1. What is it and where does it come from?
DHEA is an acronym for the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (now you know why people use the acronym.)
It is the most plentiful androgenic hormone produced by the adrenal glands and it is quite important to body builders and athletes because in men, around 50% of all testosterone is derived from it, while women derive over 75% of their estrogen from it and nearly 100% after menopause. Levels of DHEA are quite high at birth, drop during childhood, and peak during young adulthood. The levels continue to drop throughout life. This hormone is available synthetically as a nutritional supplement from Bodybuilding.com.
2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?
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DHEA is HOT, and you will see why. As a pre-cursor hormone, as it leads to the production of other hormones. When this compound is supplemented, it has been shown to have awesome effects. It has been shown to help people lose weight, burn fat and build muscle. Dietary supplements of DHEA can help maintain proper levels in the body and can aid a person in their overall well being.
Is there enough that can be said about DHEA? Apparently not. It may also have positive effects on controlling immunity and regulating blood sugar levels. Research also shows that in limited trials, may help to increase lean muscle mass and elevate function of the immune system.
Learn more about the benefits of DHEA on Clayton South's Health Facts.
3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?
Because DHEA levels decrease with age, people above middle age can have incredible results as the studies above have shown. Body builders or athletes can have some of the greatest beneficial results. They can use it to help build strong muscles and lower body fat. It is also said to help keep the brain clear and the skin smooth as well!
4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?
When used in the correct dosages, DHEA is great. But, with any kind or hormone or compound, when used incorrectly it can cause problems. The exact right dosage may vary with each individual, so consulting a physician is probably a good idea. Women and men over age 60 are commonly prescribed 50mg and 100mg. Obviously since younger people produce more DHEA naturally, they should take less. Pregnant or nursing women should not take it.
1,4-Andro Info And Products
Great Prohormone For Building Muscle
1,4-andro (1,4-androstadienediol)
or (1,4-androstadienedione)
Target Hormone: Boldenone (1-dihydrotestosterone)
Molecular name of target hormone: 1,4-androstadiene-3-one,17b-ol
Target conversion: moderate to high, estimated just over 10 %
Conversion enzyme: 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD)
DHT conversion: some conversion
Estrogenic effects: aromatisation of the prohormone
Prohormones Banned Jan. 20th, 2005
On January 20th, 2005 the US Federal Gorvenment's ban on prohormones took effect. Don't worry though, we have numerous other products that work just as well. Find out more about these alternatives.
Definitely more promising than the 5-AA. I found it has great resemblance to the 1AD in the fact that it has no estrogen aromatisation possibility, assures almost all gains as dry weight and the double bond at the one position which ensures greater oral activity without extra liver toxicity. However, Not here, nor on the 5AA by the way, was there any kind of study attached showing the efficacy of either product. It is touted as a precursor to boldenone, another popular steroid and pre-contest hardening agent. In this case there is more truth in it. Only that boldenone has a hydrogen and oxygen bonded and the 1,4-andro has a double bonded oxygen atom. Boldenone becomes methandrostenolone in its methylated form, also known as Dianabol, possibly the most popular oral steroid in the world, ever.
If this was a diol version this could without a doubt surpass any prohormone ever created, including 1AD. But it's a dione version with inherent flaws. I'm also not convinced a diol version will ever come out. [Editor's Note: A diol version is now available. AndroPoise by SciFit contains 100mg.] Unlike 1AD which was created in a lab as a dione, then perfected to a diol, 1,4-andro isn't made by human hands but extracted from the feces of a cow. Cows are treated with progesterone for various reasons, and under that circumstance they produce this in their bowels it seems1. This is the result of that isolation. It's also the topic of a hot debate of whether or not this is legal. In any case, 1,4-andro can be considered the non-5-alpha reduced version of 1AD and a potent anabolic precursor. However, it definitely leaves a lot of stacking options. Because of the 1-double bond it has a high oral efficacy, meaning low doses can exert an effect. So in a stack with another prohormone it may be able to rival the effect of a mild steroid, but again you'd have to be able to make it cost-effective for it to rival 1AD.
One thing I particularly like about 1,4-andro is that despite the fact that it can stimulate the androgen receptors and aromatize, it does both in such a small amount that side-effects are nearly non-existant. Combined with high oral efficacy it can easily match Nor-diol, perhaps even beat it, in the safety department. It can also be a handy supplement for endurance athletes since it stimulates Erythropoesis, the manufacture of red blood cells in the bone marrow and releasing them in large quantities in the blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen and this increases the capacity for strenuous and continual activity with a lessened risk of cramps or musclular failure. This is also the result of the hormone EPO (erythropoetin). Boldenone acts by increasing EPO release from the kidneys. Much like doing a height-stage. EPO is also a heavily abused drug amongst runners and cyclists. Another potent effect it may have is that despite slightly aromatizing itself, it may act as aromatase inhibitor for other products in several forms. One study showed this to be true for 1,4-androstadienedione2 whereas another shows the same for several metabolites3. That makes 1,4-andro perfect for limiting estrogenic side-effects in a bulking stack as well.
