Nandrolone Decanoate Cycle for Bodybuilders

Nandrolone Decanoate is widely regarded as the most popular steroid used among athletes and others in the last several decades. It has gained a reputation for its ability to produce large muscle gains, relieving joint pain and enhancing the immune system. Those suffering from rheumatism claim they’ve benefited from using Nandrolone Decanoate cycles. This anabolic steroid is among the most widely used throughout the world as “Deca” is known for having a low risk of negative side effects as well as a very low chance of converting to estrogen in the body. When you compare the negative side effects with those risked by using testosterone, you will find that Deca has only a 20% chance of negative side effects. It poses a low risk of liver toxicity while promoting gains in strength and size and at the same time a reduction in body fat.  Over the decades athletes have been stacking it with basically every drug and claim to have received positive results. It has apparently proven itself to be a great “foundation” drug for any type of cycle.

In order for Deca to be effective it must be used in a cycle of at least 12 weeks. It should also be taken along with testosterone due to the body’s natural levels of testosterone dropping. When a Nandrolone Decanoate cycle ends, testosterone should continue to be taken in therapeutic doses. It is recommended that Proviron and/or Nolvadex be taken. All in all it seems to be a very safe steroid. Many consider it the best steroid to use overall for men when you add up the benefits and low risk of negative side effects. One of the most interesting benefits is for those suffering from HIV. Nandrolone Decanoate is considered a safe drug to use for increasing lean body weight as well as for improving the immune system of those with HIV.

Those using a Nandrolone Decanoate cycle usually inject it once or twice a week. Men usually use a dosage of 200mg – 800mg every week or two. It perform optimally in doses of 2mg per pound of lean bodyweight a week. While taking Deca an estrogen antagonist like Nolvades or Clomid should also be used for the first few weeks. This helps to stimulate the production of testosterone, although not immediately as it may take two weeks to take effect.

If preparing for an event or show it is recommended that bodybuilders combine Deca with Winstrol in order to substantially improve definition and muscularity. Nandrolone Decanoate can also be used as part of a bulk cycle since it’s an acceptable anabolic and will provide good results. Combining Deca with Dianabol has been a classic cycle for getting excellent muscle growth. Another option is to substitute a stronger androgen with something like Testosterone or Anadrol. When you combine Nandrolone Decanoate with Winstrol in the weeks and/or months prior to an event it can greatly improve your definition and muscularity. To add even more hardness and density to your muscles, you could add Trenbolone, a strong non-aromatizing androgen. But basically by undertaking the classic steroid with Dianabol cycle you can count on having excellent growth. For even greater results you could substitute an even stronger androgen like testosterone or Anadrol.

Nandrolone Decanoate is among the most widely used and popular steroid compounds used in the last several decades. The reason for this is due to the fact that Nandrolone Decanoate cycles produces large muscle gains, helps with joint pain and also enhances the immune system. Because it does not convert to estrogen to the extent that other steroids do, it has a lower risk of negative side effects. Deca is not totally without its risks, for example it must be taken over a minimum of 12 weeks in order to produce results. Furthermore it must be used with Testosterone due to the fact that the body’s natural production will drop.

One of the most common side effects is acne and water retention. It also doesn’t act very fast to build muscle plus the muscles built are not very dramatic. Because it is slow to activate in the body and has fairly mild properties it must be taken for a longer duration. Generally speaking users will gain muscle weight in about twice the length of time it takes to get the same results from using Testosterone in equal amounts. When using Nandrolone Decanoate it should be in a cycle timed to last 8 to 12 weeks as you will get slow, even gains in muscle mass. Deca users usually inject themselves once or twice a week, although it does remain active in the body for a lot longer.

Bodybuilding and how do you get tested for HIV?

Although there is some overlap, research has shown that women use androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) for reasons that are often quite different from those of men.  Even more dissimilar are the risks and consequences associated with female steroid abuse.  It is clear that AAS use is not equally as dangerous for everyone.  For example, AAS are:  less dangerous for adult male elite athletes, than their non-athletic counterparts; still more dangerous for teenage boys whose bodies are not yet fully developed and by far the most dangerous for both women and girls, as the female body is simply not equipped for exogenous (external in origin) male hormones.

