Muscle Gains with Testosterone Cycle

If you were to give a survey to steroid users, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that testosterone would rank as #1 on almost everyone's list. It is by far one of the most effective tools in achieving maximum muscle and strength gains in the shortest time possible. Proper testosterone usage will blast you past your natural limitations. But in all its greatness, testosterone does have some serious side effects. These side effects are avoidable!

Before I even begin, I'd like to address what I believe to be two of the most annoying myths about steroids:

The first myth is that testosterone supplementation leads to steroid-induced bouts of rage, better known as "roid-rage." I do not know how this rumor surfaced. I believe that it may have to do with football players, who were taught that violence is good, losing control. Testosterone has an effect on endorphin levels. Everyone I know that has used testosterone says that it brings about a general feeling of wellbeing. I can attest to this personally. There is no such thing as "roid-rage." It is a myth! If there is an asshole inside you, sure testosterone may bring it out even more. But it does not turn otherwise normal people into raging psychopaths.

The second myth I would like to address is the one that states "Steroids shrink your dick." Is this a joke? I would think so if it were not for the many people I have heard say this in seriousness. How could steroids possibly shrink your penis? I can not even imagine a possible way that testosterone supplementation would bring about penile shrinkage. This rumor was probably started over a misunderstanding. Testosterone usage will cause testicular shrinkage. But this is so easily avoidable that it should never happen to anyone with half a brain cell. I will discuss prevention of testicular shutdown in further detail later in this article.

Proper testosterone usage can yield amazing results. In a 3 month period, a first time steroid user can expect to gain 30-50 pounds. Once steroid usage has ceased, he may lose 10-15 pounds of water-weight, but should retain all the muscle gain. The rumor that all gains made on steroids will go away once you stop using it is utterly false! If you choose to allow you testicles to shutdown and stop testosterone supplementation without a taper, sure you'll lose a lot of the gains. But the fact remains, if you are properly educated in the use of testosterone, you should be able to gain a lot of muscle with minimal to almost non-existent side effects and keep most of those gains.

The first step in assessing whether or not testosterone is the steroid for you is taking a look at your goals. If your goal is maximum fat-loss with no interest in muscle gain, then testosterone is not for you. I will address the proper steroids for such a cycle in another article. Now if your goal is to gain as much muscle and strength as possible, then testosterone is for you. After you have decided that you would like to supplement testosterone, the next step is choosing which form of testosterone you'd like to use. Testosterone is almost never found in pure form. Most of the time, some ester or another has been added to it. The purpose is to avoid a sudden rush of testosterone in your system. Esters will let the testosterone get absorbed in a time-released manner.

There are many forms of testosterone to choose from. Testosterone Propionate will hit your system in 2-3 days. Testosterone Suspension (which has no ester) will hit your system in 1 day. Testosterone Enanthate will take about 10 days. Sustanon (a blend of 4 different testosterones) will remain active in your system for periods of up to 4 weeks. The general rule is the faster acting a testosterone is, the more side effects you will experience from its use. So the goal is to find a testosterone that doesn't hit your system so fast that most of it is rapidly converted to estrogen and DHT while at the same time choosing a testosterone that is not so long acting that it will be hard to control. I suggest Testosterone Enanthate. It is my personal favorite.

The next step is to find a reliable brand of testosterone. There are many brands out there. Since it is impossible to test all brands and their subsequent batches, we have to go by personal experiences.

Next, you'll have to decide what type of doses you are going to be taking. For a beginner using a good quality testosterone, I suggest 500mg a week. Here is what a good beginner cycle's base looks like:

1. Weeks 1 to 10: 500mg testosterone enanthate per week
2. Week 11:          300mg testosterone enanthate
3. Week 12:         200mg testosterone enanthate

Now if that were all you would be doing, you most certainly will experience some side effects. Side effects usually are a result of the two paths testosterone can take once it hits your system.

