Active Life: 14-16 days
Drug Class: Anabolic/Androgenic Steroid (for injection)
Average Dose: Men 400-600 mg/week......Women 50-150 mg/week
Acne: Rare
Water Retention: Low
High Blood Pressure: Rare
Liver Toxic: No
Aromatization: Some, about 50% less than testosterone
DHT Conversion: Low
Decrease HPTA function: Moderate
Equipoise® is the popular brand name for the veterinary injectable
steroid boldenone undecylenate. It is a derivative of testosterone,
which exhibits strong anabolic and moderately androgenic properties.
The undecylenate ester greatly extends the activity of the drug (the
undecylenate ester is only one carbon atom longer than decanoate),
so that clinically injections would need to be repeated every three
or four weeks. In the veterinary feild Equipoise is most commonly
used on horses, exhibiting a pronounced effect on lean bodyweight,
appetite and general disposition of the animal. As with all steroids,
this compound shows a marked ability for increasing red blood cell
production. In recent years this compound has become a favorite among
athletes. Many consider it an ideal replacement to Deca-Durabolin.
The side effects of Equipoise are generally mild. The structure of
boldenone does allow it to convert into estrogen, but it does not
have an extremely high affinity to do so. If we look at aromatization
studies, they suggest that its rate of estrogen conversion should
be about half that of testosterone's. Water retention with this drug
would therefore be slightly higher than that with Deca-Durabolin (with
an estimated 20% conversion), but much less than we would find with
a stronger compound as Testosterone. While there is still a chance
of encountering an estrogen related side effect as such when using
Equipoise, problems are usually not encountered at a moderate dosage
level. Gynecomastia might become a problem, but usually only with
very sensitive individuals or (again) with those using higher dosages.
If estrogenic effects become a problem, the addition of Nolvadex should
of course make the cycle more tolerable. An anti-aromatase such as
Arimidex, Femara, or Amonasin would be a stronger option, however
probably not necessary with such a mild drug.
Although typically dosage related, Equipoise can also produce distinct
androgenic side effects. Oily skin, acne, increased aggression and
hair loss are all possible with this compound. Women find this drug
quite comfortable, virilization symptoms usually unheard of when taken
at low doses. Boldenone does reduce to a more potent androgen (dihydroboldenone)
via the 5alpha reductase enzyme (which produces DHT from testosterone),
however its affinity for this interaction in the human body is low
to nonexistent. Therefore the reductase inhibitor Proscar would not
be of much use with Equipoise, as it would be blocking what is at
best an insignificant path of metabolism for the steroid. Although
this drug is relatively mild, it still has a depressive effect on
endogenous testosterone levels, therefore a proper post cycle therapy
HCG and Clomid/Nolvadex is needed at the conclusion of each cycle
to avoid a "crash". A waiting time of around 3 weeks is
required before starting PCT, enabling enough of the drug to clear
one's system to make PCT effective.
In order to maintain stable blood levels, Equipoise should be injected
at least once per week. It is most commonly used at a dosage of 400-600mg
per week for men, 50-150 mg per week for women.
Equipoise is not a rapid mass builder, but will provide a slow but
steady gain of strength and quality muscle mass. The most positive
effects of this drug are seen when it is used for longer cycles, usually
lasting at least 10 weeks in length. The muscle gained should not
be the smooth bulk seen with androgens, but instead a very defined
and solid look. Since water bloat is not contributing greatly to the
diameter of the muscle, much of the size gained on a cycle of Equipoise
can be retained after the drug has been discontinued. It is interesting
to note that structurally Equipoise and the classic bulking drug Dianabol
are almost identical. In the case of Equipoise the compound uses a
l7beta ester (undecylenate), while Dianabol is 17 alpha alkylated.
Aside from that difference, the drugs are basically the same. Of course
they act quite differently in the body, which goes to show the 17-methylation
effects more than just the oral efficancy of a steroid.
As discussed earlier, Equipoise is a very versatile compound. We
can create a number of drug combinations with it depending on the
desired result. For mass, one may want to stack it with Anadrol or
an injectable testosterone. The result should be an incredible gain
of muscle size and strength, without the same intensity of side effects
if using the androgen (at a higher dose) alone. When used in a cutting
cycle, muscle hardness and density can be greatly improved when combining
Equipoise with a non-aromatizable steroid such as trenbolone acetate,
Halotestin, or Winstrol. For some however, even the low buildup of
estrogen associated with this compound is enough to relegate its use
to bulking cycles only.
Equipoise is not an ideal steroid for the drug tested athlete however.
This drug has the tendency to produce detectable metabolites in the
urine months after use, a worry most commonly associated with Deca-Durabolin.
This is of course due to the high oil solubility of long chain esterified
injectable steroids, a property which enables the drug to remain deposited
in fatty tissues for extended periods of time. While this will reliably
slow the release of steroid into the blood stream, it also allows
small residual amounts to remain present in the body far after the
initial injection. The release of stubborn stores of hormone would
no doubt also be enhanced around contest time, a period when the athlete
drastically attempts to mobilize unwanted body fat. If enough were
used in the off-season, the athlete may actually fail a drug screen
for boldenone although many months may have past since the drug was
last injected.
Steroid Profiles - Equipoise (boldenone Undecylenate) - Steroidology.com