What IGF-1 Does in the Body

IGF-1 or Insulin like Growth Factor 1, is a protein encoded by the IGF-1 gene and it is similar to the molecular structure of insulin. It contains seventy amino acid polypeptides that are produced by the liver and endocrine hormone. IGF-1 has many effects on the body. When in balance… It does a body good! But when out of balance it can cause many repercussions to the body.

IGF-1 supports cellular division and growth to the muscles and organs. IGF-1 automatically begins being produced at birth. This is one of the major factors in height and muscle growth throughout childhood and puberty. Some people, however, are born without the correct amount of IGF-1 production and that can lead to dwarfism, or in some cases have synthetic IGF-1 therapy.

IGF-1 helps in repairing nerve damage, which can aid in many different areas of the brain, cardiovascular, circulatory systems and my favorite anti-aging. It helps to reduce body fat because it halts insulin from moving glucose through the body, resulting in the body using fat as a source of energy instead of glucose.

IGF-1 also plays a role in cell repair to the brain, heart and of course muscles. New developments have shown that IGF-1 helps in the development of new muscles by igniting human stem cells. It also plays a role in muscle regeneration, due to cell repair. It also, increases the number and size of cells in the body. It helps to reduce the amount of muscle loss, and in turn aids in muscle growth, as mentioned before. It is due to all of these reasons synthetic IGF-1 is of the hottest muscle building products and anabolic steroids on the market today.

One must be careful not to have too much supplemental IGF-1 in the body or side effects can occur. When too much synthetic IGF-1 is present one can experience jaw pain, facial, hand, and heart swelling. Heart swelling can lead to higher blood pressure and heart failure. Synthetic IGF-1 stays in the body longer than natural IGF-1 and because IGF-1 produces growth cells it can lead to muscle and organ overgrowth. References to bodybuilders and power lifters with abnormally large stomachs have been linked to overuse of IGF-1 because their internal organs have grown too large. Lastly, if free roaming IGF-1’s stay in the body too long there has been evidence to show that it can produce different cancers.

So, in a nutshell, IGF-1 is a great hormone that your body produces naturally. It is an amazing compound that helps with cellular growth and repair throughout the body. It helps our bodies grow to their natural state as well as aids in the building and repairing of muscles. But one must be careful when using synthetic IGF-1 for bodybuilding purposes, not to over do it. In my opinion the side effects of overuse do not outweigh the results. Again, the saying “You can’t have your cake and eat it too!” comes to mind.

CHEST NASSER’S WORKOUT

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR competitors in the IFBB, Nasser El Sonbaty has heaved plenty of weight in his 15 years as a pro. Like most of his peers, he changes his workouts often, but this particular routine is a great example of how he combines presses and flyes for a more intense, and thus more productive, session.
“A technique that works well for me is rest/pause,” Nasser explains. “I may do a set of 6–10 reps on an incline dumbbell press, pause for 10 seconds, do another 4–5 reps, rest again and finish with 1–3 reps.”
Nasser recommends choosing a heavy weight, but not so heavy that you can’t get at least 6 reps in the set.

FLAT-BENCH DUMBBELL FLYE
START: With a dumbbell in each hand and a slight but unchanging bend in your elbows, lie on a flat bench and allow the weights to travel out and away from your body in a wide arc.
MOVE: Feel the stretch, then contract your pecs to forcefully raise the weights overhead while keeping the angle in your elbows nearly constant.


DECLINE DUMBBELL FLYE
START: When he does the decline press with dumbbells, Nasser will go right into the decline flye as the second half of a compound set. With a weight heavy enough for presses, he doesn’t get a really deep stretch at the bottom but still strives for a decent range of motion. Lie back on a decline bench and hold a pair of dumbbells overhead, keeping your hands in a neutral (palms-facing) position.
MOVE: Maintaining a slight bend in your elbows throughout, power the weights up in a wide arc, keeping constant tension on your chest by not locking out at the top nor allowing the weights to rest against each other. When lowering the weights, fight gravity to gain the benefit of the negative.



DECLINE DUMBBELL PRESS
START: Lie back on a decline bench and hold the weights directly over your pecs.
MOVE: Resist the negative as you lower the dumbbells until they just touch your lower-chest region. In a forceful movement, power the weights up but don’t lock out. “I think ‘squeeze the pecs’ at the top,” Nasser adds.

Why Bodybuilders Use HGH And Peptides

GHRP-2, is a synthetic, hexapeptide that has some very potent properties. It is in the class of growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRPs), which act on the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, to release growth hormone, by appearing through the endogenous ghrelin receptor. It is considered one of the few healthcare means that can be able to reverse the aging effects in adults who are deficient of the growth hormone.

GHRP-2 is known to encourage appetite and hunger. It does this by stimulating the release of Ghrelin, which is also a peptide observed in the stomach, that advertises urge for food and gastric emptying. GHPR-2 is also used for a range of other medical issues, which include, correcting low growth hormone production, and also promoting excess weight gain in the abnormally thin individuals.

GHRP user may report strength raise and improved muscle mass. This is along a much better overall sense of well being and decreased body fat. Neurons are also affected in the same method as they would be by steroids, causing a significant strength raise. For someone who has previously used artificial development hormone, slowing the body's natural production of the same, this peptide can be used to activate the natural production of this growth hormone.

This peptide is also a very suitable compound to use if one is nursing and rehabilitating injuries. It has been shown, clinically, to have a very good effect on connective tissues and tendons regeneration and strengthening. Depending on one's goals, a person may use between 100 - 600mcg per day. For instance, a person looking for some slight raise in sleep quality, or joint and tendon improvement, may stick towards the lower end of this dosage amount. Alternatively, a person seeking to use this peptide for its mass and muscle building effects may ramp up the dosage considerably.

Other benefits of using GHRP-2 include improved sex dr and desire, stomach fat decrease, enhanced energy and vitality, improved skin elasticity and lines elimination. There is also boostd endurance, heart strengthening, enhanced immune system, improved eye sight and vision, increased protein synthesis, enhanced bone density as a consequence of boostd lime scale retention (which also increases bone strength and mineralization), reduced glucose uptake in the liver organ, better liver glucogenesis, and contribution in the direction of pancreatic islets maintenance and function, among others. You can get peptide GHRP-2 online at http://www.genezameds.com/hgh-peptides-c75/ghrp-2-5mg-p430 GenezaMeds.com - we provide the bodybuiding and performance enhancing community top of the line service with products and reliability that you can trust.

Peptide Hormones: Insulin

Insulin is produced in the beta cells of the pancreas from a larger peptide called preproinsulin. Endogenous insulin has a half-life of three to five minutes and the pancreas secretes about 40 to 50 units of insulin per day in normal adults. Insulin secretion is stimulated in response to feeding with glucose being the strongest stimulator. Insulin binds to a cell surface receptor resulting in increased glucose and amino acid transport through the cell membrane and glycogen and lipid synthesis and storage. This is accomplished through the increased movement of Glut4 molecules to the surface of the cell membrane. Glut4 is the main transporter of glucose across cell membranes into cells. Insulin also binds to the type 1 IGF receptor which results in growth stimulating effects in muscle cells.

Insulin is the main “storage” hormone and is very anabolic as well as anti-catabolic. In addition to increasing glycogen and lipid synthesis and storage, insulin also promotes protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and promotes glycogen storage by increasing glucose transport in skeletal muscle cells.

Insulin and insulin syringes are available in many states without a prescription making insulin a more available anabolic hormone than AAS. That being said, the dangers of insulin are immediate and potentially deadly. Insulin can produce in a state of severe hypoglycemia that can result in coma or death with a matter of minutes. In addition, insulin resistance will occur over time in healthy individuals using insulin. While this risk is down-played by users and on boards discussing insulin, it should be considered a very real risk. Though insulin is highly anabolic in skeletal muscle, it is also very anabolic in adipose tissue. This can result in increases in body fat, especially when used in high doses on its own. Often insulin is combined with growth hormone to take advantage of growth hormone’s fat burning ability and to combat the decrease in insulin sensitivity with GH. IGF-1 is sometimes combined with insulin (and GH) but this increases the risk of hypoglycemia.

Anabolic Steroid Basics for Beginners

Esters:
You must understand esters. Esters are attached to AAS compounds. The ester acts as a kind of time releasing vehicle. Esters are broken down in the blood stream and thus the AAS compound is freed. Long-acting esters slowly break down, and fast-acting esters break down more rapidly. Half-life describes this occurrence.
Common Ester names in no particular order:
 Enanthate
 Cypionate
 Decanoate
 Phenylpropionate
 Propionate
 Isocaproate
There are blends, or mixtures of tests each with their own ester. These are mutli-esterified. An example is Sustanon 250, Omnadren 250, and Aratest.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis (HPTA):
Secondly you must understand the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis and the affect Anabolic Androgenic steroids has on your HPTA. The use of AAS has a negative affect on your HPTA, which I'll put in simple terms. For a detailed explanation see the following link:

The body is always looking to establish homeostasis, a balance in the body. Upon the introduction of AAS to the body, you begin to reduce your own production. Some AAS compounds are harsher to your HPTA and shut your natural production down hard. A rebound from this shutdown is taxing on the body upon discontinuing use of AAS. Other compounds must be used to help the body return to homeostasis.
The compounds that are harsh on your HPTA will also be harsh on your libido; your sexual drive, and for men can result in a limp penis.
Such compounds that are harsh on the HPTA are:
Trenbolone (fina)
Deca-Durabolin
It is therefore, advisable for at least the sakes of sex, to keep Testosterone as a base for any AAS cycle.