The first path testosterone could take would be if 5alpha reductase turns it into DHT. Even though DHT has some beneficial effects on muscle gain, it is highly androgenic. DHT is the main cause of steroid's two biggest side effects: balding and enlargement of the prostate (i.e.- prostate hyperplasia). You know enough about balding, so I won't explain why you don't want it. Basically, DHT binds to the hair follicle in your head. It causes an inflammation that in turn starves your hair of oxygen. Thus, your hair dies. Having an enlarged prostate is definitely something you want to avoid. The frequent need to urinate aside, DHT has been shown to dramatically increase your chances of getting prostate cancer. So how do you avoid this? Take finasteride. Finasteride has been shown to inhibit 5alpha reductase from converting testosterone to DHT. Research has shown it to be highly effective in treating and preventing baldness and prostate enlargement.  I suggest using 1 to 1.25 mg of Finasteride a day for every 500mg of testosterone you use. If you have a 5mg tablet, that means using one quarter tablet a day. Prolonged use has shown no adverse side effects in most subjects.

The next path that testosterone could take would be if it aromatizes into estrogen. Estrogen can cause the development of gynocomastia (also known as gyno). Gynocomastia is an often seen steroid side effect. It is the irreversible development of breasts in a male subject. Although it is harmless in nature, and very small, it often causes an immense amount of mental anguish in the subject. Estrogen also causes increased water retention, bloat, and an increased rate of fat gain. Getting rid of estrogen is very easy. I suggest the use of an anti-aromatase (i.e.- a substance that prevents testosterone from being converted into estrogen). Arimidex is number one on my list of anti-aromatases. Arimidex is the brand name for anastrozole. It comes in 1mg tablets. I suggest using one-eighth to one quarter of a mg of anastrozole per day per 500mg of testosterone that you use. That equates to using a quarter of a tablet every other day or every day. Anastrozole has been shown in countless research to cut down estrogen production by up to 90%. Prolonged use has been shown to be extremely safe.

Another side effect of testosterone supplementation is testicular shutdown. The body senses all of the excess testosterone in your system and decides to stop producing its own. This causes your testicles to shrink and your sperm count to decrease significantly. The use of clomiphine citrate (more commonly known as clomid) can prevent this from happening. Clomid stimulates your body to keep producing its own testosterone. That way, testicular shutdown never comes about. Even though testicular shutdown is completely reversible once steroid use has ceased, it is a good idea to prevent it from ever happening. Once you stop using steroids, your body will start producing its own testosterone again. But this can take up to a month to happen. During that month, you will have significantly reduced amounts of testosterone in you system. Thus, you will most likely lose much of your gains once you stop using testosterone. To prevent testicular shutdown, I suggest using Clomiphine citrate. I recommend 25mg of Clomid per day per 500mg of testosterone you use. Since Clomid most often comes in 50mg tablets, that would equate to one tablet every other day. If you are using 1000mg of testosterone, that equates to 1 tablet a day. Clomid has been shown extremely safe in many laboratory tests and medical research.

Another side effect of testosterone supplementation is an increase in your cholesterol levels. That is why I suggest you follow a low-cholesterol diet when on testosterone. Most of the time you hear about someone having a heart attack because of steroid use, it is most likely due to the fact that the person refused to give up a high cholesterol diet when on steroids. I also suggest getting your blood work done on your first cycle. Personally, my cholesterol level went up from 170 to 200 when on a cycle. I did not stop eating junk food. In fact, I ate a lot more junk food. So personally, testosterone does not affect my cholesterol levels all that much. But you have to find out if it affects you for yourself. If it does, no big deal , just fix up your diet a little.

Testosterone supplementation also has an effect on your sebaceous glands. Your sebaceous glands are located in your skin. Their main responsibility is to produce oil. Testosterone enlarges this gland and cause the production of excess body oil. This in turn leads to acne, which can occur on your back and chest. If you experience this side effect, it is very easy to reverse. Taking 2 showers a day is your first step. Next, tan once or twice a week. If it is summer, go to the beach and swim in the ocean every so often. If it is winter, take a bath using 2 cups of Epson salt and .5 to 1 cup of chlorine bleach every so often.