Many women erroneously believe that since men already possess greater testosterone levels, and are made bigger and stronger with AAS, that they require considerably more of these drugs to achieve similar results.  However, since muscle size and strength does not increase in a manner directly proportionate to the amount of male hormone within the body, this theory is categorically false.  In fact, studies have shown that women get considerable anabolic benefit out of dosages that are only a fraction of those needed by men.  Thus, even those women who detrimentally decide to risk their health by using male hormones have no business taking them in large quantities.


There are many reasons women begin using anabolic steroids.  Several female AAS users have muscle dysmorphia, a disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that he or she is not muscular enough.  Those who suffer from this condition tend to hold delusions that they are "skinny", “fat” or "too small" when they are often above average in musculature.  Dysmorphia is sometimes referred to as bigorexia or reverse anorexia nervosa, and is a very specific type of body dysmorphic disorder.  Muscle dysmorphia is NOT a simple obsession with working out or bodybuilding.  To be clinically diagnosed as muscle dysmorphic, a person must exhibit symptoms of the ‘type’ and ‘degree’ outlined within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV), and not merely be overly interested in their physique or engaging in fitness behaviors that other people would consider excessive.  Some of the inclusion criterion for the disorder are:

    Constantly examining themselves in a mirror
    Becoming distressed if they miss a workout session or one of six meals a day
    Becoming distressed if they do not receive enough protein per day in their diet
    Taking potentially dangerous anabolic steroids
    Neglecting jobs, relationships, or family because of excessive exercising
    Having delusions of being underweight or below average in musculature
    Other Reasons

Of course AAS provide tremendous performance enhancement benefits, and though men garner the bulk of such scandals, professional and amateur women athletes also administer them for this purpose.  Although such abuse has gone largely unnoticed in mainstream society, this issue is becoming so prevalent that some organizations have taken overtly preventative measures.  For example, cafe press.com markets a “Without Steroids Women's” t-shirt to those who remain and support drug free athletics.

Every year, thousands of women are infected with HIV. Learn the facts. Teach the women in your family and community how to prevent and treat HIV. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. A person with HIV is called HIV positive (HIV+).
HIV makes it hard for your body to fight off sickness.
HIV is spread through body fluids like blood, semen or breast milk.

You can get HIV when you:

    Have sex with a person who is HIV+ and do not use a condom
    Share needles or syringes (drug works) with someone who has HIV
    Get blood from a person who has HIV. Now all donated blood is tested for HIV. You can’t get HIV from giving blood.
Most women get HIV from having unprotected sex with men. Always use a condom every time you have sex.
You can’t get HIV from shaking hands, kissing, or sharing household items like forks or glasses with someone who has HIV.
The only way to know for sure is to get an HIV test.

    You cannot tell who has HIV just by looking at them. Most people do not show any outward signs when they first get HIV.
    A person can spread HIV even if he or she does not look sick.
There are three basic types of HIV tests:
    Blood – A small amount of blood is taken from your finger or arm.
    Oral – Fluid is taken from the inside of your mouth
    Urine – A small cup of urine is used.

Some HIV tests take 1-2 weeks to get results from a lab. Other tests called “rapid HIV tests” can give results in about 20 minutes. You can get tested at places like a doctor’s office, mobile health van, or health fair. There are also home HIV tests that let you test yourself.

Screening Tests for HIV Diagnosis and Treatment

If you're worried that you might have been exposed to human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV),  the virus that causes AIDS - it's important to get tested as soon as possible. Although the prospect of being diagnosed with the disease can be scary, today you can live a long and full life with HIV, especially if you start treatment early. Knowing you are infected can also help you take precautions so that you don't pass the virus to other people.

Several different tests are used to diagnose HIV infection. Other tests are used to select and monitor treatments in people who are living with HIV. This article covers both types of HIV tests.

You are at risk for HIV infection and should be tested for it if:
    You’ve had several sexual partners.
    You had unprotected sex with someone who is or could be HIV-positive.
    You have used injected drugs or steroids or shared needles or other equipment during drug use.
    You have had any sexually transmitted disease, including herpes, hepatitis, or TB.
    You have had sex for drugs or money.
    You’ve had sex with someone who has a history of any of the above - or with someone whose sexual history you don’t know.

There are several types of tests that screen blood (and sometimes saliva)  to see if you are infected with HIV.

Newer tests can detect the presence of HIV antigen, a protein, up to 20 days earlier than standard tests. This helps prevent spread of the virus to others and means an earlier start for treatment. It is done with a pinprick to the finger.

Here's a look at available HIV tests:

Standard tests. These blood tests check for HIV antibodies. Your body makes antibodies in response to the HIV infection. These tests can't detect HIV in the blood soon after infection because it takes time for your body to make these antibodies. It generally takes two to 8 weeks for your body to produce antibodies, but in some cases it can take up to six months.

In standard tests, a small sample of your blood is drawn and sent to a lab for testing. Some of the standard tests use urine or fluids that are collected from the mouth to screen for antibodies.

Rapid antibody tests. Most of these are blood tests for HIV antibodies. Some can detect antibodies in saliva. Results are available in under 30 minutes and are as accurate as standard tests.

Antibody/antigen tests. These tests are recommended by the CDC and can detect HIV up to 20 days earlier than standard tests. They check for HIV antigen, a part of the virus that shows up 2-4 weeks after infection. These tests can also detect HIV antibodies. A positive result for the antigen allows treatment to begin earlier and the patient to avoid infecting others. These are blood tests only.
 Rapid antibody/antigen test. One antibody/antigen tests delivers results in 20 minutes.

In-home test kits. These kits there are two available in the U.S. screen blood and saliva for HIV antibodies. You can buy them at your local store. The Home Access HIV-1 Test System requires a small blood sample that is collected at home and sent to a lab. The user, who may remain anonymous, can get results by phone in three business days. The Ora Quick In-Home HIV Test can detect HIV antibodies in saliva, if the antibodies are present (which can take up to 6 months). The user swabs the upper and lower gums of their mouths, places the sample in a developer vial, and can get results in 20-40 minutes. A follow-up test should be done if the result is positive.

HIV Screening Tests After Diagnosis:

While being treated for HIV, your doctor will perform several tests to monitor your health, determine when you need to start treatment, and check how well treatment is working. These include:

CD4 count. CD4 is a protein that lives on the surface of infection-fighting white blood cells called T-helper cells. HIV targets these immune cells.

To monitor the health of your immune system, your doctor will check your CD4 count -- the number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood. You should have your CD4 count tested every three to six months during treatment.

A normal CD4 count is more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter (mm3) of blood. The lower the CD4 count, the less your immune system is functioning, and the more likely you are to get infections. Your doctor will probably start treatment by the time a CD4 count is under 500 cells/mm3. If your CD4 count drops to below 200/mm3, you are said to have full-blown AIDS.

Viral load test. A viral load test measures how much of the HIV virus is in the blood. You want to have a low viral load because it means treatment is helping to control the virus. If your treatment is working effectively, the viral load should drop to an undetectable level in your blood.

You'll have your viral load tested two to four weeks after starting treatment, then every four to eight weeks until the viral load is no longer detectable. An undetectable viral load doesn't mean you're not infected just that the amount of HIV in the blood is too low for the test to pick up.

Anabolic steroids are another experimental treatment for lipodystrophy

Anabolic steroids are another experimental treatment for lipodystrophy as well as a standard treatment for HIV-related wasting. French researchers reported on a man receiving treatment with AZT/3TC who developed a buffalo hump and insulin resistance nine months after beginning treatment. He received intramuscular Testosterone Cypionate biweekly for four months and lost abdominal fat and gained lean muscle mass. Furthermore, studies have found that anabolic steroids produce weight and lean body mass increases in people with HIV-related wasting. Steroids may disguise the visible signs of lipodystrophy rather than stop or reverse loss of fat tissue.

