Insulin-Like Growth Factor Recombinant 3

IGF1 stands for insulin like growth factor. It mimics insulin in the human body and also at the same time makes the muscles more sensitive to insulin's effects. It is a growth factor and is the most potent one in the human body at that. IGF causes muscle cell hyperplasia, which is an actual splitting and forming of new muscle cells. This was thought to only be possible during puberty. IGF is much more potent at this effect than growth hormone is, in fact almost all of the effects you see from growth hormone come from the increased amount of IGF that your liver produces when the GH is destroyed. So it would be very easy to say that IGF is a much more potent and cheaper alternative to GH use, although GH is more effective for fat loss than IGF due to some other effects that it causes such as metabolism increase and the ability to effectively use more insulin, T3, and anabolic steroids.

Another advantage that IGF has over GH is that it has much more of an affinity to attach to muscle cells instead of bone and organ cells. Growth hormone has been know to cause a lot of organ enlargement and bone elongation since it attaches to all types of receptor cells. IGF is much more likely to go where we want it, our muscle cells. IGF-1 attaches to myogenic stem cells which are only located in muscle and connective tissues. These myogenic stem cells are responsible for the production of myoblast cells which in turn are responsible for the buildup and repair of connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and joints to a certain extent).

So from this you can see that IGF-1 is great for increasing the strength of tendons and also for helping to heal existing injuries while at the same time helping to prevent them. IGF-1 is also responsible for increased protein synthesis and amino acid synthesis.

IGF does not have to be used along with anabolic steroids, GH, insulin, or thyroid hormones to be effective. It causes muscle growth on its own. In fact some people prefer to use it during their breaks from steroid cycles since IGF has no effect on natural test production. It could effectively be used along with HCG, clomid, and PGF2a for a hell of an off cycle stack which would allow your body to return to normal and still allow you to grow!! On its own IGF will give an increase of around 2 lbs. of new solid lean muscle tissue every two weeks, and is also is know for its ability to strip off body fat and GREATLY increase vascularity, body fat decreases of 5-8% over a 50 day cycle are not uncommon. But, of course you will be much happier with the results if you use the IGF along with anabolic steroids, testosterone, and insulin.

The use of steroids along with the IGF allow you to quickly mature and strengthen the new muscle tissue that the IGF has formed, and may also speed the process of hyperplasia. If you need any help setting up a great stack to
use along with the IGF just let me know and I can help you out. I speak with lots of top bodybuilders and guru's so I am very knowledgeable.

The dosage issue for IGF is where the most controversy lies. Dosages used by competitive athletes most commonly range anywhere between 60mcg/day to 100+mcg/day. The trick is finding the dosage that works best for YOU. For most the best results appear when you reach a dosage of 80mcg/day, while some do
receive good results from only 40mcg/day. I personally feel the best results begin to be noticed at a dosage of 100mcg/day. I personally am using 150mcg/day during my current cycle.

Also I should let you know that the form of IGF is the Long R3 analog. It has been chemically altered and has a longer half-life than regular IGF, which only lasts about 10 minutes in the human body once injected. The Long R3 IGF-1 has a half-life of 6-10 hours, so you will only need to inject once or twice per day. The best time to inject is after lifting and in the morning, so it would be best to use half the dosage in the morning and the other half after lifting. This will take maximal advantage of IGF's insulin
mimicking effects.

Pyramiding and Tapering Oral Anabolic Steroids During a Steroid Cycle

How to time the use of oral anabolic steroids within the weeks of a steroid cycle? Is it necessary to pyramid up and down or taper their use?


Usually the principal use of oral anabolic steroids within a cycle is to add to the total effect of the stack. In the simplest instance, make every week of oral use the same, unless you encounter new information during the steroid cycle. There’s no reason to pyramid up, taper down, or “diamond.”

However, there can be other reasons to change dose of orals.

One factor is that oral anabolic steroids will preferably be used for only 6 weeks at a time. Alkylated steroids have liver toxicity, and nearly all orals are alkylated. When use of orals is limited to 6 weeks and cycle length is greater than this, then obviously some weeks will employ orals while others will not.

