anabolic extreme archives issue #2 dnp and insulin 2

October 1999
Issue #3

Steroid Cycling for Bodybuilders Part II
by Jason Meuller

In Part One of this series we examined some of the principals involved in steroid cycling and printed an example of a 9-week cycle. In Part II we'll expand on our discussion of steroid cycling and look at some of the pharmaceutical strategies involved in maintaining our hard earned size while "off". We'll also examine the role of growth hormone and some "specialty" drugs.

Let's start by reviewing the cycle printed in Part One of this series. If you haven't read the first article, please refer back to the archives section. The cycle is based on a variety of principals, which should be applied to the formulation of pharmaceutical programs for athletes at any level.

Testosterone Should be the Base of any Cycle
Regardless of whether the cycle is designed for mass, pre-contest, or maintenance, it should be built around a base of testosterone. Although other steroids exists that are more effective mass builders than testosterone on a mg per mg basis, they cannot be administered at the same level without causing serious side effects. For example, 50 mg of oxymetholone (Anadrol, Anapolon) is a more effective mass builder than 50 mg of testosterone. However, large amounts of testosterone can be used for long periods of time without the same deleterious side effects of an equal amount of oxymetholone. When we examine all of the steroids that are more effective than test on a mg per mg basis, we see the same trend every time.

Of the many factors that affect the success of any cycle, two stand out. One of course is the type of steroid used. The second is the total amount of steroid administered. 1 gram of testosterone a week is certainly going to cause more growth than 500 mg. However, the side effects associated with 1 gram are not significantly greater than those of half that amount. By using testosterone as a base, you are able to significantly increase your total intake of steroid without significantly increasing your health risk.

So, why not use a milder anabolic like nandrolone decanoate (deca durabolin) or methanolone (primobolan) to increase the total amount of steroid? Again, the other part of the equation is the type of steroid used. While these steroids look great on paper, real world application teaches us that they are not as effective as testosterone at inducing growth. While these steroids are certainly valuable adjuncts to any anabolic regimen, they are not sufficiently powerful enough to form the base of our cycle.

Tapering is a Waste of Time
Typical cycles are designed in a tapered fashion, starting low and slowly rising to the maximum dose. Once the maximum dose is reached, these cycles begin to steadily decline in dose to reach a very small amount at the end. The theory behind these cycles is as follows: At the start of the program, the body doesn't require much in the way of anabolics to grow. As the cycle progresses and growth occurs, more steroid is needed to maintain growth. At the peak of the cycle, the amount of steroid is slowly decreased to allow the body to return to a normal hormonal state. This ensures that the body does not experience a shock as the endogenous production of androgens has been restored through the gradual tapering of exogenous androgens.

Unfortunately, this theory of cycling is flawed. Designing cycles in this fashion usually ensures that the optimum level of steroid to induce growth is only present in the body for a short period. Most of the cycle is either spent climbing towards this goal or retreating from it in the hopes of restoring the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.

When designing a cycle, the very first question that must be answered is what is the peak mg amount of steroid that will be used during the course of the program. This amount of steroid should be used for most of the cycle, with little fluctuation at the beginning and end. This ensures that an adequate dose of steroid is being used to induce growth throughout the length of the cycle.

Concerns over maintaining or restoring proper function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPTA) are easily addressed via the use of a variety of pharmaceuticals. Once endogenous production of androgens has been halted due to excessive levels of androgens in the blood, the only effective methods of restoring normal hormonal function is by cleaning out or the use of pharmaceuticals like clomiphen or HCG. Tapering to restore normal hormonal function is a waste of time since it can easily be restored using these drugs.

Use of Accessory Drugs is a Must
Use of accessory meds becomes necessary to minimize the side effects associated with steroid use. However, with the host of anti-estrogens, anti-aromatases, thyroid hormones, and hormone releasing pharmaceuticals, it becomes difficult to determine which medications are necessary and which are not. Listed below are some of the accessory medications that can be utilized during a cycle with a short explanation of each.

Clomid:
This is an absolute necessity for any cycle. Not only does clomid function as an estrogen antagonist, it also causes a release of pituitary gonadotropins. In laymen's terms this means that clomid will help prevent side effects like gynocomastia while maintaining testicular function. Clomid should be used at 50-100 mg/day throughout the length of the cycle and for 3 weeks afterwards.

Cytadren:
This drug should also be used as an adjunct to any cycle. Cytadren will function as an aromatase inhibitor, minimizing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Cytadren is also somewhat effective at minimizing the conversion of testosterone to DHT, the metabolite of test that's responsible for many of the uglier side effects of steroid use. Cytadren should be used at 250-500 mg a day.

