Mucho Info...A MUST READ IMPORTANTE.............

[Under-Radar]

The views expressed in this article are those of the individual author and are not necessarily shared by U.R. This article is for informational purposes only and U.R and SW accepts no responsibility for the contents of the article, informational pages or other websites linked to this one.


Please guys I am giving this article to you. I stated in a thread about a few weeks ago that I will be adding articles to SW. I am at the age where I may not be in the game for much longer; Although I will remain in the gym. Their will come a time when I will not be as involved and would rather do more Blogs and own a few fitness boards. I have always enjoyed sharing and teaching folks about the sport a came to love and feel being a admin or board staff would be a much better call as it will allow me the flexibility to become more involved on a intellectual basis. Okay look below as their are two parts to this article. U.R




CONTENTS


1.Introduction
2.Bulking and Cutting Cycles
3.Different Options According to Considerations of Costs (Time & Money), Side-Effects and Efficacy
4.Post-Cycle Therapy
5.Modes of Delivery: Oral, Transdermal and Injectable
6.Dosing and Diminishing Returns
7.Realistic Estimation of the Number of Cycles you Will Run
8.Storage
9.Cost Calculation
10.Sources
11.Various Preparations: Orals, Transdermals and Injectables - Retail and Homebrew
12.Parting Thoughts





THIS GUIDE'S PURPOSE


This article was written in order to assist those of you outside the U.S. wishing to purchase currently legal steroids before they are banned for sale on January 20th 2005.



Nothing here is intended to condone the acquisition of a ‘stockpile’ for future use by U.S. residents. Both those who already have a surplus in their possession and those who have been contemplating the acquisition of such a surplus should be very aware that the moment the ban goes into effect, these compounds will be illegal.



Any ‘bro’ who tries to assure you that there is some legal way around this is doing you no favors. That said, whether you are in a position to make much or little of the remaining freedom to use legal steroids, this guide should provide something worth reading, even if only to make an informed decision concerning one final cycle. Nothing contained herein is especially original. I have attempted only to bring together practical knowledge regarding the acquisition and use of those steroids which will soon cease to be legal.



WHAT WILL BE UNDER DISCUSSION


Before going on, be sure to familiarize yourself with the legal steroids that are out there. An excellent place to start is the article “What Prohormones are and how they Work” by Justin Alexander. Though somewhat dated, this is full of a lot of useful information. For further discussion on various legal anabolics, I refer you to David Tolson’s shorter articles, “Introduction to Prohormones I” & II.

Since this is a practical guide, I’ve included the best prices I know of on all compounds I discuss. Let us know discuss the most prominent legal steroids and their primary characteristics.





DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THIS STUFF WORKS?


“No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.” ... Some people still don’t believe that ‘prohormones’ work as well as ‘real gear.’ The Model-T may not have worked as well as a good team of horses, but legal anabolics have come a long way since the introduction of andro. They are being made illegal (Schedule III) for a reason. The evidence that prohormones work is by now simply overwhelming. For some blood work to back this up, courtesy of SuperSoldier from AnabolicMinds, check THIS, THIS, THIS and THIS. It is also worth mentioning that unlike many fly-by-night underground labs for black-market steroids, the purity of legal anabolics is a known factor if you deal with the better retailers.

I will add that if you are under 21 or if you haven’t reached your maximum height, you would be foolish to start using these supplements. The reasons have been discussed at length elsewhere.



PRIMARY MASS BUILDERS


A primary mass-builder is the cornerstone of a great cycle. Since they have hit the market, 1-testosterone products have been the most dependable means of adding a lot of mass in a short period of time. 1-test requires no conversion; it is a steroid, not a prohormone. It is extremely anabolic and somewhat androgenic. It does not convert to estrogen. The gains are much drier than from aromatizing steroids. 1-AD is its oral precursor, and M1T is its very powerful oral analogue. Additionally, the new steroid Superdrol promises to be a superior (if somewhat more expensive) alternative to M1T as a primary mass-builder.



Prices
1-test |$3.00/g|--|100mg (or more)/day |$0.30+/day | $2.10+/wk Transdermal
1-AD |$2.50/g|--|300mg (or more)/day |$0.75+/day | $2.25+/wk Oral
1-test-cyp |$4.50/g|--|500mg or more/wk |$0.31+/day | $2.25+/wk Injectable
M1T caps |$30/g|--|5-20mg/day |$0.15-$0.60/day | $1.05-4.20/wk Oral
Superdrol caps |$65/g|--|10-30mg/day |$0.70-$2/day | $4.60-$14/wk Oral



SECONDARY MASS BUILDERS


On their own, these are not as effective for putting on mass, but they can be used to great effect in conjunction with 1-tesosterone. 4AD converts to testosterone (yes the real thing), at a rate between 16% and 25%, depending whether you look at studies done on blood in a vial or testosterone levels in a human subject. For what it is worth, I believe it is far closer to the latter. If I am not mistaken, 1000mg of bioavailable 4AD would convert to 250mg of testosterone. Different methods of delivery are of course more or less efficient.

