* Frequently Asked Questions & Other Helpful Information *

[Clive Jones]

Frequently Asked Questions

Credit goes to Big Cat, Pogue, Ctgblue, Gimp, Bozz, RatMonkey, Raprazant, and all the other mods that have worked on hammering out the rules of this section over the years. It is simply my intent to clean up the top of the forum at this point.



- FAQs -


Question #1 I am interested in trying steroids but do not know where to begin?

If you?re interesting in learning about anabolic steroids, peptides, and ancillaries or related, your best option is to start reading as much as possible. Much information can be found on this web site alone, as well as using your own search functions such as Google and Yahoo.

Step #1 Read the FAQs

Step #2 Read and understand the profiles of the various different types of steroids http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catsteroids.htm

Step #3 Use your best judgement based on what facts you can find. There are many myths out their regarding steroids and peptides and should be taken with a grain of salt. With that said, there is also a whole lot of truth out there, obviously. Once you have a decent knowledge base, you can make your own opinions based on what research you have done.

Step #4 There are basics to using steroids properly. Granted everyone responds differently, there is no sense in trying something that 90% of steroid users tell you not to do, and to go and try it to see if its true or not. There have been thousands of mistakes made by users and with the information available, we all try to stop the newcomers from making the same mistakes. Stick with what works and try your best to abide by the common bro-science ?laws? of safe use and not abuse.



Question #2
I'm not yet 21, should I use steroids ?

HELL NO. Plain and simple. Steroids WILL, not may, WILL stunt your growth. They close the epiphysial plates in your bones and stop all possibility of attaining a greater height. Further more using steroids during puberty, when you are dealing with an already very unstable endocrine system can have severe consequences in the long run: Erectile dysfunction (impotence), loss of libido and even infertility! I assume most men in their late teens and twenties hope to have children some day and lead a long and fulfilling sex life, so steroids before the age of 21: NO!

Questions about steroids by teens may well be ignored.

If you are a teenager wondering about steroids, heed this advice. Read the boards, absorb the knowledge and learn so you can use them properly when you are old enough. But for your own good steer clear of them now. For once and for all, use your mind, we have nothing to gain or lose by telling you not to use them.
Not only are there the above mentioned physical issues specific to teenagers who decide to use, there are also mental aspects to consider. Your brain is still developing pathways and settling into it's normal functions well into your early 20's. Causing rounds of hormonal imbalance during this time can leave you with lasting depression, anxiety, or anger control issues.

Question #3
Are steroids magic? Will they make me ?Jacked??

They are merely effective hormonal supplements. They increase the rate of protein synthesis in the body, but to synthsize protein one still needs to take in enough protein and take care of his energy needs with fats and carbs. Those thinking that steroids will get them out of the rut their bad diets have created are sorely mistaken. A steroid user needs a minimum of experience because his diet will take a lot more work than the diet of a natural athlete. We are talking in excess of 25 calories per pound of bodyweight daily, where 18-22 will suffice for a natural. And most can't even make that. Large amounts of protein, especially, needs to be consumed. Upwards of 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. Steroids do not cause growth, they merely speed up the process and stretch it to supra-physiological levels, working with the means they have. And those means are the food you consume.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ATTEMPT TO ATTAIN GROWTH BY PROPERLY ADJUSTING YOUR DIET BEFORE EVEN CONSIDERING STEROIDS !

Question #4
Why should I wait to use steroids before reaching my natural limit?

Well lets say you need to be close to it. This has a lot to do with the previous points and for two reasons. The first being that if you are not near your natural limit, there is no way you tried enough variations in your diet to assume you are ready to use steroids.

The second reason is that if you cannot attain a near natural limit, you simply do not possess the nutritional skills to make steroids work to their maximum. The result being that you will waste a lot of money, get lots of side-effects, but not the gains you were hoping for.

Question #5
Why should I have all of my gear, syringes, and PCT prior to beginning my cycle?

Ordering steroids in many small packages reduces the cost of each package and reduces the chance of a large amount being seized. Do not however, start a cycle with your first package if the rest has not arrived. Breaks in a cycle can be hazardous to recovery, mass retention and your entire endocrine system, often with disastrous long-term consequences. If your package does not arrive, or does not arrive on time, you will have to stop your cycle, stay off as long as you were on and start again from square one.

This goes for ancillary drugs as well. All of us are quite sick of hearing from kids that their cycle is almost over, yet they don't have Nolva /clomid to help them kick natural test back in after the cycle. Sorry, that's not our problem, its something that would not have happened had you done some basic research first. DO NOT post such stupid questions on the board. We will keep a two strikes and you're out; record, meaning the first time you get a warning, the second time you get banned.

Question #6
What sort of gains should I expect ?

This question cannot be answered by anyone but YOU! It is highly dependent on numerous things such as the gear itself, genetics, nutrition, training, sleep..etc. One person may gain 10lbs whereas another may gain 30lbs. It varies from person to person,

Question #7
Do i need something to bring my natural test levels up after a test cycle?

