromatization such as adipose tissue nandrolone is far less open to this process. Consequently estrogen related side effects are a much lower concern with this drug. An antiestrogen is likewise rarely needed with Deca, gynecomastia only a worry among sensitive individuals. At the same time water retention is not a usual concern. This effect can occur however, but is most often related to higher dosages. The addition of Proviron and/or Nolvadex should prove sufficient enough to significantly reduce any occurrence. Clearly Deca is a very safe choice among steroids. Actually, many consider it to be the best overall steroid for a man to use when weighing the side effects and results. It should also be noted that in HIV studies, Deca has been shown not only to be effective at safely bringing up the lean body weight of patient, but also to be beneficial to the immune system.

It is of note however that Nandrolone is believed to have some activity as a progestin in the body". Although progesterone is a c-19 steroid, removal of this group as in 19-norprogesterone creates a hormone with greater binding affinity for its corresponding receptor. Sharing this trait, many 19-nor anabolic steroids are shown to have some affinity for the progesterone receptor as well'2. This can lead to some progestin-like activity in the body, and may intensify related side effects. The side effects associated with progesterone are actually quite similar to those of estrogen, including negative feedback inhibition of testosterone production, enhanced rate of fat storage and possibly gynecomastia. Many believe the progestin activity of Deca notably contributes to suppression of testosterone synthesis, which can be marked despite a low tendency for estrogen conversion.

Deca is not known as a very "fast" builder. The muscle building effect of this drug is quite noticeable, but not dramatic. The slow onset and mild properties of this steroid therefore make it more suited for cycles with a longer duration. In general one can expect to gain muscle weight at about half the rate of that with an equal amount of testosterone. A cycle lasting eight to twelve weeks seems to make the most sense, expecting to elicit a slow, even gain of quality mass. Although active in the body for much longer, Deca is usually injected once per week. The dosage for men is usually in the range of 200-600mg. If looking to be specific, it is believed that Deca will exhibit its optimal effect (best gain/side effect ratio) at around 2mg per pound of body weight/weekly. Deca is also a popular steroid among female bodybuilders. They take a much lower dosage on average than men of course, usually around 50mg weekly. Although only slightly androgenic, women are occasionally confronted with virilization symptoms when taking this compound. Should this become a concern, the shorter acting nandrolone Durabolin would be a safer option. This drug stays active for only a few days, greatly reducing the impact of androgenic buildup if withdrawal were indicated.