Melanotan and Melanotan II

Melanotan and Melanotan II are peptides that have recently become very popular due to their abilities to cause tanning of the skin, something much sort after by many bodybuilders and those who like to have dark and tanned skin for aesthetics. The secretion of melanin causes the tanning and darkening of the skin, and melanin is heightened by Melanotan (more melanotan equals more melanin), a peptide characteristically twinned with α-MSH. The functions are not just limited to skin pigmentation, however. Hair pigmentation, libido and appetite are also determined by Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone. The tanning effect is heightened by the exposure of UV light, although tanning of the skin has been noted in areas of the body that do not usually get expose to the light. Tanning is usually more pronounced in the facial area and arms.

Within clinical studies the main side effects noted were nausea and flushing of the face. Appetite suppression is also widely noted with Melanotan, which could either be welcomed or unwelcome for a bodybuilder depending on their dietary goals at the time! Many of users experiences with melanotan has backed this up with many users reporting a feeling of nausea after the injections. At the dosages outlined in this article it would be less common to actually vomit from the result of the administration of the Melanotan, although this side effect has been noted in clinical studies (which usually involve higher dosages). Users have noted fatigue as another side effect of the Melanotan. Tanning, headaches, nausea, flushing, itching and irritation, tiredness, dizziness, and the formation of white patches are all possible. Melanotan II has been noted to have more side effects than those just previously listed, including increased sexual arousal.

The side effects associated with Melanotan often decrease with each administration of the substance, although most will experience the most common side effects of nausea and flushing only shortly after injecting the peptide, with the effects lasting up to a few hours.

Melanotan is the peptide that is being trailed for main stream use due to its shorter list of possible side effects from its usage. Melanotan II has a greater list of side effects due to its interaction with a greater number of melanocortin receptors. This brings about more effects from the peptides usage, and also can make the outlined side effects that both Melanotan and Melanotan II share more pronounced.

Melanotan and Melanotan II are supplied in vials as powders that need to be mixed with bacteriostatic water for injection. The Melanotan and Melanotan II powder are best stored in a freezer due to their slow degradation at room temperature, and are often shipped in ice packs for this reason. The degrading process is slow, so if your Melanotan did not get shipped in ice packs it will not make your batch that less effective as long as the exposure to the higher temperature has not exceeded several days.

As previously stated, Melanotan needs to be mixed with bacteriostatic water prior to injection. To achieve a concentration of 10mg/8ml, use 8ml of bacteriostatic water in your 10mg vial of powder. From this we can have a concentration level of 0.25mg per 0.2ml. This should be enough liquid for you to accurately draw up using a 1ml marked syringe, although you could choose your own concentration level using a similar process. By using a 1ml syringe we can successfully attach and detach needles, and store the solution filled syringe in the fridge ready for the next injection.

The required dosages of Melanotan are greater than that of Melanotan II. A daily dosage of 2-3mg of Melanotan will bring about fruitful results, and a daily dosage of 1mg will do the same for Melanotan II. To restrict the undesirable side effects it is often best to start the dosages at a level of 1-1.5mg for Melanotan and 0.25mg-0.5mg for Melanotan II, and build the dosages by .25mg each day until the target dosage is reached. The injection itself is done into the sub-cutaneous layer.

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.

Testosterone Propionate is a powerful steroid

In the world of anabolic steroids testosterone is king; in-fact, all anabolic steroids owe their allegiance to the testosterone hormone, for without it they would not exist. Of all the forms of anabolic steroids it is testosterone that was first and regarding mass production Testosterone Propionate was the first to hit the shelves in mass quantity ready for human use. Testosterone Propionate is one of the longest existing anabolic steroids and since its inception and into the present day it has remained one of the most popular of all time. Its popularity stems from many points but first and foremost it remains popular because it is simply pure testosterone, a hormone of great anabolic and androgenic power. Further, as we will shortly see testosterone is one of the more versatile hormones we can ever become acquainted with and while all testosterone forms are simply that, testosterone, Testosterone Propionate holds a special place in the hearts of many performance enhancers due to its fast acting nature. Regardless of anything else Testosterone Propionate is the easiest testosterone form to control, it is very easy to maintain stable levels, easy to control in-terms of side-effects and generally one of the more user friendly anabolic androgenic steroids anyone could ever choose.