In many cases, the best weeks to choose for orals are the final weeks. One reason is that the later weeks of the cycle are more in need of a boost than are the earliest weeks, as the body needs less help to make gains in the earlier weeks.

Another advantage of using orals at the end of a cycle is that past the last injection, levels of injected steroid are dropping and are of reduced effectiveness. Orals can really boost the effectiveness of this period.

But in other instances, the earlier weeks can have the greater need for a boost. A common case is where the user wishes to bulk in the earlier weeks and cut in the final weeks. Here, I’d use orals in the first weeks, or principally in the first weeks. Some orals might be saved for the end of the cycle: for example 5 weeks’ worth could be used at the beginning, and 1 week’s worth at the end.

A final reason for changing oral dosing during the steroid cycle can be if you encounter new information as the cycle progresses. For example, perhaps you’d have liked to use 50 mg/day of Dianabol, but you had concern about side effects and so decided on 25 mg/day. After a week or two with the lower dose, your new personal experience might relieve that concern. So, you might decide to increase the dose. This would be entirely reasonable, as would the reverse situation.

Injury During an Anabolic Steroid Cycle

What to do when an injury occurs during an anabolic steroid cycle?

However, being smart – picking the right times to tough it out and the right times to act strategically – also goes along with achievement.

This should be considered: The wait time until your next cycle should be proportional to the length of your last period of use. For simplicity, here we’ll allow the same number of weeks “off” as “on.” This is moderately aggressive steroid cycling. You might choose a different proportion; if so, you can plug in your own proportion. The principle applies no matter the proportion.

With an equal number of weeks “off” as “on,” if you complete the 14 week cycle, then you’d wait another 14 weeks after that before starting your next steroid cycle. That would then be 23 weeks from now, as you’d have another 9 weeks left in this cycle. And those 9 weeks will be of at best impaired effectiveness.

So that’s 23 weeks before being able to really forge ahead.

In contrast, if you strategically end this cycle now, in only 5 weeks from now you can be doing a fully effective cycle.

You’d have that cycle finished well before you’d otherwise have been able to start a second cycle. You’ll be way ahead.

Anabolic steroids in and of themselves don’t cause great muscle gain. They enable getting much more out of your training and nutrition. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know: training is the principal real cause of results.

Anabolic steroids allow more and harder training and allow getting more results from training. Where training is compromised by injury, anabolic steroids are limited in what they can do for you.

If cycling steroids – using them in some weeks of the year but not others – by far the most efficient practice is to use them in weeks when able to train properly.

This doesn’t mean abandoning a cycle because of minor problems, but when training really will be comprised, usually it’s best to cut a cycle short. This gives better long term results because it enables getting to the next cycle more quickly, and gets the most out of each week of use.

What is “Roid Rage”?

Basically when an anabolic steroid is taken it adds extra levels of testosterone to the body. The hormones can have different effects on the body which can include:

 These hormones can first produce a very positive effect on a person’s psyche
 This positive effect can later turn into a negative one which can alter the way people act.
 In the early stages of steroid use it may seem that the steroids are making you feel great and very happy, however with continued use these feelings can greatly change.

When buying steroids most people think about the positive effects but do not consider the negative psyche effects that can occur.

With the continued use of steroids the below symptoms can begin to occur

 Aggressiveness
 More hostile
 Anger.

These behaviours are referred to as “roid rage.” It’s a term given to people that act very aggressive and hostile after taking doses of steroids, usually on a consistent basis. There have been many studies performed related to roid rage and these studies support the theory that people most likely to get roid rage are those people who were already angry and hostile prior to taking the drug. However, despite these studies steroids can have psychological effects on any steroid user. So, if you’re thinking about taking steroids be cautious as they could greatly affect your behaviour.

The Best and Worst Anabolic Steroid Choices for Female Steroid Cycles

Anabolic steroids best suited for female steroid cycles are compounds which exhibit very low androgenic strength ratings in comparison to the anabolic strength ratings. These are all often considered the ‘mild’ anabolic steroids that are so frequently discussed among the anabolic steroid using community. It must be understood, however, that although various anabolic steroids may possibly exhibit a very low threshold for androgenic effects on the body, no anabolic steroid is completely incapable of exhibiting these effects. All anabolic steroids to varying degrees exhibit androgenic effects, and thus the potential for virilization exists with all of them, no matter how ‘mild’ a particular anabolic steroid might be claimed to be.

