OLYMPIC

Imagine you did some injectable anabol

I'm hoping you put up some pics because you're a tank and people need to see how huge you are. Tons of respect for ya brother

Once the atp chain is broken, consider any carbs you ingest as instantly burnt as energy. This is why you will heat up when you eat carbs. Lot of people for this reason do a 3-4 carb depletion protocol prior to starting dnp. I was eating candy and fruits and was shedding fat

Congrats to all. Just want everyone to know that this board is all about opportunity. Many of these promotions are members who were not part of NM. everyone is equal in our eyes and whoever cares for the board truly will be rewarded. We are very thankful to everyone who is helping this board become better everyday.

For me the main issue is why agree to do bloodwork and not to it?its a free test given by your doctor,not like you are paying out of pocket. He further stated he would but didnt do so but then came on to leave a review. Why would anyone jump onto more gear if they already had previous gyno issues and not do bloodwork to make sure your levels are ok? All of these are suspect behavior and a disgrace to the vet status The threats is an absolute shame,i hope no rep has to deal with this type of behavior.

proviron is great, i was doing test and my conversion rate was high. Proviron fixed that for me,helped me get to below 30 which is considered a natural state and does not shut down semen production. my dosage is 100mg a week and 25 proviron a day,

You're the best

Can you bless all of us with some of your own workout vids? Would be nothing better than to see one of our own. You truly are an inspiration to everyone here

couldnt of stated it any better,this is what vets do

haha that cracked me up at novel

i think the point here from @Pump_And_Hump and he can correct me if im wrong if the dirty politics involved by lab owners and boards. They bash labs who offer a cheap price by saying its fake but the truth is test e kg is nearly thew same from all suppliers. so by doing the math it is nearly $7 end product. Makes you question than who is actually helping and caring? This drama happened to me at CM and it lead to a massive war and split and i would do it a 100x over again because people got true insight

that is correct

alright guys lets hear it,whats your go to bulk cycle?also are you open to try new stuff or follow the old phrase "why fix something that isnt broken"

it was definitely irritant at times,this is where specific carrier oils helps with absorption rate. low viscosity is essential for subq shots

@Corey5150 i posted a template for a 12 week contest prep,would appreciate your input and critique

i have done some in my obliques,tad irritating at first but works wlel after

As science uncovers more and more about our cholesterol-derived hormones (i.e., steroids), the more fascinating the story becomes. In a study of our four-legged rodent pals, scientists examined the role of vitamins and steroids on ethanol toxicity. Certainly, drinking too much is nothing to laugh at, yet in reality we know there are boneheaded college kids out there having six drinks too many. Having too much enthanol in your blood may cause oxidative stress. This study compared the effects of antioxidant vitamins (C and E in combination) and steroids (testosterone and nandrolone, separately) on the toxicity of ethanol in rats. Animals were placed into the following groups: control, ethanol, testosterone, ethanol + testosterone, ethanol + nandrolone, ethanol + vitamins. Alcohol was given daily at a dose of five grams per kilogram of bodyweight (i.e., 350 grams of alcohol for a 70-kilogram, or 154-pound, person; or put another way, about 2,450 kcals of alcohol equivalent for a human!). On the 27th day of the study, the animals were euthanized and tissue samples were taken. These samples underwent histological examination. Results showed a protective effect of antioxidants on hepatic and cerebellar injury caused by chronic ethanol intake. And get this: Anabolic steroids protected the central nervous tissue especially, against the toxicity of alcohol. If you slept in biology class, the central nervous system is your brain and spinal cord. Thus, according to the authors, both antioxidant vitamins and anabolic steroids protect against ethanol-induced toxicity. However, this effect is tissue- specific.2 Now, that doesn’t mean you should load up on Deca prior to a drinking binge. Remember, all that ethanol is just empty calories and doesn’t exactly help your training. Conversely, it’s rather fascinating that anabolic steroids protect your brain from alcohol toxicity. Who woulda thunk? Muscleman Ever wonder how most folks view bodybuilders and fitness crazies? Well, one study looked at exactly this. Scientists had a group of college kids rate hypermuscular female bodybuilders and the men who were romantically involved with them on measures of perceived gender traits, personality traits, social behaviors and heterosexual behaviors. In other words, they didn’t actually know these folks, so it was just their perception. And as you know, perception is reality for many. These students perceived hypermuscular women, as compared to the average woman, as having more masculine and fewer feminine interests, less likely to be good mothers and less intelligent, less socially popular and less attractive. But on the good side, the students also perceived them as being less likely to engage in socially deviant behaviors or to be sexually manipulative, as well as more likely to be extroverted, conscientious and open to new experiences, than the average woman. The students perceived men who are romantically involved with hypermuscular women as having stronger masculine traits, interests and identities than the average man.1 So, basically, if you’re a guy with a hot chick with muscles, it’s good! But if you’re the chick with raging delts and forearm muscles that would make Popeye proud, it’s more of a mixed bag. Your Body Tells You What You Need Have you ever had those days when your body seems to tell you that you need to eat more protein? Or, for that matter, carbs or fat? It’s as if there’s an internal signal in your noggin telling you to eat specific foods. Well, now there’s science to back up this phenomenon. Scientists reported a series of five studies of feeding behavior in rats. Rats were fed low-protein diets for five to seven days and then exposed to diets with and without essential amino acids. If you recall, you need the essential amino acids in your diet; in humans, these include phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine and leucine. Anyhow, the scientists found that rats consistently demonstrated recognition of essential amino acid deficiency within the first meal by a significant reduction in first meal duration, rejecting the deficient diets after just 12 to 16 minutes after exposure. According to the investigators, this is the first report of a rapid effect of amino acid-deficient diets without the confounding effects of dietary novelty.3 Now, imagine that. It’s not like the little rat brains looked at the food labels of rat chow and read that there wasn’t enough essential aminos. Their bodies basically told them there wasn’t enough. Pretty amazing, if you ask me. Now the question is: Is there a similar physiological mechanism responsible for other food needs or cravings?3 Eat Your Fruits and Veggies for a Better Body Anthocyanins are naturally occurring compounds that give color to fruit, vegetables and plants. The derivation of anthocyanin is from two Greek words meaning plant and blue. Anthocyanins are the pigments that make blueberries blue, raspberries red, etc. and there’s overwhelming evidence they have high antioxidant activity. There are well over 300 anthocyanins and scientists are still discovering new ones each day. Well, what’s the big deal about these colored pigments? Glad you asked. In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, scientists looked at the effect of blackcurrant anthocyanin (BCA) intake on peripheral circulation; they found that forearm blood flow increased significantly two hours after BCA ingestion. The scientists concluded that intake of BCA may improve shoulder stiffness caused by typing work by increasing peripheral blood flow and reducing muscle fatigue.4 Here’s my take. Clearly, your body can take advantage of increased blood flow, particularly if you have the right nutrients present in your system. What if you were to consume the essential amino acids (EAAs) with blackcurrant anthocyanin prior to exercise? Would the combination of exercise plus BCA further augment blood flow? And would this augmentation make it “easier” for your muscle cells to take up EAAs, thus causing greater protein turnover and anabolism? Who knows. Perhaps BCA is better than all the so-called nitric oxide products on the market when it comes to increasing local circulation. Even more exciting, other anthocyanins may actually help you lose body fat! One group stated that “Anthocyanins as a functional food factor… may have benefits for the prevention of obesity and diabetes.”5 Mmm… I think these pigments may be the new hot thing in sports nutrition. References 1. Forbes GB, Adams-Curtis LE, Holmgren KM, White KB. Perceptions of the social and personal characteristics of hypermuscular women and of the men who love them. J Soc Psychol, Oct 2004;144(5):487-506. 2. Celec P, Jani P, Smrekova L, et al. Effects of anabolic steroids and antioxidant vitamins on ethanol-induced tissue injury. Life Sci, Dec 12 2003;74(4):419-434. 3. Koehnle TJ, Russell MC, Gietzen DW. Rats rapidly reject diets deficient in essential amino acids. J Nutr, Jul 2003;133(7):2331-2335. 4. Matsumoto H, Takenami E, Iwasaki-Kurashige K, Osada T, Katsumura T, Hamaoka T. Effects of blackcurrant anthocyanin intake on peripheral muscle circulation during typing work in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol, Dec 17 2004. 5. Tsuda T, Horio F, Uchida K, Aoki H, Osawa T. Dietary cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-glucoside-rich purple corn color prevents obesity and ameliorates hyperglycemia in mice. J Nutr, Jul 2003;133(7):2125-2130.

