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Prohormone Basics: Part I
by Marc “Spud” Bartley
I am no doctor but I play one on the Internet. In the age of massive information, gurus and
forums galore, opinions and thoughts run rampant. Most of this graphiti style information
is well intended. But you know what they say about “good intentions”. If you do not then
I will give it to you: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. This means that
everything said and done usually starts out with people wanting to do the best for other
people and help them out but as it goes on for whatever reason (greed and ego being the
main issues) turns into something it was not meant to be. This is a bare bones tidbit article
to help you figure out what is right for you in the Prohormone world. What the simplest
and most effective way to include them into your regime or not to if that is your choice.
After you read this you will have the basics for sure.
I get a ton of emails and question on my Q and A log at EliteFTS.com and on my
company website Nuthousesupplements.com/Spudincstraps.com concerning supplements.
The questions run the gambit between protein, creatine, fat burners and the most popular:
Prohormones. Prohormones are a very HOT topic that stirs up controversy everywhere,
and controversy attracts a lot of attention. Inside, our desire to be the biggest, strongest,
hottest, smartest, prettiest (you name it), drives us to do pretty much anything to get there
to win. Plastic surgery, makeup, tanning, cardio, training for any sport, these are things
we turn to try and achieve our goals. The desire to win and be the best drives us all.
Where do Prohormones come into this? We shall see. But, we shall also see the what,
how, why and when to use Prohormones safely and effectively to reach your goals, no
matter what they are.
What are Prohormones? Prohormones in the nitty gritty ugly truth are anabolic steriods in
various forms, mostly crude variances of other well known anabolics. They are usually
analogs (close to or a step or two away from) the most well known anabolics such as
winstrol, trenbolene, anadrol, dianabol, turnibol, anavar.etc. Some from this list were used
in the past but were thrown out because of their harsh side effects. Some are new
methylated versions derived and transformed to be unclassifed by law, yet. The bottom
line is Prohormones are various types of TESTOSTERONE.
There are many natural ways to boost your bodies own production of testosterone and
they all work well. So, if natural is the way you want to go take this article to heart, if you
want a little bit bigger push then read on.
What purpose do Prohormones have? The purposes of Prohormones vary depending on
what your goals are. Here is a short list: First, most of the time a guy just wants to have
more muscle and Prohormones and deliver. (PS that desire for more muscle is usually
endless.) Other guys just want to get ripped and have their 6 (or 8) pack showing, more of
a lean athletic look, Prohormones can deliver that, too. Females may use them to harden
up for a fitness or figure show (yes chicks take them too, a lot of them). An athlete may
want to recover faster and gain more endurance. Cyclists for example can recover faster
and go much longer in a race with the use of Prohormones. A strength athlete always
wants to lift more and increase their training volume, again Prohormones can help.
Interestingly, patients with wasting diseases such as HIV/AIDS where muscle tissue is
lost at a high rate, have great results with anabolics which actually helps them gain and
maintain healthy weight. Prohormones are a great OTC hormone replacement therapy for
men, as they age (after 30 years of age) the begin losing testosterone. (This is also one of
the reasons that as we get old and our bodies fall apart.) And last, Prohormones are a way
for men who were once on anabolics to receive the same benefits but in an OTC version.
There are many, many more purposes but in some way shape or form you may fall into
one of these and want to start using Prohormones.
What are the different kinds of Prohormones and which one is right for you? This is the
most frequently asked question I get and it is a good one as there are many prohormones
to choose from and they all work a little bit differently. Currently there are several to
choose from. (In this article I will not cover any of the new DHEA derived ones that have
come out this year.) I will stick to the ones that I deal with on a consistent basis and the
ones we have that have the most anecdotal evidence. Some of the newer ones have not
been out long enough for me to reach a solid conclusion on yet. Most of the brands out
right now are single compounds or multiple compounds of the list below.
4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1
Halodrol is the chemical name for this single compound. This was one of the first
to be recognized when it came out in the product Halodrol 50 by Gaspari Nutrition.
Prohormones that contain a single compound of Halodrol are a great place to start for
beginners. Halodrol usually comes in tablet of 25mg to 50mg, with 50mg being the
normal dose per day. The average gains are between 4 lbs. to 8lbs in a one month cycle at
the 50 mg a day dosage. There are little to no side effects from this compound. Some of
the brands available now are H-Roid by Hardcore Formulations and Hemodrol by EST.
2a, 17a-dimethyl-17ß-hydroxy-5a-etiocholan -3-one
This compound is commonly known as Superdrol. This compound does have a few
other names but they are not used very often. The name Dymethazine is used when
a Prohormone is made from two Superdrol molecules bonded together. Superdrol
compounds are also good for beginners, but only if they are taken alone at a 10mg dose
per day. The gains are similar to Halodrol when taken in a low dose. You can expect
a 4 lb. to 10 lb weight gain in a 30 day cycle. Side effects vary depending on the dose
and can include cramping, lowered sex drive/libido and some lethargy. Superdrol is
a very good compound for STRENGTH gains.Some of the products currently on the
market that are Superdrol based are Thunderbol by Vallhalla Labs, S-Roid by Hardcore
Formulations, Microdrol by Bradley/Gard and MSten by Culver Concepts.