In my opinion this shows a lot of promise, but I'd like to see something as far as a head to head study goes. However, if 1,4-andro tickles your fancy, again ordering from Impact Nutrition, who has the patent, is and will remain an expensive affair.
This is just a little bonus addition. I don't have enough data on this yet to make an accurate assumption, so most of what I'm saying here is based on product info, information obtained from Patrick Arnold, who made the stuff, and independent research. As for concrete information, I'm looking to test the product thoroughly near the end of summer and will keep meticulous records of my progress, including gains in size and strength, my diet at the time and any possible side effects I may encounter. Click here for more info on this study...
1-AD is an oral only compound that converts to a different target hormone altogether, namely 1-testosterone. Early data� suggests that 1-testosterone is 700% more anabolic than testosterone. How that translates in real world terms is yet to be determined. From the testimonials (they are limited) I've read the gains are slightly better than those of Nor-diol, so that would be a significant improvement, though not quite as high as the percentage might suggest. There was an initial dione version, but I believe that has been pulled and all 1AD currently available is diol. Again that means no estrogenic conversion prior, but none post-conversion either because 1-test doesn't aromatize. It's a derivative of the androgenic compound DHT, meaning that it has already undergone 5-alpha-reductase and cannot under any circumstances form estrogen.
The androgenicity is still very much an issue. It can convert to DHT via a different pathway (I should say convert back) but it's not known to what extent or what effects it has. So far no one has reported any serious side effects in this nature, but neither has there been any rigorous large-scale testing. The jury is still out on what this means to people who are at risk for things like prostate enlargement and hair loss. Since it is extremely androgenic in other ways as well, this is one aspect that will need further digging to get to the bottom of. I fear this may be the weakness of 1AD.
Oral activity is a great plus. To date orals are the only form that allow serious stacking and proper use of prohormones (more on that later). On the downside a lot of it doesn't survive the liver which makes us toss away a large amount of money spent on prohormones, because the yield is rather low. 1AD may have solved that problem. In steroids people make things 17-alkalated to survive the liver, but in return this increases liver toxicity severely. But a double bond in the one position (hence the name 1-testosterone) ensures a greater amount surviving without the risk of liver toxicity. Chemically you can liken it to the steroid primobolan, which is the same structurally except for an extra methyl-group but also has the double bond in the one position. It functions much in the same way. Making this perhaps the most potent oral prohormone to date. I would estimate oral activity to be in the neighborhood of 30%. That means even relatively small doses can exert decent effects, which will no doubt make up for its preposterous price.
In effects 1-test has been likened more often to Halotestin and trenbolone than Primobolan, qualitatively speaking. I did some research on this and this would mean that most of the gains are lean mass (not huge mass increases, then losing most) making it great to use even when cutting (though obviously the gains will be a lot smaller) and that the amount of water and fat weight is significantly reduced because there is no estrogen effect whatsoever. So blowing up like a balloon is out of the question, which isn't so visually satisfying, but it gets you harder and the gains are for real. That has to count for something. Halotestin is 17-alkalated by the way, so if you go researching don't be frightened by the enormous liver toxicity of Halostestin as I was, since 1AD is not 17-alkalated.
Since info on 1-testosterone is fairly scarce and hard to find, I did some more research on trenbolone in the specific steroid milieu (several websites, a few experienced users and a special shout-out to La Fetarde of our very own steroid boards for the info) and found that the common belief is that it is best stacked with a non-androgen for best results. Meaning that if you were thinking of stacking this, moderate doses (standard 300 to 600 mg) would be best used with Nor-diol, but if you were thinking of doing a serious stack (expensive, 900-1200 mg), you may want to consider 19Nor instead so there is no competition for enzymes.
There has been some talk of using 1AD as a pre-contest hardener as even users who were dieting and experienced very little gains boasted some impressive physiques nonetheless.