This should go without saying. If you were thinking of asking this question, take it from me, you are not ready to start using steroids. After a cycle of steroids your natural sex hormone levels will be severely suppressed due to a mechanism called negative feedback. To preserve gains and keep a mentally and physically healthy life-style, you need to get your testosterone levels back on line. When a deficit of steroids in the body has occurred, it will attempt to make natural testosterone again. But unfortunately steroid levels do not drop off, usually there is an estrogen rebound which prolongs the negative feedback. Estrogen of course will not suffice to keep your gains. So the need of an estrogen antagonist is needed post-cycle, either Clomid (clomiphene citrate) or Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate).

During longer or very suppressive cycles (Deca, long term test, trenbolone) your testicles may begin to shrink heavily due to disuse. this may make it harder to make natural test right off the bat. In such cases it is advised you use HCG as well to bring back the size of the testicles first.

Question #8
When should I use Clomid or Nolvadex for this purpose ? How long and how much ?

This depends first of all on the products used. Specifically what the longest acting product was in teh cycle. If you used only orals or test suspension or winstrol injections, then you need to start Clomid/Nolva therapy immediately afterwards. If short esters like propionate or acetate were used, then start 4-6 days after your last shot. If you use long esters (enanthate, undecylenate, undecanoate, decanoate, enanthate/heptylate, ...) then start therapy 10-14 days after your last shot.

For Clomid start with 150 mg/day for 2 weeks, then 100 mg/day for 2 more weeks. With nolvadex, which should be given preference, start with 50 mg/day for 2 weeks and 25 mg/day for 2 more weeks. In both cases that is 4 weeks.

[Clive Jones]

Question #9
When, how and how much HCG should I use ?

Again, consult the appropriate profile for more detailed information prior to use. But basically the idea is to start as soon as your cycle is over, or even the last week of the cycle. Take 4 shots over 20 days, 3000/3000/1500/1500 IU respectively, taken every 5 days. For this method, inject intra-muscularly. HCG can also be injected subcutanously but that requires more injections.

For shorter cycle bouts, an amount of 500Ius once every 5 days or so totaling 1500-3000Ius in all seems to be very beneficial. Although HCG is not a necessity during cycle, it can greatly benefit a speedy recovery.

Another, equally as effective method for HCG usage is weekly during your cycle. 250iu-500iu in one or two shots every week will keep atrophy from occurring.

Two things to note : HCG is suppressive of natural testosterone, so make sure your Nolvadex or Clomid therapy lasts at least 2 weeks longer than your HCG therapy. NEVER do an HCG run without the concomitant use of Clomid or Nolvadex.

HCG in high doses or during long term use (longer than 25 days or higher than 5000 IU per shot) can have a reverse effect and may hinder your recovery, stick to the above protocol.

HCG comes in two vials, once vials are mixed, it needs to be kept refridgerated.

*The above protocol varies, an amount of 500IU every 4-5 days can be found to be sufficient enough for 4-6 weeks during the end of cycle up til PCT begins. Some may find the above amounts (3000,1500 ie) too high a dose but seems to not be overkill if being used for a short period. There are many methods and everyone will respond differently to each, be safe and see what works best.

Question #10
I heard you can drink Injectable winstrol / D-bol. Is this true ? Are the results the same ?

This is one question all of us are REALLY sick of hearing.Winstrol (stanazolol) and D-bol (methandrostenolone) are both 17-alpha-alkylated steroids. 17-alpha-alkylation is a structural alteration that allows the steroid to withstand degradation in the liver and makes them orally available. So YES, these steroids can be taken orally.

Note 1 : The efficacy of this method is equal to taking an oral winstrol or D-bol preparation. Usually this is 75-80% of the efficacy one would get when injecting. Most are willing to accept 1/5th less gains or will take 1/5th more of the product because taking it orally is still easier than daily injections

Note 2 : These products are toxic to the liver. When injected they only pass the liver once, so they are a little less toxic. When ingested, only use them for 6 weeks on end and then stay away from them for 14 weeks. This goes for all 17AA steroids.


Note 3 : Not all injectable steroids can be taken orally, only 17AA steroids (D-bol, Winstrol, Anavar, Anadrol) and 1-methylated substances (Proviron and Primobolan). Other injectables will yield only 4-6% of their injectable capacity.




Question #11
I'm planning a cycle with only D-bol. How should I use it ? What gains can I expect ?

This is without a DOUBT the stupidest question we hear here every day. Oral steroids only are not the way to go. Because they are extremely hazardous to the liver, lethal even in the long run, they can only be used for short periods and require extensive off periods. No mentionable amount of mass can be built during the short cycle and no mentionable amount of mass can be retained during the long off periods.

With D-bol or Anadrol its twice as bad. The gains are mostly estrogen mediated. That means lots of bloat and water, fat gain, easy to lose your gains (never expect to keep more than half from a D-bol only cycle, even if your diet is perfect) and so forth. D-bol is part of any good bulking cycle , but D-bol alone IS NOT A CYCLE.

For safe and maintainable gains you need to inject.

Question #12
I'm afraid of injecting, I don't know how to do it. What should I do.

Injecting is childsplay. Basically you pierce the skin with the needle, when it gets a little tougher, you've hit muscle. push through it. Now pull back on the plunger. If no blood enters the syringe, inject. If blood enters the syringe, pull the needle back slightly and then inject. Always make sure the muscle you inject into is relaxed. if you inject into the glute, you NEED to sit down to make the muscle relax if you inject yourself but stand up when someone else injects it. With the quad, make sure the knee is bent.

