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.

Testosterone Propionate is the shortest estered, fastest acting form of testosterone currently available. Levels generally peak after 24-36 hours, however they soon begin to taper thereafter and the steroid itself only has a 2-3day life span. This can be a good thing for those susceptible to the side effects caused by longer acting testosterones (e.g. enthanate, cypionate, Sustanon 250) with Propionate causing less water retention and the user experiencing an increase in energy, a better muscle pump and an increase in strength and appetite after only one or two days.

The downside of Propionate is that, due to its composition, it requires more frequent injections in order to keep blood levels stable (this usually involves administration every second day). This can be troublesome since the Propionate ester can be very irritating at the injection site with sensitive individuals experiencing pain and swelling accompanied by a low-grade fever that may last for a few days.

Although still regarded as a controversial subject (and usually ‘forbidden territory’) the use of testosterone compounds by female athletes does exist at top competitive levels and the drug of choice is usually Testosterone Propionate. This is due to the fact that, when applied properly, androgenic side effects are more easily avoided. With this in mind, women who choose to use this form of testosterone usually administer it every 5 –7 days and experience better workout recovery and muscle growth with a minimum of androgenic related problems. In this case the dosage is usually 25-50mg per injection and the duration of use kept to 8-10 weeks. This is usually supplemented by adding a mild anabolic such as Primobolan or Anavar in order to increase protein synthesis.

For men daily injections of 50mg are often used and, as long as the pain and swelling at the injection site which often results from Propionate use, is not too troublesome the usual side effects triggered by testosterone use are less frequent. However, it is still testosterone and, for those with sensitive metabolisms side effects may still be evident and include acne, accelerated hair loss, possible water retention and gynecomastia. These effects are not as common as with other long acting testosterones though and most athletes find that the frequency of injections is the only real hassle with Propionate use.

‘FRONT LOADING’ WITH PROPIONATE

One technique often used with Testosterone Propionate is ‘front-loading’ where the rapid onset of action is used to trigger quick gains in strength and weight while waiting for a longer acting drug to take effect. One example of this would be to combine Testosterone Propionate with Testosterone Enanthate. The enanthate would be administered at 250mg and the propionate at 50mg at the beginning of a cycle then, after the effect of the propionate decreases (2 days) another 50mg shot is injected. By the time the effect of the second shot diminishes (another 2 days) the Enanthate kicks in and no further propionate would be necessary. This would lead to a longer and sustained level of testosterone in the body. Some athletes do prefer to take Propionate throughout their entire cycle, injecting 50-100mg every day or every second day. This may reduce the likelihood of water retention during a mass building cycle but, once again it has to be weighed up against the pain and swelling at the injection site caused by Propionate use.

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.

Deca Durabolin has a long history of use in the athletic community and remains to this day to be one of the most popular basic steroids in the steroid world. The popularity it enjoys stems from the fact that it has a very high anabolic activity and produces significant mass increases with relatively few side effects. It also produces less water retention, has less effect on blood pressure and is far less toxic to the liver and kidneys than most of its mass building buddies.

Another interesting quality is that it has the ability to improve collagen production and enhance bone mineral content. This makes it of particular importance to athletes with connective tissue problems and those who experience joint pains.

Of course it would be misleading to present Deca Durabolin as a drug completely free of side effects. When dosages go beyond 400-600mg/week sensitive individuals may see an increase in blood pressure, prolonged bleeding of cuts, increased oil production by the sebaceous gland (leading to slight acne breakouts), increased hostility, increased sex drive and a fall in sperm production. Headaches can also become more frequent. Oh, and of course we cannot overlook the fact that long-term use of this drug by male athletes can lead to impotence (counteracting the increased sex drive experienced when dosages are kept within limits and for acceptable duration).

As for female athletes, women can usually get away with a dose of up to 100mg/week without any major problems. However, virilization problems are always a concern when women use any anabolic substance as individual sensitivities differ. In that respect, deepening of the voice, increased body and facial hair growth and hypertrophy of the clitoris are all possible – though not inevitable.

