Deca-Durabolin

(Nandrolone-Decanoate)

Nandrolone based anabolic steroids are some of the oldest and most popular anabolic steroids of all and while there are many forms none is more popular than Nandrolone-Decanoate, better known by its most common trade name Deca-Durabolin given to it by Organon. A Nandrolone base with the Decanoate ester attached Deca-Durabolin is a very powerful steroid and with the release of this steroid by Organon in many eyes this became and to this day remains the end all be all of Nandrolone steroids and since that time there has been no turning back. When looking at Deca-Durabolin we simply only need to understand the Nandrolone hormone and by this understanding we can then begin to understand how the large Decanoate ester affects it. This is very similar in regards to how we examine testosterone and the many compounds found within the hormone; if you recall all testosterone is simply testosterone but it is the attached ester that affects the compounds total duration and initial activity.

Deca-Durabolin 101:

A 19-nor anabolic steroid, Deca-Durabolin is based on the Nandrolone hormone produced naturally by the human body; just as testosterone is naturally produced by the human body so is Nandrolone, although to a far less degree in-terms of the total amount. First synthesized to treat instances of anemia Nandrolone is a hormone within the body greatly responsible for growth making it a perfect hormone for such related treatments. It’s actually all very simple; through the use of Deca-Durabolin we actively increase the amount of Nandrolone in our body and thereby increase the growth of muscle tissue, as well as increasing hemoglobin and red blood cell count and nitrogen retention; all of these factors are imperative to muscle growth, performance, tissue preservation, regeneration and even our overall metabolic function. While many of these functions exist within other anabolic androgenic steroids Deca-Durabolin does not convert to estrogen at a high rate; in-fact, it only converts at about 20% of the rate of testosterone. Yes, some estrogen buildup will occur and dosing will largely determine the total amount but in most cases this steroid is very friendly in this regard.

A Decanoate ester based anabolic steroid; Deca-Durabolin is a very slow acting steroid with long lasting effects. As it is comprised of a very large ester, one of the largest esters used in the compounding of anabolic steroids Deca-Durabolin carries with it a very long half-life that stretches to approximately 15 days. There are very few anabolic steroids that will ever surpass this 15 day mark with only Undecanoate ester based forms being any longer but most will find such anabolic steroids to be very rare and in all likelihood of very little concern. As a large ester based steroid; very large, in most cases it will take up to 4 weeks of continuous use to notice any affects but as is common with most large ester based hormones Deca-Durabolin will still present benefit to the user far surpassing the final administration as this steroid takes an abundant amount of time to clear the system.

The Benefits of Deca-Durabolin:

As one of the more powerful anabolic androgenic steroids on the market, as you may have easily guessed Deca-Durabolin is also one of the most beneficial and for any anabolic steroid user, be it performance enhancing or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the benefits are nothing short of amazing. When we look at what Nandrolone is it’s easy to see strength and tissue growth are going to increase with the use of this steroid and generally these are the primary roles of this steroid; especially regarding actual size. However, there is another benefit to Deca-Durabolin that is often greatly appreciated in the performance enhancing world and it is that of joint relief.
No, Deca-Durabolin does not force water into the joints as is commonly believed, that is impossible but it does provide a lubricating affect around the joints that can be very soothing when an individual undergoes regular strenuous activity. While this steroid is primarily used in gaining phases or what is commonly referred to as “Bulking” in the world of competitive bodybuilding it is not uncommon for Deca-Durabolin to be used in low doses even when dieting in-order to provide joint relief, as dieting can be murder on the joints when coupled with regular intense weight training.

How powerful is Deca-Durabolin; even in slight therapeutic level doses this Nandrolone can provide large increases in size by way of new formed lean tissue and a large portion of this is due to simple nitrogen retention. It’s no secret, just look at all the over the counter supplements that use nitrogen retention as a point of intrigue; a high state of positive nitrogen retention is extremely anabolic and as Deca-Durabolin promotes this retention greatly muscle mass is gained. While the effect and buildup will be very slow, with extended use the buildup can be nothing short of massive (assuming food quantities are high) and when coupled with the increased collagen synthesis provided we are benefited by a nice strength increase as well.