4AD |$0.85/g|--|150mg (or more)/day |$0.13+/day | $0.39+/wk. Transdermal
4AD-cyp |$2.70/g|--|500mg (or more)/wk |$0.19+/day | $1.35+/wk Injectable

4OHT or 1,4ADD can be used if you desire less side effects than 4AD may offer. Of the two I would recommend 4OHT. An interesting steroid, on paper it is 25% as androgenic and 65% as anabolic as testosterone. It has many of the benefits of testosterone/4AD, while avoiding the side effects from estrogen and DHT, which some do not find welcome, for good reasons or not. 4OHT has very low conversion to DHT and is actually anti-estrogenic. It is active on its own and does not require conversion. This should be kept in mind when noticing that it is significantly more expensive than 4AD.

4OHT |$4.50/g|--|100mg (or more)/day |$0.45+/day | $3.15+/wk Transdermal
4OHT-cyp |$6/g|--|500-1500mg/week |$0.42-1.29/day | $3-$9/wk Injectable

I like the idea of 4OHT-cyp, but be forewarned, it is very difficult to make into a solution of a reasonable concentration, so the upper range of a desirable dose (on its own) may be simply impossible to achieve. As an additive to another preparation however, it could do great things.

1,4diol |$3/g|--|1000mg/day |$3/day | $21/wk Oral.
1,4-acetate injectable could be interesting if it shows up before the ban.

M1,4ADD is a potent oral which converts in your body to dianabol at a rate of about 15%. As such, this is the most ‘wet’ steroid we will discuss. The gains in size and strength are rapid, but are much more difficult to retain than dry gains. Many choose to use M1,4ADD to kick start a cycle involving other substances. Recently the price has dropped greatly.
|$4.50/g!|--|50-100mg (or more)/day |$0.22-0.45+/day | $1.57-3.15+/wk



ANDROGENICS


DHT derivatives are used to harden up and increase strength and focus in the gym. These include MDHT, M5AA, 5AA-cyp and 3AA. If the gains from M1,4ADD are as wet as they get, the gains from pure androgens are the exact opposite. There is a lot of “brotelligence” going around about DHT, so if you haven’t done so yet, be sure to read Patrick Arnold’s excellent article in Mind and Muscle entitled “Give DHT a break.”

MDHT|$18/g|--|30-100mg/day | $0.50-$1.50/day | $3.50-$10.50/wk Oral
M5AA |$3/g|--|20-100mg (or more)/day | $0.06-$0.30+/day | $0.40-$2.00+/wk Oral. MDHT is a metabolite of M5AA.
5AA-cyp |$3.50/g!|--|250-600mg/wk | $0.13-$0.30/day | $0.88-$2.10+/wk Injectable
3-alpha |$3.75/g|--|mg (or more)/day | $0.06-$0.30+/day | $0.40-$2.00+/wk Transdermal. Converts to DHT at 43% rate.



CUTTING ANABOLICS THAT PRESERVE LEAN MASS



M4OHN and Mdien are very mild anabolics compared to M1T. They are not meant to pack on tons of body mass, but rather to be used in conjunction with a strict and well-conceived diet and cardio regimen to shred as much bodyfat as possible while sparing the greatest amount of lean body mass.


M4OHN |$25/g|--|18-36 mg/day | $0.45-$0.90/day | $2.80-$5.60/wk Mood/recovery/vascularity/waking-energy
M-Dien |$20/g|--|7-14 mg/day | $0.14-$0.28/day | $1-$2/wk Recovery/vascularity/hardness
(Some have complained about service delays from the only retailer who still offers this as a powder.)






BULKING CYCLES


The bulking cycle is the raison d’etre for the popularity of steroids: putting on muscle. What we’re concerned with here, however, is only the most effective legal means of putting on mass. Now, if you don’t have 1-testosterone, you may still have a cycle, but you simply don’t have as effective a cycle as you could have. There is a good reason to use 1-testosterone in some form or other: it puts on solid mass like nothing else. That said, 1-test is extremely suppressive of your natural testosterone production, so when you use it, you want to take 4AD to counter the lethargy and loss of libido which can result from this.



How much 4AD? As a rule of thumb, start with a 1:1 ratio of 1-test to 4AD, then increase the 4AD as needed. Many find a 2:3 ratio perfect. In short, if you are not using some type of primary mass-builder (like 1-testosterone) plus something like testosterone (4AD), you don’t have a good legal bulking cycle. Look around at the feedback from everyone who has used such a combination: 90% of the time it is very positive.



This combination can be taken orally, transdermally, by injection, or in any combination thereof. Later in this guide I will come to discuss in detail the various modes of delivery and their advantages or disadvantages. What is more likely a concern to you now is what sort of bulking cycles might be appropriate for you. Accordingly, what follows are some recommendations according to specific goals and considerations you may have in mind.

THE “JUST MAKE ME BIGGER” ROUTE


Option A) THE “MONEY IS NO OBJECT, OR AT LEAST MY TIME IS FAR TOO VALUABLE” CYCLE

Option 1A) If it is still available, buy some premixed 1-test-cyp and 4AD-cyp. Inject every second or third day, totaling 500-1000mg 1-test-cyp + 750-1500mg 4AD-cyp per week, depending on your experience with anabolics and how close you have trained to the your natural genetic maximum. The higher doses are very substantial and shouldn’t be considered if you are new to the game.