Testosterone as a base:
There are limits to the length of cycle use. When you being AAS use, it takes time for the body to 'swap' its natural testosterone with the synthetic compound. The times vary with the particular ester used. However a short AAS cycle will most likely only result in a shut down of HPTA and not leave the body exposed to the synthetic testosterone long enough for positive gains. Too long of a cycle, and your suppressed HPTA will have a harder time recovering.
Further, the body can develop more or less immunities to AAS on cycles ran too long and cycles ran at too high of a dose.
Secondly, the body has limits for how much it can grow. A longer, higher dosed cycle will not be more effective simply because of the body's tolerance and limited ability to grow.
My own guideline for a first and second time user is any cycle ran less than 8 weeks is too short; any cycle ran longer than 15 weeks is excessive. 10-14 weeks is a good range for a first and second time user.

Estrogen:
Estrogen levels will be elevated during the use of AAS. Remember Homeostasis. Application of either anti-estrogen or anti-aromatizer.

The body has AS receptors and estrogen receptors. Your goal in using AAS is to flood the AS receptors. Your goal is not to flood the estrogen receptors.
How an anti-estrogen works is that it attaches itself to the estrogen receptors so that estrogen will not. Therefore the estrogen remains free floating in your blood stream but unable to leech onto the receptors and take action.
How and anti-aromatizer works is that it prevents the aromatization of steroids. It prevents the compounds conversion into estrogen. This however has the ability to weaken the effect of the steroid compound.
Zero estrogen is not desirable. Some estrogen is necessary, but too much can cause complications such as gynocomastia (man boobies) and water retention to name a few.

Common side effects while on Anabolic Steroids:
Users may experience a number of side effects due to increased synthetic testosterone levels as well as due to increased estrogen levels.
 Cardiovascular complications: High blood pressure can result from use of AAS and with heart problems should seek medical consultation. Combined water/sodium retention and the fact that steroids actually can elevate the cholesterol and triglyceride levels gives explanation to this condition. It is also why some athletes experience a reduction in stamina.
 Acne may result from AAS use, but can be combated a number of ways that should be researched.
 Aggression may also increase while on AAS, however some experience this aggression during high exertion activities, and will otherwise feel somewhat lethargic. Feelings of lethargy, sleepiness throughout the day while on AAS may result. This will be largely affected by the amount of physical activity performed throughout the day.
 hair loss on the scalp can occur. This condition, as with the others, is dependent on the individual. Certain individuals predisposed to premature hair loss may be at a greater risk for this side effect.
 Hair gain, or activation of hair follicles on the body may also occur. Hair follicles on the chest, back, arms and other places may be stimulated.
 Certain steroids are I 7-alpha alky-lated and are toxic to the liver. It is important to note this and limit intake of foods and beverages that will also be strenuous on the liver.
 As previously noted, AAS use will result in a reduced testosterone production, a decreased spermatogenesis, and in some cases testicular atrophy. The degree of suppression depends on the duration of the steroid intake, the administered steroid, and the dosage of the steroid
 Most steroids cause a water and electrolyte imbalance in the body This results in an increased storage of water and sodium which further results in a swelling of tissue (edema)
 Gastrointestinal symptoms such as epigastric fullness, diarrhea, nausea or even vomiting may result and are associated solely with the use of oral, I 7-alpha alkylated steroids. The oral compounds can be administered with food to reduce these side effects.
 Feminization may result in males if estrogen levels are not kept in check. The most popular feminization side effect of estrogen is gynocomastia.
 Females may experience masculinization effects.
 Kidney complications: The kidneys are under more strain during steroid intake. They are involved in the filtration and excretion of toxic by-products. A high blood pressure as well as variations in the water and electrolyte balance of the body can lead to long-term changes in the kidney's function.
There may be more side effects not listed. All side effects should be researched and understood. There are ways to alleviate some of the symptoms. Remedies and counter-actions should be researched before use of AAS.

Testosterone the Only Anabolic Steroid In a First Cycle

It is a well-known set-in-stone rule that Testosterone is such an essentially important hormone that it must be included as the primary base compound in every single cycle as either a primary anabolic compound, or at the very least as a supportive compound in the role of TRT. A ‘primary anabolic compound’ is defined as a compound within a cycle that acts as one of the primary contributors to muscle accrual, and must usually be run at supraphysiological bodybuilding doses to do so.
The same concept runs true in the sense that it is undesirable to stack multiple Anabolic Steroids in the very first cycle an individual will engage in. The issue with stacking compounds in a beginner cycle rests in the fact that it is quite possibly a very dangerous practice where unknown reactions are concerned. An individual who is a beginner that has never before utilized anabolic steroids (or has never engaged in cycle up to this point in their lives) would be unsure of what to expect in terms of effects, side effects, and experiences upon first use. Considering the massive amount of misinformation and over-exaggerated propaganda in regards to anabolic steroids by the general public, this can be quite concerning for a novice anabolic steroid user who is beginning to tread on unfamiliar waters. It then stands to reason that if a stack of multiple anabolic steroids are run in a first-time beginner cycle, and the individual reacts in a very negative fashion (or begins to experience very undesirable side effects), there is no possible means for this individual to narrow down and determine which of the multiple stacked compounds is the culprit for the bad reaction. There might even be multiple compounds exhibiting such an undesirable effect, and there might even be two or more anabolic steroids that would never exhibit such an effect without the synergistic interconnected effects with other compounds in the stack. One can easily see how this could easily become life-threatening if a particular reaction were to be a very serious mortal reaction, such as an allergic reaction, for example.

What Are The Risks of Leaving Testosterone Out of Every Cycle?

In the case of the utilization of Testosterone as a base essential compound in every single cycle, the idea of running a cycle that does not include Testosterone (or is an oral anabolic steroid only cycle) is, simply put, a very bad idea. Without any form of Testosterone present (endogenous or exogenous), the body will be unable to maintain those normal physiological functions that are controlled and governed by Testosterone itself.  Many other analogues and derivative anabolic steroids, such as Trenbolone for example, might perhaps be several times as anabolic as Testosterone (in Trenbolone’s case, it is five times the strength of Testosterone, which is extremely impressive). But these attributes and greater anabolic strength increases are all the advantages that the majority of these compounds have going for them. For example, as previously mentioned, Trenbolone is a very strong anabolic steroid – the strongest conventionally and commercially available anabolic steroid in existence – with absolutely no Estrogenic effects and very strong anabolic effects.  However, it does not serve as a proper androgen for normal physiological function within the body. ‘Normal physiological function’ refers to far more than one or two functions such as libido or other apparent functions which happen to be overanalyzed and overemphasized by many individuals that do not see what is essentially ‘the big picture’. The human body’s physiology and endocrine system are not as abridged and dumbed down as many uneducated anabolic steroid users make it out to be, especially when trivializing the inclusion of Testosterone in every cycle.

Testosterone is a hormone that is vital for proper libido function, it is a regulator of cognitive and physical energy, it serves to regulate the population of thromboxane A2 receptors on megakaryocytes and platelets (and hence platelet aggregation in humans), and it is critical for proper function of mental and psychological processes, as well as a myriad of other crucial physiological functions – so many, in fact, that to cover all of these functions would require a completely separate article. However, the majority of these functions have already been discussed throughout this article, and the absolute importance of Testosterone in every cycle for the purpose of the upkeep of these proper physiological functions should be of no surprise to the reader at this point. Because a certain anabolic steroid is ‘better’ or ‘stronger’ than Testosterone in one or two select areas (namely anabolic tissue increases, which is what every individual overemphasizes), and that it could possibly be more convenient to administer (such as oral-only cycles), absolutely does not mean that it is better than Testosterone in every single aspect and function. The majority of anabolic steroid analogues either do nothing at all or falls very short in providing proper regulation to many of those physiological functions that Testosterone is responsible for regulating and governing. There are in fact a plethora of other anabolic steroid variants that can and do also serve to in fact mitigate (hamper or disable) those functions.

Best Steroids

What are the best steroids? This is a tricky question and one that can’t be answered with a single anabolic steroid. With literally hundreds of anabolic steroids available to us deciding which is the best steroids is difficult. We can however, decide which steroid is best suited for your goals or point you in the right direction. There are a number of factors, which can determine the best steroid for you, the user. Your age, past experience, gender, goals, training experience, weight, level of muscle mass, current health state and genetics. Below we will try to discuss this in more detail and determine the best steroids available and optimally suited.

