Depot Testosterone is the first long-acting testosterone to be introduced to the market. It’s primary objective is the treatment of male hypogonadism. This is a condition where there is a reduced or absent secretion of testosterone from the testes. Decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, muscle loss and weakness and depression are all associated with hypogonadism. There is also an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

Depot Testosterone is currently available under the brand name NEBIDO. It is designed to be injected every three months. Nebido contains Testosterone Undecanoate as its active ingredient. You may be familiar with this compound as it is also used in the oral steroid Andriol.

Nebido is injected slowly into the gluteal muscle, where it forms a reservoir of the drug. The compound then gradually releases from the injection site and is cleaved by serum esterases into testosterone and undecanoic acid.
On administration of Nebido serum concentrations of testosterone rapidly increase with notable elevations observed the very next day after injection.

This form of testosterone is also well-tolerated, local irritation being moderate and lasting for no more than three days. Another bonus with this form of testosterone is the fact that – unlike short acting esters- fluctuations in androgen levels are unlikely to be a problem. Hemoglobin and Hematocrit levels – although elevated – remain within the normal range and bone density shows a marked improvement.

THE BENEFITS

So, now you know the (condensed) science behind the product, what are its possible applications in the bodybuilding world?

Well, for a start there is the benefit of less frequent injections. There is also the convenience of steady serum testosterone levels. Depot testosterone (Nebido) also appears to have less influence on blood pressure and a lower tendency towards estrogen conversion. It also seems to have a favorable influence on cholesterol levels with studies reporting a slight decline in total cholesterol in patients who were given this substance.

DOSAGES

In medical trials, hypogonadal men were given an initial injection of 750mg Nebido, followed 4 weeks later by an additional 750mg ‘loading’ injection and then 750mg every 10 weeks thereafter. For bodybuilding purposes, there have been reports of competitors injecting anything from 1000 – 3000mg. This would lead to a sustained level of testosterone in the body lasting 10-12 weeks. On top of the testosterone they may add anabolic agents like Deca Durabolin, Equipoise or Trenbolone Acetate.

Nebido is distributed in multi-use vials, each containing 1000mg testosterone Undecanoate in a 4-ml solution for injection (250mg testosterone Undecanoate/ml).

N.B. Nebido is still relatively hard to find in comparison to the other testosterone esters. However, it is currently available from Maxi Medicine and you can find it at www.maximedicine.com

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Having also studied pharmacology in relation to sports performance, her writing began taking her in that direction until the present day which sees her embarking on a return to the magazine world, as well as extending her web-related work in the bodybuilding and fitness field.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag giving information on a variety of performance-enhancing drugs for educational purposes. While it is apparent that people are going to use these substances regardless of the health and legal risks involved, quality information is necessary and learning as much about them as possible can only assist an adult making a decision either way.

Winstrol is the ‘user friendly’ name given to the anabolic steroid Stanozolol. A derivative of dihydrotestosterone, Winstrol is a commonly used steroid for cutting cycles. Since it is not capable of converting into estrogen, gynecomastia is not a concern – even amongst the most sensitive individuals. It produces a lean, quality look with little or no water retention.
Winstrol is often seen as a less expensive alternative to Anavar since it produces similar gains in strength without significant weight gain.

As with most oral compounds, Winstrol carries the structural c17-AA alteration, which enables it to survive the first pass through the liver. This means that it does place a higher level of stress on the liver than the injectable form (Winstrol Depot) which avoids the first pass altogether. With this in mind, during longer or higher dose cycles, liver values should be monitored by regular blood work. It should also go without saying that if you are stacking Winstrol with other oral steroids then you should make every effort to protect your liver by limiting the cycle length to 6 to 8 weeks. Cholesterol levels should also be monitored and every effort should be made to stick to a diet that does not include cholesterol-elevating foods (e.g. fatty meats, egg yolks, full fat dairy products).

The usual dose for men is 35 – 75mg per day for the tablets and 25 – 50mg/day for the injectable version. Women usually take around 5 to 10mg/day, sometimes going up to 20mg for competitive athletes. The injectable version is not recommended for use by women.

STACKING TIPS:

For bulking purposes you may wish to add a stronger androgen like testosterone, Dianabol or Anadrol.