The major downsides to 1AD: physiologically the only side-effect reported so far is a loss of libido, to which Patrick Arnold himself replied that it may best be stacked with 4-diol if this worries you (or you have an insatiable girlfriend like me). And some of the testimonials said something about a distended belly, though it went away. Other than that, the only major setback is once again the cost. This stuff is even more expensive than Nor-diol (here at Bodybuilding.com the prices for both products from Ergopharm per 10.000 mg are $44.36 bucks for Nor-diol and $74.96 for 1AD), which will no doubt scare a lot of people off. And since the patent is owned by LPJ, it's unlikely that competition will lower the price as with creatine. So there probably will not be any reduction in price in the near future.
1-Testosterone is a revolution in itself for the supplement industry, and with it we have entered the final leg to making supplements equally effective to steroids. Let's not kid ourselves here, some may wish to deny it, but 1-Test is an actual steroid. It's legal under the same act as prohormones, that indicates a steroidal nutrient can be sold legally if it is A) naturally occurring and B) not previously been pursued as a pharmaceutical.
The story started with the constant improvements in the area of prohormones, a weak form of steroids that needed to convert to an active form by way of (limited) bodily enzymes to an active
substance such as nandrolone, testosterone, boldenone or DHT. All of them are very effective, but illegal hormones. Patrick Arnold, owner of Ergopharm and no doubt one of the prime movers in the prohormone industry, introduced a new prohormone some time back which he called 1AD. The active substance it converted to was a hormone most had never heard about, and he called it 1-testosterone. An aptly chosen name, since its basically similar to testosterone except instead of a 4,5-double bond, it has a 1,2-double bond. But the name has caused some confusion and perhaps kept a few people from seeing what the substance really was.
The absence of a 4,5-double bond and its replacement with 2 hydrogen atoms is something that occurs naturally in the body by way of an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. This is the same enzyme that makes DHT (Dihydro-testosterone) from testosterone. The resulting hormone is in all cases incapable of forming estrogen, allowing it to give a user smaller but much leaner gains, and add a look of hardness to the muscle for people with a relatively low body-fat. In most cases (nandrolone to dihydronandrolone being the exception) the new hormone is more androgenic. To sum up, it has reduced estrogenic and increased androgenic activity. This allows for increases in strength and aggression, reduction of body-fat, and a leaner look to the physique. If we replace the dihydro structure with a 4,5-double bond, then we would see that 1-testosterone is in fact a 5-alpha-reduced version of the hormone boldenone, a testosterone analog with an added 1,2-double bond that is characterized as being much milder than testosterone, both estrogenically and androgenically. Which would make 1-testosterone a non-aromatizing hormone, that is androgenically milder than DHT (less aggressive on hair loss and acne), but due to its altered structure is also much more active than DHT, which is readily deactivated. So Dihydro-boldenone would have been, at least from a structural viewpoint, a much better description.
In explaining what it does or how it works, some misconception has found its way into the reasoning. Again Patrick Arnold, who first likened its action to that of the steroid trenbolone (19-Nor-androsta-4,9,11-trien-3-one) lay at the base of these misconceptions. It lead most to believe we were dealing with an entirely new steroid. Fact of the matter is that 1-testosterone has been studied to a great extent and that perhaps the choice not to use it medically, at least in its original form, had other reasons. Such as for example its irritative properties. But 1-testosterone was most definitely used, albeit with one alteration : the attachment of a 1-methyl group. This alteration made it, according to the powers that be, an entirely different drug. But really this alteration has only one major impact : making it orally active. The drug in question is methenolone (primobolan). So one could, at least in terms of action, consider 1-testosterone a weak form of primobolan. Due to its lack of oral activity it is only delivered in the blood at around 14% as opposed to the much higher percentage obtained with a 1-methylation. If you know that primobolan is generally taken in 100-150 mg doses daily, then it won't surprise you that oral doses of 1-test are in the neighbourhood of at least 300 mg and probably should be higher.
So reasonably what one can expect from the use of 1-testosterone is moderate to good gains, which can probably be enhanced with the addition of an aromatizing prohormone. Usually the product will impart a harder, denser, perhaps even leaner physique on its user while never disappointing the gains it provides. Since, at least legally, it's the most potent thing for muscle growth apart from food. The user should be aware however that this is a steroid, which can never be used for more than 6-8 weeks on end, without an equally long or longer period off, because it will suppress natural testosterone secretion in the body. It's also advised that you have a good grasp of nutrition prior to using any product of this kind. This is not only imperative in achieving the maximum in terms of size, but also in keeping that size during the post-cycle period of depressed natural testosterone levels.
For all intents and purposes, 1-testosterone is a breakthrough in legal supplementation, a gateway to a new era. And already the work has progressed at an amazing pace to make 1-test as available as its analog, primobolan, in order to create a genuine legal steroid with the potency of an illegal steroid. Higher Power, Avant Labs, and Molecular Nutrition are three companies that have already made drastic steps towards achieving that. This is the supplement of the future!