A randomized study of Oxymetholone treatment in 92 individuals with weight loss due to HIV wasting or lipodystrophy found that the anabolic steroid had no impact on total body fat after 16 weeks of follow-up, although weight and muscle increased.

Despite the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), chronic, involuntary weight loss still remains a serious problem for some people living with HIV. Various alterations in energy metabolism and endocrine regulation have been found to cause loss of lean body mass (LBM) and body cell mass (BCM).

Previously studies in HIV-positive men undergoing androgen replacement therapy or treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rGH) have shown partial restoration of lean body mass, but these treatments have been largely ineffective in eugonadal individuals.

Now researchers from the Universities of Essen and Bonn have shown that the anabolic steroid oxymetholone can be considered an effective treatment for eugonadal male and female patients with AIDS-associated wasting.

A total of 89 patients (79 men and 10 women: 69 gay/bisexual men, 12 intravenous drug users, 7 heterosexual contact, one transfusion recipient) were enrolled

Patients were randomized to receive either 100mg/day twice daily (BID) or 150mg/day three times daily (TID) or placebo for 16 weeks. Patients in the placebo group gained 1.0 kg compared to 3.0kg among those receiving therapy three times daily and 3.5kg among those receiving therapy twice daily.

Seventeen patients (19%) discontinued treatment during the double-blind phase of the study. Fourteen patients (16%) were lost to follow-up or discontinued for personal or unknown reasons. One patient in the Oxymetholone BID arm discontinued due to nausea and vomiting and two patients in the Oxymetholone TID arm discontinued due to elevated liver enzymes.

Significant improvements were noted in appetite and food intake, increased well-being and reduced weakness by self-examination. Recent research has found that higher LBM is significantly associated with better physical functioning and better general health perceptions as well as with fewer days in bed in men, though not in women. The most important adverse event was liver associated toxicity. Overall, 35% of patients in the TID arm, 27% of patients in the BID arm and no patients in the placebo group had a greater than five times baseline increase for alanine aminotransferase during the double-blind phase of the study.

Weight gain was observed after an average of two weeks. The initial increase was rapid until week 4, but body weight remained at the same level from this point on. There was no correlation between the extent of weight gain and age, sex or disease stage.

Only one female developed a self-reported clitoris enlargement, whereas changes in libido were similar across groups. Oxymetholone can be considered an effective anabolic steroid in eugonadal male and female patients with AIDS-associated wasting, with the twice daily 100mg/day regimen appearing equally effective as the three times daily 150mg/day in terms of weight gain, LBM and BCM, as well as being associated with less, but still significant liver toxicity.

Risk of invasive pneumococcal disease remains high for people living with HIV

The risk of cancer is increased twofold for people with HIV compared to individuals in the general population, Danish investigators report in the online edition of AIDS. But the increased risk was almost entirely due to higher incidence of smoking-related cancers and also malignancies caused by viral infections. The risk of other cancers did not differ between the people with HIV and people who did not have HIV.

“In the present study we found that the increased risk of non-AIDS cancer was largely confined to cancers associated with smoking and viral infections,” write the authors. “The risk of cancers that are not considered strongly related to smoking or viral infections did not differ between the HIV-infected and the background population, and the impact of immune deficiency was limited.”

Non-AIDS-related cancers are an increasingly important cause of serious illness and death among people with HIV. The exact causes are uncertain. However, possible explanations include high rates of smoking, a high burden of viral co-infections such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human papillomavirus and immune suppression caused by HIV.

Investigators from Denmark wanted to establish the proportions of cancers in people living with HIV attributable to smoking, viral infections, and HIV-related immune suppression.

They therefore compared the incidence of cancer between people with HIV and matched controls in the general population. Results were stratified according to smoking status and immune deficiency. Cancers were categorised as smoking-related, virus-related or 'other'.

The HIV-positive population consisted of 3503 individuals who received care between 1995 and 2011. Their average CD4 count at baseline was 450 cells/mm3. At the time of inclusion in the study, 77% were taking HIV therapy and, for 92% of follow-up time, the people with HIV were taking antiretroviral therapy.

