Dinandrol (nandrolone blend)

Description:

Dinandrol is an injectable anabolic steroid preparation that contains a mixture of nandrolone phenylpropionate and nandrolone decanoate. The two steroids are present in a concentration of 40 mg/mL and 60 mg/ml, respectively. With a blend of fast- and slow-acting esters, this product was outwardly designed as a nandrolone equivalent of Sustanon or Testoviron. Given that nandrolone decanoate already provides its peak steroid release approximately 24-48 hours post injection, however, as with Sustanon and Testoviron, a more even and sustained release of hormone is not actually achieved. Instead, Dinandrol can be looked at as a form of Deca-Durabolin that has a sharper shortterm spike of nandrolone following each injection, perhaps making it best to inject twice weekly as opposed to once. As with all nandrolone injectables, this preparation is favored by athletes and bodybuilders for its ability to promote moderate to strong gains in lean muscle mass, with minimal estrogenic or androgenic side effects.

History:

Dinandrol is a product of Xelox Pharma Co. in the Philippines. Xelox is a licensed drug company, although most of its steroid products are developed for export sales only. The packaging for Dinandrol lists the indicated uses for the drug as being aplastic anemia, anemia caused by cytotoxic drugs, or anemia caused by chronic renal failure. Owing to the fact that Deca-Durabolin is also approved for use in anemic patients in many markets, this drug could be viewed as a cheaper and often acceptable (although not Ideal) therapeutic alternative. Still, it is estimated that the majority of steroid product that is traded on the International market is diverted to off-label use by athletes and bodybuilders, usually in Europe and the United States, so it is uncertain how widely this drug is dispensed to legitimate patients. Dinandrol is occasionally smuggled into the United States, though remains more widely distributed on less tightly controlled European markets.

How Supplied:

Dinandrol is manufactured by Xelox Pharma in the Philippines. It contains 100 mg/mL of steroid in oil in a 2 mL vial.

Structural Characteristics:

Dinandrol contains a mixture of two nandrolone compounds, which where modified with the addition of carboxylic acid esters (propionic phenyl ester and decanoic acids) at the 17-beta hydroxyl group. Esterified steroids are less polar than free steroids, and are absorbed more slowly from the area of injection. Once in the bloodstream, the ester is removed to yield free (active) nandrolone. Esterified steroids are designed to prolong the window of therapeutic effect following administration, allowing for a less frequent injection schedule compared to injections of free (unesterified) steroid.

Side Effects (Estrogenic):

Nandrolone has a low tendency for estrogen conversion, estimated to be only about 20% of that seen with testosterone.1 This is because while the liver can convert nandrolone to estradiol, in other more active sites of steroid aromatization such as adipose tissue nandrolone is far less open to this process.2 Consequently, estrogen related side effects are a much lower concern with this drug than with testosterone. Elevated-estrogen levels may still be noticed with higher dosing, however, and may cause side effects such as increased water retention, body fat gain, and gynecomastia. An anti-estrogen such as clomiphene citrate or tamoxifen citrate may be necessary to prevent estrogenic side effects if they occur. One may alternately use an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex® (anastrozole), which more efficiently controls estrogen by preventing its synthesis. Aromatase inhibitors can be quite expensive in comparison to anti-estrogens, however, and may also have negative effects on blood lipids.

It is of note that nandrolone has some activity as a progestin in the body.3 Although progesterone is a C-19 steroid, removal of this group as in 19-norprogesterone creates a hormone with greater binding affinity for its corresponding receptor. Sharing this trait, many 19-nor anabolic steroids are shown to have some affinity for the progesterone receptor as well.4 The side effects associated with progesterone are similar to those of estrogen, including negative feedback inhibition of testosterone production and enhanced rate of fat storage. Progestins also augment the stimulatory effect of estrogens on mammary tissue growth. There appears to be a strong synergy between these two hormones here, such that gynecomastia might even occur with the help of progestins, without excessive estrogen levels. The use of an antiestrogen, which inhibits the estrogenic component of this disorder, is often sufficient to mitigate gynecomastia caused by nandrolone.