You can learn how to inject here, including all types of spot injections :

http://www.spotinjections.com/

Spot injections for local growth only work, and even then not very well, with water based or esterless hormones. Spot injecting oil based substances is just another way to keep your sites fresh and free from oil buildup.

If you are still scared, have someone else do it for you.

Another informative link for regular intramuscular injections is:

http://www.osu.edu/units/osuhosp/patedu/Materials/PDFDocs/medicatn/geninfo/intrainj.pdf Courtesy of Humannkid

This is a .pdf file and you need to RIGHT CLICK and "save target as" directly to your computer and read through Adobe Acrobat or print out. Thanks for the heads up Humannkid

When injecting any irritating substance, oil based steroids are irritants, do not massage the injection site directly after you shoot. Light pressure with a swab to stem any bleeding is OK, but not pushing hard on the site and "kneading".

Question #13
I can't get any needles. How do you expect me to inject ?

This is the lamest excuse there is. Syringes and needles are legal over the counter products in 99% of the world.
What size needle should I use ?

For glute and even quad injections a 23 G will suffice, 1 to 1.5 inch. The longer for the glute injections. For spot injections, the use of a 25 or even a 27 G is recommended. Its more comfortable.

[Clive Jones]

Question #15
What are my nutritional requirements when using anabolic steroids ?

I think this is perhaps a question that should be asked MORE often. People seem to think that steroids are the magic bullet and that they can slack off with diet and training. Nothing can be further from the truth. To use steroids correctly, you should be near your natural limit of muscle growth. That never makes things easier. You will have to eat even more to gain muscle, 25 calories per pound of bodyweight and 1.5-2 grams of protein per pound over 6-7 meals daily.

If you are dieting to lose fat, that' is another matter. You should deprive yourself of calories while still keeping protein as high as possible, in the 1.5-2g/lb range. In such a state you WILL NOT gain ANY muscle. The use of Anabolic steroids in such conditions is only the preservation of lean mass while trying to lose fat with a catabolic condition.

Question #16
I want to use Winstrol, my friends say it will get me "cut" !

FALSE!!! Steroids do not cause any serious degree of fat loss. Steroid use during dieting phases is only to preserve lean mass. Not to cause fat loss.

Question #17
I cannot obtain steroids locally. I'm a little worried about ordering on the Internet. Are there any precautions I should take ?

At bodybuilding.com we do not endorse sources nor will we direct you on where to find them or how to tell if they are legit. We are only here for sharing of information related to health, diet, training, and the chemistry of steroid usage.

Legal matters.
Carry around a copy of the ACLU Bust Card (http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/dwb%20bust%20card7_04.pdf) which outlines your rights and civil liberties and what can and cannot occur during an arrest.

If you need legal assistance, contact Rick Collins (http://www.steroidlaw.com/arrested.php) who should be able to offer you his services or refer you to a lawyer who can help.

Question #18
I have some gear, but I'm not sure if it is real. How can I tell whether it is fake or not ?

Take a high-resolution picture and post it on the forum and list what it supposedly is including content and concentration. Make sure the photos are high resolution and can be easily seen and not blurry. You can upload them to www.imageshack.us or other free image hosting providers or simply attach them to the message. You will need to use HTML to post an image in the steroids section. ImageShack will generate this code for you. ** MAKE SURE the lab names are not listed. Human/Vet grade labs are okay to be discussed and shown.

Question #19
What is the safest steroid I can use to make the best gains ?

Side-effects caused by steroids are either of an androgenic or an estrogenic nature. The gains caused by steroids come from the activation of androgen or estrogen receptors. In essence that means reducing the side-effects is the same as reducing the gains. So you need to know what you want, good gains or a safe cycle. Every steroid has a risk of side-effects as well, there is no safe steroid and there is no one safest steroid.

The best advice I can give in this regard is to make a choice which side-effects bother you most, estrogenic or androgenic, and then attempt to eliminate those as best you can. But you will have to come to terms with the risks eventually. if you cannot deal with the fact that you may (because side-effects are rarer than you think if you use responsibly) experience side-effects, then you are not ready for steroids. Either your gains mean more to you, or they do not. Make the choice.

Question #20
How should I store my gear ? Does it need to be refrigerated ?

This question comes in many regards. To new gear, to multi-dose vials etc. The plain and simple fact is, you need to store them in a cool, dry and dark place. Like a basement for example. Refrigeration is not necessary unless you basement is hotter than 65 degrees or is very humid. Possible exceptions are of course Growth Hormone, which is best kept refrigerated and HCG. HCG comes in two vials, and they can be kept just like any other steroid. But once the vials are mixed, if its a multi-dose and there is some left, it needs to be kept refrigerated. That's the reason it comes in two vials, so it wouldn't have to be kept in the fridge.

Question #21
How many mg go in 1 ml ? How much is one CC ? Etc.

Questions of this nature usually go back to education. If they didn't teach you this in junior high, then you live in the retarded parts of the world. but lets go over them anyway, simply because I know how much this question is asked.

1 cc is one cubic centimeter. 1 ml is 1 milliliter. They are exactly the same. 1 cc = 1 ml. These are volumetric assignments according to the metric system, the system used by 95% of the world. They indicate a volume, not a weight.

