Are Oral steroids underrated?

On this blog I posted some articles about Dianabol en methyl-testosterone and other early oral anabolic androgenic steroids. In those days Arnold dubbed Dianabol the “breakfast of the champions” and that was true. Bodybuilders in those days educated each other and measured their dosing by handful not by milligrams.

They kept their usage a secret to the people outside their friends, even though it was not forbidden to use them in those days.

Let’s take a look at the most famous of the early bodybuilders, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Unauthorized publications mention how Arnold took a handful of Dianabol before his work-out, leading to a lot of intensity in the gym. He stacked it with Primobolan at around 600 milligrams a week. We also know that Arnold also liked Winstrol a lot and we know that Winstrol leads to a massive increase in strength, that why it is also favored by power-lifters and strongmen.

Scare mongering

If someone on a forum mentions the fact that he plans to use oral steroids, most members will post warnings and tell him that orals are very bad for the liver. It’s almost as if oral steroids are spiked with a sharp object that will hurt your liver. But is that true or is it just bro-science? Once bodybuilders and athletes found out that many pharmaceutical compounds where beneficial for their purposes, the authorities, medical community and pharmaceutical companies started to discourage usage and even official scientist denied that supra physiological doses of testosterone would cause extra muscle mass. Remember Will Brinks article  “walking the walk or talking the talk”? Still makes me laugh today!! It didn’t help. Bodybuilders and athletes are using anabolic steroids to increase the muscle mass and athletic performance. But why does everybody still believe the myth that you will ruin your liver with oral steroids and that its alkylation will destroy your liver forever?

Liver function

The liver metabolizes everything you eat or are exposed to. We might not be able to always control what we are exposed to in the environment but we can control what we eat and swallow. The liver is the second largest organ in the body, after the skin being the largest. The liver is like a highly intelligent and sophisticated filter – filtering the blood to remove toxins, harmful substances and excess hormones.

Your diet and lifestyle (alcohol, caffeine, smoking , stress) represent the biggest potential burdens on your liver, as many processed foods are contaminated with artificial sweeteners, sugar, trans fats. and chemical additives.

Signs of a poorly functioning liver: Tiredness, fatigue, headaches, ,problem skin and weight gain. anxiety/ depression, impaired libido and important: darkened urine

Thankfully the liver is amazingly regenerative. So no matter what you may have consumed in the past, it’s possible to start improving the health of our liver by making conscious choices about what we put in our bodies. The cellular turnover of our liver is quite fast with every single cell being replaced approximately every forty days.

As I posted in previous articles on Dianabol, these bodybuilders knew about subcutaneous injections and it is known that they also solved methyl-testosterone under their tongue, we know as sublingual administration.

Older types of Methandrostenolone (Dianabol) are known to be a mixed form of methandrostenolone and methyl-testosterone. I wrote about that fact in a post about Akrihin Russian methandrostenolone, also posted on this blog. While some people on the discussionboards rate methyltestosterone as a rather useless steroid, others recognize it as an effective medication that promotes appetite, strength gain and focus (aggression) and adds synergy in a stack. Hard core bodybuilders drink a few cups of strong coffee, some dianabol tablets, methyl-testosterone or a combo instead of all those pre-work out supplements these are meant for rookies who still believe in the supplement industry. Some UG labs, like Hard Core Labs offer stronger chemical aids.

Dianabol and stanozolol are stronger steroids than we thought

Scientists have underestimated the strength of oral anabolic steroids such as dianabol and stanozolol . Incorrect methods have been used to measure the strength of these anabolic steroids in test tube (in vitro) studies. Two researchers from the University of Texas discovered that in a study from 2005

According to researchers – and many gurus reiterate this uncritically – many steroids are overrated. They base their comments on in vitro tests, in which for example a cell containing androgen receptors is used.

On the basis of these kind of studies, some researchers have formulated the theory – uncritically picked up by gurus – that the effect of steroids like stanozolol and dianabol doesn’t go via the androgen receptor, but that they have a ‘non-genomic effect’.

