The Sane cycle : safe and effective use of steroids

[Big Cat]

Yes, well its increasingly harder with the demands on my time and still dealing with the fact that I'm dirt-poor, but this is the sort of info that needs to be out there for free if we will ever educate bodybuilders on the safe use of steroids and strike a blow for sanity over government propaganda.

Its what I set out to do, can't very well turn my back on it now can i ?

[nox]

Originally posted by Big Cat
Guggul sterones

Guggul sterones are an age-old ayurvedic medicine touted to increase thyroid activity. This has nothing to do with the beta-adrenergic system, and at first may seem rather obsolete. Continual fat loss and lower calorie diets have been known to cause a starvation response whereby T4 to T3 conversion is lowered and the opposite conversion increased to lower thyroid activity and thus slow metabolic rate. This occurs so that we do not use our entire fat supply in just a few days and can stay alive longer under starvation conditions. Now ephedrine has been shown to actually upgrade T4 to T3 conversion or at the very least lower the opposite reaction (23).

Astrup A, Lundsgaard C, Madsen J, Christensen NJ. Enhanced thermogenic responsiveness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 1985 Jul; 42(1): 83-94.

The line in bold and study seem like a contridication. I think I pulled the right study (23, they aren't numbered). Which states the T3/T4 ratio was increased after 4 weeks, but below baseline after 12.
Although your b-agonist protocol is only 11 weeks long I think its worth addressing since t3/t4 ratio may fall below baseline before 11 weeks.

[rollon]

I didn't know finasteride hurts your strength gains......that sucks.....what am I going to do when I start my first cycle? I don't want to go bald!

[Big Cat]

Originally posted by nox
Astrup A, Lundsgaard C, Madsen J, Christensen NJ. Enhanced thermogenic responsiveness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 1985 Jul; 42(1): 83-94.

The line in bold and study seem like a contridication. I think I pulled the right study (23, they aren't numbered). Which states the T3/T4 ratio was increased after 4 weeks, but below baseline after 12.
Although your b-agonist protocol is only 11 weeks long I think its worth addressing since t3/t4 ratio may fall below baseline before 11 weeks.

From the study abstract (since that's all I can cut and paste):

"T3 to T4 increased significantly after 4 wk of treatment (15.6 +/- 1.3 vs 19.4 +/- 2.4; p less than 0.05), but decreased below the initial value after 12 wk treatment. "

AFTER 12 weeks of treatment T3/T4 was found to be below baseline. AFTER 4 weeks it was found to be increased. These were the only two points measured in this particular study. Therefor it is a wrongful conclusion to think that the decline occured at week 4.

That it occured before week 12 is a safe assumption, which is why after 6 weeks we also add guggul-sterones at week 7, which have been shown (and three studies that prove this have been added to the reference list) to increase T4 to T3 conversion.

[Big Cat]

Originally posted by rollon
I didn't know finasteride hurts your strength gains......that sucks.....what am I going to do when I start my first cycle? I don't want to go bald!

You could try topical minoxidil. I remember someone made a very good case for it. Plus, as stated, you may not be prone to hair loss.

If this concerns you to a great extent : DON'T USE STEROIDS !!!

[prolangtum]

Bald is beautiful!!!!

At least thats what i keep telling myself, damn hair in the shower, its inevitable.

[nox]

Originally posted by Big Cat
That it occured before week 12 is a safe assumption, which is why after 6 weeks we also add guggul-sterones at week 7, which have been shown (and three studies that prove this have been added to the reference list) to increase T4 to T3 conversion.

So you use it at 7 weeks, presumably about the same time that ephedrine drives T3/T4 below the baseline - ok, I understand now. But then why not use it all along?

[nox]

another question (I'm working my way through this a section at a time)

Aren't there some health concerns running spironolactone (besides gyno)? I know its a K-sparing diuretic, but I have don't how to use any diuretic and always thought they could be very dangerous.

[PIT]

good read, long but definately worth the time

[SMACKAVELI]

Once again BC post another kick ass article. I read all your articles at BB and look forward to reading more. Keep up the good work BC, you rock!

[Big Cat]

Originally posted by nox
So you use it at 7 weeks, presumably about the same time that ephedrine drives T3/T4 below the baseline - ok, I understand now. But then why not use it all along?

Because when yohimbine blocks the alpha receptors it will increase pressure on the beta receptors which may lead to an earlier phosphorlyation (and lesser efficacy) of the beta receptors.

Adding the guggul at the same time is strategic as well, the positive effect on the T3/T4 ratio experienced early on is due to alpha adrenergic action. When you add yohimbine, you lose that and its safe to assume, whether it otherwise would have or not, that T3/T4 ratio will drop.

[Big Cat]

Originally posted by nox
another question (I'm working my way through this a section at a time)

Aren't there some health concerns running spironolactone (besides gyno)? I know its a K-sparing diuretic, but I have don't how to use any diuretic and always thought they could be very dangerous.

At these doses the diuretic effect it had was minimal if any was observed at all. Diuertics can cause cramping and such. If you are prone to cramps it is wiser not to use spironolactone either.

[SMACKAVELI]

Bump. Good info.

[superchicken]

BC you say stay away from spiro. its been a while but if my memory is correct topical spiro was shown to have little to no system wide effects only local. from the brief research i did on it topical sprio looked to be one of the best things to use for hair loss as it blocked the dht very well but only where applied. i know that taking sprio orally had many sides but the topical did not.

did you consider topical sprio when writing this article?

[Big Cat]

I would have to see it black and white before I would consider recommending it. But if you can verify that topical spiro has no systemic effects, I see no reason why you could not use it.