Store >> Ingredients >> 4-Androstenediol
4-Androstenediol Info And Products
Most Popular Prohormone Muscle Builder?
1. What is it and where does it come from?
4-androstenediol (4-AD) is an anabolic testosterone precursor much like androstenedione and cousin 5-Androstenediol. The main benefits it has over regular andro are: Three times the effectiveness, no conversion to estrodiol or DHT, and it's more anabolic. Those key differences are making 4-AD the new standard in testosterone boosting, anabolic prohormones. So how does it work? Basically, an enzyme in the liver (17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) converts it to testosterone, meaning that it's basically one step away. Its technical name is 4-androstene-3-beta,17-beta-diol. High quality 4-androstenediol is available from Bodybuilding.com.
Prohormones Banned Jan. 20th, 2005
On January 20th, 2005 the US Federal Gorvenment's ban on prohormones took effect. Don't worry though, we have numerous other products that work just as well. Find out more about these alternatives.
2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?
Boosting testosterone levels is the key goal here. Your testosterone level is a significant factor in gaining lean muscle mass and increasing strength and size. 4-Androstenediol works to crank up the juice running through your veins and sustain elevated levels of testosterone for 2 hours. It's meant to be taken about one-half hour before weightlifting or strength-training. In this way, 4-androstenediol has the ability to cause a greater muscle growth faster, increasing strength, size and lean muscle mass at a greater rate during the workout period. Testosterone levels are also relevent in increasing muscle recovery times, healing muscle, and increasing the state of muscle hypertrophy while decreasing the rate of muscle atrophy. Testosterone also increases the oxygen-carrying capability owing to greater red blood cell volume.
Now, this might hurt just a bit. Imagine androstenedione, the andro favorite, working three times better. Ouch! Not only do studies show that 4-AD converts to testosterone at a rate of 15.76% compared to 5.61%, but WITHOUT aromitizing into estrogen and DHT! NOW that would be cool! ...I'd go as far as to say that 4-AD is the greatest testosterone booster that is readily available at this time.
A highly effective, highly recommended stack containing 4-AD is available to help you naturally boost your testosterone levels! This stack will literally get your body to naturally increase your T levels from the average 500nl/dl to a whopping 1040nl/dl...BEFORE you even add the 4-AD! To top it off, the 4-AD adds the true testosterone, strength increasing surge at the end to bring your level up another 300 ng/dl to 1340 ng/dl
3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?
All bodybuilders, muscle men, and weight trainers who would like to improve the efficiency of their bodies can benefit from supplementation of 4-androstenediol. Caution: HUGE gains, BIG bodies, and ULTIMATE power may result! The symptoms generally associated with a deficiency do not apply to 4-androstenediol because it is not an essential nutrient.
4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?
Recommended doses of 4-androstenediol are between 100 mg and 600 mg per day. New research has shown that higher doses of 4-Diol increases testosterone much more than previously thought! This is exciting because people who haven't seen results using 100mg can now try the new higher doses and almost be assured of awesome results! Because of its androgenic properties, it is not a recommended supplement for women.
Good or bad? Well, as far as DHT is concerned, both. DHT is in effect up to 300 percent more anabolic as testosterone so you know it's not bad stuff. Hardcore users that love the lean hard look will prefer DHT and DHT metabolites over more estrogenic specimen. The downside is that it's possibly the most androgenic compound around. Many prohormones are risky androgen wise because they cause side effects related to the manufacture of DHT. This is DHT. Storing readily in the scalp and active for up to 3 hours easily it's a great way for losing your hair and growing a prostate like a cabbage. Not to mention so many zits you can play connect-the-dots in the mirror. However, as with illegal DHT drugs, using it is a calculated risk and some may actually wish to take that risk. However head to head, 1AD compares favorably, outclassing it by over 200 percent. (This is still based on data, in real world terms no studies have been conducted head to head). DHT is also currently undetectable by most drug tests.
So do you want to take the risk? You might at this point, but probably not so after reading the next part. How does one make 5-AA? By the hydrogenation of the 5-diol prohormone according to my source. That makes this a very inexpensive product to make, though this is obviously not reflected in the price. 5-AA is sold at a very high price. Now looking at the physiology of this, we'll not that the double bond, as with 5-diol. The exact pathway used to make DHT here is not entirely understood or even documented. All that is known is that it converts to DHT. But with the data we have here and low oral efficacy, we'd have to state that for accurate conversion you would have to take doses higher than of most prohormones (upward of 1 gram) which consequently raises the cost (its expensive and its sold in 50 mg tabs, bottle of 60) and the risk of side-effects (low anabolic but very high androgenic) So in my opinion, someone is either taking us for a ride here and doesn't know what he is doing, or someone is taking our health for a ride, consciously. I'll opt for the latter since the inventor Bill Llewellyn is the author of a hefty book on anabolic steroids.
