Anabolic steroid guide

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Saw this on another site and thought it would be a good add here.Great for beginners to learn from.....



HP's Anabolic Review Steroid Guide


DISCLAIMER:

The information you are about to read was gathered from sources including textbooks, professional athletes, avid steroid users, online sources, medical studies and my own personal experience. Neither I or the creators of these readings assumes any liability for the information presented in this thread. This information is not meant to be applied, not intended to provide medical advice, but instead be used as a reference guide to provide a summary of information for entertainment purposes only. Understand the rewards vs. the risks and be aware of the laws in your country. If one decides to use any of these drugs discussed, consult with appropriate medical authorities. I do not advocate you to engage in any illegal activities!

I'm going to try and keep this as simple as possible for readers to easily navigate through and find/seek any answers they are searching for. Again, in this write-up you will find combined information and articles gathered over the years regarding AAS usage, compound profiles, cycle templates, ancillary usage, side effects, and information to remedy side effects in order to be safe as possible. After all, safety is our main goal here and we care about your health and well being.


Research
I think one of the biggest misconceptions that someone new to body building is that they need steroids to grow. That's not the case at all. Steroids are NOT a miracle drug and if you don't know what you are doing then serious health problems can come of it. Steroids are for those who have been training for at least a few years and have hit their genetic plateau and need a boost, they're not for someone who has just started training and has never researched them.

Research is the main thing when it comes to steroids and it will help keep you safe from unwanted health problems or side effects. Researching them doesn't mean looking around on the internet for a few hours and calling that knowledge, it means taking a year or more to know exactly what it is they do, how they work and how to safely cycle them. If you are thinking about starting a cycle then do yourself a favor and research all compounds and get to know them and not just the common ones. Lets face it, if you don't know how to train, which most new guys don't, or if you don't have a good diet pan then all the steroids in the world won't help you out. - Gringo

Firstly how do I research?
Here are some pointers.

Books - because they are published by professionals and contain vital information; The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Anabolics, Strength Training Anatomy and many more.

Internet - Google obviously but be careful because not all the right information is there you need to analysis it and compare it to what you know and other truths you may find. Comparing is a great tool because when you come into situations of discussions you will understand some things others will say and think ,hey I read that, let me correct you.

Look for Medical Studies, if you have a buddy that has the resources at school to find them then use that because nothing beats a medical study.

References to studies or information you may find, even google it to see if the reference is real you will be surprised at some being fake. -Anthony

Caution when buying steroids

I think one thing that should also be added is the possibility of buying fake steroids. Don't just get them from anyone who offers them to you or from any internet site claiming to have legit and quality steroids. Come on now, do you honestly think they will tell you they are selling fake or contaminated steroids? No they wont, they just want to scam you and take your money.

Doing research on what labs are still around and what ones have a good reputation is a must before buying any type of steroids, pill form or injectable. Who knows what it is you might be injecting into your body, if you're real lucky it might be legit, if you're not so lucky it might just be plain oil and if your luck really sucks then it could be contaminated oil that will leave you in the hospital with a blood infection or a nasty abscess. And I might add that if steroids are not legal in your country then you shouldn't consider buying them! The penalties can be severe if caught and especially if you use the mail system to get them.

Am I old enough?

Yes if you're over 24, No if you're under. You run the risks of premature closing of growth plates which means you won't get any taller and your shoulders won't get wider, etc. if you use them too young. Your endocrine system is also at a vital stage in your life, which should incidentally provide you with plenty of natural testosterone anyway!

Of course there are other considerations such as training experience of the individual. For example, it would be unwise for a 25 year old who has been training only a few months to want to use steroids. Their training and diet knowledge are likely to be limited (these should be 100% in check to make 'proper use' of a steroid cycle). Not only that, but there will be massive potential for natural gains, without the need to even think about steroids!

Furthermore, cycling before the age of 2024-5 will put you at a high risk of temporary to permanent damage to your HPTA, andropause, TRT, erectile dysfunction, and low libido. Your hormones should not be tampered with while still in the stage of maturation. Use your already naturally high test levels to your advantage.

You should have a significant amount of training under your belt (4-5 years at least) before any Steroids are considered. This will not only allow you to toy around with a few diet and training methods (possibly eliminating the reason for cycling in the first place) but will also you adequate time to let your CNS, bones/joints/tendons/muscles to mature so that you will have the proper foundation for when you begin your cycle. Cycling on a frame that is delicate and inexperienced runs many risks including temporary to permanent injury to any of the above mentioned. Bodybuilding isn't a sprint, and there is no rush to jump on steroids and get big. Transforming the body takes time, patience, dedication and discipline. There are no short cuts!