2a, 3a epithio-17a-methyl-5a-androstan-17b-ol
This compound is known as Epistane and it is one is least estrogenic compounds
available. What does this mean? The body’s reaction when taking Epistane is to produce
less estrogen then with other compounds. The gains you will see are supposed to be dry,
which means you will have very little water retention or fat gain. I find this compound
interesting as fat gain is typically almost entirely food related. The tendency for men
when on anabolics is to eat more (a lot more and usually bad for you food) and then they
blame the drugs for making them bloat. Epistane helps to curb this tendency so that you
do not get a sloppy weight gain. Epistane is not one of my favorites as a stand alone but it
is safer then the rest (and a good one also for beginners) with little or no side effects. The
dosing starts at 10mg per day and can go as high as 60mg. You can go a little longer than
a 30 day cycle on this compound but should not exceed a 6 week cycle.A couple we carry
are Myopharma Epibolin and Hardcore Formulations Epidrol.
13-Ethyl-3-Methoxy-Gona-2, 5(10)-Diene-17-One
This compound is referred to as SuperTren and it has been replacing Nor-19 and other
Tren products which you may be familiar with. SuperTren is a Tren analog. Tren is an
extremely androgenic compound which acts quickly to add mass. In addition it is also
extremely thermal to the body. Guys love Tren products because they can trim body fat
quickly while still allowing you to add/keep size while dieting. Tren products can cause
some libido issues and possible estrogen issues. It is a good mass gainer with about a 10
lb. plus gain possible in a 30 day cycle. The gains with Tren are known as “wet” gains
because the possibility of bloating is higher, but this is often more related to your diet
than to the actual compound. Tren will product good STRENGTH gains, usually (if
proper training regimens are followed). The dosing is 40mg to 75mg per day. Beginners
should stay on the low end. If you choose a higher dosage then you should also use an
anti-estrogen product like 6-bromo or the Sci Fit Estro Suppress. The current brands
containing Super Tren are Fina Stane by Thai Labz and Tren Storm by Valhalla Labs.
Androsta-1-ene-3b-ol,17-one
This compound is commonly known as 1-Andro and is basically 1-AD or 1 Test. Many
of you had success with an old product called 1-AD, and if you did then the products
in this category should interest you. A basic cycle for 1-AD is 4 to 6 weeks (possibly
8weeks if you take a good anti estrogen). The gains will vary but 10 lbs. plus are possible
if you are training sufficiently and eating well. Dosing also varies with the low end at 100
mg a day up to 600mg. The 600 mg is very high and although I have known guys to do
it successfully I do not recommend it. The brand we currently have are Androstorm (w/
Superdrol) by Valhalla labs.
[3,2-c]pyrazole-5alpha-etioallocholane-17beta-tetrahydropyranol
This compound is known as Prostanzol/Orastan E and is basically a Winstrol type
Prohormone. It is very mild with little sides and is a good starter Prohormone at 50 mg
per day. If you have used Prohormones before then you can use a dose up to 150 mg per
day. You can expect drier gains of 5 lbs. to possibly 8 lbs. or 10 lbs. These gains are also
easier to maintain once the cycle is completed. The current brands with this compound
are Cyanabol by Hardcore Formulations, Orastan E by Thai Labs and Dragon by Chinese
Anabolics.
12-ethyl-3-methoxy-gona-diene &6-17 dihydroxyetiocholone-3-ol proponate
This is commonly referred to as Propadrol and is a good starter compound for beginners.
It is very similar to the Prostanol/Orastan E (Winstrol) type with an even more noticeable
decrease in body fat. Smaller gains can be expected of between 5 and 8 lbs at a dosage
of 15mg to 30mg per day (2 caps per day). There can be some mild side effects and the brand currently on the market is Propadrol by EST. Typical cycles of these types of Prohormones are 4 weeks in length. You can go 6 or even 8 weeks but I do not recommend this. The longer the run, the longer periods of time you will need between cycles to recover and reset your system (body). If you come back too quickly and begin taking another Prohormone before you system is fully restored, you will saturate your body with the compound faster and hasten estrogen buildup and Gyno (“bitch tits”) symptoms may occur.