If you really want to kick on some mass, you could add 3-5 capsules (120-200mg) of M14ADD daily. If you do not want so much water retention, consider adding some M5AA (50mg+) or MDHT (25mg+). Eat big. Train hard. Preload with double doses of the injectables for the first week, then run for about 7 weeks, and follow with full PCT starting partway through week 8.

Cost: Only for those with real jobs (or whose fathers have real jobs).

Option 2A) If you can’t stand needles, use premixed 1-test + 4AD transdermals instead of injectables. Use 150-400mg 1-test + 225-600mg 4AD daily for 6-8 weeks.

Cost: $60-210 for a 6-8 week cycle + $10 PCT.

Option 3A) If you can’t be bothered to rub goop into your skin twice a day, yet for some reason don’t mind swallowing a handful of pills, buy a lot of 1-AD and 4AD capsules.

Cost: “Right this way, Mr. Gates.”


Option B) THE “I CAN’T AFFORD TO SPEND MUCH MONEY, I’VE GOT TONS OF FREE TIME, OR I’M JUST A CHEAP BASTARD” CYCLE

One word: homebrew. Next to the dreaded M1T + 4AD route (see below), injectables are cheapest, though not by as far a margin as you may hope (or fear). Transdermals are more price competitive than you might have been led to believe, and while the application is a little more involved, there are significantly less risks involved than with injectables.

Option 1B) Transdermals

Cost: Reasonable. See below; it can vary a lot depending on how much you are prepare.

Option 2B) Injectables

Cost: Even more reasonable. See below; it can vary a lot depending on how much you prepare.


Option C) THE “SAFETY BE DAMNED” CYCLE

M1T is not a safe substance: M1T is the single most toxic product on the supplement market that we know of. Consider it "poison with the side-effect of muscular hypertrophy.” M1T can cause 1) total testicular shutdown in as little as 48 hours, 2) persistent low blood sugar while on, 3) severe dips in (good) cholesterol levels, and 4) elevation of liver values.

So how did M1T get such a good reputation? To put it simply, it lived up to its hype. Hell, it exceeded its hype. M1T is very effective at increasing mass, and it is surprisingly cheap. It converts neither to DHT nor estrogen. If you are intent on using it, I can’t in good conscience recommend taking more than 10mg daily, and then not for more than four weeks.

If this isn’t enough for you, I strongly recommend you think of simultaneously using some other form of 1-test rather than just dumping more M1T down the hatch. In any case, you will really want to be sure to take 4AD along with it. Also, you’ll want to use liver protectants, such as ALA or R-ALA, NAC, SesaThin and/or silymarin. Stacking M1T with other methylated orals is plain stupidity. Don’t do it.

If you just want to get huge, instead of M1T, you could use 1-test and 4AD in a 2:3 ratio, by transdermal delivery or injection. This will give you great gains, and you won’t feel like warmed death while you are on it.


THE “NO SIDES” ROUTE

Option A) THE “MONEY IS NO OBJECT, AT LEAST MY TIME IS FAR TOO VALUABLE” CYCLE

4OHT is your new mistress, and while she is not cruel, she is high-maintenance. If I had all the money in the world I’d stock up on 1-test-cyp and 4OHT-cyp (if someone could figure out a way to make it more soluble--if not then a mixture of 4AD-cyp/4OHT-cyp). If you want an even more effective bulking cycle without many sides, run 1-test-cyp + 4OHT-cyp + 5aa-cyp/MDHT + M4OHN.

Cost: “Ladies Menu”

Note that 1-test is androgenic, and 5aa/MDHT is very androgenic.

Option B) “THE I CAN’T AFFORD TO SPEND MUCH MONEY, I’VE GOT TONS OF FREE TIME, OR I’M JUST A CHEAP BASTARD” CYCLE

Opt for some form of 1-test + 4OHT or 1,4ADD. Using 4OHT or 1,4ADD may however take you out of the very cheap bastard category. 4AD is really not that bad, so it is a question of how cheap you are compared to how cautious you are about hair loss or how sensitive you might be to gyno or other estrogen related side effects. Whether you are using transdermal or otherwise, a 1:2:1 ratio of 1-test:4AD:4OHT would be a good compromise and suit you well. Shift the ratio towards being heavy on the 4OHT the more you want to reduce side effects. For a transdermal cycle, for instance, you could start by running (daily) 150 mg 1-test + 300mg 4AD + 150mg 4OHT.

Cost: varies.


Option C) THE “I’M A WOMAN. SO LET’S BE CLEAR: NO SIDES, CAPICHE?! CYCLE

Women need to take a very small amount of anabolics to see significant effects. Women need so little that if they take too much of the wrong thing they are going to have horrifying effects - effects that are quite likely to make them hideous, deformed, unmarriageable and suicidal. This is serious. Now might be a good time to remind you that transdermal steroids must absolutely be kept out of contact with children - you don't want your eight year old daughter to sprout a beard.

For women, a low dose of one of the cutting products like M4OHN or Mdien should be very adequate to help put on lean muscle mass. Additionally, very low dosed 1,4ADD or 4OHT might be worth thinking about. Above all you want to avoid like the plague anything which is the slightest bit androgenic (“man-making”). This would include 3AA, 5AA, M5AA, or MDHT.

