Steroids and Women

“Steroids and Women” for many people it’s an odd sounding phrase; after all, when you think of anabolic steroids you normally think of massive, muscular men. Most people have no idea how important the relationship between steroids and women truly is, but it is we assure you massively important. It’s true; many more men supplement with anabolic steroids than women, and of course, you can easily pick out some women who do, but the numbers exceed the imagination of most.

Anabolic steroids can be very damaging to women for one specific reason; they can destroy her femininity. While true, anabolic steroids and women can co-exist in harmony; caution must, however, be applied; we’re talking about responsible use. Women have fewer anabolic steroids they can supplement with safely, and further, must implement extremely low doses. Let’s take a look at all the factors, everything you need to know; we’ll explain the fear, how to avoid it, and explain to you why the relationship between steroids and women is so crucial to society as we know it today. Absolutely, we’ll even show you which steroids most any woman can consider, and even how to mix and match all her PED’s; in short, your questions will be answered.

Virilization

When it comes to steroids and women, there is a universal fear; turning into a man. As you know, anabolic androgenic steroids derive from the primary male sex hormone testosterone, and as such, while no woman will turn into a man, if she’s not careful she can easily display masculine traits. Many anabolic steroids cause what is known as virilization, specifically put, changes that occur due to the high presence of androgens in the body. Androgens are hormones we all produce, both men and women, and essentially so with Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone being primary. Of course, men require about ten times the amount as women, and when androgen production goes beyond the needed amount for a female, masculine traits can manifest. The most common virilizing effects include:

    Body-Hair Growth
    Clitoral Enlargement
    Deepening of the Vocal Chords

There is hardly a woman alive who would enjoy such effects, but guess what; plenty of women supplement with anabolic steroids and never experience a single one. The reason is simple; they’re not idiots. They’ve done their homework; they understand which hormones to take and which ones to avoid. They understand if virilization symptoms begin to show then that particular steroid is not for them; we’ll explain shortly.

Avoiding Virilization

When steroids and women coexist if we’re going to avoid virilization, and we’re assuming you want to, the first order of business is to choose anabolic steroids that carry low virilizing properties. Some steroids carry higher virilizing properties, and logic tells us, we’ll need to avoid these; this isn’t rocket science. Even so, let’s be clear; all anabolic steroids carry a level of virilization concern, some higher and some lower than others. When we choose anabolic steroids that carry low virilizing properties, in most cases, most women will be fine, but there is still a risk. As we are all unique individuals, some women will not tolerate some steroids at all even though another woman may tolerate it perfectly. Look at it like dairy products; most of us can drink all the milk and eat all the cheese we want, but some of us get sick if we even think about a cow; some of us are lactose intolerant, but most of use aren’t.

The key to avoiding virilizing symptoms is straightforward; choose steroids that carry a low rate of probability in this regard. Second, if for any reason virilization symptoms begin to show, discontinue use immediately. Once you discontinue use, the effects will dissipate rapidly. If you ignore the symptoms and let them set it, this is where true damage is done, and in many cases, where they cannot be reversed. At any rate, if symptoms show discontinue all steroid use; in your next go around do some examining of your prior use. Was your dose of a certain steroid too high? Maybe you simply need a lower dose that is more tolerable; maybe you need a different steroid altogether. In any case, if you’re smart and pay attention to your body you can supplement without these effects becoming problematic.

Steroids and Women – Not Just Bodybuilders

Competitive bodybuilders; when it comes to steroids and women these are the only women supplementing with anabolic hormones, right? Nope, you’d be dead wrong; in-fact, they make up a very small portion of the steroids and women family. If it’s a physique based sport, then there is a strong relationship between steroids and women; fitness, figure and even bikini, you bet, thousands of them supplement. This doesn’t mean they all do, but the majority is well-versed in anabolic steroidal supplementation. Then there are the physique models, the women you see advertising for your favorite protein bar or pre-workout formula; of course, many of them are competitors too, but either way most are supplementing.

Physique athletes and fitness models, “yeah, yeah” you say; you already knew a lot of them supplement, but many aren’t aware. Then we have the next group, and this is the one that will surprise far more than the above. When it comes to steroids and women, never has this relationship been as important as it is to our celebrity population. Look at the women of the silver screen from fifty years ago or even twenty years ago; for that matter, look at the women from twenty years ago who look better than they did twenty years ago. Do you think this is all plastic surgery; is it because they have the best trainers in the world? While these factors indeed play a role, without anabolic steroids and a host of other performance enhancing drugs, the female physique as we know it today in popular culture would not exist. What’s more, anabolic steroids aren’t all that expensive, and as these women have money to burn they have no problem dropping a few grand here and there.

These are the women supplementing with steroids, but they’re not the only ones; nope, we’re not done yet. You can find women supplementing with steroids, and women in almost all walks of life doing so if any kind of fitness is concerned. Female performance athletes, and even the gym rats that don’t compete supplement on a regular basis. These women recognize what men have for nearly sixty years; anabolic steroids will create a physique that is impossible to obtain without. Granted, far more men still supplement, but the amount of women who do would blow the minds of most if they truly had any idea.

Top Steroids

We established early on there are certain anabolic steroids women do not need to take; such steroids carry too much risk to a woman’s femininity, and if she wishes to protect it, she must avoid such forms. With that in mind, the only question is which anabolic steroids can women take? Without question, the number one anabolic steroid for any woman is Oxandrolone; more commonly known by its most popular trade name Anavar. Anavar is the most female friendly steroid of all, and while men can use it to it appears to be far more beneficial to women. Anavar is such a female friendly steroid, in most performance based circles it is informally referred to as “The Girl Steroid.” This steroid carries the lowest virilization rate of any anabolic steroid, and further, will provide every last trait a female could be alter with supplementation. Most all women can tolerate 10mg every day extremely well, with some women handling as much as 20mg every day perfectly. In any case, most will never need more than 10mg per day, but if more is desired it is recommended you increment up 5mg at a time. If you respond well to 10mg and want more try 15mg, if you still want more, the next go around try 20mg; however, there is something important you need to understand. The higher you go with the dose, the greater risk of virilization. In any case, most women can tolerate 10mg of Anavar a day for up to 8 weeks remarkably well; in some cases even longer if needed, but 8 weeks is our max recommendation with most only needing 6 weeks.

While Anavar should be any woman’s top choice, there are other steroids that can be solid options. Of such steroids, Primobolan Depot is the second most female friendly anabolic steroid. Oral Primobolan can be used, but as it is not a C17-aa oral steroid it is not recommended as most of it will be destroyed by the liver. At any rate, most women will find they tolerate 100mg of Primobolan Depot a week fairly well, but they must limit their use with 4 weeks of use generally being a safe time frame and 6 weeks being the max. Then we have the Stanozolol hormone, more commonly known as Winstrol. This one is more or less a 50/50 shot; about half the women who supplement with it will tolerate it well, while the other half won’t. In truth, perhaps a little more than half will tolerate it well, but it falls below Anavar tremendously in-terms of toleration. If it can be tolerated, most women will find 10mg every other day to be all they need. Injectable and oral Winstrol are both fine, but most women will find oral Winstrol to be the way to go as it commonly comes in 10mg tabs.

These are our top steroids for women, but as we’ll see soon there are other performance items that can be added to a stack that will tremendously enhance it. Of course, before we move on we must mention a few other steroids in passing. There are some women who may find extremely low doses of Equipoise to be beneficial, and in some cases even testosterone; especially if the woman is testosterone deficient. Most women will not need to touch these steroids, but they can be useful in very low doses; we’re referring to extremely low doses. This is something you may have to play with a little bit, and you’ll need to keep an extra close eye on virilization, but for the majority, these are items they should not touch.

More than just Steroids

As you have seen, steroids and women can coexist; it’s simply a unique relationship that has boundaries if a woman is to remain protected. With this in mind, while the above steroids can provide tremendous results, there are other performance enhancing items that can be added to truly enhance a physique to its maximum potential. There are six items specifically that can be added, and we have listed them all with additional notes where beneficial.

    Arimidex: an AI that can be used for estrogen control – should rarely be used and only by the hardcore where absolutely necessary

    Clenbuterol: a potent beta-2 stimulator perfect for fat-loss – Clen, as its most commonly known stimulates the metabolism to perform at a higher rate

    Cytomel: a thyroid hormone more commonly known as T3 – an extraordinarily potent fat-loss tool – use should be limited to only when dieting and typically only at the end of a diet for 6-8 weeks max so as not to cause damage to the thyroid

    Ephedrine: a sympathomimetic amine that is a potent weight loss tool – works well as a fat-burner and appetite suppressor

    Human Growth Hormone: normally referred to as HGH, this is a powerful peptide hormone – of all things to add to a stack this should be your number one choice – very anabolic, will enhance the metabolism tremendously – will promote recovery and a more youthful look overall

    Nolvadex: a popular SERM that can be used to control estrogen – perfect for pre-competition – can provide a tighter look when body-fat is low.

Why Athletes and Bodybuilders Use Clenbuterol

Clenbuterol is a decongestant and bronchodilator prescribed to those suffering from chronic breathing disorders, particularly asthma, to make breathing easier. It is available in salt form as Clenbuterol hydrochloride, as well as in 20mcg tablets, in syrup, and in injectable form. Clenbuterol belongs to the broad group of sympathomimetic drugs, affecting the sympathetic nervous system in various ways, mediated by the distribution of adrenoceptors.