Best Steroids Overall

There is one anabolic steroid that is the best steroid for overall application and that’s none other than the primary male sex hormone – Testosterone. Testosterone is what gives males their sex drive, muscle mass, wide shoulders, strength gains, confidence and sense of well-being. It’s the alpha-male hormone after all and makes us men. Testosterone is what almost all steroids are derived from including some of the most popular steroids available to us, such as Dianabol, Deca-Durabolin and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derived steroids, like Winstrol and Anavar. Testosterone is the best steroid and most popularly used anabolic steroid used and ever used and for good reason. Testosterone is excellent and building muscle and increases fat loss in users when larger exogenous amounts are injected or administered. As well as building muscle and accelerating fat loss, its also one of the best steroids for preserving muscle mass when in a calorie deficit or when dieting. Whether you’re bulking or cutting, Testosterone is often used as a base for the steroid cycle because of these above positive effects, and ability to maintain sexual function and other male characteristics that other anabolic steroids may decrease when used alone.  Testosterone is also widely available and in numerous applications. Oral testosterone, injectable testosterone, testosterone or steroid creams and gels and pellets all give us extra amounts of testosterone when required.

Because testosterone is already in our bodies we have experienced its effects going through puberty (males). Therefore we may have experienced the acne, gynecomastia, mood swings, aggression, hair growth and hair loss, increased sex drive and deepening of vocal chords. Larger amounts of applied testosterone will merely amplify these effects but generally, testosterone is a well tolerated and fairly friendly anabolic steroid.

The Five Basic Stipulations of Proper Steroid Cycles and Responsible Steroid Use

1. No individuals under the age of 24 should engage in any anabolic steroid cycles what so ever.
2. Testosterone must be the very first and the ONLY anabolic steroid used in the very first beginner anabolic steroid cycle, and Testosterone must also be included in all cycles, no exceptions.
3. Cycle lengths should be kept as short as possible.
4. The lowest effective dose in order to provide gains should always be utilized before increasing doses.
5. An absolute minimum of stacked compounds (no more than 2 at any given time unless absolutely necessary) should be used in any given anabolic steroids cycle.

Detailed explanations of the five stipulations:

1. There is no specific age for each and every human that has been determined to be the age by which the human body and its subsystems (especially the endocrine system, which is our primary concern here) have fully matured and developed. The ultimate final age by which we all reach full growth and maturation is determined by our genetics and to a lesser extent, our lifestyle habits. Every individual’s genetic ‘programming’ is different, and therefore some individuals will fully mature at a younger age while others may reach full maturation at approximately 24 years of age, and others will perhaps mature at an even older age. It is general knowledge concerning the endocrine system that Testosterone levels in males are continually rising until the median average age of approximately 24 – 25 years old, at which point these levels reach their peak and begin to decline. The Hypothalamic Pituitary Testicular Axis (HPTA) which controls endogenous natural Testosterone production is a very sensitive network. Furthermore, there is no specific ‘test’ that one might be able to undergo in order to determine if he/she has reached full maturation of the human body’s subsystems. Therefore, the average median age by which almost all human beings reach maturity has been determined to be 24 – 25 years of age. Some may mature earlier (as mentioned earlier) and some later than this. By engaging in anabolic steroid cycles and introducing anabolic steroids to the body prior to the age of 24, the risks of severely and permanently disrupting and damaging the endocrine system is extremely high. Only after the age of 24 – 25 do the risks of considerable and permanent HPTA damage drop drastically.

2. Testosterone is literally the original anabolic steroid, produced naturally within all humans and most animal species. It is considered the safest anabolic steroid one could use for this reason, due to the fact that it is the hormone that each individual’s body already produces, already uses, and is already accustomed to. Therefore, the use of Testosterone for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement is simply the equivalent of introducing more of a hormone into the human body that it already manufactures and uses.

Furthermore, all first cycles for bare beginners to the world of anabolic steroids should always use some form of Testosterone-only as their very first anabolic steroid cycle. Solitarily run Testosterone cycles provide the user with a safe compound (Testosterone) that the human body is already accustomed to naturally, as all humans already produce Testosterone endogenously. This will allow the user to gauge their response to the most basic anabolic steroid, Testosterone. It is from this gauging process that individuals can assess their potential responses to other anabolic steroids, as the chances are that if an individual responds horridly to a basic Testosterone cycle, then there will likely be a higher chance of the individual responding even worse to most other compounds which are essentially modified analogues of Testosterone.

As explained above, solitary Testosterone-only cycles are the ideal beginner first-time anabolic steroid cycles. The problem with stacking multiple compounds in a beginner first-time cycle lies in the fact that it is quite a potentially dangerous practice. A hypothetical beginner who has never used anabolic steroids or whom has never run a cycle before would not know what to expect upon use. It stands to reason that if a stack of several different compounds are run for a first cycle and the individual reacts in a very negative manner (or experiences a particular very undesirable side effect), there will be no possible means for this individual to figure out which anabolic steroid is responsible for the bad reaction if a cocktail of several anabolic steroids have been stacked in one cycle. This would become possibly life-threatening if said reaction were to be a very serious mortal reaction (such as an allergic reaction, for example).

3. Duration of use is an extremely very influential factor but very easily understood, as it need not be explained that the longer a particular anabolic steroid cycle is run, the increased incidence of side effects will also present themselves as the duration of use becomes longer and longer. The recovery of natural endogenous Testosterone production also becomes increasingly difficult following the termination of an anabolic steroid cycle if a cycle is run for longer and longer lengths of time. Various anabolic steroids may exhibit higher degrees of HPTA suppression and shut-down than other compounds, but all anabolic steroids exhibit this effect of HPTA suppression and eventual shutdown as duration of use continues. Severely atrophied Leydig cells in the testes following extremely long cycles will have far greater difficulty re-engaging endogenous Testosterone production again due to desensitization to gonadotropins resultant of long-term suppression/shutdown. Ideal cycle lengths for short-estered anabolic steroids should be in the range of 8 – 10 weeks, and for long-estered anabolic steroids, 10 – 12 weeks. Any longer than this and the individual runs high risk of increasingly difficult HPTA recovery.

4. The issue of utilizing the lowest effective dose is simple: make progress with the lowest possible dose first, grow into this dose, and then increase the dose as required (which is on average, several cycles into beginner use). Many individuals (mostly beginners) tend to engage in extremely ludicrous activity whereby a brand-new first-timer will run 500mg/week on their first cycle, then proceed to 700mg/week on their second cycle, and then 1,000mg/week on their third, and so on and so forth. This is absolutely unnecessary, and, not to mention not very healthy at all. As mentioned earlier, many anabolic steroid users (both beginners and experienced users) severely underestimate the power of these hormones and most usually when individuals do things like that, it is because they claim their gains and progress has stopped. The culprit is usually a flaw in their nutrition or training (or both), not in how many mg per week of total steroid they are using. These details and concerns must be kept in mind. A very important detail for all individuals to understand in relation to anabolic steroid doses is that the human body only manufactures approximately 50 – 70mg weekly of Testosterone (depending on various factors such as age, lifestyle habits, genetics, etc.). Considering this, we can use logic to conclude that: 500mg is approximately 7 – 10 times the amount that the human body produces. Suffice to say, 300mg weekly should then be perfect for any first-time beginner cycle.

5. Quite simply put: the use of more than two compounds stacked in any given anabolic steroid cycle is completely unnecessary for the average casual recreational anabolic steroid user. The stacking of three or more compounds in a single anabolic steroid cycle is only necessary for competitive bodybuilders and professional athletes. Increasing the number of anabolic steroids utilized in a single cycle increases the weekly dose of total steroid, which thereby increases the risk and intensity for side effects tenfold, and presents increasingly harsh stressors on the human body. 

How to Avoid Suppression of Testosterone Production

The classic cycle of anabolic steroids taken within 24 hours (for example, injectable testosterone esters) necessarily lead to a suppression of LH and products, respectively, to the suppression of testosterone production.

There are 3 ways to avoid this:

1) Avoid permanent use of highly-androgenic steroids.
This can be accomplished, for example, using the oral steroid (whose half-life of several hours), half the dose in the morning (eg. at 9 AM), while the remaining half of the dose at approximately at the afternoon (at 12 AM). Even 100 mg per day of Methandrostenolone can be used in this way with a slight suppression of testosterone production.

This is due to the fact that high eroven exogenous (produced outside of) testosterone is kept for 3-4 hours, but this has not been enough to trigger the lowering of its own testosterone level (probably due to the fact that the pituitary and the hypothalamus does not respond only the current level of androgens, but also on past levels of testosterone and this 4-hour hormonal racing roughly be ignored endocrine system). The problem with this approach is that the effect on the growth of muscle mass is not very good compared to when the steroid in the blood constant.

