Warning: Nearly every one of the compounds on this list is illegal to possess without a doctor’s prescription. Most steroids used by casual bodybuilders are often acquired from underground sources without any verification of the product’s efficacy.
“We have to educate people,” says Thomas O’Connor, aka the “Anabolic Doc,” who specializes in patients seeking recovery from anabolic-steroid use. O’Connor does not advocate the use of any of these drugs and has dozens of horror stories from patients to support his position—including, in extreme cases, death. But he also knows that he cannot stop people from experimenting. And Fakhri Mubarak, a prep coach who speaks openly about his own steroid use, strongly recommends finding a health professional you can work with if you do choose to use performance enhancers.
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Anadrol
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: “A cheap bulking [oral] steroid but with many serious downsides,” Mubarak says. Gains are often due to water retention, and “you’ll lose more than half your gains after ceasing.”
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: An “old-school” steroid originally prescribed to help with weight gain after surgery or infection and occasionally to treat osteoporosis or hormonal conditions. “This one’s a monster,” O’Connor says.
SIDE EFFECTS: Puffiness and water retention, gynecomastia, acne, rapid weight gain, stomach pain, and many others, including high cholesterol and stroke.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: No longer than eight weeks.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 50 to 100 milligrams (mg) daily.
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Anavar
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: “One of the best anabolic steroids for cutting overall,” Mubarak says. An oral steroid often stacked with Winstrol or testosterone. The general consensus among bodybuilders is that women better tolerate it than they do some other steroids.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Originally prescribed for weight gain, recovery from burns, and osteoporosis. “It’s known to be one of the weaker and less toxic steroids with minimal side effects, depending upon dosage,” O’Connor says—but it’s also one of the more expensive ones.
SIDE EFFECTS: High blood pressure and lower HDL (or good) cholesterol, acne, hair loss, depression.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: Eight weeks, often stacked with testosterone.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 10 to 50mg daily, sometimes up to 80mg.
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Arimidex
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: Not a steroid but viewed as an ancillary drug meant more “to combat or mitigate various estrogen-related side effects” like gynecomastia and bloating, Mubarak says, and is occasionally used during post-cycle therapy as well.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: One of a family of oral antiestrogen drugs, it’s most often used as a treatment for certain forms of breast cancer. “These drugs are massively dangerous because they deplete your HDL cholesterol profile,” O’Connor says.
SIDE EFFECTS: Heart issues, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, hot flashes, joint pain or osteoporosis, depression.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: 2 to 6 weeks.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 0.5 to 1mg daily.
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Clenbuterol
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: Not a steroid but a stimulant often used as part of post-cycle therapy or to increase lean muscle mass. Used often by women.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: An oral anti-asthma medication in certain countries, clenbuterol can “unlock fat and muscle tissue cells throughout the body,” says steroid researcher Victoria Felkar. It’s also dangerous enough that it’s been banned for use in bulking up livestock.
SIDE EFFECTS: Jitters (“clen shakes”), sweating, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, insomnia—and if used too often or too long, it can result in high blood pressure and serious heart issues. “This is like drinking 10 cups of coffee or five Red Bulls,” O’Connor says. “Some people have ended up in the emergency room because of it.”
HOW IT’S CYCLED: Often two weeks on, two weeks off, to avoid building a tolerance.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 20 to 40 micrograms (mcg) daily
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Deca-Durabolin
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: An injectable steroid that originated back in the ’70s, usually taken with testosterone. Used for building mass.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Used clinically—though not frequently—for serious conditions like cancer, anemia, and AIDS. “It’s a pretty bulky drug,” O’Connor says. “It’s not a cutting drug.”
SIDE EFFECTS: “Deca-dick” (erectile dysfunction, particularly if taken without adequate testosterone), gynecomastia, acne, liver problems, water retention, enlarged prostate, loss of appetite, depression, low sperm count, as well as life-threatening conditions like liver cancer, stroke, and heart failure.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: Up to 12 weeks.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 200 to 600mg per week.
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Dianabol
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: One of the oldest and most popular performance enhancers, it increases testosterone levels and promotes muscle growth. It also has numerous—and often serious—side effects—so some bodybuilders have begun experimenting with alternate versions. “When you think of bodybuilders of the ’70s, this is the one,” O’Connor says.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Originally used for muscle wasting and anemia. Cheap and mass building. “Very toxic to the liver,” O’Connor says.
