N00b's .. Beginner anabolic steroid use article..

[MrV]

I found this article and thought it was a great read for n00bs. This discusses so much of what the people here try to teach.. Stuff that I see posted every single day on this forum.. This is just an example of the millions of stuff you can find.. if you search the web.. Take from it what you will, what will help you out..

Disclaimer: This information has not been prepared by a licensed medical professional and is not meant to replace advice given by a qualified physician. Anabolic-androgenic steroids should only be considered by advanced athletes after reaching full sexual maturation.

Beginner anabolic steroid use

All steroid cycles need testosterone; even if only at a replacement dose. Self-administering testosterone, and other derivative androgens, shuts down natural testosterone until the body no longer senses external intervention. Eliminating testosterone from day-to-day functions routinely causes decreases in libido and general disposition. Anabolic steroid use in teens is careless since the body must maintain control during puberty’s development stages. The hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis can not fully regain power until all drugs complete their active lives. At that point, a post-cycle therapy plan is needed for a swift recovery. Ancillary drugs are often used to help complete recovery and amplify required signals to resume natural production; such as: nolvadex, arimidex, HCG and Clomid.

First AAS cycle, gaining familiarity

First cycles are a revelation of sorts. Under the right conditions, gains in muscle mass are rewarding. An athlete might feel a bit uneasy the first time supra physiological levels of androgens are experienced – not to mention getting accustomed to self-administering intramuscular injections – but most apprehension is cured through prior education. It’s paramount to take time to learn about drug use for enhanced performance, as well as how to remain safe. The steroid cycle’s purpose and forecasted actions must be outlined before anything is administered. Hormones are powerful chemical messengers and should always be treated as such to avoid unwanted results. Safe injection procedures must also be discovered.

Only one steroid is needed for an introductory cycle: testosterone. A first cycle should be structured in a simplistic manner that allows some initial guidance for future endeavors. Stacking several compounds is difficult to learn from due to all the concurrent drug use. Stacking is generally unnecessary for first time steroid cycles. It’s important to first understand reactions that occur during supra physiological amounts of blood testosterone. Notes should be taken regarding physiological, psychological and performance effects.

Anabolic steroids help athletes who are interested in greater musculature by escalating protein synthesis and cross-over binding to gluco-corticoids. The required dose for a pronounced ergogenic affect, with minimal risk, primarily depends on current lean body mass, partly due to receptor availability. Testosterone-induced muscular hypertrophy is dose-dependent. First-time steroid users frequently obtain performance benefits from testosterone-only therapy at doses that increase circulating testosterone levels 10-fold. If a strength athlete can not profit from major elevations in testosterone, there are deeper problems to address.

Steroids and the training year

Time spent off a cycle is at least as important as how the time is spent on; an important lesson to learn about training augmented by anabolic-androgenic steroids. Many embark on cycle, after cycle, extending the duration and becoming increasingly risky in their use. Frequently they get bigger and softer as time elapses – others lose the muscle gains they obtain. Why go through the torture of gaining muscle only to routinely lose it?

Time spent off is often left as an after thought, almost like a hopeless period. Many feel time off is an inevitable loss, but it does not need to be that way. A bodybuilder must fully explore their unique nutrition and training variables for many years before starting any pharmacological ergogenics, to include anabolic steroids. With cumulative training and nutrition knowledge, time spent off is also progressive.

Taking the time to lose accumulated fat in between steroid cycles directly makes future cycles more rewarding. Staying lean allows the body to obtain productive calorie partitioning and embrace shifts into rewarding growth phases. Periods of gaining muscle can benefit largely by anabolic steroid use but neither maintenance nor fat loss requires supra physiological amounts of androgens. Bodybuilders with excessive amounts of lean body mass can become an exception if steroid use has catapulted them past what their body can reasonably support naturally. Everybody has unique genetic ability to hold varying amounts of LBM.