So is there a real use for this product? By itself you'd need to take 500-600 mg easily to get any real anabolic effect, and at that point the risk far outweighs the possible benefits. But in a stack 5AA has several benefits that make it a regular darling for those of you who love to stack. First of all, not only does it have absolutely no estrogenic conversion, 5AA is also a great aromatase inhibitor, meaning it can actually block other compounds you are stacking it with from forming estrogen through aromatisation. That's a plus because it drastically improves the quality of your gains even though in terms of quantity it can't do that much. It would also allow you to use other prohormones closer to contest time as there is not so much water retention. The greatest benefit of 5AA however lies in the fact that it can free a small part of bound testosterone in the blood from its protein carrier. That would increase the amount of free testosterone you would yield from andro and 4AD and increase protein synthesis in that way. In stacks using 200-300 mg is advised for most effect and it's best taken over two to three doses spread throughout the day.
If you wanted to check the actual conversion of the hormone with the recommended dose, there is a very easy way of knowing. Just take them. Since DHT is the prime androgenic factor in the body, every androgen-sensitive part of your body should notice the change (more body-hair, less scalp hair, higher sperm count, prostate enlargment, deepening of voice and in women clitoral enlargement too). You'll find that the recommended dose is 150 mg a day and at this dose it does, well, nothing really. More than one study documents its low efficacy however. DHT was shown to be 35 times less active than testosterone¹, 5AA was shown to be 4 times less active than androstenedione² and in castrated rats, tested on a specific organ, it was shown to be 20 times less effective than testosterone³. With those numbers and the high side effect risk, I'm not exactly itching to try it, nor do I recommend it. I think the patent is secured by Llewellyn, so don't expect a price-drop from his side either.
So I most certainly do not advise the use of this to anyone. It can have its uses as a hardening agent for the competition bound athlete. I don't know what the detection is for 5-AA, but you'll find DHT is virtually non-detectable, which is why it's a favorite among competitors. Its capacities make it useful, but only in stacks and in moderate doses (200-300 mg). By itself it's too much of a risk in my book.
Stacking and Amounts
All this information is relative to how old and experienced you are and how succeptible to the product in question, so obviously I won't be able to list all the possibilities where stacks and amounts of products are concerned. But hopefully you learned a lot from the previous paragraphs and combined with what I'm about to present that should enable you to make informed choices towards stacking. So I've decided to list some sample stacks with motivations where amounts and product choices are concerned.
Stack #1 - Economic beginner cycle for moderate gains.
Week 1 through 8, use 250 mg of 19Nor after breakfast and again after dinner and take 500 mg of 4-diol 45-30 minutes prior to workout or 250 mg after lunch on non-workout days.
The motivation here is to use two compounds that use different target hormones (testosterone and nandrolone) to get that double benefit, while avoiding the pitfall of stacking two products that would use the same conversion enzyme. Meaning if you were to drive up the amounts they would not compete with each other.
It's an example of an iso-stack, meaning the amounts remain the same throughout the duration of the stack. This is the most common the best way to assess the efficacy of a product and see what effect it has on you. This is advisable on a first cycle to determine what is causing which effect, allowing you to make a more informed decision the next time in terms of efficacy and safety. These are the amounts and products I usually recommend to beginners looking for a first decent stack. Both products can be obtained from plenty of high quality sources and shouldn't run you too much money, making this a strong but economic stack and an excellent choice for most beginners.
Notice that I split the two doses of Nor up, since they last longer at the receptor which means you keep a constant level of nandrolone throughout the day. For constant levels of 4-diol you'd need 4-5 doses, so instead we opted to use it as a pre-workout supplement to boost aggresivity in the gym and help recuperation and protein resynthesis afterwards. In the mean time you are getting the best of both worlds. This stack should yield decent results.
Stack #2 - Cycle for good gains.
Week 1-2 take 750 mg of 4-diol and 250 mg of Nor-diol
Week 3-5 take 500 mg of 4-diol and 500 mg of Nor-diol
Week 6-7 take 250 mg of 4-diol and 750 mg of Nor-diol
Split stack up in two doses, take one after breakfast, the other 45-30 mins before a workout in weeks 1-2, 60 mins before in weeks 3-5 and 90 mins before workout weeks 6-7.