Like testosterone, Nandrolone also provides a nice boost to IGF-1 production as well and of all benefits this may be one of the most beneficial of all. IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1) is a very powerful naturally produced protein based hormone belonging to the peptide class that in many ways largely regulates yet another powerful anabolic hormone, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and affects almost every single cell in the body in-terms of growth and efficiency.

While all of these affects greatly benefit muscle hypertrophy, by its very state of nature it is this hormones direct effect on metabolic activity that may truly be the golden factor. In the most simplistic terms possible Deca-Durabolin allows a large increase in muscle tissue size to occur without a large fat gain accompanying it. No, this does not mean we can eat whatever we like, our diet still plays a massive role; all this means is our metabolic efficiency is increased and improved upon but it is done so greatly. Through the use of this hormone we are able to build a larger more powerful physique and one that is leaner than would otherwise be had such a physique been built in the absence of this powerful Nandrolone based hormone.

The Side-Effects of Deca-Durabolin:

It’s no secret, anabolic androgenic steroids carry with them potential adverse side-effects; however, it must be noted they are often highly overstated and greatly exaggerated and never is this more apparent than when we examine Deca-Durabolin. It is always important to remember whenever we put anything into our body there is a potential for an adverse reaction; this holds true with all medications of every type and even many foods; some people are allergic to certain foods, even deathly allergic while others are not. However, when we examine particular anabolic steroids, particularly those of a direct Testosterone or Nandrolone base and this would encompass most, we are not entering into our body a substance that is foreign in nature; the same cannot be said of most over the counter drugs such as common cold and cough medicines or even painkillers such as Aspirin or Tylenol.
Nevertheless side-effects do exist and for this reason it is important to not only understand the hormone but to understand the side-effects as well, for when we do we soon discover most adverse reactions are not only easily remedied but in many cases largely avoidable.

Without question the most severe side-effect to Deca-Durabolin use is testosterone suppression and it is the only side-effect that is assured. While all anabolic steroids suppress natural testosterone production to a degree Nandrolone based steroids do so to an even larger degree; in-fact, one 100mg injection of Deca-Durabolin will suppress total natural testosterone production 100%. As suppression is so great it is highly advised some level of testosterone therapy be applied when Deca-Durabolin is used; failure to increase testosterone will assuredly result in in a 100% testosterone deficient state within the body and as testosterone is essential to growth and performance, not to mention overall health this simply won’t do. To combat such testosterone suppression most will find direct testosterone therapy to be the most effective and as suppression is so great a ratio of 2:1 Testosterone:Nandrolone is normally advised but for many individuals a slightly greater than 2:1 ratio will be needed, meaning, higher testosterone therapy. There’s an old saying, “Use Deca and you’ll get deca-dick” this refers to the inability to get an erection and this is due to suppressed testosterone levels; suppressed testosterone affects libido and erectile function. However, what the saying forgoes in stating, supplement with testosterone and libido issues are of no concern.

If testosterone suppression is scary sounding it shouldn’t be; after all, if you are supplementing with exogenous testosterone you are providing your body with all the testosterone it needs; further, once Nandrolone use is discontinued normal natural testosterone production will begin yet again. As for the rest of the possible side-effects associated with Deca-Durabolin, while the level of aromatase is low some estrogenic related side-effects can occur as an aromatase effect, while low still exists. One’s sensitivity and the total dose will also play a role and in the world of performance enhancing as doses are normally necessarily higher than therapeutic these risk become just that, enhanced. For example, as doses will be higher in performance enhancing and as Deca-Durabolin increases progesterone levels along with estrogen; while the increase may not be great it can be enough to lead to excess water retention and even Gynecomastia. For these reasons many will find an aromatase inhibitor to be very valuable when supplementing with this Nandrolone based hormone.

Comparing Nandrolone’s:

While Deca-Durabolin is the most commonly used Nandrolone based steroid it is far from the only one and in recent years the popular Nandrolone-Phenylpropionate has increased in popularity; commonly referred to as NPP and often found under the trade name Durabolin. In many ways NPP is very similar to the original Decanoate version; meaning, the nature of the hormones is for all intense purposes the same with either form. However, when examining the two compounds we have two distinct esters, one with the Decanoate ester while NPP is a Phenylpropionate ester based form. As each one carries its own ester NPP will become active in a noticeable way much faster but its total lasting effect is very short lived compared to the large ester based Nandrolone. Further, because Phenylpropionate is a smaller ester the total mass of the compound will yield more Nandrolone on a per milligram basis. At first glance this would seem to lend to NPP being slightly superior as it becomes active much faster but this isn’t necessarily true; while it will activate much faster, fast is not always beneficial, especially when we consider solidifying gains. However, in the long and short both compounds are very similar but some have said to report less water retention with the NPP form and this is common with smaller ester based steroids.

Nevertheless, real life experiences often show that the original may indeed be slightly more powerful; remember, real life and what’s on paper do not always matchup hand in hand and in the end you will have to find what works best for you.

Deca-Durabolin Cycles & Doses:

As we have examined Deca-Durabolin it should be fairly easy to see, the most common point in-which anyone will supplement with this hormonal compound is without question during a bulking season, as increases in size are one of if not its primary role. While this remains true in the competitive bodybuilding world it is very common for small amounts of the hormone to be used when dieting, if for no other reason than joint relief; many might worry about excess water retention but if one keeps a steady diet and supplements with an aromatase inhibitor this will be of very little concern. Even so, most competitors will drop all Deca-Durabolin use towards the back end of their prep to ensure no water is left residing under the skin. Is there any other benefit to supplementing when dieting beyond joint relief; absolutely, as we’ve discussed this is an excellent tissue preserving steroid and as tissue is easily lost when dieting this is a more than welcomed trait; couple this with the steroids metabolic traits and you truly have one of the better steroids on the market.

While Deca, as it’s often simply called can be used when dieting, bulking is and will always remain its primary purpose but to truly reap any reward use must necessarily remain long in duration; if you recall this is one very slow acting steroid. Most will find 8-12 weeks to be the minimal with 12 weeks being far more optimal and 16 weeks of total use being the best but it is recommended you start with 8-12 weeks to ensure you react well; however, most all will find this to be a very well-suited and highly well-tolerated anabolic steroid. Even so and it is often out of fear of the unknown, many will supplement with Deca-Durabolin for very short periods of time but remember,
as it takes a good 4 weeks to really see any results these short bursts of use will almost always prove to be useless.

There is truly no set in stone dosing for this hormone; therapeutic dosing can range and vary quite a bit but most will find 100mg per week to be enough to see joint relief associated with the hormone and 200mg per week to be the minimum dose if one desires any type of noticeable anabolic effect. While 200mg per week will assuredly provide growth most will find 400mg per week to be far more optimal and generally a well-tolerated dose; yes, you can go higher but remember it is important to keep your testosterone in-line and increase the testosterone accordingly with the increases of Deca. For those that want more of a bump 600mg per week can be used safely but this dose in some has proven to be a little harsh and is not recommended for any beginner; most beginners and even many veterans will find 400mg per week to be all the Nandrolone they ever really need.

Wherever your dosing or total duration of Deca-Durabolin use falls a solid PCT plan is imperative; remember, you are supplementing with a hormone that causes 100% natural testosterone suppression and once use is discontinued it is imperative you stimulate production once again. However, one cannot end a cycle that contains Deca-Durabolin and randomly begin a PCT plan; remember, this is a steroid with a very long half-life and it will remain active within the body for a far extended period of time even after the last injection. No PCT plan should begin until at least 3 weeks have passed since your last Deca injection with 4 weeks often being far more optimal.

For this reason and it is highly advised you do the same, many will discontinue all Deca-Durabolin a few weeks before the total steroid cycle ends; the idea is simple, allow time for the hormone to pass through your system and thereby allowing you to transition into PCT sooner and with greater ease. The PCT plan is imperative to a good cycle, for the sooner we can complete it the sooner we can normalize, the sooner we can normalize the more gains we will hold and the better off our long term health will be.