Methandienone is a derivative of testosterone,exhibiting strong anabolic and moderate androgenic properties. Thiscompound was first made available in 1960, and it quickly became themost favored and widely used anabolic steroid in all forms ofathletics. This is likely due to the fact that it is both easy to useand extremely effective. In the U.S. Dianabol production had meteorichistory, exploding for quite some time, then quickly dropping out ofsight. Many were nervous in the late 80's when the last of the U.S.generics were removed from pharmacy shelves, the medical communityfinding no legitimate use for the drug anymore. But the fact thatDianabol has been off the U.S. market for over 10 years now has not cut its popularity. It remains the most commonly used black market oral steroid in the U.S. As long as there are countries manufacturing this steroid, it will probably remain so.

Similarto testosterone and Anadrol 50, Methandienone (other known as Dianabol)is a potent steroid, but also one which brings about noticeable sideeffects. For starters methandienone is quite estrogenic. Gynecomastiais often a concern during treatment, and may present itself quite earlyinto a cycle (particularly when higher doses are used). At the sametime water retention can become a pronounced problem, causing a notableloss of muscle definition as both subcutaneous water and fat build.Sensitive individuals may therefore want to keep the estrogen undercontrol with the addition of an anti-estrogen such as Nolvadex and/or Proviron. The stronger drugs Arimidex, Femara, or Clomiphene (antiaromatase) would be a better choice if available.

Inaddition, androgenic side effects are common with this substance, andmay include bouts of oily skin, acne and body/facial hair growth.Aggression may also be increased with a potent steroid such as this, soit would be wise not to let your disposition change for the worseduring a cycle. With Dianabol there is also the possibility ofaggravating a male pattern baldness condition. Sensitive individualsmay therefore wish to avoid this drug and opt for a milder anabolicsuch as Deca-Durabolin. While Dianabol does convert to a more potentsteroid via interaction with the 5-alpha reductase anzyme (the sameenzyme responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone),it has extremely little affinity to do so in the human body's. Theandrogenic metabolite 5alpha dihydromethandrostenolone is thereforeproduced only in trace amounts at best. Therefore the use ofProscar/Propecia would serve no real purpose.

Being moderatelyandrogenic, Methandienone is really only a popular steroid with men.When used by women, strong virilization symptoms are of course apossible result. Some do however experiment with it, and find low doses(5mg) of this steroid extremely powerful for new muscle growth.Whenever taken, Methandienone (dianabol) will produce exceptional massand strength gains. It's effectiveness is often compared to otherstrong steroids like testosterone and Anadrol 50, and it is likewise apopular choice for bulking purposes. A daily dosage of 20-40mg isenough to give almost anybody dramatic results. Some do venture muchhigher in dosage, but this practice usually leads to a more profoundincidence of side effects. It additionally combines well with a numberof other steroids. It is noted to mix particularly well with the mildanabolic Deca-Durabolin. Together one can expect an exceptional muscleand strength gains, with side effects not much worse than one wouldexpect from Dianabol alone. For all out mass, a long actingtestosterone ester like enanthate can be used. With the similarly highestrogenic/androgenic properties of this androgen, side effects may beextreme with such a combination however. Gains would be great as well,which usually makes such an endeavor worthwhile to the user. Asdiscussed earlier, ancillary drugs can be added to reduce the sideeffects associated with this kind of cycle.

In order towithstand oral administration, this compound is c17 alpha alkylated. Weknow that this alteration protects the drug from being deactivation bythe liver (allowing nearly all of the drug entry into the bloodstream),however it can also be toxic to this organ. Prolonged exposure to c17alpha alkylated substances can result in actual damage, possibly eventhe development of certain kinds of cancer. To be safe one might wantto visit the doctor a couple of times during each cycle to keep an eyeon their liver enzyme values. Cycles should also be kept short, usuallyless than 8 weeks long to avoid doing any noticeable damage. Jaundice(bile duct obstruction) is usually the first visible sign of livertrouble, and should be looked out for. This condition produces anunusual yellowing of the skin, as the body has trouble processingbilirubin. In addition to the skin, the whites of the eyes may alsoyellow, a clear indicator of trouble. Should this occur the drug shouldbe discontinued immediately and a doctor visited. This is usually apoint where further, permanent damage can be avoided.