Benefits and Drawbacks of a Dianabol Cycle

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Probably one of the most commonly used anabolic steroids around is Dianabol (methandrostenolone), often referred to simply as d-bol. It's the most potent oral steroid and is the first anabolic with which many novice users begin their usage of steroids. When you're on d-bol, you'll build amazing amounts of muscle mass, but be careful, dianabol's side effects are nothing you dare to ignore.

Dianabol is very similar in its chemical structure to equipoise, except that  it has been altered to a 17aa (17 alpha alkylated) form, to make it ingestible. While the two anabolics share some common traits, there are some very important differences, beyond application method. One major advantage of d-bol is its extremely short half-life: a mere 3-5 hours. In fact, due to such a short half-life, it's normally recommended to take the daily dosage in several smaller dosages through the day, rather than once daily.

General Use

D-bol is a phenomenal mass-builder, although it's extremely estrogenic. For bulking cycles, it's the preferred anabolic for many athletes, as it results in a rapid buildup of lean muscle and greatly increased strength. It is not the right anabolic for cutting or shredding, however... there are much better ways to achieve that. Dianabol is a favorite with many for kickstarting a new cycle, as it shows very quick results, while the injectable anabolic is ramping up.

Dianabol Benefits

Dianabol has a number of benefits, among them:

• Increases protein synthesis - critical to meaningful muscle mass gains
• Increased glycogenolysis - this is another critical process in both building muscle mass and in freeing glucose for quick bursts of strength
• Enhanced metabolic activity - this allows the burning of more calories than are used, helping keep fat gain down during surplus caloric intake
• Limits fat buildup during surplus caloric intake - see the above
• Speeds recovery - like all anabolics, the rise in red blood cell count will aid in recovery, as will d-bol's short half-life
• Extremely short half-life - 3-5 hour half-life allows quick results and quick relief of side effects upon cessation
• Eliminates pinning - no needles... enough said
• Highly anabolic - the only way new muscle tissue is built
• Very inexpensive - comparatively speaking, d-bol is one of the least expensive anabolics to be found
• Promotes positive nitrogen balance - a positive nitrogen balance enables your system to retain extra protein for muscle formation
• Great kickstart for bulking cycle - this is where the short half-life shows up as a tremendous benefit

Dianabol Drawbacks

Like any anabolic steroid, however, d-bol also has side effects, some of which can be pronounced. Depending upon the individual's susceptibility, these can include:

• Very high aromatization
• Gynecomastia
• Erectile dysfunction
• Testicular atrophy
• Accelerated male pattern baldness
• Can increase blood pressure
• Can raise LDL/lower HDL cholesterol
• Highly toxic to liver
• Acne, oily skin, hair growth
• Natural testosterone suppression
• High water retention
• Possible mood swings/aggression
• Possible insomnia
• Mildly androgenic

Use Dianabol Wisely

As you can see, the potential side effects can be serious. Fortunately, however, as is the case with virtually any steroid, proper stacking and careful monitoring can greatly mitigate the risks of d-bol usage. Because of its high aromatization, it's often wise to stack dianabol with an aromatase inhibitor, with Arimidex or Letrozole being 2 popular choices. This is particularly true if using d-bol to kickstart a testosterone cycle, as it's also subject to high aromatization. As always, close monitoring is prudent, and having other compounds on hand, such as an anti-e, will allow you to quickly counteract any emerging signs of gynecomastia. It's important to remember that gains from d-bol are partly due to water retention. So when you begin your PCT, expect to lose a significant portion of your weight gain as you shed that excess water weight. Some users report their effective weight gains after losing water weight to be only 30-40% of the total weight they gained during their cycle.

Contraindications

As is the case with anabolics in general, those who already are predisposed to high blood pressure or cholesterol imbalance probably shouldn't be using d-bol. Similarly, anyone with a natural tendency toward male pattern baldness may see acceleration of the process (which won't reverse after cessation). Those who drink alcohol would also be well advised to cease or greatly reduce their alcohol consumption, to avoid further taxing their liver while using any oral anabolic steroid. Other side effects, such as gynecomastia, erectile dysfunction, acne, mood swings or insomnia are going to vary in severity, if they manifest at all, from one individual to another. The side effects that are most universally present are toxicity to the liver, conversion to estrogen, suppression of natural testosterone production and water retention. So monitor yourself closely and keep your d-bol cycles short. Because d-bol is somewhat androgenic, many women find it causes masculinization. Those that use it will normally take very low dosages, such as 5-10mg ED.

Speed of Results

This is where Dianabol gains so much popularity, in spite of its side effects. It's capable of delivering some of the fastest results to be found, which makes it ideal as a kickstarter for a new cycle. In addition, it's very short half-life means that if any serious side effects appear, cessation can have nearly immediate benefits.

Dosage

The ideal dosage for each individual depends upon a great many factors. Are you taking d-bol alone (not normally recommended), what is your current condition, what is your cycle history, what workout regimen are you following, what are your goals... the optimum dosage for you might cause intolerable side effects or very limited benefits for someone else. Most bodybuilders use dianabol to kickstart a cycle with another injectable anabolic, such as exogenous test-e, so they see the quick gains from the d-bol while the injectable is slower to show results. For many, 25-35mg ED of d-bol is a good working level, although some will push it to 50-60mg ED. Because dianabol's half-life is 3-5 hours, the dosage should be broken up into 4-5 portions throughout the day, in order to stabilize the effects. Taking the entire daily dosage at once will simply subject your system to a hormonal roller-coaster, possibly delivering poorer results. Most d-bol veterans agree that at around 60-70mg ED, benefits tend to plateau and the side effects can increase dramatically. The duration of a d-bol cycle is generally best kept short... less than 8 weeks as a maximum, around 4 weeks being a commonly accepted safe duration. Again, this can vary quite a lot from person to person, so monitoring is critical.

Post Cycle Therapy

PCT for dianabol cycles will largely depend upon what other agents were included in your d-bol cycle. If you were using a long chain ester in conjunction with d-bol, you might consider a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), such as Clomid or Nolvadex and an HCG (which will typically precede your SERM). Pyramiding and bridging, normally implemented by advanced users, require more careful structuring. A typical bridging PCT might include very low dosages of Nolvadex and dianabol between cycles.

Summary

It should go without saying that everyone responds differently, so your dosages, stacking and cycle duration should be tailored specifically for you. Just because your gym buddy had fantastic results with a  75mg ED d-bol-only cycle doesn't mean it can't be disastrous for you. If you decide to give dianabol a try, use caution and monitor yourself closely. It can be very effective, if used wisely.

What are your thoughts? Here's a link to 25 Benefits and Drawbacks of Dianabol on the EliteFitness.com forums.

Author: George Spellwin