SIDE EFFECTS: Water retention, gynecomastia, acne, hair loss, liver damage, infertility, depression, sleeplessness, testicular shrinkage, potential serious heart issues.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: 4 to 6 weeks.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 30 to 50mg daily.
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Equipoise
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: An old-school injectable bulking steroid that “increases appetite and stamina,” Mubarak says. Usually stacked with testosterone.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: A testosterone derivative originally tested on humans, equipoise (EQ) is used in veterinary medicine, particularly on horses. When you buy it underground, O’Connor says, it will often say “not for human consumption.”
SIDE EFFECTS: Lowered HDL cholesterol, muscle tears from overuse, impaired sexual function, acne, gynecomastia, hair loss, oily skin, aggression, elevated blood pressure, increased appetite.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: 8 to 12 weeks.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 300 to 400mg per week.
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HGH (Human Growth Hormone)
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: “May stimulate the body to break down fat,” Mubarak says, and can have a “synergistic effect” with steroids to promote leanness, O’Connor adds.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Not actually a steroid, HGH is an injectable protein that is approved for use for certain children as well as adults. This is the number 1 drug used at anti-aging facilities. Extremely expensive, but doesn’t cause male sexual side effects, according to O’Connor. Questions about both its long-term safety and its effect on athletic performance and anti-aging have yet to be resolved.
SIDE EFFECTS: Nerve, muscle, and joint pain, swelling, high cholesterol, tingling or numb skin, carpal tunnel syndrome. It may also increase the risk of diabetes by “blocking the effects on insulin,” O’Connor says, and may contribute to the growth of cancerous tumors.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 2 to 4 international units (IU) daily is the most common amount for anti-aging, and up 10 IU for bodybuilding purposes.
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Proviron
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: Generally not cycled on its own, it’s an orally active form of DHT (dihydrotestosterone), and DHT is “what makes muscle hard,” Mubarak says. It’s also believed to prevent estrogen from forming.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: An antiestrogen steroid, O’Connor says, used for post-cycle therapy or added to a cycle to prevent estrogen conversion. Bodybuilders (most of whom don’t consider it a steroid) believe it can mitigate the sexual side effects of other steroids.
SIDE EFFECTS: Generally mild but include headaches, fluid retention, sexual issues, depression. and irritability.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 25 to 50mg daily, Mubarak says.
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Testosterone
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: “Test” is considered “the base of each steroid cycle,” whether you’re cutting or bulking, Mubarak says. There are three major types: cypionate, enanthate, and propionate, all of which can be used for cutting, he says. Additionally, enanthate can be used to add lean muscle mass.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: “Everyone uses testosterone,” O’Connor says. “The problem with it is that you’re going to crash. That’s why people wind up doing post-cycle therapy.”
HOW IT’S CYCLED: 10 to 12 weeks for a newbie user.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 500 to 600mg per week for a middleweight person (165 to 198 pounds).
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Trenbolone
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: Considered one of the most effective steroids by bodybuilders, “tren” (an injectable) is divided into two types—acetate and enanthate. “It helps you lose big amounts of body fat and gain big amounts of muscle mass,” Mubarak says. “It will give you some aggression, too.”
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Another drug used on animals, it’s “the strongest one on this list,” O’Connor says. “It causes a very hard, grainy, nonbloated effect. It’s a steroid on steroids. Also, it’s massively toxic and debilitating to sex.”
SIDE EFFECTS: “Tren cough,” a severe cough that usually comes on immediately after injection, “tren dick,” or low sex drive, high blood pressure, night sweats, gynecomastia, acne, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, rapid heart rate, aggression, de- creased cardiovascular endurance, kidney and liver issues.
HOW IT’S CYCLED: 10 weeks maximum.
HOW IT’S DOSED: 300 to 600mg per week.
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Winstrol
WHAT BODYBUILDERS SAY: An oral and injectable steroid that works for cutting, Mubarak says, but it “can also be included during bulking cycles, as it increases muscle mass and hardens the appearance of your body.” Often stacked with Anavar and testosterone propionate, this is the drug that Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for during the 1998 Olympics, sparking the prohibition on steroids in the United States.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: “This is a big cutting drug,” O’Connor says. “It devastates the lipid [cholesterol] panel, and I see tons of muscle tears.”
SIDE EFFECTS: Dry joints and acne are common side effects among bodybuilders, Mubarak says. Others can include hair loss, liver damage, cholesterol issues, mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and testicular atrophy.
