Adipex-P (Phentermine Hydrochloride)

Adipex-P, i.e. phentermine hydrochloride, is an amphetamine (phenethylamine class) thats an approved appetite suppressant for obese patients engaged in weight reducing diet and exercise regimens. Adipex-P is typically prescribed for individuals who are at increased medical risk due to obesity, and works by helping to release certain appetite controlling chemicals within the brain.

More specifically, Adipex-P stimulates the brains neuron bundles coaxing them to release a particular group of neurotransmitters known as catecholamines which include dopamine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). The anorectic (suppressing or causing loss of appetite) activity seen with these compounds is likely due to their effect on the central nervous system and its relationship to feeding behavior. Adipex-P uses the same mechanism of action as other appetite suppressants, like diethylpropion and phendimetrazine. The neurotransmitters signal a fight-or-flight response within the body which, in turn, halts all hunger signals. This naturally results in a loss of appetite because the brain cannot receive the hunger message. Drugs of this class used in obesity are commonly known as "anorectics" or "anorexigenics".

Claims have been made that Adipex-P, and all phentermine hydrochloride brands, also serve as valid fat-burners - agents that possess central nervous system (CNS) and metabolism stimulating properties. However, the study evidence for this argument (mostly compared to placebos) is minute, and largely unsubstantiated at present. However, it is quite interesting and noteworthy that many of the side effects associated with this drug are highly consistent with those of traditional CNS stimulants like Ephedra, L-Tyrosine, Pseudoephedrine, Synephrine, etc.

Indications/Purpose:

For bodybuilding purposes Adipex-P is often administered during the pre-contest phase of training. When taken in conjunction with all the pre-contest principles that would be employed anyway, i.e. cardio and weight training exercise, behavioral modification, caloric restriction, increased protein consumption, etc., Adipex-P can be a great addition to the carbohydrate craving/depleted diet regimen.

The usual adult dose is one tablet (37.5 mg) daily, administered before breakfast or 1-2 hours after breakfast. Bodybuilder dosage recommendations are consistent with those of patients, and should be individualized to obtain an adequate response with the lowest effective dose. For some patients or bodybuilders half a tablet (18.75 mg) daily may be adequate, while others might take half a dose twice daily.

Side Effects:

As cited earlier, Adipex-P and all other phentermine hydrochloride brands have side effects very similar to those of CNS stimulant users. The most common side effects include restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, dizziness, euphoria, warming sensations, and increased blood pressure. Less common side effects include headaches, lowered libido, arrhythmia, rapid respiration, confusion, blurred vision, dry mouth, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Additional Information:

Late evening administration of Adipex-P should be avoided because of the possibility of insomnia. Concomitant (supplemental or incidental) use of alcohol with any form of phentermine hydrochloride may result in an adverse drug reaction.

Albuterol Sulfate (Salbutamol)

This stuff is clenbuterols shorter acting brother. Essentially, it has all of the effects of clenbuterol, but actually may be better for athletes. See, where Clen has a very long lasting effect in the body, Albuterol actually has a comparatively short active and half-life. Since we know that we can expect all of the fun fat-burning effects Clen has, when using Albuterol, lets take a look at some of the more interesting effects its had on strength.

In one study, subjects performed 9 wk of isokinetic knee extensions twice weekly. Albuterol was given to one group, and placebo to the other, for 6 wks; groups received 16 mg.d-1 of either treatment, they were strength trained, and the results recorded. Anyway, making a long story short, the Albuterol group at both midtesting and post-testing had higher scores than the non-Albuterol group. These results give clear indications that even theraptic doses of Albuterol administered with resistance exercise may augment strength gains above and beyond those experienced without Albuterol .

Anecdotally, clenbuterol and ephedrine have both shown themselves capable of temporarily increasing strength, and I would bet most beta-agonists have this effect, but I dont think has been shown as conclusively as it has been with Albuterol.

clenbuterol,steroids,clenThere has also been more than a few complaints of Clen causing athletes to lose their wind, especially those whose sports require a higher Vo2 max than most. Albuterol, perhaps due to its short half-life, may not have this deleterious effect and therefore may actually be a more effective choice for athletes, though not bodybuilders, who can benefit from Clens long-lasting lipolytic effect.

Side Effects

Although the manufacturer lists numerous possible side effects, the use of Albuterol and its beta-agonist relatives generally result in very few which typically include: shakiness or slight tremors; increased mental alertness; muscle cramping; difficulty falling asleep and; slightly accelerated (not irregular) heartbeat. However, when excessive amounts are taken, or when someone is reacting poorly to these medications they often experience: dizziness; headaches; uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body; nosebleeds; nausea; fast pounding or irregular heartbeat; chest pains; fevers; blisters or rash; hives; swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; difficulty breathing; difficulty swallowing and; hoarseness.

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine)

Caffeine!.the stuff that you get at Starbucks. Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is yet another sympathomimetic, and a member of the xanthine family. Luckily for us, most of the United States (and the world) is addicted to the stuff, so the FDA will probably leave us alone on this issue. Also, it's over 99% orally bioavailable, so a cup of black coffee is still socially acceptable, and basically is as good of a delivery method as a pill is.

Caffeine will raise your body temperature a bit, and also increase your ability to focus and concentrate on simple tasks. It's got both (slight) strength (neuromuscular) enhancing effects as well as endurance enhancing abilities. Those effects are noticeable enough that caffeine, in large doses, has been banned by both the IOC and NCAA. Of course, take too much, and you'll just be jittery and anxious. Tolerance, therefore, needs to be assessed by the individual (you) ingesting it. Performance decreases seem to occur past 500mgs in a serving, though they following a bell curve. Lets go over that a bit more.

There is an inverted-U shaped curve (like a glass with the open side on the table, instead of sitting properly). Ergo, more isn't always better. Anxiety seems to set in at doses of 1,000mgs/day, and performance can suffer after 500mgs/day. 1-2mgs/kg of bodyweight seems to be optimal for strength, endurance, and cognitive ability enhancement, not to mention being within the acceptable range for stacking with ephedrine in a 1:10 (E:C) ratio.

Bottom line Caffeine is easy, cheap, fast and effective for a quick mental and energy increase.

Cimaterol is a stimulant, a fat burner, and similar to clenbuterol in many ways& and different in some very important ones. Both clen and cimaterol are beta-adrenergic agonists, and thus are both anabolic as well as thermogenic and also, stimulate your adrenal glands, increase your body temperature, raise your heart rate, etc& i.e. they mimic the "Fight or Flight" response quite well. Cimaterol, however may stimulate the beta-1, 2, and 3 receptors while clen only stimulates the beta 2 and 3 receptors. This may cause increased fat burning by cimaterol when compared with clenbuterol. Also, a far greater portion of brown adipose tissue is burned with the use of Cim over Clen, as far as I can tell.

Cimaterol stimulates both lypolisis (burning fat: the release of free fatty acids and glycerol) as well as inhibit lypogenesis (gaining fat: the incorporation of 14C into fatty acids from [14C]glucose) and may even do both more effectively than clen, possibly making it a more potent fat burner. In addition, it stimulates protein synthesis and thus could increase Fat Free Mass via this mechanism while at the same time burning fat. After a couple of weeks, however, the anabolic effects might lessen, as one study showed weight gain (with fat loss& ergo a PURE muscle gain concurrent with fat loss) halted after 14 days . Energy metabolism has been shown to be greatly increased with Cim as well. Cimaterol also stimulates blood flow and causes acute mobilization of nitrogen (alanine), significantly increases amino acid uptake in muscles, and mobilizes lactic acid out of muscles . Thus, it may not have the athletic performance (endurance and possibly speed) decreasing effects of clen (which Ive written about and referenced studies about previously, so I wont get into that here& .its beyond the scope of this article). This is pure speculation on my part, and Cim may still have some of the performance decreasing effects of clen, but as other beta-andrenergic-agonists like ephedrine dont, I see no reason to think Cim does (as I havent read any studies which indicate this). In any case, alot of the studies Ive read and compared with those on Clenbuterol seem to indicate that Cimaterol is actually more potent for fat burning than clen is.

Ok...so now you know what I have to say about Cimaterol, lets see what some other people have said...

Heres Dan Duchaine (R.I.P.) had to say about Cimaterol:

"Until some new synthetic beta-3 agonist is commercially available, the beta agonist of choice is still clenbuterol (although the STRONGER cimaterol is available as a research chemical in the U.S.)."

Doug Kalman (author of "Fat Attack)" has written about Cimaterol, and said:

"Though its yet to be tested in humans, animal studies have determined that Cimaterol is a more powerful beta-agonist than clenbuterol, promotes protein retention and accretion, and has shown powerful anti-catabolic properties in cases of cancer or burns."

So yeah, not only is this stuff a great fat-burner, its anti-catabolic.