First off,salute to all the competitors out there. This isn't an easy trip After reading this, I hope that you will be able to apply the principles and theories to get yourself a nice trophy to put on the mantle. Diet For starters, I used a little different approach this year as to my diet. For those of you who have read my previous contest preparation guides, you will note that this is a much more lenient diet. That is due to the fact that I didn't get overly fat in the off-season. Let's begin. 10 Weeks Out 8:00 - ½ cup oatmeal, 6 egg whites w/ one yolk 10:00 - Isopure Zero Carb drink, 3 rice cakes 12:00 - 6 oz. chicken breast, sweet potato, asparagus 3:00 - Isopure Zero Carb Drink, 3 rice cakes 6:00 - Train 7:30 - ABB Mass Recovery Drink 8:30 - 8 oz. steak (sirloin, round), sweet potato, broccoli 10:30 - Isopure Zero Carb Drink Final 2 Weeks 8:00 - 6 oz. chicken breast, sweet potato 10:00 - Isopure Zero Carb drink, 3 rice cakes 12:00 - 8 oz steak, sweet potato 3:00 - Isopure Zero Carb Drink, 3 rice cakes 6:00 - Train 7:30 - ABB Mass Recovery Drink 8:30 - 8 oz. steak (sirloin, round), sweet potato, broccoli 10:30 - Isopure Zero Carb Drink As you will notice, there is very little change in my diet throughout the pre-contest preparation. The primary change was made to my first meal where I substituted chicken and sweet potato for oatmeal and eggs. I don't know the exact protein amount of this diet. I don't count calories. I judge my diet based on how I look in the mirror. If I was looking bloated or like I was holding fat I could cut back on some of the higher carb products. Water Intake: I drank between 1.0 and 1.5 gallons of water each day. While at work, I would drink it with Crystal Lite Lemonade which has very little sodium. Also, two weeks out from the contest I switched from bottled water to distilled water. Cardiovascular Training Due to the fact that I kept off the majority of fat this off-season I was able to take a more leisurely approach to the cardiovascular conditioning. * 12 weeks to 9 weeks out: Treadmill 30 min/day, 3 x's/week * 8 weeks to 6 weeks out: Treadmill 35 min/day, 5 x's/week * 5 weeks out: Treadmill 40 min/day, 4 x's/week * 4 weeks out: Treadmill 45 min/day, 5 x's/week * 3 weeks to 2 days prior to contest: Treadmill 45 min/day, 6 x's/week Cardio was performed at lunch time before I ate lunch. I did this to keep my metabolism elevated throughout the day as well as preserve some time in the evenings for family time. This worked excellent for two reasons: 1) I got to spend some time with my family and 2) I wasn't all wound up in the evening before I went to bed. I had a much easier time sleeping once I started doing cardio over lunch. I believe it to be best to do cardio before you eat and on as empty a stomach as possible due to the fact that it will put your body into caloric debt and encourage weight loss. This is just my opinion but it seemed to work well for me. Weight Training For those of you who haven't read my articles concerning HIT and Volume Training here are some definitions that will serve to make you understand my approach: * High-Intensity Training (HIT): Method of training using heavy weights, lower repetitions (6-10), and explosive movements using a large amount of energy over a brief period of time. HIT focuses more on the larger Type II-b fibers that give your muscles a more voluminous appearance. These fibers fatigue more quickly but produce the greater amount of force compared with Type-I fibers. * Volume Training: Method of training using medium weights, higher repetitions (12-15), and more succinct movements using a similarly large amount of energy over a more extended period of time. Volume training focuses on the smaller Type-I fibers that give your muscles a harder, more defined look. These fibers have a greater longevity for training and are more associated with cardiovascular training. To begin, I'm going to go through my program for the first 10 weeks of my contest preparation. The last part of the section will be what I did the final two weeks before the show. There will be some subtle changes but necessary changes which I will explain at the end. 10 Weeks Out: Monday: Biceps/Hamstrings/Calves * Concentration curls: 45 x 8, 50 x 8, 55 x 8, 60 x 6 * Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 35 x 8, 40 x 8, 45 x 8 * Super set with: * Double Hammer Dumbbell Curls: 30 x 8, 35 x 8, 40 x 8 * High Cable Curls: 70 x 10, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Double Leg Curls: 220 x 12, 240 x 12, 260 x 10, 280 x 10 * Stiff-Legged Deadlifts with Dumbbell: 110 x 15, 110 x 15, 110 x 15 * Single Leg Curls with 3 sec pauses: 100 x 8, 110 x 8, 120 x 8 * Calf Raises: 160 x 100 (do as many as possible, rest, continue until you reach 100). Tuesday: Chest/Triceps/Abs * Flat Dumbbell Press: 90 x 8, 100 x 8, 110 x 8, 110 x 8=>80 x 8=>50 x 8 * Flat Flyes: 50 x 8, 60 x 8, 70 x 8 * Pec Deck: 150 x 12, 170 x 10, 190 x 8 * Cable Cross-Overs: 100 x 15, 120 x 12, 140 x 10 * Tricep Extensions: 90 x 12, 100 x 12, 110 x 12 * Single Reverse Tri Extensions: 60 x 12, 70 x 10, 80 x 8 * Crunches: 4 sets of 30 Wednesday: Quads/Forearms/Calves * Double Knee Extensions: 200 x 10, 220 x 10, 240 x 10, 250 x 8 * Leg Presses: 640 x 12, 730 x 12, 820 x 10 * Squats: 225 x 10, 315 x 10, 405 x 8 * Single Knee Extensions with 3 sec pause: 90 x 8, 100 x 8, 110 x 8 * Hip Extensions: 180 x 15, 200, 15, 220 x 15 * Wrist Curls with Barbell (behind back): 115 x 12, 135 x 12, 155 x 12 * Wrist Extension with dumbbells: 25 x 12, 30 x 12, 35 x 12 * Calf Raises: 200 x 40, 220 x 30, 240 x 20 * Seated Calf Raises: 115 x 20, 140 x 20, 165 x 20 Thursday: Back/Biceps/Abs * Lat Pulls (wide grip): 180 x 12, 200 x 12, 220 x 12 * Lat Pulls (narrow grip): 150 x 12, 160 x 12, 170 x 12 * Hammer Strength Rows: 180 x 10, 230 x 10, 280 x 10 * Seated Cable Rows: 160 x 12, 180 x 12, 200 x 12 * Cable Pull-Overs: 130 x 15, 140 x 15, 150 x 15 * Hyperextensions: No weight x 15 x 3 sets * Concentration Curls: 35 x 12, 40 x 12, 45 x 10 * Single Dumbbell Preacher Curls: 30 x 15, 35 x 12, 40 x 10 * Ab Machine: 110 x 15, 120 x 15, 130 x 15, 140 x 15 Friday: Shoulders/Traps/Calves * Single Dumbbell Lateral Raises (standing): 25 x 12, 30 x 12, 35 x 10 * Single Cable Lateral Raises (standing): 20 x 20, 25 x 20, 30 x 20 * Dumbbell Front Raises: 30 x 10, 35 x 10, 40 x 10 * Or * EZ Bar Front Raises: 65 x 10, 75 x 10, 85 x 10 * EZ Bar Upright Rows: 65 x 10, 75 x 10, 85 x 10 * Shoulder Shrugs with Bar: 225 x 15, 315 x 12, 405 x 12, 495 x 10, 405 x 12, 315 x 12 * Or * Dumbbell Shrugs: 110 x 15 (for 5 sets) * Calf Raises: 360 x 15, 450 x 15, 540 x 15, 630 x 15 Saturday: OFF Sunday: Triceps * Tricep Extensions: 120 x 8, 130 x 8, 140 x 8, 150 x 8 * Single Reverse Tricep Extension: 70 x 8, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Rope Overhead Extensions: 100 x 8, 120 x 8, 140 x 8 * Rope KickBacks: 70 x 8, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Bench Dips without weight: x 15 Final Two Weeks: Monday: Biceps/Hamstrings/Calves * Concentration curls: 45 x 8, 50 x 8, 55 x 8, 60 x 6 * Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 35 x 8, 40 x 8, 45 x 8 * Super set with: * Double Hammer Dumbbell Curls: 30 x 8, 35 x 8, 40 x 8 * High Cable Curls: 70 x 10, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Double Leg Curls: 220 x 12, 240 x 12, 260 x 10, 280 x 10 * Stiff-Legged Deadlifts with Dumbbell: 110 x 15, 110 x 15, 110 x 15 * Single Leg Curls with 3 sec pauses: 100 x 8, 110 x 8, 120 x 8 * Calf Raises: 160 x 100 (do as many as possible, rest, continue until you reach 100). Tuesday: Chest/Triceps/Abs * Incline Dumbbell Press: 90 x 8, 100 x 8, 110 x 8, 110 x 8=>80 x 8=>50 x 8 * Incline Flyes: 40 x 10, 50 x 10, 60 x 10 * Flat Flyes: 40 x 12, 45 x 12, 50 x 12 * Cable Cross-Overs: 100 x 15, 120 x 12, 140 x 10 * Tricep Extensions: 90 x 12, 100 x 12, 110 x 12 * Single Reverse Tri Extensions: 60 x 12, 70 x 10, 80 x 8 * Crunches: 4 sets of 30 Wednesday: Quads/Forearms/Calves * Double Knee Extensions: 180 x 12, 200 x 12, 220 x 12, 240 x 10 * Leg Presses: 560 x 15, 640 x 15, 730 x 15 * Squats: 225 x 12, 275 x 12, 325 x 12 * Single Knee Extensions with 3 sec pause: 90 x 8, 100 x 8, 110 x 8 * Hip Extensions: 180 x 15, 200, 15, 220 x 15 * Wrist Curls with Barbell (behind back): 115 x 12, 135 x 12, 155 x 12 * Wrist Extension with dumbbells: 25 x 12, 30 x 12, 35 x 12 * Calf Raises: 200 x 40, 220 x 30, 240 x 20 * Seated Calf Raises: 115 x 20, 140 x 20, 165 x 20 Thursday: Back/Biceps/Abs * Lat Pulls (wide grip): 160 x 15, 180 x 15, 200 x 15 * Lat Pulls (narrow grip): 150 x 12, 160 x 12, 170 x 12 * Hammer Strength Rows: 180 x 12, 200 x 12, 220 x 12 * Seated Cable Rows: 150 x 15, 160 x 15, 170 x 15 * Cable Pull-Overs: 130 x 15, 140 x 15, 150 x 15 * Hyperextensions: No weight x 15 x 3 sets * Concentration Curls: 35 x 12, 40 x 12, 45 x 10 * Single Dumbbell Preacher Curls: 30 x 15, 35 x 12, 40 x 10 * Ab Machine: 110 x 15, 120 x 15, 130 x 15, 140 x 15 Friday: Shoulders/Traps/Calves * Single Dumbbell Lateral Raises (standing): 25 x 12, 30 x 12, 35 x 10 * Single Cable Lateral Raises (standing) 20 x 20, 25 x 20, 30 x 20 * Dumbbell Front Raises: 30 x 10, 35 x 10, 40 x 10 * Or * EZ Bar Front Raises: 65 x 10, 75 x 10, 85 x 10 * EZ Bar Upright Rows: 65 x 10, 75 x 10, 85 x 10 * Shoulder Shrugs with Bar: 225 x 15, 315 x 12, 405 x 12, 495 x 10, 405 x 12, 315 x 12 * Or * Dumbbell Shrugs: 110 x 15 (for 5 sets) * Calf Raises: 360 x 15, 450 x 15, 540 x 15, 630 x 15 Saturday: OFF Sunday: Triceps * Tricep Extensions: 120 x 8, 130 x 8, 140 x 8, 150 x 8 * Single Reverse Tricep Extension: 70 x 8, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Rope Overhead Extensions: 100 x 8, 120 x 8, 140 x 8 * Rope KickBacks: 70 x 8, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 * Bench Dips without Weight: 3 sets of 15 reps You will notice that there is very little change between the first 10 weeks and the last two weeks. This is due mostly to the fact that I lost little to no strength throughout my dieting and contest preparation. This is primarily as a result of keeping my protein intake high and keeping my intensity up. Most people may need to change their program up quite a bit due to decreasing strength from dieting. My advice: don't get so overweight in the off-season. I'm telling you this from experience. The last time I competed I started at 240 and ended up at 185. This year I started at 220 and ended at 195 with a much better physique. Supplements Despite what you might think, bodybuilding is a very expensive sport. Because of that fact, I chose to stick with protein drinks/powders only. In my diet I mentioned the Isopure drinks. One thing, I did work in ProLab Pure Whey and Dymatize IsoWhey in for the first protein drink of the day. That being said, here is a list of my supplements: * Xenadrine EFX: 2/day one hour before workout * IsoPure Zero Carb (in the glass bottles): 2-3/day * ABB Mass Recovery (grape): 1/day immediately post workout * Liver-Rite: 2-3 capsules/day General Advice These are just a few of the things I've found throughout my short bodybuilding career that seem to make things easier: 1. Start Early: Never wait until the last minute to either diet, start your cardio, or put on your Pro-Tan. This will only increase your anxiety level and thus hinder your results. 