Methandrostenolone (Anabol, Dianabol) is an anabolic steroid originally developed by John Ziegler and released in the US in 1956 by Ciba.
Several successful athletes and professional bodybuilders have come forward and admitted long-term methandrostenolone use including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva.
Russian athletes in the 1953 World Championships as well as the Olympic games then used testosterone with great success. After that, John Zeigler, who was a doctor working with the US Weightlifting Team, began a cooperative project with Ciba to develop an equalizer for US athletes. Flash forward to 1956 and enter Dianabol ; the original trade name for Ciba´s Methandrostenolone... but called "Dbol" by athletes. The original package insert said that 10mgs/day was enough to provide full androgen replacement for a man and Dr.Zeigler recommended that athletes take 5-10mgs/day. Incidentally, this is also the dose that Bodybuilders were reputed to take from then until roughly the 1970´s. Yeah, this was allegedly Arnold´s dose, Zane´s dose, etc... simply stacked with some testosterone.
Methandrostenolone does not react strongly with the androgen receptor, instead relying on activity not mediated by the receptor for its effects. These include dramatic increases in protein synthesis, glycogenolysis, and muscle strength over a short space of time. However, due to its mode of action, it decreases the rate of cell respiration and decreases production of red blood cells. In high doses (30 mg or more per day), side effects such as gynaecomastia, high blood pressure, acne and male pattern baldness may begin to occur. Since it is not very effective in activating ARs, it should be stacked with a Class I steroid that is effective in this regard, such as Primobolan, Nandrolone, or trenbolone acetate(Parabolan). There is no point in stacking it with Anapolon, which has similar activity -- one ought to simply use the more appropriate drug. With testosterone or Nandrolone, Anabol is to be preferred; with Primobolan or trenbolone acetate(Parabolan), Anapolon is to be preferred (though Anabol is still a good choice) because Anapolon does not aromatize. For an oral-only cycle -- something I don't recommend -- Anapolon is the better choice in my opinion for that also, at 150 mg/day (preferably divided to 3 or 6 doses.).
The drug causes severe masculinising effects in women even at low doses. In addition, it is metabolized into estradiol by aromatase. This means that without the administration of aromatase inhibitors such as Anastrozole(Arimidex) or Aminoglutethimide, estrogenic effects will appear over time in men. Many users will combat the estrogenic side effects with Nolvadex, Tadex or Clomid.
The 17α-methylation of the steroid does allow it to pass through the liver without being broken down (hence causing the aforementioned damage to the liver) allowing it to be taken orally. It also has the effect of decreasing the steroid's affinity for sex hormone binding globulin, a protein that de-activates steroid molecules and prevents them from further reactions with the body. As a result, methandrostenolone is significantly more active than an equivalent quantity of testosterone, resulting in rapid growth of muscle tissue. However, the concomitant elevation in estrogen levels - a result of the aromatization of methandrostenolone - results in significant water retention. This gives the appearance of great gains in mass and strength, which prove to be temporary once the steroid is discontinued and water weight drops. Because of this, it is often used by bodybuilders only at the start of a "steroid cycle", to facilitate rapid strength increases and the appearance of great size, while compounds such as testosterone or nandrolone with long acting esters build up in the body to an appreciable amount capable of supporting anabolic function on their own.
In a study done in the early 80´s, a very high dose of Dbol (100mgs/day for 6 weeks) decreased plasma testosterone to about 40% of it´s normal value, plasma GH went up about a third, LH dropped to about 80% of it´s original value, and FSH went down about a third also. Body fat did not go up significantly and Fat Free Mass went up anywhere between 2-7kgs (3.3kgs average gain). The researchers concluded that Dbol increases Fat Free Mass as well as increasing strength and performance.
In order to kick start a Anabol cycle, usually what you do is incorporate a fast acting oral like Anabol (or Anapolon) and combine it with long acting injectables (such as Nandrolone with some Testosterone). The reasoning here is that the oral (Dbol in this case) will give almost immediate results, while the injectable takes time to produce results. The end result is that you start seeing results within the first week of your cycle and continue up until the end with the injectables. This entails taking anywhere from 25-50mgs of dbol (although as little as 20mgs or as much as 100mgs have been reported) for 3-6 weeks at the start of a cycle (average time for a "Kick Start" is 4 weeks, though), and then ceasing their use as the injectables start to produce results.
In order to successfully bridge between cycles (and this means using a low dose of AAS, in this case dbol), you need to recover your natural hormonal levels to pre-cycle levels or to within acceptable parameters, and then you start your next cycle. The idea here is that you won´t lose any gains, but rather a low dose of an AAS will help you maintain them. Typically, you´d use around 10mgs/day of dbol and combine it with an aggressive Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT) course of Nolvadex, Tadex (and/or Clomid-Klomen) and HCG(Pregnyl, Choragon). This would give you full androgen replacement from the Dbol and a shot at recovering your natural hormonal levels via the other stuff you are taking.
All in all, this is a very good drug, and a potent tool for quick gains or retaining gains...when used properly and safely.
Effective dose: 25-50mgs (as low as 10 and as high as 100 have been reported)
Active Life: 6-8hours
Detection Time: up to 6 weeks
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio (Range): 90-210:40-60
Store in temperature not exceeding 77oF(25oC).