Testosterone is a hormone produced by both men and women and is essential to our very functioning existence. As it is responsible for a host of functions we can see the majority of the functions when we examine low levels of the hormone and the negative effects it can cause. As for Testosterone Propionate, what we have is identical to the testosterone hormone you naturally produced, the only difference being Testosterone Propionate is synthetically manufactured.

How important is the testosterone hormone? Largely the examination of low levels can tell us everything we need to know and while low levels in of themselves are not life-threatening they can be beyond problematic and lead to many problems that can be life-threatening indeed; look at it like opening a door that should remained closed. Individuals who suffer from low testosterone and while more men will fall prey many women do as well, will often find symptoms such as increases in body-fat, loss of muscle tissue and strength, the inability to lose body-fat even when dieting and exercising, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction in men, a weakened immune system, lethargy, depression, a lack of mental focus, a lack of clarity of thought; the list goes on and on. Again, directly none of these conditions are life-threatening but you’d be hard pressed to make a positive argument regarding a single one. Further, it’s no secret, excess body-fat and a loss of muscle tissue is well-known to be the gateway to many serious physical problems, many of which are quite life-threatening indeed. An interesting note, in recent year’s low testosterone has also been linked to dementia, most notably regarding fatal Alzheimer’s disease.

For the individual who suffers from low levels, when he supplements with testosterone and Testosterone Propionate can be used for just that, he will in-fact see each and every area that was once found lacking improved upon and to a strong degree this is exactly how we can look at performance enhancing. For the performance enhancer the idea is simple, to take the levels of testosterone past what can be produced naturally thereby enhancing the traits and functions for what it is responsible for greatly. It really is that simple and is nowhere nearly as complicated as many like to make it out to be.

So how does it all work? By its nature and direct mode of action Testosterone Propionate as a pure testosterone form greatly increases nitrogen retention in the muscles as well as overall protein synthesis. Both of these traits are key factors in building lean tissue as well as preserving it and as lean tissue increases so does our overall metabolic rate. If nothing else this makes the hormone immeasurable in-terms of how truly beneficial it is but as you may have guessed its direct mode of action goes much deeper.

Testosterone Propionate will dramatically reduce and inhibit the release of glucocorticoid hormones in the body. This is important because these are the hormones that destroy muscle tissue and promote the storage of body-fat; while you may not be familiar with all glucocorticoid hormones you’ve probably heard of one, the most famous of all, cortisol. By supplementing and increasing our testosterone levels through the use of Testosterone Propionate we now have less cortisol in our body; again, promoting greater metabolic activity.

Testosterone also plays a key and vital role along with IGF-1, a naturally produced peptide hormone of immense anabolic power and importance. IGF-1 effects nearly every single cell in the human body and the more testosterone in your system the greater release of this peptide hormone there will be. IGF-1 also play a direct role alongside another peptide hormone, the most famous of all, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and it is the release of IGF-1 that plays a very important role in how much HGH you produce.

While this gives you a general understanding of the testosterone hormone you still need to understand the Propionate ester. Propionate is not a steroid, it is not a hormone, it is an ester that can be attached to a hormone and testosterone is not the only one. Propionate is one of the smaller esters we have available, not the smallest but pretty close; of the most common esters used the only smaller ester most will use will be Acetate. As a small ester based testosterone, Testosterone Propionate will become active and noticeable very quickly and as to be expected will carry a very short half-life; meaning, the total duration of activity is very short lived, thereby making frequent administration necessary. Testosterone Propionate carries a half-life of approximately 4 days and will need to be administered at least every 3 days with every other day being far more optimal. Further, as more of an interesting note, as the Propionate ester is so small it will take up very little mass in the compound; meaning a larger portion of the compound will be pure testosterone. For example, 100mg of Testosterone Propionate will yield more usable testosterone than 100mg of a larger ester based form such as Testosterone Cypionate. In the end, while worthy of note it is of little consequence since dosing can easily be adjusted to receive the same amount with any form.