2. Get A Workout Partner: This will be the most helpful person in your life for your entire training career; especially pre-contest. Your partner will push you harder and make sure that you are working as hard as you need. 3. Pose Regularly: I started posing 12 weeks out from contest. The first 6 weeks I just did it pretty low intensity for about 15 minutes 3 times a week. The last 4 weeks I posed every night, went through all the mandatory poses twice, and posed for at least 30 minutes. This will make getting up there on Saturday a breeze. For those of you who have never competed; it's hot as hell up there. You will sweat and you will cramp unless you are in condition. I was only out-conditioned by one competitor (of course I was bigger, had better symmetry and proportion, and better aesthetics). That's my b^tch session. You've got to be in posing condition or else you would lose. I practiced my butt off and had no problem holding poses or measuring my breath. Practice, practice, practice. I only started sweating towards the end of the overall posing because I drank too much water back stage and it was over 95 degrees up there. 4. Be Confident, Not Cocky: Backstage at a competition is a bonding session between competitors. The morning pre-judging you are sizing yourself up with the other guys both in your class and in your division. The evening show you are helping each other and making sure everyone gets to the pump up area on time. I am a very competitive person and because of that I want everyone I'm competing against to look their best. That way, I feel like I've accomplished more when beating someone who looked their best also It's a strange philosophy but it makes me tick and makes everyone around you respect you for being honest. Tell someone if they missed a spot with their Pro-Tan. Tell them if they are sweating or if they need to get off their feet and rest. Be a good sport. That doesn't mean you aren't going to want to beat them but it means that you want to beat them and still have the respect you've earned.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 lr3 , INSULIN (humalin R) (Humalog) AND Human Growth Hormone CYCLE. This is a very old information but i thought i would bring it back for beginners. Layman guide to cycling, dosing, and injection timing of HGH + IGF-1 + Slin There are volumes of information and studies available about using HGH, IGF-1, and Insulin, but for the most part coming up with a good cycle including all of these is a tedious process and requires more reading than most people wish to do or have the time to do. The following is meant to a quick and simple reference to what a cycle including all three might look like and a brief description of the action of each component. THE CYCLE Weeks 1- (20-30) – HGH – On 5/ off 2 2 – 2.5 IU’s first thing in the morning 2 – 2.5 IU’s early afternoon injected Sub-C into abdomen, obliques, fronts of the thighs, upper triceps Weeks 1-5, 11-15, (21-25) – Long R3 IGF-1 – Every day 60mcg’s intramuscular post work out on workout days, first thing in the morning on non workout days Weeks 6-10, 16-20, (26-30) – Humalog – Workout days only 8IU’s immediately post workout, intramuscular *** alternatively, you could run the Humalog on 1-5, 11-15, (21-25) with your LR3 if you prefer, depending on your cycle goal*** Immediately after Humalog injection – do the following Injection + 5 minutes – drink shake with 10g glutamine / 10g creatine / 55g dextrose Injection + 15 minutes – drink shake with 80g of whey protein in water Injection + 60 – 75 minutes – eat a protein / carb meal with 40-50g of protein, 40-50g of carbs, NO FATS Avoid fats for 2-3 hours for Humalog IM, 3-4 hours for Humalog sub-q, 4-5 hours for Humulin-R. **keep some glucose tablets or other simple carbs on hand for the active window of your insulin. Hypo symptoms can and will hit hard and fast and you will have little time to react. This is the main danger of insulin use. Be ready.*** OPTIONAL T3 - 12.5mcg per day (or 12.5mcgs ->100-150mcgs ->12.5mcgs if used for fat loss instead of protein synthesis assist) HGH HGH should ideally be used for 20-30 week cycles (or longer). The dosage should be between 2-3IU per day if you are using GH primarily for fat loss, 4-5 IU’s a day for both fat loss and muscle growth, and approximately 1.0 – 2.0 IU’s a day for females. It is best to split your injections 1/2 first thing in the morning, 1/2 early afternoon if your dose is above 2.0IU’s per day. Your pituitary will naturally produce about 10 pulses of GH per day. Each injection you take will create a negative feedback loop that will suppress these pulses for about 4 hours. By taking your injections first thing in the morning and early afternoon you will still allow your body to release its biggest pulse, which normally occurs shortly after going to sleep at night. When starting out with your HGH cycle, for most people it is wise to begin you dose at 1.5 – 2.0IU per day for the first couple of weeks, and then begin increasing your dose by 0.5 to 1.0 units every week or two until you reach your desired level. While it isn't an absolute neccessity to do this, if you are sensitive to the type of sides HGH present you will often times avoid these sides of joint pain/swelling, and bloating/water retention by slowly acclaimating to your ultimate 4-5 IU/day goal. You should use an U100 insulin syringe for injecting HGH, and inject it Sub-C into your abdomen, obliques, top of thighs, triceps. Rotate injection sites. HGH can have a small localized fat loss benefit, so keep this in mind when choosing your injection sites. IGF-1 When HGH makes it pass through the liver, a release of IGF-1 is a result. IGF-1 appears to be the key player in muscle growth. It stimulates both the differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. It also stimulates amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in muscle and other tissues. While HGH will cause an increase in your IGF-1 level over the course of a few months, HGH has a cumulative effect, so the addition of IGF-1 will greatly speed up the time to results. There are two types of IGF-1 that will typically be used by bodybuilders. One is bio-identical HuIGF-1, a 70 amino acid string. The other is Long R3 IGF-1, which is an 83 amino acid analog of human IGF-I comprising the complete human IGF-I sequence with the substitution of an Arg for the Glu at position 3 (hence R3), and a 13 amino acid extension peptide at the N-terminus (hence the long). Which of these you use depends on your goal. HuIGF-1 is very short lived in the body (half life of probably around 10 minutes). This type of IGF-1 is very useful if you are seeking local site growth. Since it is so short lived, little of the IGF-1 makes it to other tissues and IGF-1 receptors in the body. The way to inject this is immediately post work out into the muscle that you wish to have local site growth. Use a U100 insulin syringe, and inject 80mcg’s bilaterally into the desired muscle immediately post workout. For this type of IGF-1, I would use it workout days only or if desired you could inject on non-workout days first thing in the morning into a muscle group worked the previous day. For Long R3 IGF-1, it isn’t as critical that you inject into a local site as long R3 has a active window of many hours, and is designed specifically to resist being bound. Since it is common to reconstitute this type of IGF-1 with Benzyl Alcohol, Acetic Acid, or Hydrochloric Acid I would still recommend that you inject intra-muscular. It can and probably will leave a nice red irritated spot if you inject Sub-C. I still inject into a muscle just worked to take advantage of increased IGF-1 receptors, but because of the long activity window of this type of IGF-1 any muscle will work well and give you good results,. I would suggest that you inject between 40-80mcg’s per day everyday immediately post workout on workout days, and first thing in the morning on non-workout days. Use a U-100 insulin syringe with 1/2" needle to inject IGF-1 intramuscular (bilaterally for HuIGF-1, bilaterally optional for Long R3) Insulin Working out causes us to end up in a catabolic state. It is important to back in a positive nitrogen balance as soon as possible. When not using insulin, we drink some dextrose with our protein to cause an insulin spike immediately post workout to help shuttle the protein and sugars to the muscles. Insulin is very good at shuttling nutrients to the muscles, and works in a very complimentary manner with GH in the types of things that they shuttle. Also, HGH can cause an amount of insulin resistance, so adding some insulin to your cycle will offset any potential resistance that might occur during your HGH cycle. For the purposes that we are using insulin, a dosage of 4-10IU’s is adequate and should be used immediately post workout. I personally prefer using Humalog intramuscular as it will cause a rapid spike and clear out of your system quickly. You can use it sub-q or use Humulin-R instead, but each of these will result in a longer active window, thus a longer time to avoid eating any fats and watching your carb intake. Any fats or over abundance of carbs will end up being stored as fat during insulin's active window. The approximate windows are: Humalog - IM - 2-3 hours Sub-q - 3-4 hours Humulin -R - IM - 3-4 hours Sub-q 4-5 hours Use a U-100 insulin syringe with 1/2" needle to inject IM immediately post workout. Alternatively, you can inject Sub-C if desired or if you wish a longer active window for some reason. Begin with a dose of 2IU's or so, and increase the dose each workout day until you reach your 8IU's. If for some reason you wish to avoid insulin, I would still suggest that immediately post workout you spike you own endogenous insulin by drinking 80 grams of dextrose / 40 grams of whey isolate protein. While this certainly won't do the work of 8-10 IU's of Humalog, it will most certainly assist getting your muscle back in a nitrogen positive environment in a short amount of time. T3 HGH can have a slight inhibitory effect on your thyroid. For most people this is minimal and does not require any additional thyroid be taken, but if you wish to augment protein synthesis as well as give yourself a slight boost in thyroid without shutting down your own production, you can add 12.5mcg of T3 daily to your HGH, IGF-1, Insulin cycle. This will aid both in bulking and cutting. If you add this, you should also consider taking some thyroid support supplements such as t-100x, bladderwrack, coleus forskolin. You should check and make sure your intake of trace minerals (selenium, zinc, copper) is sufficient to aid in the conversion of T4 to T3. If you are going to take more than 12.5 mcg of T3, you will need to cycle the dose both up and down to avoid a rebound effect when going off cycle, but for our use with an HGH cycle and use in assisting with protein sythesis, 12.5mcg will be sufficient. If you wish to use T3 in conjuction with the above for heavy cutting, begin with 12.5mcgs, ramp up to 100-150mcgs, then slowly back down tapering back to 12.5 mcgs for a time before discontinuing use. This will minimize the chance for rebound while your own thyroid gets back in gear. Well, I think that about covers it…add a cycle or two of your favorite testosterone and you have a great combination for bulking or cutting.

