Nandrolone is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from testosterone. The drug itself is inactive orally due to its lack of a 17α-alkyl group and is not actually employed in medicine. Instead, nandrolone is used in the form of a variety of long-acting prodrug esters for intramuscular injection, the most common of which are nandrolone decanoate and, to a lesser extent, nandrolone phenylpropionate.
Simply by understanding the functions and traits of Nandrolone it’s easy to see the positive effects of this 19-nor compound, especially the positive medical benefits. For the performance enhancing individual, the bodybuilder or athlete, although a long standing favorite it’s also one of the most misunderstood. The common idea is that Nandrolone is a great bulking steroid and the truth is it is a fantastic bulking steroid. But for many steroid users that’s where it ends, and the truth is it doesn’t have to and often shouldn’t. A key point any steroid user must understand is that a steroid’s quality is not merely based on how much mass it can help you obtain. There are numerous positive effects a steroid can bring, and if mass promotion is the only one you ever shoot for you may very well shortchange yourself.
For the off-season athlete Nandrolone is often a staple and one of the best choices he can make. Increases in mass will not occur at a rapid rate, and that will remain true even if using a short ester version. You’re not going to gain 20-30lbs of mass in 4 weeks as you might with Oxymetholone, but you will gain quality mass and quite a bit over time, not the sloppy mass often seen in rapid acting mass builders. Strength should also increase to a degree, although this steroid isn’t well known for being a strong strength promoter. For the off-season athlete he will also enjoy the recovery and therapeutic benefits that are provided. This is important as off-season training is normally the time when the heaviest weights are used. The user will also find that he should be able to gain more size with less body fat than he would without Nandrolone use due to the positive impact the steroid will have on the metabolism.
We then find ourselves with the athlete, he’s not looking to bulk or cut but needs enhanced performance nonetheless. Nandrolone is one of the best choices if not the absolute best choice when it comes to a steroid to meet this end. Very low doses of Nandrolone will provide the relief and recovery they need, and a slightly higher dose will provide this along with increased levels of muscular endurance. Equally important, especially as it pertains to relief, this isn’t false relief or a masking effect – we’re not talking about painkillers but true relief.
We’re then left with the cutting phase, the time when many steroid users shy away from Nandrolone, but for decades many competitive bodybuilders especially the elite have recognized this steroid’s importance and benefits to a cutting plan. It’s not uncommon for low doses to be used for the therapeutic benefits. There is no time that the body will hurt and ache like it will during a cutting phase and Nandrolone is a great remedy. But others will use it as a direct steroid protectant, something to help protect lean tissue that would otherwise be lost due to the necessary caloric restrictions. It’s not uncommon to see a bodybuilder use Nandrolone during the first half of his contest prep and then drop it the second half for steroids that are better suited to hardening, although he may leave in a small amount all the way to the end for therapeutic benefit.