2) Use the number and type of steroid, which will not significantly inhibit the production of testosterone. Primobolan in a dosage of 200-400 mg per week suitable for this purpose. However, in this case, the results of such a cycle would not be comparable to the more substantial cycle. Esters of testosterone (eg. drugs like Sustanon, Omnadren, Test Enanth, Testosterone Cypionate, etc.) and nandrolone decanoate (Retabolil, Deca Durabolin) significantly inhibit the production of testosterone, even at a dose of 100 mg per week, so that the use of these drugs in low dosage does not make sense: testosterone production will be suppressed and quite unsignificant progress will be achieved.

3) Generally, anti-androgens could be used, but it's just completely stop the growth results in a mass and strength.

In those cycles where steroids doses are high enough to effectively increase the results seen an interesting thing. During the first 2 weeks of the cycle only the activity of the hypothalamus is suppressed, and it produces much less LHRH as a result of high levels of steroids.

Activity of the pituitary gland at this time is not suppressed at all: in fact, LHRH receptors are sensitive and will respond to LHRH (if it is produced) even more than usual. However, after two weeks, the activity of the pituitary gland is also suppressed, and even if LHRH is produced, the pituitary will produce little or no produce LH. In this case, there comes a deeper type of suppression of the arc. Apparently, after the suppression of this point, there is no next point, where again the suppression becomes deeper. But over time, the restoration is complicated.

Practically there is no distinction between the use of steroids for 3 weeks and 8 weeks: recovery will take the same time. Between 8 and 12 weeks, it becomes increasingly likely that the recovery will be harder and slower, even though the 12-week cycle typically does not create too many problems, and recovery takes only a few weeks. Cycles longer than 12 weeks can create substantial problems with recovery.

It is not known exactly what changes occur in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland when courses are too long, but in practice it appears that the more the cycle goes for 8 weeks, the longer and more difficult the subsequent recovery. There is a suspicion that what occur violation of the mechanisms of secretion of LHRH hypothalamus.

Prohormones

Prohormones have grown in popularity over the past decade, with many bodybuilding and sport supplement companies developing and marketing new prohormones, and many bodybuilders and athletes using the supplements as a legal way of hopefully obtaining steroid like effects. Prohormones work by being a precursor to a parent steroid, such as Testosterone, which requires conversion via an enzymatic process. Due to the steroid conversion being limited by this enzymatic process, we are usually likely to see less potent effects from using prohormones, compared to using anabolic androgenic steroids.

Prohormones are commonly used by bodybuilding and athletes for the very same reason they would look to use anabolic androgenic steroids. Prohormones bring about a heightened level of potent muscle building hormones which result in muscle hypertrophy, increase in strength, greater aggressiveness, and other anabolic and androgenic characteristics (some positive and others possibly negative, such as acne or male pattern baldness).
Side effects from prohormone use

Side effects from prohormone use is the same, although likely to a lesser degree, as anabolic androgenic steroid use. Side effects differ from one prohormone to another (just as we would expect from steroids), depending greatly on the prohormones aromatisation rate to oestrogen, and the parent steroid hormone anabolic and androgenic properties. Oestrogen related side effects can be a possibility from prohormone use, including increased water retention, and the chance of devolving Gynecomstia (breast tissue development). If these side effects are unwanted then using a prohormone with a low conversion rate to oestrogen would be preferred, although it would not totally eliminate the possibility of experiencing such side effects. Androgenic side effects are common from prohormone usage, commonly including acne, oily skin, male pattern baldness and prostate swelling. A post cycle therapy is best implemented post prohormone cycle, like with any anabolic androgenic steroid cycle, to try to help restore the users natural testosterone production. There are over the counter supplements which are marketed at helping post prohormone cycle, although the most effective method is said to be the employment of drugs such as Nolvadex and/or Clomid. You can read more about this in our post cycle therapy (PCT) article.
Common prohormones

4-AD (4-androstenediol)

Available in transdermal and oral forms, 4-AD has a conversion rate to Testosterone of around 15-20%, and three times that of androstenedione. 4-AD is a popular prohormone due to its inability to convert to oestrogen and DHT (dihydrotestosterone), although some aromatisation may result from the metabolism of the prohormone.

We can expect androgenic side effects from 4-AD use, so acne, oily skin and MPB should be prepared for.

Common dosages of 4-AD is generally up to 100mg each day, although a lower dosages should be used by inexperienced users.

1-AD (1-androstenediol)

1-AD converts to the very potent 1-Testosterone, a steroid that is said to be 700% more anabolic then Testosterone, furthermore 5-alpha reduced so lacks the ability to cause aromatisation. 1-AD is very oral active, possessing a very high conversion rate due to the liver activating the prohormone upon passing, and resistant to being broken down unlike other prohormones.

1-AD manifests its androgenic nature very quickly, therefore androgenic side effects can be very much expected from its usage, and therefore may not be a suitable prohormone for those prone to such side effects.
A final word of caution

Hopefully you have read the above and are now well aware of the possible side effects from the use of prohormones. Prohormones should not be under estimated, and unfortunately they often are because of their availability of legal status. Research and preparation should be done prior to a prohormone cycle, just as with an anabolic androgenic steroid cycle. If you know others which are thinking of embarking on a prohormone cycle please email this article to them so they are well aware of the risked involved with prohormone use.

Although prohormones can be potentially dangerous if not understood and misused, in the educated hands who has prepared for all possible side effects, prohormones use can result in a very pronounced anabolic environment for heightened muscle growth, better recovery, and increase strength gains. 

How To Cycle Off From Steroids

Heavy steroid using athletes, particularly weight lifters, bodybuilders, football players, hockey players, shot-putters etc., are subject to many adverse consequences from continuous steroid use without a break. Adverse cardiovascular effects, liver stress, HPTA downregulation, excessive virilization (women) and psychological disturbances or dependency, are some of the major problems that may develop in these individuals. Additionally, users may develop a tolerance for anabolic steroids that can only be overcome by increasing the dosage or by ceasing the use altogether. The latter, of course, is a much healthier course of action than the former.

Coming off of steroids, particularly long-term usage, is certainly not easily done without considerable loss of muscle mass. Additionally, there can be psychological effects that include depression and loss of motivation. For many athletes, especially those with schedules that do not allow prolonged periods away from competition completely coming off of steroids is not considered an option. However, if these athletes knew how to take the right approach they just might be able to cycle off and have a good chance at maintaining much of their physical condition. This could enable them to increase their ultimate potential in their sports as well as their longevity in the competitive arena.

The Strategy
The off cycle regimen must consist of proper drug, nutritional, and training protocols. The primary goals to achieve are the following:

Minimization of protein catabolism

Maintenance of muscle glycogen levels

Maintenance of high-normal red blood cell levels

Minimization of fat deposition

Avoidance of injury, or injury aggravation

Maintenance of healthy attitude and psychological state

Drugs
This is an off steroids cycle and most certainly not an off drugs cycle. In fact, the proper use of non-steroidal drugs is the mainstay of this program and is vital to its success. I will describe the drugs to be used, why they are used, and how they should be used.

Growth Hormone

GH is probably the single most important drug to maintain muscle mass and bodyweight off of steroids. While GH is not known to be great for anabolic effects, it is very effective for anti-catabolism. Anti-catabolism, or minimization of muscle mass loss, is after all what we are most interested in here. GH has an overall anti-proteolytic effect on the body and shifts the body's metabolism away from the utilization of amino acids and glucose for energy, and towards the use of fat. The end result will be a protective effect upon muscle protein and glycogen, and a mobilizing effect upon body fat.

Many bodybuilders have discovered how wonderful GH, at the proper dosages, is in maintaining their muscle mass off of steroids. Former IFBB pro Gary Strydom once commented that he didn't care if the IFBB tested for steroids, as long as they didn't test for GH.

Notice how I said at the proper dosages. That's right, small dosages just won't cut it. For most people a minimum of 4 i.u. a day is required to impart a proper metabolic response in the body. Some may go as high as 18 i.u. a day but at this levels many problems can occur (i.e. edema, nerve impingement).

There probably is no great advantage to taking GH more than once a day, though some may inject twice a day. GH primarily works through its conversion to IGF-1 and the half-life of IGF-1 in the body is plenty long (8-16 hours). So once a day administration will be good enough to maintain pretty constant levels of IGF-1 in the blood. Furthermore, evidence is also mounting that GH breaks down to certain active peptide fragments with specific biological functions (i.e. lipolysis) and that these have prolonged half lives. Therefore, the active lifetime of the intact GH molecule itself in the blood might be pretty irrelevant.

GH is not cheap through most channels. However, good GH can be obtained from Asia at a fraction of the cost (10 - 20%) that it is available elsewhere.

