Description
Nandrolone is one of the most popular anabolic steroids to ever be created and has been a staple among performance enhancing athletes of all types since its inception. It is also one of the few anabolic steroids that has remained prominent in medical circles and is highly valued in many therapeutic fields.
Nandrolone was first developed in 1960 and made available worldwide in 1962 by Organon in the form of Nandrolone Phenylpropionate under the trade name Durabolin. However, it would be the trade name Deca Durabolin that would gain a hold on the Nandrolone drug. Since that time numerous versions of Nandrolone have hit the shelves, but Deca Durabolin has remained the most well known; in fact, it’s not uncommon for all Nandrolone versions to be referred to as Deca even if they aren’t.
The Nandrolone hormone can be attached to any ester but is most commonly found attached to the Decanoate and Phenylpropionate ester, and in some cases the Cypionate ester. Nandrolone is well known for being one of the best off-season bulking agents for steroid users. It is also a favorite among athletes for its healing and recovery benefits. Because of its tremendous therapeutic benefits Nandrolone is used in many areas of medicine. However, due to anabolic steroid controversy its use has waned somewhat in the U.S. but still remains high in the rest of the world.
Nandrolone Functions & Traits
Nandrolone (all forms) is a 19-nortestosterone (19-nor) anabolic androgenic steroid. The 19-nor distinction notes a structural change to the testosterone hormone, specifically the testosterone hormone lacking the carbon atom at the 19th position. It is this slight alteration that gives us Nandrolone; Testosterone, remove the 19th carbon and a new steroid is born.
Nandrolone is carries an anabolic rating that is slightly greater than testosterone, but possess a much lower androgenic rating. Its androgenic rating is a mere 37 with testosterone’s rating being 100. The decreased androgenic rating is due to Nandrolone’s ability to reduce to dihydronandrolone (DHN) rather than dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This makes Nandrolone one of the most well tolerated anabolic steroids for adult men. Nandrolone possess very little estrogenic activity with an aromatase rate of only 20% that of Testosterone. It is classified as an active progestin and this will play into potential side effects, but they are controllable in most cases.
Nandrolone is an effective and powerful anabolic steroid for numerous reasons with several direct functional benefits. The primary functions of the Nandrolone hormone include but are not limited to the following:
Enhance Protein Synthesis
Inhibit Glucocorticoid Hormones
Promote Enhanced IGF-1 Production
Increase Nitrogen Retention
Increased Red Blood Cell Count
Increase Collagen Synthesis
Enhance Bone Mineral Content
The effects of Nandrolone, the first five listed are shared by many anabolic steroids. However, the increase in nitrogen retention is far greater with this steroid than most. This is important as all muscle tissue is comprised of 16% nitrogen. That may not seem all that important but retention creates anabolism and a lack of retention enters us into a catabolic state. Then we’re left with the collagen and bone mineral traits and it is these two traits that truly separate Nandrolone from the rest of the pack. It is these two traits that allow Nandrolone to promote joint relief and even pain relief in achy tendons and ligaments to a degree. The recovery factor this promotes is truly tremendous and is one of the reasons and often the only reason some athletes use the steroid.
The functions and traits of Nandrolone are also well-appreciated in medical circles as the hormone has shown positive benefits to many areas of treatment. The Nandrolone hormone is well-suited for the treatment of muscle wasting diseases, fatigue and geriatric weakness. It is also an excellent combatant of anemia. Nandrolone has been successfully used to combat certain forms of breast cancer, life altering for burn victims and can even treat and provide relief from ulcers. The medical benefits continue as Nandrolone has been shown to have a positive impact on treating the developmental retardation in children as well as dwarfism. However, while effective in all of these areas where it has stood out heavily is in the treatment of osteoporosis. Unfortunately, in the U.S. it is not regularly prescribed for this. In the U.S. Nandrolone is primarily prescribed for HIV patients and with a high level of success. It has also slowly grown in use among anti-aging patients who undergo therapeutic rejuvenation plans.
Effects of Nandrolone
Simply by understanding the functions and traits of Nandrolone it’s easy to see the positive effects of this 19-nor compound, especially the positive medical benefits. For the performance enhancing individual, the bodybuilder or athlete, although a long standing favorite it’s also one of the most misunderstood. The common idea is that Nandrolone is a great bulking steroid and the truth is it is a fantastic bulking steroid. But for many steroid users that’s where it ends, and the truth is it doesn’t have to and often shouldn’t. A key point any steroid user must understand is that a steroid’s quality is not merely based on how much mass it can help you obtain. There are numerous positive effects a steroid can bring, and if mass promotion is the only one you ever shoot for you may very well shortchange yourself.
For the off-season athlete Nandrolone is often a staple and one of the best choices he can make. Increases in mass will not occur at a rapid rate, and that will remain true even if using a short ester version. You’re not going to gain 20-30lbs of mass in 4 weeks as you might with Oxymetholone, but you will gain quality mass and quite a bit over time, not the sloppy mass often seen in rapid acting mass builders. Strength should also increase to a degree, although this steroid isn’t well known for being a strong strength promoter. For the off-season athlete he will also enjoy the recovery and therapeutic benefits that are provided. This is important as off-season training is normally the time when the heaviest weights are used. The user will also find that he should be able to gain more size with less body fat than he would without Nandrolone use due to the positive impact the steroid will have on the metabolism.
We then find ourselves with the athlete, he’s not looking to bulk or cut but needs enhanced performance nonetheless. Nandrolone is one of the best choices if not the absolute best choice when it comes to a steroid to meet this end. Very low doses of Nandrolone will provide the relief and recovery they need, and a slightly higher dose will provide this along with increased levels of muscular endurance. Equally important, especially as it pertains to relief, this isn’t false relief or a masking effect – we’re not talking about painkillers but true relief.
We’re then left with the cutting phase, the time when many steroid users shy away from Nandrolone, but for decades many competitive bodybuilders especially the elite have recognized this steroid’s importance and benefits to a cutting plan. It’s not uncommon for low doses to be used for the therapeutic benefits. There is no time that the body will hurt and ache like it will during a cutting phase and Nandrolone is a great remedy. But others will use it as a direct steroid protectant, something to help protect lean tissue that would otherwise be lost due to the necessary caloric restrictions. It’s not uncommon to see a bodybuilder use Nandrolone during the first half of his contest prep and then drop it the second half for steroids that are better suited to hardening, although he may leave in a small amount all the way to the end for therapeutic benefit.
Side Effects of Nandrolone
Of all the anabolic steroids on the market, Nandrolone is one of the most side effect friendly that’s ever hit the shelf. Women can also benefit from this hormone but normally only at low therapeutic levels. However, there are possible side effects of Nandrolone use, but they will largely surround dosing and genetic predispositions. Most healthy adult men should not have any issue with proper and responsible use. In order to help you understand the possible side effects of Nandrolone we have broken them down into their respective categories along with all you’ll need to know to combat and avoid complications.
