DECA DURABOLIN – ULTIMATE GUIDE
Testosterone and Deca Durabolin Steroid Cycle (Bulking):
Products included:
- Deca Durabolin 300mg/ml – 2 vials
- Testosterone Enanthate 300mg/ml – 2 vials
- Arimidex (Anastrazole) – 1 bottle
- HCG comes with bacteriostatic water – 1 vial
- Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) – 1 bottle
- Clomid (Clomiphene) – 1 bottle
Testosterone and Deca Durabolin Steroid Cycle (Bulking) Description:
Based on Deca Durabolin and Testosterone for 10 weeks HCG (Gonadotropin) and Arimidex (Anastrazole) usage highly recommended. PCT consists of Clomid and Nolvadex.
Testosterone and Deca Durabolin Steroid Cycle (Bulking)
Testosterone is another potent anabolic steroid, typically taken to add large amounts of muscular hypertrophy (size) and strength in the off-season
However, testosterone can also be utilized as a cutting steroid, due to its strong androgenic properties having a stimulatory effect on lipolysis; resulting in decreased adipose tissue (enhanced fat loss).
Testosterone is regarded as one of the safest anabolic steroids, being FDA approved and prescribed to many men worldwide for the treatment of TRT (testosterone replacement therapy).
Testosterone and Deca Durabolin can be regarded as one of the mildest stacks a bodybuilder can utilize, in regards to side effects.
However, it remains a potent duo for enhancing body composition, with users experiencing 30 plus pounds of muscle gain and amazing improvements in strength.
This bulking cycle does not present a massive risk for hypertension; however, cholesterol changes are to be expected; causing mild increases in blood pressure. Deca Durabolin and Testosterone are two of the most cardiovascular-friendly steroids available.
Testosterone compliments Deca Durabolin exceptionally well, due to Testosterone’s androgenic nature reducing the sexual side effects of Deca Durabolin. However, unlike Anadrol, Testosterone does this without compromising health in other aspects (such as the liver).
This cycle is also better suited to someone trying to prevent gynecomastia, as an aromatase inhibitor (AI) can be taken, synergistically lowering estrogen and progesterone levels.
Anastrozole and letrozole are two popular AI medications taken by bodybuilders today.
Endogenous testosterone levels will decrease dramatically, requiring a PCT and some users experiencing: hair thinning, recession, or loss on the scalp due to testosterone raising DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This cycle is less hair-friendly compared to the Deca Durabolin/Dianabol stack.
What Is Deca Durabolin
«Deca» is short for Decanoate – the ester form of the compound that defines its half-life.
«Durabolin» is nothing but the brand name, there is no hidden meaning behind it.
The classic Deca Durabolin contains some benzyl alcohol to preserve and keep the substance sterile, some peanut oil (the real, liquid oil, not that Nutella sugar-filled paste crap), and the active compound itself – Nandrolone Decanoate. Some generic analogs may contain sunflower oil instead of the peanut one, but it doesn’t really matter. The thing that gives you all the effects is Nandrolone.
What Is Nandrolone
In scientific terms, it is 19-nortestosterone, which means that it is almost identical to the testosterone itself, but lacks a tiny carbon in the 19th position. Just a little change gives you all the difference. Nandrolone is 150% more anabolic than testosterone and 30% as androgenic. It’s also resistant to aromatization, which means that it does not turn into estrogen in your body.
Nandrolone is the active compound, Deca is an ester. So far, it’s easy, right?
Nandrolone Esters
And that’s where it gets weird. We have a whole bucket of other Nandrolone esters with quirky names that vary mostly in terms of the half-life:
- Nandrolone Cypionate – a faster form of Deca;
- Nandrolone Adamantoate – aka Bolmantalate, also an anabolic steroid by nature, not so popular;
- Nandrolone Furylpropionate – aka NFP (has nothing to do with furries);
- Nandrolone Cyclohexanecarboxylate – in more than 50 years from its creation, no one ever tried to run it because «cyclo… cyclohe… fuck it, I’ll take Deca» is just easier to spell;
- Nandrolone Phenylpropionate – aka NPP, just as popular as Deca. It gives you results about a month earlier, but you have to inject it more frequently.
These are just 5 of them. We have about 10 more, but I’m pretty sure you will never even see any of them again. Why? Because Deca Durabolin and NPP are the two most popular, powerful, and effective Nandrolone esters. Trust me, every single gym maniac would memorize the Cyclohexanecarboxylate by syllables if it could give more benefits than other options. Luckily, we are here with just NPP and Deca.
Deca Durabolin VS NPP
Here are the key differences between them:
- Half-life – Deca is a long-chain ester, NPP is a short-chain one. In general, it means that Deca acts slower than NPP, but bears fewer risks for your health;
- Results speed – With NPP you will need approximately 2 months to see the gains, with Deca – about 3 or 4 months;
- Injections frequency – Deca should be taken once a week, some athletes split the dose and take it in 2 injections a week. NPP requires about 3 or 4 injections every week, since it wears off faster.