wow,this is a walk down memory lane. I doubt they exist though

sativa gave me anxiety once,horrible reaction

How to Read and Understand Your Blood Work Results and Ranges. What is Normal for a Bodybuilder. Is there a difference Between Female and Male Blood Panel Results? Hormones such as Testosterone results are listed down the page further! Understanding your Blood work is Important! Level With Me, Doc… How Long Have I Got? A Comprehensive Look at Lab Tests You just had some blood work done, and the friggin' doctor or his nurses are guarding the results as if they're state secrets. However, after much cajoling and explaining that you'd like to at least be an informed partner in your own goshdarn health care, they begrudgingly give you a copy of your lab tests. Trouble is, as much as you've been posturing about how you've had more than a smattering of medical education, you still can't figure out what half the tests are for and whether or not those abnormal values are anything to worry about. Well, in the following article, I'm going to go over each of the most common tests. I'll include why it's performed, what it tells you, and what the typical ranges are for normal humans. That way, you'll have something more to go on in assessing your health other than your family doctor saying, "Well, these few values are a little worrisome, but you'll probably be okay." One note, though, before I get started. The values I'll be listing are merely averages and the ranges may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory. Also, if there's only one range given, it applies to both men and women. Lipid Panel — Used to determine possible risk for coronary and vascular disease. In other words, heart disease. HDL/LDL and Total Cholesterol These lipoproteins should look rather familiar to most of you. HDL is simply the "good" lipoprotein that acts as a scavenger molecule and prevents a buildup of material. LDL is the "bad" lipoprotein which collects in arterial walls and causes blockage or a reduction in blood flow. The total cholesterol to HDL ratio is also important. I went in to detail about this particular subject — as well as how to improve your lipid profile — in my article "Bad Blood". Nevertheless, a quick remonder: your HDL should be 35 or higher; LDL below 130; and total to HDL ratio should be below 3.5. Oh and don't forget VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) which can be extremely worrisome. You should have less than 30 mg/dl in order to not be considered at risk for heart disease. On a side note, I'm sure some of you are wishing that you had abnormally low plasma cholesterol levels (as if it's something to brag about), but the fact is that having extremely low cholesterol levels is actually indicative of severe liver disease. Triglycerides Triglycerides are simply a form of fat that exists in the bloodstream. They're transported by two other culprits, VLDL and LDL. A high level of triglycerides is also a risk factor for heart disease as well. Triglycerides levels can be increased if food or alcohol is consumed 12 to 24 hours prior to the blood draw and this is the reason why you're asked to fast for 12-14 hours from food and abstain from alcohol for 24 hours. Here are the normal ranges for healthy humans. 16-19 yr. old male 40-163 mg/dl Adult Male 40-160 mg/dl 16-19 yr. old female 40-128 mg/dl Adult Female 35-135 mg/dl Homocysteine Unfortunately, this test isn't always ordered by the doctor. It should be. Homocysteine is formed in the metabolism of the dietary amino acid methionine. The problem is that it's a strong risk factor for atherosclerosis. In other words, high levels may cause you to have a heart attack. A good number of lifters should be concerned with this value as homocysteine levels rise with anabolic steroid usage. Luckily, taking folic acid (about 400-800 mcg.) as well as taking a good amount of all B vitamins in general will go a long way in terms of preventing a rise in levels of homocysteine. Normal ranges: Males and Females age 0-30 4.6-8.1 umol/L Males age 30-59 6.3-11.2 umol/L Females age 30-59 4.5-7.9 umol/L >59 years of age 5.8-11.9 umol/L The Hemo Profile These are various tests that examine a number of components of your blood and look for any abnormalities that could be indicative of serious diseases that may result in you being an extra in the HBO show, "Six Feet Under." WBC Total (White Blood Cell) Also referred to as leukocytes, a fluctuation in the number of these types of cells can be an indicator of things like infections and disease states dealing with immunity, cancer, stress, etc. Normal ranges: 4,500-11,000/mm3 Neutrophils This is one type of white blood cell that's in circulation for only a very short time. Essentially their job is phagocytosis, which is the process of killing and digesting bacteria that cause infection. Both severe trauma and bacterial infections, as well as inflammatory or metabolic disorders and even stress, can cause an increase in the number of these cells. Having a low number of neutrophils can be indicative of a viral infection, a bacterial infection, or a rotten diet. Normal ranges: 2,500-8,000 cells per mm3 RBC (Red Blood Cell) These blood cells also called erythrocytes and their primary function is to carry oxygen (via the hemoglobin contained in each RBC) to various tissues as well as giving our blood that cool "red" color. Unlike WBC, RBC survive in peripheral blood circulation for approximately 120 days. A decrease in the number of these cells can result in anemia which could stem from dietary insufficiencies. An increase in number can occur when androgens are used. This is because androgens increase EPO (erythropoietin) production which in turn increases RBC count and thus elevates blood volume. This is essentially why some androgens are better than others at increasing "vascularity." Anyhow, the danger in this could be an increase in blood pressure or a stroke. Androgen-using lifters who have high values should consider making modifications to their stack and/or immediately donating some blood. Normal ranges: Adult Male 4,700,000-6,100,000 cells/uL Adult Female 4,200,000-5,400,000 cells/uL Hemoglobin Hemoglobin is what serves as a carrier for both oxygen and carbon dioxide transportation. Molecules of this are found within each red blood cell. An increase in hemoglobin can be an indicator of congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, sever burns, or dehydration. Being at high altitudes, or the use of androgens, can cause an increase as well. A decrease in number can be a sign of anemia, lymphoma, kidney disease, sever hemorrhage, cancer, sickle cell anemia, etc. Normal ranges: Males and females 6-18 years 10-15.5 g/dl Adult Males 14-18 g/dl Adult Females 12-16 g/dl Hematocrit The hematocrit is used to measure the percentage of the total blood volume that's made up of red blood cells. An increase in percentage may be indicative of congenital heart disease, dehydration, diarrhea, burns, etc. A decrease in levels may be indicative of anemia, hyperthyroidism, cirrhosis, hemorrhage, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, malnutrition, a sucking knife wound to the chest, etc. Normal ranges: Male and Females age 6-18 years 32-44% Adult Men 42-52% Adult Women 37-47% MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) This is one of three red blood cell indices used to check for abnormalities. The MCV is the size or volume of the average red blood cell. A decrease in MCV would then indicate that the RBC's are abnormally large(or macrocytic), and this may be an indicator of iron deficiency anemia or thalassemia. When an increase is noted, that would indicate abnormally small RBC (microcytic), and this may be indicative of a vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency as well as liver disease. Normal ranges: Adult Male 80-100 fL Adult Female 79-98 fL 12-18 year olds 78-100 fL MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin) The MCH is the weight of hemoglobin present in the average red blood cell. This is yet another way to assess whether some sort of anemia or deficiency is present. Normal ranges: 12-18 year old 35-45 pg Adult Male 26-34 pg Adult Female 26-34 pg MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration) The MCHC is the measurement of the amount of hemoglobin present in the average red blood cell as compared to its size. A decrease in number is an indicator of iron deficiency, thalassemia, lead poisoning, etc. An increase is sometimes seen after androgen use. Normal ranges: 12-18 year old 31-37 g/dl Adult Male 31-37 g/dl Adult Female 30-36 g/dl RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width) The RDW is an indicator of the variation in red blood cell size. It's used in order to help classify certain types of anemia, and to see if some of the red blood cells need their suits tailored. An increase in RDW can be indicative of iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anemia, and diseases like sickle cell anemia. Normal ranges: Adult Male 11.7-14.2% Adult Female 11.7-14.2% Platelets Platelets or thrombocytes are essential for your body's ability to form blood clots and thus stop bleeding. They're measured in order to assess the likelihood of certain