HCG:
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin mimics the action of the hormones that stimulate the testicles to release testosterone. HCG should be used during the middle of the cycle at 3000-5000 iu's in divided dosages to maintain testicular function. While HCG and clomid are both used to prevent testicular atrophy and the shutdown of endogenous androgen production, they work through different pathways. HCG should not be used at the end of a cycle because it mimics the actions of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and can prevent the release of these hormones from the pituitary.

T3: Thyroid:
Tridothyronine, the active form of thyroid, should be used during heavy cycles. Very small doses of T3 can improve anabolism while keeping body fat levels low. T3 should be used very sparingly to prevent a shutdown of endogenous thyroid release.

Nolvadex:
This drug is a very effective estrogen antagonist. However, nolvadex will decrease serum IGF-1 levels, making steroid cycles less effective. This drug should only be needed in situations where abnormally large amounts of androgens are being used.

Arimidex and Teslac:
Both are effective at preventing the aromatization of testosterone into estrogen, however both are tremendously expensive. Clomid and cytradren together are extremely effective and can be acquired for much less.

Sufficient Drug Should be Administered to Produce Growth
Many athletes administer insufficient amounts of steroids and wonder why they are not receiving the desired results. This is usually borne out of a fear of side effects and lack of proper knowledge of sports pharmacology. It's imperative that enough total steroid is administered to create an anabolic environment in the body.

In part one of this article, I wrote, "..drugs are merely the vehicle that allow bodybuilders to break their natural genetic barrier once it has been reached. Steroids and other bodybuilding drugs should be used only to push past this barrier, not to accelerate the time in which it is reached." It is imperative that an athlete trains to the absolute limit of his natural genetic potential before starting any kind of steroid cycle. Once an athlete has reached his genetic potential, he should be past the point where 400 mg of steroid a week is going to have a great affect on his physique.

The decision to use steroids is not one to be made lightly. Starting a cycle shifts you into another dimension of bodybuilding. Natural bodybuilders can enjoy the sport knowing that they are not only improving their physique, but their health as well. Once the decision to use steroids is made, the sport ceases to be the healthy pursuit it once was. However, the educated bodybuilder can minimize any health risk to a great degree through intelligent planning and the use of accessory meds.

Once the educated decision has been made to use steroids, an appropriate cycle can be designed. Even a cycle for a beginner should utilize at least one gram of steroid per week. This can be an extremely effective dose for both beginner and intermediate bodybuilders but have almost no side effects if designed properly. Listed below are two very simple examples of cycles of this magnitude.

Cycle 1- Lasting 8 weeks
Weeks 1-6
600 mg test cypionate or enanthate per week
400 mg deca per week
50 mg clomid per day
5000 IU of HCG during week 4

Weeks 7-8
600 mg test propionate per week taken in divided doses of 200 mg EOD
350 mg of winstrol per week taken in divided doses of 50 mg per day
50 mg clomid per day continuing for 3 weeks after the cycle

Cycle 2- Lasting 6 weeks
Weeks 1-3
750 mg of Sustanon per week
175 mg of methandrostenolone per week taken in divided doses of 25 mg per day
50 mg of clomid per day
250 mg of cytadren EOD
5000 IU of HCG during week 3

Weeks 4
800 mg of cypionate or enanthate
175 mg of methandrostenolone at 25 mg/day
50 mg of clomid per day
250 mg of cytadren every day

Weeks 5-6
600 mg propionate per week taken in divided doses of 200 mg EOD
350 mg of trenbolone acetate taken in divided doses of 50 mg every day
50 mg of clomid per day continuing for 3 weeks after the cycle

Both of these cycles would produce fantastic results for both a beginner and intermediate level bodybuilder with a minimum of side effects.

Growth Hormone
One of the most frequently asked questions in sports pharmacology concerns the effectiveness of growth hormone. Does it really work? Is it worth the money? Does it add mass or just affect body fat levels? How much should I take? It certainly is a complicated issue, one that deserves much more space than we have here. For the time being, we'll address a few of the simpler questions.

Growth hormone certainly plays a major role in the physiques of the top athletes. Growth hormone can produce amazing results, increasing both lean body mass and reducing body fat at the same time. When choosing what brand of GH to use, the only determining factor is that the growth is of synthetic origin and has the 191 amino acid sequence, the same as naturally occurring high. There is a myth in the bodybuilding world that various brands of synthetic growth with the 191 AA sequence are better than others, with Nutropin often being labeled as the most effective. In truth, all brands are equally effective as along as they have the 191 sequence.

So, how much growth hormone is needed to produce results? Growth hormone is definitely one of the hormones in bodybuilding that works on a more is better basis. However, GH is extremely expensive, limiting it's availability to a lot of the bodybuilding community. From practical experience and anecdotal reports, it appears that 2 iu's a day would be the minimum dosage needed to see significant results. Many professional bodybuilders will use upwards of 12 iu's a day.

We'll address the growth hormone issue more thoroughly in a future issue of Anabolic Extreme.