In addition, long-estered anabolic steroids should be avoided at all costs by female users due to the fact that they exhibit a very long window of release and very long half-life. Females must be careful with such a characteristic of long-estered anabolic steroids (Enanthate, Cypionate, Decanoate, Undecylenate, etc.), as this presents difficulty in controlling blood plasma levels of the hormone. Following cessation of use, it must also be understood that the very long half-life that these particular esters provide will also translate into a very slow reduction of blood plasma levels and very slow elimination of the hormone from the body. This must always be kept in mind with female-specific use, especially when virilization symptoms appear and the hormone must be discontinued promptly.

The worst selection of anabolic steroids for females would be those that exhibit high or very high androgenic strength ratings, such as Testosterone, Dianabol, Anadrol, Trenbolone, and various others. While some females may opt to engage in the use of these heavy androgens, they do not suit the goals and preferences of most females. One must also understand that there essentially exist three different tiers of female anabolic steroid users:

- Female competitive and/or professional bodybuilders that utilize anabolic steroids
- Female fitness/figure competitors that utilize anabolic steroids
- The average female in the gym utilizing anabolic steroids to get in better shape quicker

Any reader would be able to tell the difference in the aforementioned three tiers of female anabolic steroid users, and that there are some significant differences in the goals, aspirations, and the sacrifices and risks each group of female users may (or may not) be willing to take in order to achieve their desired goals. Therefore there are vast differences between each individual’s values, priorities, and how far a female individual is willing to go in order to achieve their desired goals.

Female competitive bodybuilders: As described, these are female bodybuilders attempting to develop an extremely muscular physique far beyond any average female’s (or even many male’s) desired goals. The typical average female would regard this type of physique aspiration/goal to be ‘disgusting’. As such, female competitive bodybuilders are more likely to be willing to accept the potential heavy virilization associated the use of heavy androgens, such as Trenbolone or Testosterone. If a particular female bodybuilder believes that Trenbolone use will assist them in achieving their ultimate physique goals while ignoring/disregarding the issue of virilization, then this is their individual personal decision to do so and deal with the potential consequences of possible rapid virilization. Female bodybuilders, for the most part, possess an ‘anything goes’ attitude when it comes to the selection of anabolic steroids to utilize in a female steroid cycle.

Female fitness/figure competitors: These female athletes would be considered a step down in ranking from the previously mentioned group of female athletes. These are females that are quite obviously unwilling to venture to the same extreme as female bodybuilders. The general goal of female athletes in this case is to obtain a muscular, fit, lean, and ‘sexy’ looking physique while still retaining their femininity. In such a case, this group of female athletes would wish to avoid virilization wherever possible. Thus, the majority of female figure/fitness athletes are unwilling to enter into the risky realm of heavy androgenic anabolic steroids such as Trenbolone, Testosterone, Dianabol, and several others. The majority of these females will tend to restrict their use to the more ‘mild’ anabolic steroids such as Primobolan, Anavar, Winstrol (Stanozolol), etc. due to the fact that these exhibit weaker androgenic strength ratings in comparison to their anabolic strength capabilities. Virilization with compounds such as these is not often a problem, provided that doses and cycle lengths are modest and sensible (as previously mentioned concerning shorter cycle lengths for females).

The average female in the gym attempting to reach physique goals faster and more efficiently:  following the explanation of the prior two categories of female athletes, this particular tier of female users is quite easily understood and straightforward. The average female attempting to stay in shape in the gym would be unwilling to venture anywhere close to the risks of virilization and developing male characteristics. Therefore, not only are these female users limited to the use of ‘mild’ anabolic steroids, it is at the slightest development of virilization (the slightest cracking of the voice or accelerated body/facial hair growth) that these female users would cease the use of all anabolic steroids immediately. Sensibly low doses as well as minimal cycle lengths are very common among these particular female anabolic steroid users.

The following lists are in order of the most appropriate choice of compounds to the most inappropriate (top to bottom of the lists):

LOW VIRILIZATION RISK/MILD COMPOUNDS FOR A FEMALE ANABOLIC STEROID CYCLE:
- Oral Primobolan (Methenolone Acetate)
- Anavar (Oxandrolone)
- Oral Winstrol (Stanozolol)
- Injectable Winstrol (Stanozolol)
- Injectable Primobolan (Methenolone Enanthate)

MODERATE VIRILIZATION RISK COMPOUNDS FOR A FEMALE ANABOLIC STEROID CYCLE:
- Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate)
- Nandrolone Phenylpropionate
- Masteron (Drostanolone Propionate)
- Deca-Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate)

HIGH VIRILIZATION RISK COMPOUNDS FOR A FEMALE ANABOLIC STEROID CYCLE:
- Trenbolone
- Testosterone (all types, including Sustanon 250)
- Anadrol (Oxymetholone
- Dianabol (Methandrostenolone)

Seeking Strength without Size?

The large majority of my previous articles have focused on the needs of the steroid using BB’r and his/her unique goals, but there are plenty of other steroid using athletes out there whose goals do not reflect those of the typical BB’r. One frequently asked question that routinely applies to this demographic is “What drugs can I use to help increase my strength without adding bodyweight?” You might be expecting me to write out the perfect steroid cycle for accomplishing this objective, but it is a bit more complicated than that. You see, just as steroids are diverse in their effects on the body, so to does personal response to these drugs vary considerably. Just because one steroid might work great for one individual does not mean the next guy will encounter the same degree of success.

Nonetheless, when it comes to strength enhancement, decades of real-world experience in the BB’ing & strength communities have provided us with a pretty good idea of which drugs work the best for the largest percentage of individuals. While personal experimentation and occasional adjustments will likely need to occur before settling in on your ideal protocol, you can be sure there is a steroid or combination of steroids which is best suited for you. When careful selection is matched with proper application, the desired results are achieved.

It is important to understand that there is more to adding strength in the absence of bodyweight gains than drug selection alone. Diet and training will, by necessity, play a large role in bringing this to fruition because in truth, almost any AAS can add muscle tissue when added to a surplus of calories, along with intensive resistance training. In fact, diet is the single most important factor in maintaining bodyweight in the face of strength gains, regardless of the type of steroid(s) used. First and foremost, the key principle in maintaining bodyweight is to consume an amount of calories which does not exceed your metabolic requirements. One of the foundational rules of weight gain states that if you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain bodyweight…period. Therefore, it is an absolute requirement that your caloric intake remain commensurate with your metabolic needs. Since metabolism can vary so significantly among individuals, it is up to you to determine what your caloric requirements are if you are serious about maximizing strength gains without adding bodyweight.
In terms of training, the type of stimulus delivered can have a substantial impact on muscle mass accrual. By relying in muscle hypertrophy training in order to increase strength, you run a larger risk of increased bodyweight, compared to individuals who rely mostly on nervous system training. However, not all athletes are best served by relying predominantly on nervous system training, but require a hybrid system utilizing both training styles. It is possible to use hypertrophy training programs without adding additional body mass, as long as caloric intake is closely monitored and adjusted as necessary. Still, for those who desire to maximize their absolute strength without adding body mass, a heavy reliance on nervous system training may prove the most fruitful. This is why so many lighter powerlifters attempting to remain within a predetermined weight class frequently rely on a combination of nervous system training and technique over traditional hypertrophy programs.

I would like to side step one minute and address the issue of AAS-induced water retention and weight gain. All steroids can potentially result in water retention ranging from minor to severe. Obviously, this will lead to some degree weight gain. Regardless of how much water is retained, all of it is transient and will subside upon discontinuance of the offending steroid(s). This water retention can be either subcutaneous, intramuscular, or a combination of both, depending on the drug. Sub-q (subcutaneous) water retention is clearly visible and is what we normally refer to as “water retention”, as it is stored directly beneath the skin and results in a soft and puffy look. Intramuscular water retention is an equally common occurrence, but is stored directly inside muscle tissue. For this reason, I.M. water retention is undifferentiable from genuine muscle growth from a visual standpoint and is often interpreted as such, leading some athletes to slash calories unnecessarily in an effort to avoid permanent weight gain. Therefore, it is important to be able to differentiate between I.M. water retention and genuine muscle growth, but this knowledge can only come by way of self-education and personal experience with a particular steroid. Once the individual understands how he is affected by a specific drug, he will be able to determine with greater accuracy how much of the weight he has gained is muscle or just plain water.

