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Trenbolone Pros and Cons: What You Must know for Monster Muscle Gains

Trenbolone, often referred to as tren or fina, is probably the most potent injectable anabolic steroid to be found. Comparable to nandrolone in structure, bodybuilders, athletes and models love tren for its distinct advantages for rapidly burning off fat and packing on muscle fiber. But, what are the pros and cons of trenbolone and will it work for you?

Like many anabolic steroids, trenbolone was originally developed as a veterinary steroid, with its primary purpose being an increase in feed efficiency. In other words, less feed to achieve more muscle mass. Fina originally took the form of pellets, which were embedded beneath the hide of cattle to minimize weight loss during transport.

As a result of its effects, it was inevitable that tren would attract the attention of bodybuilders. As Wikipedia describes, early adopters ground the pellets and created injectable solutions. These intrepid early users saw impressive results, which fueled a rapid growth in the steroid's popularity.

Trenbolone may not be for everyone, but it seems to deliver the goods to many fitness enthusiasts. So what do you need to know, in order to decide if it's for you?

Comparison of trenbolone acetate and trenbolone enanthate

Like nandrolone, trenbolone is a 19-nor steroid, created by modifying a testosterone molecule at the 19th position. There are two types of trenbolone - trenbolone acetate, which is a short-chain ester; and trenbolone enanthate, a long-chain ester. The primary difference between the two is their half-life. There are also other differences, however, that are worth considering.

· Speed of results

Because trenbolone acetate (often referred to as tren A) is a short-chain ester, it peaks more quickly than the enanthate version. Its much shorter half-life allows tren A's effects to dissipate after 2 to 3 days. Trenbolone enanthate (tren E), however, as a long-chain ester, is slower to peak and can take up to 2 to 3 weeks to lose its effects. Because tren E is slower to begin showing results, more patience is also called for. Tren A is often used during the last couple of weeks of a tren E bulking cycle, as it eases the transition to the recovery phase.

· Tren cough

This cough is often experienced by those using tren A, when the injected solution finds its way into the bloodstream. It's normally of a short duration - 30-60 seconds - and is usually accompanied by a metallic taste in the mouth. The severity of the cough can vary from mild to severe, depending upon the individual and the amount of tren A that gets into the bloodstream. Tren E normally doesn't create this issue.

· Increased Hypertrophy

Trenbolone enanthate is somewhat superior to the acetate version for cutting purposes, but both greatly enhance the speed at which additional muscle mass is created.

· Pinning

Pinning (injecting) with tren A is usually either every other day or daily, whereas tren E may be 1-3 times per week, depending upon the stacking with other compounds.

· Harshness

Many trenbolone users say that tren A is harsher than tren E. Much of this opinion probably arises because tren cough is most often associated with the acetate version. However, the short ester nature of tren A means that it is active much faster, which can certainly be more of a shock to the system for new users. Also, mg for mg, trenbolone acetate is more potent, providing around 12% more active hormone than trenbolone enanthate.

· Gynecomastia

Because trenbolone is highly androgenic, the risks of gynecomastia are greatly reduced - to a level which can normally be controlled by appropriate stacking. This is one of the major advantages of trenbolone over testosterone.

What tren can do FOR you

Trenbolone is highly androgenic, up to five times more potent than testosterone, as far as muscle building is concerned. Unlike testosterone-enanthate, however, tren maintains highly androgenic characteristics, because it doesn't aromatize, so it won't convert to estrogen. (It does, nonetheless, behave like a progestin, so gynecomastia can still be a side effect, in the absence of appropriate countermeasures.)

It is extremely anabolic, allowing for larger and greater numbers of muscle fibers to be created, while minimizing water retention. For bodybuilders seeking the ripped look that turns judges' heads, this alone may be sufficient reason to consider trenbolone. The accelerated bulking process this steroid provides is one bonus, with almost no water retention being another.

Because of tren's ability to bond to the glucocorticoid receptor, it is widely used for rapid fat-burn and muscle mass build-up, and it's often combined with other compounds to achieve specific results and to mitigate side-effects. Many bodybuilders that have utilized a wide array of anabolic steroids consider tren to deliver the best results, even though it may carry harsh side effects.