As Testosterone Propionate is just that, testosterone it is for all intense purpose one of the very few perfect anabolic steroids. Individual goals can greatly vary from treating low testosterone, performance enhancement, bulking, cutting, improving athletic performance or simple vanity and Testosterone Propionate can have a place in each and every one. As is evident from the hormones description above Testosterone Propionate can greatly add muscle mass, increase strength, improve metabolic efficiency, improve athletic performance and grant you a greater sense of well-being; is there really much more you could want? Further, because Testosterone Propionate is such a fast acting anabolic steroid, while most will tolerate it very well if you are one of the few who does not for whatever reason, simply discontinuing use will be very simple as the hormone will clear in just a few days.

By-and-large the simplest way to look at the benefits are as we discussed above; when we understand what testosterone is responsible for we then understand why it’s important to make sure levels are adequate if they are lacking. Further, regarding performance enhancement when we understand again what the hormone is responsible for we understand very easily how increasing our levels increases its efficiency by in-which it functions, we literally enhance the performance of the testosterone hormone.

Anabolic steroids carry with them possible side-effects and as Testosterone Propionate is an anabolic androgenic steroid it too carries with it possible side-effects. However, it is very important to remember testosterone is not akin to taking medicine; although steroids are often labeled “Drugs” such a label is somewhat haphazard. As you recall, testosterone is a hormone you naturally produce and have so your entire life and by basic logic the presence of testosterone will generally be very well tolerated. Even so, when we present to our body anything in exogenous form there is always some level of risk; how great the risk varies from each and every item and in the world of anabolic steroids the level of risk varies with each and every one. In the case of Testosterone Propionate, as it is very well-tolerated in most healthy adult men most will not have any problems; however, responsible use will always be the safest route to follow. Of course it must be noted, “responsible use” can mean quite a few different things to different people but nevertheless, there are facts and there are real life experiences we can pull from to gauge our choices.

 Of the possible side-effects you will find they most commonly include Gynecomastia, water retention, high blood pressure and issues of a cholesterol nature as well as testicular atrophy; testicular atrophy being the one guaranteed side-effect in all men. Testicular atrophy occurs for one simple reason; the presence of anabolic androgenic steroids, even testosterone suppresses natural testosterone production. As testosterone is produced in the testicles and production comes to a halt the testicles simply shrink in size; no, contrary to popular belief they do not shrink to where you can barely see them, we’re speaking of a slight decline is fullness. Once use is discontinued your testicles will return to their normal size as natural testosterone production will begin yet again.

As for the other side-effects, they are by no means guaranteed but if they do occur they will do so because of the testosterone conversion process. Testosterone converts into estrogen via the aromatase process and as excess estrogen builds up such related side-effects can become problematic. Absolutely, the total dose of Testosterone Propionate you take will play a big role; the more testosterone in your system the more testosterone there is to convert into estrogen. Individual sensitivity will also play a large role but there are things we can do if we are sensitive or as simple precautionary measures and none is better than supplementing with an aromatase inhibitor (AI.) An AI inhibits the conversion to estrogen and further reduces the amount of estrogen in the body; as the brunt of potential side-effects are brought on by estrogen you an easily see how and why this can be so beneficial.

Go to any steroid related message board and you’ll find individuals who claim Testosterone Propionate is better suited for cutting cycles and that longer ester based testosterones should be used when bulking; the point, do not listen to these people. Testosterone Propionate can be used for any cycle, as can pretty much any testosterone form; Testosterone Propionate is a perfect steroid because it is pure testosterone and it is not the ester that deems it better for one purpose or the other. It is true, some people will hold a little less water when they use this small ester version but in most cases any water problems can be controlled with diet and the use of AI’s. As for bulking, again, as this is pure testosterone and testosterone is the best agent for a bulking cycle Testosterone Propionate can be perfect. Yes, you’ll need to inject frequently regardless of the end goal but sometimes this isn’t really a bad thing. Frequent injections of small ester based anabolics are often much easier to control in-terms of maintaining stable and peaked levels of a particular hormone. In the end, when making your choice you’ll find Testosterone Propionate to be a fine one regardless of anything else but other forms can be just as good.

