Q: I’m thinking about doing spot injections of testosterone suspension in my biceps to help bring out my peaks, but I’m not sure how much to inject each time. What do you think would be best?

A: Guys generally limit injections to 1 cc in each biceps, as a rule-of-thumb for comfort, but that’s not to say more couldn’t be used. Bodybuilders often take larger amounts on a regular basis without issue; however, I don’t advise you to try that in the beginning. Your tolerance to spot injections will depend on how sensitive you are to shots in small muscle groups like the biceps and how much muscle you have to inject into in the first place’larger guys tend to tolerate more, naturally. Most may want to start with 1 cc and slowly work up to 2 cc’maybe even 3 cc if they’re adventurous.

Q: Have you ever heard of a company called Spectro Labs? My dealer just picked up a bunch of their Stanabolin bottles, and I must say they look pretty fake. Could they possibly be legit, or are they another rip-off?

A: Spectro Labs is not a legitimate pharmaceuticals company but an underground steroid manufacturer. Its line of products includes injectables, such as stanozolol (Stanabolin), trenbolone acetate (OmegaTren), testosterone suspension (OmegaSuspension), testosterone enanthate (Testen 200) and testosterone propionate (Testopro 100). I’m pretty sure it’s based in Canada, although Spectro’s stuff does make it to the states from time to time. The feedback from bodybuilders on the company’s products so far seems to be very good. You’re always taking a risk when you deal with underground manufacturers, of course; however, at this time I’d have to say Spectro Labs seems to be a reliable operation.

Q: I read in your 2002 book that testosterone can be aromatized in muscle tissue, just as it can in fat tissue; however, I’ve read in other places that muscle is totally devoid of the enzyme and that fat is the only place where estrogens are produced in men. Which view is correct?

A: Muscle is a clear and arguably significant source of extragonadal aromatase and estrogens in men. I’m not exactly sure how we started thinking that adipose tissue was the only important source, but that’s incorrect. Illustrating the fact is a study published in the 1986 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (63-3:717-20), which showed that considerable amounts of estrone were produced when androstenedione was incubated in muscle samples from the lower limbs of men. Judging by the volume of muscle tissue in the body and its access to blood circulation, it’s suggested that overall conversion there might be very similar to, or possibly even greater than, that of adipose tissue in men.

Q: Have you heard of a new steroid that’s supposed to be an oral form of Masteron? I was told a guy with the initials I.P. makes it overseas. Is it legit?

A: The item you are referring to is not exactly oral Masteron, although it’s named to suggest that it is. The active steroid used in the product is actually mestanolone (17-alpha-methyldihydrotestosterone). It’s c17-alpha alkylated DHT, which does make an orally active steroid, but not one derived from Masteron. If you were to give it a nickname, it would be more suitable to call it oral DHT. I think the producer realized that for marketing purposes that would be a bad choice, though, and instead associated his new product with the popular DHT derivative Masteron (drostanolone propionate). Admittedly, Masteron and mestanolone are similar as nonaromatizing androgens; however, if any steroid would be labeled oral Masteron, it would be 2,17-dimethyl-dihydrotestosterone (c17-alpha alkylated drostanolone), not mestanolone. But it is really not correct to relate c17-alpha alkylation with simply making an oral form of base steroid X anyway. By changing the molecule in any way we often create a new steroid with its own unique properties. Otherwise, we would be calling Dianabol oral boldenone and methyltestosterone oral test, when clearly they’re not equivalents. By the way, the manufacturer is an underground lab, although it does seem to have a good reputation for delivering products with real ingredients’when correctly named, of course.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s new revised steroid book Anabolics 2002 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or at www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: I’m about to start a cycle of Sustanon, going up to a maximum of 1,000 milligrams a week. I’m extremely concerned about estrogen, as gyno was a problem for me as a teenager, so I’ve picked up some Arimidex to take during the cycle. I’m told it’s one of the best antiestrogen drugs. Should I take Nolvadex as well?