disorders or diseases. An increase can be indicative of a malignant disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, iron deficiency anemia, etc. A decrease can be indicative of much more, including things like infection, various types of anemia, leukemia, etc. On a side note for these ranges, anything above 1 million/mm3 would be considered a critical value and should warrant concern and/or giving second thoughts as to whether you should purchase a lifetime subscription to Muscle Media. Normal ranges: Child 150,000-400,000/mm3 (Most commonly displayed in SI units of 150-400 x 10(9th)/L Adult 150,000-400,000/mm3 (Most commonly displayed in SI units of 150-400 x 10(9th)/L ABS (Differential Count) The differential count measures the percentage of each type of leukocyte or white blood cell present in the same specimen. Using this, they can determine whether there's a bacterial or parasitic infection, as well as immune reactions, etc. Neutrophils As explained previously, severe trauma and bacterial infections, as well as inflammatory disorders, metabolic disorders, and even stress can cause an increase in the number of these cells. Also, on the other side of the spectrum, a low number of these cells can indicate a viral infection, a bacterial infection, or a deficient diet. Percentile Range: 55-70% Basophils These cells, and in particular, eosinophils, are present in the event of an allergic reaction as well as when a parasite is present. These types of cells don't increase in response to viral or bacterial infections so if an increased count is noted, it can be deduced that either an allergic response has occurred or a parasite has taken up residence in your shorts. Percentile Range: Basophils 0.5-1% Eosinophils 1-4% Lymphocytes and Monocytes Lymphocytes can be divided in to two different types of cells: T cells and B cells. T cells are involved in immune reactions and B cells are involved in antibody production. The main job of lymphocytes in general is to fight off — Bruce Lee style — bacterial and viral infections. Monocytes are similar to neutrophils but are produced more rapidly and stay in the system for a longer period of time. Percentile Range: Lymphocytes 20-40% Monocytes 2-8% Selected Clinical Values Sodium This cation (an ion with a postive charge) is mainly found in extracellular spaces and is responsible for maintaining a balance of water in the body. When sodium in the blood rises, the kidneys will conserve water and when the sodium concentration is low, the kidneys conserve sodium and excrete water. Increased levels can result from excessive dietary intake, Cushing's syndrome, excessive sweating, burns, forgetting to drink for a week, etc. Decreased levels can result from a deficient diet, Addison's disease, diarrhea, vomiting, chronic renal insufficiency, excessive water intake, congestive heart failure, etc. Anabolic steroids will lead to an increased level of sodium as well. Normal range: Adults 136-145 mEq/L Potassium On the other side of the spectrum, you have the most important intracellular cation. Increased levels can be an indicator of excessive dietary intake, acute renal failure, aldosterone-inhibiting diuretics, a crushing injury to tissues, infection, acidosis, dehydration, etc. Decreased levels can be indicative of a deficient dietary intake, burns, diarrhea or vomiting, diuretics, Cushing's syndrome, licorice consumption, insulin use, cystic fibrosis, trauma, surgery, etc. Normal range: Adults 3.5-5 mEq/L Chloride This is the major extracellular anion (an ion carrying a negative charge). Its purpose it is to maintain electrical neutrality with sodium. It also serves as a buffer in order to maintain the pH balance of the blood. Chloride typically accompanies sodium and thus the causes for change are essentially the same. Normal range: Adult 98-106 mEq/L Carbon Dioxide The CO2 content is used to evaluate the pH of the blood as well as aid in evaluation of electrolyte levels. Increased levels can be indicative of severe diarrhea, starvation, vomiting, emphysema, metabolic alkalosis, etc. Increased levels could also mean that you're a plant. Decreased levels can be indicative of kidney failure, metabolic acidosis, shock, and starvation. Normal range: Adults 23-30 mEq/L Glucose The amount of glucose in the blood after a prolonged period of fasting (12-14 hours) is used to determine whether a person is in a hypoglycemic (low blood glucose) or hyperglycemic (high blood glucose) state. Both can be indicators of serious conditions. Increased levels can be indicative of diabetes mellitus, acute stress, Cushing's syndrome, chronic renal failure, corticosteroid therapy, acr*****ly, etc. Decreased levels could be indicative of hypothyroidism, insulinoma, liver disease, insulin overdose, and starvation. Normal range: Adult Male 65-120 mg/dl Adult Female 65-120 mg/dl BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) This test measures the amount of urea nitrogen that's present in the blood. When protein is metabolized, the end product is urea which is formed in the liver and excreted from the bloodstream via the kidneys. This is why BUN is a good indicator of both liver and kidney function. Increased levels can stem from shock, burns, dehydration, congestive hear failure, myocardial infarction, excessive protein ingestion, excessive protein catabolism, starvation, sepsis, renal disease, renal failure, etc. Causes of a decrease in levels can be liver failure, overhydration, negative nitrogen balance via malnutrition, pregnancy, etc. Normal range: Adults 10-20 mg/dl Creatinine Creatinine is a byproduct of creatine phosphate, the chemical used in contraction of skeletal muscle. So, the more muscle mass you have, the higher the creatine levels and therefore the higher the levels of creatinine. Also, when you ingest large amounts of beef or other meats that have high levels of creatine in them, you can increase creatinine levels as well. Since creatinine levels are used to measure the functioning of the kidneys, this easily explains why creatine has been accused of causing kidney damage, since it naturally results in an increase in creatinine levels. However, we need to remember that these tests are only indicators of functioning and thus outside drugs and supplements can influence them and give false results, as creatine may do. This is why creatine, while increasing creatinine levels, does not cause renal damage or impair function. Generally speaking, though, increased levels are indicative of urinary tract obstruction, acute tubular necrosis, reduced renal blood flow (stemming from shock, dehydration, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis), as well as acr*****ly. Decreased levels can be indicative of debilitation, and decreased muscle mass via disease or some other cause. Normal range: Adult Male 0.6-1.2 mg/dl Adult Female 0.5-1.1 mg/dl BUN/Creatinine Ratio A high ratio may be found in states of shock, volume depletion, hypotension, dehydration, gastrointestinal bleeding, and in some cases, a catabolic state. A low ratio can be indicative of a low protein diet, malnutrition, pregnancy, severe liver disease, ketosis, etc. Keep in mind, though, that the term BUN, when used in the same sentence as hamburger or hotdog, usually means something else entirely. An important thing to note again is that with a high protein diet, you'll likely have a higher ratio and this is nothing to worry about. Normal range: Adult 6-25 Calcium Calcium is measured in order to assess the function of the parathyroid and calcium metabolism. Increased levels can stem from hyperparathyroidism, metastatic tumor to the bone, prolonged immobilization, lymphoma, hyperthyroidism, acr*****ly, etc. It's also important to note that anabolic steroids can also increase calcium levels. Decreased levels can stem from renal failure, rickets, vitamin D deficiency, malabsorption, pancreatitis, and alkalosis. Normal range: Adult 9-10.5 mg/dl Liver Function Total Protein This measures the total level of albumin and globulin in the body. Albumin is synthesized by the liver and as such is used as an indicator of liver function. It functions to transport hormones, enzymes, drugs and other constituents of the blood. Globulins are the building blocks of your body's antibodies. Measuring the levels of these two proteins is also an indicator of nutritional status. Increased albumin levels can result from dehydration, while decreased albumin levels can result from malnutrition, pregnancy, liver disease, overhydration, inflammatory diseases, etc. Increased globulin levels can result from inflammatory diseases, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), iron deficiency anemia, as well as infections. Decreased globulin levels can result from hyperthyroidism, liver dysfunction, malnutrition, and immune deficiencies or disorders. As another important side note, anabolic steroids, growth hormone, and insulin can all increase protein levels. Normal range: Adult Total Protein: 6.4-8.3 g/dl Albumin: 3.5-5 g/dl Globulin: 2.3-3.4 g/dl Albumin/Globulin Ratio: Adult 0.8-2.0 Bilirubin Bilirubin is one of the many constituents of bile, which is formed in the liver. An increase in levels of bilirubin can be indicative of liver stress or damage/inflammation. Drugs that may increase bilirubin include oral anabolic steroids (17-AA), antibiotics, diuretics, morphine, codeine, contraceptives, etc. Drugs that may decrease levels are barbiturates and caffeine. Non-drug induced increased levels can be indicative of gallstones, extensive liver metastasis, and cholestasis from certain drugs, hepatitis, sepsis, sickle cell anemia, cirrhosis, etc. Normal range: Total Bilirubin for Adult 0.3-1.0 mg/dl Alkaline Phosphatase This enzyme is found in very high concentrations in the liver and for this reason is used as an indicator of liver stress or damage. Increased levels can stem from cirrhosis, liver tumor, pregnancy, healing fracture, normal bones of growing children, and rheumatoid arthritis. Decreased levels can stem from hypothyroidism, malnutrition, pernicious anemia, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) and excess vitamin B ingestion. As a side note, antibiotics can cause an increase in the enzyme levels. Normal range: 16-21 years 30-200 U/L Adult 30-120 U/L AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase, previously known as SGOT) This is yet another enzyme that's used to determine if there's damage or stress to the liver. It may also be used to see if heart disease is a possibility as well, but this isn't as accurate. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, AST levels can rise to a very high level (20 times the normal value). This happens because AST is released when the cells of that particular organ (liver) are lysed. The AST then enters blood circulation and an elevation can be seen. Increased levels can be indicative of heart disease, liver disease, skeletal muscle disease or injuries, as well as heat stroke. Decreased levels can be indicative of acute kidney disease, beriberi, diabetic ketoacidosis, pregnancy, and renal dialysis. Normal range: Adult 0-35 U/L (Females may have slightly lower levels) ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase, previously known as SGPT) This is yet another enzyme that is found in high levels within the liver. Injury or disease of the liver will result in an increase in levels of ALT. I should note however, that because lesser quantities are found in skeletal muscle, there could be a weight-training induced increase . Weight training causes damage to muscle tissue and thus could slightly elevate these levels, giving a false indicator for liver disease. Still, for the most part, it's a rather accurate diagnostic tool. Increased levels can be indicative of hepatitis, hepatic necrosis, cirrhosis, cholestasis, hepatic tumor, hepatotoxic drugs, and jaundice, as well as severe burns, trauma to striated muscle (via weight training), myocardial infarction, mononucleosis, and shock. Normal range: Adult 4-36 U/L Endocrine Function Testosterone (Free and Total) This is of course the hormone that you should all be extremely familiar with as it's the name of this here magazine! Anyhow, just as some background info, about 95% of the circulating Testosterone in a man's body is formed by the Leydig cells, which are found in the testicles. Women also have a small amount of Testosterone in their body as well. (Some more than others, which accounts for the bearded ladies you see at the circus, or hanging around with Chris Shugart.) This is from a very small amount of Testosterone secreted by the ovaries and the adrenal gland (in which the majority is made from the adrenal conversion of androstenedione to Testosterone via 17-beta HSD). Nomal range, total Testosterone: Male Age 14 <1200 ng/dl Age 15-16 100-1200 ng/dl Age 17-18 300-1200 ng/dl Age 19-40 300-950 ng/dl Over 40 240-950 ng/dl Female Age 17-18 20-120 ng/dl Over 18 20-80 ng/dl Normal range, free Testosterone: Male 50-210 pg/ml LH (Luteinizing Hormone) LH is a glycoprotein that's secreted by the anterior pituitary gland and is responsible for signaling the leydig cells to produce Testosterone. Measuring LH can be very useful in terms of determining whether a hypogonadic state (low Testosterone) is caused by the testicles not being responsive despite high or normal LH levels (primary), or whether it's the pituitary gland not secreting enough LH (secondary). Of course, the hypothalamus — which secretes LH-RH (luteinizing hormone releasing hormone) — could also be the culprit, as well as perhaps both the hypothalamus and the pituitary. If it's a case of the testicles not being responsive to LH, then things like clomiphene and hCG really won't help. If the problem is secondary, then there's a better chance for improvement with drug therapy. Increased levels can be indicative of hypogonadism, precocious puberty, and pituitary adenoma. Decreased levels can be indicative of pituitary failure, hypothalamic failure, stress, and malnutrition. Normal ranges: Adult Male 1.24-7.8 IU/L Adult Female Follicular phase: 1.68-15 IU/L Ovulatory phase: 21.9-56.6 IU/L Luteal phase: 0.61-16.3 IU/L Postmenopausal: 14.2-52.3 IU/L Estradiol With this being the most potent of the estrogens, I'm sure you're all aware that it can be responsible for things like water retention, hypertrophy of adipose tissue, gynecomastia, and perhaps even prostate hypertrophy and tumors. As a male it's very important to get your levels of this hormone checked for the above reasons. Also, it's the primary estrogen that's responsible for the negative feedback loop which suppresses endogenous Testosterone production. So, if your levels of estradiol are rather high, you can bet your ass that you'll be hypogonadal as well. Increased estradiol levels can be indicative of a testicular tumor, adrenal tumor, hepatic cirrhosis, necrosis of the liver, hyperthyroidism, etc. Normal ranges: Adult Male 10-50 pg/ml Adult Female Follicular phase: 20-350 pg/ml Midcycle peak: 150-750 pg/ml Luteal phase: 30-450 pg/ml Postmenopausal: 20 pg/ml or less Thyroid (T3, T4 Total and Free, TSH) T3 (Triiodothyronine) T3 is the more metabolically active hormone out of T4 and T3. When levels are below normal it's generally safe to assume that the individual is suffering from hypothyroidism. Drugs that may increase T3 levels include estrogen and oral contraceptives. Drugs that may decrease T3 levels include anabolic steroids/androgens as well as propanolol (a beta adrenergic blocker) and high dosages of salicylates. Increased levels can be indicative of Graves disease, acute thyroiditis, pregnancy, hepatitis, etc. Decreased levels can be indicative of hypothyroidism, protein malnutrition, kidney failure, Cushing's syndrome, cirrhosis, and liver diseases. Normal ranges: 16-20 years old 80-210 ng/dl 20-50 years 75-220 ng/dl or 1.2-3.4 nmol/L Over 50 40-180 ng/dl or 0.6-2.8 nmol/L T4 (Thyroxine) T4 is just another indicator of whether or not someone is in a hypo or hyperthyroid state. It too is rather reliable but free thyroxine levels should be assessed as well. Drugs that increase of decrease T3 will, in most cases, do the same with T4. Increased levels are indicative of the same things as T3 and a decrease can be indicative of protein depleted states, iodine insufficiency, kidney failure, Cushing's syndrome, and cirrhosis. Normal ranges: Adult Male 4-12 ug/dl or 51-154 nmol/L Adult Female 5-12 ug/dl or 64-154 nmol/L Free T4 or Thyroxine Since only 1-5% of the total amount of T4 is actually free and useable, this test is a far better indicator of the thyroid status of the patient. An increase indicates a hyperthyroid state and a decrease indicates a hypothyroid state. Drugs that increase free T4 are heparin, aspirin, danazol, and propanolol. Drugs that decrease it are furosemide, methadone, and rifampicin. Increased and decreased levels are indicative of the same possible diseases and states that are seen with T4 and T3. Normal ranges: 0.8-2.8 ng/dl or 10-36 pmol/L TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Measuring the level of TSH can be very helpful in terms of determining if the problem resides with the thyroid itself or the pituitary gland. If TSH levels are high, then it's merely the thyroid gland not responding for some reason but if TSH levels are low, it's the hypothalamus or pituitary gland that has something wrong with it. The problem could be a tumor, some type of trauma, or an infarction. Drugs that can increase levels of TSH include lithium, potassium iodide and TSH itself. Drugs that may decrease TSH are aspirin, heparin, dopamine, T3, etc. Increased TSH is indicative of thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, and congenital cretinism. Decreased levels are indicative of hypothyroidism (pituitary dysfunction), hyperthyroidism, and pituitary hypofunction. Normal ranges: Adult 2-10 uU/ml or 2-10 mU/L For more info on the thyroid in general, check out my article "The Thyroid Handbook." Conclusion Hopefully this article will help to shed some light on the questions you have or may have in the future in regards to a blood test. Now perhaps you can truly rest assured after viewing things yourself. Hell, you may even impress your doctor, but wait, this is the same guy who thinks walking for 20 minutes is plenty of exercise for the day! Regardless, knowing how to interpret these tests can be a very valuable tool in terms of health and your body building and athletic progress. Use your new knowledge wisely!