My product choice is based on anabolic properties. I selected the two best compounds. They are both using the same conversion enzyme and could compete at an increase of dosage. So I used a teeter-stack where one product decreases in favor of the other, thereby keeping the overall amount the same from week to week. But I also manage to bring endogenous testosterone down, allowing the body to feel the decrease without dropping hormone levels. When coming off a stack this will illicit a greater response in getting natural test back on track without compromising the amount of gains made. I had a practical problem in that the 4-diol peaks after 30-45 minutes and the Nor-diol after 90 minutes, so the pre-workout administration had to move along with it, shifting it back as the Nor-diol compounds became more prevalent in the stack. Keep in mind that both compounds are fairly suppressive of HPTA, so that using
ZMA coming off a cycle is advised here.
Stack #3 - Bulking cycle for nandrolone.
Weeks 1-3 take 900 mg of Nor-diol and 250 mg of 5-diol
Weeks 4-6 take 600 mg of Nor-diol and 250 mg of 5-diol
Weeks 7-9 take 300 mg of Nor-diol and 250 mg of 5-diol
Take half of Nors after breakfast and half after dinner, take 5-diol 30-45 minutes prior to workout or after lunch on non-workout days.
A classic ski-slope pattern. The dosage of the most anabolic compound decreases and so does the overall dose. This will in turn slowly signal the return of natural testosterone as the cycle furthers, which has the benefit of building more lasting and durable lean mass gains, because you'll have a chance to get natural levels high enough to maintain the accrued mass. The selection of products is perhaps my second most recommended stack. In a diol/diol stack nothing beats 5-diol, because though only moderately effective in conversion, prior to it it has the capability of upgrading receptors ensuring a greater conversion from the Nor-diol, enhancing its effects. The downside to a ski-slope is that mass accrual near the end of the stack is compromised in an attempt to maintain earlier gains.
Stack #4 - Advanced stack.
Weeks 1-2 take 300 mg Nor-diol with 300 mg 19Nor and 600 mg of 4-diol
Weeks 3-4 take 300 mg Nor-diol with 600 mg 19Nor and ZMA
Weeks 5-6 take 300 mg Nor-diol with 300 mg 19Nor and 600 mg of 4-diol
Weeks 7-8 take 600 mg Nor-diol with 300 mg 19Nor and ZMA
Weeks 9-10 take ZMA
Split totals up over 3 equally spread doses during the day. Recalibrate for each two weeks and take ZMA as directed, on an empty stomach half an hour before bedtime, with no calcium.
This is an example of a gap-stack, where one product is discontinued for a time and replaced with a natural booster to allow natural levels to be maintained to a point, thereby limiting the test crash and assuring faster recovery after the stack is over. This is a fairly high (1200 mg) and diverse (three products) stack that I would mostly recommend to experienced lifters and people who know what they are doing. This is not a stack for beginners. The three-a-day dosing promotes sustained delivery, nandrolone influx is covered, because even if the 4-diol takes up most of the 3-beta enzymes, some conversion through 19Nor happens via the 17-beta enzyme. This allows for constant flow of both target hormones. Note that the use of Nor-products should either decrease at the end or be followed with a natural test booster, because they are more likely to disrupt the HPTA, causing test crashes after a cycle.
Stack #5 (1AD and Nor-diol, 4-AD)
This is a hypothetical stack based on what I know of 1AD. Like I said, I'm trying it at the end of summer and will report back with detailed results, the good and the bad and the terrifyingly ugly (let's hope there is none of that) on just how useful 1AD really is. Here are two variations of a stack:
Week 1-6 600 mg of 1AD and 600 mg of 4AD
Take in 3 evenly spread doses of 200 mg of each product throughout the day.
This is a dose that allows you to see decent benefits off of 1AD without putting you straight in the poor house. In this instance it's a 6-week iso-stack, using 4AD as the counterpart. Because of the moderate dose and the daily spread you can get a lot out of the 4AD too. This is a very androgenic stack and should under no circumstances be taken by women. The 4AD makes a good partner for 1AD because it enhances the androgenic effect and it repairs a loss of libido that may come with the use of 1AD. Not to mention that these are possibly two of the most anabolic legal substances available today.
Week 1-2 900 mg of 1AD with 300 mg of Nor-diol
Week 3-4 600 mg of 1AD with 600 mg of Nor-diol
Week 5-6 600 mg of 1AD with 300 mg of Nor-diol
Take half the Nor-diol after breakfast and half after dinner, take 1AD spread over 3 even daily doses.