For the Testosterone Replacement Therapy candidate generally dosing will fall in the 100mg-200mg per week range and rarely surpassing this amount. However, as frequent injections are necessary most physicians will generally opt for larger ester forms, most commonly Testosterone Cypionate so the patient only has to inject once per week.

For the performance enhancer the dosing will be much larger and the varying levels will be much wider too but he must necessarily inject frequently as discussed if he is going to maintain stability. Generally the minimal dose when supplementing for performance purposes will be 100mg every other day with 200mg every other day being as high as most will ever go. Yes, you an absolutely take more, there is no set in stone amount but understand such high-end doses can open up the doors to side-effects that you may have wished to remain shut. In elite level competitive sports, especially in elite level bodybuilding it is not uncommon to see doses surpass a 2,000mg per week range but this can be very harsh and there is simply no way such a dosing could ever be recommended in a responsible manner.

As with all cycles, as natural testosterone production will be suppressed, once use is discontinued and responsible use will include breaks Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is a must in order to aid and speed up the recovery process. This is where Testosterone Propionate has a bit of advantage over many other forms of testosterone; as a small ester that clears very quickly if your cycle ends with Testosterone Propionate and there is no other long ester gear present in your system your PCT plan can start almost immediately. Remember, the sooner we start our PCT the better off we’ll be and such rapid PCT application cannot be accomplished with long ester based testosterone. If your cycle ends with Testosterone Propionate you could reasonably wait 3 days before PCT therapy begins; if it ends with large ester gear you will need to wait approximately 2 weeks. 

Winstrol Depot (Stanozolol) by HardCoreLabs

Winstrol Depot (stanozolol injectable) is an anabolic steroid with interesting properties. It generally is not used as the foundation of an anabolic steroid cycle, and is not necessary for most cycles. Still, however, it has benefits in certain situations.

Winstrol Depot and Liver Toxicity

Winstrol differs from nearly all other injectables in being 17-alkylated, a property more typically associated with oral anabolic steroids. This results in liver toxicity not usually associated with injectables. Further, in terms of liver toxicity Winstrol may be more potent (have more effect per milligram) than most other alkylated steroids: for this reason I prefer for the injected amount to be limited to 50 mg/day, and period of use to be limited to 6 – 8 weeks.

Winstrol Depot and Joints and Tendons

Additionally, Winstrol may be more prone than other anabolic steroids to increasing tendon brittleness. I am not so concerned about this as to consider it a reason to never use Winstrol at all, but it is reason to limit the total weeks of use per year. I don’t have any firm guideline on that, but for example I consider six weeks of use twice per year a reasonable amount.
Further, Winstrol use sometimes leads to joint pain during a cycle.

Benefits of Winstrol Depot

So where is Winstrol of particular benefit? Most typically, I look to Winstrol where an athlete’s needs are for strength or speed with mass increase is unimportant or actually undesirable. Another situation is for physique enhancement if a “hardening” effect is desired but the user does not wish to use trenbolone.

Winstrol is a suitable choice for simpler purposes as well. For example, though not ordinarily used for mass gain it can provide significant mass advantages to a 500 mg/week body-recomp testosterone cycle, while not increasing estrogen or requiring use of an aromatase inhibitor. It will also increase fat loss effect compared to a steroid cycle using that amount of testosterone alone.

Winstrol Depot Half-Life

Winstrol differs from other injectable anabolic steroids in being an aqueous suspension of fine particles of steroid, instead of being an oil solution of an esterified compound. For this reason, it has unusual pharmacokinetics which do not follow the classic half-life pattern. Instead, there is a sustained effect which slowly tapers. The duration of action is probably at least a week. Individual particles of Stanozolol may remain at the injection site for extended periods of time, however, which can cause drug test failure.

Winstrol Depot and Women

While no anabolic steroid is completely safe for women, Stanozolol is a particularly unsuitable choice. First, even oral Winstrol is very problematic for women. Doses as low as 2 mg/day have caused side effects of virilization (though most women can tolerate somewhat more than this) but low dose use offers no remarkable anabolic benefit compared to other steroids. The injectable is an even worse choice for women because of its slow clearance.