Cost: Varies. Example: 150mg nordiol + 2mg Mdien; 1-3mg Mdien; 2-6mg M4OHN.


Ladies, whatever your plans, please make inquiries on the boards to be sure you do not do anything you will come to regret.

“WHAT’S NEW? ANYTHING BETTER?"

There are a few new substances making their way to the market before the ban takes effect. Several companies have put out a creatine ethyl ester (CEE) which looks promising, but this guide's concern is steroids. As I mentioned above, Designer Supplements is bringing out Superdrol. If it pans out to be significantly less toxic than M1T while still delivering significant gains, use Superdrol in lieu of M1T. Don’t think that I am just plugging Designer Supplements. The flat truth is that they have been the first to bring to market most of the later generation legal anabolics.



CUTTING CYCLES


The first thing to be clear on is that the whole idea of a cutting cycle is to lose as much body fat as possible while losing as little muscle as possible.

With the bulking cycle, we saw that 1-test and 4AD are the basics. What should we work with on a cutting cycle? 1-test and 4AD could be used, but the lethargy from 1-test does not help maintain the discipline necessary for cutting, and some people really dislike the water retention from 4AD. I believe that this is a silly concern, born largely from vanity, since any water retained will be quickly lost at the end of your cut.

If however you absolutely must avoid any water retention, consider using 4OHT. 1-test + Superdrol would probably be absurdly dry. If you want to feel good while cutting fat, either 4AD/4OHT or M4OHN/Mdien would work to maintain your lean tissue. Some form of DHT supplementation will also help to get you ripped, whether it is 5aa-cyp, MDHT, M5AA, or 3AA transdermal.

What you want to use will all depend on how drastic the cut is. If you are planning an aggressive cut with a large calorie deficit and Tiratricol/T3 and/or clenbuterol, for instance, then you may need to consider bringing out the big guns and using a low dose oral like M1T or Superdrol. This will counteract the catabolism which would otherwise eat up your muscles.



You might also want to use a product designed specifically to counter the cortisol which is especially detrimental to lean body mass on a cutting cycle. I have in mind 7-oxo products, such as Ab-Solved or the new 7-OH product ‘Lean Extreme’ (7alpha- hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone). Lastly, while plenty of people swear by M4OHN and Mdien, others (angrily) report that they get nothing from them. You may want to determine their effect on you before investing too heavily in either.


JUST MAKE ME LEANER

Option A) THE “MONEY IS NO OBJECT, OR AT LEAST MY TIME IS FAR TOO VALUABLE” CYCLE

Opt for M4OHN caps, plus 4OHT (or 4AD + 4OHT) transdermal or injectable.

Cost: $150-$200 for an 8 week cycle + $10 PCT.

Option B) “THE I CAN’T AFFORD TO SPEND MUCH MONEY, I’VE GOT TONS OF FREE TIME, OR I’M JUST A CHEAP BASTARD” CYCLE

4AD transdermal/injectable should be the first choice. If you can afford it, buy M4OHN as raw powder. Dilute the M4OHN in liquid and measure out with an oral syringe. 16-32mg will last up to 8 weeks ($27-$54). Optionally, use 5AA-cyp 250-500mg/wk (or MDHT/M5AA pre-workout) if you don’t mind androgenic sides. If you are extremely cheap-assed, you can get some M1T instead of the M4OHN. Since it is a cutting cycle and you don’t want to pay for extra 4AD, keep the dose down to 5mg if you don’t want to lose all vigor.

Cost: $35-$90 for an 8 week cycle + $10 PCT (less if you insist on using M1T).

Option C) THE “SAFETY BE DAMNED” CYCLE

Again, chose 4AD and/or M4OHN to maintain your lean body mass. MDHT/M5AA/5AA-cyp can also be added to help you lift that iron in the gym (that is, if you show up). If you are not in otherwise poor health, strongly consider adding Trimax, T3 or clenbuterol. Do not use any of these for too long, however, and not at too high of a dose. Check the forums for guidelines on their use.

Cost: $55-$110 for an 8 week cycle + $10 PCT

“NO SIDES, THANKS”

Option A) THE “MONEY IS NO OBJECT, OR AT LEAST MY TIME IS FAR TOO VALUABLE” CYCLE

M4OHN has practically no sides, unless you’ve wassailed like a pirate or college student for the last decade, such that your liver is completely shot. Since you’re so rich that you can’t be bothered with the indignity of having to measure out your M4OHN yourself, have your servants feed you the capsules by stuffing them into your imported figs. I would recommend 4OHT transdermal (instruct your masseuse accordingly) or injectible. If you were lying about money being no object and you’re paying for your Bentley in installments, then consider 4AD. In any case, get yourself a bottle of Trimax, which should last for three cycles.

Cost: varies

Option B) THE “I CAN’T AFFORD TO SPEND MUCH MONEY, I’VE GOT TONS OF FREE TIME, OR I’M JUST A CHEAP BASTARD” CYCLE

See above. M4OHN is pretty cheap as a raw powder. 4AD transdermal/injectable could be an even cheaper (yet reliable) way to go. If you opt for M4OHN, you can run it for 8 weeks at 16-32mg for $27-$54. If you can’t afford Trimax or clenbuterol (though we’re only talking ~$20/cycle), hopefully you can still afford patience: persist and you’ll see good results.

