Dianabol Cycle, Results and Side Effects
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Dianabol (Dbol) is the most popular orally consumed anabolic steroid in the world. It’s always been a tablet-type steroid, but some underground labs have started producing it in capsule format and liquid form.
This article will describe what Dianabol is, what it can do and possible health concerns. We do not advise it’s use. We recommend bypassing altogether and choosing a safe Dianabol alternative
The thing to remember about underground labs is there are no guarantees. You never know what you are really getting—or what it may do to you.
Using steroids of any type is always a very risky business, but using steroids from such dubious sources can significantly raise the dangers involved.
So, if you are thinking about using Dianabol and get the chance to buy it in anything other than tablet form you really need to think twice.
The reason Dianabol is so popular is because it can deliver rapid muscle growth in a very short space of time. Its popularity is further boosted by the fact that there are no needles required.
In reality, it’s basically just testosterone that has been tampered with on the molecular level.
The scientists who originally pulled off this extraordinary feat of chemical engineering succeeded in creating a steroid that has a higher androgenic rating than testosterone. That means it can beat it for providing muscle growth.
Some users gain 5-10 pounds in the first 1-2 weeks.
However, the androgenic rating of Dianabol is lower than testosterone, so there is less chance of it causing man boobs or making women look like men.
It can still do these things though. Let’s make that very clear right from the start. Less chance is not the same as no chance.
Dianabol is also very harsh on the liver. If you are seriously thinking of using this steroid, you need to know that too.
Recommended Dianabol Alternative
What Is Dianabol?
Like Nurofen or Advil, Dianabol is a brand name. Except instead of getting a branded form of Ibuprofen, you are getting a branded version of the androgen an anabolic steroid (AAS) called Metandienone. It is sometime shortened to Dbol.
On a molecular level, it differs from testosterone by having a double bond to the carbon positions one and two. It also has a 17th carbon position methyl group, but the technical stuff isn’t really that interesting.
The thing to know is, the 17-α-alkylation modification allows the steroid to be taken orally. Without this modification, the liver would purge it from the body and stop it working.
That’s clever in a way, but there’s a scary flip side. The fact that the liver can’t destroy it makes Dianabol “hepatoxic”. That means it has the potential to destroy your liver instead. [SOURCE]
Anabolic Rating | Androgenic Rating | |
Testosterone | 100 | 100 |
Dianabol | 90 – 210 | 40 – 60 |
Dianabol History
Dianabol was first synthesized in the 1950s. It’s the creation of an American physician called John Bosley Ziegler. He was working at the CIBA laboratories in Basel, Switzerland at the time.
If you have a picture in your head of some skinny boffin-type scientist, nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from being a qualified physician, Ziegler was barbel curling former marine who had the nickname “Montana Jack”.
At the time, Soviet athletes were dominating the Olympics. Ziegler, who had ties to the American Olympic weightlifting team, discovered the Soviets’ secret. They were getting juiced-up on testosterone.
Ziegler began giving testosterone shots to some of the guys from the York Barbell Club. His efforts did not make much difference so he and his team of scientists at CIBA began tinkering with testosterone. In the end, they struck gold and the rest, as they say, is history.
However, the Ziegler later came to regret what he’d done.
After word got out about his powerful pink pills, they became incredibly popular. The problem was the people using them were doing so in high doses. Much higher than Ziegler ever intended.
When he ran some tests, Ziegler discovered a lot of the guys had enlarged prostate glands and shrunken testicles.
In later years, Ziegler stated, “It’s bad enough to have to deal with drug addicts. Now healthy athletes are putting themselves in the same category.” [SOURCE 1, SOURCE 2]
Dianabol Benefits
People who use this steroid can expect to experience three main benefits:
- Rapid gains in muscle mass
- Strength increases
- Sensational pumps
How Dianabol Works
One of the things Dianabol does is enhance glycogenolysis. This is the process the body uses to store glycogen in the liver and muscles. By doing so, the steroid can improve the way the body processes carbohydrates. This can boost energy levels and reduce fat storage.
Though this effect on glycogenolysis an interesting feature, the steroid really comes into its own when it comes to Improving protein synthesis and nitrogen retention.
Dianabol Boosts Protein Synthesis
If you want your muscles to grow, you will get nowhere fast without good protein synthesis.
During a workout, all that extreme exercise causes the muscle tissue to breakdown. Breaking down muscle tissue is what the body does to release energy and the harder you train the more energy you need.
Protein synthesis is how the body repairs the damage and builds the muscle up again. It’s the key to muscle growth.
