1. Do Your Research

Clearly, you are on the right path by visiting Anabolic.org. The information found on this site is taken, in part, from the 10th edition of William Llewellyn’s acclaimed reference guide ANABOLICS. Unlike many authors who cover the topic of steroids, Llewellyn and his staff here are all dedicated to providing readers with the most up to date scientific information on harm-reduction principles and staying safe while pursuing your athletic and physique related goals.

Always be sure to learn the pharmacology of every compound you are even considering putting into your body, and then learn the dosages, cycle lengths, and which drugs can safely provide synergy towards your muscle-building efforts. Believe it or not, this is actually a harder task today than it was ten years ago before the internet was full of juice heads preaching outrageous dosages and cycles; half fueled by underground drugs only containing a fraction of the claimed dosage, and half fueled by the overzealous nature of the new age of online PED gurus.

Basic steroid cycles should be adhered to for achieving the benefits of steroids without witnessing firsthand the many side effects associated with this class of drugs. If your career doesn’t depend on you looking like Ronnie Coleman, then don’t sacrifice your health and your wallet attempting the unachievable.

2. Proper PCT

You will find everything that you need to know about post cycle therapy and jump-starting your natural testosterone production after the end of a cycle at https://muscle-gear.net/post-cycle-therapy

It is of the utmost importance to plan and adhere to a thorough PCT protocol after each and every cycle, even a 4-week blast of a prohormone should be followed by a period of using specific drugs to ensure ones Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis (HPTA) is not shut down from the use of exogenous hormones. Users who do not partake in a proper protocol, using SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators), HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and in some cases even AIs (Aromatase Inhibitors), will be much more susceptible to the dreaded side effects associated with coming off of steroids. When one goes from such a hormone-heavy anabolic environment and does not assist their natural production, they risk depression, loss of muscle mass, development of gynecomastia, loss of erection quality and loss of libido. For some, it may take many months for their natural endogenous production of testosterone to return to healthy levels without the use of a proper PCT regimen.

3. Don’t Include An Oral With Every Cycle

It’s a damn shame that orals wreak massive havoc on the liver, cholesterol, blood pressure, the cardiovascular system, and even the digestive system. It wasn’t for encompassing the worst of steroid side effects, I would certainly be keener on recommending these drugs. As we all know, Dianabol and Anadrol are some of the most impressive mass builders that can do wonders for strength and size in less than a month. That said, oral steroids can also wreak havoc on your lipid profile and many of your vital health markers in that same short, few-week window.

While some eat orals like candy, others reserve them for the first 4 weeks of every cycle. My best advice is to not include them with every cycle, and not to keep orals in the mix for more than 4 weeks at a time. It is typical for many bodybuilders to experience GI distress and heavy bloating when using oral steroids regularly. Injectable hormones such as testosterone and nandrolone are much safer, and more well-tolerated for longer durations.

4. Don’t Attempt The Supposed “Cycles of the Pros”

For one, only a very select privy few are certain what the pros are taking. In fact, few people can even be certain what THEY are taking, with the incredibly poor and unreliable quality of underground steroids. Additionally, one's genetics will determine much of their success in regards to their body's response to exogenous hormones being administered. Some people are considered “extreme responders”, while others may not get as good of benefits using the exact same protocol. Similarly, and of equal importance, is that some people tolerate anabolic steroids better than others. We all know that one guy who slams gear year-round and is in fine health, just as we all know that one guy who breaks out and suffers every side effect while only gaining minimal size when they do a proper cycle. The moral of the story is this; leave the cycles of the pros to the pros, and realize that you will likely make far more money and live a far more well-balanced life working a job doing just about anything other than flexing in a bikini on stage.

5. Test Before You Inject/Ingest

Make sure you test your gear every time before using a new batch, or at the very least before using a new source. A quick, affordable and reliable presumptive test such as ROIDTEST will help ensure that you can be certain what you are consuming. All too often, the labeled steroid is not actually what is present. This can mean anything from the underground supplier using only oil, which will produce no results, to them swapping out different compounds… which could result in hospitalization or even death. Two of the most common swaps by counterfeiters are two of the absolute most dangerous; the first is swapping out longer ester drugs (which are typically more potent per ml, thus more expensive) with shorter, less concentrated esters. While at first, this may seem like the only screwjob is getting less active steroid than you paid for, you will also pay with your health, as surely your dosing regimen will not be sufficient when you have been duped by a different ester. Secondly, Anavar is so expensive to produce that many are swapping it out with anything from Winstrol to Superdrol. You will quickly realize that while 60mg of Anavar maybe your preferred dose, taking 60mg of Superdrol (labeled as Anavar) will likely land you in the hospital with liver problems within a few weeks.