Cost: $27-$74 for 8 weeks + $10 PCT.

Option C) THE “I’M A WOMAN. SO LET’S BE CLEAR: NO SIDES, CAPICHE?! CYCLE

You’re in luck: M4OHN is no misogynist. You will be fine taking a low dose of M4OHN, though there are other options. These options include 1,4ADD, nordiol, and mdien, each of which could work for the purposes of safely sparing lean body mass while you cut. As for exactly what sort of dose to take, I don’t want to be responsible for any specific recommendations, but there have been numerous discussions about this in the forums of Avant Labs, Anabolicminds, CuttingEdgeMuscle, and 1fast400. There are no androgenic sides from Trimax or clenbuterol, although you won’t need much of those to ramp your cut to the next level.

Cost: surely, under $1 per day.

[Under-Radar]

“WHAT’S NEW? ANYTHING BETTER?”

I mentioned Trimax, T3, and clenbuterol as cutting aids. In my opinion, Trimax is the best option. There is no need to list the many ways that Avant Labs’ products prove invaluable for realizing your targeted goals - if you are reading this, you should know about them already. If you don't, check them out. As I mentioned, there is a new product from Designer Supplements which is a 7-oxo derivative. In terms of combating cortisol, this product looks very promising. Some form of K-RALA taken with your workout shakes would be significantly anabolic, and should be used whether you are cutting or bulking. In any case, since all of this stuff is not specifically the target of the ban, I don’t need to go into it at length here.



POST CYCLE THERAPY: DONT FORGET IT


Nolvadex is the staple of post-cycle therapy. Nolvadex is available as a raw powder (tamoxifen citrate) and it is very cheap. It will run you $10 after each cycle towards recovering your natural testosterone production. Use 1000mg over the course of four weeks. Most think you should start off at a higher dose, then taper down. If you have the money, you could also use androstenetrione (aka 6-oxo™ by Ergopharm). This product is far more cost effective when delivered transdermally. Let me make one thing clear: PCT is mandatory. If you don’t engage in PCT, your testicles will continue to shrink, your libido will suffer, and your immune system can be weakened ... I hardly suppose I need to belabor this point.

GYNO—THE BIG ‘UN

I may as well mention here that Nolvadex should be on hand before any cycle, because if you begin to notice symptoms of gyno while using an aromatizing steroid, you should immediately start taking 40-60mg of tamoxifen citrate daily.




By now you should have some idea of which route you would like to pursue and what you want to put into your body. It’s time to consider which method of delivery is best for you, according to cost, convenience, and effectiveness.





DELIVERY MODES


For Americans, all my efforts might amount to saving you a little money, but for those of you who can use steroids acquired before the ban with impunity, this information could save you a small fortune. Using rates of bioavailability and costs of the raw product, I can show you how much it costs to deliver a given unit of "usable" steroid to the body. In simplified terms, here’s how it works: if something is 50% bioavailable via a one administration route, then for every 1000mg ingested, 500mg is used by the body.

In effect, it costs twice as much as the sticker price to actually deliver 1000mg. So if the original cost was $1/1000mg, then this compound is $2/g in terms of what's bioavailable. Now, if another method of delivery is 100% efficient, but the original cost is $2/1000mg, then cost considerations needn't determine what method you choose to deliver said steroid into your system.

Instead, considerations of convenience would be your answer. But this is never the case--different people prefer different delivery modes. The analysis which follows will allow you to determine how much money you will need to spend in order to achieve the same effect using your preferred route of administration.



ORAL DELIVERY


Advantages: Convenience. Delivery is easy and not as likely to raise alarm. “Oh, Baby, them’s just my vitamins.” No need to worry about getting androgens on women or children. No need to worry about needle issues, personal or otherwise. Some of the most powerful stuff comes in oral form. Air travel is not much of a problem--more than with transdermals, but less than with injectables.

Disadvantages: Price, except in the case of methylated orals.




OPTIONS




1) Ready Made Capsules or Tablets


Everyone and his dog sells each kind of these, if you’ve got the money, honey...

2) Raw Powder and How to Work With It


2A) Cap at Home


Buy a scale (use Ebay if you are cheap) accurate to 0.01g (10mg). Digital is nice (<$30 Ebay), but there are cheap (<$20 retail) manual scales. Next buy a cheap encapsulator and empty capsules. Buy some filler such as lactose or glutamine. Mix an exact amount of powder in with a known amount of filler, shake the bejesus out of it, and then encapsulate. This works fine for things which you plan to take in the hundreds of mg per day, but for things like M1T, you don’t want to dry mix your own. Despite your shaking, you could end up with “hotspots,” meaning that one capsule could be 2mg and the next one 40mg - not a good idea. M1T is cheap enough pre-capped, but if you must homebrew, use the liquid method (below).

2B) Spoonfuls


For things like M5AA, where you may be taking 40mg regularly, if you have a tiny spoon (such as is included with some raw powder orders), scoop out 10 *flat* spoonfuls of powder onto your accurate scale. That weight, divided by ten is a reliable average. Don’t try this with MDien powder. M5AA, M14ADD, 4AD, and 1AD are okay.