I think I should also mention now that there is a big misconception amongst people as to what the shelf life of GH is, and that most people grossly underestimate it. The Journal of Chemical Technology states that freeze dried GH products (unreconstituted) are quite stable under refrigerated conditions, and a 24-month shelf-life is typical at this temperature. Also, although solutions of GH at neutral pH readily deamidate (lose ammonia group from end of molecule), and storage of the reconstituted product is limited to a few weeks under refrigerated conditions, biological activity is relatively unaffected even after prolonged storage. So the stuff really stays pretty active in the frig for a considerable time. By the way, reconstituted solutions of GH should NEVER be frozen (this will be the death of it)

Insulin (Humalog)

The use of insulin provides a couple of very important functions in the off steroid period. First of all, it helps preserve glycogen storage in the muscle. Steroids are very good at stimulating glycogen storage and this property likely plays an integral part in their performance enhancing benefits. Going off of steroids leads to a reversal of this and the result is muscular weakness, fatigue, and loss of size and bodyweight. The proper use of insulin can help minimize this.

Furthermore, insulin can help to minimize protein breakdown through its anti-proteolytic effects. Insulin is quite potent in regards to its protective effect on muscle protein, unfortunately it also is very potent in regards to its protective effect on maintaining body fat. Insulin therefore has to be used in the proper fashion to maximize the former, and minimize the latter.

The proper usage of insulin requires the fast acting insulin analog known as Lis-Pro insulin, or Humalog. This altered insulin product is available only by prescription. It differs from other insulin in that it is absorbed quickly into the body after subcutaneous injection. The average time to peak blood levels is 90 minutes and generally it is out of your system in 3 to 4 hours.

Humalog is to be taken immediately after training. The physiology of the body after intense training is such that the benefits of insulin can be maximized, while drawbacks are minimized. Muscle insulin sensitivity as well as insulin independent glucose uptake will peak in the 2-3 hours or so after training. In this time, insulin will preferentially stimulate glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in muscle over fat. Additionally, high insulin levels at this time will help to counteract the catabolic state that exists in muscles right after they have been damaged by training. A discernible improvement in training recovery (less soreness and injury pain) is often noticed by individuals who utilize this technique.

Humalog administration must be followed by intake of simple carbohydrates and protein within 20 minutes. A general rule is one unit of Humalog per ten kilograms bodyweight, and ten grams of carbs and ten grams of protein per unit of Humalog. That sounds like a lot of carbs and protein but it must be ingested. Whey protein is best, and glucose or maltodextrin can be used for the carbs. 5 grams of creatine can also be added as well as well as 5-10 grams of glutamine.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a protein hormone secreted by the kidneys and liver that stimulates red blood cell production (erythropoiesis). Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues of the body and so obviously are vital to maximal health and athletic performance.

When people take anabolic steroids, particularly some oral ones such as Anadrol, erythropoiesis is stimulated. The result is an increase in the proportion of blood cells in the blood, also known as the hematocrit. This increase in the hematocrit is partially responsible for the energizing and recovery benefits of steroids. It may also contribute to the blood volume and vascularizing effects of anabolics.

When you go off anabolics, the increase in hematocrit gradually subsides and you return to pre-cycle lower levels (or below). This effect will take its toll on your physical condition and ability to train at high intensity. Therefore, administration of exogenous EPO can have obvious benefits in the steroid withdrawing athlete.

In addition to its effect in increasing hematocrit, there is some evidence that EPO has direct anabolic effects. It has been shown in rat studies to substantially increase weight gain and injury repair after surgery. Furthermore, EPO receptors are present on myoblasts (immature muscle cell progenitors) and may have a potential in muscle development and repair.

EPO is sold in recombinant form (rhEPO) for injection. One popular form is called Epogen, and it is made for subcutaneous usage. A safe or starting dosage is usually 20 i.u. per kilogram bodyweight, 3 times/week. After two or three weeks, a maintanence dose of 20 iu/kg BW can be taken once a week. One should wait about two weeks after ceasing steroids to commence EPO therapy to avoid any excessive increases in hematocrit which can be quite dangerous. It is also very advisable to have periodic blood tests that include a hematocrit assay while taking EPO just to be safe. Interestingly, I think that this test is automatically done for free everytime you donate blood, and all you need to do is ask the nurse what your hematocrit is reading (just out of curiosity of course). 

HGH Therapy - Adding Vitality to Your Life

Steroids have been controversial ever since these were introduced in the 1950s. Numerous news accounts, mostly on sports figures that tested positive for steroid use, continue to bring negative connotation on these substances. While it is true that some forms of steroids are banned, there are many which are legal (albeit restricted), including the Human Growth Hormone (HGH), also known as Somatotropin. Marketed as Real HGH, Somatropin or 191 Amino Acid Sequence HGH, the biologic drug is available in the US, Europe and other countries. hgh therapy

This HGH hormone is produced naturally in the human body by the pituitary gland and, as its name implies, is responsible for making cells grow bigger and divide more rapidly. HGH also facilitates inter-cellular amino acid distribution and conversion to proteins, which results in muscle build-up. Studies also show that somatotropin reduces carbohydrate usage in the cells and increase utilization of fats, resulting in a leaner body composition.

Humans make HGH throughout their lifetime; a steady growth from the early years until puberty when production of the hormone reaches its peak and the body experiences growth spurts. At the age of forty, the amount of HGH produced by the body starts to decline a phenomenon seen as the main cause of reduced body functions and frailty that comes with old age.

At present, HGH is medically indicated for the following conditions: growth hormone deficiency in adults, children with short stature or kidney failure, and people with HIV and AIDS - to counteract the muscle wasting effect of these conditions. In the US, use of HGH as an anti-aging treatment is prohibited, though in a report last year, CNN found that prescriptions for HGH treatment are on the rise, even if its legal status is fuzzy.

In adults, use of HGH had been shown to increase metabolism, physical and mental energy, muscle mass, libido and bone density as well as normalize cholesterol levels and reduce body fat. Some of the side effects associated with HGH include swelling in arms and legs, arthritis and carpal tunnel symptoms, muscle pain, diabetes and abnormal growth of bones. Weighing the benefits one gets from HSH against the common side-effects, a growing number of endocrinologists have recognized that in many cases, the advantages far outweigh the possible side-effects, particularly for people whose lifestyle has been greatly curtailed as a result of the hormone deficiency. There are many documented instances wherein patients report generally greater signs of vitality, better health and well-being after taking the hormone.

In the US, body builders and other people with active lifestyles routinely use HGH procured either by prescriptions or online purchases. Obviously, these people see the lean muscle development and fat-burning effects of the hormone greater than the risks associated with it. Other important factors that weigh heavily in favor of HGH are its ability to heal muscle - even cartilage- injuries quickly, and the fact that it is undetectable (for now) in current drug-testing tests a boon for athletes who are required to undergo these tests. For years, bodybuilders have known that combining the hormone with testosterone drugs brings better results well-defined muscles, heightened endurance and strength.

While selling of the injectable HGH is restricted in the country, a lot of online suppliers from abroad can ship the drug to US residents without any complications. Usually, the hormone is taken with other performance-enhancing steroids which are also supplied by the online stores.

Clomid in Post Cycle Recovery

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 Start 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 after
last administration Length of
Clomid 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/Testaviron: 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 Clomid
Clomid has a long half-life (possibly 5 days), so there is no need to split up doses throughout the day. Steroids Pharmacy If Sustanon has been used and Clomid is commenced 3 weeks after the last injection, I would estimate that androgen levels are low enough to start sending the correct signals. If androgen levels are still a little high, we need to start at a high enough amount that will work or help, even if androgen levels are still a little high. Try 300mg on day 1; then use 100mg for the next 10 days; followed by 50mg for 10 days.

Cytomel (Liothyronine Sodium)

Cytomel is not an anabolic/androgenic steroid but a thyroid hor-mone. As a substance it contains synthetically manufactured Liothyronine sodium (Cytomel) which resembles the natural thyroid hormone tricodidethyronine (L-T3). The thyroid of a healthy person usually produces two hormones, the better known Lthyroxine (L-T4) and the aforementioned L-triiodine-thyronine (L-T3). Since Cytomel is the synthetic equivalent of the latter hormone, it causes the same processes in the body as if the thyroid were to produce more of the hormone. It is interesting to note that L-T3 is clearly the stronger and more effective of these two hormones. This makes Cytomel more effective than the commercially available LT4 compounds such as L-thyroxine or Synthroid. L-T3 has proven to be 4-5 times more biologically active and to take effect more quickly than L-thyroxine (L-T4.

Cytomel is not an anabolic/androgenic steroid but a thyroid hor-mone. As a substance it contains synthetically manufactured liothyronine sodium which resembles the natural thyroid hormone tricodidethyronine (L-T3). The thyroid of a healthy person usually produces two hormones, the better known Lthyroxine (L-T4) and the aforementioned L-triiodine-thyronine (L-T3). Since Cytomel is the synthetic equivalent of the latter hormone, it causes the same processes in the body as if the thyroid were to produce more of the hormone. It is interesting to note that L-T3 is clearly the stronger and more effective of these two hormones. This makes Cytomel more effective than the commercially available LT4 compounds such as L-thyroxine or Synthroid. L-T3 has proven to be 4-5 times more biologically active and to take effect more quickly than L-thyroxine (L-T4)." In school medicine Cytomel is used to treat thyroid insufficiency (hypothyroidism).