A: In terms of dealing with estrogenic side effects, I suspect Arimidex will be more than enough. It effectively blocks aromatization, so little, if any, estrogen should be left for Nolvadex to deal with. Nolvadex, however, does have the benefit of being intrinsically estrogenic in the liver. So, although it’s not necessary to add it for the prevention of gyno, it may help minimize some of the negative impact Arimidex might have on cardiac risk (due to a lowering of serum estrogen levels).

Q: I’ve enclosed an empty box of Canadian Winstrol for you to look at. The printing and date stamping look very fishy. Can you tell if it was a real steroid?

A: Unfortunately, it looks like you’ve picked up a very common fake. The item seems to be readily available in many of the pharmacies in border areas of Mexico that like to push counterfeit gear, but it doesn’t appear to contain real stanozolol. In fact, I’ve heard some pretty frightening feedback from a couple of bodybuilders who took it. They both noted swelling and irritation at the injection site, combined with fever and strong general flulike symptoms, for days after administering their first shot. I would steer clear of any water-based injectable you’re not absolutely sure of, as chances of contamination are far greater with these solutions than with oils.

Q: I read that there are liver-toxicity issues with estrogens taken by women for birth control and menopause. I wanted some clarification on that, as it seems to suggest that estrogen is a toxic hormone. Would that indicate yet another reason one would need antiestrogens?

A: The synthetic oral estrogens used in medicine are a cause of liver toxicity, as they are typically 17-alpha alkylated like most of the synthetic oral anabolic/androgenic steroids. That, of course, prevents first-metabolism, but it also places some strain on the liver. Ethinyl estradiol may, therefore, be liver toxic, but regular estradiol is not.

Q: What are your thoughts on Ttokkyo Labs? I’ve had great results with their 300-milligram nandrolone and five-milligram Dbol, but my friend told me one of the fitness magazines just had Ttokkyo’s stuff tested and much of it turned out to be bunk. Is it really a counterfeit operation?

A: At this time I’d have to say no. My own observations, as well as those of my friends and acquaintances, all tell me it’s a stand-up company that’s very focused on changing the image Americans have of Mexican veterinary gear by providing quality products that meet label-claimed ingredients and dosages, unlike many of their close competitors. I’ve seen the article your friend is likely referring to and find it quite confusing, to say the least. For instance, if I remember correctly, the lab report stated that five-milligram methandrostenolone tablets tested out to actually contain five-milligrams of stanozolol. I see absolutely no reason to believe that’s anything more than a handling error or a pill mixup. If the people at Ttokkyo wanted to make extra cash by substituting ingredients, the last thing they’d do would be to switch cheap Dbol with very expensive stanozolol. If that’s the case, they’d be losing money on their bogus product, not making it. I obviously cannot be 100 percent certain that everything they produce, past present and future, will be trouble-free, as only Ttokkyo and repeated independent lab assays would know that for sure. Right now I do consider Ttokkyo to be the most promising Mexican veterinary anabolics producer.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s new revised steroid book Anabolics 2002 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: My girlfriend has been bugging me for a while to let her try a cycle. Recently I gave in and told her she could take five milligrams per day of my Winstrol. After she’d been taking it for only a few days, her libido started to go through the roof. She has never wanted to have sex so much in the five years we have been together. Hey, I’m not complaining, but I wondered if you could explain what’s happening. I thought steroids were male sex hormones.

A: Although androgens are male sex hormones, they play an important role in supporting the female libido as well. A study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (26[3]:269-83) about a year ago illustrates this quite well. Researchers took hormone profiles from a group of 15 female patients who suffered from lifelong lack of sexual desire and compared them with those of a group of control women who had normal sexual desire. The hormones studied were the androgens testosterone and dihydrotestosterone and the primary estrogen estradiol. Interestingly, the only significant difference was found in free-testosterone levels, which were lower in the patient group than in the controls. Furthermore, the frequency of intercourse in both groups of women correlated positively with androgen levels, as did the frequency of sexual thoughts and feelings of ‘need for sex’ in the women of the control group. Although male hormones, androgens clearly play important roles in female physiology. I’m sure you can understand why heightened sexual desire is actually a prominent and well-known side effect of steroid use in women.

Q: What do you think the best steroid is for bridging between cycles? Anavar, Primo?

