Does Nandrolone Decanoate Raise Testosterone Levels
Despite being overshadowed by its other Nandrolone-based sibling (Trenbolone), Deca Durabolin is still one of the best anchor steroids.
Anchor steroids are those which are used as a base in a steroid stack, without which the cycle would not be as effective as it should be.
If you are looking for a steroid that can help you build a foundation of lean muscle mass, Deca Durabolin's effectiveness is unparalleled.
Along with Testosterone, it is one of the only steroids that can be added to just about any stack irrespective of the bodybuilding goals.
So when we read posts that trash Deca as being too mild or too slow, it makes us want to cringe.
If you have always contemplated using Deca, but were swayed into believing that it is ineffective or too slow a steroid to give you good results, then here's an eye opener.
What is Deca Durabolin?
Deca Durabolin is the Nandrolone hormone with the Decanoate ester attached to it. Nandrolone is an altered Testosterone molecule with a 19-Nor modification that slightly ups its anabolic properties while greatly reducing the androgenic ones.
That definition does not really do justice to Deca though, which is an excellent mass building steroid that produces retainable gains.
It is also one of the most effective steroids for an athlete because of its therapeutic properties which promote joint healing and reduces pain.
Why was it so popular during the golden era?
Nandrolone Decanoate is what we call a first-generation anabolic steroid. It has been in use since the early 1970s or even the late 1960s.
At the time, there were only a handful of anabolic steroids that were readily available.
Primobolan in Europe, Testosterone and Dianabol in the United States and so on. Deca Durabolin was one of them.
The ready availability and the low risk of androgenic sides is probably what made it so popular among bodybuilders.
But, an often underrated effect of Deca is the quality of muscle that one can gain on it.
Despite being a tad watery, the muscle mass on Deca is more or less said to be permanent and retainable.
The rollover, as it is called, is very low. So you may not gain 20 lbs. in 6-weeks. But you also wont lose 17 lbs. when you come off it.
This is what makes Deca a great steroid for off-season use.
What are the results that one can get from Deca Durabolin?
Deca is an excellent mass building steroid. It will stimulate the production of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 and allow the body to retain more nitrogen, while boosting the production of RBC.
That's in a nutshell though. The exact effects are a lot more pronounced.
The combination of these, results in a rapid increase in lean muscle mass and to an extent strength too.
However, the Decanoate ester slows the release of the steroid down, which means that it trickles into your system over a two-week period.
This allows the user to get away with just one injection a week. And also allows them to run Deca for almost 16-weeks with very little risk.
Deca is not the defacto choice for a strength-increasing compound. But just like other anabolic steroids, it will increase your strength to a moderate extent.
Many athletes use Deca Durabolin purely for its beneficial, healing properties.
Deca Durabolin helps with collagen synthesis and has a pain-relieving effect that is not fully understood.
A lot of athletes have reported relief from severe joint pain and even Tendonitis with an addition of a small dose of Deca to their TRT dose of Testosterone.
How long should you use it?
Due to the long ester and the slow-acting nature of the steroid, it must be used for a minimum time frame of 16-weeks.
It takes almost 8-weeks for the compound to saturate in your blood and anything lesser than 16-weeks will be shortchanging your gains.
What is the apt dosage?
That depends on what you use it for.
If you are using it as a mass building anchor steroid, with testosterone, then 400mg/week is a good dose.
Deca Durabolin is very well tolerated though and the side-effects can be mitigated if you know how.
So, you will find that many bodybuilders use a very low dose of Testosterone and increase the dose of Deca to 600 or even 700mg/week.
For cutting cycles, even a 300mg/week dosage works fine.
For joint healing, just 200mg/week is sufficient.
Does it cause gyno?
19-Nor anabolic steroids can cause gyno due to their progestin nature as well as due to their actual aromatization into estrogen.
When it comes to Deca, it aromatizes at just 20% of the rate of testosterone. But even that can be sufficient to trigger gynecomastia in someone who's extremely sensitive to estrogenic side effects.
You will need to run an AI during the cycle to prevent aromatization. This will usually suffice to protect from the progestin-related side effects as well.
However, if you continue to notice prolactin related sides, then you might want to consider adding a low dose of Cabergoline or Letrozole to your routine.
Will it tax your liver?
Liver Toxicity with Deca Durabolin is unheard of.
But if you are stacking it with an oral, it is highly recommended that you use some liver support during the cycle.
Deca Durabolin is also one of the few anabolics that's not very harsh on your cholesterol levels. In fact there are some users who have reported an increase in their HDL levels after a Deca cycle.
Can you run a Deca Durabolin solo stack?
The only people who can benefit from a solo stack of Nandrolone Decanoate are the ones using it for its healing properties.
That's because even at extremely low doses, it can suppress your natural testosterone levels by up to 75%.
At performance enhancement doses, you will risk a total shut down if you run it solo.
For this reason, always run it with Testosterone.
The dosage of test can vary depending on the intended use.
If you have heard that you need to run Test at double the dose of Deca to combat Deca Dick, that's a myth.
You can even run 250mg/week of Test and 500mg/week of Deca if the compound agrees better to your system.
Just throw in a low dose of Finasteride and you should have no problems with the Deca Dick.
This would however take the androgenic side effects, like acne and oily skin to a whole new level.
Does Nandrolone Decanoate Raise Testosterone Levels
Source: https://www.rtsuk.org/deca-durabolin-nandrolone/