Looks promising, huh? Unfortunately, it down regulates the beta receptors just as clen does  so a 3 week on 1 week off type of schedule may be appropriate, as would the addition of Ketotifen after ever 3 weeks (and not going off the cimaterol& so in 4 weeks on cimaterol, every 4th week youd be adding in 2-3 mgs of Ketotifen every night before you go to bed). You could also use 50mgs of Banadryl instead of the Ketotifen, in the same manner.

As with any new drug, caution should be taken with this stuff.

A dose of 0.15 milligram per kilogram administered subcutaneously is the standard dose in a lot of human studies, so Id be comfortable trying that dose myself, but Id prefer a tablet (which is also available). Thats a fraction of any sort of dangerous dose.

Clen

Although it is commonly confused as one, Clen is not an anabolic or androgenic steroid. Is actually a thermogenic that is most often used during cutting and fat loss cycles. As a thermogenic agent, it has a tendency to stimulate the users metabolism to a point where they can really feel the increase in body temp. Its equally popular among both male and female bodybuilders. Most users experience a very strong energy rush within 15 minutes of each dose. This characteristic makes it a popular pre-workout intensity pill. Approximately 8% of users experience the opposite effect making them drowsy. For this group of individuals, taking Clen at night before bedtime is a reasonable compromise.

Dosage:

Clen is a very powerful stimulant and should be used with care. Start with small doses and move up as needed. It is highly recommended that a person take their first couple doses far apart on a non-workout day so they can judge the effects of the product better. Do not take your first dose immediately before working out. Typical dose is 1 capsule twice per day. If you need more than that to feel the effects of the product, you probably have over stimulated your receptors and need to take a 30-60 day off cycle.

Side Effects:

Overuse of Clen can lead to unhealthy rate of fat loss. Such fast results can induce addictive behavior and can lead to burn out and overtraining. Sides to watch for include excessive heart rate, dry mouth, vomiting, restlessness, sleeplessness, drowsiness, and loss of appetite.

Counterfeits:

Counterfeits have been reported but not confirmed to date. Clen is easy to find and inexpensive making it less desirable to fake. You can get real Clen at Anabolic Research. Each bottle of Clen has a holographic logo applied to the label to ensure its authenticity.

Cytomel (Liothyronine Sodium)

Cytomel is a synthetic T3 hormone. As you may already know, most natural T3 is not produced directly by your thyroid gland, but rather is converted from the T4 thyroid hormone. 

Cytomel T3 Weight Loss:

Natural T3 is a regulator of the oxidative metabolism of energy producing substrates (food or stored substrates like fat, muscle, and glycogen) by the mitochondria. The mitochondria, as you will recall from your high school biology class, are usually referred to as the "cells powerhouses" because they produce ATP. Taking Cytomel (supplemental T3) greatly increases the uptake of nutrients into the mitochondria and also their oxidation rate (i.e. the rate at which they are burned for energy), by increasing the activities of the enzymes involved in the oxidative metabolic pathway. Everything is working harder, in other words, and more fuel is needed to supplement this increased work rate. Therefore, as you can guess, taking supplemental Cytomel will increase your bodys energy demands. And if you are in a hypocaloric state, you will begin burning even fatter primarily due to an increase in ATP. This increased ATP causes an increase in overall metabolic activity. This is exactly what we want, and is why we would be taking thyroid hormones like Cytomel in the first place. If you arent taking anabolic steroids with your Cytomel, however, your body may start to eat away muscle to provide energy for you to function. Remember mitochondria/ATP arent very picky, but they are very efficient. What I mean by this is that they will use whatever is on hand to generate energy for your body to continue functioning, fat, protein, glucose; it doesnt matter to ATP, as long as theres something to give them energy. Taking this drug will increase their need to find something to burn to create this energy. Ergo, if we arent taking anabolic steroids while taking our T3, we may lose too much muscle, especially while dieting.

Thus we can see that there are many advantages to using Cytomel to optimize our metabolic rate. It will also increase your bodys ability to synthesize protein, but from what Ive seen personally, it acts as a catabolic when it isnt administered with anabolic steroids. It is often the last thing added into a precontest diet, as it has a reputation for getting rid of the last few percentages of bodyfat& the "sticky fat" as its called in bodybuilding, the fat that just doesnt want to leave you in the last few weeks of dieting. I think this is a poor use for this drug, and that it should be the first thing added into a diet to lose fat, as it will optimize your metabolic rate, which should be done at the outset of a diet, not after the calorie restriction has diminished your thyroid output and you are adding it in simply to replace what was lost.

Cytomel Side Effects:

Unfortunately, in all of the studies Ive seen, T3 also increased growth hormone production. As we all know, GH is also a strongly lipolytic compound, and this is another mechanism by which T3 may exert its effects, although I suspect this would only be a small percentage of its overall effects. This being the case, it has always been somewhat problematic to me to note that when GH and T3 are used together, the increased nitrogen retention normally found with GH use is negated. . If you were only using T3 and GH this may be a problem, but as Ive already stated, you are going to need some anabolic agents if you are using T3. And as you have read previously, I recommend the veritable anabolic/lipolytic orgy of Insulin, T3, Anabolic Steroids, GH, and insulin, for 100% maximum results in minimal time.

On the brighter side, and of special note to dieters, administration of T3 has been shown to upregulate the beta 2 receptors in fat tissue. As you know clenbuterol and similar compounds downregulate this receptor, so using T3 with your clen will help stave off or reverse this downregulation. I would still recommend taking your benadryl every third week, though.

Going off Cytomel:

Finally, I would like to address the issue of recovery of your natural thyroid function after you stop taking cytomel. The horror stories of people on permanent thyroid replacement just arent true. I remember a few years ago, the rumor was circulating that the current Ms.Fitness had permanently shut off her thyroid gland, and was now fat and on thyroid hormone permanently. This is just another horror story based in nothing but conjecture and rumor, the studies Ive looked at have shown people recovering their thyroid hormone relatively quickly (within months, at most) after going off of several YEARS (!) of thyroid replacement therapy. I speculate that you can optimize your metabolic rate with Cytomel for 9-10 months a year, and just normalize yourself for 2-3 months (perhaps the winter, when you are mostly covered up), and then go right back on. Some people in the studies I read were on T3 for 30 years and recovered their natural thyroid function within short order. I think we can safely spend an athletic career using Cytomel 9-10 months out of the year, and just taking those few months off to normalize ourselves. Is this aggressive? Yes. Is this unsafe? NO.

DNP (2,4-Dinitrophenol)

DNP was first introduced to the bodybuilding world by Dan Duchaine. In the late 90s, the body building magazine Muscle Media 2000 was offering this special deal to anyone who subscribed to their magazine. If you subscribed, you got a bunch of audio cassettes containing interviews with 10 bodybuilding experts. Those cassettes included interviews with noted bodybuilding experts, and Im sure they were very interesting. I only listened to two of them, and the other eight collected dust in a drawer somewhere in my bedroom, Im sure. But one of the two I listened to had an interview with Dan Duchaine on it, which ended with him promising to tell the bodybuilding world about a new substance which would revolutionize the bodybuilding world. Fast forward a year, and there was a question in MM2K asking him to let the cat out of the bag.

What he did was tell us about DNP. Since then, we have a lot more experience with it, due to feedback from bodybuilders who have used it, and figured out the optimal doses and such from trial and error. The first thing that I will tell you about DNP is the first thing Mr. Duchaine said about it:

DNP Side Effects:

DNP is Dangerous................

If you screw up using it, you may go blind, or end up in the hospital on an ice bed receiving ice-water enemas as the doctors frantically try to make the temperature of your yellow and sweaty body go back down. And no, Im not joking. On the positive side, very few people have died from DNP use, although it remains a distinct possibility, as some DNP related fatalities have been reported. 

Outside the Bodybuilding world, DNP is used to make certain dyes, break open a capsule of it and youll see that the distinct color you get on your hands is nearly impossible to wash off. It can also be used as a fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide. Before that, in the early part of the 1900s it was used as an explosive.

Clearly, this is stuff you dont want to take lightly.

DNP works by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation, which increases the bodys temperature and metabolic rate . Synthesis of fatty acid in adipose tissue requires cooperation of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic enzymes. Mitochondria release energy from food molecules and transform energy into useable form via the production of ATP. ATP is the primary carrier of energy within your cells, and most cells die quickly in the absence of it. ATP in turn powers your muscles. What does DNP have to do with all this? DNP depletes your muscles ATP, thus requiring your mitochondria to convert more energy from food molecules, and thus create more ATP to replace what was lost. This makes your body use more energy to do anything from walking the dog to benching 315lbs. In addition, since cellular levels of all these metabolites depend on the efficiency of mitochondrial energy conversion, a mitochondrial proton leak via uncoupling proteins (UCPs) could modulate Fatty Acid synthesis. Paradoxically, DNP inhibits muscle contraction, even though it accelerates the ATPase activity activity of isolated myosin. ATPase is the enzyme that causes ATP molecules to release the energy they store, and myosin is a protein that (along with actin) is responsible for both muscular contraction and relaxation.