The scientists conclude: “In this study we show that stanozolol and methandienone are low affinity ligands of the rat recombinant AR as revealed by a ligand binding assay in vitro, however, based on a cell-based AR-dependent transactivation assay, they are potent activators of the AR. We also show that a single injection of stanozolol and methandienone causes a rapid cytosolic depletion of AR in rat skeletal muscle. Based on these results, we conclude that anabolic steroids with low affinity to AR in vitro, can in fact in vivo act on the AR to cause biological responses.”

New Test by German Lab Detects Steroids Six Months After

Around 266 positive cases have been detected by a German laboratory in the past year using a new steroid test. The technique is finding other positives in retesting of old samples. The lab found 184 cases involving Stanozolol, the banned drug used by sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Olympics, and 82 of Oral-Turinabol, a steroid Which was very popular back in the days of East Germany, when female powerlifters were packing on muscle and facial hair at an alarming rate.Many of the positives since November 2012 involved athletics, weightlifting and wrestling.

Geyer said that before the test they didn't have a single positive case of Oral-Turinabol per year. "Suddenly we develop a new method that is more sensitive and now we have a huge increase. This As for the new test, it utilizes Russian-developed technology that detects steroids in smaller amounts about six months after they’re used. Geyer believes that this new steroid test is an improvement on old methods and could be very useful in regard to catching future dopers. “Maybe the athletes always knew how long we could detect these substances,” he said. “Maybe the out-of-competition (steroid testing) system doesn’t work.”

Can the use of oral anabolic steroids lead to permanent damage?

That is exactly what a few German scientist wanted to know. In contrast to the acute effects of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse, the long-term risk profile of former long-term abusers was less clear.

That’s why they decided to study the blood parameters of 32 male bodybuilders and power lifters . Fifteen  former long-term abusers had not been abusing AAS for at least 12-43 months on average (mean dosage 700 mg for 26 weeks per year over 9 years), 17 athletes  were still abusing AAS (750 mg for 33 weeks per 8 years). The study from 2003 was called:  “Reversibility of the effects on blood cells, lipids, liver function and hormones in former anabolic-androgenic steroid abusers.”

They concluded: The alterations in cell counts, HDL-cholesterol, liver function and most hormones of the pituitary-testicular axis induced by a long-term abuse of AAS were reversible after stopping the medication for over 1 year. In some former long-term abusers an increased ALT activity and a depressed testosterone synthesis were found.

Reading the previous you can conclude that liver damage is exaggerated, especially when you’re taking the right supplements to protect your liver like Milk Thistle (silymarin) and maybe  Liv52 alongside it. Eating healthy fruits and vegetables is also important. Also drink plenty of water to cleanse your liver

Even cardio and running helps to increase the metabolism and excretion of harmful by products from organs and tissue.

Benefits of orals

What made me start the article was the thought that many members, do remember all the negative comments about oral steroids but forget all the benefits.

Orals kick in very fast thus you can use them to perform short cycles, the effects starts after about 4-5 hours depending on what you have in your stomach and your metabolism. This means you can use them to have better work-outs instead of all those pre-work-out supplement companies (and magazines that depend on their advertisements) tell you. And all those pro’s that “write” articles in the magazines are also sponsored by the same supplement-companies just for your information.

It also disappears very quick from your system that’s why they are used by athletes that are tested for doping. But you can use them also to  "bridge into PCT". Which means that at the end of your cycle you start short estrificated injectable steroids and after that orals to prevent “crashing”. It is also possible to end a cycle completely with oral steroids.

Orals are great kick start a cycle. Most bodybuilders start their cycle with a combination (stacking) of injectable steroids and oral steroids mostly oxymetholone (drol, anadrol) or methandrostanolone (dianabol, d-bol) you need to be on point with training and nutrition, both before, during and after the cycle , to prevent too much bloat.

Oral steroids “trigger” the liver to release extra IGF, you know that is crucial for our purposes.

Because oral are so short acting you can manipulate your cycle constantly. All orals (just like injectables) have different properties and potencies.

Oral Turinabol is a “gentler” without bloating. D-bol adds mass strength very quickly. Winstrol (winny), Anavar or Halotestin (halo) will make you dry, hard and lean. Anavar will also make you vascular. On the other hand is harsh on the joints and tendons  especially in older users.