For cutting phases Winstrol can be combined with trenbolone or Halotestin.
Sensitive individuals would be advised to stick to Primobolan, Deca-Durabolin or Equipoise if they want to enter the stacking arena since they exhibit fewer side effects than standard androgens.

LIVER PROTECTION:

When using oral steroids it is worth considering using some form of over the counter liver protectant e.g. Silymarin (Milk Thistle) or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC).

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Having also studied pharmacology in relation to sports performance, her writing began taking her in that direction until the present day which sees her embarking on a return to the magazine world, as well as extending her web-related work in the bodybuilding and fitness field.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag giving information on a variety of performance-enhancing drugs for educational purposes. While it is apparent that people are going to use these substances regardless of the health and legal risks involved, quality information is necessary and learning as much about them as possible can only assist an adult making a decision either way.

Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate) is probably the most popular ancillary drug for male steroid users who wish to avoid the estrogen like effects caused by the use of anabolic steroids (e.g. gynecomastia). Nolvadex binds to estrogen receptors thus blocking the hormones action on target tissues and achieving an anti-estrogenic effect.

Also worth noting is the fact that Nolvadex is an estrogen agonist in the liver and is capable of mimicking estrogen in this organ. At first glance you may wonder why this could be considered a good thing, however, when you realize that estrogen positively effects HDL (good) cholesterol values in the liver its value in this instance becomes obvious. As you know, steroid use tends to suppress HDL levels and raise LDL levels significantly leading to increased cholesterol levels and cardiac risk. Adding Nolvadex may therefore form a protective function in this case, although it certainly does not save the liver from all the other hazards involved with the use of c-17 alpha alkylated orals.

Nolvadex also has the ability to increase production of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) in the male body. A higher level of LH stimulates the Leydig cells in the testes to produce more testosterone therefore Nolvadex can actually have a positive influence on testosterone levels. This is particularly important when ending a cycle of steroid use, since most anabolic/androgenic steroids significantly reduce the production of natural testosterone. Adding Nolvadex can assist in returning testosterone levels to normal levels in most cases however, following longer cycles of stronger drugs the addition of HCG (a hormone which mimics LH) may be required to kick start the testes into action.

This needs to be done with care though since HCG also enhances the rate of aromatization in the testes (i.e. the conversion of testosterone to estrogen) and, in order to avoid unwanted side effects, anti- estrogens should not be discontinued until at least a couple of weeks after ceasing the use of HCG.

DOSAGE

Men should typically take 10 to 30mg/day depending on the amount of steroid used and the length of cycle. Starting at a low dosage and working up is recommended in order to avoid taking more than is necessary.

Women should air caution when using Nolvadex since they are more susceptible to side effects caused by reduced estrogen levels (i.e. hot flashes, menstrual irregularities and complications involving the reproductive system). With this in mind, anti-estrogens are more tolerable for women after the point of menopause. Many top-level competitors still favor its use prior to competition in order to reduce body fat levels in hips and thighs and prevent fluid retention (All influenced by estrogen levels). In this case it would be wise to stick to a low dose (10mg/day) and to carefully monitor effects.

WHEN TO BEGIN USE

The time to bring Nolvadex into your cycle depends on individual sensitivity to estrogens and the strength of anabolics being used. An athlete who is very sensitive to estrogen may need to begin its use soon after commencing a cycle (particularly where stronger drugs are going to be used). If estrogen is likely to be less of an issue, Nolvadex should be taken towards the end of a cycle and continued for some weeks after – when testosterone levels are deemed to be back to a normal level.

It is also worth noting that there have been reports of Nolvadex use actually inhibiting the gains made during a steroid cycle. This is because some estrogen is considered to be important when it comes to increasing the uptake and action of anabolics. With this in mind and, as mentioned earlier, it is wise to start on the low side with Nolvadex use and monitor the effects.

Individual sensitivity to estrogen is variable and may be influenced by factors such as age and body fat percentage (adipose tissue being a virtual factory for estrogen production). Many people have little trouble with excess estrogen – even when using the strongest drugs – whilst others find their estrogen levels rise just at the mere sight of a Dianabol tablet!
So monitor yourself and administer according to your needs.

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.