by – Dianabol (methandrostenolone, methandienone) has been one of the most important anabolic steroids in bodybuilding ever since its introduction in 1958. Also commonly known as “Dbol”, this oral compound is best used for steroid cycles in combination with injectable steroids, but can be of value used alone as well.
Stacking Dianabol with Injectable Steroids
The effect of most injectable anabolic steroids is greatly enhanced by addition of Dianabol. The improvement is greater than from simply increasing the amount of injectable by the same amount. A classic and dramatic example is trenbolone. Though the total amount of steroid used is the same in all three cases, 50 mg/day each of trenbolone acetate stacked with 50 mg/day Dianabol provides a far more effective steroid cycle than either 100 mg/day of trenbolone acetate alone or 100 mg/day Dbol alone. The side effect profile is superior as well. In other words, the compounds act synergistically: the whole is greater than the parts. This is likely due to differing mechanisms of action.
Dianabol and Testosterone Stack
All injectables stack well with Dianabol, with partial exception that at higher doses of testosterone Dianabol becomes less useful and eventually entirely unnecessary. As examples, at 500 mg/week of testosterone use large improvement in a steroid cycle can be expected from adding Dianabol, but at 1000 mg/week only a moderate improvement is likely. At 2000 mg/week, possibly no noticeable further increase in effect will be seen except with individuals who have already reached a plateau at that amount of testosterone-only usage. For most this will not be the case.
Dianabol and Anavar Stack
For those who like to base steroid cycles on oxandrolone (Anavar) rather than an injectable, Dianabol also stacks very well with this oral steroid. However, liver toxicity will be less if combining Dbol with an injectable instead of oxandrolone.
Dianabol and Anadrol Stack
There is little to no synergistic effect from combining Dianabol with Anadrol. Most users do not do this. If choosing to do so, for example because of having both compounds on hand and not enough of either to use alone, I prefer using half-doses of each. In other words, rather than using for example 50 mg/day Dianabol or 150 mg/day Anadrol, a good alternate is to combine 25 mg/day Dbol with 75 mg/day Anadrol.
Dianabol Only Cycles
Dianabol can also be used alone. Many treat such usage with disdain, but in times past many excellent physiques were built with Dianabol as the sole performance-enhancing drug, and even today a few get good benefit from Dbol used alone. However, in my opinion it is only high responders who do well with this compound used alone, rather than this being a typical result.
Dianabol Side Effects
Adverse side effects of Dianabol include conversion to estradiol, suppression of natural testosterone production, and liver toxicity. Additionally, all other side effects common to anabolic steroids are possible, such as increased blood pressure, increased hematocrit, possible adverse effect on scalp and skin, and worsened blood lipid profile. In general however Dianabol usage is favorably experienced.
Dianabol and Aromatase Inhibitors
An aromatase inhibitor such as anastrozole (Arimidex) or letrozole can correct problems of conversion to estrogen, and appropriate cycling is generally sufficient with regard to liver concerns. This means limiting use to preferably no more than 8 weeks, followed by an off period at least half as long as the period of use.
For example, if Dianabol is used for 6 weeks, then this should be followed by at least 3 weeks without use of any oral anabolic steroid, and more preferably at least 6 weeks.
Dianabol Availability
Because of low manufacturing cost, in addition to all the above advantages Dianabol is less often counterfeited than many other anabolic steroids.
“Dianabol” was originally a trademark of Ciba-Geigy and properly referred only to their product, but for many years now any methandrostenolone product has been commonly referred to by this name.
Dianabol Recommendations
The dosage range for Dianabol is typically 20-50 mg/day. Unlike most injectables, little further benefit occurs from going beyond this milligram amount. If wishing more effect, the answer is instead to add another anabolic steroid. My preference is for dosing to be 3-5 times per day, but some prefer to use it only once per day.
Typically, this usage is combined with about 500-1000 mg/week total of injected anabolic steroids.
As with any anabolic steroid cycle, Dianabol usage should be followed with PCT (post-cycle therapy) employing Clomid, Nolvadex, or toremifene.
Methandrostenolone is the chemical name of active ingredient in Dianabol. Dianabol was originally a registered trademark of Ciba-Geigy Corporation in the United States and/or other countries prior to cancellation.
About the author
Bill Roberts is an internationally-recognized expert on anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). He received a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and completed the educational and research requirements for a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at a major American university.
Bill entered the nutritional supplement industry prior to completing his doctoral thesis but his education was invaluable so far as being able to design/improve nutritional supplement compounds, since it was in the field of designing drug molecules and secondarily some work in transdermal delivery.
His education was not specifically "geared" toward anabolic steroids other than expertise with pharmacological principles having broad applications. This has allowed Bill to provide unique insight into the field of anabolic pharmacology with knowledge of points which he would not have known otherwise.