So here is what a complete beginner's steroid cycle would look like:

Weeks 1-10:
*500mg testosterone per week
*1 quarter tablet of Finasteride per day (1.25mg)
*1 quarter tablet of Arimidex every other day (0.25mg)
*1 tablet of Clomid every other day (50mg)

Week 11:
*300mg testosterone per week
*1 quarter tablet of Finasteride per day (1.25mg)
*1 quarter tablet of Arimidex every other day (0.25mg)
*1 tablet of clomid every other day (50mg)

Week 12:
*200mg testosterone per week
*1 quarter tablet of Finasteride per day (1.25mg)
*1 quarter tablet of Arimidex every other day (0.25mg)
*1 tablet of clomid every day (50mg)

Week 13:
*1.25mg of Finasteride per day
*.25mg of Arimidex every other day
*100mg of clomid every day

Week 14:
*1 quarter tablet of Arimidex every 3rd day (0.25mg)
*50mg of clomid every day

People often get confused about training and dieting while on testosterone. First, to facilitate all the extra muscle building, it is strongly suggested that you increase daily caloric intake by around 2000 calories. Increase protein intake to 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. Training should remain relatively unchanged. You may increase sets per body part by 2 additional sets per week. Sleep is another important factor. Get at least 8 hours a night; and that is bare minimum.

If you train, eat, and sleep right, you should expect to gain anywhere from 20-40 pounds off this cycle. About 5-10 pounds will be water, so don't be alarmed when you start losing the water at the end of your cycle. You will retain the muscle. I'd say water gain would make up approximately 10% of you overall weight gain. If you choose not to use an anti-aromatase, expect much more water gain, which will in turn cause greater overall weight gain.

If you have any more questions, feel free to email me at any time. Almost forgot, take as much time off between cycles as you are on. In other words, if you do a 12 weeks cycle (12 weeks of actual testosterone), then you should take 12 weeks off before your next cycle.

Benefits of Dianabol - Methandrostenolone advantages

Methandrostenolone (also known as Dbol and Dianabol) is one of the best anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs when it comes to improving mood, self-esteem, appetite, and self-confidence enhancements and normalizing effect on all functions of the body. Use of this anabolic steroid is also associated with nearly permanent glycogenolysis, nitrogen storage, protein synthesis, muscle mass, muscle function, and body strength gains.

Categorized as a Schedule III drug under the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990, Methandrostenolone is medically recommended to people suffering with osteoporosis and health complications requiring improved protein synthesis. It is routinely prescribed by medical practitioners for treating health conditions like chronic adrenocortical insufficiency, thyrotoxicosis, interstitial-pituitary insufficiency, diabetic angiopathies (retinopathy and nephropathy), steroidal diabetes, and pituitary dwarfism.

Dianabol has a profound effect on protein metabolism and promotes well being by facilitating positive nitrogen balance besides promoting physical and mental state and improving sleep patterns. This steroid is commonly part a part of a long bulking cycle and multiple doses of it are required to be taken throughout the day because of its short active life. The recommended dose of Methandrostenolone is 25-50 mg per day when taken orally and 50-150 mg per week when taken in an injectable form and it is commonly stacked with testosterone enanthate, Nandrolone, Anadrol, Proviron, testosterone propionate, Trenbolone acetate, and testosterone cypionate. This anabolic steroid is not advised to people suffering from health problems like testicular atrophy, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, liver damage, kidney damage, stroke, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems.

Research suggests - puberty delayed by stress

The development of genital organs of the carp can get delayed to a significant extent when subjected to stress, as per a NWO research at Utrecht University. The stress hormone, cortisol, plays a critical role in delaying puberty, according to this research.

It was assumed by the researchers that the hormone, cortisol, is behind puberty delays.

Cortisol would seem to affect the testes. It directly delays the development of reproductive cells into sperm cells. This slows the growth of the sexual organs and also the supply of steroids to the blood. During puberty, anabolic steroids from the testes ensure that the brain, the pituitary gland and testes develop properly. Because the cortisol produced under stress reduces the supply of steroids, communication to the brain and the pituitary (a gland under the brain) is reduced. This means that, like the testes, these organs develop more slowly, thus slowing down overall development.

The whole complex of hormones involved in puberty is self-regulatory. The brain produces the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which stimulates cells in the pituitary. On order, the pituitary then excretes the gonadotropins, the luteinising hormone and the hormone which stimulates the follicles. In the testes, the gonadotropins promote the production of reproductive cells and steroid hormones. The steroid hormones contribute to the production of the reproductive cells and ensure communication between the brain and the pituitary gland, thus completing the cycle.