This is a tad more expensive. Ok, a lot more expensive. But this epitomizes a great stack. It's commonly believed that drugs with the effect of 1AD should be stacked with a non-androgen. And the most potent non-androgen is Nor-diol. It's a bit of a combination between a ski-slope and a teeter stack that should give great results for the small amount of time you are on it.
Normally I would recommend the use of 19Nor so there is no over saturation of the 3-beta enzyme that could compromise the conversion of the 1AD. But with the cost of 1AD I sincerely doubt that anyone can afford to take enough (or would want to) to saturate the enzymes.
Stack #6 - Precontest cycle.
Week 1-3 600 mg of Nor-diol and 300 mg of 1,4-andro
Week 4-6 600 mg of 5AA and 300 mg of 1,4-andro
Week 7-9 600 mg of 1AD and 300 mg of 5AA
Split does into three even doses (200-100 mg) and take at even intervals throughout the day.
This is a fairly long stack tailored specifically towards the needs of the cutting bodybuilder. In weeks 1-3 we are looking to boldenone and nandrolone to provide maximal protein synthesis through nitrogen retention and still avoiding too much water retention, though obviously you will get a certain amount of it here. By making the majority of the stack 5AA we avoid the formation of estrogen, as this does not aromatize and may prevent aromatisation of the other compound, which isn't particularly estrogenic by itself anyway. The 5AA is also great at hardening up muscle mass while preserving it on a low-cal diet and the boldenone off 1,4-andro is capable of maintaining nitrogen retention, stimulating endurance and giving enough anabolic effect without interfering with androgens and estrogens. In the final three weeks we exclude all chance of estrogenic water retention by using two DHT derivatives structurally incapable of aromatizing. Both compounds have the ability to harden up muscle mass, 5AA limits the amount of endogenous estrogens and prevents water retention from occurring while the 1AD can still stimulate minimal gains or at the very least
retain existing gains from catabolism as the time of your show creeps up.
This stack is extremely useful if the goal is to grow and keep muscle mass on a low calorie diet with the aim of coming in absolutely dry and rock hard at the end of the stack for things like shows, guest posings or photo shoots when having definition, density and a visible six-pack are extremely important. Notice however that the androgenicity of this stack dramatically increases towards the end, meaning strength increases, but so do the risk of acne and hair loss, two things you'll want to avoid. Hair loss is only a problem in 30% of men, but acne is pretty common and needs to be treated for these events which require some level of aestheticism. Keep that in mind.
Stack #7 - The Safety stack.
Week 1-6 300-600 mg of Nor-diol and 300 mg of 1,4-andro
Split in two doses of 150-300 mg Nor-diol and 3 doses of 100 mg of 1,4 andro. Take 150-300 mg of Nor-diol and 100 mg of 1,4-andro after breakfast, take 150-300 mg of Nor-diol 8 hours later. Consume 100 mg of 1,4-andro after lunch and dinner as well.
One of the questions I most often get is, "What is the safest prohormone I can take?". I hope the paragraph above the stacking part explains that there is no one safest prohormone and that excluding certain side-effect usually means stimulating others. I also think that if you aren't willing to take the risk you shouldn't bother with prohormones, but nonetheless I took the time to set up what I believe is the safest stack. Both Nor-diol and 1,4-andro have low amounts of serious side-effects. Boldenone and nandrolone are both low in androgenic stimulation and don't interact well with the 5AR enzyme which means they are not a high risk for hair loss, prostate hypertrophy or acne. Boldenone does not aromatize, and nandrolone does so at a very low rate. On top of that there is proof that 1,4-andro acts as an aromatase inhibitor which would further reduce the chances of forming estrogen. So this really is as low as it gets where androgens and estrogens are concerned. The gains off of this should be decent, but don't expect an increase in strength or muscle hardness like you'd get off an androgenic prohormone. The downside is that this is a very suppressive stack where natural testosterone is concerned, so the use of ZMA after the cycle may be warranted here or it will be hard to maintain gains and this may result in a bit of depression and some loss of libido during, but especially after a stack.
Stack #8 - The disregard of all safety massive bulking stack.
Weeks 1-4 500 mg of 4-diol, 500 mg of Nor-diol and 300 mg of 5-diol
Weeks 5-8 750 mg of 4-diol, 250 mg of Nor-diol and 300 mg of 5-diol
During weeks 1-4 take 250 mg of Nor-diol and 150 mg of 5-diol after breakfast, 250 mg of 4-diol and 150 mg of 5-diol after lunch and 250 mg of 4-diol with 250 mg of Nor-diol after dinner.