Among other secondary symptoms are obesity, metabolic disorders, and fatigue. Bodybuilders take advantage of these characteristics and stimulate their metabolism by taking Cytomel, which causes a faster conversion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Bodybuilders, of course, are especially interested in an increased lipolysis, which means in-creased fat burning. Competing bodybuilders, in particular, use Cytomel during the weeks before a championship since it helps to maintain an extremely low fat content, without necessitating a hunger diet. Athletes who use low dosages of Cytomel report that by the simultaneous intake of steroids, the steroids become more effective, most likely as the result of the faster conversion of protein.

To a great extent several bodybuilders who are pictured in "muscle magazines" and display a hard and defined look in photos, eat fast food and iron this out by taking Cytomel. The over stimulated thyroid burns calories like a blast furnace. Nowadays, instead of Cytomel, athletes use Clenbuterol which is becoming more and more popular. Those who combine these two compounds will burn an enormous amount of fat.

Cytomel is also popular among female bodybuilders. Since women generally have slower metabolisms than men, it is extremely difficult for them to obtain the right form for a competition given today's standards. A drastic reduction of food and calories below the 1000 caloric/day mark can often be avoided by taking Cytomel. Women, no doubt, are more prone to side effects than men but usually get along well with 50 mcg/day. A short-term intake of Cytomel in a reasonable dosage is certainly "healthier" than an extreme hunger diet.

As for the dosage, one should be very careful since Cytomel is a very strong and highly effective thyroid hormone. It is extremely important that one begins with a low dosage, increasing it slowly and evenly over the course of several days. Most athletes begin by taking one 25-mcg tablet per day and increasing this dosage every three to four days by one additional tablet. A dose higher than 100-mcg/ day is not necessary and not advisable. It is not recommended that the daily dose be taken all at once but broken down into three smaller individual doses so that they become more effective. It is also important that Cytomel not be taken for more than six weeks. At least two months of abstinence from the drug needs to follow.

Those who take high dosages of Cytomel over a long period of time are at risk of developing a chronic thyroid insufficiency. As a consequence, the athlete might be forced to take thyroid medication for the rest of his life. It is also important that the dosage is reduced slowly and evenly by taking fewer tablets and -not be ended abruptly. Those who plan to take Cytomel should first consult a physician in order to be sure that no thyroid hyperfunction exists.

Possible side effects are: heart palpitation, trembling, irregular heartbeat, heart oppression, agitation, shortness of breath, excretion of sugar through the urine, excessive perspiration, diarhea, weight loss, psychic disorders, etc., as well as symptoms of hypersensitivity." Our experience is that most symptoms consist of trembling of hands, nausea, headaches, high perspiration, and increased heartbeat. These negative side effects can often be eliminated by temporarily reducing the daily dosage. Those who use Cytomel over several weeks will experience a decrease in muscle mass. This can be avoided or delayed by simultaneously taking steroids. For the most part, since Cytomel also metabolizes protein, the athlete must eat a diet rich in protein. L-T3 can usually be found quite easily. 100 tablets of 0.05 mg each cost approx. $40. It is unlikely that there will be fakes.

BACK 15-MINUTE

CABLES GIVE THE BENEFIT OF speed — handles and weight selection are very easy to change — and provide continuous tension on your muscles.
>> The pulldown-to-front and standing pulldown compound set is configured to take advantage of the slightly easier second exercise. Once you tire on the seated pulldown, you put your body in a better leverage situation by standing, giving you the ability to power out some reps before your lats give out.
>> For the standing pulldown, if you have trouble getting to failure, try this trick — when you get to 12 reps, increase the weight and continue repping.


INCLINE CABLE ROW
START: Place an incline bench so that the higher end is near the low pulley. Set the angle at about 30–45 degrees. Grasp the rope attachment with both hands facing in and sit facing the weight stack, leaning forward against the angled bench. Keep your chest up with a slight arch in your back, and let the rope pull your shoulder blades forward into stretch.
Move: Pull on the rope, moving your elbows straight back. Pinch your shoulder blades together as your hands move out to your sides, contract your lats briefly at the end of the move, and return to the start.

STANDING PULLDOWN
START: Standing puts you in a stronger position, so you can continue lifting despite being fatigued from the seated pulldowns. Grasp a long pulldown handle about 4 inches wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip. Bend your knees slightly, keep your back arched and chest up, and press your lower thighs, just above the knees, into the padded seat for stability.
MOVE: Lean back about 10 degrees and slowly pull the bar toward your mid-chest. As you reverse the movement, concentrate on making your back do the work. Stretch your lats at the top and pull again.

ONE-ARM CABLE ROW
START: Grasp a D-handle on a low pulley with your palm facing your body. Grasp the support bar with your free hand to stabilise yourself and lean forward about 45 degrees.
Use a split stance: the foot of the side you’re working should be back while the other is forward. Keep your chest up, shoulders squared and a slight arch in your back.
Move: Pull the handle into the side of your waist until your elbow is past your body. When you return to the starting position, go for a deep stretch.

GP T3 (Trijodthyronin, Cytomel) For Bodybuilders

Bodubuilders and athletes have used thyroid hormone to lose weight for a long time. Since the thyroid hormone can cause combustion of fats and carbohydrates, many individuals have utlised this ability to lose weight and to perform better at sports. Liothyronine sodium (Cytomel) has been used by individuals in every type of sport. The thyroid hormone is taken orally for 4-6 weeks and then stopped just a week prior to the event. There is no doubt that Cytomel is a very effective fat burner and enhances exercise performance. Many athletes report that short duration usage of Cytomel can result in loss of weight and increased energy.
While this may be true, the issue becomes very complex because most of these athletes also take a wide variety of other supplements and hormones to lose weight.

Thyroid hormones are naturally synthesized in our body, but since the molecules are not complex, many pharmaceutical companies make the synthetic variety of the hormones. There are two basic types of thyroid hormones - T4 known as levothyroxine and T3 known as liothyronine. Both are manufactured and stored in the thyroid gland.

Thyroid hormone from the pharmaceutical companies are obtained in 2 ways - either derived from animal thyroid gland (bovine or ovine sources) or made synthetic. In the USA, the content and quantity of iodine in the thyroid preparation is well regulated.

Cytomel (liothyronine sodium) is available both as a tablet or the salt of a naturally occuring thyroid hormone. GP T3 is many times more potent that T4. The maximum dose of Cytomel which can be taken without causing side effects is about 100ug/day. Anecdotal data from athletes indicate that it takes anywhere from 6-12 weeks to lose weight with Cytomel. The crucial thing for all users of Cytomel is to understand that when the drug is stopped, most people will have developed a state of thyroid insufficiency because the Cytomel has suppressed the thyroid gland from making the natural hormone.

Bodybuilders stimulate their metabolism with Cytomel, which causes a faster conversion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Fat-burning is the deciding motive of course. Competing bodybuilders use Cytomel in the weeks leading to a championship since it helps maintain extremely low fat content, without demanding a hunger diet. Athletes on low dosages of Cytomel report that with simultaneous intake of Cytomel with steroids, the steroids become more effective - most likely as the result of the faster conversion of protein.

Cytomel was being used by bodybuilders male and especially female, on a daily basis over several months to remain 'hard' and in good shape throughout the year.

There are bodybuilders who eat fast food and burn it out by taking Cytomel. The over stimulated thyroid burns calories like a blast furnace. Nowadays, Cytomel is being increasingly replaced with Clenbuterol by athletes. Then there are those who combine these two compounds and burn an enormous amount of fat.
So the dose of thyroid hormone should be slowly tapered over a few weeks to months to allow for the thyroid gland to begin working again.

How to Know Exactly When It’s Time to Get More Recuperation

To monitor your progress and know when to advance to the next training cycle, monitor your power calculations for compound mass building exercises once per
every four training phases.
Besides the actual power calculation, compare your increases in power from week to week. As soon as a plateau or tapering off of gradual but constant increases in power occurs, it is time to move to the next training frequency cycle.
For example, you currently train in cycle one. You regularly make increases in power of 12- 15 percent every training phase. Then after calculating your current power factor, less than a 5 percent increase in power was made. This is your scientific means of measurement, your signal to advance to training cycle Once you are in training cycle three rarely will more rest help to increase growth.
Remember our goal is to shock your body into explosive muscle growth not just get stronger.

When training plateaus occur in training cycle three, try some of the following techniques to break plateaus:
1. Switch to a high repetition training plan for two weeks.
2. Take a full week or two off from training. (aerobics optional)
3. Increase caloric intake by five hundred calories per day for a week.
4. Cut out any aerobics.