As with all steroids, diet is very important for effectiveness to be maximized. Protein intake should be high, as should overall calorie intake if significant mass gains are to be experienced.

RECOMMENDED DOSAGES:
Deca Durabolin is commonly used in the range of 200 – 600 mg/week. Going past 600mg is not really advised (of course there are always going to be reports of bodybuilders hitting 800mg/week).

Most male athletes experience good results by taking 400mg/week and, if large gains in muscle mass are the primary goal then stacking with Dianabol and Testosterone is not unknown.

For female athletes 50-100mg/week is the commonly used dose and this is often combined with Winstrol tablets or Primobolan tablets.

In conclusion, Deca Durabolin is often used where problems with testosterone use have been encountered. It is less prone to aromatization and is deemed to produce an overall sense of well being.

One word of warning for those intending participating in drug tested events though, metabolites of this drug last in the body for 18 months (and possibly longer depending on body fat levels during use) so it should not be used if a drug tested contest is in the foreseeable future.

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.

Anavar is one of those drugs that have attained cult status amongst athletes over the years. It has also become relatively hard to find and also fairly pricey. This puts it high on the ‘purchase it while you can and keep it stashed away’ list for many bodybuilders.

Anavar is also an extremely popular drug amongst female athletes who wish to avoid many of the side effects associated with anabolic steroid use (but more of that later).

Anavars near legendary status is due to the fact that it causes a strong strength gain without increasing water retention. It does this by stimulating the creation of phosphocreatine in the muscle cell without depositing water in either the joints or the muscles. Powerlifters often choose to combine Anavar with Halotestin to foster the strength and aggression required in their sport.

Another notable bonus with Anavar use is that this compound does not aromatize at any level. This provides the athlete with many benefits since it allows for a very hard and ripped appearance to evolve – making it the number one pre-contest drug. Another asset pre-contest is the fact that many users have noticed a distinct suppression of appetite whilst on the drug. Athletes preparing for a contest who are interested in gaining quality muscle would be advised to combine Anavar with steroids such as Winstrol, Parabolan, Primabolan Depot and Testosterone Propionate (check out these products elsewhere on our site). In this respect, a stack of Winstrol 50mg every two days, 50mg Testosterone Propionate every two days, and 25mg Anavar every day has proven to be very effective.

It is important to point out that Anavar is a 17 alpha alkylated oral steroid – an alteration that does put extra stress on the liver. However, despite this fact it is important to point out that Anavar is usually very well tolerated and whilst an elevation in liver enzymes is generally noted during use, actual damage to the liver is not usually a problem. It appears that Anavar is not as extensively metabolized by the liver as other 17 alpha alkylated orals.However this is not a green flag to allow you to take huge amounts of this drug, since side effects are always dose related.

SUGGESTED DOSAGES
Men: 20- 50mg/day
Women: 5- 15mg/day

Tablets are normally taken two to three times daily after a meal to ensure optimum absorption. This prevents the occurrence of gastrointestinal disturbances which some individuals may experience with this drug. The nausea, bloating and diarrhea sometimes encountered with Anavar use is due to its effect on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. If you suffer these effects you may wish to try administering the drug one to two hours after a meal.

STACKING
Primobolan and Winstrol are often stacked with Anavar in order to achieve a harder, more defined look without water retention. Male athletes may also stack Anavar with strong non-aromatizing compounds like Halotestin, Pro-viron or Trenbolone.
Some athletes also choose to utilize Anavar in traditional bulking cycles, stacking it with Dianabol or Testosterone. The goal here would be a gain of strength to accompany the bulk gains facilitated with D-bol and Test.

ANAVAR FOR WOMEN
Women who wish to avoid the masculinizing effects of many steroids are often very happy with the results obtained on moderate dosages of Anavar. In this case a dose of 5mg day should produce significant growth without side effects. Less cautious females may combine Anavar with Winstrol, Primobolan or Deca Durabolin for faster, more pronounced muscle building effects. This may also increase the likelihood of androgenic build up and – if this is a concern – drugs should be discontinued on the first signs of masculinization (e.g. deepening of voice or increasing hoarseness, accelerated body hair growth -particularly on the face)

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.