Winny is often used stacked with T3 and/or clenbuterol and/or ECA or just ephedrine to dry or loose fat quickly.I would advise some Aromasin while other prefer Arimidex, don’t overdo it bro’s

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When it comes to the discussion of oral AAS, one topic I see come up more frequently than anything else is the fear of developing liver toxicity. This has led many bodybuilders to administer these drugs for very brief periods of time, long before they have reached maximum effectiveness, or in some cases, to discontinue using them altogether. This is a fairly recent phenomenon, with today’s bodybuilders advocating shorter and shorter cycles to the point that many have suggested limiting the use of oral steroids to a maximum of 4 weeks, or cycle protocols like 3 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 3 on 6 off, lest the user suffer from serious liver damage, even when administering long-prescribed pharmaceutical preparations.

Certainly, this new idea is in bold contrast to the decades of steroid research which has been conducted in human beings at numerous universities. The point of this article is not meant to minimize the potentially serious side effects associated with irresponsible oral AAS use, but to inform the reader of the truth regarding this class of drugs and their risks to the liver.

Without wasting time, I will get right to the point and say that the toxicity of oral AAS and their overall risks to the liver, in general, have been greatly exaggerated over the last several years, leading many to adopt a position which is both unnecessary and ignorant. The truth is that liver toxicity is not one’s primary health concern when using oral steroids at reasonable dosages; cardiovascular health is, and while cardiovascular risk factors associated with orals AAS can be controlled, that is another topic for another day. To be blunt, in the average healthy person with no pre-existing liver conditions, it would take a small mountain of oral AAS consumed over a considerable period of time, in order to experience irreparable liver damage. The type, dose, and length of administration required to experience liver death is far beyond what the typical gym lifter (or even professional bodybuilders) is willing to administer. Otherwise, we would see significantly more people requiring a liver transplant, but let me ask you a question. How many people do you know or how many pro- bodybuilders have you heard of that have required a liver transplant from oral steroid use?

You see, the liver is a very resilient organ, which is not only capable of sustaining a tremendous workload, but is actually able to repair itself in the event it does sustain damage. This is not surprising, given the fact that filtering toxins from the body is its primary job, necessitating a degree of “toughness” that other organs do not possess. In short, if we could liken the liver to a bodybuilders, it would be Mr. Olympia. In order for the liver to fail to the point of replacement, it must be provided with an extreme workload, to the point that its filtering capacity is consistently overwhelmed, leading to severe damage and an inability to regenerate. Remember, prescription anabolic steroids were originally developed for conditions which necessitated long-term use, treating maladies such as anemia & osteoporosis and recently they have been more frequently prescribed for those with wasting diseases. These conditions require treatment for longer than 4 weeks if they are to be effective. Therefore, physicians have regularly treated large numbers of patients for decades with doses similar to, and sometimes in excess of, common BB’ing dosages. If oral AAS (in general) presented a degree of risk so great that exceeding 4 weeks of use could lead to serious liver damage, these drugs never would’ve been considered as a viable treatment option in this population.

I am convinced that the reason for the recent change in mind-set regarding optimal cycle length with oral steroids has been largely due to the cycling recommendations of OTC designer steroid companies. Throughout the 70’s, 80’s, 90’ and early 2000’s, most oral cycles ran between 8-12 weeks in length, regardless of the compound employed. This mind-set didn’t begin to change until we saw the immergence of OTC designer steroids in the marketplace; particularly methylated compounds. There were two reasons why we witnessed OTC companies advising such short cycle guidelines, both of which are understandable. 1) Some of the designer steroids released onto the marketplace warranted short cycle lengths, such as M1T. However, many other methylated products could’ve been reasonably run significantly longer. 2) In order to avoid lawsuits by irresponsible users pushing things to the limit, these companies showcased wisdom in their recommendations. After all, some customers would interpret the legal status of these products to mean…”Use without discrimination”…and would administer larger dosages for longer periods of time. By keeping their cycle recommendations well within safety limits, they minimized the possibility of a potential lawsuit.

While there are no doubt some oral AAS which are best left for short-term use (4 weeks or less), the large majority can safely be used for between 8-12 weeks at standard dosages. Some of the oral AAS included in this group include: All traditional/script AAS (including Anadrol), the overwhelming amount of orals sold in the black-market, and numerous OTC designers. While I am not going to list appropriate cycle guidelines for each oral steroid in existence, this should provide the reader with an idea of just how many steroids can be responsibly used in the 8-12 week range.