Diet is probably the most important and vital tool is growing and gaining muscle/shedding fat. With a strong diet as your backbone, the steroids will not live up to their hype. No matter what your doses and duration of steroids you are taking, it just won't be worth the time and money spent without the sufficient calories and macros behind it. The 2 literally go hand in hand. A lack of diet will provide a lack of results, even with anabolic support. Having this experience will make cycling in the future easier and much more enjoyable, believe me.

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What are some side effects of steroids?

This is the first thing that should be looked at when thinking of starting a cycle of steroids. First off ALL drugs have side affects... Even the multi-vitamins that you subconsciously take every morning have side effects. First thing I would like to clear up is that steroids DO NOT make your penis smaller. This is a ridiculous myth that was started by uneducated people and this is the first thing you will usually hear people say when you mention steroids. Steroids however do cause your testicles to atrophy while on cycle. HCG can be taken to prevent this, and If you take proper precautions after your cycle(s) your testicles should return to their normal size assuming you didn’t abuse steroids during this cycle. Another myth that is very common is “roid rage”. Roid rage is a myth created by the media to scare people away from using steroids and to give steroids a bad name. Steroids can cause you to be more aggressive than normal and/or have a shorter fuse. Steroids do not cause people to go on mass killing spree’s or killing your family (I.e. Chris Beniot). Put it this way if you were an ass hole before you were on cycle then you will be a bigger ass hole while on cycle. If you do feel more aggressive or feel like you have a short fuse then use this energy during your training sessions. If you feel like you’re going to blow up on someone then just disengage from the situation and take a step back and realize that you’re probably blowing it out of proportion. Now other side effects include….

Acne, Hypertension, loss of hair, aggressiveness, kidney problems, liver problems, cholesterol problems, gynocomastia, cardiovascular issues, stunting growth, sterility. Different steroids have different side effects; just make sure to really research your hormone to the fullest before starting. Most of the side effects from steroids come later on in life, so just keep that in mind when your thinking of using crazy amounts of steroids.

What gains should I expect?

Obviously the reason you have chosen to do steroids is because you want huge gains. This depends on many factors….. Genetics, diet, training, recovery. Genetics are the most important thing about your gains. You can not control this obviously and some people are just blessed with better genetics. Everyone responds differently to steroids. Diet is the second most important thing to think about when on or off cycle. This is something that you can control and is the most important thing to have in check at all times to get the best results. My advice would be to hire a nutritionist or at least make sure that the diet advice you are getting is correct. Training is obviously important, but the biggest mistake that people make while on cycle is you can train a lot more and get better gains. True that your body recovery’s faster while on cycle, but If you’re lifting 2 hours a day 6-7 days a week then your body is not getting a lot of time to recover. I train the same when I’m on as I do when I’m off. Recovery goes hand in hand with over training. Just make sure your getting enough sleep every night and taking your rest days when you need them. Listen to your body!

Only use people you trust!

When purchasing steroids always buy from a trusted source. If you plan on buying steroids then best case scenario is to buy from someone you have known for a long time that you trust because this way you have piece of mind that what your getting is real and hopefully sterile.

Don’t buy from a stranger just because he is the biggest guy in the gym because you never know what you’re getting. Online sources….. All I can say about online sources is be very careful and do your research before buying online because they’re plenty of fake sites out there.

There is a difference between use and abuse

Bottom line steroids aren’t magic. The people you see in body building magazines didn’t just get that way over night. They spent hard years of diet and training to look the way they do. Do not ever think more is better, slow and steady wins the race. Yes you can hit plateaus while on cycles, but don’t start throwing everything and the kitchen sink into a cycle thinking your going be the incredible hulk when you wake up the next morning. If you do plateau then increase your dose gradually and/or you can add one compound at a time to see how your body reacts.

You only get one chance in a life time so take care of your body. Hopefully you get the chance to grow old one day, and you don’t want to cause harm to your self for something you did 40 years prior. Be smart and stay safe.

What are steroids & what is the difference between Orals & Injectables?

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone which is naturally produced by the human body.

Steroids are a synthetic form of testosterone or its derivatives. Bodybuilders mainly use testosterone. Testosterone is what you can thank for Strength and Size. Testosterone can also assist with fat loss according to ones diet. So get out them ideas of 'NOT BEING ABLE TO CUT' on Test. Another thing to add is...Test IS AND SHOULD BE THE BASE ON ALL STEROID CYCLES.

Simply put; Don't cycle without it, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot

You've decided to take steroids, now the next thing to decide is whether you should take tablets or inject? What's the difference? Let's look at each in turn: Well the obvious difference is that one is swallowed, the other is injected. But let's be more specific; most oral steroids are hepatotoxic (i.e. toxic to the liver). As the tablet/pill travels through the body it passes through the gastrointestinal tract, then to the liver which has a mission to destroy it, thus preventing the steroid from entering the bloodstream. As a result, scientific boffins replaced the hydrogen atom with a carbon atom to the 17th position of the steroid molecule, which for the most part, will enable the steroid to survive the first pass hepatic metabolism. This process is commonly referred to as 17-alpha alkylation (17-AA or C-17).

