by Bill Roberts
- Dianabol (methandrostenolone)
is perhaps the most popular oral anabolic steroid
ever produced, and for good reason. While it is
best used in combination with certain injectables,
it also has considerable effect used by itself.
The prevalent philosophy regarding anabolic steroid
use in bodybuilding, and one I generally subscribe
to, is that if using drugs which will suppress the
hypothalamic/pituitary/testicular axis (HPTA) anyway,
one might as well get a high degree of effect at
the same time. Half-measures are less efficient,
as twice as much time being suppressed would be
required for the same result. Using Dianabol alone
is not consistent with this philosophy, and best-possible
results are not achieved.
But it is also a valid philosophy to employ anabolic
steroids in a manner which, while not maximally
effective, is not greatly inhibitory of natural
production of testosterone. In earlier days, many
outstanding physiques were built with Dianabol as
the only steroid used. It is not the all out way
to go, but this approach doesn't deserve quite the
disdain it usually receives today.
Dianabol can serve well for either purpose
stacked with an injectable in the first case, or
used alone in the second.
Dosing of Dianabol is somewhat interesting, in
that for most anabolic steroids it is a rather gray
area as to what constitutes the maximum useful dose.
In the case of Dianabol however, there has long
been general agreement that while 50 mg/day is clearly
more effective than anything substantially less,
more than 50 mg/day adds nothing further, or nothing
that can be noticed. This has been my own finding
as well.
It is established that 50 mg/day Dianabol taken
morning-only causes little HPTA suppression. When
used as part of a stack, I recommend divided doses,
such as 10 mg five times per day, or 20 mg on arising
and 10 mg three times thereafter. The reason for
such frequent dosing is that the half life is quite
short: about four hours.
In terms of pharmacological properties, methandrostenolone
is only a weak agonist (activator) of the
androgen
receptor (AR), with poor binding. It follows, then,
that much or perhaps most of its value likely comes
from non-AR-mediated effects. In any case, it exhibits
synergistic effect the combination being greater
than the sum of the parts with a Class I steroid
such as trenbolone acetate. It is therefore categorized
as a
Class II steroid.
There is no point in stacking it with
Anadrol,
which has similar activity -- one ought to simply
use the more appropriate drug. Dianabol combines
well with any
Class I steroid or with
testosterone,
which has mixed activity, while Anadrol in combination
with a high estrogen or high progestin environment
can worsen such side effects.
Methandrostenolone converts to methylestradiol
via aromatase. The amount of this conversion may
be reduced by use of Arimidex or
letrozole. Or if
the conversion is allowed, Clomid or
Nolvadex may
be used to block adverse estrogenic effects.
Irreversible hoarsening of the voice has been
seen in some women from very few tablets of Dianabol:
as little as one per day taken for a few weeks.
For this reason, in the 1960s doctors decided to
end what had been a fairly common practice of prescribing
this drug to women at one tab per day as a "tonic."
It is not an optimal choice for the
woman who chooses
to use anabolic steroids.
The usual dosing for men is 25-50 mg/day in divided
doses. Personally, if supply is sufficient and an
anti-estrogen is employed whether an
aromatase
inhibitor or a SERM such as Clomid or Nolvadex
I see no reason to use less than 50 mg when choosing
to use Dianabol. However, in the absence of estrogen
control, some will find that to be too high a dose
due to estrogenic side effects.
Dianabol is 17-alkylated and so use should be
limited to no more than 6 weeks with at least an
equal amount of time off.
Methandrostenolone is the chemical
name of active ingredient in Dianabol. Dianabol
was originally a registered trademark of Ciba-Geigy
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries
prior to cancellation.