Winstrol Depot Side Effects

Stanozolol does not aromatize (convert to estrogen) or undergo metabolism by the 5-alpha reducatase enzyme (5AR.) It does not convert to DHT. However, like all anabolic steroids nonetheless it has adverse side effect on the hair for those with the genetics for male pattern baldness.

To summarize, Winstrol Depot is a specialty anabolic steroid which usually does not need to be added to an anabolic steroid cycle for either athletic or bodybuilding purposes. It can add to mass gains but more usually is used for cutting, hardening, or increasing speed or strength without necessarily increasing muscle mass. Adverse side effects particular to Winstrol and different from other injectable anabolic steroids include liver toxicity, occasional joint problems, and possibly tendon brittleness.

Diet may influence gut bacteria more than genes

More and more studies are revealing the important role that our gut bacteria play in our health. Their trillions of cells vastly outnumber ours. Fortunately, many of them are "friendly," in that they help us digest food and crowd out pathogens that cause disease.

But the mix of gut microbes varies considerably from person to person and also over time. And, until now, it has not been clear whether this variation is due mostly to genes (nature), or things we can change (nurture), such as diet and lifestyle.

Peter Turnbaugh, an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and colleagues describe how - by studying hundreds of mice - they discovered diet may have a stronger influence on gut bacteria than genes.

Prof. Turnbaugh says in a healthy adult, the same strains and species of gut microbes can live in the gut for years, while their relative abundance - the sizes of their populations - can change quite a lot over time.

"These new results emphasize that, unlike a mammalian genome - which is relatively constant - the microbial genomes that comprise the gut microbiome are relatively plastic," he adds.

Findings suggest it may not be necessary to tailor gut bacteria treatments

Prof. Turnbaugh explains that one day it may be possible to treat diseases by shaping the balance of bacteria in the gut. And these new findings suggest it may not be necessary to tailor treatments differently for each person, because "the microbial response to a given diet may be similar for many people's microbial communities."

In another recent study in humans, Prof. Turnbaugh and colleagues found the mix of gut microbes changed quickly when diets varied between vegan and animal-based - after just a few days.

In this new study, they used hundreds of mice with a wide range of well-defined genetic backgrounds.

They fed the mice two different diets, altering between a high-fat, high-sugar diet (14.8% protein, 44.6% fat and 40.6% carbohydrate) and a low-fat, plant-based diet (22.2% protein, 16.0% fat and 61.7% carbohydrate).

Switching diet changed gut mix in days, showed influence lasts for months
The researchers discovered that switching the mice to a high-sugar, high-fat diet changed the mix of microbes in their gut to a new, stable mix within 3 days. The effect was repeatable and was mostly independent of the genetic variations among the mice, they note.

Regardless of the mice's genetic makeup, the high-fat, high-sugar diet increased the abundance of Firmicutes bacteria and reduced the abundance of Bacteroidetes bacteria.

The team found that varying diet had a much stronger influence on gut microbe mix than genetic variation. And the influence can last for several months.

Prof. Turnbaugh says they are not sure whether changes in the gut's microbe mix are a direct result of changes in the diet - which changes the mix of nutrients in the gut that the bacteria are exposed to - or an indirect result of the effects of diet on the overall body of the host.

Past diets also play a role in determining gut microbe mix. The team also found that when they returned the mice to their original diets, changes in the gut microbe mix were largely reversible - but not quite. It seems that imprints of past diets - as well as current diet - play a role in determining gut microbe mix.

Ginger can treat stomach issues, boost immunity and more

Few herbs have received as much praise throughout history as ginger, the rhizome of the Zingiber officinale plant. Testimonials of ginger's significant medicinal properties have been recorded as far back as ancient Greece, though it was also mentioned in the ancient literature of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The ancient healing systems of China and India particularly venerated ginger, and often prescribed it to treat fatigue, poor blood circulation and nausea.