Whilst this alkylation is desirable for the athlete in terms of improving the bio-availability of the oral steroid, it does however, place undue stress on the liver. Liver values (a set of markers which are used to assess liver function) may be elevated whilst using 17-aa steroids and as such, they are generally used sparingly to compliment an injectable cycle. Certain nutritional supplement products are often used for liver protection:


* Milk Thistle
* ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid)
* Liv-52

Injectable Steroids are not for intravenous use (into the vein). Doing this could result in serious injury or even death. They must be injected intra-muscularly (into the muscle) and therefore avoid the 'first pass' through the liver; though some the harsher steroids will place a strain on the kidneys in large doses.

There are two main different types of injectable steroids: Water or oil based. Water based steroids are metabolized quickly, requiring frequent (often daily) injections. Oil based ones are released more slowly into the bloodstream and are generally injected once or twice weekly.

Oral only cycles are a complete waste of time. Gain will simply not be worth the sides you'll be going through. Let alone that you're gains on oral only cycles will NOT stick as well as they should.

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Half Life Of Steroids

Half life's are a very important thing and should also be understood. Knowing what the half life of the steroids you plan on taking will help you plan out the cycle so all the compounds will be out of your system at the same time. This way you know exactly when to start your PCT and also to make sure you always have testosterone in your system while on other steroids.

For instance lets say if the half life of the test you are on is 2 weeks and the half life of another steroid you are taking is 3 weeks, then you should stop the longer one a week before the last shot of test. Orals have short half lives so they can be ran up to pct time in most cases while the test is working out of your system.

Active Half-Life

Oral steroids

Anadrol / Anapolan50 (oxymetholone) 8-9 hours
Anavar (oxandrolone) 9 hours
Dianabol (methandrostenolone, methandienone) 4.5 - 6 hours
Methyltestosterone 4 days
Winstrol (stanozolol) 9 hours
(tablets or depot taken orally)

Depot steroids

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

* Winstrol (stanozolol) 1 day (Technically Stan Depot does not have a half-life simply due to the fact that it's UN-ESTRIFIED! It contains microcrystals that will dissolve slowly and once they've all dissolved the levels of the hormone will fall pretty rapidly)


Steroid esters

Formate 1.5 days
Acetate 3 days
Propionate 4.5 days
Phenylpropionate 4.5 days
Butyrate 6 days
Valerate 7 days
Hexanoate 9 days
Caproate 9 days
Isocaproate 9 days
Heptanoate 10 days
Enanthate 10.5 days
Octanoate 12 days
Cypionate 12 days
Nonanoate 13.5 days
Decanoate 15days
Undecanoate 16.5 days

Ancillaries

Arimidex 3 days
Letrozole 2 days
Aromasin 27 hours
Clenbuterol 1.5 days
Clomid 5 days
Cytadren 6 hours
Ephedrine 6 hours
T3 10 hours

Injections

When choosing an injection site make sure you know what you are doing before you begin. Injecting into an unwanted area can cause unwanted damage. Also make sure to use proper and sterile procedures. First thing is to chose the muscles you intend on using and research where in the muscle to inject and what length and gauge needle to use. Here are the steps to do a sterile injection.


1.Clean the surface you intend to put all your supplies with an antibacterial wash.

2.Lay down a paper towel and set your supplies on it.

3.Wash your hands.

4. Use an alcohol swab or cotton ball soaked in alcohol and wipe the rubber top of the vile if that is what you are using.

5.With the cap still on the needle draw in the amount of air that you intend to draw out in oil.

6.Remove the cap and insert the needle into the rubber toper and inject the air into the vile. If you are using an amp then step 4-6 don't apply.

7. Draw out the amount of oil intended.

8. Remove the needle and put the cap back on.

9. Remove the needle from the syringe and put a new needle on. Make sure to not uncap the new one or touch it in any way since it comes sterile right from the factory. Don't even wipe it down with alcohol thinking you are doing any good because you won't be.

10. By holding the syringe upright flick it until all the air bubbles are at the top and gently push the plunger until they're all out of the syringe. Remember, air and injections don't mix.

11.Find the place where you intend to inject and thoroughly clean the entire area with an alcohol swab or a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. This will kill any microbes that might be in the area and stop them from entering your body.

12. With the area clean and all your air bubbles out of the syringe take the cap off the needle and remember to not touch it. With a steady pace and pressure push the needle into the skin.

You may feel a little poke at first but it goes away as soon as the needles in. With the needle inserted hold on the barrel and pull back on the plunger. You don't have to pull back much. If blood appears in the end of the syringe then that means you injected in a vein so pull the needle out of the site and place a cotton ball over it since it will probably bleed a good amount.