It’s not necessary to choose just one Nandrolone ester – running two 19-nor’s at a time is a common thing, even though it’s highly debatable nowadays.
Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone) Benefits
We’ll stick with Deca by now, just because it’s the most popular option. You get the same list of benefits from Nandrolone anyway, regardless of the ester and release speed. Here are just some of them:
Muscle Growth
This is why you are here in the first place, right? Deca is a classic bulking compound that can easily give you extra 6-18 Lbs of dry muscle by the end of the cycle. The range is so wide here because the effect is individual and depends on your workout routine and many other pre-existing stats. In case you will sit on your ass all day and skip on the gym, gains will not come at all. However, the effect is not that closely related to your activity. Deca works in your body in several independent ways:
- Improves the protein synthesis ( i.e., gives you more material for your body to build muscle with);
- Boosts nitrogen retention (your muscle will appreciate the positive nitrogen balance and will reward you with extreme growth).
Joints and Tendons Improvement
When you experience Deca lubrication of the joints, you understand that the whole previous life it felt like dry-humping a crusty loaf of garlic bread, and only NOW you know how your joints should work. Well-lubricated joints work with no screeching, no discomfort, no pain, and zero resistance.
Why does it happen? We have no definitive answer yet, just many versions. The primary one is a combination of two effects: better synovial liquid accumulation in the joints (the healthy kind of liquid retention, not the edema-like one) and boosted glycogen synthesis. Whatever the reason is, decades of anecdotal experience prove that the effect is there.
Not entirely, it definitely leaves a sweet aftertaste, but does not work the same way for everyone and occurs mainly in an uncontrolled manner, so technically it’s not a treatment — more of temporary ease on the problem.
Low Androgenicity
Not the first time in bodybuilding history that the lack of some effects becomes a benefit, but one of the most notable for sure. Deca Durabolin is weak on the androgenic side and boosted on the anabolic one. It’s just 20-30% as androgenic as the testosterone. Balding, acne, moobs – chances that you will get it are significantly lower (in comparison to testosterone and other AAS). However, Estradiol is not the only thing that can lead to it, and you still need PCT after the Deca cycle.
Other Benefits
Deca Durabolin has several additional minor benefits that some people don’t expect. Shops rarely mention them, medical studies take them for granted, but they still occur during the cycle:
- Immunity boost – even HIV-positive kids were prescribed Deca for muscle deficiency treatment;
- Bones strengthening – Deca has initially been a treatment for osteoporosis;
- Amino-acids administration improvement – direct effect on your intestines;
- Endurance boost – Deca promotes red blood cell production, so you have more cells to transport oxygen around your body and better endurance as a result.
Deca Durabolin Dosage
The healthy rate is just 300-400mg a week, cut in halves, and taken in 2 injections of 150-200mg every week. Different purposes require different dosage:
- For blasting, take 300-800mg Deca a week. 500mg mark is where the Deca dick is waiting for you, but let’s be realistic – many desperate athletes go for it and add supportive compounds to counter the side effects. For starters, on 500-800mg a week, you will need Cabergoline to combat progesterone and AI’s to counter aromatization in the liver.
- For cruising, 200mg will do the thing. Nothing special about this one, it keeps you bulk off-cycle and can be well tolerated in the long run. Yes, you can run Deca for a full year. No, it’s not healthy – just like blasting and cruising in general. And no, it’s not that dangerous as many argue, regular control is just a pain in the ass in this case, and you may start to skip meals to save money for supportive compounds.
- On TRT, 100-200mg a week in a single injection will be enough. In case you’re on an officially prescribed testosterone replacement therapy, Deca can spice it up a bit and give you some additional 3-5 lbs of muscle in 8-12 weeks. Don’t expect wonders from it, though. You’re not going to get massive from this dose but will notice the joints pain relief effect.
In case you need results faster, you can go for the NPP cycle. NPP is more potent than Deca, so you will have to adjust your dosage. 150mg of NPP will give you the same effect as 200mg of Deca.
How To Take Deca Durabolin
Inject it right in your butt, just to tease haters. Best done in high noon in public on the central square of your city.
Aside from the public thing, I’m deadly serious. Deca Durabolin should be injected in the muscle tissue, and your buttocks are the perfect injection sites. Just split one of them into 4 quadrants (visualize it, please, don’t use a pen) and inject right in the upper quadrant on the outer side. In case you’re not comfortable with the whole stereotypical butt thing, here is a list of other common – and just as effective – places for intramuscular injections:
- Upper thigh;
- Quads;
- Deltoids;
- Upper arm;
- Literally, any other place where you can reach muscle easily.
It’s important not to hit any major blood vessels. There’s plenty of guides on intramuscular injections on the Web. Just google the thing and follow the instructions, like in this guide from the University of Michigan.