Time spent off anabolic steroid cycles should be targeted toward cycle preparation, general preservation, eliminating excess fat mass or recovery after an exhausting period. Cycle priming, an AAS cycle preparation period, can use a cyclic carbohydrate diet and a fairly progressive training routine – the goal is to become sensitive to an upcoming increase in calories and training intensity. Maintenance phases are a time to set aside the training log and complicated dieting strategies – simply sustain current development. Cutting phases target excess body fat for breakdown and removal. Recovery periods of detraining are meant to replenish energy and allow the body to fully recover from the trauma caused by previous training cycles – abstinence from resistance and cardiovascular training. For example, this is a general training structure for a journey into enhanced bodybuilding performance:

• Cycle priming for 8 to 10 weeks;
  AAS-assisted bulking for 4-8 weeks;
  Maintenance for 2-4 weeks;
  Cycle priming for 8 to 10 weeks;
  AAS-assisted bulking for 4-8 weeks;
  Maintenance for 2-4 weeks;
  Body fat cutting for 8 to 10 weeks;
  Detraining for 1-2 weeks;
  Maintenance for 2-4 weeks;
  So on, so forth…

The type of training (volume versus abbreviated, high-intensity versus fast-paced), for priming, cutting, bulking and maintenance, should have been discovered through trial, error and research – before embracing steroid use. Previously kept training logs can be analyzed as a golden map to discovering what works and what doesn’t for each training phase.

For many, the choice to use steroids for enhanced muscular development is clear and absolute. But impulsive moves and risky application can be avoided with a little prior research and planning.

[Smiley]

Yes very good post and a must for the noobs to read, thanks MrV.

[MrV]

thanks smiley.. yeah, i thought it had good stuff for a lot of people..

[daredevil]

Very good. This should be the required reading! Sticky please?

[milo0071]

Good Article. Since I new nothing about PCT before I joined this board, I also did some research. For those that don't have a degree in Chemistry, you might find this useful reading.

Let's also start by saying that you don't have to run post cycle therapy.........you also don't have to wipe your ass after taking a dump: it's just a really really good idea to do these things

The first thing we need to understand is what is going on with our bodies when we're taking anabolic steroids:Exogeneous anabolic hormones (or derivatives of anabolic hormones) are being brought into your system. This causes the body to take a number of responsive actions. The first and foremost (as you already know) is increased muscle mass. Unfortunately, other things are also going on that aren't so great

When an enzyme or hormone is brought exogeneously into the system, chemical balances shift around to attain a certain equilibrium. This is a chemical concept known as Le Chatelier's Principle of Chemical Equilibria. In a nutshell, your body will increase production of estrogen, cortisol, and other hormones in response to heightened testosterone levels, while simultaneously slowering (or completely stopping) natural production of testosterone. Biologist call this negative feedback.......biology sucks doesn't it?

Le Chatelier's Principle for the scientifically impaired:Let's pretend A and B react to make C (can't get much simpler than that).

A + B --------> C

So we have a mixture containing A, B, and C. According to LeChatlier's principle, if we add more C to the mixture, the amounts of A and B will increase. If we remove some of the C from the mixture, A and B will decrease. And if we were to add A, B, or a combination of the two, C will increase. Still with me here? Good.

What's going on when we come off a cycle:
Ok, so while we're on the cycle, are natural test production is going down to compensate for the exogeneous test intake, and our production of other steroid hormones (i.e. Estrogen, Cortisol, etc.) is going up to compensate for the heightened test levels. When we come off a cycle, we cease intake of exogeneous testosterone. In other words, we have very low test levels, and very high cortisol and estrogen levels: it's the EXACT OPPOSITE of what we had while starting our cycle.

REMEMBER Le Chatelier's Principle because this is where it gets really important. When we have an excess of one hormone, the others will start shifting around, to attain a certain equilibrium. Ok, I'm gonna say it (and bold it) again because it's just that important. When we have an excess of one hormone, the others will start shifting around, to attain a certain equilibrium. It is a very common misconception that we want to eradicate estrogen . High estrogen levels play an integral part in Post Cycle therapy. That's right, you want to welcome high estrogen with open freaking arms, but there's a trick to it. And that trick is the almighty SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator).

SERM's: the foundation of post cycle therapy:
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators are (and damn well should be) the foundation for any proper post-cycle therapy plan. A post cycle therapy plan without them, isn't a PCT plan: it's a bunch of crap you decided to take after doing a cycle. The purpose of a SERM is to block the negative effects estrogen, while your hormone levels go back to equilibrium.