Other uses of Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a 2 adrenergic agonist with some similarities to ephedrine a sympathomimetic amine used as an appetite suppressant, stimulant, decongestant, concentration aid, and treatment for hypotension related to anesthesia but with more potent and longer-lasting effect as stimulant and as a thermogenic drug. Clenbuterol causes an increase in CNS stimulation, aerobic capacity, oxygen transportation, and blood pressure. It also increases the rate at with protein and fat is used up in the body and also helps slow down the storage of glycogen. Because of these effects, Clenbuterol is commonly used as a relaxant for smooth muscles, as well as an aid for weight loss. It is prescribed in dosages from 20-60 micrograms a day; a dose of more than 150 mg is not recommended.

Clenbuterol as a slimming aid
While Clenbuterol is approved for use in many countries as a broncholidator for asthma patients, the drug has been used as a weight loss drug or slimming aid. There are physical trainers who recommend Clenbuterol as a primary solution for achieving low body fat and better-looking cuts. In fact, it has become popular among bodybuilders and athletes.

How does it work?
Primarily a bronchodilator, Clenbuterol stimulates Beta-2 receptors, working selectively on the Beta-2-andrenergic receptors. Since it has minimal Beta-1 stimulating capability, Clenbuterol reduces airway obstruction without too much cardiovascular effect, making it a useful breathing aid for asthma patients. When Clenbuterol stimulates the Beta Receptors, it increases the body's temperature and heat production in the Mitochondria, thereby increasing the body's metabolic rate and decreasing a person's appetite. Beta-2 agonists increase lypolysis or fat loss and stimulate fat cells, making it an attractive slimming aid. Unfortunately, Beta-2 agents such as Clenbuterol can decrease insulin sensitivity and may cause high blood sugar or hyperglycemic reactions. Clenbuterol is an effective repartitioning agent, which is most often used in athletic circles. It increases the ratio of Fat Free Mass (FFM) to Fat Mass, by decreasing fat and possibly increasing FFM (3). It has a biphastic elimination and is thus reduced in the body in two different stages. Since it is a central nervous system stimulant, it acts like adrenaline and shares many of the side effects of other CNS stimulants like ephedrine. Side effects of Clenbuterol may include palpitations, tremor, restlessness, headache, insomnia, increased perspiration, and muscle spasms.

How Clenbuterol is used by athletes
Athletes usually use Clenbuterol after steroid treatment to balance the catabolic phase and obtain maximum muscle mass and strength. Clenbuterol can burn fat even without dieting because it slightly increases the body's temperature. This magnifies the effect of androgenic/anabolic steroids, thus some bodybuilders take these simultaneously. Clenbuterol is not approved by the FDA for medical use or as a fat loss supplement.

Clenbuterol Profile

Brand Names:  Clen 40, GP Clen, Clenbuterol HCL, Broncodil, Broncoterol, Cesbron, Clenasma, Clenbuter

Description: Is available in 10 - 20 mcg tablets or in the .016 mg/gram Ventapulmin Vet variety. Clenbuterol is known as a sympathomimetic. These hormones are taken to mimic adrenaline and noradrenaline in the human body. Clenbuterol is a selective beta-2 agonist that is used to stimulate the beta-receptors in fat and muscle tissue in the body. Clenbuterol exhibits most of its effects on the stimulation of both type 2 and 3 beta-receptors. Clenbuterol is really one of body- building’s most misunderstood performance enhancement drugs. It is true that it is effective in helping to burn bodyfat but it is often been stated that clenbuterol is effective in causing anabolic gains and has in times even been compared to some of the weaker anabolic steroids. Books such as the World Anabolic Review, 1996, by P. Grunding and M. Bachmann state incorrectly that, “its effects, however, can by all means be compared to those of steroids. Similar to a combination of Winstrol Depot and Oxandrolone....” These statements are inaccurate and misleading to say the least. A lot of these claims as to the anabolic effects of clenbuterol are derived from studying the effects of clenbuterol on livestock. Clenbuterol is effective in increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat loss in animals.

The problem with the variation in anabolic effects between humans and livestock is that livestock have an abundance of the type 3 beta receptors whereas humans have little if any of the type 3 beta receptors. These beta-3 receptors increases insulin secretion and sensitivity, causing more glucose and amino acids to be transported into skeletal muscle thus causing the anabolic effects that we, humans, just aren’t seeing. As Dan Duchaine stated in his Muscle Media article on clenbuterol, “In those animal research studies showing an anabolic effect from clenbuterol, it’s my guess the anabolism happens specifically when the beta2 receptor stops working. At that point, the beta3 increases and causes the anabolic effect through insulin mechanisms.” Since humans, again, have either very little or no beta-3 receptors, there is no chance of this anabolic effect. Just another of the studies where everyone assumed that what works in animals must work in humans. This is just simply not the case with clenbuterol.

