What is the Earliest Age to Begin Using Anabolic Steroids?

Usually, recommendations are to not use anabolic steroids until after many years of natural training, and not until at least age 21. But for everything there are exceptions. When might a person reasonably start steroid use earlier?

When a lifter gains many years of natural experience before starting anabolic steroid use, then he very likely has really learned how to train. This is no small thing. As with many athletic activities, a person can read any number of books or magazine articles or watch any number of videos, but the knowledge gained is entirely different from having put in hundreds of hours of training. You have to have that time in the trenches and have learned from experience what works for you and what does not, and have learned how to adapt your training to meet varying obstacles you encounter.

The novice trainer who uses anabolic steroids from early on never learns this, because everything works.

This isn’t to say that a person cannot learn to train properly if starting anabolic steroid use early, only that the situation tends strongly to work against it.

Additionally, the person who’s put in the hard work and consistently made gains for many years without anabolic steroids knows that he can do so. He has no psychological dependency, and is completely accustomed to working hard in the gym without pharmaceutical assistance. After beginning anabolic steroid use, in almost all cases such a lifter will train hard and well in his “off” weeks.

The novice who started steroid use too soon often will feel that training without anabolic steroids is largely a waste of time. Typically the backsliding will be quite bad, if he has “off” weeks at all. Often, he will not have the discipline to have “off” weeks.

Again, this doesn’t have to be so. If a person has the right psychology, that can be overcome.

There have been instances of my seeing great results with lifters starting as young as 18. These young men were very dedicated, intelligent, followed instruction extremely well, had great training guidance, and often had great athletic potential.

In a recent example, such a young man who had all the other gifts but nowhere near the needed muscle did a single 8-week cycle at 18, following instructions exactly. The next year he started every game of the season and was a key player on a top-three nationally ranked college team. He’d also earned a full ride at this academically-excellent school.

None of the negatives applied to his case. He had good reason to start when he did instead of waiting a few more years. There will be many cases like his, but far more cases that are not and where there would be a tremendous amount to be said for putting in several years of natural training first.

So each case is different. But most of the time, I agree with the general recommendations on when it could be time to start considering anabolic steroid use. Usually, not till years of hard work have already yielded most of one’s natural potential.

Steroid Half-Lives

Because there are different anabolic steroid half-lives for the different anabolic steroids in existence, not every anabolic steroid can be administered in the same manner or in the same frequency. Dianabol (Methandrostenolone), for example, exhibits a half-life of approximately 4 – 6 hours, which might require multiple daily administrations in order to maintain stable blood levels of the hormone. The same might not be said for Winstrol (Stanozolol), which expresses a half-life of 9 hours in the body, and therefore individuals could easily get by with ingesting their full dose all at once.

It is important to understand as well that for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement, frequent administration of anabolic steroid is very necessary in order to maintain stable and optimal blood plasma levels. For therapeutic medical use, the administration of an anabolic steroid on the last day of its half-life might be acceptable, but for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement, the administration and dosage protocol changes dramatically. The intention at this point is no longer for therapeutic use, but now for increased performance and/or muscle mass and strength. Therefore, higher than normal (therapeutic) physiological bodybuilding doses are required, as well as a higher frequency of injections are required so as to maintain optimal peak blood plasma levels of the hormone. For example, a TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) does not have to be concerned about performance increases from week to week (or even day to day), but athletes and bodybuilders must.

The following is a list of anabolic steroid half-lives (in alphabetical order):

Anadrol (Oxymetholone): 8 – 9 hours
Anavar (Oxandrolone): 9 hours
Deca-Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate): 15 days
Dianabol (Methandrostenolone): 4.5 – 6 hours
Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate): 14 days
Halotestin (Fluoxymesterone): 9.5 hours
Masteron (Drostanolone Propionate): 4.5 days
Nandrolone Phenylpropionate: 4.5 days
Omnadren: 15 – 18 days (variable due to the mixture of four different ester types)
Parabolan (Trenbolone Hexahydrobenzylcarbonate): 14 days
Primobolan, oral (Methenolone Acetate): 2 – 3 days
Primobolan, injectable (Methenolone Enanthate): 7 – 10 days
Sustanon 250: 15 – 18 days (variable due to the mixture of four different ester types)
Testosterone Cypionate: 10 – 12 days
Testosterone Enanthate: 7 – 10 days
Testosterone Propionate: 4.5 days
Testosterone Suspension: 2 – 4 hours (some reports as long as 39 hours)
Trenbolone Acetate: 3 days
Turinabol (4-chlorodehydromethyltestosterone): 16 hours
Winstrol, oral (Stanozolol): 9 hours
Winstrol, injectable (Stanozolol): 24 hours

A final concluding note should be made on anabolic steroid half-lives, and this goes for any drugs, chemicals, or foods: half-lives are not set in stone figures, and only approximations and ranges can be given. Half-lives are also very susceptible to the individual metabolism of the person using the drugs, as some individuals may possess a faster ability to metabolize hormones than others, while others can be much slower at this process. For example, while the half-life of Testosterone Enanthate is that of 7 – 10 days, there might be some individuals that might metabolize the drug within 5 days, and others that might metabolize it within 12 days or more.

Anavar – Cutting Cycle

Anavar or oxandrolone is actually a drug made in the last century. By then it suffered many transformations and today is used as a anabolic steroid derivate which is replacing some atoms in the bio molecular structure. Anavar is used worldwide, but its most common usage is as a steroid that helps you gain and preserve body mass. Anavar is not one of the strongest steroids, but it can astonish you with the end result. Anavar is in a form of tablet, so you don’t have to take it intravenously.

Side effects

Anavar won’t leave many consequences in your organism. Because of its mild nature it will not leave any trace on your liver. Because it’s really mild, many female athletes and bodybuilder use it. Just like any other steroid, Anavar can have some serious side effects, but they are really rare. Experience has showed us that Anavar users are really pleased with it.

How Anavar helps in fat loss?

Avatar is a steroid that has effect not only on your muscles, but also on fat loss. His molecular structure is made like that so you can also lose fat while using Avatar. This doesn’t mean that you can stay at home, take Avatar and fat will magically be transformed into muscles. You still need to go out and practice. This only means that Avatar can help you in that process of losing weight.

What dose should I take?

This can only decide your doctor, but there are some simple rules with Anavar. It’s not recommended to take less than 20mgs per day, because this is the minimum dose that provides you some results. The maximum dose you can take shouldn’t be over 80mgs per day.  This is a range where everyone can fit in. More than 80mgs per day can be harmful for your organism, but if you go over 100mgs per day, you will have negative effects on your organism, and the result will be the same as is when you take 80mgs. So you shouldn’t insist in taking higher dose.

Anavar cycles

Anavar main purpose is to make sure that you will have enough strength after you finish taking it. It also helps in your muscle creation, but primary effect will be strength. Anavar is not just like any other steroid. It can be used longer, because of its specific structure. During the therapy, Anavar will not totally shut down your HPTA, especially if you are taking minimum doses. This steroid is particularly popular because it does not aromatize. Aromatizing is a process where steroids are turning into estrogen. HPTA shuts down if you use some other steroids with more testosterone. Anavar can even be used in the brakes you make after each cycle. It’s recommended that you take post cycle therapy after using every steroid, so you have to take post cycle therapy after just using Anavar. Post cycle therapy will help your organism to recover and will help you to keep impressive results that Anavar has provided you. Anavar will stay in your organism shortly after the cycle is over – about three weeks. Many other steroids for oral usage stay in your organism for about 8 week, and intravenously taken steroids can be in our blood flow for months.

Is Anavar for me?

Anavar is a steroid that can be used by men and also by women. It has almost no consequences on our organism and minimum side effects and that’s why women use it rather than men. Medically looking, Anavar is the best steroid for persons with bone pain or osteoporosis.  Doctors recommend using only Anavar or stacking it with Halotestin, Proviron, Equipoise, Primobolan, Winstrol and HGH. Anavar is not a steroid for those who had some kind of heart disease or storke, blood clots, high level of cholesterol or high blood pressure. Also it’s not recommended for persons with kidney or liver problems.  Pregnant women shouldn’t use any type of steroid, so this one shouldn’t be used by them too. If you feel any symptoms of these diseases you should stop using Anavar and contact your doctor. If you abuse Anavar usage, you can lead you into deep depression, insomnia or even changes in your libido.

How Does Frontloading Improve a Steroid Cycle?

Frontloading is becoming more popular practice in bodybuilding as bodybuilders have noticed frontloading benefit in form of extra quick rise and stabilization of androgen level in blood. Bodybuilders have looked for long time for effective was to promote better and successful steroid cycle, by combining available medical data with experiences of each other, because formal clinical research in the area were actually pretty scarce. Through method of try and mistake, they have experienced benefits of frontloading.

It has become popular today among many bodybuilders to start with frontloading steroid cycle when they use heavy esters. They do so because they want to negate prolonged visible effect to achieve desired level of energy and body constitution. Others use another way to achieve the same effect -by boosting steroid cycle with oral drugs or solutions with no esters that promote faster consumption in system.

Both methods achieve similar result, boosting levels in blood faster to promote better exploitation during early first period of response, the period when your body is responsive for growing and will accept and respond to hormonal signal to achieve better muscle build-up.

How to apply frontloading?
One can calculate precisely necessary intake to achieve invariable discharge by calculating weekly amount. For example, taking testosterone enanthate every third day in 250 mg amount means you will need 583 mg for one week. For effective frontloading, double this dosage and intake it before the 1st half-life of the 1st dose, i.e. this means you will take testosterone-enanthate for 4 days.

You can also get the same effect with propionate or acetate. If you were not applying frontloading but simply taking 250 mg on three times per week schedule as in this example, you would stilly be building levels of steroids even in week two, and you could expect to achieve steady desired level only in the third week.

Because of prolonged release and visible effects, and with the fact that you have to wait for weeks before you notice any, it indeed might seem frustrating to have to wait this long into regular administering of steroids. It happens because blood level has to store larger amount of steroids to enable body response that enables muscle growth and has visible effect on body constitution.
Positive frontloading effects

Frontloading will give you better visible results in first two weeks and partially in a third as well, particularly with ester variations that have prolonged action. The point with frontloading is that with doubling the dosage in first couple of weeks you will create steady level of drug in system that will remain there until you administer next dose, promptly creating steady steroid level that you want to achieve.

Most bodybuilders trying frontloading have reported that muscle growth is indeed significant during first two to three week of frontloading in steroid cycle; results will become less impressive after some month and half to two months of frontloading, which is a queue about best period to apply the method.

Obviously, during frontloading you will flood hormonal system with steroid hormones giving it necessary boost to respond faster and more effectively. To put it simple: you will jump start your steroid cycle with frontloading, which is especially beneficial because your body is highly responsive to impulse to grow.

Additionally, with faster response you will apply this cycle for less time meaning that you will achieve smaller effect on your hormonal system, particularly on hypothalamus and pituitary gland that will make recovery of your body hormonal status easier and faster, enabling sooner and easier restitution of usual androgen hormone production.