Switch the needle to a new one and repeat steps 11 and 12. If no blood appears then at a steady pace push the plunger in and try not to move the needle in or out of the site. When all the oil is out of the syringe have a cotton ball handy and pull out the needle and put the cotton ball over the site and rub it for a second.

13. Recap the needle and dispose of it and all the other needles and don't leave them laying around.

14. Clean up your area and wash your hands again.

If it is your first time injecting a muscle then it will more then likely leave you sore for a few days. Sometimes certain steroids have a high BA content also so that doesn't help either. Some people do their shots before a hot shower and some do them after, you'll just have to see what you prefer yourself and what helps you heal fastest. If you get sore from a shot you can try hot showers with some motrin to help with any swelling but only time will really heal it. But it never hurts to try. Remember it's your body and you only get one so be smart about this and don't listen to the dumb ass that says he doesn't do any of this and injects where ever. It doesn't take much longer to do it right and it could save you a trip to the ER or the doc's office or maybe even your life. If an injection site is sore for more then a week go to the doctors and tell him about it. It might beCellutosis or an abscess and require some antibiotics. If you don't get it treated then you might end up with some worse problems like having to have an abscess cut open and drained or a blood infection. Be smart about it and don't just go sticking needles where ever you want.

Another thing that knowing the half life of certain steroids helps out with is knowing how often you need to inject them to jeep stable blood levels, or how often to take any orals you might be on. If the half life of steroid is only 2-3 days and you inject or take pill once a week you will cause a roller coaster effect to your blood levels and will get nothing from them.By injecting at the peak of the half life which would be an every other day injection you will keep a constant steady level of the hormone in your body which will give you the most from the steroid and will keep a steady blood level and is the safest way to take a steroid. By keeping a constant level in your body and a steady blood level, the side effects will be much less then having them all over the place and will help keep any of the side effects under control. -Gringo

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What causes injection pain?

1. The shorter the ester, the higher the melting point
2. The concentration of the gear.
3. Solvents.
4. Injection speed.
5. Virgin muscle.
6. Volume of injection in certain muscle groups.

So how to remedy pain in brief:

1:1 ration w/ sterile cotton or grape seed oil.
Sleep with heating pads at night on the pin area
Pre-warm oil to let the juice disperse easier
Inject in the muscle prior to training that muscle to let the oil disperse easier
Massage thoroughly 5-8 minutes to let the oil disperse easier
Wait it out, for most the pain will subside
Rotate spot injections
Inject slow
Make sure the volume of the injection is suitable for the muscle you are pinning in.

Volume of injections

Glute: Anything below 2cc.
Delt: Anything below 1cc-1.5cc
Tricep: Anything below 1cc.
Bicep: Anything below 1cc.
Trap: Anything below 1cc.
Calve: Anything below 1cc-1.5cc
Quad: Anything below 2cc
Pec: Anything below 1.5cc
Lat: Anything below 1.5cc

If you are larger person, obviously these numbers will be higher. These are just my personal choices and what I would use on me.

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Liver Health

PQ: It is important to stress that while life-threatening injury from oral steroid use is admittedly very rare, these issues do legitimately occur in otherwise healthy bodybuilders and should be taken seriously during your regular health screenings.

As some readers may be familiar, most oral steroids are c-17-alpha alkylated compounds. This is a chemical alteration that allows a steroid to survive its first pass through the liver and into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, however, c-17 alkylation can place a good amount of strain on the liver in the process. While oral steroids are generally regarded as fairly safe in a medical sense, the abuse of these drugs can lead to serious liver damage (even cancer or death) in rare cases. If you are using a lot of oral anabolic steroids, or plan on using them, then it is important to understand a bit about monitoring and maintaining liver health. In this article, I’d like to review some of the basics of lab testing (blood work) and discuss the potential for liver support supplements to help maintain liver health. An obligatory rundown of the more serious consequences of oral steroid abuse is also in order. It is important to stress that while life-threatening injury from oral steroid use is admittedly very rare, these issues do legitimately occur in otherwise healthy bodybuilders and should be taken seriously during your regular health screenings.

The four most common serious manifestations of steroid-induced liver toxicity are intrahepatic cholestasis, peliosis hepatis, hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Intrahepatic cholestasis refers to a condition where the liver can no longer properly transport and metabolize bile (bile duct obstruction). This may coincide with jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin and eyes as bilirubin builds in body tissues. Cholestasis is usually resolved with the immediate cessation of steroid use. Peliosis hepatis is a rare and very serious condition characterized by blood-filled cysts on the liver. Hepatocellular adenoma is a rare non-malignant (non-cancerous) liver tumor. While in some cases it may require no further intervention other than abstinence from steroid use, hepatocellular ademona can lead to life-threatening bleeding or liver failure. Hepatocellular carcinoma refers to malignant liver cancer. This last and perhaps most serious consequence of steroid use has only been documented in one previously healthy recreational steroid user.