Ginger remains the world's most widely cultivated herb, and a large number of studies confirm its numerous health benefits. Like most herbs, almost all of these benefits stem from ginger's many bioactive compounds; it contains few vitamins or minerals in significant amounts.

Research into ginger

Treatment for gastrointestinal complaints - Ginger has been used for centuries as a home remedy for constipation, bloating, gastritis, gastric ulcerations, indigestion, morning sickness and countless other gastrointestinal issues. A study also found that ginger could help the muscles of the stomach contract, thereby boosting digestion. According to a review ginger is effective at treating gastrointestinal conditions due to its high concentrations of antioxidants, whose free radical-scavenging abilities bestow the herb with gastroprotective effects.

Rich in anti-inflammatory gingerols - Ginger is rich in bioactive, anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These substances are believed to be the reason why so many people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis experience reductions in pain and improvements in movement after consuming ginger on a regular basis. For example, a study found that crude ginger extracts and gingerol derivatives could prevent joint inflammation. A later study discovered that ginger could alleviate neuropathic pain in rats.

Boosts immune function - Ginger is a proven diaphoretic, meaning it can increase perspiration. Though most of us are aware that sweating can detoxify our bodies, German researchers have recently discovered that sweat contains a natural antibiotic named dermcidin that can ward off bacterial, fungal, viral and microbial infections. For this reason, eating more ginger can directly boost our body's immune system and protect us from common infections such as Staphylococcus aureus (a common cause of skin conditions) and Candida albicans.

Natural aphrodisiac and antidepressant  - According to a study ginger extracts have a positive effect on the reproductive functions of male rats due to its "potent  antioxidant properties and androgenic activities." These results confirm the allegations of ancient Chinese and Indian medicine, which claimed for centuries that ginger is a potent aphrodisiac. Moreover, the aforementioned gingerols in ginger are known to possess sedative properties, which might help explain why ginger is also an effective antidepressant that can improve low moods.

Consuming ginger

While ginger root can be eaten raw, it is far more pleasant to consume in tea or powdered form. Ginger tea is an especially popular way to consume ginger and is probably the most accessible way to treat a persistent stomach complaint. Some people like to add honey or lemon to the tea to boost its stomach-settling qualities.

Can High-Fructose Corn Syrup Make You Hungrier?

Fructose - a kind of sugar found in a wide variety of foods and beverages - may encourage overeating, new research suggests.

Fructose may be best known to consumers in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which has long been added to manufactured foods from sodas to cookies.

Distinct from sugar known as glucose (produced by the natural breakdown of complex carbohydrates), fructose is also a "simple" sugar and a natural component of fruit.

However, "in a series of studies we have found that when compared to glucose, the simple sugar, fructose, is a weaker suppressor of brain areas that help control appetite and the motivation to eat," said study co-author Dr. Kathleen Page, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

In other words, people are more likely to remain feeling hungry after a meal with lots of fructose versus one with lots of glucose.

Prior research has indicated that, when compared with glucose consumption, ingesting fructose sparks a smaller release of hormones such as insulin that give rise to a sense of being full, according to background information with the study. Recent investigations have also suggested that only glucose, not fructose, curtails hunger by slowing down activity in a specific region of the brain (the hypothalamus), the researchers said.

The small, new study builds on both findings.

More than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, which puts them at risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Many experts believe that changes in U.S. food production, including widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup, are to blame.

For the current effort, the researchers enlisted 24 men and women ages 16 to 25 to participate in a hunger exercise.

All participants were instructed to consume a drink sweetened with either glucose or fructose. Then they were asked to view images of various foods (including, for example, chocolate cake) and indicate the degree to which they felt hunger. The exercise took place while each was hooked up to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner in order to track real-time brain activity in a "reward" center of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens.

Hunger was greater among those who had consumed the fructose drink, the authors found. At the same time, the fructose mix provoked greater activity in the targeted brain region, which translated into a greater desire to eat.

However, Page stressed that the current findings are "preliminary." More work is needed before broad conclusions can be drawn about how sweeteners in manufactured food products actually influence hunger and the overall risk for obesity, she said.