The above techniques assume all these factors are optimal.
Keep in mind that every person is going to progress at different rates. Some
people may gradually increase power by four or five percent every four
phases consistently. A drop of a percent or two is enough to consider more
rest.
For other subjects a regular power factor increase of 10 percent is normal.
For these individuals a drop to 5 percent is a signal to move to the next
training cycle.
For all subjects more experience will result in power factor increasing more
gradual over time. As you become more experienced do not be discouraged
with smaller percentage increments of three or four percent.

A Crash Course on What You Need to Know When Working Out For

Shocking Your Body into Explosive Growth Spurts!

Here is a crash course on some basics for you to get the most out of your workout. It is true that you are just going to the gym to hoist around weights!
Basically yes, the more you lift the bigger your muscles grow but it is not so simple! Lifting too much for your current condition can lead to overtraining and no gains what so ever! As a matter of fact this may have already happened to you! When you are working out you need to consistently push yourself strategically to allow your body to adapt to the increasing stress you are placing on it.Look at the following flow chart to understand the muscle building process:

Stress muscles (weight training) + Recovery (rest + nutrition) = Growth

This flow chart seems pretty simple and is. What makes shocking your body into an explosive growth spurt so tricky is that every person is different! No two people respond the same to weight training or recover the same. The whole secret to really exploding muscle growth is to figure out your recovery frequency.
Most programs simply prescribe a set structure which does not change but remains the same regardless of your level of fitness. This probably accounts for why most natural training athletes fail. Your muscles must be fully recovered from your previous workout in order to make your best progress. The amount of time required for you to fully recover
increases as your ability to train more intense with heavier weights increases.
So as you get stronger and bigger you will need to figure out how to stress you muscles harder to keep growing. As you train your muscles harder you will require more recovery time as well. Otherwise as you increase training intensity and weight you need to increase your recovery time.
At a certain point the amount of rest required will not be any greater no matter how heavy and intense you train.

Muscle Building Genetics: Myth And Reality

How much are genetics to blame for our inability to build muscle, get ripped or get in shape? The answer may surprise you - very little.

It's something that I believe needs to be tackled since too many people are being held back by self-imposed obstacles. So lets look at genetics, myth and reality.
"I just cant get big/ripped/in shape/stronger - because of my genetics"

I hear this a lot - both in the gym and casual conversation. Genetics are a favourite scapegoat for athletic shortcomings. We blame genetics for our failure to build muscle or lose body fat. But how much do genetics really influence your success in the gym?

The answer is less than you would like to believe. While everyone has inherited a certain blueprint, which includes having good and not-so-good muscle groups, certain hormonal levels, and fat storage tendencies, it is also true that ANYONE can get in amazing shape.

You are trying to build the best body for you, not to emulate someone else.

Think of your body as a plant. Given the right conditions, a plant will grow and blossom. If it doesn’t, that means something is wrong - a parasite, not enough light, or too much water, perhaps. The same applies to your body: There is always an explanation for why you’re not progressing.

Success in training has three pillars: training, recovery, and nutrition. Most people at best get two out of three right, in fact I am going out on a limp here saying that most people's workout are ok, whereas there nutritional and sleep habits are a disaster. You can not expect to have a great physique if you neglect the basics.

Most of us don't have the potential of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but that doesn’t mean we cannot achieve our own goals. By way of example, look at the guy next to Arnold: Frank Zane.

He had narrow clavicles, a long torso, fourteen-inch arms, and weighed 190 pounds at a height of 5'10". In short, he had one of the worst possible genetic make-ups for a pro bodybuilder.

Yet, he won Mr. Olympia three times, beating Arnold!

How did he do it? He stuck to his diet, trained with unmatched intensity, and did not take no for an answer. He realized that he couldn’t compete with Arnold on the basis of mass; so he created the most symmetrical physique, which many people still consider as close to perfect as a human can get.

Frank Zane’s story is inspiring. Your first step is to honestly assess yourself, your schedule, and your training experience, and devise the plan that’s right for you.

What is my goal? Mass in the upper body? Lean legs?

If your progress has been snail-like, then you might need to work out less often to give your body enough recovery time. Another approach would be to focus on certain body parts that you deem weaker and train them twice a week. Look at your body like a piece of art. You are the artist; it’s up to you to create the perfect physique for your particular body.

For example, if you have wide hips, don’t waste your time with oblique training to make your hips narrow; train your shoulders instead. The wider your shoulders are, the narrower your waist will appear. If you have long arms, curls wont cut it.

Add pull ups to every workout, yes to every one. Have your training partner touch you (in an appropriate way) at the muscle you are trying to work, studies show that muscle recruitment is up to 30% better due to the sensation of touch.

Also, stop working out and start training. Training means, “to increase the capacity to perform a skill or work.” If you are still training with the same weights after twelve months, you are simply not better. Push yourself to the limit in every workout to achieve your goals. Train your muscles, not your joints.

By simply going through the motions, you wont get as much stimulation as you could, instead try to feel every rep. Training is a lifestyle; whereas working out is neat and cute like a French class you take every two weeks. The only way you’ll really learn French is by moving to France and speaking only French.

The same applies to your body; it is a 24/7 project––training, eating, resting, and learning.

Remember, creating a physique is not a race against other people. You are doing this for yourself. If someone else gets in shape quicker or with seemingly less effort, don’t be discouraged. Don’t psych yourself out with complaints about your genetics because you can’t change them. The time you spend complaining could be much better used cooking a healthy meal or working out.

5 Common Muscle Building Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them

If you're spinning your wheels, odds are you're making one of these 5 mistakes: abs and biceps overkill, eating low fat, ego training or following the "Champ's" workout.

Having so far spent my whole training life in commercial gyms, I can understand the typical strength athlete in their contempt for what goes on in such establishments.  However, instead of writing my own version of ‘why I hate fitness articles’, I reckon I can address the most typical mistakes I see being conducted on a daily basis.

The aim of this article is to help beginners or people who have been going to the gym for a while but have never improved their physical appearance or strength levels (believe me there are a lot of those in my gym). The information provided in this article will not be anything new for experienced serious trainers, as I imagine they are all too aware of the following pitfalls.


Pitfall 1 – Daily Ab Marathon Sessions
How often do you see people at your gym spend countless hours purely focusing on their abdominal muscles? Well I see plenty of such individuals, all of whom have too much excess fat which prevents them from attaining their ultimate goal – the elusive six pack. What they don’t understand is that doing 10,000 crunches a day will get them nowhere nearer to achieving that goal.

The fact is that doing endless ab exercises will not get rid of the fat that hides one’s perfectly defined abs, in other words, spot reduction doesn’t work! Instead of spending 2 hours doing abdominal exercises, more time should be devoted to weight training of the whole body, with multi-joint movements (i.e. Squats, Dead-lifts, Presses, Rows, Dips) being at the heart of your training routine. These exercises will make you burn more calories during the session and also after due to their stimulating effect on your metabolism.

In addition, one must also not neglect cardio work if the goal is fat loss. The most effective time to do cardio workouts is either in the morning on an empty stomach before breakfast or straight after your weights sessions, as in both cases your body is depleted of glycogen and hence the body uses fat for energy, which is what you want. Any form of cardio can be used but I suggest running or using a cross-trainer type apparatus instead of the stationary bike due to higher calorie expenditure experienced when performing the former activities.

One must also not forget diet when trying to lean up, without going into too much detail, your diet should be high in protein and moderate to low in carbs and fats (this topic will be touched upon later in the article).


Pitfall 2 – Beach Muscle Syndrome

Most men who go to the gym are motivated by the thoughts of acquiring huge biceps and pecs along with chiseled abs, as those are considered the “main showcase muscles which every female seeks in a male and the key component that resonate the ultimate level of manliness for any male amongst his peers”. Whilst one cannot criticize your average Joe for having such desires, the fact is in order to attain this goal the whole body needs to be trained equally and key areas such as the legs and back cannot be neglected.

Exercises like squats and dead-lifts increase testosterone levels to such an extent that the whole body grows and even the non utilized muscles such as your chest get bigger due to the overall effect higher testosterone levels have on your body. There are plenty of guys who do endless variations of curls yet never manage to make any gains on their biceps, whereas if one looks at strength athletes like strongmen, Olympic lifters and power-lifters they all tend to have extremely well developed and visible “beach muscles” (as long as they don’t go overboard with stuffing their faces at the dinner table).

Most Olympic lifters don’t even do any direct arm work or any single joint exercises for that matter, instead relying on variations of Olympic lifts which mostly involve the lower body and the posterior chain, yet most of them still possess phenomenal physiques which any average male would love to have.

Pitfall 3 – Low Fat to Lose Fat

This pitfall refers to the general ignorance most people have when it comes to diet. Most believe that you only get fat by eating fatty foods, and completely ignore the detrimental effect surplus carbs have on your physique. Whilst I am not advocating a high fat – low carb diet, I believe both fats and carbs should remain at moderate levels in one’s diet, what people fail to notice in certain food products is that low fat varieties tend to have a higher sugar content and hence as a result are not all that healthier than the original versions of that product.