Liver Support Supplements

Aside from testing, the hepatic strain of oral steroid use may be reduced with the use of certain liver support supplements. While it may seem counterintuitive to use a dietary supplement to offset the side effects of a hepatotoxic drug, there is an increasingly large body of evidence supporting the use of certain natural compounds for this purpose. Nutritional products like silymarin and Liv-52 (a blended liver support supplement) have become increasingly common in the steroid-using community as of late, largely based on a growing number of medical studies demonstrating their ability to protect the liver from toxins like drugs, alcohol and certain chemicals. The ability for these products to help reduce actual steroid toxicity seems to be supported by anecdotal observations as well, although not proven.

The European product Essentiale forte N from Aventis is also commonly used for liver protection and unlike silymarin and Liv-52, has been directly studied in steroid-using bodybuilders.

“Compound N”

Essentiale forte N actually has the distinction of being the only natural supplement that has been shown in clinical studies to offset the hepatotoxic properties of oral anabolic/androgenic steroids. During this investigation, 320 healthy weight-training individuals were recruited and divided into three groups. The first group (A) consisted of 44 steroid users who were given Essentiale forte N (identified in the study as Compound N) to use with their next cycle. The second group (B) consisted of 116 subjects using anabolic steroids only. The last group (C) was 160 non-steroid using controls. All steroid users abstained from drug use for five weeks prior to the study and resumed their normal regimens, usually of multidrug programs in doses in excess of therapeutic amounts. The investigators did note the perceived risk differences between therapeutic doses and above therapeutic levels, as well as the increased hepatotoxicity of c-17 alpha-alkylated steroids and divided their groups so as to minimize these influencing factors.

The level of relative liver strain noted during the course of the study was assessed every 10 days by analyzing the blood for a full panel of liver enzymes. This specifically included aspartate aminotransferase (AST/SGOT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and creatine kinase (CK). Baseline levels for all enzymes were similar between groups except creatine kinase, which is heavily influenced by training intensity. During the study, the steroid-only users (group B) noticed a significant elevation in liver enzymes, resulting in levels that exceeded the normal range. Liver enzymes were elevated in the remaining two groups, however, the elevations were similar and remained within the normal range at all times. The researchers were left to conclude: “The positive association of the abuse severity with the increased hepatic enzymes’ levels suggest a relationship between abused AAS and hepatic cell damage. However, when AAS were taken with …[Essentiale forte N], … the hepatotoxic effect appears to be attenuated.”

The main focus of this article was to discuss some of the basics of examining and maintaining liver health when taking hepatotoxic oral (or injectable) anabolic/androgenic steroids. For those reading who have not taken a keen interest in having their liver enzymes examined, it is my hope that this article may change your perception of this issue just a bit, perhaps enough to begin regular testing. - William L.

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Frequently, athletes research how to better layout an anabolic-androgenic steroid cycle, as well as proper post cycle therapy for making the transition back to a natural training state.

Unfortunately, many neglect another component for a successful AAS cycle: maximizing the time spent on using pre-cycle therapy, better know as “priming.”

What is priming?

Priming is a preparatory method used to create a favorable growth environment so an AAS cycle can maximize muscle gains. The goal of priming is to make an athletes system very sensitive to increased calories, greater training intensity and elevated anabolic hormones. Psychologically, a trainee should feel pent up and ready to move heavy loads.

Priming should be done before every cycle – no matter the athlete’s previous AAS cycle experience. If completed correctly, priming will lead to very quick and dramatic results.

Because of the faster results, cycle duration can also be cut back to make coming off and restoring proper hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis functioning easier, for a faster recovery of the body’s endogenous androgen production.

How should you prime?

Priming involves correct dietary and training manipulations that allow an athlete to lower body fat while sparing muscle. Basically, it is essential to diet down slow enough to simply lose fat – again, no muscle or strength should be lost.

Bodybuilders spend a lot of time preparing to exhibit a lean, muscular build. But other things are going on inside. Their body is getting really sensitive for a period of growth following the long period of dieting and depletion training. Most advanced bodybuilders – especially those that compete – know how responsive the body can be right after leaning up; such as the growth spurts frequently experienced after a competition with or without concurrent AAS administration. This is an example of what occurs by priming before a bulking phase, although pre-contest routines are generally too exhaustive since extremely low body fat levels are required. Simply put: priming opens the window for a great opportunity to obtain phenomenal muscle building results and end training plateaus.

Training cycles must change as goals change. While priming, the training should not be so intense that overtraining is likely; in fact, a general maintenance routine would be best in many circumstances. The training routine should also let the athlete mentally prepare for a split that is very progressive. The amount of aerobic training (as well a total calorie intake) is determined by current lean body mass and what has previously been learned about personal metabolism and limitations. The concurrent aerobic and anaerobic training effect won’t limit results since the goal is not to gain strength or muscle but rather to preserve it.