2C) Oral Solutions/Suspensions


To make an oral solution, measure an exact amount of powder, drop it into a known amount of solvent, and you’ll have a fixed concentration mg/ml liquid. Everclear, olive oil, or PEG400 each will work for a suspension. Obviously you want to shake and stir the liquid. Heating the container in a pan of boiling water can help to get the powder into the solution. If you want to save yourself some frustration, heat the solvent (NOT IF IT IS ALCOHOL) in the microwave, then add the powder.

BLOOD TESTING


If you are planning to use methylated oral anabolics, you really ought to have blood tests done. You probably think that blood testing is too expensive. It isn’t. The best place I’ve found is HealthTestsDirect.com, which costs $23-77 all-inclusive. The most important indicator of long-term liver health are GGT levels ($7). When you are getting tested post-cycle, don’t exercise two days before the blood draw and don’t eat between supper and lunch the next day. Have your blood drawn and then go treat yourself to a good lunch. The results will be emailed to you within a few days.




TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY


Advantages


Far and away more cost effective than the non-methylated orals; it can be surprisingly close to the price of injectables.




Disadvantages


To put it mildly, this is not the most precise method of application. There are things you can do to maximize the efficiency, but there are so many different formulas and different variables that I can’t give you an exact number. Application of transdermals is more time consuming than any of the other methods.


You need to be extremely wary about coming into contact with children, and to a lesser extent women. Lastly, it is important that I mention that some people who use 1-test transdermally experience strong irritation.



Estimated Bioavailability


25-50%. It depends a lot on the formulation you are using, how you prepare your skin, where you apply it, the concentration of the formula, etc. Do everything right, and you can estimate that closer to half of your applied active ingredients will be used by your body. If you just slop some on at random, you will probably get closer to 25%.



OPTIONS


1A) Store Bought Mixes with Hormones Already Included

Ready to go. Tried and true. Lots of positive feedback. Not the cheapest.

To save my time, I will just use the proven formula of Dermabolics S1+ (the formula designed by Avant Labs under the name Super ONE+) as an example. The price is $30/bottle which contains 3g of 1-test and 4.5g of 4AD.


S1+ = 1-Test+4AD (2:3) $4.00/g delivered, $8.00-16.00/g bioavailable.
Total cost, 1-Test: $4.67/g delivered, $9.33-$18.67/g bioavailable.
Total cost, 4AD: $3.16/g delivered, $6.33-$12.66/g bioavailable.
You could buy separate retail bottles of 1-test and 4AD transdermals, and adjust the ratio of 1-test to 4AD that you apply. Adjust the math accordingly.


1B) Homebrew


The price of transdermal application can be decreased significantly by homebrewing. For more discussion on exactly how to build transdermals from the ground up, look Here.

Here is a comparison of costs:
1-Test + 4AD: $2.33/g applied, $4.67-9.34/g bioavailable via homebrew transdermal
1-Test + 4AD: $3.41/g applied, $6.82-13.64/g bioavailable via S1+ retail transdermal
1-Test + 4AD: $4.42/g applied, $6.31/g bioavailable via injection



INJECTABLE DELIVERY


Advantages




Injectables are the cheapest and most convenient delivery method. Application is quick and relatively infrequent--roughly every third or every second day.



Disadvantages




Injection takes significant forethought and preparation. There exists the possibility for major problems from 1) severe infections or illness due to using insufficient sterile procedure, 2) abscesses or growths at injection sites, 3) accidental injection into a blood vessel which could possibly result even in death. Consider yourself warned.


The prices I’ve used for the purposes of this guide are sort of best case scenarios, which would require that you purchase enough to use for a substantial number of cycles.




Use/Precautions


If you are going to inject, this “Guide to Injections” is essential reading.


Bioavailability


100% right? No! Well, yes and no. 100% of the steroid makes it, but 30% of the weight you are paying for is the ester, which has zero anabolic activity on its own. So we’ll call it exactly 70% bioavailable to make it simple.

A brief word on 4AD-cyp. I mentioned this before, but a lot of people refer to a study which pegs the conversion of 4AD to testosterone at 15.76%. However, blood work and anecdotal reports put the figure around 25%. If this is accurate, for every 1000mg of 4AD-cyp you take, it is as though you have taken 250mg of test-cyp. So if you used 2000mg of 4AD-cyp per week, that would be like using 500mg of test-cyp or better. This would have many beneficial effects on its own, obviously, but remember what I said at the beginning of all of this: 1-test is king. For someone starting out, 375mg of 1-test-cyp plus 550mg of 4AD-cyp could be enough to give good gains. Adding 5AA-cyp (1 part out of 6, if you are using 2:3 1-test + 4AD) can be too androgenic for the tastes of many people, however it can improve strength considerably.





INJECTION OPTIONS


1) Ready Made



These are sterile “oral solutions” (which for some reason happen to have crimped on teflon tops).

2) Partial Homebrew



You can buy kits if you are not making much or are willing to pay good money to save some time.