DNP Weight Loss:

All of this tells me that your body will need to create more energy than usual to keep up with the demands DNP is placing on it. In addition, it will have to use more of the food you take in to produce that much-needed energy, and less of that food to create and store fat. In fact, youll start using stored fat as energy to attenuate the energy deficit DNP creates. Ive seen studies on animals where a +60% increase in metabolic rate is achieved with DNP use , although I feel that in humans, the rate may actually be higher. My speculation is that proper DNP use in humans can net a 40-80% rise in BMR (basal metabolic rate). This is all from hypermetabolism, or the increase in metabolism or your bodys need to use more energy to perform tasks.

So what happens when your body requires more energy to do today the same things it did yesterday? You lose more fat today than you did yesterday...in this case, a lot more. What else? You get tired more quickly as your body struggles to convert food into energy. Your endurance will suffer. Your staying power in the last few reps of a set will vanish. Your ability to complete the same amount of sets as you did yesterday, with the same intensity and weights will suffer. But that wont seem like much of a big deal to you at the time, because you probably wont get much of a "pump" at all from the workouts you are completing because DNP reduces the amount of available glycogen in your muscles. DNP will also increase your rate of ventilation, as your lungs try to get oxygen into your muscles . Your blood will be moving a bit slower than usual, as DNP will increase the viscosity (thickness) of it. Basically, it will increase your bodys need for oxygen as well as your blood viscosity , and it nearly doubles the rate of oxygen consumption in muscles. Thus, your body will have to work much harder to oxygenate your blood, and then transport it to working muscles. Cardiac output will then increase proportion to this new rate of oxygen consumption .If you are an athlete, youll play like garbage on DNP because of all that stuff I just mentioned. For these reasons, I see it as very useful for a bodybuilder (who only has aesthetics to be worried about, not functional ability or performance), but not very useful for an athlete. If (and this is a big if), you are badly out of shape and fat before you have training camp for your sports preseason, then I suppose you can try to use this stuff to lose some fast weight. But in all honesty, a 20 day cycle of DNP, no less than a month away from training camp is all Id risk. Youll lose some weight, and only have to keep it off for a month until training camp starts. I really want to stress, though, that this stuff is an exceptionally poor choice for use by an athlete. And remember that part I told you about earlier, about DNP inhibiting muscle contraction? Yeah, thatll make you weaker, also.

DNP Fat Loss:

Speaking about getting weaker, DNP will lower Thyroid (T3) and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels . Lower thyroid levels are positively correlated with lethargy (tiredness) and muscle weakness. So its pretty fair to say that just as DNP makes you lose fat via several mechanisms, its just as fair to say that it will make you feel like garbage through several mechanisms. Dont get me wrong, not everyone feels like total garbage on DNP, but its by far the most common side effect Ive heard of, next to bad breath. No, really. Oh, and I almost forgot yellow(ish?) sweat and body odor thats brutal. Then theres this weird taste in your mouth .On the bright side, were talking about fat loss of almost a half a kilogram per day (1lb/day), when DNP is properly used.

One of the most worrying side effect of DNP use is its ability to cause vision problems . Realistically, you should be alright if you keep your doses and duration of use reasonable.

A lot of the side effects (at least the more dangerous ones, including the ones associated with vision problems) need to be addressed before I tell you how much DNP you can use, and for how long. First of all, you will want to make sure you are taking in enough carbs. Yeah, thats right, a ketogenic diet (thats a diet with no carbs, essentially) is too dangerous to consider with DNP use. In fact, I recommend taking in a good amount of carbs after your workouts, at least 1-2g/kg of bodyweight. Glucose metabolism is enhanced in less than a week , and Im wary of depriving your body of carbs while using DNP. All of these extra carbs are going to make you sweat more, as your body literally burns them up. Id still say you can take in as many carbs as you want& and youll want a lot (carb-cravings are a side effect of DNP use).

The other thing you want to use is pyruvate, which at the very least will have occularprotective properties (yes, I made that word up, and it means something that protects your eyes). Pyruvate will also have some other cool effects on your bodys energy production ability, but here, were primarily concerned with not developing cataracts or floaters in our vision.

Thankfully, DNP is not particularly hard on your heart, blood pressure, or liver. The only reason youll experience increases in cardiac output is as a response to the increased ventilation DNP will cause while you are exerting any kind of muscular force, and even then it isnt particularly dangerous . Most DNP users feel this effect only vaguely, certainly nothing compared to what would be experienced with use of Ephedrine or maybe even caffeine. So were really only dealing with the lowering of thyroid values and the possible eyesight problems. Oh& and that pesky "death thing"&

So far, we know we need to keep some carbs in our body, and take some pyruvate. I can only assume you will also be taking a multivitamin/mineral while using DNP, just to keep all of our bases covered. Theres also some good reasons to take an energy supplement with DNP use, since it will sap energy out of you. I recommend something in the morning, and pre-workout, as a minimal insurance against feeling too tired all the time. Also, you want to take some T3 with your DNP, because of DNPs aforementioned ability to lower conversion of T4 into T3, 50-100mcgs/day should suffice. Taurine and potassium are popular additions to a DNP cycle for many experienced users& they may not help, but if cramping becomes an issue, then they could help. Because wed never even consider using DNP and not taking in enough water, right? Id suggest water intake be kept obscenely high, and as close to two gallons per day as you can get.

So now that you know all about DNP, and how to avoid most of the negative side effects, Ill tell you how much to take. From my research, Id say 2mgs/kg-5mgs/kg is optimal. If I were going to use this stuff personally, Id stay on the low end of that, but I am aware that the "Underground Standard" is 600mgs/day. Thats still a reasonably safe dose, for most. Ill also say that were I to personally use DNP, I would limit its use to less than 3 weeks, 20 days is the longest Im comfortable recommending.

Buy DNP:

Even at a high(ish) dose, this stuff is very cheap, the UnderGround Lab most popular for this stuff sells it for around a dollar per 200mg pill, so youre looking at $20-60 to lose 10-20lbs of fat. Its a bargain, by any standard, if you do it properly and safely.

Ephedrine

When I started writing this book, ephedrine was one of my favorite legal stimulants/fat burners. Halfway through finishing, ephedrine (Ephedra, actually) became one of my favorite outlawed fat burners; now its my favorite legal one again. Who knows what it will be by the time you have this book in your hands? Tiki Barber, running back for the NY Giants once speculated that while it was legal, 80% of the players in the NFL used ephedrine. For my part, I'll speculate that the number using it will pick right back up now that it's legal again, and that this time, NFL players will be stocking up just in case it goes off the market again.

Ephedrine is a stimulant that belongs to the sympathomimetics family. It's both an alpha and beta adrenergenic, as opposed to Clen, which only works on your beta receptors. Ephedrine releases norepinephrine, which is basically very similar to adrenaline, your fight or flight hormone, which is an endogenous alpha agonist. First, when you take ephedrine, your body temperature will rise. This is a good thing, as it indicates more fuel being burned for energy. Thatll help you shed some of your subcutaneous body fat stores, and this is basically ephedrines main use in athletics.

Its other use is for it's stimulant properties. The stimulant effect of ephedrine will increase the contractile strength of skeletal muscle; for this reason ephedrine is commonly used by powerlifters and Olympic lifters. It also helps many people focus, similar to caffeine, with which many choose to take their ephedrine. The touted stack of ephedrine (25-50mg), caffeine (200-300mg) and aspirin (100mg) is shown to be extremely synergistic for fat loss. In this combination, the ephedrine and caffeine both act as notable thermogenic stimulants, while the added aspirin helps to inhibit lipogenesis by extending the duration of their effect and blocking the incorporation of acetate into fatty acids. The best synergy is when the ephedrine/caffeine ratio is actually 1:10. Finally, Ephedrine also seems to slow gastric emptying, which is why it is very popular as an appetite suppressant, and was included in many diet pill preparations until it was pulled from the market.

Ketotifen

Ketotifen was made popular by its ability to inhibit the down regulation of beta receptors caused by drugs like clenbuterol. Clenbuterol, albuterol, and Ephedrine used to be cycled on and off because they desensitize the various receptors they act on to produce their lipolytic effect. Ketotifen would therefore allow the use of these fat burning drugs for much longer periods.

If youve read my writings on Clenbuterol, you already know that Benadryl (the anti-histimine) can also be used for this same purpose, and is 10x cheaper and infinitely more available to most people. So why am I bothering to write about Ketotifen at all?

Ketotifen, in medical circles, is also recognized for its ability to lower levels of the cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which is a catabolic hormone, and this is a property that Benadryl does not have to my knowledge. TNF-alpha lowers both testosterone and IGF-1 levels, and strenuous exercise elevates TNF-alpha levels. TNF-alpha has also been shown to increase insulin resistance, which we certainly dont want.