The control population consisted of 12,979 individuals. There were 157 cancer diagnoses among the people living with HIV compared to 255 diagnoses among the controls. The overall incidence of cancer was twice as high in people with HIV compared to the controls (IRR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6-2.5).

The incidence of cancers related to viral infections was almost twelvefold higher in the HIV-positive population than in the HIV-negative controls (IRR = 11.5; 95% CI, 6.5-20.5). Incidence of smoking-related cancers was almost threefold higher among people with HIV (IRR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6-4.9). The risk of other cancers did not differ between the people living with HIV and the HIV-negative controls.

Incidence of smoking-related cancers associated with current smoking was significantly higher among the people living with HIV (IRR = 21.35; 95% CI, 2.88-158.5) than the controls (IRR = 4.12; 95% CI, 1.74-9.78). For the people with HIV, a lowest-ever (nadir) CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3 was associated with a more than threefold increase in the risk of lung cancer (IRR = 3.54; 95% CI, 1.00-12.59). No patients with a nadir CD4 count above 200 cells/mm3 developed a smoking-related cancer.

Smoking-related and virus-associated malignancies accounted for 23% and 43% of cancers diagnosed in the HIV-positive population. Virological cancers were rare in the controls. The fractions of all cancers in the HIV-positive population attributable to smoking and viral infections were 27% and 49%, respectively.

For cancer types considered associated with smoking, the proportion attributed to smoking was 91%. The proportion of virus-related cancers attributed to having HIV was also 91%.

For cancers not strongly related to smoking or viral infections, the proportion attributable to being HIV positive and immune deficiency were 0%.

Deca Durabolin highly effective drug

Deca Durabolin has an active life of 14-16 days and is detectable over a period of 16-18 months. Belonging to the category of anabolic-androgenic steroids and classified as a 2.16 anabolic steroid, Deca is a highly effective drug that is available in different forms such as creams, pills, capsules and gels. Medically, the drug is advised to stimulate immune system enhancements and offer dramatic relief to HIV/AIDS patients and even treat specific blood disorders as part of the adjuvant therapy. This steroid is used by sportsmen to benefit from the improved recuperation time between workouts, protein synthesis, and nitrogen retention. Nandrolone is the base hormone, but it is better known under the trade name Deca Durabolin, which contains Nandrolone Decanoate. This popular preparation takes the Nandrolone hormone and adds a Decanoate ester chain. This ester chain is attached during the manufacturing process and it serves dual purposes. The main purpose is to make the hormone oil soluble, so it can be put in an amp or multi-dose vial. The second purpose of this ester chain is to slow-release the steroid by keeping deca from interacting with androgen receptors until the ester chain is cleaved off by enzymes in your body. Since Nandrolone Necanoate cannot attach to an androgen receptor until enzymes in your body have cleaved off the Decanoate ester, it causes the steroid to slow-release into your system over many days. For medical use, the ester’s main function is to allow the hormone to be injected only once every 3 weeks. However, bodybuilders may inject Deca Durabolin weekly or as often as every three days.

Moreover, this steroid is admired as its use even for long anabolic steroid cycles does not result in side effects like oily skin, male pattern baldness, and prostate complications. If that was not all, Deca use is considered of great use to mask minor joint pain and old nagging injuries besides reducing the inflammation of soft tissues and promoting masculine (secondary sexual) characteristics, including growth of the vocal cords, testicles, and body hair. This steroid is commonly used in doses of 300-800 mg per week by men and 50-100 mg per week by women or in doses of 600 mg per week for 12-16 weeks by men for bulking cycles and 400 mg per week for 12-16 weeks by men in cutting cycles.

A popular Deca Durabolin cycle is all about using Dianabol-30 mg every day for week 1-3 and then 40 mg every day for week 4-6 and complementing it with Sustanon 250 mg every week for week 1-12, Clomid 50 mg every week for week 10-12, and Deca Durabolin-200 mg for the first week and then 300 mg per week for 2nd and 3rd weeks, and 400 mg every week for 4th and 5th weeks, and 300 mg every week for the sixth week. Overdosing or use of low grade or abuse of Deca Durabolin can lead to side effects such as may even cause heart attack, edema, prostate enlargement, menstrual problems, liver toxicity, liver damage, and gynecomastia (female-like breasts). It may even cause elevated blood pressure, shrinking of the testicles, bone age advancement, bad effect on cholesterol levels, increased aggression, oily skin, acne, clitoral hypertrophy, infertility, and sexual dysfunction.