The finding is believed to have critical implications for medical practitioners on a worldwide basis.

Letrozole by QD Labs - exceptional estrogen reducer

Letrozole is considered to be one of the most widely used estrogen reducers in today’s steroid market. This is because it can offer greater benefits than Nolvadex or Proviron when it comes to reducing or eliminating estrogen levels. This drug is also used by members of the medical fraternity for handling cases of infertility for ovulation induction. In addition to that, it is also hailed as an exceptional product when it comes to reversing the spread and extent of breast cancer after treatment options such as Tamoxifen therapy have failed to deliver any results.

Femara is chemically described as 4,4′-(1H-1,2,4Triazol-1-ylmethylene)dibenzonitrile and has the molecular weight of 285.31 g/mol. The inactive ingredients of Femara tablets are colloidal silicon dioxide, ferric oxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, odium starch glycolate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

Letrozole and Bodybuilding

Letrozole can reduce the levels of estrogens in bodybuilders and others by as much as 98 percent, which is more than what Proviron and Nolvadex can offer. Furthermore, it facilitates improvements in the levels of luteinizing hormone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and follicle-stimulating hormone to a great extent. This means that bodybuilders on anabolic steroids do not need to worry about water retention, acne, or gynecomastia. In short, this miracle drug is best for both bulking and cutting cycles that involve harsh androgens.
Recommended dose of Letrozole

The recommended dose of Letrozole is 2.5 mg per day, with or without meals.

It is important to note that Letrozole tablets are required to be kept at a controlled temperature of 25°C (77°F) with excursions permitted up to 15-30°C (59-86°F).

Anabolic Steroids in the Treatment of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease in which the bone mass is low and the bone tissue is degenerating.  Over time, the bone becomes more and more fragile and gains an increased tendency to fracture.  It is one of the most common bone diseases in the US, with more than 25 million people affected.

Every year, osteoporosis is responsible for causing 1.3 million fractures in various parts of the patients’ body like spine, hip, and wrist.  The most serious of these is hip fracture.  About 5 to 20% of osteoporosis patients with hip fracture die within a year, and 50% others become incapacitated.

The term osteoporosis means “porous bones.”  The skeleton is made up of a thick outer covering and a strong inner lattice comprised mainly of collagen, calcium, and other minerals.  This inner lattice looks somewhat like a honeycomb.  The spaces between them are filled with blood vessels and bone marrow.

When these spaces become bigger, osteoporosis occurs.  Bigger spaces between the bones cause the bones to be fragile and to break easily.  Osteoporosis is a condition affecting the whole skeleton, although the most common effects are fractures in the hip, spine, and hip.

The elderly face greater risk of developing osteoporosis, and consequently, the chances of having the disease increase with age.  Osteoporosis in patients also tends to worsen with age.  The incidence of fractures due to osteoporosis is expected to increase in the next 60 years.

This disease is caused by a number of factors, the first one being hormone deficiency.  Women in particular are more prone to osteoporosis than men because bone loss in women becomes accelerated 5 years after menopause.  Other factors that are known to cause or increase the chances of developing this skeletal disease include low calcium intake, having a sedentary lifestyle, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking.

One of the treatments being done for osteoporosis is the use of anabolic steroids.   These have been found to help patients, specially the very elderly ones, who are experiencing bone loss at a rapid rate.

Anabolic steroids are more popularly known as the substances that are used to enhance body building and muscle gain.  These substances are also being used widely in medicine, and treatment for osteoporosis is one of its important applications.  Anabolic steroids have been shown to stimulate the formation of new bone, to increase the absorption of calcium, and to provide relief from spinal fracture pain.

According to studies, administration of anabolic steroids to osteoporosis patients resulted in an increase in bone mass in both men and women.  Another advantage of using steroids is that the patients’ fat tissue gets converted into muscles, which helps to strengthen the body.

About 3% of bone mass is gained every year as a result of anabolic steroid administration, with the maximum effect being observed during the first months of treatment.  This gain in bone mass is attributed to the anabolic steroid’s ability to stimulate bone formation and to promote muscle tissue growth over fat tissue growth.  Anabolic steroids have also been shown to increase the absorption of calcium in the body by activating vitamin D.