What is most bewildering is seeing overweight individuals in the gym doing their cardio and sipping sugar laden sports energy drinks thinking that because they are sports drinks they must be good for you and will help with their weight loss, whereas in fact all that cardio work goes to waste due to the sugar consumption from such drinks. Even things like fruit should be consumed sparingly if weight loss is the goal due to its fructose content (the sugar in fruit).

Most people have this false misconception that fruit will never make them gain weight as it is “natural” and that it is “full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants”, though these points are correct it doesn’t mean fruit will not make you fat – it easily can, especially depending on the portion size and types of fruit.

Pitfall 4 – Ego Training

This is something that goes on in my gym and I m sure in countless others worldwide, and although it’s common amongst beginners, many long time gym goers still keep on making this stupid mistake. What this entails is using too much weight than the individual can handle but they still insist on biting more than they can chew, common examples of this include someone who has no idea how to squat yet insists on doing quarter squats with a weight they have no right to even look at, let alone put on their back.

Another favourite of such folk is heavy bench pressing with a buddy (or 2 or 3) who basically ends up doing a dead-lift in order for his ‘bro’ to get the weight up, all the while screaming “it’s all you!” Joking aside, in my time training I have probably seen every exercise bastardized for the sake of using more weight, as a result rendering the exercise useless and leaving the trainer highly susceptible to injury.

Whereas a lot of beginners make this mistake from sheer inexperience and lack of proper training knowledge, the majority of trainers do it to stroke their ego and demonstrate how “strong” they are to their fellow gym members. One must never sacrifice form in any exercise for the sake of using more weight and once in the weight room the ego always needs to be kept in check no matter how inflated it is.

Pitfall 5 – Following the Champ’s Routine

There is nothing wrong with trying to emulate the success of many great bodybuilders or strength athletes. In the old days Arnie set the tone and every male in gyms all across the world wanted to be like him, more recently it has been individuals like Marius Pudzianowski or Jay Cutler that have inspired new generations to start training with weights. This is all well and good, but the belief that if one follows the same training routine as those champions do and that it will yield the same results is completely incorrect.

All the time I see newbies in the gym following a chest or arm routine consisting of almost every exercise there is, I am sure they have read Flex or some other muscle publication and saw some huge bodybuilder training his chest with 5 different press variations followed by another 5 fly variations, their reasoning is if it makes his chest so massive and ripped, surely it will do the same for me.

What they fail to understand is that by following such routines they would severely overtrain themselves and make zero gains in muscle size or strength, as a result they will get demotivated that all their efforts in the gym are not giving any results, and subsequently will stop training altogether. What these trainers need to grasp is the successful athletes who follow such routines have many factors available to them which allows them to profit from such training routines.

Firstly, their genetic makeup is superior to others, this cannot be changed – you are either born with superior genetics in regards to building muscle strength or size – or you are not, fact is very few have favourable genetics for this purpose and the individuals you see in magazines are the minority that have it. Secondly, it needs to be understood the access that the top guys have to food, supplements, and other “extras” which would be insurmountable for your average person.

Thirdly, for most of these athletes their training (along with nutrition and recovery) is their full time job, most don’t need to spend all day at the office or other work establishments, they are able to train freely when and how often they want, and likewise are able to feed their body and give it enough rest without restrictions.

It should also be noted that any successful champion didn’t start with the advanced training routine that he or she follows now; it took them years to get to such a level where their current routines are actually beneficial for them, and this regardless of their genetic potential and other advantageous elements. So if they began with more basic training routines, why should everyone else start with something their body and nervous system cannot handle? Beginners and even intermediately experienced trainers need to train in a way that reflects their level and not like someone of a much higher level trains.

Final Thoughts

The pitfalls listed in this article are a daily occurrence in gyms and fitness centres all across the world. The mistakes committed by gym members are all due to general ignorance in regards to diet and training; this is not helped with the misinformation that is presented in many fitness publications and online sources, in addition to being guided by ‘qualified’ personal instructors who don’t know much themselves.

Every year the same clientele of gyms look physically the same and never get an ounce stronger, yet they still carry on making the same mistakes and end up wasting their time and money on pointless training. By looking at the list of pitfalls objectively and consequently eradicating them, anyway can improve on the non-existent progress that they have been stuck with. 

Procedure for Intramuscular Injection of Hormone in Oil (part 2)

This tends to be an important subject ignored by a few bodybuilders, let me just say that if you inject incorrectly you risk one of the following things:

1. A broken needle in the flesh, difficult to remove and may need minor surgery.
2. An infection or boil at the injection site. If ignored the infection will spread and may infect your bloodstream.
3. Death by injection of an oily substance going around your blood stream until it causes failure of a major organ like the heart, or brain. If your lucky (or unlucky) you might get away with a stroke!!!
Its an easily learned technique and with care and attention you will accomplish it easily and without pain and bruising.
Another piece of information you may find useful is that oral steroids work more quickly than injected steroids, but on the whole cause greater harm to the liver.
Preparation is the key to successful injection, Have everything ready and laid out on a firm clean surface next to you. Choose your injection site, its no good sitting or standing there with a syringe full of juice waving a two inch needle around wondering where your going to stick it.

You will need the following
1. A syringe (large enough to hold whatever it is you are injecting yes you can mix shots, why take two shots when one will do the trick).
2. Two needles preferably two greens, but for the squeamish a green and a blue.
3. Two swabs opened and ready for use (if you don’t bother swabbing, and many don’t at least wash or shower first and make sure your hands are clean).
4. The juice (wash the outside of the container first)
5. You may find a beaker of warm water useful to warm up the amps this makes those with an oil base flow easier.
6. A small nail file
Warning: Some amps will not break cleanly, this is where the nail file comes in. Saw around the neck of the ampoule a few times until it is scored, then it will break evenly. Sometimes its wise to hold the amp with a piece of clean cloth or tissue, if the top breaks when you try to open it your fingers may be cut by the broken glass.
When you are fully prepared fit one of the needles {a green} to the syringe, open the amp(s) and draw up the fluid. Shake then tap the syringe and expel any excess air through the needle.
Change the needle to your other one. (many people don’t bother they use the same needle to inject as they draw up with.
Swab the area to be injected
Present the needle at right angles to the injection site and push it right in. Do not jab.
Draw back on the plunger ( this will save your life ), if any blood enters the syringe withdraw the needle and choose a slightly different site and repeat the process. (blood in the syringe may indicate that it has entered a vein or artery, if you inject there.........)
If all is well push the plunger firmly, but smoothly, home. Remove the needle from your flesh and swab, rub the injection site gently to assist in distributing the medication. If the injection site bleeds a little you have gone through a blood vessel or vein, this is ok as long as you haven’t injected into one.
That’s it clean up after yourself dispose of your used equipment safely.
1) Always use a new needle and syringe for each injection. Green capped needles are best for the buttock, blue ones for the thigh. (Don’t know if you have the same colours in the USA).
2) Steroids are injected into a muscle - normally the buttock or thigh. Never inject steroids into a vein.
3) Never share needles, syringes or multi-use vials.
4) Don’t inject more than 2mls of fluid into one muscle area at a time.
5) Dispose of used needles and syringes in a sharps bin and return them to your needle exchange.
6) Only insert the needle three quarters (3/4) of the way into the muscle so it can be removed easier if it snaps. If you don’t insert the needle far enough into
the muscle and then inject a steroid you could cause an abscess!
7) If you feel a hard lump in a muscle where you inject - use another site.
8) If you have any concerns about your health then contact / visit your General Practitioner.

Ok - here’s how :-
1) Choose your injection site. The gluteal muscle (the buttock) is the best.
2) With a clean needle and syringe, draw up the steroid.
3) Make sure there is no air left in the syringe. Flick the syringe and press the plunger until a drop appears.
4) Remove clothing from injection site.
5) Wipe site with a swab or soapy water.
6) Stretch skin of the injection site with your finger and thumb.
7) Hold the syringe like a dart and quickly jab the needle into the skin at a right angle (practice on an orange).
8) Release the skin.
9) Pull back the plunger, if there is no blood, slowly press in the plunger.
10) If blood is drawn into the syringe - STOP - remove the needle quickly and press hard on the site until the bleeding stops. Use another site for the injection.
11) After injecting, remove the needle and press onto the site with a swab for ten seconds and massage slowly to disperse the drug.
12) Dispose of needle and syringe responsibly - IN A SHARPS BIN.
If injections are not done properly, infections or abscesses can occur at the injection site. They may be caused by not cleaning the area properly before injecting or by using secondhand needles and syringes - this allows bacteria to enter the site. An abscess can also be caused by a steroid (fluid) not fully dispersing from the injection site. This occurs mainly in athletes who inject too much in one go or who don’t insert the needle far enough into the muscle.
Symptoms - Pain or burning at the injection site. Hard lump(s) at the injection site.
Prevention - Don’t use the same site more than twice a week. Only use small volume injections - 1ml or 2ml per muscle area. Alternate injection sites for every injection.