The diet should allow the body to become sensitive to carbohydrates and the other macronutrients. Generally, a cyclic-ketogenic diet works wonders. This method helps many lose fat while preserving lean body mass while becoming carbohydrate sensitive for superior calorie partitioning once the AAS cycle begins.

It is very catabolic to train with no carbohydrate intake and no scheduled carbohydrate loads; lost muscle is inevitable. Why take two steps back and then two steps forward every time you cycle? Scheduling carbohydrate loads presents an opportunity to fill out energy stores for a productive – and frequently progressive – power workouts, opportunities to fight for strength levels and muscle mass.

Using a CKD approach, carbohydrates remain very low for three or four days – maximum – followed by a “carb up,” a period where carbohydrate intake is substantial. Remember, glycogen levels must become grossly depleted during the weekly rotation to ensure the proper response from a carbohydrate load. Be careful of total calorie intake – results gained by obtaining low carbohydrate can be diverted if total calorie intake is too high; this can negatively affect the depletion phase.

After successfully depleting glycogen levels, a subsequent carb up can not only replenish glycogen depots but super compensate them. Stick to high-protein and high-carbohydrate food sources during the carbohydrate load. Total calorie intake during this period can be very high – some can eat well over 6,000 calories and still burn fat! Any high-fat cravings should be curbed within the first several hours of the carbohydrate load. Studies show fat gain during this time is very low since the body is more interested in replenishing itself than it is in storing fat. As you advance through the carbohydrate load, high fat foods are more likely to be stored as fat.

Regardless, carbohydrate loading will cause dramatic increases in bodyweight, though this is not suggestive of regaining fat. Weight fluctuations vary based on the athletes lean body mass. It is common for many to re-gain six to 10 pounds after a carbohydrate load due; much of this is due to the concurrent water uptake required to store the excess supply of glycogen. During the depletion week, it is common for many to lose seven to 12 pounds – roughly netting one or two pounds of fat loss per week with the rest of the weight composed mostly of dropped water.

The carbohydrate load also provides a key opportunity to train heavy and possibly make some gains in limit strength. A succeeding power training day is a great opportunity to accurately gauge muscle wasting or drops in limit strength. An abbreviated full body workout can be used with great success. All of the lifts should stay strong or possibly get stronger – use a workout journal!

The last four or five days before the cycle starts should be low carbohydrate. The steroid cycle should commence on the same day as a carbohydrate load. Testosterone and most of its popular derivatives will make this carbohydrate load very effective. Glycogen super compensation can occur very quickly, especially if short-ester (suspension, acetate, propionate) steroids are used; otherwise, front load longer esters (enanthate, cypionate, decanoate) to get blood levels up quickly.

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Here is an example split for successful priming (based on Ultimate Diet 2.0 by Lyle McDonald, which is considered an up-to-date version of Underground Bodyopus by Daniel Duchaine):

Day 1: Moderate Carb/Cardio at maintenance calorie intake.
Day 2: Low Carb/Upperbody Supersets at a caloric deficit, either through diet or cardio.
Day 3: Low Carb/Lowerbody Supersets at a caloric deficit, either through diet or cardio.
Day 4: Low Carb/Cardio at a caloric deficit, either through diet or cardio.
Day 5: Low Carb/Full Body Workout with daytime calorie intake should be slightly less than they were during the previous days. The carbohydrate load should follow immediately after evening training.
Day 6: Carb Load/No training
Day 7: Moderate Carb/Power Training (Squats, Deadlifts and Bench Presses), eating slightly above maintenance.
Repeat

Once the cycle has begun, your body will remain very responsive and you should begin training hard; using supersets, drop sets, rest-pause – heavy and intense training. You should feel pent up and ready for it. As always, a training log will help maximize the growth window.

How long should the priming period last?

Proper priming generally last about six to eight weeks, pre-cycle. The body will be very responsive if finished correctly and long enough. Obviously, finding the best ratio between priming, cutting and growth macro cycles can guarantee the greatest results during the training year. This relation is best identified through experience.

Successful priming will bring your body fat levels down but the most important aspect is to become sensitive for a growth period. If body fat is high, an athlete could extend the priming period with a target body composition in mind before switching to a growth phase but don’t allow gross overtraining to occur. If body fat mass is currently out of control, it is better to focus on dieting and training strictly for fat loss. A lean body is much more effective at proper calorie partitioning. Once bodyfat levels are within reason, take a brief pause, and then begin priming for the AAS cycle.

Are any ancillary drugs helpful for priming?