A: The practice of bridging steroid cycles with low doses of anabolics is an extremely bad one. The hope, of course, is that the bodybuilder can clean out from steroids, except for an insignificant amount (maybe five to 10 milligrams a day of an oral or 50 to 100 milligrams a week of an injectable), just to avoid a sharp drop in muscle mass. The reality is that in taking a large enough dose to maintain muscle mass, you’re not allowing testosterone levels to rebound normally. The body cannot reestablish its hormonal balance, which is a key focus of off-time, if androgens are being supplemented like this. Bridging is simply year-round steroid use and definitely not a recommended practice.

Q: Have you heard of the new testosterone suspension tablets? They sound great but also a little far-fetched. Are they legit?

A: No, not exactly. First, the word suspension is a marketing ploy borrowed from the popularity of injectable testosterone, as there’s really no oral form of testosterone suspension. Second, they’re supposed to be sublingual testosterone tablets, but they’re hard and need to be chewed up before the broken pieces can be left under the tongue to dissolve, another sign that the product was not professionally manufactured. I do hear some positive feedback, so it appears most likely that an overseas supplier has pressed some crude testosterone tablets and is trying to make a buck off them. It’s a very poor method of delivery, but it works if the dose is big enough.

Q: I’ve been experimenting with Lutalyse over the past few weeks and noticed good spot growth, but I’ve also been suffering from major side effects after each shot, including stomach pains, cramps and what seem like intestinal spasms. Is there anything I can do? I don’t know if I can put up with it much longer.

A: Prostaglandin can certainly be a tough drug to deal with for many people and is not recommended for the recreational bodybuilder. Common side effects include marked pain and discomfort at the injection site, chills and flulike feelings and the intense spasmodic contraction of the internal muscles around the digestive system. It is just too uncomfortable for most people to tolerate. Dosage is important in limiting the side effects, though, so you may simply be using too much. I’ve heard from one person who claimed the antidiarrheal/antispasmodic agent Lomotil helps by making the stomach discomfort a little less noticeable, but it seems to be far from a solution. Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s new revised steroid book Anabolics 2002 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: My steroid supplier lists two forms of injectable Winstrol, Stanazolic and Stanosus. They are both supposed to be 50 milligrams per milliliter in a 20-milliliter bottle, but the price is $25 higher for Stanazolic. Is there any reason I would want to pay that, rather than buying Stanosus?

A: Actually, yes. Stanazolic is a micro-refined form of this steroid. As such, it can pass through virtually any size needle, even a 29-gauge ultrafine insulin needle. That makes Stanazolic extremely comfortable to use, especially if you like spot injections or use it daily. Most of the competing stanozolol injectables will clog in needles smaller than 22 or 23 gauge, obviously making them more uncomfortable. Stanazolic costs a bit more, but most find the expense worth it.

Q: A guy recently told me that it was best to take orals on my training days only. I’m about to start my first cycle, which is going to be 100 milligrams of Anadrol per day. I want to know if I’m really wasting them on my off days, or should I use them continuously.

A: You are certainly not wasting them on your off days. You have to remember that your body will be repairing muscle tissues for days after your training session, not just hours, and androgens play an integral role throughout the entire process. There is really no off day for your body if you’re training regularly, as it will continually work on the repair of recently damaged tissues. It’s most effective to take orals on a daily basis. Q: I’ve been hearing conflicting evidence as to whether a cycle of Anavar and Primobolan would result in my body’s shutting down its natural testosterone production. I want to do a cycle that’s free of any hormonal interferences, so I don’t have to worry about crashing when it’s over. Would that be the best choice?

A: It’s almost impossible to use anabolic/androgenic steroids to build muscle mass without suppressing endogenous testosterone production to some degree. It’s true, however, that the steroids you mentioned are milder in that regard than a stronger steroid like testosterone, mostly because they don’t convert to estrogen. Estrogen has a strong suppressive effect on gonadotropin (and ultimately testosterone) secretion. That doesn’t prevent them from being inhibitive altogether, however. A German study done with oral Primobolan makes that quite clear (Arzneimittelforschung, 20(4) 545-7; 1970). More than half of the patients receiving a maximum oral daily dosage of only 30 to 45 milligrams noted gonadotropin suppression ranging from 15 to 65 percent. That’s a dose most bodybuilders would scoff at, and, undoubtedly, increasing it would result in more pronounced suppression. In this case suppression is caused not by estrogenic action but by androgenic action (another important pathway). To stimulate notable growth with steroids, we obviously need to take enough to heighten androgen activity considerably, which makes maintaining normal hormone production impossible in most cases.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: I have a question regarding the Zambon brand of Winstrol. I purchased this product online, but I received a larger box with narrower ampules than the picture in your book. Is this legit?

A: Yes. It appears Zambon has recently updated its packaging. The new box is easily distinguishable by its color, which is a much lighter shade of gray than the old version. I’m not sure why the company went with thinner ampules; perhaps they were cheaper to produce or Zambon’s machinery was updated. Despite immediate aesthetic differences, it is the same quality product. Q: What are your thoughts on spot growth? My shoulders are a weak point for me, and I wondered if it would help if I injected directly into my delts.

A: It is possible to achieve greater localized growth if the steroid injections are consistently administered to specific target muscles. The most common location is the deltoids, but occasionally some users venture to less comfortable areas, such as the biceps or triceps. The most effective local-growth-promoting steroids are compounds that do not use an ester, such as stanozolol, injectable methandrostenolone and testosterone suspension. Those steroids are active in their initial state and do not need to have an ester broken off in order to bind the androgen receptor. With injection you have a deposit of active steroid sitting right in the muscle tissue you want to target. Steroid concentrations are obviously going to be higher in the tissues immediately surrounding the deposit, allowing for a more adequate supply of steroid there. Esterified compounds, such as the testosterones (cypionate, enanthate, etc.), nandrolone decanoate and boldenone undecylenate, are much less effective at promoting spot growth because they are inactive until the ester is removed. This occurs primarily in general circulation, making the steroid deposit largely inactive.

Some claim that they can still achieve localized growth with these types of steroids. That may well be true, owing to the fact that some smaller amount of the steroid ester must be hydrolyzed in local tissue or simply that repeated oily injections might help increase muscle size by expanding’or even irritating and swelling’tissues around injection sites. Q: I have a friend who turned me on to Andriol. It worked extremely well for him at a dosage of six caps per day, but when I tried the same amount, it didn’t really seem to do anything. Why am I not responding to it as well as my friend? He is clearly making good gains, and I’m not getting anywhere.

A: Andriol is a pretty weak compound and for that reason is not often used as the sole steroid in a cycle. It’s far less effective at increasing serum testosterone than injectable testosterone, and it’s far more costly. That said, some do try it and report good gains on it. You may not be getting the same level of active steroid into your bloodstream as your friend. Studies show great differences in the response to this steroid from person to person, so the effectiveness of the compound cannot be predicted without blood work. It’s possible that differences in your metabolisms allow him to get several times more testosterone into his bloodstream than you. With Andriol, most counter that inconsistency by simply upping the dosage until they notice results. Many find they need 10 or even more caps per day to notice anything, while others respond well at six or eight.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: I purchased some growth hormone that’s supposed to be made in China. I injected it a couple of times, and on both occasions I noticed redness and swelling at the site of injection. Does that mean I have a counterfeit and should stop using it?

A: I don’t know if the product is actually a counterfeit; it may be made by a legitimate Chinese manufacturer. But that reaction is not good and may indicate purity or sterility issues. I would certainly not continue using it. In the future you’ll probably be safer sticking with reputable brands from the United States, Europe or Mexico.

Q: I recently came off a cycle of 500 milligrams of Sustanon weekly, which lasted for about 4 1/2 months. It’s been six weeks since my last shot, and right now my libido is totally gone. It’s driving me crazy. How long do you think it will take for my body to recover?

A: It can actually be quite some time before your body rebounds naturally. A study in which participants used a weekly dose of 250 milligrams of testosterone enanthate illustrates that point well. When subjects stopped therapy after 21 weeks, it took as long as 18 weeks for testosterone levels to rebound to normal. That’s an extremely protracted recovery time and certainly unwelcome. To minimize the problem, athletes often work up a recovery program at the end of each cycle using HCG and anti-estrogens.

Q: I have some Finaplix (trenbolone acetate) implant cartridges, but I’ve been having trouble using them. I really want to avoid brewing my own injectable and hate the smell of DMSO. Is there any other way? What about taking it orally?

A: The two techniques you mentioned are by far the most effective means of delivery for this item. Aside from that, I’ve heard of good results with guys crushing and snorting the pellets, but that’s not very desirable either. Oral use is really not a viable option, as trenbolone simply was not designed for it. While it’s slightly more resistant to liver metabolism than other natural steroids, it’s not an effective oral. Technically, you could take a high enough daily dose to see some type of results, but few bother to try.

Q: I’m about to start a cycle of testosterone suspension but am unsure of how often I should inject it. I hear very different opinions, from daily to weekly. What’s best?

A: You really don’t need to inject the product daily, as the microcrystalline design of the steroid allows for a deposit to form in the muscle after injection. It’s still much faster acting than most oil-based injectables, however, so a schedule of at least twice weekly is best. I generally see it injected every second or third day at a dose of 100 to 300 milligrams.

Q: I’ve heard that there are new ‘paper’ steroids that can be ordered in the mail. Is that some type of rip-off?

A: I don’t think so. Dan Duchaine talked about the concept some years back, and apparently some enterprising business operators have stepped up to make good on the theory. These new ‘paper’ products consist of a steroid that’s suspended in a sheet of blotter paper, similar to the way LSD is produced and sold. Raw steroid is simply dissolved into a liquid carrier and then soaked into a blotter sheet. The sheet is left out so that the carrier can evaporate, leaving a dry sheet of paper with a measured amount of steroid suspended in it. The product can be mailed as a letter and not as a parcel. It’s also totally unidentifiable without lab testing. That virtually eliminates the fear of discovery by customs officials, even if it’s mailed from a high-risk country such as Thailand or Mexico. Basically, the products are a dream for those who rely on mail-order steroid purchases and a nightmare for law enforcement.

The three paper products I know of that are being produced right now are PaperBol (Dianabol), PaperStrol (Winstrol) and PaperDrol (Anadrol). The first two are sold in sheets of 100 squares, with each square holding 10 milligrams of steroid. That equates with 200 five-milligram tablets of Dianabol, or 500 two-milligram tablets of Winstrol. The two sheets reportedly sell for $40 to $60 each, which is quite a fair price considering that single tablets go for as much as $1 normally. The Drol squares, I believe, are sold in blocks of 50, with each 50-milligram dose priced at about $1. With the going price of Anadrol now at around $3 to $4 per tab, that’s a very substantial saving.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: I have access to the French steroid testosterone heptylate, but I don’t know anyone who’s used it. Is it worth getting, or should I stick with Sustanon?

A: Testosterone heptylate is in fact just a different name for testosterone enanthate. In organic chemistry the prefix heptyl typically describes a compound with seven carbon atoms, in this case the length of the ester chain. Price is really the deciding factor most of the time when people are shopping for different esters of the same steroid, so you should probably just do the math and go with what’s cheaper.

Q: Toward the end of my last cycle I noticed that my nipples were a little sore. I don’t see any signs of gyno when I look at my chest, but I’m worried about it, as I’m think about doing more. Is the soreness a sign that I might get it?

A: The pain is a key indicator of trouble. The term for it is gynecodynea, and it occurs once estrogen begins to stimulate mammary gland growth. It precedes the actual development of gynecomastia; however, the characteristic swelling and hard lumps follow quickly if it’s left untreated. If you want to avoid gyno, you should certainly not ignore the pain. Most people would not consider continuing a cycle at this point without an anti-estrogen; others would alter their drug intake in favor of less estrogenic steroids.

Q: I’ve been a regular pot smoker for years and have been getting more serious about weight training lately. My lifting partner keeps telling me the smoking is going to lower my testosterone level and stop me from gaining. Is that true?

