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.