Proviron and Bromocriptine can be very helpful for sustaining muscle mass and fat metabolism. Proviron helps to support natural testosterone levels during a calorie restricted diet. Bromocriptine helps support suitable hormone levels while training to metabolize body fat; in addition to dulling hunger pangs. Either drug can help trick your body from trying to put a stopper on fat loss and limit muscle wasting. Unfortunately, Bromocriptine is notorious for bad side effects, such as decreased appetite and nausea. This drug should be tapered up and only administered in the mornings, to avoid uncomfortable side effects. Exogenous insulin can help carbohydrate loads – especially brief loads under 24 hours – by increasing faster glycogen storage.

Are any non-pharmaceutical ancillaries helpful for priming?

A multi vitamin and mineral supplement is always good practice while on a macro-restrictive diet, to fill holes in daily nutritional requirements. Extra Vitamin C can also help deter flu symptoms and keep you from falling ill during an important training cycle. A daily dose of around four to eight grams of vitamin C per day will serve to support a healthy immune system during any training cycle. Obviously, getting sick can mess everything up.

Taking a healthy dose of the essential branched chain amino acids helps to deter overtraining and over-reaching symptoms. They also help prevent muscle wasting during dieting to foster a better environment to remain on a progressive strength routine. Studies show that it’s harder to overtrain while taking at least 10 grams of the essential BCAA’s daily. Ten grams pre-workout can have a substantially positive effect on strength and mental focus while using a CKD program.

When you stay low-carbohydrate your body starts to produce less of the digestive enzymes responsible for carbohydrate metabolism. This can cause bad gastrointestinal problems when carbohydrate loading. In particular, a low carbohydrate phase results in less production of the enzyme Amylase. To combat this, you could supplement with digestive enzymes to aid proper digestion.

Charles Poliquin, a famous strength coach, has been quoted supporting the idea of post-workout high-dose glutamine. He suggests this in place of sugar for those needing to drop some body fat. The idea of mega dosing glutamine is debatable but many have used 30 to 40 grams of post-workout glutamine with great success

Caffeine and other thermogenics are an absolute help when training during low carbohydrate intake. They support energy levels and depress appetite. During carbohydrate loading, they help with the lethargic feeling easily acquired from a dramatic increase in starches and sugars. Alternatively, the carbohydrate loading phase can be used as a break from caffeine-containing supplements and drinks.

Taking the time to properly prepare for a steroid cycle can make the experience more rewarding. A properly primed system is more responsive to growth, allowing for a lower dose or shorter duration. Appropriate post-cycle therapy helps retain gains – proper pre-cycle preparation helps attain them. -WarriorFX

[flyNhigh Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flyNhigh]

Saw this on another site and thought it would be a good add here.Great for beginners to learn from.....



HP's Anabolic Review Steroid Guide


DISCLAIMER:

The information you are about to read was gathered from sources including textbooks, professional athletes, avid steroid users, online sources, medical studies and my own personal experience. Neither I or the creators of these readings assumes any liability for the information presented in this thread. This information is not meant to be applied, not intended to provide medical advice, but instead be used as a reference guide to provide a summary of information for entertainment purposes only. Understand the rewards vs. the risks and be aware of the laws in your country. If one decides to use any of these drugs discussed, consult with appropriate medical authorities. I do not advocate you to engage in any illegal activities!

I'm going to try and keep this as simple as possible for readers to easily navigate through and find/seek any answers they are searching for. Again, in this write-up you will find combined information and articles gathered over the years regarding AAS usage, compound profiles, cycle templates, ancillary usage, side effects, and information to remedy side effects in order to be safe as possible. After all, safety is our main goal here and we care about your health and well being.


Research
I think one of the biggest misconceptions that someone new to body building is that they need steroids to grow. That's not the case at all. Steroids are NOT a miracle drug and if you don't know what you are doing then serious health problems can come of it. Steroids are for those who have been training for at least a few years and have hit their genetic plateau and need a boost, they're not for someone who has just started training and has never researched them. Research is the main thing when it comes to steroids and it will help keep you safe from unwanted health problems or side effects. Researching them doesn't mean looking around on the internet for a few hours and calling that knowledge, it means taking a year or more to know exactly what it is they do, how they work and how to safely cycle them. If you are thinking about starting a cycle then do yourself a favor and research all compounds and get to know them and not just the common ones. Lets face it, if you don't know how to train, which most new guys don't, or if you don't have a good diet pan then all the steroids in the world won't help you out. - Gringo

Firstly how do I research?
Here are some pointers.
? Books - because they are published by professionals and contain vital information; The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Anabolics, Strength Training Anatomy and many more.
? Internet ? Google obviously but be careful because not all the right information is there you need to analysis it and compare it to what you know and other truths you may find. Comparing is a great tool because when you come into situations of discussions you will understand some things others will say and think ?hey I read that, let me correct you?. Bodybuildingdungeon.com, steroids.com, *********.com, mesomorphosis.com & a heap more.
? Look for Medical Studies, if you have a buddy that has the resources at school to find them then use that because nothing beats a medical study.
? References to studies or information you may find, even google it to see if the reference is real you will be surprised at some being fake. -Anthony