Side Effects:   
Side effects with Deca are much less than other steroids such as straight testosterones.  In fact, people choose Deca for this reason.  It’s not toxic to the liver and not particularly toxic to other organs of the body, and it’s highly effective.  That makes for a potent muscle-building brew; one you can really sink your teeth into without the threat of a lot of consequence.  It’s not, however, totally without them. Knowing how vain most bodybuilders truly are, most are thrilled that Deca doesn’t have acne as a side-effect.  In rare cases, there will be slight breakout, but not among the majority.  Now, that’s when you take 400mg/week.  But like anything worth doing, Deca is worth overdoing.  Right in the neighborhood of 600-1000mg/week is what I’m talking about.  This is where side effects begin to emerge and where you need to be aware of what they are.  Attitude can get hostile, sex drive can be out of control, sperm production can be non-existent (with prolonged use) and headaches can prevail. Also, the more you take, the more water you’ll have just beneath the skin to smooth out your appearance.  It really depends upon how vain you are. 

Pain in people with HIV

Pain is experienced through a complex set of interactions between parts of the body where pain is located,  the central nervous system in the spine; and the brain. These interactions occur via signals that travel back and forth between these parts of the body to make a person aware of pain, its location and its intensity.

Types and levels of pain vary by individual and the respective stage of HIV infection.  Almost all people in very advanced stages of infection experience pain.

 The various types of pain include:
- Neuropathic pain: Pain that attacks the nervous system is very common, and felt by around 30 percent of people with AIDS. It particularly affects the feet, hands and face, and has a tingling, burning or numbing effect.
- Headaches: These vary in intensity and can result from a wide range of factors including muscle tension, stress, sinusitis, migraine, and infection of the nervous system.
- Gastrointestinal pain: This affects all areas of the digestive system including the throat, stomach and intestines. Mouth ulcers and cold sores also affect the lips which can make eating difficult.
- Chest pain: This can be caused by opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and bacterial pneumonia.

Aside from creating discomfort and distress, pain can also be a major hindrance to living a productive, fulfilled life. People with HIV who experience pain may not be able to earn a living, care for their families, or take part in social activities to the extent they would were they not in pain. Friends and family too may have to divert time from other activities to care for their loved-one in pain. Pain and its effect on life can also lead to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety.

Pain relief should be seen as a vital component of HIV treatment itself. If painful side effects of antiretroviral drugs can be averted through effective pain control, people will be more inclined to adhere to their treatment, and will be able to stop the replication of HIV far more effectively. Additionally, a USA-based study found that people living with HIV who experienced pain were 50 percent less likely to attend their medical appointments. Assessment of pain should be carried out before and during the treatment of pain in order to effectively control the pain and amend the treatment, if necessary. The various assessments include physical checks that may identify a particular symptom as the cause of the pain; having the patient describe how and when pain is at its worst or best; and examining the patient’s medical and psychosocial history and background, including a history of substance use and abuse, that may influence subsequent treatment.

No one besides the individual can more accurately say how much pain someone is in and therefore the patient should be at the center of pain assessment:

When being assessed, patients can be asked to describe their pain intensity on a variety of scales including a 0-10 range with “0” being “No pain” and “10” being “Worst possible pain”; a descriptive scale with, for example, the patient describing their pain as “moderate” or “severe”; or simply on a line, with pain increasing further along the scale. Children or speakers of other languages may convey their pain by selecting from a series of illustrations depicting different levels of happiness or sadness.

The Brief Pain Inventory is widely used to assess pain. It asks patients not only to explain the location and intensity of pain, but also to describe how it interferes in seven areas of life including work, walking, mood and relations with others.