What tren can do TO you

Like any steroid, trenbolone has undesirable side effects. These can be quite harsh with some individuals, to the point of being unsuitable for everyone. Like testosterone-enanthate, the beneficial effects increase with increased dosages... but so do the side effects. Tren's side effects can include:

Hair loss and acne normally occur only in those who are predisposed. If you're genetically destined to eventually go bald, tren can accelerate the process. Most of the rest of these side effects, however, can be avoided or controlled by a combination of stacking trenbolone with other compounds and careful monitoring.

Probably the most important insurance against liver or kidney damage when using trenbolone is to consume plenty of water - in the range of 1-1/2 to 2 gallons per day. Don't worry, you won't retain water while you're on a tren cycle.

What is a typical cycle?

The answer, of course, is: it depends. Your condition, your goals, your susceptibility to side effects... those and other factors all play into determining your own appropriate cycle. Here, however, are some common stacks and cycles:

For intermediate users:

Testosterone-enanthate 750mg per week, weeks 1-12
Trenbolone-enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-12
Winstrol 50mg ed (effective dosage) weeks, 8-14

Primobolan 600mg per week, weeks 1-10
Testosterone-propionate 200mg eod (every other day) weeks 1-12
Trenbolone-enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-10

For advanced users:

Primobolan 600mg per week, weeks 1-10
Trenbolone-enanthate 400mg per week, weeks 1-10
Testosterone-enanthate 1000mg per week, weeks 1-12
Trenbolone-enanthate 500-700mg per week, weeks 1-12
Anavar 80-100mg ed, weeks 1-14

For very advanced users/pre-contest:

Testosterone-propionate 100-200mg ed
Trenbolone-acetate 75-100mg ed
Masteron 400-600mg per week
Winstrol 50mg ed

Primobolan 600mg per week
Halotestin 10-20mg ed

Any new steroid regimen should always be approached gradually, so as not to subject yourself to extreme unforeseen effects. The above cycles should be considered as somewhat typical, but not as starting points. If you're trying trenbolone for the first time, you may want to try trenbolone acetate first, as it'll clear your system fastest, in the event of severe side effects.

Where to find trenbolone

Laws from country to country vary widely, from easily accessible over the counter in the UK to being illegal to use or possess for human use in the US. Canada doesn't prosecute possession for personal use, but conversion or trafficking (or possession of an amount that might indicate an intent to traffic) of trenbolone is a crime. And of course, there are other countries in which tren can be legally obtained and used.

With the Internet essentially erasing borders, however, there are many substances that can be acquired online, even in areas where they're prohibited. The risk always exists that the quality of the product being provided may be considerably lower than promised. And then there's the possibility of getting swept up in a DEA sting, if you're in the U.S.

In fact, in the U.S., even if you purchase veterinary fina (which is legal) to convert it to an injectable form yourself (which isn't), you'll find yourself breaking at least a couple of federal laws before you even load your first syringe.

Where to find advice

This is quite possibly the most difficult question to address. Although a great deal of information can be found online about trenbolone, you have to be very careful about what you accept as fact. Those who use tren will each have their own opinions and impressions and those are often only partially informed - or worse, mis-informed. Even the best intentions can be misguided.

On the other hand, there's a conspicuously low number of physicians that specialize in endocrinology that have made anabolic steroids their specialty of choice, and aren't decidedly negative about their use. The few such doctors that exist are often trying to sell their own products as alternatives. That can make an honest and impartial opinion difficult to find.

The most reliable path would be to educate yourself on the topic, but that's not practical for most. This leaves only the option of searching for a physician that is fully qualified in the field of steroids, is interested only in educating and helping and isn't peddling his own alternative.

In the process, absorb as much information as possible. Even erroneous impressions can raise relevant questions and you may be surprised how quickly you'll learn to see past hype and buzzwords and detect baseless arguments for or against different products and processes. Making informed decisions is always the best approach, especially before putting your fitness or your health at risk.

What are your thoughts? Here's a link to discuss Trenbolone: Dangerous in Wrong Hands, But also Highly Effective on the EliteFitness.com forums.

Author: George Spellwin