It should also be noted that under the right circumstances, many steroids are often able to increase lean body mass when eating a maintenance amount of calories and sometimes, even when in a caloric deficit. This is due to the nutrient re-partitioning abilities of steroids, in general. So, if the lifter’s bodyweight begins to rise above and beyond what is due to simple water retention, he will want to discontinue the drug, lower the dosage, or reduce his calories in order to maintain his bodyweight. Some steroids do this better than others (Trenbolone is a good example), which is a dream come true for ranchers raising livestock for slaughter, but for athletes attempting to maintain bodyweight, this characteristic is potentially disadvantageous. This does not mean that all steroids which function in this capacity are unfeasible for use. In fact, some AAS in this group have performed impressively when it comes to improving strength without adding bodyweight (Trenbolone is an example yet again), but one should be aware of this issue, so it can be avoided if it starts to become a problem.

The circumstances a lifter/athlete finds himself in will determine which cycle might be optimal at any given time. For example, let’s take a look at a powerlifter. An off-cycle powerlifter who weighs 180 pounds and is seeking to remain within the 181 lb. weight class at competition will be able to utilize most of the different water retaining compounds during the off-season, as temporary water retention is of little concern. However, as the lifter approaches his competition, these drugs are often phased out in favor of AAS which lack this side effect. A lifter’s bodyweight in proximity to his weight class limit will usually have a significant bearing on what type of changes he makes to his pre-meet cycle.

The following is by no means an exhaustive list of AAS for this purpose and one should always keep in mind that variances in personal response and diet can have a dramatic influence on any steroid’s ability to build muscle mass and therefore, increase bodyweight. Since almost any steroid can be used off-season without fear of permanent weight gain (assuming diet is properly monitored), I am not going to list any AAS other than those which have built a reputation for increasing strength without adding bodyweight. In terms of oral AAS, Halotestin, Anavar, Winstrol, and Methyl DHT are some of the best, with Cheque Drops sometimes being employed as a last minute touch to a more complete cycle. When it comes to injectables AAS, Trenbolone, Masteron, and even higher dosed Primobolan have proven effective.

While the above AAS can certainly be used pre-meet and regularly are, I feel the need to point out that many powerlifters do not adhere strictly to this list pre-meet, but instead choose to employ water retaining steroids, while relying on various methods of dehydration in order to make weight. There are many different ways to go about making weight as a powerlifter, so the limited drug list here is designed more as a reference for those who haven’t yet learned all the ins and out of effectively making weight and need a fool-proof drug plan so they don’t accidentally go over their weight limit.

Now, when we are talking about athletes such as boxers, MMA fighter, etc, the need to maintain optimal cardiovascular performance for an extended period of time is crucial. In this instance, any excess water retention…or the dehydrating measures commonly employed by powerlifters to make weight, will negatively impact performance and for this reason, are usually avoided. Therefore, most of the water retaining drugs, especially in larger dosages, are not a good idea for this type of athlete right before a fight. In addition to the hindrance of excess water weight, some steroids are well known to decrease cardiovascular performance to a significant degree. Trenbolone serves as a prime example. In a powerlifter’s case, this decrease in cardiovascular output is of little relevance, but it can be devastating to athletes such as MMA fighters, boxers, sprinters, wrestlers, etc. For this reason, pre-comp cycles need to be tailored differently for athletes whose sport demands the utmost in cardiovascular endurance. Some of the very best drugs for the above mentioned athletes in the last few weeks leading up to their competition/fight are Halotestin (a very potent androgen which is good for strength and aggression without weight gain), Anavar (a strong anabolic noted for improvements in strength and muscular endurance without weight gain), Equipoise (another anabolic which in moderate dosages, will lead to considerable improvements in muscular and cardiovascular endurance due to its proficiency at increasing red blood cell count, with little to no weight gain), and testosterone propionate in lower dosages (which will help maintain normal physiological function, moderately improve RBC count, enhance recovery, and impart an alpha male mind-set similar to, let less dramatically than more potent androgens).