Ketotifen and Weigh Loss:

Ketotifen is used by people suffering from wasting diseases partially caused by TNF-alpha. I think, however, its ability to lower TNF-alpha is going to be overshadowed by anabolic effects produced by anabolic steroids. In one study involving AIDS patients, combining Ketotifen and Oxymetholone (Anadrol 50) showed that the Ketotifen didnt add much to the Oxymetholone induced weight gain . Hence, you are reading this profile in the "Ancilliaries" portion of this book, and not the "Fat - Burning" part, even though Ketotifen is typically used as part of a fat burning cycle including clen. Benadryl is simply too much cheaper and readily available to use Ketotifen in its place with Clen. However, for Post-Cycle-Therapy, Ketotifen and its ability to lower TNF-alpha, is a very valuable tool. You see, Hypogonadism (low testosterone) often accompanies elevated TNF-alpha levels , and after a cycle of anabolic steroids, you are going to be in a hypogonadal state, with elevated TNF-alpha. Thus, taking Ketotifen with your PCT is probably a very good idea. I recommend 1-3mgs/day before bed because this stuff will make you pretty drowsy.

Synthroid

Synthroid is the less powerful of the two most popular thyroid replacement drugs on the market. It is synthetic T4, and is actually the more prescribed thyroid medication in America, but the lesser used of the thyroid drugs which are popular with bodybuilders. If you have naturally low T3 levels, then you may be able to supplement with T4, and have it convert to T3 via your bodys natural metabolic pathways, which involves the deiodinase enzyme. However, There have been a number of studies that have shown that during reduced caloric intake, and/or when carbohydrate intake is reduced dramatically, levels of deiodinase decline, hindering the conversion of T4 to the physiologically active T3. So, if you are dieting (which would necessarily mean you have a reduced caloric intake and/or reduced carbohydrate levels), then you have less deiodinase enzyme (still with me?) and thus, that T4 you are taking in hopes of getting it to convert to T3, is not getting converted. This is not what we want, clearly, and is why most pre-contest dieters include Cytomel in their drug regimen instead of Synthroid. In fact, Synthroid may be particularly bad for dieters on Cyclic Ketogenic Diets.

When you earn your living off of your body, as many fitness models, models, and bodybuilders do, its just too haphazard to trust Synthroid. This is especially true if you are not monitoring your Basal Body Temperature or (preferably) shelling out the money for a thyroid function test every month.

As compared to Cytomel, Synthroid requires significantly higher doses to be effective. Most bodybuilders dont exceed 100mcgs of Cytomel during a precontest phase of dieting, but with Synthroid the doses climb significantly higher to achieve the same results. From interviews Ive done with bodybuilders who have used Synthroid, Ive heard of it being used at up to 300mcgs/day. When you compare that to the mere 25-100mcgs/day of Cytomel that bodybuilders are typically using, we have another strike against Synthroid. It isnt really economically feasible to do that much Synthroid and remain cost effective, at least when compared with Cytomel. To give you a fair estimate, you could run an effective dose of both Cytomel and Clenbuterol for the same price as an effective dose of Synthroid.

My advice? Use it if you have to, but only if thats the case, and you cant get Cytomel or Tricana. It works, and will eventually get you to the desired body temperature for optimal fat burning, but it just isnt as elegant as the less suppressive Tricana, or the more effective Cytomel.

Triacana

Triacana is a naturally occurring thyroid product containing the substance known as Tiratricol. Tiratricol is a metabolite of the iodiferous thyroid hormone, L-triiodthyronine (T3) , and is available at health-food stores, sold over the internet, and is quite popular in Europe. The drug is marketed under the brand names Triax, Tri-Cuts, and Triacana.

In order to provide you with a sound understanding of Triacana, I will first briefly explain the function of the two main hormones produced by the Thyroid gland. The two main hormones produced by the thyroid are L-triiodthyronine (T3), and L-thyroxine (T4). T4 is the hormone which the thyroid produces the lions share of, and is converted by a deiodinase enzyme into what is known as T3 .

When a person is involved in a calorie-restricted diet, the body produces less deiodinase enzyme, and hence produces less T3. When our bodies lack the effects of T3 (the more potent of the two hormones) our BMR decreases. An abundance of T4 is still present, however, T4 simply isnt potent enough to maintain the high metabolic rate we seek while trying to burn fat. When our metabolism is slower, fewer calories are burned, and our dieting struggles to remain productive. This is all described as a "negative feedback loop," and its part of the bodys way to maintain homeostasis. While your goals may include being ripped and huge, your body would prefer you to remain small and fat, in order to survive famines and starvation.

Now you can begin draw the connection between fat loss, and the use of Triacana (tiratricol).

Triacana has held a solid reputation since the 1970s among athletes and bodybuilders for being a strong fat-burning drug. While it can aid lipolysis, the effects are extremely mild when compared to stronger thyroid hormones, namely T4 and T3. One exception would be Triacanas higher thermogenic potency in brown adipocytes . The misconception that many people possess regarding Tiratricol is that the effects are harmless. Simply put, this is untrue. Tiratricol can significantly suppress Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. Although the effects are mild when compared to those caused by T3, theyre still present. Thyroid recovery generally takes up to 6 weeks; however, extreme cases have shown to take up to 5months to fully recover from the TSH suppression . Thankfully, TSH recovery is very quick , and there has yet to be a documented case of the Thyroid being permanently shut down from the use of Tiratricol.

One thing that is often overlooked is the addition of thyroid supplementation, and post-cycle therapy (PCT). Many anabolic steroids can lower your thyroid levels (most notably Trenbolone). There are numerous supplements that can aid in the recovery process of your thyroid. T-100x is a well-known thyroid support formulation, as is Coleus forskohlii . Thyroid support supplementation will work to increase thyroid hormone secretion, and will enable your thyroid to recover quicker.

Common dosages of this product range from 10-14 tablets per day. Generally, two 0.35 mg tablets are taken on the first day of intake and with two tablets added each successive day until 10-14 tablets/day are taken. The half-life time of tiratricol is 5-7 hours, so Triacana should be taken 3-4 times daily . Doing so will allow a constant amount of the substance in the blood, so the effects are continual. There are also many athletes who prefer to combine Triacana with Clenbuterol, or another type of thermogenic. Popular choices include a stack of Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin/Yohimbine. Many feel that the addition of one of these choices substantially increases the effects of Triacana, and provide better fat loss results when combined. Additionally, by adding a stimulant, it is easier to sustain hunger pains which can occur with the use of Triacana. Something of additional note, is the common inclusion of Triacana while exogenous Growth Hormone is being administered. This is performed in order to meet the bodys increased requirement for thyroid hormone. Additionally, Triacana is superior to T3 the treatment of thyroid hormone resistance , and is often favoured for treating Hyperthyroidism .

Regarding duration of application, the range of opinions varies by a large amount. Athletes have taken Triacana from one week, ranging up to many months. The reason behind most people straying from long duration use, is the fear of their thyroid shutting down permanently. As mentioned above, the likelihood of this happening is slim to none, however, it is still a possibility many consider. In fact, Triacana is often considered more TSH suppressive than the more potent T4 . A suggested duration for moderate usage would be up to 12 weeks; however, there is little evidence that running longer cycles have any different effects versus shorter durations. Something to keep in mind, is that you shouldnt slowly decrease dosages in fear of a sudden rebound effect. By doing so, you only prolong the amount of time until your thyroid can recover. Stopping abruptly allows your thyroid to begin recovery right away.

If youre interested in making the commitment that taking thyroid hormones/derivatives requires, and the risks involved, Triacana isnt your best choice. The side effects are very similar to that of T3, yet lacking the potency by a substantial amount. In fact, it has been observed by some that the effects were non existent, even at a TSH-suppressive dose of 3mg split throughout the day .This is a substantial reason as to why the drugs popularity and usage by the bodybuilding and sport communities has dropped immensely in past years, as its quite inferior when compared to T3.

One hundred tablets are packaged in a box containing four push-through strips of 25 tablets each. The tablets are white and have neither an imprint nor a break indentation. The price on the black market is usually $60 - 80 per box.

Cabergoline (Dostinex)

Cabergoline (Dostinex)

Dostinex was originally introduced to the bodybuilding community by the anti-aging crowd. About a decade ago, the only place you could really find this stuff being sold was on mail order lists for various life-extension clinics. Although they are, frankly, a very weird bunch of people, the life-extensionistas were among the first to find and make available a lot of the stuff that eventually found its way into athletic circles, like Dostinex and other such nootropics (drugs that increase mental activity).

Dostinex is one of those drugs. I first saw it on an anti-aging clinic’s price list about a decade ago, and more recently, I saw it being discussed by various people who are “in the know” on the internet. The former fact made it slightly interesting to me, while the latter had exactly the opposite effect. Actually, I first mentioned it in an ancillary article I wrote several years ago, but recently I decided to do some more research on it, and I have to admit, it’s a very interesting drug. Before I explain what it does, I think a discussion of some important hormones and enzymes are in order.

Dostinex is usually employed by bodybuilders to combat prolactin and effects related to prolactin…that’s so before we go any further, lets , it’s very important to understand exactly what that hormone is. Prolactin is a single-chain protein, very closely related to growth hormone. It is secreted by what’s known as lactotrophs in the anterior part of your pituitary gland. In addition, Prolactin is also synthesized and secreted by many other cells in the body, like immune cells, in the brain, and in women is even secreted by the decidua, in the uterus of pregnant women.

If you’ve done any reading at all on prolactin, you have probably come across the fact that its major effects are felt by the mammary gland, and that stimulating mammary gland development and milk production are its primary role. While this is true, many issues have prolactin receptors, and although the anterior pituitary is the major source of prolactin, it is actually synthesized and secreted in several other tissues. Too much prolactin expression can even be responsible for certain types of pituitary tumors. But the most prevalent side effect we see from it in bodybuilders is development of excess mammary tissue and milk production. Unfortunately, mammary gland development and milk production are among its major effects. Great if you are a cow, but not so great if you are a bodybuilder. Yeah, that’s right- too much prolactin can cause galactorrhea (excessive or spontaneous secretion of milk). The other prevalent side effect is sexual dysfunction. I suspect that the average male bodybuilder doesn’t want anything to do with any of that.

Excessive secretion of prolactin – which is known as hyperprolactinemia - is a relative common disorder in humans. This condition has numerous causes, including prolactin-secreting tumors and therapy with certain drugs, like anabolic steroids.

Common symptoms of hyperprolactinemia in women can include menstrual irregularities, and galactorrhea (which was covered in the preceding paragraph). Sadly, men who have hyperprolactinemia tend to have most of the same symptoms; enlarged mammary glands, milk production, and also have some other side effects to contend with, such as hypogonadism, decreased libido (sex drive), decreased sperm production and impotence, but at least they very rarely produce milk, although it’s possible...and disgusting.

Of course, we can put a stop to possible prolactin related side effects, if we can get some dopamine secretion going on. You see, dopamine is a major prolactin-inhibiting chemical and sends a message to your body to decrease its rate of prolactin secretion. Basically, it’s secreted into your blood, binds to receptors on lactotrophs (remember them?), and then inhibits the synthesis and secretion of prolactin. That’s important, because it works in two ways…it prevents both the synthesis and the production of prolactin.

This is where Dostinex comes in…

Dostinex (Cabergoline) is a dopamine agonist. Dopamine is a chemical, found in the brain, which transmits nerve impulses and is involved in the formation of epinephrine. More likely than not, this is why the Life-Extentionistas are very big on this drug. Dopamine is also released by the hypothalamus, and hormone can inhibit the release of prolactin from the anterior lobe of the pituitary, so given all the bad things that we have already seen to be a result of excess. If you use anabolic steroids, Dostinex will help you reduce the chance of any of these prolactin related side-effects. It has actually been shown in numerous studies to have a very high success rate in lowering prolactin and prolactin related conditions and side-effects (1) (2).In fact, for management of hyperprolactinemia and it’s symptoms (got milk?), Dostinex is the preferred treatment in terms of effectiveness as well as having very few undesirable side effects (3). It does this very well for both men and women, it should be noted…almost identically actually (4)

Since it lowers prolactin very efficiently, Dostinex will even get rid sexual dysfunction caused by excess prolactin (5) (which is (anecdotally at least) highly correlative with the use of certain steroids like the Nandrolones and Trenbolones (Deca and Tren). This is great news for everyone who loves Tren and Deca, because those two steroids are really great additions to almost any cycle- but many people avoid using them because of the possibility of them causing impotence (often called “deca dick”).

Using Dostinex will allow you to include steroids like Tren and Deca in any cycle- and even combine them in the same cycle- without worrying about sexual dysfunction. In fact…even if you aren’t experiencing any sort of sexual dysfunction, Dostinex will shorten the time you need to recover and gain an erection between orgasms, and can significantly enhance all parameters of sexual drive and function (6). In other words, if you’re not worried about sexual issues and you take Dostinex anyway…it’ll still help you out in bed. And from what I have heard, it’s well worth the money for that effect.

Of course you can actually use Dostinex safely for an extended amount of time (many studies go on for months if not years, and its efficacy and safety are well documented), but women need to be more careful than men, and certainly need to discontinue using it if they’re pregnant or trying to conceive. SO Dostinex can help you, the average steroid user, by combating gyno-like effects, as well as galactorrhea, and sexual dysfunction. Sounds great, right? Of course it is…but since Dostinex is a dopamine agonist, which means it’s good for a whole lot more.

ou see Dopamine is what’s called a monoamine, which is naturally produced in the body by modifying an amino acid.

Dopamine

And it’s this structure which makes it very interesting to us. Dostinex as you already know is what’s known as a dopamine “agonist”- or substance that triggers a response in a specific body tissue or group of cells by binding to specific receptor on or inside the cells, as if it were actually the bodily substance that usually binds to that receptor. Probably the one that most people are familiar with, with regards to agonists is ephedrine, which is an andrenergic agonist. This is why ephedrine makes you feel “wired”…it “feels” like adrenaline to your body. Cabergoline is a dopamine agonist…which makes it “feel” like dopamine to your body.

Dostinex

So what does that mean? Well, in the brain, dopamine helps control the flow of information from other areas of the brain. So a dopamine agonist will help you process information more quickly, and possibly improve your memory also. Some athletes use Dostinex because it helps them learn new motor skills more quickly and thus they can learn new techniques or plays at a faster rate than their competition; needless to say this gives the athletes using Dostinex a huge advantage over their competition. This ability to work on your bodies information pathways and nervous system are doubtless why it’s been successfully been used to fight Parkinsons disease (7)(8).

But does this actually work in real athletes? Well, actually, that’s why I started reading about Dostinex. See, I have the fortune of being able to basically call some of the most famous strength coaches in the world whenever I want. And, recently the last time I spoke to one about training and anabolic steroids, I asked him about different training programs for a person on steroids- and his answer said that it depends on whether that person was taking a nootropics or not. And as you may remember, Dostinex is a nootropic. It was that conversation that made me really take a closer look at Dostinex. And of course, that strength coach told me that his athletes have used nootropics with great success. The down side of knowing internationally renowned strength coaches is that their sense of humor is usually a little off, and if you have the fortune of being able to pick their brains on training, you also invariably have the misfortune of ending up on their group e-mail list which gets you a whole host of bizarre forwarded e-mails…

In fact, when you don’t have enough dopamine, you may even have difficulty concentrating…low dopamine levels have also been cited as a possible underlying cause for Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and Attention deficit/ Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In fact, many several medications used to treat ADD and ADHD will also serve to stimulate dopaminergic, and this could be one of their possible mechanisms of action.

Dopamine is also what’s called a “pleasure chemical”…it’s usually released by your body when you experience a rewarding experience such as eating your favorite food, having sex, winning the lottery….whatever. Interestingly, since this “happy” effect is felt when you are satiated from food, it’s highly possible that Dopamine agonists will cause you to feel “full” more often and decrease desire for food without the discomfort that dieting usually brings. Dopamine is released when you eat a nice big meal…so…a dopamine agonist like Dostinex may make you not want to eat as much, and help you feel full even if you don’t eat enough. Dostinex, therefore, may be of great interest to precontest bodybuilders and other dieters, who want to avoid some of the discomfort and anxiety that calorie restriction can bring.

Certain recreational drugs also have a lot to do with their effects on dopamine. Cocaine is what is known as a dopamine transporter blocker; what this means is that it competitively inhibits dopamine uptake to increase the amount of time released dopamine is active in your body. This makes you feel good, while the dopamine is floating around your body.  Methamphetamine is another illicit (illegal) recreational drug that acts on dopamine as well. It actually serves to competitively inhibit dopamine uptake as well as increasing dopamine flow through a dopamine transporter pathway. That’s how those drugs make you “feel good.” Dostinex is, of course, neither physically nor mentally addictive, but since it is a dopamine agonist, its users often experience an enhanced positive sense of well being. So besides helping with all of the things discussed earlier, Cabergoline will also just make you feel damn good.

So now that I told you about it, I’ll tell you how much Dostinex do you need to start experiencing these effects…or basically, how I’m going to use it, now that I did all this research on it!

From the reading I’ve done, you only need about half a milligram (1/2mg) a week to experience all of the anti-prolactin, prosexual, antidepressant, and cognitive effects of Dostinex, but that’s on the very low end of the effectiveness scale. This stuff has an extremely long active life in the body, so once a week dosing is fine…but if it were me, and I were taking this stuff, I’d probably be using about .25mgs-.5mgs twice a week.

It should be taken before bed-time, because it may actually help you sleep a bit better, (9), Can be taken with or without food and not alter the pharmacokinetics (how it functions in your body) (10), and (incidentally) according to the literature is a much more efficient drug than Bromocriptine(11).

I think once people find out about this drug, it’s going to find it’s way into quite a few bodybuilders’ cycles alongside Tren, Deca, or both…and athletes are going to take advantage of it’s uses for skill acquisition and motor co-ordination help…and all the other stuff…the prosexual properties and general “feel good” properties of Dostinex make it a great choice for anyone interested in …err…feeling good and having better sex…which I suspect is basically everyone, not just bodybuilders and athletes. I guess I should have paid more attention to this stuff when it started appearing on those Life-Extension club pricelists a decade ago…but at least I figured it out now….even if I happen to be a bit late on this one.

أعجبني

Proscar ( Finasteride)

العامةالأصدقاءأنا فقطمخصصةمنطقة ‏‎Batna, Algeria‎‏العائلةعودة للخلف

Proscar - mens health drug, this drug contains Finasteride and is made by Merck, Germany.

In terms of the use of Proscar for steroid users, it would be related to the easing of several androgenic side effects often associated with the use of some anabolic and androgenic steroids. Of course due to the originally intended medical purpose of the drug steroid users suffering from prostate conditions due to their anabolic steroid use could be well served to use a drug such as Proscar. This will likely ease some of the discomfort caused by the activity of the DHT in the prostate tissue and related conditions. Similarly the androgenic activity of DHT in the scalp leading to hair loss can also prevented in some males with the use of a reductase inhibitor like Finasteride. If the hair loss experienced by the user is related to an increase in the concentration and/or level of DHT in the tissue the administration of finasteride can help to reduce or prevent the severity of this side effect. A third side effect that the drug may help with is oily skin and/or acne. This androgenic side effect may be prevented or at the very least reduced in severity with the administration of Finasteride. However, anecdotally the results of this have been mixed to say the least and relatively few users administer the drug for this purpose.

For many these actions of Proscar will seem very similar to that of another reductase inhibitor, namely dutasteride. However these drugs do have differences. The major difference between them is that dutasteride targets both Type I and Type II 5-alpha reductase. Finasteride only targets Type II. Type I is more heavily concentrated in the liver and skin while Type II is found most prevalently in male reproductive organs. By targeting both types of the enzyme, dutasteride is better capable of reducing more DHT then Finasteride and is therefore thought to be more efficient and effective by most. Despite this, it is still not as popular as Finasteride but this is likely due to dutasteride having been on the market for a much shorter time as well as not currently being approved medically for use as a preventative measure against male pattern baldness.

Proscar has also been used as a so-called “masking agent” by some steroid users who are tested either via urine or blood. While the mechanism by which this is accomplished will not be discussed in this profile, it should however be noted that most organizations now recognize this fact and will test for Finasteride along with anabolic steroids. For this reason users of finasteride who may be tested for such substances should be aware of this fact beforehand.

HOW DOES IT WORKS?

In terms of dosing for the drug, while tipical application of Proscar can yield results, most physicians will recommend and most users will choose to administer the drug orally. This is due to the greater rate of bioavailability compared to topical application. The bioavailability of Finasteride, when taken orally, ranges in the area of sixty-five percent of a one milligram tablet in clinical studies. It should also be noted that the bioavailability of Finasteride was not affected when taken with or without food or liquids. Maximum suppression of DHT conversion occurs within twenty-four hours of administering a one milligram dose orally. This maximum suppression is approximately sixty-five of the total DHT conversion.

As for the size of dosage required, it depends on the reaction of the user. Most males that are prescribed Proscar as part of a medical treatment are most often given doses of one milligram per day. This may be more then necessary however. Anecdotally some users have indicated that doses of 5 mg/day or one milligram every other day have had the desired effect for some users. However other users may require larger doses to reap the benefits of the compound. For the most part these doses range from 1.5 milligrams per day to as high as 5 mg/day or higher. When increasing one’s dosage however a user should make these increases gradually so as to gage their response to the compound and avoid a dramatic onset of negative side effects.

Proscar is still a relatively new drug on the market and long-term studies on it continue to be done. However there are no indications that users have to limit themselves in regard to the duration of their use of the drug. It was designed to be administered for long periods of time and is seemingly well tolerated by the majority of users. For this reason steroid users should feel free to use Proscar for extended periods of time if they feel it necessary. The only limiting factors being any side effects that arise for the individual taking the compound or else the cost of the drug itself, or of course the fact that it is no longer required. Also, when discontinuing the use of Proscar there appears no need for a tapering of the drug to prevent a major rebound in DHT levels of the user. While obviously these levels will return to their normal concentrations no dramatic rise should be seen by the user.

SIDE EFFECTS:

For the most part the side effects associated with the use of Proscar are relatively minor and will not jeopardize the general health of the user. It appears that all of the reported side effects are related to its action as a reductase inhibitor and the lack of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) circulating in the system of the user when using this drug. Toxicity is not a concern as even with extremely large doses run for long durations no adverse reactions are observed.

The most common side effect reported with the administration of Proscar is seemingly sexual dysfunction and/or a reduction in sex drive. This is due to DHT playing a significant role in sex drive with it also being found in high concentrations in male sex organs playing a role in their proper function. To a lesser extent some users report that their strength is reduced when using Proscar and this can also be directly related to the drop in DHT present in the user. Similarly this may also result in a small reduction in muscle mass depending on the amount inhibited and the individual body chemistry of the user.

Despite the lack of long term side effects for users there is one significant side effect that may affect some males. This is namely temporary sterility. This effect does appear to be only temporary with no long term damage to the ability of the user to produce healthy sperm capable of procreation once administration of the drug ceases. However users hoping to bear children will likely have to discontinue their use of the drug to enhance their chances of success. Proscar is so successful at causing temporary sterility in males that it has been studied as part of a combination of drugs that could be used as male birth control. However these studies remain in their preliminary stages. In any case, many steroid users will already be experiencing temporary sterility due to their use of anabolic steroids so this will not be an additional burden for the vast majority of users.

Note

Available in pharmacies Algerian with commercial name: Prostamed(30 tablet )

1 tablet .... Finasteride 5 mg

price your: 1870 DA

Dihydrotestosterone DHT

What Is DHT?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or more specifically 5α-Dihydrotestosterone is derived from testosterone by a reaction with the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase; reducing the 4,5 double-bond of Testosterone..

Testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone upon interaction with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. More specifically, this enzyme removes the C4-5 double bond of testosterone by the addition of two hydrogen atoms to its structure (hence the name di-hydro-testosterone). The removal of this bond is important, as in this case it creates a steroid that binds to the androgen receptor much more avidly than does its parent steroid. 5-alpha reductase is present in high amounts in tissues of the prostate, skin, scalp, liver and various regions of the central nervous system, and as such represents a mechanism for the body to increase the potency of testosterone specifically where strong androgenic action is needed.(DHT is formed primarily in the prostate gland, testes,adrenal glands and hair follicles, and DHT is produced by male embryos during development in the womb and is responsible for the formation of male gender-specific characteristics.DHT is associated with other male characteristics such as: facial hair, body hair, voice and muscle development and contributes to the male sex drive.)

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) plays an important role in the organization and functioning of the central nervous system. Many neural cells contain active androgen receptors, and it is thought that there may even be a specific importance of dihydrotestosterone in this area of the body. Studies have shown DHT to have a profoundly greater impact in these cells compared to testosterone. Animal models demonstrated that both testosterone and DHT would result in increased androgen receptor proliferation in neural cells three and seven hours after being administered, however only DHT was able to sustain this increase at the twenty-one hour mark.

The strong interaction between the central nervous system and skeletal muscles, collectively referred to as the neuromuscular system, is of key importance to the athlete. There appears little doubt that the ability of the body to adapt to training and its ability to activate nerve endings in muscle tissue are reliant on the interactions of the neuromuscular system. Inhibiting the formation of DHT during a testosterone cycle may therefore inadvertently interfere with strength and muscle mass gains.

Testosterone is the active androgen in muscle

Skeletal muscle is unique from other androgen dependent tissues in the body. It actually contains little or no 5-AR, so little or no DHT is actually formed in the muscle. In addition to this, any DHT that is formed, or that is already present in the blood and travels to the muscle, is quickly deactivated by an enzyme called 3alpha-hydroxysteroid reductase (3a-HSD).

So at least as far as muscle is concerned, testosterone is the primary active androgen. This is not to say that administering exogenous DHT is not without any anabolic effect. It actually does have some anabolic activity in the muscle, albeit significantly weaker than that of an equal amount of testosterone. This is due to its quick breakdown by 3a-HSD into the weak metabolite 5alpha-androstan-3a,17b-diol. If this enzyme were somehow blocked, it is likely that DHT would exhibit very potent anabolic effects on muscle.

It is important to understand that even though testosterone is the active androgen in muscle, and DHT exhibits relatively little direct anabolic effects on muscle in men, DHT is still very important for the full performance enhancement effects from testosterone. What I specifically mean here are the effects of DHT on the central nervous system, which lead to increased neurological efficiency (strength), and increased resistance to psychological and physical stress – not to mention optimal sexual function and libido.

