Deca Durabolin

History

Nandrolone decanoate, more famous among athletes by its commercial name – Deca Durabolin (or just Deca), is one of the most well known and used steroids in the world. Its popularity is only second to Dianabol. The main reason deca is so widespread is because of its synergistic capabilities and good balance between results and side effects.

Created for medical purposes in the mid 50’s by the pharmaceutical company Organon, and first made available in 1962, nandrolone decanoate was meant for the treatment of such conditions as osteoporosis in elderly women. However, just like most other steroids created for medical uses, deca durabolin found its place in the bodybuilding arena. There it quickly became the most popular stacking agent for Dianabol and many other steroids. The mildness of deca’s side effects, together with its relative efficiency, were very attractive to many athletes.

Deca Durabolin is a very special anabolic agent because it has many unique properties that other anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) don’t have. The few side effects it has can be alleviated, and even neutralized, when used with other testosterone containing steroids.

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Drug Testing

Deca Durabolin is an injectable form of nandrolone decanoate. As we can deduce from its name, nandrolone decanoate is an esterified version of nandrolone. What the decanoate ester gives to nandrolone is a very slow release rate into the system – up to three or four weeks. Nonetheless, according to one study, the strong release of nandrolone is observed for only one to two weeks. Yet again, this study did not take into consideration the accumulative effect this drug has when taken for several weeks in a row.

No matter how long deca’s active life is in precise numbers, it is a known fact that it stays in the body for a really long time after use, and when we say long – we mean it! There were cases when deca was detected in blood tests 18 (eighteen!) months after the last injection, making it a very unsafe drug in matters of drug testing.

Synergy

Nandrolone decanoate is a very special AAS. One of its most interesting properties is synergy with other steroids. Due to these synergistic properties, deca durabolin was, and still is, the favorite stacking steroid among bodybuilders.

Unlike testosterone based steroids that provide the body with Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) metabolites, nandrolone decanoate breaks down to dihydronandrolone, which has much weaker androgenic activity. When the weaker dihydronandrolone metabolites are present in the body, they replace the stronger DHT derivatives at the androgenic receptors. This causes serious side effects with natural testosterone production, such as erectile dysfunction (known among athletes as Deca-Dick) and suppressed libido.

As a result, deca seems to have less side effects when used in cycles with testosterone based steroids. It does this without increasing the prominence of testosterone’s own side effects. Apart from impairing endogenous testosterone production, nandrolone decanoate has moderate side effects when reasonable doses are used. Usually, when used together with testosterone, deca’s issues with sexual functions are neutralized. This means that a bodybuilder can take in a bigger amount of anabolics with less side effects. That’s what synergy is all about – making the sum of the two steroids more than the two steroids apart.

Head&Shoulders of Steroids: 2 in 1

Thanks to its nitrogen retaining property, one can be sure that the muscles gained with nandrolone decanoate are lean and hard, and its side effects’ mildness allows for relatively long cycles. This nitrogen retention not only helps to build lean muscle mass, but also enhances cardiovascular performance, which is a good addition to the strength increase experienced by athletes using deca.

Deca durabolin has a very low rate of estrogen conversion, which, according to some studies, is five times lower than that of testosterone. Therefore, estrogen related side effects are possible with nandrolone decanoate, but when injected in moderate amounts should not be very serious. However, when high doses of deca are used water retention can occur, and the mass gain will be more of a puffy kind. In such cases, one can make a choice – either leave the muscles as they are and let them have a somewhat puffier look or take such drugs as Aromasin to control water retention and have a leaner musculature.

Hence, it is possible to use deca both as a cutting steroid, and a bulking one. Everything will depend on the dosage used and measures taken to control estrogenic side effects.

Medical Use

According to several studies, deca durabolin can be very beneficial in a wide range of health issues. Nandrolone Decanoate can considerably increase bone mineral content, so it’s used in the treatment of osteoporosis in older women. Furthermore, joint problems can be relieved with the help of deca, partly due to water retention in the ligaments and partly due to additional collagen production. In these studies, subjects were given relatively low dosages of nandrolone decanoate. These were definitely lower than the average dose a bodybuilder needs to get full anabolic properties of deca.

Just like Anavar and Anadrol, deca has performed well in the treatment of HIV positive patients who suffered wasting syndrome. It helped patients gain bodyweight with doses as low as 100 milligrams (mg) every two weeks. In another study with HIV patients, long term use of nandrolone decanoate has not affected cholesterol levels, triglycerides, or insulin sensitivity. Moreover, it has reduced the levels of HDL cholesterol.

Post cycle therapy (PCT)

Although deca durabolin is a very safe steroid, a post cycle therapy (PCT) is an absolute must. However, there is one important thing to keep in mind when planning a good PCT for nandrolone decanoate. As we discussed beforehand, the decanoate ester makes this particular version of nandrolone a very long lasting steroid. Therefore, it will stay in the system for a while after cycle is stopped.

The secret of a good PCT for deca consists in continuing to take testosterone based steroids for about two weeks after ending the nandrolone cycle. The objective here is to keep the hormonal balance as steady as possible while nandrolone decanoate is being excreted by the body.

Regarding the ancillary drugs to use during the PCT, it is highly recommended to include, Aromasin, HCGenerate ES, Nolvadex and Clomid.

Cycles

It is of no surprise that deca durabolin is the second most popular injectable steroid in the world. It has been on the market for half a century, and it had time to gain loyal users. Many cycles using nandrolone decanoate have already become true classics in the bodybuilding community.