SR9009, also known as Stenabolic, is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that has been referred to as ‘exercise in a bottle’. Initial trials on mice showed an increase in muscle and metabolic rate without exercise, and enhanced stamina with exercise. Essentially, SR9009 has shown promise to improve endurance and metabolism to become leaner. History of SR-9009 SR9009 was first developed by Professor Thomas Burris from The Scripps Research Institute. Initial findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine in 2012, with studies showing that Stenabolic significantly increases exercise endurance in animal models. [1] The compound affects the core biological clock, synchronizing the body’s circadian rhythm with the 24-hour cycle of day and night. How SR-9009 Works The compound SR9009 works by binding to one of the body’s naturally occurring molecules, called Rev-Erbα. This molecule influences lipid and glucose metabolism in the liver, the production of fat-storing cells, and the response of macrophages (cells that remove dead or dying cells) during inflammation. The study showed that mice lacking Rev-Erbα had decreased muscle metabolic activity and running capacity. However, Burris’ group demonstrated that activation of Rev-Erbα using Stenabolic led to increased metabolic activity in skeletal muscle in both culture and mice. The difference was a 50% increase in running capacity for mice treated with SR9009 – even when exercise was restricted. Professor Burris explained that the study resulted in animals developing muscles just like an athlete who has been training, even when they haven’t. He believes that Rev-Erbα affects muscle cells through the creation of new mitochondria, and the removal of defective mitochondria via macrophages. Basically, SR-9009 is one of the strongest endurance boosters out there. It is often compared to GW-5051516 (Cardarine) because the benefits are comparable. The Benefits of SR9009: A Drug Causing Major Breakthroughs There are 7 primary benefits of SR9009 that have been observed in both initial studies and user-reported reviews. SR9009 increases weight loss Stenabolic shows great promise in increasing weight loss, even without exercise – which is why it’s being touted as “exercise in a bottle”. In initial studies, researchers chose mice with low skeletal muscle and metabolism to treat with SR9009. Over a 30-day study, the muscle and metabolic rate of the mice increased, even when they weren’t allowed to exercise. Increased mitochondria activity was noted in muscle, as well as an increase in macrophages – cells that remove dying or dead cells – enhancing the energy output of the animal’s muscles to create athletic, oxidative muscle without any actual exercise. Due to this increase in muscle activity, SR9009 helped the body burn calories instead of turning them into fat, effectively allowing an increase in weight loss. SR9009 increases stamina and endurance Additional to muscle conditioning, initial studies showed that once the mice that were treated with Stenabolic for 30 days were allowed to exercise, they showed a 50% increase in endurance – running longer and covering more distance than controls. [1] This may be due to an increase in the glucose oxidation in skeletal muscle, allowing the body to go faster for longer with a higher level of strength and stamina. According to Burris: “The animals actually get muscles like an athlete who has been training. The pattern of gene expression after treatment with SR9009 is that of an oxidative-type muscle— again, just like an athlete.” SR9009 may lower blood cholesterol Mice treated with SR9009 for 7-10 days showed reduced blood levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol. [1] Another study [2] suggested that targeting Rev-Erbα may be an effective method for suppressing LDL cholesterol levels using SR9009. Over an 8-week period, genetically modified mice with a similar fat profile to humans were treated with SR9009, resulting in a significant decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. SR9009 indicates a decrease in inflammation Stimulation of Rev-Erbα activity by SR9009 was shown to greatly diminish ventilator-induced lung edema and inflammatory cells in rats. [3] The study suggests that the circadian rhythm affects the immune response, which may exacerbate inflammation. As Rev-Erbα plays a role in regulating the circadian rhythm, SR9009 may help reduce inflammation by activating Rev-Erbα. SR9009 may increase wakefulness Due to its ability to activate Rev-Erbα, Stenabolic can affect the wakefulness of mice. As it affects the circadian rhythm, when SR9009 was injected into mice during periods they usually sleep, they were kept awake longer and had less REM sleep. However, when the mice were injected with SR9009 during their normal awake hours, there was no perceptible change in their behavior. This suggests that Stenabolic may be useful for sleep-related disorders such as narcolepsy or shift workers. SR9009 may reduce heart disease Studies show that both normal and genetically modified older mice had improved heart function when injected with SR9009. Mice with surgically-induced heart growth (hypertrophy) showed a reduction in heart size and weight without affecting their blood pressure after two weeks of treatment with SR9009. SR9009 may effectively reduce anxiety Mice injected with SR9009 twice per day for 3 to 10 days showed decreased anxiety-like behaviour. Interestingly, it has been suggested that SR9009 was as effective as a benzodiazepine, even though it shows potential to increase stamina and endurance of athletes. The best SR9009 dosage should be roughly 30 to 40mg per day for a 10-12 week cycle. If you personally think that SR9009 dosage is too high, you can always start out with 10 to 20mg to see how you react to the compound. Although keep in mind that SR9009 has a very short half-life, so maybe that would not be the best idea. I personally have yet to try SR9009, but from what I have read the SR9009 dosage is significantly higher than other SARMs. For other SARMs such as GW-501516 or MK-2866, the recommended dosage is roughly 20mg. The great thing with SR9009 is that you will not be shut down, it does not have ANY impact on your natural hormone levels at all. As there are no clinical studies yet on human dosing, these are guidelines only and users should adjust their dose by 10mg to find their sweet spot. Always make sure to build the SR9009 dosage up gradually. Due to the short half-life of SR9009, it is recommended to spread the dose across 3-4 times per day. Let’s say you are taking 40mg of SR9009, this means that you will have to take 10mg every 4 hours. This is essential, the drug needs to be stable within your body to produce the best results. With other SARMs, you can get away with dosing once a day but unfortunately with your SR9009 dosage that is not the case. What’s also great about SR9009 is that it is used by both male and females. Men 30-40mg per day Women 30-40mg per day If you want my advice regarding the best SR9009 dosage, start out small and build your dose up gradually. You can just start out by taking 10mg a day and see where that takes you. This anabolic drug has a short half-life i.e. around 4 hours. However, this does not mean that you should take a dose after every 4 hours. The ideal dosage for Sr9009 is 40 mg per day. You can split this dose into 2 or more intervals. It is recommended to take a dose 1 to 2 hours before physical activity. In addition, the recommended cycle duration for Sr9009 is 12 weeks maximum. Also, when you complete one cycle, make sure you take a 4 weeks break before starting the next one and take proper PCT meanwhile. What About the Side Effects of SR 9009? Stenabolic does not work as a fat burner, thyroid accelerator or appetite suppressant – yet still allows an increase in weight and fat loss. There has also been no suppression of natural testosterone shown, and it is suggested not to be liver toxic. However, as there have not been any human clinical trials, we still don’t know long-term indications or side effects of taking SR9009. Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is required when taking SARMS to help preserve muscle gains, prevent fat accumulation, maintain mood and motivation, and retain strength in muscles. Cycling also helps to allow hormone levels to return to their natural state in order to prevent unwanted dependency. Typically, a PCT will last the same duration as supplementation. So if a user supplemented with a hormone for 12 weeks, a PCT of 12 weeks would also be required to bring their hormones back to baseline.