Anti–Estrogen effects of DHT

One important function of DHT in the body that does not get much discussion is its antagonism of estrogen. Some men that take Proscar learn this the hard way – by developing a case of gynecomastia. By reducing DHT’s protection against estrogen in the body, these men have fallen victim to its most dreaded ramification – bitch tits!

How does DHT protect against estrogen? There are at least three ways that this likely occurs. First of all, DHT directly inhibits estrogens activity on tissues. It either does this by acting as a competitive antagonist to the estrogen receptor or by decreasing estrogen-induced RNA transcription at a point subsequent to estrogen receptor binding.

Second of all, DHT and its metabolites have been shown to directly block the production of estrogens from androgens by inhibiting the activity of the aromatase enzyme. The studies done in breast tissue showed that DHT, androsterone, and 5alpha-androstandione are potent inhibitors of the formation of estrone from androstenedione. 5alpha-androstandione was shown to be the most potent, while androsterone was the least.

Lastly, DHT acts on the hypothalamus / pituitary to decrease the secretion of gonadotropins. By decreasing the secretion of gonadotropins you decrease the production of the raw materials for estrogen production – testosterone and androstenedione (DHT itself cannot aromatize into estrogens).

How Does DHT Lead To Baldness

Genetic Disposition to Male Pattern Baldness

The exact mechanism causing Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) in men is, as yet, unknown although it is believed to be an inherited pre-disposition for hair follicles to shrink in the presence of DHT.

Hair follicles with genetic sensitivity to DHT begin to contract or reduce in size. This forms progressively finer hair while shortening the normal lifespan of the sensitised hair follicle.

Ultimately, the hair follicles cease producing hair.

Hair on the crown seems to be most sensitive; while hair follicles on the sides of the head are not as susceptible to DHT, leading to the characteristic Male Pattern Baldness.

It is possible to Block or Inhibit the conversion of Testosterone to DHT within the body using 5-α-Reductase Inhibitors.

How Does Hair Grow?

Hair Follicle Structure and Ultimate DHT Sensitivity

A hair follicle is a special site of the skin that packs old cells into a structure that grows into a hair.

Hair growth phases

Hair grows in cycles going through several transition phases:-

Anagen - Active Phase - Hair growth occurs

Catagen - Intermediate Phase - Hair growth ceases and a club is formed at the base

Telogen - Dormant Phase - No Hair Growth.

Scalp hair can take up to 6 years to complete this cycle. Typically 3-4 Years Growth cycles are initiated and controlled by a chemical signal or growth factor.

The dermal papilla is responsible for hair growth. It divides, differentiating to form new hair follicles. It is nourished by the blood capillaries of the skin for active hair growth and posseses many receptors for androgens such as DHT and Growth Factors.

DHT may influence the hair growth phases by shortening the active hair growth anagen phase and also prolonging the dormant telogen phase.

DHT also initiates follicular size reduction or follicle miniaturisation in susceptible individuals so that hair becomes progressively finer leading to hair loss.

DHT can also form wax like substances that bind around the hair roots preventing hair re-growth.

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

How to Come off Steroids ; Nolvadex, Clomid and HCG in Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

Post Cycle Therapy

A post cycle therapy plan or “PCT”, it’s a phrase that’s often thrown around inappropriately on many steroid message boards. In many cases, people expect way too much out of post cycle therapy, and others won’t give it a chance based on a lack of understanding. With this in mind, we want to explain the purpose of post cycle therapy, what you can actually expect and the best way to implement it. Further, we want to discuss when it should be implemented; in some cases, a PCT plan will be followed when it shouldn’t have been; don’t worry, this will all make sense.

What is a PCT Plan?

When we supplement with anabolic androgenic steroids, our natural hormone levels are altered. Most anabolic steroids suppress our natural testosterone production to one degree or another, and if we’re not careful our estrogen and progesterone levels can increase beyond a healthy range. Of course, estrogen and progesterone can both be controlled while on cycle with proper supplementation practices, but the testosterone suppression will remain. Then we reach the point where our cycle has come to an end; we have discontinued the use of all anabolicsteroids, and as a result something must be done. When we discontinue our steroid use, ourtestosterone levels are still in a suppressed state, and it’s often recommended you stimulate natural production and let your body normalize. While testosterone stimulation is the primary purpose, the normalization factor of a post cycle therapy plan is greatly important. Of course, as eluded to early on, sometimes implementing a PCT isn’t the best idea, and will delve into that shortly.

What to Expect

The primary purpose of post cycle therapy is to stimulate your natural production of testosterone and shorten or enhance the total recovery process. Understand this here and now; there is no post cycle therapy plan on earth that can return your natural testosterone levels back to where they were prior to anabolic steroid use. Further, if you supplemented with anabolic steroids improperly and caused severe damage to your HPTA there’s no PCT plan that will help you. In any case, assuming your cycle was of a responsible nature, a post cycle therapy phase will by design stimulate your pituitary to release more Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) which will in-turn stimulate the testicles to produce more testosterone.

Without such a PCT plan, it could easily take a year or more for your natural levels to recover, and this is not only stressful to the body, it can lead to numerous low testosteronesymptoms; not to mention it is extremely unhealthy. Conversely, when you implement your post cycle therapy treatment, you will significantly cut down your total recovery time, but there’s something more important. While your natural levels will not be fully recovered, you will have ensured your body has enough testosterone for proper health and function while your levels continue to naturally rise. Sure, you can forgo such a plan if you like, but you’ll only be causing more stress to your body over the long haul, and limiting stress is in part how we define successful performance enhancement; after all, if you’re stressing your body post cycle, this means your steroid use has not be as successful as it could have been.

When to Implement a PCT Plan

It should go without saying; the time to implement  post cycle therapy is when all anabolic steroid use has come to an end; this is a given; however, it’s not quite that black and white. If you’re going to be off-cycle for only a short period of time, a PCT plan can be counterproductive and cause even more stress to the body. Remember what we said above; limiting stress is extremely important. If you’re only going to be off-cycle for a short period of time, there’s no reason to stimulate your natural production when you’re going to immediately shut it down again; talk about a shock the body does not appreciate. For this reason, a post cycle therapy period should only be implemented when we’re going to be off-cycle for an extended period of time; meaning, no anabolic androgenic steroids will be present in our system. Of course, the next order of business is to define an extended period of time, and twelve weeks is a good place to start. If you’re going to be off-cycle less than 12 weeks, while you will lose some of your gains they will come back shortly once you go back on-cycle. Conversely, if you’re going to be off-cycle longer than 12 weeks, it’s time for a PCT plan for the reasons discussed above. It must be noted; this time frame of “off-cycle” does not include the PCT period; off means off everything.

Post Cycle Therapy Options

Now that you understand what a post cycle therapy plan is and when and why you should implement it, you need to understand how to implement it and the options you have. How you cycled your anabolic steroids will play a role, but regardless of your steroid use your PCT plan will always include a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), and Tamoxifen Citrate(Nolvadex) and Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) will always be your best options. Recall what we discussed above in-regards to LH and FSH stimulation; it will be the SERM you use that causes such an action. It really doesn’t matter which SERM you choose, both can get the job done equally as well; simply pick one.

Beyond SERM use, which is essential, we have a few additional options; primarily Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). hCG is an extremely powerful peptide hormone that can be used to prime the body for the SERM therapy to come due to its LH mimicking effect. Of course, hCG abuse can be very dangerous as it is potentially damaging to your HPTA if you use too much or for too long; if you do, your body may become dependent on the mimicked LH. Beyond hcg, another option can be Human Growth Hormone (HGH) as this will greatly protect your gains made while on-cycle as well as limit body-fat gain that can easily occur post steroid use. While HGH can be useful, you will only be using it if you were using it on-cycle; HGH is something that must be used for extended periods of time, and there’s no point in adding it into a PCT plan that’s only going to last a few weeks.

Using HCG

 It is our opinion that HCG is probably one of the most misunderstood and misused compounds in bodybuilding. Hopefully this information will go some way towards rectifying that for the members of MuscleTalk. HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin and is not a steroid, but a natural peptide hormone which develops in the placenta of pregnant women during pregnancy to controls the mother's hormones. (Incidentally, this is the reason you may hear of people testing for growth hormone (HGH) with a pregnancy testing kit - If their HGH shows 'pregnant', they've been ripped-off with cheaper HCG - but we digress slightly).

Its action in the male body is like that of LH, stimulating the Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone even in the absence of endogenous LH. HCG is therefore used during longer or heavier steroid cycles to maintain testicular size and condition, or to bring atrophied (shrunken) testicles back up to their original condition in preparation for post-cycle Clomid therapy. This process is necessary because atrophied testicles produce reduced levels of natural testosterone, this situation should be rectified prior to post-cycle Clomid therapy.

HCG administration post-cycle is common practice among bodybuilders in the belief that it will aid the natural testosterone recovery, but this theory is unfounded and also counterproductive. The rapid rise in both testosterone, and thus oestrogen due to aromatisation, from the administration of HCG causes further inhibition of the HPTA (Hypothalamic/Pituitary/Testicular Axis - feedback loop discussed above); this actually worsens the recovery situation. HCG does not restore the natural testosterone production.