Side Effects (Androgenic):

Although classified as an anabolic steroid, androgenic side effects are still possible with this substance, especially with higher doses. This may include bouts of oily skin, acne, and body/facial hair growth. Anabolic/androgenic steroids may also aggravate male pattern hair loss. Women are warned of the potential virilizing effects of anabolic/androgenic steroids. These may include a deepening of the voice, menstrual irregularities, changes in skin texture, facial hair growth, and clitoral enlargement. Nandrolone is a steroid with relatively low androgenic activity relative to its tissue-building actions, making the threshold for strong androgenic side effects comparably higher than with more androgenic agents such as testosterone, methandrostenolone, or fluoxymesterone. It is also important to point out that due to its mild androgenic nature and ability to suppress endogenous testosterone, nandrolone is prone to interfering with libido in males when used without another androgen.

Note that in androgen-responsive target tissues such as the skin, scalp, and prostate, the relative androgenicity of nandrolone is reduced by its reduction to dihydronandrolone (DHN).5 6 The 5alpha reductase enzyme is responsible for this metabolism of nandrolone. The concurrent use of a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor such as finasteride or dutasteride will interfere with site-specific reduction of nandrolone action, considerably increasing the tendency of nandrolone to produce androgenic side effects. Reductase inhibitors should be avoided with nandrolone if low androgenicity is desired.

Side Effects (Hepatotoxicity):

Nandrolone is not c-17 alpha alkylated, and not known to have hepatotoxic effects. Liver toxicity is unlikely.

Side Effects (Cardiovascular):

Anabolic/androgenic steroids can have deleterious effects on serum cholesterol. This includes a tendency to reduce HDL (good) cholesterol values and increase LDL (bad) cholesterol values, which may shift the HDL to LDI balance in a direction that favors greater risk of arteriosclerosis. The relative impact of an anabolic/androgenic steroid on serum lipids is dependant on the dose, route of administration (oral vs. injectable), type of steroid (aromatizable or nonaromatizable), and level of resistance to hepatic metabolism. Studies administering 600 mg of nandrolone decanoate per week for 10 weeks demonstrated a 26% reduction in HDL cholesterol levels.7 This suppression is slightly greater than that reported with an equal dose of testosterone enanthate, and is in agreement with earlier studies showing a slightly stronger negative impact on HDL/LDL ratio with nandrolone decanoate as compared to testosterone cypionate.8 Nandrolone injectables, however, should still have a significantly weaker impact on serum lipids than C-17 alpha alkylated agents. Anabolic/androgenic steroids may also adversely affect blood pressure and triglycerides, reduce endothelial. relaxation, and support left ventricular hypertrophy, all potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction.

To help reduce cardiovascular strain it is advised to maintain an active cardiovascular exercise program and minimize the intake of saturated fats, cholesterol, and simple carbohydrates at all times during active AAS administration. Supplementing with fish oils (4 grams per day) and a natural cholesterol/antioxidant formula such as Lipid Stabil or a product with comparable ingredients is also recommended.

Side Effects (Testosterone Suppression):

All anabolic/androgenic steroids when taken in doses sufficient to promote muscle gain are expected to suppress endogenous testosterone production. Studies administering 100 mg per week of nandrolone decanoate for 6 weeks have demonstrated an approximate 57% reduction in serum testosterone levels during therapy. At a dosage of 300 mg per week, this reduction reached 70%.9 It is believed that the progestational activity of nandrolone notably contributes to the suppression of testosterone synthesis during therapy, which can be marked in spite of a low tendency for estrogen conversion.10 Without the intervention of testosteronestimulating substances, testosterone levels should return to normal within 2-6 months of drug secession. Note that prolonged hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism can develop secondary to steroid abuse, necessitating medical intervention.

The above side effects are not inclusive. For more detailed discussion of potential side effects, see the Steroid Side Effects section of this book.