One cycle that particularly deserves special attention is the combination of nandrolone decanoate with dianabol. This is one of the oldest stacks and it has become so popular, that many athletes just don’t consider taking dianabol without deca. It is quite logical – who wouldn’t like to have more strength and bulk without additional side effects? Another popular stack is Winstrol with Deca, and even Winstrol-Deca-Dianabol.

Together with testosterone and dianabol, nandrolone decanoate is one of the oldest steroids commercially available. Since in those times there were really few anti-estrogens available, the use of deca durabolin alone was quite widespread as an alternative to the highly aromatising testosterone and dianabol. Hence, Deca had plenty of time to become an essential part of the steroid industry. In fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted that his favorite bulking cycle was deca durabolin and dianabol.

Counterfeits

When a product is as popular as deca durabolin, many fake copies will be manufactured and sold. Deca durabolin is one of the most counterfeited steroids. The fact that it is sold in so many countries makes its quality very variable. However, good knowledge of different trademarks and brands can save you a lot of money.

Side Effects

Although nandrolone decanoate has a very low level of estrogenic activity, it is a very prominent progestin. Since progesterone’s side effects are very similar to those of estrogen, such undesired symptoms as water retention, gynecomastia and acne can be an issue. Hence, it is important to take measures to control progesterone levels when injecting deca durabolin. A good way to do this is with aromatase inhibitors like aromasin.

Those prone to suffering gynecomastia should reconsider taking deca durabolin, and probably opt for a different steroid. If the final decision is to stick to the classics, the previously mentioned anti-progesterone drugs should be used as ancillary drugs during cycle.

Nevertheless, these progesterone side effects are very rare, and they usually take place when really high doses of nandrolone decanoate are used. What is not rare with deca durabolin, is the suppression of natural testosterone production. In one scientific study, subjects were administered with nandrolone decanoate. A single injection of just 100 milligrams (mgs) completely depressed the levels of natural testosterone. Although their testosterone levels recovered in about a month, the study gives an idea of how suppressive can deca be.

The conclusion here is simple, deca durabolin should always be taken with a testosterone based steroid if you want less side effects. Another precaution that may save you the trouble of side effects with nandrolone decanoate, is taking moderate dosages. Usually, side effects take place when abnormally high dosages of deca are used. Therefore, one should primarily focus on dealing with the side effects of the stacked steroids, like testosterone or dianabol. The same goes for the PCT, where special guidelines will help to avoid testosterone related side effects (depressed sexual drive, impotence, and erectile dysfunction).

Half Life

Deca durabolin’s half life is estimated at 6 to 8 days. However, it is important to remember that according to multiple studies, it stays in the body for approximately three to four weeks.

Originally, it was meant to be injected to the patients once every three weeks. Nevertheless, since its peak activity is observed for only about 4 days, athletes usually inject it once a week. This way, during the cycle, nandrolone decanoate accumulates in the system, which stabilizes blood levels.

Dosages and Use

The average weekly dose used by bodybuilders is anywhere between 200 and 800 mgs, and rarely does anybody inject more than that.

First of all, when stacked (and nandrolone decanoate should be stacked by default) deca’s dosage should not exceed that of testosterone or other steroids. Secondly, deca durabolin renders quite noticeable results at 200-800mgs. Injecting more than 800 mgs per week will give you more side effects than results.

Another rule many use to determine the ideal personal weekly dosage is taking 2 mgs of nandrolone decanoate per pound of bodyweight. In European terms, you should be taking around 4.5mgs per kilogram (kg) of bodyweight.

The final dosage will depend greatly on the objectives of the bodybuilder. If he is in a cutting phase, there is no need for great amounts of deca. On the other hand, deca durabolin can be successfully used at higher dosages as a bulking agent. In fact, this steroid is somewhat safe, so some athletes take up to 1200-1500 mgs weekly. Nevertheless, such an approach would need a lot of measures of precaution and experience because that much deca can cause serious side effects.

Since this steroid is so safe and mild on side effects, it allows for longer cycles to be ran. It is completely normal to run an 8-12 week cycle with deca. Some bodybuilders plan 16 weeks cycles, but in such cycle duration will drastically increase the probability of suffering some side effects (be it from deca, or other steroids).

Women

In spite of some women using deca durabolin (in dosages of 25-50 mg/week), it is not the best thing to do. Virilization symptoms often take place. Due to the long time it takes to excrete nandrolone decanoate from the body, it is hard to deal with it. What makes the virilization even worse with deca is that it is usually irreversible. Therefore, it is highly recommended for the female athletes to try some shorter acting versions of nandrolone and other safe steroids, such as Andriol and Anavar.

Conclusion

All in all, deca durabolin is a classic steroid that is a must have in stacks for many athletes, especially old school bodybuilders. It is a steroid with decent anabolic properties and it works well enough in combination with other AAS. Deca’s most special quality is that its major side effects get neutralized by other steroids used in conjunction with it, allowing for more anabolic agents to be used without any additional side effects.

Many studies have shown that this steroid has a very positive influence on lipid levels, bone mineral growth, immune system, and helps to alleviate joint problems. Therefore, deca durabolin can be a very beneficial steroid in many health aspects.

Those subject to drug testing should avoid using deca durabolin because it is a very stubborn steroid that can be detected months after the last injection. In some particular cases, even a year later traces of nandrolone decanoate can be found in the blood.

Even though deca durabolin is a fairly safe steroid, there are certain tricks of the trade that the user should be aware of. If the guidelines of cycling and PCT are not followed, the few side effects of nandrolone decanoate will become very prominent.