For example, "it's important to note that both fructose and glucose are found in almost equal quantities in both high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar," Page said. "We don't yet know whether the brain responds differently to high-fructose corn syrup compared to glucose or sucrose [table sugar]."

And a trade association representing the corn refining industry in the United States countered that the study doesn't reflect real-life consumption.

"The subjects in this study were given large amounts of pure fructose and pure glucose separately, which almost never occurs outside a laboratory setting," the Corn Refiners Association said in a statement. "While those who received pure fructose may have reacted as if they were less sated, these study conditions did not correspond to anything like a natural setting in which people normally would be consuming roughly equal amounts of glucose in combination at the same time."

But Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, said the study findings are consistent with other research.

"We have known for quite some time that the insulin response to glucose in the bloodstream is a normal response to signal the brain and body that calories have been consumed," Sandon said. "Fructose does not trigger the same response of insulin."

The interplay between glucose and insulin is probably an important part of weight regulation, she added.

The bottom line, said Sandon, is that added sugars bring no nutritive value to foods. Her advice? "Choose whole, nutrient-rich foods and whole grains most of the time."

Beetroot juice improves athletic performance and cardiovascular health

Many studies have shown that beetroot juice can improve athletic performance. Now, a study conducted by scientists at Kansas State University has shown that the beverage could also provide an important quality of life boost to people suffering from heart failure.

"Remember, for every one football player in the United States, there are many thousands of heart failure patients that would benefit from this therapy," researcher David Poole said. "It's a big deal because even if you can only increase oxygen delivery by 10 percent, that can be the difference between a patient being wheelchair-bound versus getting up and walking around and interacting with his or her family."

Improves patients' ability to exercise

Prior research by the same team showed that due to its high nitrate content, beetroot juice increases blood flow to skeletal muscles that are engaged in exercise. This, in turn, increases the oxygen flow to those muscles.

In the new study, the researchers found that, after drinking beetroot juice, participants experienced a 38 percent increase in blood flow to their skeletal muscles while exercising. Significantly, blood flow increased most to the fast-twitch muscles that are used for explosive running. These muscles are typically less oxygenated than other skeletal muscles.

The increased oxygen flow would be enough to significantly improve quality of life in heart failure patients, the researchers said.

"Heart failure is a disease where oxygen delivery to particular tissues, especially working skeletal muscles, is impaired, decreasing the capacity to move the arms or legs and be physically active," Poole said.

By enabling heart failure patients to get more exercise, beetroot juice could be the first step in producing deeper, more permanent health improvements.

"The best therapy for these patients is getting up and moving around," Poole said. "However, that is often difficult. Increasing the oxygen delivery to these muscles through beetroot can provide a therapeutic avenue to improve the quality of life for these patients."

The researchers have already begun a clinical trial to directly test the effects of beetroot juice in heart failure patients. The research is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Exeter and is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Increases athletic speed, stamina and power

Why does beetroot juice have such a dramatic effect on blood flow? The answer lies in the drink's high concentration of a chemical known as nitrate. Indeed, just 70 milliliters of beetroot juice contains as much nitrate as 100 grams of spinach.

In the body, nitrate is transformed into nitrite, which has been shown to help protect blood vessels from injury. The nitrite is eventually transformed into nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and thereby increases blood flow. Because more oxygen is delivered to muscle cells, these cells are therefore able to produce more power and perform for longer without tiring.

Beetroot juice has been shown to increase both speed and endurance in athletes. For example, one study found that athletes who drank beetroot juice used 19 percent less oxygen and performed for 17 percent longer. Another,  found that cyclists who drank beetroot juice completed a track faster than cyclists given a placebo. A pair of similar studies, conducted by researchers from Maastricht University Medical Centre in the Netherlands found that consumption of beetroot juice improved not just the cyclists' speed but also their power output.

Yogurt Every Day May Help Keep Diabetes Away

Eating a serving a day of yogurt may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

"The data we have gathered show that yogurt consumption can have significant benefit in reducing the risk of diabetes," said senior study author Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston. "It's not a huge effect, about an 18 percent reduction [in risk]." "Yogurt is not magic for curing or preventing diabetes," Hu said. "That's the bottom line and the message we want to convey to our consumers, that we have to pay attention to our diet pattern. There is no replacement for an overall healthy diet and maintaining [a healthy] body weight."