This stack is for the big gains, but they won't be pretty. A large part of the effect of this stack is based on estrogenic action. I've never see a prohormone cause gyno, but if any stack can do it it would be this one. With the potent combination of testosterone and nandrolone spread throughout the day you create an anabolic setting but also the two hormones most likely to aromatize. Adding 5-diol in the stack will agonize the estrogens with the result being massive bulk weight in water and adipose storage. Over the entire 8 weeks that will give you a great increase in size but it will also gravely smooth you out. I don't recommend this stack to novices or to anyone who is succeptible to estrogenic side-effects. Be sure you know what you are doing before you attempt this and consider the use of DIM if you do decide to throw caution to the wind and try this.
Stack #9 - The best one yet...
Week 1-2: 3 caps of Higher Power Megabol-X
Week 3-6: 3 caps of Megabol-X and 2 doses of Higher Power Anabol-X
Week 7: 3 caps of Megabol-X
Week 8: 3 caps of Megabol-X and 3 caps of Higher Power ZMA Nighttime Formula
Week9-10: 3 caps of ZMA Nighttime formula
Take 1 cap of Megabol-X at three even intervals (say breakfast, lunch and dinner) throughout the day for 8 weeks. During weeks 3-6 use one dose (300 mg) of the Anabol-X spray every 12 hours. When you get to the last week add in 3 caps of ZMA on an empty stomach half an hour before bed, no calcium and continue this for 2-3 weeks after.
This stack is available at a discount through Bodybuilding.com near the bottom of this page.
I admit it it's a shameless plug. These are two products that I designed myself. I figured I'd write down their optimal stacking chart while I'm still capable of giving an unbiased opinion (meaning I don't know what I'll get out of this yet). These are two products I made to address the lack of proper stacked products, and they are available under the Higher Power brand name. The Megabol is an oral compound of 1,4-andro and 4-diol, the Anabol is a transdermal delivery of Nor-diol and 5AA. On paper this stack is as of yet unrivaled in the industry, but obviously I'd like to see some trials to see how effective it really is in the real world. The Anabol is not used for the full duration of the stack because 5AA is very prone to androgenic side-effects and Nor-diol is very suppressive of natural testosterone, which is why we didn't opt for it the last two weeks and implemented the use of ZMA after the stack to boost natural testosterone. This entire stack (2 bottles Megabol, 1 spray Anabol and 1 bottle ZMA Nighttime Formula) is available as a set deal at Bodybuilding.com. Not only is this stack unrivaled in effect, you'll find that the entire stack is considerably cheaper than a single product stack from many high-profile companies. That's why Higher power is your guarantee for quality at an affordable price...
Using Different Delivery Methods to Stack More Efficiently.
Like steroid users will cover bases by stacking injectables with orals, so can a prohormone user apply different delivery methods in a stack. For instance the use of a product that hinders your libido, like Nor-diol or 1AD, it may be wise to stack it with a sublingual cyclo-based 4-diol which will increase libido. You don't need a lot of it, you aren't using it for anabolic effects, and combined with 1AD for example you limit the androgenic synergism increasing the risk of 4-diol since cyclo based diol-products are safe: what doesn't get absorbed, doesn't cause problems either, as is the case for orals.
In stack #5 the use of 1AD is invariably oral, and it may be beneficial to get the sustained release effects of a topical Nor-diol to add the non-androgen to the stack. Slow trickle of the prohormone, once or twice a day use, with the 1AD will ensure a proper stack that is unlikely to interfere and tax the liver too much. Another would be to add in a cyclo-based sublingual 4-diol, you wouldn't need much (25 mg of cyclo), just add it in to keep test good and libido up to solve that problem.
Explore, experiment, these are worth a shot. I prefer orals on most things, but as I showed very clearly they aren't the only great method of delivery.
With that I conclude what is a more complete, and hopefully more understandable version of my take on prohormones. I have tried my best to address all issues people have come to me with and make this as complete as possible, leaving nothing out. Should by any odd chance some things remain unclear, feel free to contact me.
Before I go I would like to thank the people who contributed here, including bobo for his suggestions for the update, La Fetarde who's info on trenbolone was a great help in my research into 1AD and Mr. Patrick Arnold for his help on the topical delivery, 5AA and 1,4-andro paragraphs. Thank you all, and everyone who is reading of course. Knowledge is power, knowledge is safety, and that goes double for prohormones, so if you are reading this you are on the right track.
all of this info is from bodybuilding.com mainly this is to instruct because to many people keep asking about prohormones. plain and simple, DON'T USE PROHORMONES UNTIL YOU ARE 21.