A: No, not really. Most studies fail to find a noticeable link between testosterone levels and regular marijuana use in adults. In that respect your herb habit probably won’t interfere with your growth. On the other hand, heavy pot smoking is usually not very inducive to rigorous training for most people. It tends to make you lazy and more passive about lifting, which is a big hindrance. Provided you find the drive to go to the gym on schedule and train aggressively, though, it shouldn’t interfere with your results much.

Q: I am a 70-year-old man on prescription testosterone and HGH replacement therapy. The instructions say the HGH, when mixed, should not be cloudy. But mine is, even though I did not shake it or agitate it. The clinic says, ‘It’ll clear up in a few hours,’ but it doesn’t. I have already taken some. Is there any danger?

A: Presumably the cloudiness indicates that the powder hasn’t fully dissolved into the solution. You might want to try swirling it a bit more to see if it clears up. If it doesn’t, the manufacturers usually recommend discarding it. It may make dosing inaccurate, and I’m sure they probably think it is best to err on the side of good judgment. But there’s no known immediate danger in it, so I’m sure you’re safe. You might want to press your doctor or pharmacist about it, though. They should be able to replace the vial for you.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com. IM

Q: I just purchased 60 tablets of Orimeten. What’s the most effective way to use it as an anticatabolic? A: The corticosteroid synthesis inhibitor aminoglutethimide is really not an effective muscle-building drug. High doses (four 250-milligram tablets daily) will interfere with cortisol production, but the rare individual to venture here usually notices fatigue and discomfort instead of muscle growth. Cortisol is vital to a number of body processes; blocking its release to promote muscle growth may not be the most ideal concept. That’s not to say that Orimeten/Cytadren is entirely useless. At low doses it’s a potent aromatase inhibitor and is well suited for estrogen maintenance. Q: I’ve enclosed an empty box of the Deca I just bought. Can you tell me if it’s real or not? A: Unfortunately, it’s a counterfeit. There are a few things that stand out immediately. For starters Organon does not make this steroid in the strength of 200 milligrams per milliliter outside of North America, nor does that company ever produce it in 10-milliliter vials. Fake vials of this size are common. This product also fails to display the proper Organon brand name Deca-Durabolin. Q: I’ve decided to try my first cycle of steroids. I’m very worried about acne during the cycle and wanted to know what the absolute safest steroid for me to use would be. The guy I can buy the steroids from has recommended Deca. Is that good?

A: Nandrolone does seem to be one of the least androgenic’meaning male-characteristic-promoting’steroids. That’s due to its interaction with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme in tissues such as the brain, prostate, skin and scalp. As nandrolone enters cells in those regions, it’s readily converted to the weak steroid dihydronandrolone. Normally 5AR potentiates testosterone by forming dihydrotestosterone, but here it weakens steroid activity. As acne is related to androgen activity in the sebaceous glands in the skin, nandrolone is less apt to produce it. But that’s not to say it’s totally safe. DHN still has some steroid activity, and many report stronger occurrences of oily skin or acne when taking higher-dosed cycles (more than 400 milligrams weekly), presumably because 5AR begins to get overwhelmed. For the same reasons we cannot say it’s totally safe for hair loss, but when used moderately, nandrolone is probably still the best choice on both counts. Be warned, though, that its reduced androgenic potency often interferes with libido.

Q: How safe is it to order steroids from a domestic e-mail supplier? Is there a good chance I’ll get caught? What’s the worst-case scenario?

A: Ordering steroids through the mail brings with it a number of risks. First, there’s the obvious possibility of being ripped off. If you do succeed in placing a legitimate order, your illegal substance will be delivered to you through the mail, which amplifies possible legal punishments considerably’not a good thing. Domestic dealers might be safer on a per case basis over international ordering, as you avoid customs inspection of your package; however, domestic suppliers are also actively pursued by law enforcement. Worst-case scenario: Your supplier is busted around the time you order, undercover cops kindly deliver your package for him, and you are quickly hauled off and caught up in his mess. That doesn’t happen often, but it does occur with enough frequency to warrant caution.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com.