Administration (Men):

To treat aplastic anemia, prescribing guidelines recommend a dosage of 50-200 mg per week. A 200 mg per week dose is recommended for anemia due to renal failure or cytotoxic therapy. When used for physique- or performance-enhancing purposes, a dose of 200-600 mg per week is most common, taken in cycles 8 to 12 weeks in length. This level is sufficient for most users to notice measurable gains in lean muscle mass and strength, which should be accompanied by a low level of estrogenic and androgenic activity. Due to the fast-acting nature of nandrolone phenylpropionate, the total weekly dosage is often divided into two separate applications, spaced several days apart. Note that as a nandrolone injectable, Dinandrol seems to fit well for both bulking and cutting purposes, and can reasonably replace DecaDurabolin in most cycles.

Administration (Women):

To treat aplastic anemia, prescribing guidelines recommend a dosage of 50-200 mg per week. A 100 mg per week dose is recommended for anemia due to renal failure, and 200 mg per week for anemia caused by cytotoxic therapy. When used for physique- or performance-enhancing purposes, a dosage of 50 mg per week is most common, which is taken for 4 to 6 weeks. Although only slightly androgenic, women are occasionally confronted with virilization symptoms when taking this compound, even when taking recommended therapeutic doses. Should virilizing side effects become a concern, the drug should be discontinued immediately to help prevent their permanent appearance. After a sufficient period of withdrawal, the shorter acting nandrolone Durabolin® might be considered a safer (more controllable) option. This drug stays active for only several days, greatly reducing the withdrawal time if indicated.

Availability:

Dinandrol is commonly found on the black market. Its packaging is unique, and would seemingly be difficult and costly to duplicate. To begin with, the product carries a sticker bearing the company logo, which, once removed to open the box, reads VOID. You also open the box to find the vials sitting in a clear-plastic tray that bears the firm’s name (Xelox). It is not printed on the tray but molded directly into the plastic, which would obviously be some task for an underground manufacturer to duplicate.

1 Biosynthesis of Estrogens, Gual C, Morato T, Hayano M, Gut M and Dorfman R. Endocrinology 71 (1962):920-25.

2 Aromatization of androstenedione and 19-nortestosterone in human placental, liver and adipose tissues (abstract). Nippon Naibunpi Gakkai Zasshi

3 Competitive progesterone antagonists: receptor binding and biologic activity of testosterone and 19-nortestosterone derivatives. Reel JR, Humphrey RR, Shih YH, Windsor BL, Sakowski R, Creger PL, Edgren RA. Fertil Steril May;31(5) (1979):552-61.

4 Studies of the biological activity of certain 19-nor steroids in female animals. Pincus G, Chang M, Zarrow M, Hafez E, Merrill A. December 1956.

5 Different Pattern of Metabolism Determine the Relative Anabolic Activity of 19-Norandrogens. J Steroid Biochem Mol Bio 53 (1995):255-7.

6 Relative binding affinities of testosterone, 19-nortestosterone and their 5alpha reduced derivatives to the androgen receptor and to other androgenbidning proteins: A suggested role of 5alpha-reductive steroid metabolism in the dissociation of ‘myotropic’ and ‘androgenic’ activities of 19nortestosterone. Toth M, Zakar T. J Steroid Biochem 17 (1982):653- 60.

7 Metabolic effects of nandrolone decanoate and resistance training in men with HIV. Sattler FR, Schroeder ET, Dube MP, Jaque SV, Martinez C, Blanche PJ, Azen S, Krauss RM. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 283(6) Dec (2002):E1214-22. Epub 2002 Aug 27.

8 Lipemic and lipoproteinemic effects of natural and synthetic androgens in humans. Crist DM, Peake GT, Stackpole PJ. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 13(7) Jul (1986):513-8.

9 The administration of pharmacological doses of testosterone or 19nortestosterone to normal men is not associated with increased insulin secretion or impaired glucose tolerance. Karl E. Friedl et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 68 (1989):971.

10 Influence of nandrolonedecanoate on the pituitary-gonadal axis in males. Bijlsma J, Duursma S, Thijssen J, Huber O. Acta Endocrinol 101 (1982):108-12.