Maintaining Muscular Size Between Cycles
While gaining muscular bodyweight is your primary concern while on a cycle, maintaining it becomes vitally important when the cycle is over. Unless the proper steps are taken, coming off the sauce can mean total hormonal chaos for your body. If muscular bodyweight can't be maintained between cycles, the athlete finds himself in a constant yo-yo situation, putting on muscle with steroids and losing it all when off. This is the primary reason many athletes eventually get to a point where they never come completely off gear.

Step 1 - Maintain the HPTA
The most effective step in retaining muscular bodyweight when cleaning out is to never allow your endogenous production of testosterone to stop as a result of your cycle. This can easily be accomplished through the use of clomid and HCG and we discussed earlier. Athletes who come off cold turkey with a screwed up HPTA will most likely lose every ounce of muscle that was gained during a cycle. Additionally, the lack of androgen in the body allows circulating estrogen to wreak its havoc and cause a host of unpleasant side effects.

Step 2 - Use Insulin
Although many bodybuilders fear the use of insulin, it's safe when used properly and can work wonders for maintaining muscle between cycles. Insulin is extremely anabolic and can help prevent the wasting often experienced while off gear. Beginners should never exceed 10 iu's a day while more experienced bodybuilders can use upwards of 30-40 iu's. The key to using insulin successfully is carbohydrate intake, carbs must be consumed along with any administration of insulin. Please refer back to the Insulin and DNP articles in the archives for more information on the proper and safe use of insulin.

Step 3 - Allow your body a rest
The period between cycles is not the time to crank up the intensity or go for that new record on the bench. On the contrary, the body should be given a rest during this period, and workouts should be reflect this. Immediately after the end of the cycle, and for some time afterward, the body will be in a very catabolic state. It's important to take every natural step possible to reduce this level of catabolism in order to maintain muscle mass.

Workouts should be kept brief. In this state, the body is not capable of recovering from long, intense workouts. While it's important to keep training, it's also just as important to realize you haven't the recuperative abilities now that you possessed a few weeks previously. It's important to get adequate sleep. Sleep becomes vitally important during this period to help recovery and reduce cortical secretions.

Step 4 - Continue your nutrition program
Consuming the necessary calories and nutrients to maintain muscular bodyweight becomes difficult during the cleaning out period. Often the athlete will lose his appetite and have no desire to ingest food. Force feed yourself if necessary. Failing to consume adequate calories and protein is a sure fired way to lose the majority of the hard-earned mass you've gained during your cycle. Caloric intake can be lowered to some degree as the body does not have the same need for energy as it did during your cycle, but protein intake should still remain very high.

Before we close, I'd like to address a question that was submitted more than once as a result of Part One of this article. "How do you know what pro bodybuilders take?" In all honesty, I don't. No one, save for the actual bodybuilders themselves, have any idea what they are really putting in their bodies. Now, I've worked with some elite level athletes. I've had conversations with some of the bodybuilders at the top, some I believe, some I don't. However, I've never actually monitored the pharmaceutical intake of any professional bodybuilder around the clock for 10 weeks.

Most elite level athletes are very insecure about disclosing certain aspects of their athletic preparation. Bodybuilders are no exception. Believe it or not, many of these guys have been known to lie about their actual level of steroid use! Shocking, huh? Sarcasm aside, it's very rare to deal with an elite level bodybuilder who is honest about his steroid usage. This is understandable for several reasons. One, they are protecting one of the secrets of their success. If I've reached the pinnacle of bodybuilding success, what reason do I have to disclose all of the intellectual property I've gathered along the way? Two, for most it's embarrassing to admit to the extremes they endure to compete in the sport. One of the unfortunate truths about national and professional level bodybuilding is that drug abuse is required to achieve a necessary cosmetic affect. Notice I said abuse and not use. The level of abuse is quietly accepted by the athletes and higher ups involved in bodybuilding, but rarely openly discussed.

A lot of learning is done through trial and error. I could certainly attribute most of my knowledge of sports pharmacology to that particular method. It certainly helps that I've read most of the literature on steroids, scientific and otherwise. It certainly helps that I have a degree in Food Science and Dietetics. However, the real education comes with hands-on experience. The problem with a lot of the so-called "gurus" today is that they spend too much time with their nose in the latest scientific journals and not enough time working with real athletes. It's nice to sit back in your pristine little enclave and write nice neat little cycles without ever getting your hands dirty. It's always been my decision to practice what I preach and get down in the trenches with the athletes to see what's really working.

BACK TO CURRENT ISSUE

{HOME}~{CURRENT ISSUE}~{BACK ISSUE}~{STORE}~{DISCUSSION BOARD}
{PRESIDENT'S OFFICE}~{VIP ROOM}~{TRAINING}~{CONTEST}~{ABOUT US}
{CONTACT US}