3) Homebrew from Scratch

Estimated vehicle cost: best case is $1/g bioavailable ($0.70/g delivered)

Total cost, 1-Test-cyp: $5.20/g delivered, $7.30/g bioavailable.
Total cost, 4AD-cyp: $3.40/g delivered, $4.78/g bioavailable.
Total cost, 5AA-cyp: $4.20/g delivered, $6.00/g bioavailable.
Total cost, 4OHT-cyp: $6/g delivered, $8.57/g bioavailable.
1-Test-cyp + 4AD-cyp (2:3) $4.42/g delivered, $6.31/g bioavailable.

Math:

1-test-cyp = $4.50+$0.70/g delivered, $6.30+$1.00/g bioavailable.
4AD-cyp = $2.70+$0.70/g delivered, $3.78+$1.00/g bioavailable.
5-AA-cyp = $3.50+$0.70/g delivered, $5.00+$1.00/g bioavailable.



Startup Costs

At most, you will need a $200 initial investment for five years. For Americans who only have time for one last legal cycle, the costs of the initial investment in terms of both time and energy make homebrewing ridiculous. For those investing for the long term, the cost for just the delivery of the anabolics works out to $40/year, or $2/week “on.”



Cost Breakdown


Filters: $5 each. 45 micron size. May be reusable if careful, but why bother?
Also get a pack of 5 60cc (huge) syringes ($5) and a pack of 18G needles for filtering ($3).

Oil: $12.50/450ml = Will yield 660ml@300mg/ml

Benzyl Alcohol: $12/450ml = more than enough for the above.

Benzyl Benzoate: $10/450ml = more than enough for the above.

Vials: sealed and sterile. $3.25 for 100ml and somewhat less for smaller sizes. Slightly better deals in bulk if you really prefer to use smaller containers. The larger the volume, the more abuse the seal will be tested with.

Alcohol pads: $4 per box of 200.

Syringes: $20 per 100 (3cc 1.5” 20G for drawing from the vial).

Needles: $7.50 per 100. Switch needles after drawing. But where oh where can you getpinz?

Homebrew Procedure

The gist of it is that you have to mix accurate amounts of your ingredients, heat them to get them into a solution and then filter them into sterile vials, keeping track of exactly how much goes in. Here’s a LINK with a detailed step-by-step process guide. Remember that if you do not follow sterile procedure you are inviting yourself into a world of hurt.



Putting it all Together


Five years from now your goods may be losing their effectiveness, no matter how well you preserve them. The highest number of weeks a person would safely be “on” in five years is 96, or about a third of the time. For those who just snorted through your nose, I was assuming you are not using HCG (250iu 2x/wk) while on cycle.

Let’s look at an example: during those 96 weeks, even if a person used 1g 1-test-cyp, 1.5g 4AD-cyp (or 4OHT-cyp), and 500mg 5AA-cyp -- a serious combination -- that would be 288g total powder and 960ml/cc of solution. If we set the target for 300mg/ml, he would need to buy 900ml of oil ($25), 100ml of BA ($12.50 for 450ml), or 100ml of BB ($5). He would not use all of this in the preparation. Add 5 sterile filters ($25), 300 22-gauge 1.5” needles ($60), and 10 100cc bottles ($32.50). Total cost: $160, plus shipping, plus powders.

To continue with this hypothetical total package, it would be enough for 100 weeks worth of use, averaging say, 10cc weekly of 300mg/ml 1:2:3 5aa-cyp:1-test-cyp:4AD-cyp. On average, this individual would inject weekly 500mg 5aa-cyp, 1000mg 1-test-cyp, and 1500mg 4AD-cyp. It would be prudent for this person to start with lower amounts and move up.

Math: Total cost: $200 + prohormones.

Prohormones for 1000cc @ 300mg/ml = 300g. 1:2:3 ratio, in this example, so
50g 5aa-cyp (50x$3.50/g=$175)
100g 1-test-cyp (100x$4.50/g=$450)
150g 4AD-cyp (150x$2.70/g=$405)

This whole mess would cost $1225, whatever that works out to be in your local currency, and it would give 100 '3 gram' weeks “on.” This sort of use would produce one damned happy man for five years. Of course, do not forget 21g ($200) of Nolvadex for PCT and to prevent gyno. Grand total: $1425, or just $285/year.




Admittedly this would be a sizable upfront investment for a person with limited means, but it is less than many spend per year on whey protein. Moreover, I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone who emailed a retailer about a G-note worth of business would receive a few freebies or a discounted price, or perhaps free international shipping, etc.




How Does this all Compare?


Let’s recall how much it would cost for the transdermal delivery of identical amounts of these compounds.


Injection: $1100 for 100g 1-test-cyp + 150g 4-AD-cyp (175g total bioavailable x $6.31/g).

50% efficient? Homebrew Transdermal: $950 for 140g 1-test + 210g 4-AD (175g total bioavailable x $5.44/g).

25% efficient? Homebrew Transdermal: $1900 for 280g 1-test + 420g 4-AD (175g total bioavailable x $10.88/g).


There is obviously a pretty sweeping difference if bioavailability from transdermal delivery is closer to 25% or to 50%. Putting together what was discussed earlier, it should be obvious that carelessness is expensive, while little things can add up to save a lot of money.



DOSING AND DIMINISHING RETURNS


More is usually better, but there is always a point of diminishing returns. Use what gives you consistent results. Using much more than that and going to the extremes will dramatically reduce the bang for your buck, and often causes unwanted side effects.