In type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or the body's cells develop a resistance to insulin, and blood sugar levels then get too high.

For the study, Hu and his team pooled the result of three large studies that tracked the medical histories and lifestyle habits of health professionals: the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study of more than 51,000 male health professionals; the Nurses' Health Study, which included more than 121,000 women nurses; and the Nurses' Health Study II, which followed nearly 117,000 women nurses.

During the study follow-up, there were about 15,000 cases of type 2 diabetes. When they looked at total dairy intake, they saw no effect on the risk of diabetes. However, when they zeroed in on yogurt, they found one serving a day was linked with about a 17 percent reduced risk.

The researchers next pooled their result with other published studies that looked at links between dairy foods and type 2 diabetes. They found a serving of yogurt a day reduced risk by 18 percent. The meta-analysis, in which all the results were pooled, includes 14 different groups with nearly 460,000 people. About 36,000 developed type 2 diabetes. The researchers took into account age, body-mass index and other lifestyle factors. Hu said they did not differentiate between types of yogurt, whether it was Greek-style yogurt or not, and the fat content.

While previous studies have found that yogurt is good for maintain a healthy body weight and lowering risk for type 2 diabetes, ''most of the studies were small," Hu said. So his team decided to look at much larger groups. Exactly how the yogurt may help is not certain. The thinking by many experts is that the probiotics in yogurt ("good" bacteria) alter the intestinal environment in a beneficial way, helping to reduce inflammation and improve the production of hormones important for appetite control, he said. The take-home message, Hu said, is that more study is needed, but that yogurt seems to have a place in a healthy diet.

Martin Binks, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, said that studies that look at diet are inherently limited in their ability to measure true dietary intake. Even so, he said, the link may warrant future study. It's too soon, however, to change advice about diet based on this research, Binks said.

Dr. Osama Hamdy, medical director of the Obesity Program at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, points out: "Yogurt in general is beneficial." But he said, "this is an association, not cause and effect."

Study shows blood pressure medication is not linked to breast cancer

Women who take a common type of medication to control their blood pressure are not at increased risk of developing breast cancer due to the drug, according to new study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Murray, Utah.

Researchers analyzed the records of more than 3,700 women who had no history of breast cancer, and who had long-term use of calcium channel blocker medications to control their blood pressure. Researchers found only a minimal increase in risk in one study and a 50 percent reduced risk in a second, leading them to recommend the continued use of these important medications to help prevent heart attack and stroke.

Calcium channel blockers are commonly used to help prevent calcium from entering cells of the heart and blood vessel walls, resulting in lower blood pressure.

"We found no robust data that calcium channel blocker medications increase a person's risk of breast cancer," said Jeffery L. Anderson, MD, a cardiologist and researcher at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. "Given the important role calcium channel blocker medications play in treating heart conditions, we think it's premature to discontinue their use. At this point we recommend that patients continue taking these medications to treat their hypertension."

The Intermountain Heart Institute study was in response to a similar study released last year by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. That study suggested that the odds of getting breast cancer was 2.5 times higher for women who take calcium channel blocker medications. Results of the Intermountain study indicated small to no increased risk.

The Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute study carefully examined data collected from more than 3,700 women ages 50 to 70 with no history of breast cancer in two Intermountain Healthcare databases. For each group, researchers compared women who were prescribed calcium channel blocker medications to similar women who weren't prescribed the medications.

In their review of a general population medical records database, researchers found the odds of breast cancer to be 1.6 times higher by using calcium channel blockers, which was significant, but much smaller than reported by the Seattle group.

But, in contrast, in the data collected from patients treated in the Intermountain Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, a reverse relationship was found -- a 50 percent reduction in risk of developing breast cancer for women who took the calcium channel blockers. The contrasting results found in these two independent analyses led researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute to conclude that it is likely not the medication that caused the changes in breast cancer risk but other factors (e.g., selection biases).