Q: I purchased a box of growth hormone (Serostim) and am about to add it to my cycle. I’m just curious as to whether it’s better to inject it into my muscle or subcutaneously. I’ve heard different opinions.

A: It’s most recommended to inject GH subcutaneously’between the muscle and skin’as that offers a more gradual rate of release into the bloodstream. It’s also advantageous over intramuscular injections due to the fact that GH can induce lipolysis locally. That equates to noticeable loss of subcutaneous fat at the site of injections after repeated use, prompting many to use GH shots as a means of sculpting a stubborn body area such as the abdominal muscles.

Q: I play college football and need to worry about drug testing during the season. I liked the results I got from Deca in the past but am hearing from everyone that it’s too risky to use while playing. Is it just as dangerous to use nandrolone pro-hormones?

A: Nandrolone decanoate causes so many positives on drug tests because its long-chain ester allows for small amounts of steroid to remain stored in body tissues for many months after use (in other words, it’s highly fat-soluble). Oral nandrolone precursors are safer, as they lack that trait and are much more rapidly cleared from the body; however, they’re not foolproof. The possibility still exists that some nandrolone may actually become esterified naturally in fat tissues’an effect well documented with steroids’and be slightly stubborn in leaving the body. It’s likewise a good idea to cease using nandrolone pro-hormones several weeks to a couple of months before you’re subject to testing, especially if you use them heavily in the off-season.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com.

Q: A guy I work with has access to Anadrol tablets. I’m very anxious to try steroids to build up my physique a little, but I’ve also had borderline bad cholesterol for a number of years. Are steroids really that dangerous for me to use?

A: Unfavorable alterations in cholesterol values are an extremely common side effect of steroid use. Androgens in general lower the HDL-cholesterol values (the good cholesterol) and are often linked to increases in LDL (the bad cholesterol) values. Oral steroids such as Anadrol, due to the fact that they become heavily concentrated in the liver, seem to have the greatest and most rapid negative impact on lipid profiles. So that may not be an ideal choice for you. There is really no simple yes or no answer to this question. Remember that your cholesterol values are an important indicator of cardiac risk, and if you’re already noticing trouble, you should at least keep your doctor apprised of what you’re doing so your risks can be monitored with the proper blood work.

Q: I have access to a lot of different injectable testosterones (cypionate, enanthate, propionate and Sustanon). What’s the best one for me to use when looking to gain a lot of mass?

A: Don’t get confused by the different chemical names. All of the testosterone products you mentioned are ultimately the same thing: injectable forms of testosterone. Each compound is inactive before the ester (cypionate, propionate, etc.) is removed in circulation to yield testosterone, and the ester works only to slow the steroid’s release time from the injection site. Testosterone is the final result, so no one type is really superior to another in its ability to promote growth or in its rate of conversion to estrogen.

Q: I’ve heard that there’s a new form of Anavar being sold in Mexico as a veterinary product. Is that true?

A: Yes. The veterinary drug company Laboratorios Ttokkyo has started producing a few steroid products, and one of them is 2.5-milligram tablets of oxandrolone that come in bottles of 100. It’s the first version of oxandrolone I know of being legitimately produced in Mexico. The small five-sided tablets look almost identical to the pink Thai Anabols (as well as Ttokkyo’s methandrostenolone product), except the color is more of an orange. Legitimate bottles will carry a security hologram to deter counterfeiting.

Q: I’m a 35-year-old male in good health and am interested in trying my first cycle of steroids. I have noticed a slight recession of my hairline in the past five or six years, however, and am very worried that steroid use will cause my hair to fall out. What steroid can I use that won’t convert to DHT and cause that?

A: Unfortunately, all anabolic/androgenic steroids can potentially aggravate the condition. The belief that only dihydrotestosterone produces the effect is erroneous. For those who have a genetic predisposition, androgen-receptor stimulation in the scalp will gradually cause hair follicles to shrink, leading to balding. Since all anabolic/androgenic steroids mediate their effects via the androgen receptor, not even the ‘mildest’ are immune to the possibility.

Editor’s note: William Llewellyn’s book Anabolics 2000 is available from Home Gym Warehouse, 1-800-447-0008, or visit www.home-gym.com.