Oral Anabolic Steroids
Oral anabolic steroids represent some of the most popular steroids on earth. Without question, the most popular steroid of all time is Testosterone Enanthate. This is an injectable testosterone compound with the large Enanthate ester attached. However, running neck and neck with Testosterone Enanthate is the oral anabolic steroid Dianabol, a testosterone derivative that has been structurally altered in order to survive oral ingestion. It has also been structurally altered in order to decrease its androgenic nature, as well as increase its anabolic power. In short, most oral anabolic steroids represent hormones that have been structurally altered in order for them to survive oral ingestion, as well as structurally altered in order to enhance or decrease certain effects.
Why Choose Oral Anabolic Steroids:
There are several oral anabolic steroids commonly available, and they remain popular compounds for three specific reasons. The obvious reason is their mode of administration. Swallowing a little pill will always be more appealing than piercing your skin with a needle. The second reason oral anabolic steroids remain popular is that they're normally extremely fast acting. Injectable steroids normally take a while for results to show. Some injectable steroids work faster than others if they have a small ester attached, but even then they're usually not as fast as oral anabolic steroids. Last but certainly not least, oral anabolic steroids remain popular because they normally display powerful results. All by swallowing a little pill, you can receive tremendous benefits in record time.
Why You Shouldn't Choose Oral Anabolic Steroids:
Oral anabolic steroids can be pretty exciting, no one can deny this, but they can also be more dangerous than their injectable counterparts. The vast majority of oral anabolic steroids have been C17-alpha alkylated (C17-aa). The C17-aa label refers to a structural alteration of the hormone at the 17 th carbon position. It is through this structural change that it is allowed to survive oral ingestion. Without this change, the liver would largely destroy the hormone before any benefits could be obtained. Unfortunately, this structural alteration also makes most oral anabolic steroids toxic to the liver.
The hepatic nature of an oral steroid will vary from one to the next, and sometimes greatly. Some oral anabolic steroids are rather mild in this regard, while others carry a very concerning hepatotoxic nature. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. There are a few oral anabolic steroids that are not C17-aa; the primary examples would be Methenolone Acetate (oral Primobolan) and Mesterolone (Proviron). Steroids like oral Primobolan and Proviron possess the addition of one methyl group at the carbon one position. This allows it to avoid hepatic breakdown, but not as well as C17-aa steroids. Steroids like this will not carry a hepatotoxic nature, but they are generally viewed as rather weak when it comes to their anabolic potential.
When you supplement with most oral anabolic steroids, those that are C17-aa, there are a few rules you must follow. If you fail to follow these rules, you may damage your liver. Regardless of the oral steroid used, if it is C17-aa your liver enzyme values will increase. This does not equate to damage, but it is an indicator of stress. If liver enzyme values are increased for far too long, this is when damage may occur. Fortunately, with proper use most will find their liver enzyme values return to normal shortly after use is discontinued, and no damage will be done. If you decide to supplement with C17-aa oral anabolic steroids, the following rules must be kept in mind:
· You must not supplement if your liver isn't healthy. This will only add more stress to an already weak yet vital organ.
· You must avoid excess alcohol consumption. Excess alcohol consumption will stress the liver greatly, possibly more so than the oral steroids themselves.
However, when conjoined with a C17-aa steroid the stress will be enormous. Most will actually find avoiding all alcohol consumption to be best. If you're
supplementing for the purpose of performance enhancement, the primary purpose of use, alcohol is perhaps the most anti-performance substance we can put in
our body. Couple this with the added liver stress and most will need to avoid it.
· You should avoid all over the counter medications when possible and limit their use to when only absolutely necessary. Many over the counter medications
carry strong hepatic natures. In some cases, the hepatotoxicity of an over the counter medication will be equal to if not greater than the oral anabolic
steroid you're using.
· You must limit the amount of time you use C17-aa oral anabolic steroids. You must also discontinue all C17-aa steroid use for a decent amount of time before you begin another course. At a minimum you should discontinue use for as long as you used the steroid. This does not mean your cycle has to end, but what continues will only be the use of injectable steroids. Please see the chart below for usage guidelines.
Popular Oral Anabolic Steroids:
There are numerous, almost countless anabolic steroids on the market. However, when it comes to oral anabolic steroids, you'll find there are not as many options. There are really only nine oral anabolic steroids most people will have easy access to, and for some people it may be even less. We have listed in the chart below the most common and popular oral anabolic steroids of all time. In the chart, each is listed by its official compound name, as well as popular trade name. We have also included the steroid's active half-life, and how long it can be safely used assuming all the rules and guidelines from above are met.
|
Steroid |
Hormone |
Half-Life |
Total Use |
|
Anadrol |
Oxymetholone |
Less than 16 Hours |
4-6 Wks: Extremely hepatic |
|
Anavar |
Oxandrolone |
12 Hours |
6-8wks: Mildly hepatic |
|
Andriol |
Testosterone |
Less than 12 Hours |
Cycle Length: Is not hepatic |
|
Dianabol |
Methandrostenolone |
8 Hours |
6 Wks: Significantly hepatic |
|
Halotestin |
Fluoxymesterone |
8 Hours |
2-4 Wks: Extremely Hepatic |
|
Primobolan |
Methenolone Acetate |
6 Hours |
Cycle Length: Is not hepatic |
|
Proviron |
Mesterolone |
12 Hours |
Cycle Length: Is not hepatic |
|
Turinabol |
4chlorodehydromethyltestosterone |
16 Hours |
6 Wks: Significantly hepatic |
|
Winstrol |
Stanozolol |
8 Hours |
6-8 Wks: Moderately hepatic |