1 mg is 1 milligram. Its a weight measurement. In exact weight one could compare 1000 mg of any substance to 1 ml of any fluid, but depending on the substance and the fluid this will slightly differ. there is no exact match between weight and volume. The amount of mg per ml is always smaller than 500 or otherwise it would no longer be liquid. But basically it can range from 1 mg to 400 mg for every ml. It depends on the product and should be listed on the vial or amp. If it states 250 mg/ml then 1 ml or 1 CC contains exactly 250 mg. No more, no less. If it states 20 mg/ml, then each ml or each CC contains 20 mg. And so on. ITS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU COMPREHEND THAT THE AMOUNTS OF MG PER ML WILL DIFFER FOR EVERY PRODUCT, AND THAT THERE IS NO RELATION BETWEEN WEIGHT AND VOLUME.

1 mcg or 1 µg is 1 microgram. A measurement 1000 times smaller than a mg. Clenbuterol and T3 for example are expressed in such small amounts. basically one can state that 1 mcg = 0.001 mg.
So if your clenbuterol is 20 mcg, then its the same as 0.02 mg

1 IU is an international Unit. This is product-specific, because this number will differ for every substance. 1 IU of Vitamin D is not the same amount as 1 Iu of HCG. And so forth. IU's are always different and can only be expressed in reference to 1 and the same product.

[Clive Jones]

Question #22
How should I dispose of needles ?

ok, not the most posed question, but some nice info to pass along nonetheless, courtesy of ctgblue. But I will let him do the talking, here is a link to the thread. Good info and a must read for anyone that uses more than just the casual cycle. Careful disposal is a necessary contribution to society and goes a long way towards public acceptance of steroid use :

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42793

It is always wise to use a sharps container. In some jurisdictions they also allow syringe exchanges.

With the necessary props to CT of course for taking the time to post this.

Question #23
You guys seem to stress nutrition a lot in successful steroid use. Unlike most people, I'm smart and do really want this to pay off and I plan on eating adequately to grow good muscle. But my appetite isn't that big. What can I do ?

Naturally Enhancing Your Appetite

By JP

Many guys seem to have a problem of eating enough calories to help them grow. Training/lifting doesn?t seem to be a problem, neither does taking the ?supplements?. Knowledge of supplements is so prevalent on the message boards that anyone can easily get the info they need with a simple click of the mouse. Nutrition on the other hand, is the most difficult aspect of bodybuilding. It takes up hours of your day, every day. It is also the most neglected aspect of our sport because it is: time consuming, expensive and lets face it, boring.
The guys that take this sport seriously all realize that consuming enough good calories is what separates the men from the boys. There is no humanly possible way that a man can add 100 or more pounds of lean body weight to his frame without eating high calorie multiple meals thru-out the day.
Most guys will admit that it is a daunting task. ?How can I continue to eat when I feel full or not hungry at all??. Well, that is what this article is all about. I will let you in on a time proven method of increasing your appetite that is 100% natural, no supplements or pharmaceuticals are necessary.

The trick is in knowing how to make yourself hungry. If you have to force yourself to eat when you don?t feel hungry, it becomes a burden and you will certainly fail.

The first step:
Forget about the traditional way of eating. 3 meals per day just wont cut it (unless you are one of the genetically gifted few). A minimum of 6 meals will soon become your habit.

For the first 5 days, I want you to eat every hour. YES EVERY HOUR !!!. Its not as bad as you think. Not full meals every hour, but small portions of anything.
Example:
1 apple, ½ peanut butter sandwich, ½ protein shake (http://tinyurl.com/glkrt), chocolate bar, banana.
Quality of the foods you eat in these 5 days is not as important as the fact of actually eating something. It must be small enough to not fill you, even if you are still hungry, don?t eat. Let your stomach get used to the small hourly snack/feeding. By the 3rd or 4th day you find yourself starving, craving for that snack. Your metabolism will also start to adjust to your new eating habit. Rather than storing calories to hold you over till your next feeding in 4 or 5 hours (like you used to do), it will come to expect another feeding in a short period. Thus, send more calories to be burned for energy, or for muscle recuperation from your work outs. Can you now see the opportunity for body fat reduction?

After getting your body used to the hourly feedings, you are going to find yourself hungry just about all the time. The logical step for the next 5 day period, is to start eating more at each snack time. But rather than eating every hour, spread the time out to every 90mins (1 ½ hour) or 105mins (1 hour 45mins).

Continue with this process of 5 day periods until your are eating a full meal every 2 ½ or 3 hours minimum.

Eating a lot is not easy. Food preparation of your 6 daily meals takes up a lot of time.
An answer method for gaining is multiplying your body weight by 15-17 and this # is your given calories to begin. As you gain more weight and more muscle, your body needs a higher calorie intake, and you need to increase accordingly. High protein, moderate to high fats and moderate carbs is a solid macro-nutrient plan when cycling and trying to put on mass. % will vary dependent on your goal and the gear being used, but both gaining and losing can come from ALL compounds. The so-called ?cutting? or ?bulking? is not from the compounds chosen, but your diet!

Question #24
I am being drug tested for my new job next week. Will they be testing for steroids?

99 times out of 100 a corporate company is NOT testing for steroids. They are testing for opiates amphetamines and other recreation drugs. Steroid testing is very costly and these places would have to spend extra money testing for something that is not all to common in the business world. Now if you are joining the armed forces or some type of professional sports team then there may be a chance of testing, however a normal job does not test for this.

However, if you are concerned about being tested TestClear (http://tinyurl.com/ll7hm) sells many detox products, and other merchandise to help pass a drug test.

The normal military screening has been adjusted to include "any prescription substance with a propensity for abuse". This does mean that they will catch you for your pct drugs and some oral steroids will show up in the standard, non aas specific, whiz quiz.

Question #25
How can I ensure my source is legit?
There is no way to ensure 100% that a source will come through for you. Good sources do go bad, usually without any warning at all. Sometimes sources have problems and products take longer to ship out than usual (sometimes several months), hence why you should always plan ahead of time and never start a cycle without all your gear/ancilleries in hand. Always contact the source's references and ask them about the source.

Source checks will not be answered at bb.com.


Question #26


This is as much for your protection as it is our's and this site's. We would not like to deal with the legal ramifications of advising teens on the usage of illegal substances.

Question #27
[b]Should I massage my shots?
NO. oil based substances are irritants, not only should you not be massaging the injection site, but for every shot you should be using the z-track method of injection.
Having the oil seep to the subcutaneous layers increases the chances of a sterile or nonsterile abcess as well as cellulitis or general irritation of the area.
You want to inject deep(no 5/8" pins), and keep the oil in one spot.
massaging the area of a shot can force the oil up the needle track(it doesn't close up near as fast as you think) into the sub-q area. It can also force it along the muslce fascia and through the fibers causing damage as it goes leading to more scar tissue and the possibility of deep tissue irritation as well. No one wants a swollen knee or elbow, do you?

[Clive Jones]

*Half Lives/Esters * Injections/Needles * General Info on AAS * Methods


Steroid Half Life

ORAL STEROIDS

Drug Active half-life

Anadrol / Anapolan50 (oxymetholone) 8 to 9 hours
Anavar (oxandrolone) 9 hours
Dianabol (methandrostenolone, methandienone) 4.5 to 6 hours
Methyltestosterone 4 days
Winstrol (stanozolol) 9 hours

INJECTABLE STEROIDS

Drug Active half-life

Deca-durabolin (Nandrolone decanate) 15 days
Equipoise 14 days
Finaject (trenbolone acetate) 3 days
Primobolan (methenolone enanthate) 10.5 days
Sustanon or Omnadren 15 to 18 days
Testosterone Cypionate 12 days
Testosterone Enanthate 10.5 days
Testosterone Propionate 4.5 days
Testosterone Suspension 1 day
Winstrol (stanozolol) 1 day


STEROID ESTERS

Drug Active half-life

Formate 1.5 days
Acetate 3 days
Propionate 4.5 days
Phenylpropionate 4.5 days
Butyrate 6 days
Valerate 7.5 days
Hexanoate 9 days
Caproate 9 days
Isocaproate 9 days
Heptanoate 10.5 days
Enanthate 10.5 days
Octanoate 12 days
Cypionate 12 days
Nonanoate 13.5 days
Decanoate 15 days
Undecanoate 16.5 days

ANCILLARIES

Drug Active half-life

Arimidex 3 days
Clenbuterol 1.5 days
Clomid 5 days
Cytadren 6 hours
Ephedrine 6 hours
T3 10 hours


DETECTION TIMES

* Estimated detection times, may not be 100% accurate *

Deca-Durabolin 17 - 18 MONTHS
NPP 11 - 12 MONTHS
EQ 4 - 5 MONTHS
Tren Ace 4 - 5 MONTHS
Test Cyp 3 MONTHS
Test Enth 3 MONTHS
Test Blends 3 MONTHS
Test Prop 2 WEEKS
Test Susp 1-3 DAYS
Anadrol 2 MONTHS
Halo 2 MONTHS
Winstrol (Inj) 2 MONTHS
Proviron 5 - 6 WEEKS
Parabolan 4 - 5 WEEKS
Dbol 5 - 6 WEEKS
Primobolan 4 - 5 WEEKS
Anavar 3 WEEKS
Winstrol (tabs) 3 WEEKS
Andriol 1 WEEK
Clenbuterol 4 - 5 DAYS

[Clive Jones]

What is the Right Age to Start Using Steroids?

By: Brandon Walsh

This article is being published in hopes of reaching some of the younger people, involved in our great sport of body building, reach their goals without making the great mistake of using steroids too early in their long lives. The problem with this is that most young bodybuilders (BBs) cannot grasp the concept of the future and how long the road ahead really is even with the use of steroids. How do you convince a 14 year old that it will take years before he can look like the Pro BB's in the magazines, and that he may never look like that even with all the drugs available in the world. Well that is what I hope to accomplish within this article.

At what age should you be, before you consider using steroids? This question is not as easily answered as you may think it is. You cannot randomly just pick an age and say that this is the point at which you can now start to consider using steroids.

Between the ages of 12 and 26 a male's hormone levels are on a steady rise until the age of 26. This is when these levels slowly start to decline until they are almost nonexistent by the ripe old age of 40.

When puberty starts in males at the age of 12 there is a huge flux in hormonal patterns in the body, which cause the growth of male characteristics, (deepening of the voice, growth of body hair, growth in height, etc.). These hormone levels increase by themselves so much that they can be compared to that of a mild steroid cycle. Therefore trying to add to what the body is doing on its own by adding in exogenous (outside) Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) is very counter productive.

Whenever any extra amount of AAS is added to the body, the body recognizes this extra level through a feedback loop in the human body known as the Hypothalamus. Once the Hypothalamus recognizes the increase in hormones which happens usually between 14 and 21 days, the body will shut off its own production of hormones until these levels decrease, along with increasing hormones to decrease these extra levels in the body (cortisone, estrogen). Cortisone and Estrogen are 2 hormones in the body that BBs do not need any extra. The easiest way to try to explain this without getting to complicated, is that the more AAS you put in your body, the more your body will try to lower those levels. When this happens BBs get all the side effects that are normally associated with AAS use, gynecomastia (growth of fatty tissue underneath the breasts in males), hair loss, kidney damage, liver damage, and high blood pressure, just to name a few).

Before you consider the use of AAS you should have already reached your genetic potential. What is your genetic potential? To figure this out you should first look at the weight, height and build of other members in your family. Is this exact, no, but it is somewhere to start. If every male on both sides of your family is approximately 5'7" and weighs between 150lbs and 170lbs and they are all bald by the age of 25, then it would be a good guess that you will also fall somewhere in those ranges by the time you stop growing. Now with working out and eating correctly for 4 years lets say, you would be able to put on 15 or more pounds of muscle tissue (that would mean you now weigh 165-185 lbs.). This is what your genetic potential would be. Now if you started to use steroids at that point, 165-185 lbs you may be able to put on another 15-20 lbs (180-200lbs). If you had started using when you were 125 lbs., and gained 25lbs through the use of steroids, you would still be well short of what you could have gotten naturally (150lbs as compared to 180-200lbs), and now it will be much harder to try to gain another 30-40lbs.

So for a starting point lets say that you need to be at least 18 years of age before you consider using steroids. Now that we have a starting point, lets look at a few other factors that should be considered. Steroids DO NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM makes up for a good diet and workout program. Most people who use AAS feel that this is the time where they can be a little more relaxed in their workouts and diet. Actually this is when they should be even more strict. So before you can think of using at the age of 18, you will need 3 more solid years of good training and eating habits. Minor changes in diet and workouts can result in great gains in mass and muscle as well as strength.

No matter how much assistance you get from AAS, without proper nutrition and workouts you will be lucky to have any gains at all, let alone keep them after the cycle is over. The goal of using any substance, legal or not should be that after you stop using it you don't loose all of that which you have fought to get. What would be the point of spending all that money (steroids are not free) to gain that 30lbs when you will loose it after the cycle is over anyway?

So the better question to ask instead of when can I take steroids, should be, what can I do to get all that I can out of my body without needing steroids?. In order to calculate my progress, I need to talk with my family and doctors, before I try to make a choice like that.

We will start with the age range of 14-16; this is when your hormones are raging. Your body is in full swing of making the best steroids that you can ever get, and it does all this without you even needing to do a single thing. At this point you should start with a solid exercise plan and a basic supplement plan in addition to the regular food that you need to be eating on a regular basis.

For workouts focus on the basic compound movements (Bench Press, Squats, Deadlifts, Barbell Curls, etc.) Working out 4 days a week with at least 8 hours of sleep a night is a great start. Add to that the extra protein that you should be taking and you will definitely start seeing a difference in your body. As for supplements, at this point all I would suggest is a good Meal Replacement Shake, multi-vitamin and creatine. Any shake will work, just add 2 shakes a day to the 3 solid meals that you should already be eating. Creatine has more benefits then I could start to explain in this article, but what I can say is that it will help your strength, muscle, speed, and recovery without any negative side effects.

By the age of 16-18 you will have had most of your growth spurts and you will be ready to change a few more things in your overall plan. You workouts can become a little more specialized as you start using different exercises. As for your nutrition program, all that I would think of adding now would be something such as extra glutamine before bed and maybe a ZMA supplement. You still don?t want to take anything that would alter what your body is doing on its own, so using ZMA and glutamine is just what you need.

Somewhere between 18 and 21 you should be just about done growing, so what should you do differently now? Add more protein! You should be getting at the very least, your body weight in grams of protein per day! And that?s at the very least! By now you will have been working out consistently for quite a while and should know your body very well. What will work and what won?t work should be old news. There isn?t really anything new to add to what is already a great program, other than Tribulus and maybe a pre-workout supplement such as Ultimate Orange. After this point, you can start to consider the use of steroids. What about them? Are they as terrible as everyone seems to think they are? As long as they are used correctly, I don?t think so. When considering their use, I feel that orals should be used as late as possible. These are most harmful on the body and therefore should not be used for a very long time.

Another thing to consider, other than the side effects I have already spoken of, is your sex drive. Some AAS will make your sex drive almost nonexistent and will have a big effect on your sperm count. These drugs in particular should try to be avoided. That leaves mild anabolics. Although they are the safest to use, they are expensive, illegal, and require the use of a needle. Which most first time users do not want to use.