In the end, there are many ways to go about increasing one’s strength without affecting bodyweight, but listing a single best cycle is not possible, due to the presence of multiple variables which can impact the ultimate result. The above guidelines are designed to serve only as a reference point as you learn through personal experience and ongoing self-education what works best for you.

STEROIDS HALF LIFE AND VERSUS HALF LIFE

Anyone new to steroids may be wondering what Steroid half life means, even some experienced steroid users may also be wondering what half-lives means. So here in simple terms you can read and hopefully understand all about steroid half life's and what this term means.

Basically every drug has a half life, steroids included. If for example, you were to inject 1000mg of testosterone cypionate once weekly, for 10 weeks, how would you know when you were "off"? Would you be "off" when you had finished your last dose? You would be able to calculate this from the half life of testosterone cypionate. The half life of testosterone cypionate is around 12 days. This means that 12 days from your last shot of 1000mg of testosterone cypionate (Time to start PCT? You decide.), your blood levels of testosterone cypionate will contain 500mg of the steroid. Another 12 days from then, i.e. 24 days from last dose, your blood levels will contain 250mg of the steroid. This amount then keeps halving every 12 days. At 48 days (almost 2 months) from your last dose, your blood levels will still contain 67.5mg of testosterone cypionate.

Therefore you can clearly see that when you finish your cycle, even though you are not putting any steroids into your body, you may think that you are now "off", however you still have, and will still have for some time after your last dose, "active" blood levels of the steroid. Therefore you can plan what to use, how long for, and how long off your cycle, based on these half life's.

Below a list of half-life's of the most commonly used steroids, esters and ancillary compounds.


Oral steroids Drug Active half-life

Anadrol / Anapolan50 (oxymetholone) 8 to 9 hours
Anavar (oxandrolone) 9 hours
Dianabol (methandrostenolone, methandienone) 4.5 to 6 hours
Winstrol (stanozolol) (tablets or depot taken orally) 9 hours
Depot steroids Drug Active half-life
Deca-durabolin (Nandrolone decanate) 14 days
Equipoise 14 days
Finaject (trenbolone acetate) 3 days
Primobolan (methenolone enanthate) 10.5 days
Sustanon or Omnadren 15 to 18 days
Testosterone Cypionate 12 days
Testosterone Enanthate 10.5 days
Testosterone Propionate 4.5 days
Testosterone Suspension 1 day
Winstrol (stanozolol) 1 day


Steroid esters Drug Active half-life

Formate 1.5 days
Acetate 3 days
Propionate 2 days
Phenylpropionate 4.5 days
Butyrate 6 days
Valerate 7.5 days
Hexanoate 9 days
Caproate 9 days
Isocaproate 9 days
Heptanoate 10.5 days
Enanthate 10.5 days
Octanoate 12 days
Cypionate 12 days
Nonanoate 13.5 days
Decanoate 15 days
Undecanoate 16.5 days


Ancillaries Drug Active half-life

Arimidex 3 days
Clenbuterol 1.5 days
Clomid 5 days
Cytadren 6 hours
T3 10 hours


Active Life versus Half Life

The confusion comes from the 2 terms being used synonymously when they should not be. "Half-life is not a reference for the total time a drug will be found active in the body. It may take several half-lives before the drug is completely inactive."

Half-life: The period of time required for the concentration or amount of drug in the body to be reduced to exactly one-half of a given concentration or amount.

Example: The half-life of anavar is 9 hours+/- (9 hours after oral administration of 50 mg of anavar, 25mg is still present in the body).

Active life: Refers to the period in which the amount of a drug in the body is enough that it will still produce the desired effects for which it was administered. Or conversely, inhibit natural recovery of normal bodily function. It is dose dependent.

Example: The active life of 1,000mg of testosterone decanoate would be more than one month. At day 30 after injection, 250mg or more of this drug would still be present in the body.