S4 (Andarine) or Acetamidoxolutamide, is a SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator). But the idea for S-4 didn’t start out as many believe. It wasn’t an attempt to create a safer version of steroids or any of that nonsense people use to sell anabolics. S-4 started out as a new development for male contraceptives and showed promising results like decreases in spermatogenesis and huge boosts in male libido. For any of you who have had trouble getting your wife pregnant while on sarms…you’re welcome. However, when researchers began experimenting on mice with S4, they discovered interesting findings about how this first generation SARM affected castrated lab mice. Not only did Andarine increase the production of muscle mass and calcium for bone density, but was COMPLETELY SELECTIVE in its tissue growth! As studies continued, many of these research trials resulted in astonishing outcomes creating a benchmark for even more research. Today, we’ll take a closer look at everything we currently know in 2018 about Andarine in this writeup How Andarine (S4) Works To start, let’s describe what a SARM does. There are three type of chemicals that act on the androgen receptor (AR): 1st is the AR antagonist, which is a chemical that binds to the receptor to prevent it from activating. 2nd is an AR agonist, which binds to the receptor and detaches, then binds again, over and over. 3rd is an AR modulator, or basically a molecule that attaches to an AR and changes its structure to react however it wants. A SARM such as S-4 is a good example. S-4 attaches to the AR and sticks to it; each time the AR interacts with testosterone, S-4 forces it to produce genes that exclusively benefit muscle and bone growth. In other words, S4 is a form of SARM that attaches to the androgen receptor (AR) the same with regular androgens, the only variation is that S4 generates selective anabolic activity. As mentioned earlier, SARMS function by tying to the AR resulting to anabolic activity. Due to this fastening and stimulation, more protein is produced which allows muscle building. S4 can trigger muscle development in the same way as steroids, but minus the same unwanted side effects. S4 is a SARM with utmost androgenic effects and is 33% of the strength of testosterone when attaching to AR. S-4 also increases the amount of muscle mass produced by desensitizing the AR to the individual’s natural testosterone to influence a stronger effect. The Key Benefits of S4 (Andarine) S-4 is by far the most versatile SARM ever created. Not only is it the first SARM approved for a stage 2 research study, it has become the most analyzed and investigated SARM so far. After the discovery of its anabolic potential, the primary purpose of S-4 aimed to develop an alternative treatment to age-related muscle wasting, osteoporosis, and similar symptoms of hypogonadism, or end-stage renal disease. Aside from preserving lean body mass, S4 can also help improve it. From a stage 1 study, S-4 has provided evidence of a 3.3 lbs increase in less than 90 days with no increases exercise or change in daily diet. An unintended side effect (or benefit if you will) is the decrease in body fat [Chen et al., 2005; Gao et al., 2005; Kearbey et al., 2007]. Decreases in body fat are dependent on the person’s genetics, but it will definitely have strong effects on the body’s ability to oxidize fatty tissue. S-4 was found to not only have a great affinity (potency in binding to androgen receptors), while also presenting greater anabolic effects than some traditional steroids [Kearbey et al., 2007]. Aside from its muscle building advantages, S4 won’t cause liver damage, can prevent gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men) and can help boost your overall health. Here are some of the other benefits of Andarine that are worth noting: Very minimal growth on secondary sexual organs such as the prostate. The LDL/ HDL ratio is not affected which makes it a low cardiovascular risk. 0% chance of aromatization, male breast lactation, or rise in any other female characteristic during the post cycle recovery. [Kearbey et al., 2007] Testosterone is not diminished in any capacity during the post cycle recovery. Very exclusive in tissue selection and growth which means it will not cause heart enlargement or damage to neighboring organs. SARMs do NOT require the utilization or devouring of liver enzymes to activate their anabolic effects. This eliminates any risk of hepatotoxicity or hepatitis. Although SARMs such as S-4 are not as powerful as comparable steroids such as Winstrol, they do not require the extensive post cycle therapy and can be cycled back to back throughout the year. Over the course of a year, obtaining the same results is very possible. SARMs is very female friendly and does not cause excessive masculine features such enlarged sexual characteristics. S-4 has overall presented larger increases in muscle mass than DHT. Full Muscle Regeneration & Lean Body Mass Once more, an early study done on S-4 provided proof of full muscle regeneration in volunteers with degenerative disorders without the use of exercise and the minimum dosage of 3mg/kg/day. Changes can be seen anywhere from 1-2 weeks. This was the very first study classified S-4 as CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT by improving skeletal muscle strength, lean body mass, and a reduction in body fat [Chen et al., 2005; Gao et al., 2005; Kearbey et al., 2007]. Unfortunately, there are always some side effects that arise when using Because S-4 is a ligand by definition, the side effects will never be permanent even at supraphysiological dosages and can be easily avoided through proper dosing. The Side Effects: What You “See” Is What You Get Unfortunately, there are always some side effects that arise when using Because S-4 is a ligand by definition, the side effects will never be permanent even at supraphysiological dosages and can be easily avoided through proper dosing. Also, Andarine follows the law of diminishing returns meaning that over time, your body will develop a tolerance and the SARM will become less effective after a certain milligram percentage. For the average person, it ranges from 50mg to 75mg. there are people that can go above this range for even more amazing results or need to stay below this range because they are unable to tolerate the chemical. About 99.5% of the population should fall within the 50mg to a 75mg range. The most popular negative effects of S-4 are visual issues such as the yellow tint and difficulty adjusting to night vision. These side effects are unique to S-4 and are sometimes overblown. If these side effects present themselves, simply stop taking S-4 for two days and stay at a 5 day on/ 2 day off cycle. THESE EFFECTS ARE NOT PERMANENT! Once a ligand (such as a SARM) leaves the system, its effects disappear completely. Lastly, S-4 and most other SARMs have been known to cause depression in a small population of people. This has been discovered as more of a psychological issue than a physiological issue. researchers with mice suffering from any emotional disorders need to be cautious when using this chemical. Andarine Dosing Guidelines Benefits of Andarine have been reported with dosages ranging between 25mg and 50mg 3x per day. Unfortunately, the higher the dosage, the higher the side effects. S4 is a rare form of SARM that has a greater risk of side effects than most other SARMs. These effects are not permanent. S4 has been proven safe and effective for cycles up to 3 months.