Deca Before and After
The Internet is full of insane transformations that are attributed to Deca Durabolin. Most of the time you see athletes turning their bodies from mildly-toned to extremely massive and shredded ones. There’s just one problem with it: real Deca before and after would look WET AF. You won’t look like lean in any way after a Deca cycle. Especially since you also need Testosterone with it.
This is what you can expect from a full-scale, high dosage Deca cycle with Testosterone:
The guy just LOOKS like Jason Statham, it’s not him actually. While we can’t be sure that this is exactly a Deca before and after — it could take place in the course of the 9 months mentioned. Two simple reasons for it:
- The gains are crazy. It would take several years of hard work naturally to achieve this result;
- The gains are wet and water retention is visible — look at the puffiness, even in the face, and at the ABS.
We’re not trying to claim that this is exactly what YOU will look like in a Deca before ad after picture comparison (since pretty much everything is individual), but this is what wet gains look like in general.
Deca Durabolin Side Effects
There is no free lunch, and Deca has never been famous for being a side effects-free compound. Even though most athletes note that the sides are mild, they have a chance to occur, and you should know how to counter them.
Deca Dick
So common, that it has become a self-sufficient term by now. You probably learn about Deca dick before you know what Deca is. In medical terms, it’s a synonym to a decreased libido and troubled erections. Basically, a limp dick during the peak of the cycle. This is why it occurs:
- Deca affects your natural (aka endogenous) testosterone production and suppresses it, but it is NOT androgenic enough to fill the gap. It does not work as an external (aka exogenous) injectable testosterone. Right, the compound, that, in basic terms, IS testosterone with slight changes, does not work like one. To my mind, that’s a dick move, and the pun is totally intended.
- In your body, Deca is partly transformed by the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme to 5-alpha-dihydro Nandrolone (DHN), which is EVEN LESS androgenic, so the remaining 20% of androgenic capabilities get hit as well.
- Deca Durabolin is a potent progestational compound. Progestins are comparable to estrogens, and they can give some fancy girlish vibes to your hormonal system without proper external support. Girls don’t have erections; neither will you on high doses of Deca.
Luckily, Deca dick is a dose-dependent thing, and it occurs only on a high dosage, about 6-8 weeks into the cycle. You can avoid it by running Deca in reasonable dosage (the one I mentioned above) and just following a simple rule:
You’re most likely to be OK if you follow this rule. However, some other options can counter the side effect directly in case you’ve lost the point of no return:
Aromatase Inhibitors vs. Deca dick
Yeah, the low conversion rate does not mean any conversion at all, it still happens in the liver. AI’s like Aromasin or Arimidex can help you to lower the estradiol levels. Just remember that aromatization is heavily limited with Nandrolone and take smaller doses than usual.
Medicine to Counter Deca dick
Counter injectable with orals. A 5mg dose of Bromocriptine (Parlodel) a day, a pill in the morning and a pill before sleep, can solve your issue. Cabergoline or Wellbutrin would work as well. You are about to counter anabolic steroids side effects with anti-depressants through dopamine administration mechanism, and that’s one messed up stack for your mental health. Pay extra attention to your emotional state during the cycle and especially – when you take these counter-measures.
HCG vs. Deca dick
HCG is a nuclear option that can make even the softest, most sluggish dick rock-hard and ready to shine again. Just make sure that you’ve tried all other options before going for this one. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is a complicated compound itself, don’t turn your bulking cycle into a vicious circle of side effects.
Heart-related Deca Side Effects
It’s not all about your penis, buddy. Your heart is proven to take some damage as well. Luckily, it’s mild and dose-dependent, too, so you’re OK while you take Deca in moderation. However, some extra attention to the heart and some tests would be a great thing to do.
Other Side Effects
Your heart and your dick get hit the most. You also can get a ton of discomfort from testosterone shutdown, but it’s not directly a Deca side effect – that’s what you get for abusing any anabolic steroid or skipping on the PCT phase. Other Deca side effects are usually well-tolerated, among them are:
- Headaches;
- Backache;
- Acne;
- Rhinitis;
- Dizziness.
PCT after Deca Durabolin
Seriously, don’t skip the PCT. Nolvadex or Clomid can help you with the Deca dick thing and get you back on track in the bedroom. PCT is vital after a Deca + Testosterone cycle anyway, so it’s not like you will have to do something extra here.
In case something goes wrong, you can always drop the cycle.
Bloodworks on Deca Durabolin
Deca is a powerful gear, and it’s totally capable of fucking up your whole hormonal system if you tolerate it poorly or just take it in a wrong protocol. You don’t need to be an overdosing gym freak to mess things up, even extremely disciplined and careful athletes make mistakes. Shit happens. It’s not a reason to avoid all possible risks of bodybuilding, just an excellent reason to put extra effort into control of the process. Nothing gives you more awareness of your cycle effectiveness than regular blood works. Here is what you need to know about it on Deca cycle: