There has been an over abundance of oral only cycle questions with majority of them deriving from the younger crowd. This thread is primarily focused on the health and well-being concepts of users experimenting with oral Anabolics only (Not including any base compound or injectables). The issues pertaining to the users age is for another thread in which I believe can be located in the Education Section (correct me if I'm wrong)
You will find yourself reading and researching different Anabolics and the pro's and con's to different compounds. For an individual starting from ground zero there first obstacle will be grasping the concept of self administration of Anabolics through injection. To many this idea can be a freighting and make the person second guess themselves on if they really want to cross over into this area. So how can we get around this? Oral Anabolics!
Let's start with the length of a positive cycle experience that will help you achieve most out of your Anabolic experience. For any individual you obviously are looking for results to improve your physique in the shortest amount of time. I will veer off a bit and say that the more experience you gain in the bodybuilding lifestyle you will learn that it is a marathon, not a sprint, whether you are experimenting with Anabolics or not, it takes time and persistence. Back to my point - You want your first cycle to be in the range of 10-14 Weeks (Long Ester) or 6-8 Weeks (Short Ester). "Hmmm, well Johnnny, can this be obtained through an Oral Anabolic only cycle?" Not unless you want to send your liver through a shit-storm of abuse for little to no gains that you will most likely lose when discontinuing the Oral compound. Which brings me to my next point.
Why can I not run an Oral Anabolic for more then 4-6 Weeks? - Well, you can do whatever you want but be aware of the health risks and educate yourself. The damage and toxicity you can cause to your liver is what you should familarize yourself with first. Androgenic and anabolic steroids have been implicated in two major forms of liver injury: acute cholestasis and chronic vascular and tumor effects. Use of androgenic steroids is associated with a variable rate of serum enzyme elevations which are usually asymptomatic and self limited. Such elevations have been most closely linked to Danazol(Danocrine) and Oxymethalone(Anadrol), but are usually mild, transient and do not require dose adjustment or discontinuation. More importantly, therapy with anabolic steroids is linked to a distinctive form of acute cholestasis (condition in which bile flow is reduced or stopped) The jaundice generally arises within 1 to 4 months of starting therapy, but may be delayed to as long as 6 to 24 months. The onset is usually insidious with development of nausea, fatigue and itching followed by dark urine and jaundice (Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes due to an abnormally high level of bilirubin (bile pigment) in the bloodstream, which is then excreted through the kidneys. High levels of bilirubin may be attributed to inflammation or other abnormalities of the liver cells, or blockage of the bile ducts. Sometimes jaundice is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells, which can occur in newborns. Jaundice is usually the first sign, and sometimes the only sign, of liver disease.) Jaundice and pruritus can be prolonged even if the anabolic steroids are discontinued promptly. Typically, serum enzyme elevations are quite modest, with ALT and alkaline phosphatase levels that are less the 2 to 3 times elevated and that are sometimes normal despite deep jaundice, Using Methandrostenolone(D-Bol) Methyltestosterone(Majority of PH's), Danazol(Danocrine), Stanozolol(Winstrol), Oxandrolone(Anavar) or Oxymethalone(Anadrol). This clinical phenotype of bland cholestasis is so typical of anabolic steroids, that the diagnosis can be suspected in a patient who denies taking anabolic steroids or who is taking an herbal formulation meant to increase muscle strength or energy and that is contaminated with an anabolic steroid. You also need to be aware of what you are taking in a Pro-Hormone as these can have adverse effects on your liver as well. In addition, obviously with or without injectable Anabolics you will still encounter the effects it takes on your liver. Again, be aware that if you are exercising the idea of an Oral Anabolic cycle only for a duration of 6-8 weeks that is 6-8 weeks of toxicity that your liver is going to have to endure. 4,6,8 Weeks either way you are wasting your time and health with an Oral Anabolic only cycle in my personal opinion.
Here is a study for you guys in which an individual who encountered Jaundice while he was using Oral Anabolics. Be advised, he was also using alcohol at the time and most likely being irresponsible in terms of alcohol use and Oral Anabolic dosages - That is just my own assumption.
Case Report
Anabolic Steroids
Case 1. Cholestasis due to anabolic steroid use.
[Modified from: Singh C, Bishop P, Wilson R. Extreme hyperbilirubinemia associated with the use of anabolic steroids, health/nutritional supplements and ethanol: response to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment. Am J Gastroenterol 1996; 91: 783-5. PubMed Citation]
A 24 year old body builder developed pruritus and jaundice having taken various anabolic steroids for one and a half years. He was also taking several herbal products and dietary supplements including Ma Huang (6% ephedrine), carnitine and chromium. He also drank alcohol, estimating his average intake as one case of beer per day for the last year. He developed dark urine and jaundice and stopped all medications and his alcohol intake promptly. Despite this, he remained jaundiced for a month and had worsening nausea and weight loss and eventually sought medical care. He had no history of liver disease or risk factors for viral hepatitis and took no other medications. On examination, he was muscular and physically fit but deeply jaundiced. He had an enlarged liver but no rash, fever or splenomegaly. Laboratory testing showed a total serum bilirubin of 53 mg/dL, but only modest elevations in serum aminotransferase and a normal alkaline phosphatase level (Table). His prothrombin time was normal. Tests for hepatitis A, B and C were negative. Abdominal ultrasound showed no evidence of biliary obstruction. Liver biopsy was not done. He was treated symptomatically for pruritus with antihistamines, cholestryamine and ursodiol. His jaundice gradually improved and pruritus waned. Six months after the onset of jaundice, he was asymptomatic, had regained most of his weight loss (40 pounds), serum bilirubin was 1.5 mg/dL and serum enzymes were normal.
Key Points
Medication: Anabolic steroids (nandrolone, stanozolol)
Pattern: Bland cholestasis
Severity: 3+ (jaundice, hospitalization)
Latency: 16 months
Recovery: 0.6 months
Other medications: Various herbal products and dietary supplements
Laboratory Values
Time After Stopping ALT
(U/L) Alk P
(U/L) Bilirubin
(mg/dL) Other
Anabolic agent use for ~1.5 years
6 weeks 237 129 21
8 weeks 90 121 53
10 weeks 203 91 51 Ursodiol started
12 weeks 119 81 22
14 weeks 116 67 8
4 months 58 50 4
5 months 33 75 1.5 Asymptomatic
Normal Values <56 <139 <1.2
CommentA very typical case of severe cholestasis due to anabolic steroid use. Because the steroids were being used without medical supervision, the dose and actual duration of use of each preparation was unclear, but cholestasis usually arises within 4 to 12 weeks of starting a C-17 alkylated androgenic steroid. The jaundice can be severe and prolonged and accompanied by severe pruritus and marked weight loss. The serum enzymes are typically minimally elevated except for a short period immediately after stopping therapy. The pattern of enzyme elevations can be hepatocellular, cholestatic or mixed. Liver biopsy shows a “bland” cholestasis with minimal inflammation and hepatocellular necrosis. Ma Huang has also been implicated in cases of drug induced liver injury, but is associated with an acute hepatocellular pattern of injury.
"Well I think I will just accept the liver damage and continue anyways!" - Ok. Let's be clear and dispel an idea many already have; if you are a male and desire to use Anabolic Steroids but have a fear or concerns regarding needles, more than likely anabolic steroids are not for you. It is an undeniable fact, anabolic steroids shut down our natural testosterone production therefore when we run a cycle we need testosterone to be part of the cycle. Almost 90% of individuals I see on these boards that propose and Anabolic Oral only cycle do not even have a PCT(Post Cycle Therapy) prepared. Not only are you shutting down your natural testosterone production but you are also relying on it to slowly come back up on its own naturally if you are not introducing a PCT.
So before you just jump onto an oral only cycle and think you are going to make beneficial gains, just educate yourself and be aware of the health risks and be realistic on what you are doing. You are not going to get massive by taking D-Bol for 4 weeks. You might blow up like balloon for 4 weeks then deflate back to your normal self but what for? After it is all said and done you are now exactly where you started but perhaps shutdown, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, low energy, and depression. The small to no benefits are just not worth the disadvantages in my honest opinion. I encourage each and every one of you to take an optimistic and educated view on this subject before submitting yourself to and Oral Anabolic only cycle.
If I missed anything or anybody has any additions or studies reflecting the points I hit on they are welcome. I wrote this up quickly after reading a few threads and probably could have made it a bit stronger if I had the time.