I told you that this is not something that should be passed off very easily; you shouldn?t have to make the mistakes that most of us make by using steroids to early in your life. If used correctly, I think they are fine, but look at what it takes in order to use them correctly. Have you been working out for 5 years straight without more the 2 weeks off every 6 weeks? Do you eat every 2-3 hours, 6 times a day without missing a meal? Do you get 8 hours of sleep every night? This is something that can have a huge effect on your body for the rest of your life, so don?t make that choice in 10 minutes. Good luck and keep growing

[Clive Jones]

A breakdown of why injecting AAS hurt

high Mg per ML compounds, What you need to know ?

1. Most hormones have a pretty low solubility in oil.
2. The primary ways to increase solubility are to
A) add solvent (BA or EA).
B) Add an ester to the hormone. The longer the ester
the more hormone will fit in the oil at a certain mg
per ml ratio. Conversely, the weight of the ester is
also factored in the total mg per ml ratio, so while
you can fit more hormone in, you are getting less
actual hormone than the mg amount implies. Here are
some examples:

Ester actual mg/100mg dose
test no ester 100
tren acetate 87
test prop 83
test enanth 72
test cyp 70
test undecan 63
nand phenyl 67
nand deca 64

This means that if your test cyp says 200 mgs per ml
you get an actual 140 mgs of test. The rest of the
weight is the weight of the ester. If that sounds like
a bad deal you need to understand that test no ester
is VERY insoluble in oil without going to very high mg
per ml solvent concentrations.

This brings up the next point; PAIN!

Why do some shots hurt? There are two primary reasons.
One, the solvent ratio is too high. Anything over
about 10% starts to hurt. BA and EA are VERY
inflammatory to the tissues. That?s why you want ONLY
enough to help your oil hold more gear but not so much
that it causes inflammation.

The second reason is that the gear crystallizes in the
depot. This is precisely why water-based suspensions
feel like hammer blows. The water is absorbed FAST,
leaving the gear to crystallize in the tissues = PAIN.
Even gear in oil can do this, here is how it works. If
you use a low ester weight attached to your gear and
make the mg per ml ratio SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the
oil will hold on it's own, what happens is the body
absorbs the solvent faster than the oil/gear and the
gear falls out of the solution and crystallizes in the
depot and WHAM, it hurts like hell. An optimum
solution has just enough solvent to get more gear into
solution than you could otherwise, but not so much
that what I just stated happens. When the ratios are
correct the gear holds in the solution UNTIL the whole
depot is absorbed and very little or no pain is felt.
Just to end this misconception once and for all IT IS
NOT THE VOLUME OF THE OIL THAT CAUSES THE PAIN, IT IS
ONE OF THE CONDITIONS STATED ABOVE. You can shoot 5
cc's of sterile oil and never know you took a shot. It
IS NOT HOW MUCH OIL YOU SHOOT! So why does everyone
search for super high mg per ml ratio gear like it's
the damn holy grail???

What is too high?

Well the length of the ester is
really what determines that but most of us here know
the gear that hurts and know we know why. All tests
over 250 mgs per ml hurt, and actually most of the 250
mg tests hurt too. SOOOO many people want there tren
at 150-200 mgs per ml. Tren acetate should be at about
what?? 75 mgs per ml. That is why all the kits are
designed this way. Do you really think it's cheaper
for the kit producers to add MORE oil to their kits
instead of less? One other quick note. Oil is used
because it SLOWS absorption. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT
YOU WANT IN A STEROID SHOT! Less oil does not promote
the steady state hormone levels achieved with more oil.

In addition, even with all said and done correctly, bad brewing
and poor administration of the shot may also irritate and cause pain.


Using Dianabol as a bridge?

This is interesting read, not to say its proven to work, but keep reading, educating yourselves and make your own decisions on what is safe, beneficial and the best way of doing this. Granted using Dbol alone is completely against the norms of safe AAS usage, the article does make some interesting points. This does not mean go use Dbol alone as a cycle as that is close to pointless IMO

posted by Fonz at EF. I thought it was a good read.

***********************
Ive been reading some of the posts regarding this
bridge and some of them are truly from left-field.
First of, this is a BRIDGE. OK? a B-R-I-D-G-E.

Your LH function and Test levels are supposed
to RECOVER.

Ok, now having said that.
Heres the pharmo-kinetics behind Methandrostenelone,
brand name Dianabol.

10mg taken at once will increase your average testosterone level by 5 times and decrease your endogeneous cosrtisone
by 50-70%.

The reason why dianabol is a good choice for a bridge is that
its VERY anti-catabolic. It also dopaminergic. Giving you the
benefits of increased CNS strength modulation by
its androgenic mode of action.
Androgens, in case you don know, increase neuro-muscular
function, thus STRENGTH.

OK. Now, lets delve into the metabolic chemistry behind
dianabols choice as a bridging agent.

When are testosterone levels highest?

Answer: In the AM, thats when.

Your body releases a tesosterone spike in the morning.
This is when tesosterone levels are highest.

When are Insulin levels lowest?

Answer: In the AM thats when.

Low insulin levels=increased protein used as fuel.
(Also fat, but protein is also being converted
to glucose via glucogenesis)

OK, here is where dballs short half-life works for us
(Its 3.2-4.5 hrs btw)

Lets take Subject X.

Hes in bridging mode.
He has just woken up.
The body is about to release tesosterone, thus
creating a spike.
His insulin levels are low.
His LH and test levels are very low.



He pops 10mgs of dianabol.

Here is where things get interesting.

