Beyond testosterone cypionate: evidence behind the use of nandrolone in male health and wellness
For instance, its affinity for the PR is only about 10 to 20% of that of progesterone and the nandrolone-derived progestin norethisterone (also known as 17α-ethynyl-19-nortestosterone). At the same time however, nandrolone is used at relatively large doses compared to norethisterone. This may help to compensate for its lower progestogenic potency and may allow for significant progestogenic effects at typical clinical doses (Camerino & Sciaky, 1975).
Therefore, AAS determine an increase in muscle size as a consequence of dose-dependent hypertrophy resulting in an increase of the cross-sectional areas of both type I and type II muscle fibers and myonuclear domains 15. It is administered via intramuscular injection and is metabolized in a similar manner to testosterone, with conversion into 3-norandrosterone by5α-reductase 16. Its consumption can trigger a series of adverse side effects in the body, both acute and chronic 18. However, acute adverse effects have also been described, primarily consisting of headaches, fluid retention, Sustanon 250 buy online gastrointestinal irritation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, jaundice, menstrual abnormalities, and hypertension.
- It has also been studied for use in male hormonal contraception as an alternative and replacement for testosterone (Knuth et al., 1986; Nieschlag, 2010; Nieschlag & Behre, 2012).
- Because this little tweak occurs, it allows scientists to maintain the powerful properties of testosterone, but create an entirely different steroid with unique characteristics.
- For someone that is just using it for performance enhancement, like aesthetic weight lifters or competitive athletes, they really love it, but the truth is, many of these individuals don’t truly understand why they like the drug so much.
- Examples include wasting syndromes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and anemia.
- 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.
- Testosterone is a steroid hormone that has an essential role in the development of the male phenotype and the regulation of reproduction of males.
Risk of Oligospermia and Reduced Ejaculatory Volume
Accordingly, voice deepening is normal in individuals with 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency (Imperato-McGinley & Zhu, 2002). As such, nandrolone would be expected to produce voice deepening similarly to testosterone. In accordance, voice deepening has been reported with nandrolone in women at doses used in postmenopausal osteoporosis (Gerritsma et al., 1994; Geusens, 1995; Frisoli et al., 2005).
Nandrolin 50mg Injection
However, in prostatic tissues and hair follicles, testosterone is converted to DHT by 5AR and is thus responsible for the known side effects of testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) on prostate growth and alopecia (15). The benefits of nandrolone are expected to partially differ in transfeminine people relative to transmasculine people however. This is due to the different doses of nandrolone used in these individuals, namely low, female replacement doses in transfeminine people and full, male replacement doses in transmasculine people.
Testosterone is a substrate for 5α-reductase in tissues that express this enzyme like skin, hair follicles, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles, among others. It is converted by 5α-reductase into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen with much higher AR affinity and AR agonistic potency than that of testosterone (Wiki). Consequently, it is estimated that the effects of testosterone are potentiated by 2- to 3-fold via conversion into DHT in tissues that express 5α-reductase (Sundaram et al., 1995). The role of DHT in the effects of testosterone is demonstrated by a rare intersex condition known as 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency, as well as by 5α-reductase inhibitors (5α-RIs) like finasteride and dutasteride (Wiki; Wiki). Conversely, other aspects of male secondary sexual development, like voice deepening, muscle growth, bone changes, and pubertal penile enlargement, are all normal in the condition. Hence, adults with 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency have a masculine appearance (Imperato-McGinley & Peterson, 1976; Peterson et al., 1977; Photos).
2. Selection of Studies and Data Collection
The inactivation of nandrolone by 5α-reductase makes it very unique among AAS and AR agonists. Only nandrolone and a few of its derivatives like normethandrone and norethandrolone have this very special property. Nandrolone is really great as a steroid because it has so many performance enahancer and practical benefits. It can stop all of the bad hormones from being produced like glucocorticoids, it can raise your IGF-1 levels, more nitrogen is retained, more red blood cells, a lot more collagen, your bones are stronger, and you can expedite the process of protein synthesis.