Of course, none of this happens by magic. As with any kind of building process, there is a need for raw material. In this case, the building blocks the body uses are amino acids and they reach the muscles via the blood.
The thing to remember is, muscle tissue is protein. When you eat a steak, you are actually chowing down on a piece of cow muscle. You also need to know the protein it’s made from consists of smaller particles called amino acids.
The cow has attained these amino acids from its feed and whatever else it has eaten and used protein synthesis to built grow its muscles.
In a similar way, when we humans eat steak or other protein-providing food, our digestive organs reduce it to amino acids. These acids are then picked up by the blood and taken to the muscles.
If your diet lacks enough protein or you over-train, you end up breaking down more muscle tissue than your body can repair.
At the other end of the scale, by improving the process of protein synthesis in the way that it does, Dianabol makes your body better at building muscle. This allows you to heal faster and grow larger in a shorter period of time. [SOURCE]
Dianabol Improves Nitrogen Retention
Although protein synthesis is the all-important muscle-building process, it won’t happen in an efficient way unless the conditions are just right.
At this point, it’s hard not to make a comparison to building a house. If the builders don’t have enough bricks or they have to sit and wait for a delivery, the house-building process is going to suffer.
However, even if the bricks are there, other things can still slow things down. If there was a thunderstorm, for instance. Work may be “rained-off “. Even if the guys stayed and soldiered on, work would go slow because the conditions would not be right.
Getting back to your muscles, protein synthesis works best in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere.
Even if your blood is delivering amino acids by the truckload, without sufficient nitrogen, things aren’t going to work. Protein synthesis requires a positive nitrogen balance.
The good news is, your muscles generally have all the nitrogen they need. The bad news is when you exercise them it causes your nitrogen levels to deplete.
However, steroids have the ability to increase nitrogen retention and prevent the loss during exercise becoming too severe. Dianabol has this ability and, bearing in mind its potency, its ability to do so must be significant. [SOURCE]
Dianabol Delivery Method and Dosing
Although an injectable version is available, most Dianabol users prefer to take the steroid in pill form. Knocking back a pill or two beats sticking a needle in your muscle any day.
It’s normal to use Dianabol in cycles of four to six weeks and 30 mg to 50 mg per day is a common dose.
The thing is, this is a steroid with quite a short half life. After three to five hours the benefits will be gone. That means it’s best to split the dose and take it more than once a day.
Taking the pills alongside a meal is also a good idea. The steroid can be hard on the stomach otherwise.
However, although there is a lot to be said for spreading the doses throughout the day, some steroid users prefer to take the full dose at once, just before working out.
Bodybuilders who favour this method will tell you it enables a better uptake of the steroid and boosts performance during workouts.
In theory, there could be a lot to be said for this approach. It should ensure maximum steroid benefits while working out.
The big problem is, taking a single, larger dose in this way places more strain on the liver. You don’t want that. The liver is important. You need to be kind to it.
Of course, if you really care about your liver you won’t use Dianabol at all. You’ll go with a safer option instead.
Dianabol Half Life and Detection Time
Dianabol has a half life of three to five hours. That’s how long you can expect to get the benefits after you take it. It’s not how long it will remain detectable.
The half life and detection rate of a steroid are two different things.
Dianabol generally remains detectable for five to six weeks. So, if you are likely to be tested, you need to stop using the steroid two months before the date of the test.
If you test positive for Dianabol you will be looking at a long competition ban. In fact, looking at the data compiled by the US Anti-Doping Agency, the average ban lasts for two years.
Popular Stacking Options
Some guys stack Dianabol with Delatestryl (testosterone enanthate). Using this combination may prevent your gains from disappearing when you come off cycle.
However, stacking steroids increases the chance of negative issues.
Whether it’s being used on its own or with other steroids, it always makes sense to stack Dianabol with a good liver protection supplement. Milk thistle is a popular choice.
Even when Dianabol is used with milk thistle or a suitable equivalent, there are no guarantees. It’s a steroid that can give your liver quite a beating. If it hits it too hard there may be no coming back.
Some Important Dianabol Usage Considerations
Dianabol is a good muscle-building steroid. Nobody is saying otherwise. Many bodybuilders swear by it.
However, ask the same guys if they’ve ever been hit with side effects and a lot of them will admit that they have. This popular steroid can do a lot of unpleasant things to the body.
If you are seriously thinking about using Dianabol, you owe it to yourself to go into things with your eyes wide open. You could be taking a big gamble with your health and well-being.
One of the first things you need to know is Dianabol is a steroid that has the potential to cause water retention. That means you could end up with a flesh that is puffier-looking than normal.