For those of you who are more conservative or desire to take precautions against the hepatotoxic effects of oral AAS, there are several preventative measures, which can be taken to significantly reduce the strain placed on the liver. These include the implementation of various OTC supplements, as well as temporary abstinence from all other unnecessary liver toxic drug, such as alcohol, Tylenol, aspirin and various prescription medications. Most are relatively inexpensive and make a worthy addition to any oral steroid cycle, especially when AAS are used regularly.

In the next section of this article, I have re-printed some studies and abstracts from Pub-Med, which demonstrate a more accurate view of oral AAS and their potential to cause liver injury. See below.

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 Study #1: In the study below, the aim was to determine whether or not Anadrol positively affects insulin sensitivity (the answer appears to be yes).

Oxymetholone ameliorates insulin sensitivity in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial. Aramwit et all 2009

CONCLUSION:

HD patients treated with short-term oral oxymetholone showed an increase in insulin sensitivity when compared to the placebo group, and this effect depended on changes in FFM and FM.

Note: When these test subjects were administered a full 100 mg daily dose of Anadrol for 24 weeks straight (6 months), only 2 out of the 21 subjects treated experienced notably elevated liver enzymes...and yet, some online posters believe Anadrol will “blow out” their liver if used for longer than 4 weeks at only 50 mg daily.

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Study #2: Oxymetholone for the treatment of HIV-wasting: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trial in eugonadal men and women. Hengge et all, 2003

CONCLUSION:

Oxymetholone can be considered an effective anabolic steroid in eugonadal male and female patients with AIDS-associated wasting. The bid (100 mg/day) regimen appeared to be equally effective to the tid (150 mg/day) regimen in terms of weight gain, LBM, and BCM and was associated with less liver toxicity.

Note: Of the 89 people participating in this study, only 25% of the subjects receiving 100 mg of Anadrol daily experienced significantly elevated liver enzymes, while 43% of those receiving 150 mg daily did. Notice at the conclusion of the study that the author states that those receiving 150 mg of Anadrol daily did not gain any additional lean body mass compared to those receiving 100 mg per day, making the 100 mg/day dose equally effective, while resulting in reduced toxicity

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Study #3: Oxymetholone promotes weight gain in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection. Hengge et all, 1996

CONCLUSION:

The average weight gain at peak was 8.2 kg in the oxymetholone group and 6.1 kg in the combination group compared with an average weight loss of 1.8) kg in the untreated controlsThe quality of life variables (activities of daily life, and appetite/nutrition) improved in 68% While this study does not directly address liver function markers, the researcher’s conclusion was that such therapy was considered “safe” and effective.

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Abstract #1: Hepatic effects of 17 alpha-alkylated anabolic-androgenic steroids.

[No authors listed]

Abstract

AIMS: Use of 17 alpha-alkylated anabolic-androgenic steroids (17alpha-AAS) has been connected to hepatotoxicity. These steroids are used clinically to treat anemia, to prevent weight loss, and to treat wasting syndrome. The most common types of 17alpha-AAS are Methyltestosterone, Oxandrolone, Oxymetholone and Stanozolol. Liver disease and the effects of some anti-HIV drugs may contribute to hepatic dysfunction. Signs of hepatic dysfunction are listed. For those experiencing jaundice and related malfunctions, discontinuing the drug enables patients to recover. In many cases those who did not exhibit jaundice may have developed a tolerance for the drugs. Side effects such as cholestatic jaundice only occurred in a small number of patients taking the recommended doses of 17alpha-AAS. Peliosis hepatitis, hepatic tumors, and hepatocellular adenomas are other reported side effects. Proper dosing and monitoring of anabolic steroids reduces the risk of hepatotoxicity.

Note: In a review of the literature above, the author clearly states that side effects such as jaundice have only occurred in a small amount of patients being treated with Anadrol. The author then goes on to state that those experiencing jaundice and other liver-related side effects recover upon discontinuance of the drug, with proper dosing and monitoring further reducing the risk of hepatotoxicity.

We did post earlier on the effect on the liver: //www.juicedmuscle.com/jmblog/content/anabolic-oral-steroids-and-liver