Ask Bill Roberts #4

Clomid Receptors?

Dear Bill,

If clomid is used to get LH flowing again after a cycle of steroids, doesn’t the brain become dependent upon clomid to stimulate LH secretion? Wouldn’t you still have to go through a delayed period of adaptation?

Leon

A: No. There are no “Clomid receptors” in the brain. Rather it acts simply to reduce the activity of estrogen receptors. That does not seem to result in any upregulation of estrogen receptors or any type of undesirable feedback. The drug has been used medically for periods of a year or longer, safely.

Expiration Date for Steroids

Bill,

A friend of mine has recently purchased some steroids, but is reluctant to use it because it is outdated. The expiration date on the bottle reads 3/98.

A: The expiration date having recently passed is not of particular importance. All anabolic steroids are very stable molecules.

Anti-estrogens While on Deca

Dear Bill,

I’m prone to gynecomastia and has experienced the effect on only 200mg/week of Nandrolone Decanoate. I’m now planing a second cycle of 200mg/week N. Decanoate and to be on the safe side I have got my self 120tabs of Mesterolone. Now I’m starting to get quite confused. To my question, is it true that an aromatase inhibitor like Mesterolone is of no use in this case because nandrolone isn’t using the aromatase molecule in the aromatization of estradiol. Therefore should an antagonist agent like Tamoxifen do the job better?

A: Yes, tamoxifen should be better. The antiaromatase activity is indeed useless for nandrolone. Mesterolone might have other antiestrogenic activity besides that though. Don’t know for sure (the answer is not in the scientific literature.)

By the way, how does nandrolone aromatize?

Hydroxylation by one of the cytochrome p450 enzymes, followed by an elimination reaction (fast chemical step.)

Clomid Throughout the Cycle

Bill,

What is the best way and when is the best time to use hCG during a 10 week cycle of Laurabolin, Equipoise and Dianabol to keep testicular atrophy from occurring and to help retain gains after the cycle is over? Also, is there any reason not to use clomid during the entire cycle? Thanks.

A: There is no reason not to use Clomid throughout the cycle. The hCG is best used during the cycle itself, not during the taper. No exact timing is required. 5000 IU a few times during the cycle should suffice. 2 or 3 times per week is common and it would not be needed every week, perhaps every 3rd week.

Side Effects of Anadrol®

Dear Mr. Roberts:

I am considering taking an anabolic steroid under the supervision of a doctor to gain muscle mass. I was curious to see how Anadrol® compared to other commonly used steroids. Does Anadrol® have as many harmful side-effects? I’m trying to educate myself on the use of steroids before I begin taking them.

A: Anadrol® by itself (not in combination with other drugs) generally is much milder in terms of side effects than most bodybuilders believe. However, some feel ill from it quickly, even if it is the only drug used. It is somewhat liver toxic and usually results in a lot of water retention and sometimes gynecomastia (abnormal growth of breast tissue.) You must be outside the United States to have a doctor who would do this.

Dosages for Clenbuterol and Dianabol

Dear Bill,

I am about to start a cycle of D-bol and clen and I would like some info on dosages of each and how often I should take them – whether its all at once or spread out throughout the day. This cycle is more for strength than size. Any info will help.

A: It probably is more effective if taken in divided doses, for example every 3 or 4 hours, but there is less inhibitory effect if it is taken all at once in the morning. Thus it might make sense to divide the dose in the first part of the cycle, but to take a single dose towards the end.

Clenbuterol is in my opinion not any particularly good drug. I would recommend ephedrine instead for the most part. Typically if using clenbuterol the dose would be about 100 mcg per day. It is not anabolic (or significantly so.) Typical doses for a male for Dianabol would be 25-50 mg/day, although I know novices have had good results with as little as 9 mg (three 3 mg tabs per day of an obscure product).

Overtraining

Dear Bill,

Here is my current workout routine. I recently changed it because I was overtraining. Am I still overtraining/undertraining? Are there any muscle groups that I should Increase/Decrease? Thank you for your time,

Monday

Chest – 10 sets
Shoulders – 6 sets
Triceps – 8 sets

Thanks – Matt

A: How are these 10 sets performed? If you are absolutely killing yourself on each one, that might be overtraining. If say you are doing 5 sets of 5 in the bench press, then 3 set of incline and 2 sets of decline, that would probably not be overtraining.

There however probably is no need to train triceps on this day.

Wednesday

Back – 8 sets
Biceps – 8 sets

Why do fewer sets for back than for chest? The chest is smaller and simpler, really only one muscle or one muscle with two parts. The back is far more complex. You don’t have to train biceps on back day.