Clenbuterol does work effectively as a fat burner though. It does this by slight increases in the body temperature. With each degree that the temperature in your body is raised from the use of clenbuterol, you will burn up approximately an extra 5% of maintenance calories. This makes it effective as a fat burner. Your body will fight this by cutting down on the amount of active thyroid in the body as well as through beta-receptor down regulation, which explains why you only have a limited effective period to take clenbuterol. While I am on the subject of beta-receptor down regulation, I would like to dispose of another myth. This involves the two on/two off cycling theory that I believe was originated by Bill Phillips in the Anabolic Reference Guide and has somehow made it’s was into every other steroid book since then including the WAR and Physical Enhancement with an Edge. The two on-two off theory simply will not work because of one main reason: the half life of clenbuterol. This 2-on/2-off idea was a THEORY ONLY, not by a doctor or scientist, and not based on specific knowledge of clenbuterol, but derived by imitation from other drug’s with shorter half lives.

Clenbuterol has been reported as having a half life of about 2 days, but that is not actually correct, since it has biphasic elimination, with the half-life of the rapid phase being about 10 hours, and the slower phase being several days. Supposedly, this is one of the reasons the FDA never approved clenbuterol as an anti-asthmatic drug...the FDA frowns on drugs with long half-lives if drugs with more normal half-lives are available. So with a 2-on/2-off cycle you never have time to get enough of the clenbuterol out of your system for this theory to be reasonable. In actuality, it probably hasn’t even dropped to 50% of your peak concentration before you are taking the drug again. With this all taken into account, there is no reason to think that this cycling would significantly reduce the problem of receptor desensitization. A more reasonable approach would be either one week on, one week off, or alternately, two weeks on two weeks off. The two week cycle has the disadvantage of a “crash” period afterwards. This crash period can be helped with the use of ephedrine to lessen the lethargy that you will experience.

If you are interested in taking clenbuterol for anything other than fat loss then you might as well stay away from this compound. There is a lot of talk as to how clenbuterol compares to ephedrine as well. Most “experts” feel that clen gives a better bang for the buck than the ECA stack. It should be noted that clenbuterol’s results and effects are much shorter lived. They work through very similar mechanisms. Both products stimulate the beta-receptors but clenbuterol seems to be a more refined version, called a second generation beta-agonist drug, than ephedrine. Clenbuterol targets the proper receptors, being the beta-2 and receptors than ephedrine more specifically which should in theory make clenbuterol more effective of a fat burner. Again, most of the so called “experts” say that clenbuterol is more effective than ephedrine. I, personally, get worse results with clen vs. the good old ECA stack. Clenbuterol also didn’t blunt my hunger either and I ate more while taking it as well. I also seem to get much better effects out of cytomel as a fat burner as well. Even better than the ECA stack or clenbuterol. But, again, that is my personal opinion.

Effective Dose: 80-140 mcgs. / day in split doses throughout the day. Anything over 140 mcg a day is overkill since the beta receptors can only take so much of a product and then more is just wasteful.

Stacking Info: One week on, one week off might make sense, or alternately, two weeks on two weeks off makes sense but has the disadvantage of a “crash” period afterwards. You can take ephedrine after the clen to help reduce this “crash” period or at least make it more bearable for you. The two on/two off theory is absolute bullshit and can’t work; read above.

Clenbuterol, medically used throughout many parts of the world as a broncodilator for the treatment of asthma, is a recent and popular addition to the realm of athletics. Clenbuterol is a beta-2 agonist, with properties somewhat similar to adrenaline. It acts as a CNS stimulant and users quite commonly report side effects such as shaky hands, insomnia, sweating, increased blood pressure and nausea. These side effects generally subside quickly once the user becomes accustomed to the drug. Athletes find clenbuterol attractive for it’s pronounced thermogenic effects as well as mild anabolic properties. Dosage regimes will vary depending on the desired effect. Clenbuterol generally come is 20mcg tablets, although it is also available in syrup and injectable form. Users will usually tailor their dosage individually, depending on results and side effects, but somewhere in the range of 2-8 tablets per day is most common. For fat loss, clenbuterol seems to stay effective for 3-6 weeks, then it’s thermogenic properties seem to subside. This is noticed when the body temperature drops back to normal.

It’s anabolic properties subside much quicker, somewhere around 18 days. Currently, counterfeits of clenbuterol do exist, but they are scarce and most are bottles with loose tablets. Clenbuterol should only be trusted when purchased in foil and plastic strips, preferably with accompanying box and paperwork.