REALISTIC ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF CYCLES YOU WILL RUN


If you are fortunate enough to live somewhere in which you have the luxury or freedom to use steroids legally, try to develop a plan of cycle progression whereby you gradually increase the amounts you are taking, so that you have sustained development. For those living in America, the math couldn’t be more simple: you have exactly ONE legal cycle you can run, with no remainder, so you don’t need to do much reckoning about how most prudently to escalate your dosing.

For those who do not have the wonder drug HCG legally available to them, the general rule is that you’ll be well advised to be off-cycle for at least as long as you were on-cycle. That is, after PCT is completed. So, if for instance you run 4 week cycles, you need to run 4 weeks of PCT followed by 4 weeks au naturale. This allows you to complete four cycles per year.




HCG is necessary to safely run longer cycles without experiencing major difficulties restoring your natural testosterone production. HCG may be legal where you are, however it is not in the US. I have discussed the safe scheduling of cycles. Others may recommend all sorts of different things, such as 36-month marathon cycles and so on. And, you’re welcome to consider them on your own, and at your own peril. I am trying to give sober recommendations for semi-long-term use for those who can take advantage of it, aiming for the greatest benefits and the lowest costs in terms of health and money.




Storage


As they will be illegal U.S., residents are advised not to keep steroids after the ban. For others, heat, light, oxygen, and humidity will each contribute to the degradation of your goods. The best route will be to place your packaged (not loose) goods in a top-of-the-line ziplock freezer bag. I'd recommend that you remove all the air in the bag using a pump-vacuum sealer (Ebay).

You could also add oxygen and/or moisture absorbers before sealing the bag. Double-bagging and sealing could only help. Place your container in a deep-freeze. Obviously it would be intelligent to break down your stock into cycles prior to storage, so that you can thaw cycles one at a time.




How long will the compounds last? If you take all of the above precautions, I suspect no less than 4-5 years. Should the potency deteriorate, the compounds will still work for some time, however you might need a little more to do the same job.

For those of you fool enough to have steroids in your possession after January 20, you will want to get a copy of the excellent book, Legal Muscle: Anabolics in America by Rick Collins. He’ll explain further the threat of using illegal steroids in the United States, and why it’s not worth it.




COST CALCULATOR


Here’s a malicious idea of mine: mortgage the costs. Calculate the total cost for a cycle, including raw ingredients, costs of delivery, PCT, add-ons (e.g. Trimax) and shipping. Then divide those costs by the total number of days between the start of the first and second cycle. The result you get is the mortgaged daily cost of your legal steroid use. If you want to feel good about your investment, compare that number to the amount you spend on protein and other supplements.





SO WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET ALL THIS STUFF?


Hordes of retailers sell legal oral steroids and prohormones. Many of those retailers also sell ready-to-use transdermals. It is common decency to support the boards where you find the most valuable information, especially if the prices are in the same league. It is also worth rewarding innovation and integrity, which is one reason I commend the folks at Designer Supplements.



VARIOUS PREPARATIONS


Retail Preparation - Orals
Capsules: 1-AD, M4OHN, MDHT, Superdrol, M1T, M14ADD, Mdien, M5AA, 6-OXO, 4AD
Liquid: Tamoxifen Citrate.

Retail Preparation - Transdermals
1-test, 4AD, 1-test + 4AD

Retail Preparation - Injectables
1-Test-cyp, 4AD-cyp, 4OHT-cyp

Raw Ingredients - Orals
1-AD, M1T, M14ADD, M4OHN, Mdien, M5AA, 4AD (base)
Tamoxifen Citrate, Androstenetrione

Raw Ingredients - Transdermals
1-Test (base), 4AD (base), 4OHT, 3-AA, Androstenetrione/aka 6-OXO

Raw Ingredients - Injectables
1-Test-cyp, 4AD-cyp, 5-AA-cyp, 4OHT-cyp (hopefully soon)
1,4ADD-acetate maybe



THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STOCKING UP AND LETTING ALL THE WORLD KNOW


Some Americans probably think they can stockpile steroids to share with friends or sell after the ban. I have been clear throughout this guide that I think this is a pretty poor idea for many reasons. Bottom line, which bears repeating: as of January 20th 2005, possession within the U.S. of most of the compounds discussed in this guide will be illegal. This is not to be taken lightly.

You can assume that all errors herein have been of my design to test your powers of reasoning.

[Under-Radar]

NOW i WILL SAY THASOME OF THE NATURAL SO CALLED DRUGS MENTIONED HAVE BEEN BANNED FOR 2 OR MORE YEARS. bUT THIS IS A GUIDELINE FOR SOME BECAUSE THEIR IS ALWAYS THE SO CALL NATURAL PRO-HORMONES COMING OUT ON THE MARKET ALL THE TIME. ALSO These are leagl choices for people who do not want to use AAS.

Are they better than AAS: no
Are the safer than AAS: no, more sides
Do they work: yes
Are the illegal: no

[ispilledmymilkonmypants]

Top notch posts UR. Very informative.

Cheers.

[anthonyclark]

[Action]

You gotta admit, he was full of great information. I forgot about some of his great posts.

[erik66]

and info. Great post!! His fingers must be caloused from all that typing.