With the large amount of information available on the Internet, sifting through fact and fiction can become a full-time, all-encompassing endeavor.
How Hormones Affect Your Training
Steroids affect the hormone levels in your body, so it’s important to understand how your body will change as a result of taking anabolic steroids. Understanding what you’re putting into your body is the first step toward developing a true understanding of your regimen. Once you understand the potential risks and benefits, you’re in a better position to effectively manage your routine and combat any potential issues.
It’s also important to get supplementation from a high-quality source. Contamination can stop your progress in its tracks and potentially make it unsafe to continue. Even clean products may be under-dosed or contain completely benign ingredients that have no affect on your training. As you learn more about how steroids work, it’s important to consider a few important questions:
- Are you healthy enough to participate in an intense fitness program?
- Do you have the muscular foundation necessary to work on more intense exercises without the risk of injury?
- What is your plan if you supplement incorrectly and suffer negative consequences? Are you willing to accept the risk associated with steroid use?
Answer yes to those questions, and you should have the necessary mindset to be willing to take on steroid supplementation. While in most cases supplementing responsibly will work out and you won’t suffer negative side effects, it’s important to go into this with your eyes open and be ready to accept that improper supplementation can have negative side effects.
You don’t need to be an expert on steroids, but you should have a solid understanding of your risks and what you’re getting yourself into.
Possible side effects include gynecomastia, water retention, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Additionally, it’s possible to experience a buildup of estrogen.
What You Need
There are several cycles for taking steroids.
The first cycle is the simplest one, and usually consists of 500mg of a testosterone-Ananthate complex and 25mg of Dianabol each day.
This continues for six weeks, at which point most people drop the Dianabol for the next six weeks.
The last four weeks see an elimination of testosterone and Dianabol, rest for two days and the introduction of Nolvadex in the final three weeks. By cycling, you ensure that the hormones don’t build up in your system, remain effective during your training and you get the best results for your efforts.
Typical Results During a Cycle
During the cycle, you’ll notice that you start to gain muscle rapidly, and those gains increase with the introduction of Dianabol. The last few weeks will show a slow-down of gains, and ultimately it’s up to you whether to engage in another cycle.
You’ll have to carefully evaluate your physical condition, mental health and level of fatigue to determine the right time to start another cycle. The needs vary slightly amongst individuals, so what works for one person may not necessarily work for you.
How to Take Steroids
Testosterone-Cypionae can be substituted for testosterone-Enanthate if it’s not available. These are identical supplements and operate the same way. It’s important to note that the 500mg injection should only be taken once per week and not daily. However, you can break that up into two 250mg injections twice per week.
Dianabol is straightforward and should be taken daily, but it can also be broken up into two doses per day.
Nolvadex helps to stimulate your natural production of testosterone.
Without this, your body may not fully recover and it could become dependent on the supplements to function. This can help you prevent mood swings and other issues associated with coming off the supplements.
The Legality of Anabolic Steroids
To begin with, taking anabolic steroids isn’t legal in all countries.
In the United States, they are legal with the use of a prescription under medical supervision, and they are listed as a Schedule III drug.
Even without a prescription, many countries make it legal to carry them and use them for personal use. However, the moment you leave the country it becomes much more complicated, so it’s important to know the laws for your particular region.