Friday

Quads – 12 sets
Hamstrings – 6 sets

Again, it could be overtraining depending on how you do it. I would suggest moving your arm training to Friday or Saturday. Also calves and abs probably ought to be in there, unless you are lucky enough to be very gifted in those areas.

Results for First Cycle

Dear Bill,

My doctor is currently helping me out for my first cycle. I have no testosterone level problems and still my doc is willing to inject me 200mg of depo-testosterone cypionate a week (maybe I should ask for 250mg). What kind of result should I expect? I’m training 4 times a week, should I train more?

A: At least during the first few weeks, you should train with somewhat more volume than what is usually best for you as a natural trainer: perhaps 50% more. This should then be reduced at the end to a volume which has been good for you naturally. 4 days per week can work quite well.

ACE Inhibitors for Fat Loss

Dear Bill,

Thanks a lot for keeping this column one of the best sources for objective answers to questions we, bodybuilders, all have regarding nutrition, training and AAS use. I’d like to hear your opinion on the use of ACE inhibitors (CAPOTEN) as alpha antagonist in fat tissues. Thanks for your support,

Fabio – Brazil.

A: Robert Ames had an excellent article about this in one of the Dirty Dieting newsletters. I think it is a very good idea, not only for fat loss reasons, but because hypertension is an all-too-common side effect of AAS use, and is sometimes the limiting factor in use. Incidentally, it does not act as an antagonist of these receptors, but rather downregulates their production, as Ames mentioned also.

Oral Consumption of Cattle Implants

Dear Bill,

What would happen if you took some of the test propionate and estradiol-containing implants orally? Would the estradiol benzoate be destroyed by the liver?

A: No.

Let’s say for example, I took implus-h, which is 200mg test propionate and 20mg estradiol benz. Wouldn’t the first pass clear the estradiol to around 8 mg, and leave about 80 mg of test in the blood?

Keep in mind that for a woman, 1 mg/day of estrogen is a full replacement dose. You are right that testosterone itself would be more effective orally than the precursors. Unfortunately it is not correct that the estrogen in the cattle implants might be considered negligible. It is not. It is a very high dose of estrogen.

Nolvadex Throughout the Cycle

Mr Roberts,

Do you believe that Nolvadex should be used throughout the entire cycle?

A: Yes, if that is what you have decided to use instead of Clomid.

If this is so what dosage and what will this do to your gains? Thanks for your help.

20 mg/day is rather typical. The effect on gains probably cannot be much, though there has been some hysteria about it, since lifters were doing this for quite some time quite happily before people decided it reduced gains. No doubt a slight increase in the amount of testosterone used would more than compensate, yet estrogenic side effects would be less. Clomid however may be lower toxicity.

Zone Diet and Eicosanoids

Dear Bill,

I would like to know what do you think about Dr. Sears’ “Zone Diet” applied to bodybuilding?

A: The argumentation about “building blocks” and exact ratios of protein to carbs is mysticism with no biochemistry behind it. There are no biochemical processes requiring exact ratios of carbs to proteins. But generally, his diet is not a bad mix of carbs, protein, and fats. He does miss it on flax oil, which he thinks is bad, but which is good.

I would also like to know what’s the real deal about eicosanoids, and if they can truly be controlled by using certain foods. In case I am using steroids while being on the zone diet, would I have to increase my protein intake?

Most of what Sears says is not confirmed in the scientific literature. It is his spiel to make you think you need to do things exactly as he says. That is my opinion anyway. Yes, I’d want to be consuming well over 1g per lb per day protein while on a cycle, more like 1.5 g per lb.

Steroids for Seniors

Dear Bill –

I can’t believe that I’ve never visited this website before. Thanks for all the valuable, FREE info! I’m 51 and training for a Senior competition in December. I have access to Deca, TestCyp (and Sust250). I’m in excellent health and get a PSA test every 3 mos. Any reason that a “light” stack of 100/Deca & 100/Test weekly would be harmful? Could I safely use more? And at these levels, should I consider Clomid?

Thanks for any advice you might offer.

Ben

A: The problem is, the light stack will not give you very much gains beyond what you could do without it, yet it will still inhibit your natural testosterone production. You would have better results with less side effects from using say 400 mg/week Deca but for only half the length of time. Clomid would indeed be a good idea.

To avoid prostate problems, Deca would probably be a better choice than testosterone.

Prohormones and Hair Loss

Dear Bill,

Are there any prohormones on the market that do not have the side effects such as hair loss? Is there any that you would recommend? I would really appreciate your opinion in this matter. Thank you for your time.

The “nor” products should have much less effect on the hair. Norandrostenedione, however, still has some estrogenic side effects. Norandrostenediol probably does not, or if it does the estrogenic side effects are truly minimal.