The typically observed dosing of 2000 to 5000IU every 4 to 5 days causes such an increase in oestrogen levels via aromatisation of the natural testosterone that this has been responsible for many cases of gynecomastia.

From the above discussion it is clear that HCG is best used during a cycle, either to:

1) Avoid testicular atrophy, or2) Rectify the problem of an existing testicular atrophy.

HCG Dosage

 Smaller doses, more frequently during a cycle will give best overall results with least unwanted side effects. Somewhere between 500IU and 1000IU per day would be best over   for 10 days or 15  straight days is perfect. These doses are sufficient to avoid/rectify testicular atrophy without increasing oestrogen levels too dramatically and risking gynecomastia. This dosing schedule also avoids the risk of permanently down-regulating the LH receptors in the testes, you may not need 1,000iu’s, but it should never be surpassed.

It is important for the HCG administration to have been completed with 6 or 7 clear days before the onset of PCT in order to avoid inhibition of the Nolvadex and/or Clomid therapy. Also, a small daily dose (10-20mg) of Nolvadex would normally be used in conjunction with HCG in order to prevent oestrogenic symptoms caused by sudden increases in aromatisation.

Presentation and Administration of HCG

 Synthetic HCG is often known as Pregnyl (generic name) and is available in 2500iu and 5000iu (not ideal for the above doses!). Administration of the compound is either by intra-muscular or subcutaneous injection. It comes as a powder which needs to be mixed with the sterile water. The powder is temperature-sensitive prior to mixing and should not be exposed to direct heat. After mixing, it should be kept refrigerated and used within a few weeks - though there are sterility issues which need to be considered after mixing.

Summary and Presentation of Clomid and HCG

 Clomid and/or Nolvadex are more effective than HCG post cycle, but some long-term users like to use HCG during a cycle, or to prepare the testes for Clomid and/or Nolvadex therapy.

Why Bodybuilders Use Clomid

 Clomid is a generic name for Clomiphene Citrate and is a synthetic oestrogen. It is prescribed medically to aid ovulation in low fertility females. Another generic name is Serophene.

Most anabolic steroids, especially the androgens, cause inhibition of the body's own testosterone production. When a bodybuilder comes off a steroid cycle, natural testosterone production is zero and the levels of the steroids taken in the blood are diminishing. This leaves the ratios of catabolic : anabolic hormones in the blood high, hence the body is in a state of catabolism, and, as a result, much of the muscle tissue that was gained on the cycle is now going to be lost.

Clomid stimulates the hypothalamus to, in turn stimulant the anterior pituitary gland (aka hypophysis) to release gonadotrophic hormones. The gonadotrophic hormones are follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH - aka interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)). FSH stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone, and LH stimulates them to secrete more testosterone. This feedback mechanism is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-testes axis (HPTA), and results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production and blood levels rise, to, in part, compensate for the diminishing levels of exogenous steroids. This is vital to minimise post cycle muscle losses.

Not all steroids do cause shut down of the feedback mechanism. Everyone is different and you must also take into account how long you have been using a certain steroid and at what dose in order to determine if you need Clomid or not.

Clomid also works as an anti-oestrogen. As it's a weak synthetic oestrogen, it binds to oestrogen receptors on cells blocking them to oestrogen in the blood. This minimises the negative effects like gynecomastia and water retention that may be a result of oestrogen that has aromatised from testosterone.

It's effect as an anti-oestrogen are quite weak though, and it should not be relied upon if you are going to be using androgenic steroids that aromatise at a rapid rate, or if you are pre-disposed to gynecomastia. Arimidex and Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) are far more effective anti-oestrogens.

Important note:

  Clomid does not, as is often thought, stimulate the release of natural testosterone, but rather works at reducing the oestrogenic inhibition caused by the steroid cycle. It does this in a similar manner to the way it and Nolvadex block oestrogen receptors in nipples to combat gyno development, i.e. by blocking the oestrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary thus reducing the inhibition from the elevated oestrogen. This allows LH levels to return to normal, or even above normal levels, and in turn, natural testosterone levels to also normalise.

Inhibition of the HPTA is caused by either elevated androgen, oestrogen or progesterone levels. On cessation of the steroid cycle, androgen levels begin to fall and Clomid dosing is normally commenced according to the half-life of the longest acting drug in the system (see below).

This may also explain the reason individuals often find post-deca recovery more difficult, as the progesterone presence is untouched by the Clomid. We know that Clomid and Nolvadex (being very similar chemically) are both ineffective with regard to reducing progesterone related gyno, so it is reasonable to assume that Clomid has little effect against progesterone levels.

Clomid During A Cycle

 When we use anabolic steroids, the level of androgens in the body rises causing the androgen receptors to become more highly activated, and through the HPTA, a signal tells our testes to stop producing testosterone. During a cycle the body has far higher than normal levels of androgens and, as long as this level is high enough, Clomid will not help to keep natural testosterone production up. It will be almost all but completely shut off, in theory.

Some heavy androgen users, however, do advocate a small burst of Clomid mid-cycle, though it must be hard for them to say if it really of any benefit, due to the amount of gear they are using. Therefore, the only purpose of Clomid during a cycle is as an anti-estrogen.

When To Take Clomid

 The correct time to commence Clomid depends on the type and cycle of steroids you have been using. Different steroids have different half-lifes (indicates the time a substance diminishes in blood), and Clomid administration should be taken accordingly.

As we have seen above, Clomid taken when androgen levels in our blood are still high will be a waste. It is crucial to wait for androgen levels to fall before implementing our Clomid therapy. However, if taken too late we could possibly lose gains.

The list below determines when you should start Clomid. Select from the list any steroids you've used in your cycle and whichever one has the latest starting point is the time to commence Clomid. For example, if Dianabol, Sustanon and Winstrol were cycled, the time for administering Clomid should be 3 weeks post cycle, as Sustanon remains active in the body for the longest period of time.

     

Steroid                                            Time afterlast administration                Length ofClomid Cycle

 Anadrol50/Anapolan50 :                       8 - 12 hours                                          3 weeks

• Deca durabolan:                                   3 weeks                                                  4 weeks
•  
• Dianabol:                                                 4 - 8 hours                                              3 weeks
•  
• Equipoise:                                                 17 - 21 days                                          3 weeks
•  
• Finajet/Trenbolone:                               3 days                                                  3 weeks
•  
• Primabolan depot:                                  10 - 14 days                                        2 weeks
•  
• Sustanon:                                                   3 weeks                                                3 weeks
• Testosterone Cypionate:                        2 weeks                                                3 weeks
•  
• Testosterone Enanthate:                        2 weeks                                                 3 weeks
•  
• Testosterone Propionate:                       3 days                                                    3 weeks
•  
• Testosterone Suspension:                       4 - 8 hours                                       2-3 weeks
•  
• Winstrol                                                        8 - 12 hours                                     2-3 weeks

How to take Nolvadex for PCT

 As an alternative to Clomid, which has been reported to have led to unwanted side effects such as visual disturbances in some users, Nolvadex can be employed. Nolvadex is a trade name for the drug Tamoxifen. Like Clomid, the half life of Nolvadex is relatively long enabling the user to implement a single daily dosing schedule. Administration would start as per the timescales outlined above and the duration would be identical to that of Clomid.

Typically, for a moderate-heavy cycle, the following dosages would be used:

Clomid + Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate) :

day 1 : Clomid 300mg + Nolvadex 60mg

day  2 - 11 :  Clomid 100mg + Nolvadex 40mg 

day 12 - 22 : Clomid 50mg + Nolvadex 20mg

Important PCT Notes

You know how to come off steroids, but there’s something you need to understand about a PCT plan. No, the above PCT plans will not take your hormone levels back to normal all on their own; there is no PCT plan on earth that can do such a thing. Even so, it will significantly reduce your total recovery time, maybe in half, but there’s a much more important factor. Through the testosterone stimulation, you will ensure your body has enough testosterone to function properly while your levels continue to naturally rise. This is extremely important as testosterone is one of the most important hormones your body produces; it is absolutely essential to our health, function and well-being. You know how to come off steroids, and if you’re going to be off for an extended period of time, as you can see there is no logical reason for forgoing a solid PCT plan.

There is another important note we must briefly discuss and it’s the use of Aromatase Inhibitors (AI’s) in a PCT plan. AI’s such as Anastrozole (Arimidex) and Letrozole (Femara) and even Exemestane (Aromasin) will stimulate LH and FSH in a similar fashion as a SERM and tremendously so; even so, we do not recommend them for this purpose. As you understand, AI’s will reduce estrogen levels dramatically, and a PCT plan isn’t just about stimulating natural testosterone but normalizing your body. No, estrogen is nowhere near as exciting as testosterone, but you need a fair amount for proper health and function. In the end, save your AI use for when it’s the most beneficial, and that’s for combating estrogenic and progestin related anabolic steroid side-effects when on cycle