It’s not a situation that’s going to do much for your muscle definition and vascularity, let’s put it like that. You may get swollen ankles too. That’s not too bad though. Wear your pants right and nobody will notice most of the time.
Of course, if your face goes all bloated that’s a different matter unless you are unusually fond of wearing a ski-mask.
Like a lot of other steroids, Dianabol is also capable of causing man boobs. If that happens it’s going to put a major dent in your day.
Serious Dianabol Side Effects
Sporting a new pair of tits may be embarrassing, but it won’t kill you. However, some of the other Dianabol side effects are of a more serious nature. For one thing, this is a steroid that can be very hard on the liver.
I’m not going to gloss it over. It can damage the liver—big time! It’s an important organ and you’ve only got one. If Dianabol hits it too hard there may be no coming back. [SOURCE]
Dianabol is a C17-Alpha Alkylated oral anabolic steroid. It can be processed by the liver without being destroyed. That’s where the problem lies as far as your liver goes.
If you use the steroid alongside a good liver support supplement, such as N-Acetyl L-Cysteine or milk thistle, it might help. However, there are no guarantees.
Before you consider using Dianabol you also need to know doing so may damage your heart. There’s a lot of risks involved.
Other Side Effects
Other common Dianabol side effects can include:
- Greasy skin/acne
- Rage and aggression
- Mood swings
- Enlarged prostate gland
- Loss of sex drive/impotence
- Shrinking of the testicles
- High Blood Pressure
- High cholesterol
- Premature hair loss (men)
- Increases in body hair (women)
- Suppressed testosterone production
A Look at the Dianabol Pros and Cons
Reasons to Use Dianabol | Reasons Not to Use Dianabol |
Enhances protein synthesis | Illegal steroid |
Improves nitrogen retention | Has many potential side effects |
Increases strength | May cause liver damage |
Reduces fatigue | Competition bans |
Increases overall muscle mass | Gains can fade quickly |
Provides fast muscle gains | Bad for the heart |
Requires a post cycle therapy | |
Safer alternatives available |
Dianabol: Is It Worth the Risks?
There are a lot of reasons not to use this steroid, yet plenty of people do. Just because someone else does something it doesn’t mean you have to do it too.
There’s a lot of misinformation about steroids. In many ways, they are like a bad smell that won’t go away. Dianabol is no exception. True, it ‘s a steroid that can promote fantastic growth, but the side effects can stink.
Several decades ago, steroids may have been the best way for athletes to get an extra edge, but that’s no longer the case.
People use Dianabol during bulking cycles to obtain exceptional growth. The steroid achieves this by enhancing nitrogen retention and improving protein synthesis. That’s the truth in a nutshell.
However, modern supplements are capable of encouraging a similar level of growth. The best thing of all is they have been specially developed to do this without causing side effects.
The reality is simple. People have the option of doing the same thing in two different ways. One way does not involve a risk of side effects, the other one does. The smart thing is to take the safer option.
The thing is, even if there were no safer alternatives, using Dianabol would still be an incredibly bad idea. It’s capable of damaging vitally important organs like the liver and heart.
Then, when you go off cycle and stop using Dianabol you have to start using something else until normal testosterone production is restored.
Everyone has the luxury of making up their own minds about the best way to go. However, before you use Dianabol you need to do some serious thinking. Make sure you understand all the risks and have explored the alternatives too.
Dianabol FAQ
How good are the gains likely to be?
A lot of users gain four to seven pounds during the first seven days and up to 28 pounds by the end of a 6-week cycle.
That’s may sound good but you have to remember this is a steroid that’s known to cause water retention. Up to 15 percent of the “gains” may actually be water, not muscle.
Can women use Dianabol?
Some women take a chance and use it, but it’s not a good idea. Its androgenic rating is not as high as testosterone, but it could still cause virilization.
How long is Dianabol detectable?
It can still be detectable in your urine and blood a number of weeks after you last used it. How long depends on who you speak to, but if you are planning on heading for a competition you may need four to eight weeks to be sure of testing clear.
Is Dbol better than Dianabol?
Dbol and Dianabol are the same thing. Dbol is kind of a pet-name bodybuilders sometimes use when referring to Dianabol.
What happens if I don’t do a post cycle therapy?
Like most other steroids, Dianabol severely retards normal testosterone production. That means a PCT is going to be needed until your body recovers and gets things back on track.
A PCT will mean additional expense and could be seen as a monumental pain in the ass, but skipping it is an incredibly bad idea. Do that and you can probably wave all your gains goodbye.
In fact, you could end up with less muscle than you had before you began your bulking cycle. Trying to get through the day without enough testosterone in your system will really screw you up.