Caution when buying steroids

I think one thing that should also be added is the possibility of buying fake steroids. Don't just get them from anyone who offers them to you or from any internet site claiming to have legit and quality steroids. Come on now, do you honestly think they will tell you they are selling fake or contaminated steroids? No they wont, they just want to scam you and take your money. Doing research on what labs are still around and what ones have a good reputation is a must before buying any type of steroids, pill form or injectable. Who knows what it is you might be injecting into your body, if you're real lucky it might be legit, if you're not so lucky it might just be plain oil and if your luck really sucks then it could be contaminated oil that will leave you in the hospital with a blood infection or a nasty abscess. And I might add that if steroids are not legal in your country then you shouldn't consider buying them! The penalties can be severe if caught and especially if you use the mail system to get them.

Am I old enough?

Yes if you're over 24, No if you're under. You run the risks of premature closing of growth plates which means you won't get any taller and your shoulders won't get wider, etc. if you use them too young. Your endocrine system is also at a vital stage in your life, which should incidentally provide you with plenty of natural testosterone anyway!

Of course there are other considerations such as training experience of the individual. For example, it would be unwise for a 25 year old who has been training only a few months to want to use steroids. Their training and diet knowledge are likely to be limited (these should be 100% in check to make 'proper use' of a steroid cycle). Not only that, but there will be massive potential for natural gains, without the need to even think about steroids!

Furthermore, cycling before the age of 2024-5 will put you at a high risk of temporary to permanent damage to your HPTA, andropause, TRT, erectile dysfunction, and low libido. Your hormones should not be tampered with while still in the stage of maturation. Use your already naturally high test levels to your advantage.

You should have a significant amount of training under your belt (4-5 years at least) before any Steroids are considered. This will not only allow you to toy around with a few diet and training methods (possibly eliminating the reason for cycling in the first place) but will also you adequate time to let your CNS, bones/joints/tendons/muscles to mature so that you will have the proper foundation for when you begin your cycle. Cycling on a frame that is delicate and inexperienced runs many risks including temporary to permanent injury to any of the above mentioned. Bodybuilding isn't a sprint, and there is no rush to jump on steroids and get big. Transforming the body takes time, patience, dedication and discipline. There are no short cuts!

Diet is probably the most important and vital tool is growing and gaining muscle/shedding fat. With a strong diet as your backbone, the steroids will not live up to their hype. No matter what your doses and duration of steroids you are taking, it just won't be worth the time and money spent without the sufficient calories and macros behind it. The 2 literally go hand in hand. A lack of diet will provide a lack of results, even with anabolic support. Having this experience will make cycling in the future easier and much more enjoyable, believe me.

This information is great! I will be reading a lot of stickies in the future.

[jennythemodel Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jennythemodel]

Wow... Thats is elaborate.. Good job... I have learned a lot from Napsgear too. They even have pre-designed stacks for you. Great info guys... Thanks.

[Skibuck Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Skibuck]

Napsgear came highly recommended, but they require a min. $500. deposit into your "wallet" or account out of which your orders are paid for. Since I only wanted $200. in produce, $500. seemed unreasonable. I got screwed by steroidsdirectonline.com and it really turned me off and made me extremely leery of any online seller wanting a Western Union transfer to some person's name and not taking a legitimate form of payment.

Napsgear is the same type of outfit, requiring Western Union wire transfer. I'd appreciate any positive feedback about napsgear.

[peircedstud0 Member Find all posts View Profile Close peircedstud0]

Naps is good and everytime ive ordered ive received what i ordered. one time my order got held up by customs or something and when i complained about it they sent me something extra and the other product eventually came to me.

[Lisamartin Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisamartin]

Nice job. This information really helpful for me and other members of this forum. i am taken induject 250 at least every 10 days. it is injectable testosterone. It gives me nice shape of my body and i am very happy with this.

[rmc245 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rmc245]

Hey Skibuck, I use NAPS excellent source legit and I only use WU for payment. My last order was: order on 8/1, received tracking 8/4 and delivered to US on 8/14...today. Great guys easy communication if needed and gear is spot on.

rmc245

[F.I.S.T. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close F.I.S.T.]

Glad you guys found if helpful.Thanks for the replies.

[johndoe Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close johndoe]

Napsgear came highly recommended, but they require a min. $500. deposit into your "wallet" or account out of which your orders are paid for. Since I only wanted $200. in produce, $500. seemed unreasonable. I got screwed by steroidsdirectonline.com and it really turned me off and made me extremely leery of any online seller wanting a Western Union transfer to some person's name and not taking a legitimate form of payment.

Napsgear is the same type of outfit, requiring Western Union wire transfer. I'd appreciate any positive feedback about napsgear.

Napsgear is very legit and top notch gear. ships fast and safe. if customs sieze ur gear just tell naps they will send another order on them.