What is Gyno and why do you get it? Since Prohormones are basically just forms of testosterone they function as messengers to tell the body to make more muscle, recover faster, increase endurance, etc. In a simple way of saying it, whatever your goal is, the testosterone will improve it. When you take in new things, the body spends a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to figure out what you are giving it and how it is supposed to react to it. The body's goal is to be prepared the next time you take something so it practices on how to handle the new thing each time. The body’s goal is to always try to get your body back to its original and comfortable state called homeostasis. It does not want new muscle, a stronger heart or whatever you are trying to accomplish, it just wants its original happy version back. To combat your bodies pre-set homeostasis and the prohormone you ingest, your body will begin to make estrogen and other catabolic compounds (muscle killers) to fight you. Estrogen and testosterone look the same but have completely different messages to give. Testosterone tells your body to get big, strong and fast while Estrogen is telling your body to slow down and back up(its much more then this but I like simple-real simple. When your body notices too much testosterone it begins to increase estrogen production. At that point, both hormones (Testosterone and Estrogen) begin to compete for muscle to “land on†and give information too. The Estrogen works to send messages to stop the natural production of testosterone which will begin shrinking your testicles and make you begin growing man boobs, well sort of. Not to scare you, but this can happen especially when guys get wide open on prohormones. Done correctly and incrementally over time, you can make solid permanent gains that the body learns to maintain. If you stick to a normal 4 – 6 week run then you will not have less of the estrogenic side effects. What is a PCT and Do I really need to take one? Yes, you should always take a PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) supplement, and here is why. With any introduction of an outside (exogenous) testosterone you will have a natural suppression of your own test production. An exogenous testosterone is a Prohormone, something that introduces a non-natural version of testosterone into your system. With then normal 4 week run on a Prohormone, you will have a lighter suppression issue (unless you take doses way over the recommended doses), but will still require PCT. A PCT is nothing but estrogen blockers or inhibitors that help clear out estrogen in your system. PCT’s also work to kick start your natural testosterone production which had fallen while you were giving your body the exogenous testosterone. In other words, PCT’s jump start your testicles into working at full capacity again. The best PCT is one that has compounds to fight estrogen build-up and bring up your natural testosterone. The main purpose of a PCT is to restore normal hormone production so that there is little or no lapse when the Prohormone leaves your body and when your body's natural testosterone is back at full production. The essence of this is you don't want a large gap in testosterones (yours and the prohormone). For instance, if you just came off a Prohormone, with no PCT, then the only thing holding up your new muscle is the residuals from the Prohormone. If your natural testosterone levels do not kickback in until after the Prohormone cycle is done then there is nothing to help support the new muscle. At this point your body will revert back to its original form and you will lose all the gains you received form the Prohormone. If, on the other hand, you get you’re your natural testosterone levels once you are done with the Prohormone then you will support and KEEP the new muscle you worked so hard to put on. Most PCT’s have a mix of both estrogen blocking/anti-aromatase and natural boosters like a tribulus. If you go with a brand with only one or the other then you should pick up the other one as well. A good dose of 4000 mg or 4grams of tribulus per day along with your estrogen suppressor is usually more then enough. This is why Pct is a must for any cycle. You want to layer the two cycles together like this: Week 1 Prohormone, Week 2 Prohormone, Week 3 Prohormone & PCT, Week 4 Prohormone & PCT, Week 5 PCT, Week 6PCT. Note: If you elect to go with a multi compound or very high dose single compound then you should add in a estrogen blocker/suppressor from the start or by week two latest. If you get into a cycle and you nipples get sore to the touch or even very sensitive, get on an estrogen blocker/suppressor immediately. If it persists, get off the prohormones. Here is a list of some PCT’s that work mainly on estrogen suppression: Estro Suppress by Sci Fit, Advanced PCT by Anabolic Xtreme, Aremedex by BPI, Arimidex by GET and Arimiplex by Innovate. Some products that work just to elevate natural testosterone levels are: Trib-650 by Dymatize, Trib 750 by 4EverFit, ProCycle by Diesel Test and Hardcore by Diesel Test. There are more combo’s but these are what we have found to work very well. Finally, here is a list of PCT’s that combine Estrogen Suppression and Natural Testosterone boosting: TZ3 by Sci Fit, PCT Revolution by Redefine, RV1 by ANC and SuperTest by The Beast Sports Nutrition. Well, that is good, basic start to your understanding of Prohormones. Something to remember when adding in a Prohormone to your supplement regimen are eat clean (but eat enough) and increase your protein intake daily, drink a lot of water (as you should be anyway) this will help with some cramping. New muscle means more nutrients for support and maintainence. Other then that, I would monitor and note progress on every cycle. Each guy will respond differently to each prohormone. Finding the right combo is always the goal. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or any of our staff at nuthousesupplents.com. Everyone on the staff is well versed in what works and what doesn't. You can call us at 803-788-2852 as well and speak to Dale, Sue or Randi. Another place you can reach me is on is Elitefts.com on the Q and A.

Source: http://www.southcarolinabarbell.com/pdf/Prohormonebasics.pdf