The 10mgs of dianabol will cause a testosterone
spike WHICH COINCIDES WITH the testosterone
released ENDOGENEOUSLY in the AM by the testes.

The body will be partially fooled.
It will not entirely detect the increased levels of testosterone
(above the normal test sipke), thus LH function WILL
REMAIN only partially(Very little actually) suppressed.

In other words, he is "piggy-backing" an extra dose of testosterone on top of the endogeneously reduced one,
thus creating an "inflated" test spike.

Henceforth, LH levels WILL BE ALLOWED TO SLOWLY
RECOVER over time.
Also, dbols anti-catabolic effect will help curb protein-loss
in the morning from low insulogenic levels.

HOWEVER, and here is where almost all of you go wrong.

You CANNOT GO PAST 10mg of dianabol in the AM
for this bridge to work!!!!

Why? Because of the blood levels of dianabol you would generate.

10mg in the AM will be broken down to 5mg in about 4 hrs
(Probably less)

5mg of dianabol, is not enough to cause another rise
in testosterone levels after the precceeding one. Thus,
LH function is allowed to up-regulate.

Anything more(Say 20mgs), will cause a SEDCONDARY
testosterone spike which WILL inhibit LH function further,
thus not allowing LH function to recover.

Oh yeah...100mgs? ROTLMFAO!! Fat chance.

The difference between 20mgs and 10mgs means the difference
between allowing LH to recover slowly and not allowing it to.

So, heres the scenario summed up:

Beginning: LOW LH and test.

Adding the 10mgs dbol.

LH is allowed to SLOWLY RECOVER over time as
testosterone levels are kept at a level which
will not cause muscle-loss. Also, dbols anti-catabolic effects
will reduce protein degradation.(Via cortisone
reduction)

This is what i call a double positive. You have managed to
INCREASE anabolism(Test levels) and DECREASE
catabolism(cortisone), during a bridge to boot!!

The bridge should last 8 weeks, NO LESS.
I also have to say, that it WILL NOT restore
complete LH function. Itll get you 80-90%
of the way there but the only way you e going
to get your full LH function back is if you go OFF
completely.
Anavar WILL NOT restore LH completely either btw.
(In case anybody is wondering.)
The difference is that with anavar you can take it
throughout the day and with dbol it HAS TO BE
once in the AM

[Clive Jones]

Amount of active hormone per 100mg

Boldenone base: 100mg
Boldenone acetate: 83mg
Boldenone Propionate: 80mg
Boldenone Cypionate: 69mg
Boldenone Undecylenate: 61mg

Clostebol Base: 100mg
Clostebol Acetate: 84mg
Clostebol Enanthate: 72mg

Drostanolone Base: 100mg
Drostanolone Propionate: 80mg
Drostanolone Enanthate: 71mg

Methenolone Base: 100mg
Methenolone Acetate: 82mg
Methenolone Enanthate: 71mg

Nandrolone Base: 100mg
Nandrolone Cypionate: 69mg
Nandrolone Phenylpropionate: 63mg
Nandrolone Decanoate: 62mg
Nandrolone Undecylenate: 60mg
Nandrolone Laurate: 56mg

Stenbolone Base: 100mg
Stenbolone Acetate: 84mg

Testosterone Base: 100mg
Testosterone Acetate: 83mg
Testosterone Propionate: 80mg
Testosterone Isocaproate: 72mg
Testosterone Enanthate: 70mg
Testosterone Cypionate: 69mg
Testosterone Phenylpropionate: 66mg
Testosterone Decanoate: 62mg
Testosterone Undecanoate: 61mg

Trenbolone Base: 100mg
Trenbolone Acetate: 83mg
Trenbolone Enanthate: 68mg
Trenbolone Hexahydrobenzyl Carbonate: 65mg*
Trenbolone cyclohexylmethylcarbonate: 65mg*



By Pogue:

Needle Info and Injection Technique and Phobia

Pogue:



For those of you that may have needle phobia, I've complied some information that may help you overcome your fear of injections.

Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Needle Phobia (http://www.needlephobia.info/)

There is a local anesthetic cream called EMLA (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/emla.htm) which contains lidocaine and can be applied to injection sites 1 hour or so before injecting. This helps numb the site and cut the pain. It available through Canadian pharmacies.

If you are afraid of the needle, there are products like BD Inject Ease. Its a special syringe which you merely push on the end and it injects and retracts. The only models I could find are for insulin, but there are apparently ones that can use oil preparations, etc. Probably not the best thing, but an option.

Needlebuster - This is an electrical device that zaps you and numbs the entire site. Couldn't find out if you could purchase this or what. http://www.bionetics.ca/BLifeTechneedlebuster.htm

Some people have a fear of needles so bad that they have to take anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium prior to an injection. Some people may want to look into things such as OTC items like Kava Kava (http://www.bodybuilding-cyberstore.com/store/kava.html) for this purpose.

Table of common NeedlePhobia Treatments (http://www.needlephobia.info/#treatments)

How to make injections less painful by McBain (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70438)

Injection Procedures by tsingtao (http://web.archive.org/web/20060505234644/http://www.basskilleronline.com/injections.html)

If anybody else has any more good info, feel free to post it.

[Clive Jones]

More General Info by PG:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=5648371&highlight=50mg+nolvadex