SERM's are prescription drugs, and are NOT SOLD IN SUPPLEMENT STORES. In fact, there are only 3 ways ( can think of) in which you can obtain a SERM:

1) Through a Doctor's Prescription.
2) Through the Black Market (a.k.a. illegally)
3) As a research chemicals intended for use in lab rats.

The Different SERM's:

Tamoxifen (Nolvadex):
Reputation: Most popular SERM for post cycle therapyPros: Cheap. Effective for gyno prevention.Cons: Heptatoxicity. Studies have shown it to lower IGF levels (I don't feel like citing, but it's about 20% decrease...IMO no biggie).Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 40/40/20/20Note: Tamoxifen Citrate is less potent, and should be dosed at an extra 30%.

Clomiphene Citrate (clomid):
Reputation: Second most popular. Usually taken the first week or so to speed up Testosterone recovery with Tamoxifen being taken the whole therapy.Pros: Better than Tamoxifen for HTPA regernation. Less heptatoxicity. Does not lower IGF. Cons: Less effective against gyno. Can cause emotional issues. May Cause blurred vision. Hot Flashes. Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 100-200mg/100mg/50mg/50mg

Toremifene:
Reputation: Very popular on this board Pros: Much less toxic. Con's: $$$$$expensive$$$$$Popular Dosages (for a 4-week cycle): 120-240mg/120mg/60mg/30mg

Raloxifene:
Reputation: Very effective against gynoPros: Strong protection against gyno. Less toxic than Tamoxifen. Con's: Cost Restricting. Can cause abnormal blood clotting in the eyes, lunges, and legs. May also cause hot flashes trouble breathing, and blurred vision. Popular Dosages: (for a 4-week cycle): 120-240mg/120mg/60mg/30mg

Moving down the post cycle therapy Hierarchy: Cortisol Control
Excess cortisol can be damaging to your newly found muscle mass. Because of this, it is a good idea to use something to block or lower the excessive cortisol levels. Always start high, and taper your way down. Here's what we have to work with:

B-Androstenetriol (b-triol): This is one of the better cortisol suppressors. It has a terrible oral bioavailability, and should be taken transdermally. Dosages range from 25-50mg every 12 hours.

Methyl B-Androstenetriol (mb-triol): This is an enhanced version of b-triol designed for oral use. Found in the following products: Retain (by Anabolic Xtreme), Restore (by ALRI), Thyrogen-X (by ALRI)

7-Hydroxy-DHEA: Another potent cortisol suppressor with great oral bioavailability. Found in the following products: Lean Xtreme (by Designer Supplements), Reduce XT (by SNS)

7-oxo-DHEA (7-keto-DHEA): Still a decent contender, this has a terrible oral availability and an even worse half life (2 hours). This is best taken transdermally, where such effects can by bypassed.

Cissus: Unlike the above, the components of Cissus do not suppress Cortisol, but rather block cortisol receptors (better than Nandrolone or Dianabol according to some studies). Dosages vary significantly (pending extracts). SuperCissus by USPLabs is a high quality Cissus product.

Branched Chain Amino Acids: These should be a staple to begin with, but are a great anti-catabolic that mitigates the muscle-wasting effects of cortisol.

At the bottom of the post cycle therapy hierarchy there's AI's, Test Booster's, and other 'natural' anabolicsWay too many different things going on in here to go into too much detail. Just a word of caution (and this is my personal opinion), but if you're post cycle plan starts to look like a constitutional ammendment: you're over-doing it. And the worst part is if something goes wrong, you won't have a damn clue what caused it.

Honorable mentions of this part of the hierarchy:
Jungle Warfare (by ALRI)MassFX (by Anabolic Xtreme)Hyperdrol (by Anabolic Xtreme)Ecdysterone/TurkesteroneCreatine Monohydrate

Can you tell I was bored after work today?

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Article Source: Jordan Blackburn - EzineArticles.com Expert Author

[Rat]

Originally Posted by daredevil

Very good. This should be the required reading! Sticky please?

Done !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bobbyp]

wow that was alot of important information i didnt know..
thanks for all the input
im one of those noobs that needed to read this lol

[kit108]

Very Good Article

[kev819]

Yeah theres a lot of info in there, good reading.

[advanced-stealth-rep]

Good post.