Dianabol is a powerful anabolic steroid with the reputation of being one in its class. It’s appropriately called ‘the granddaddy’, not just because it was first released but also due to how versatile and durable this drug can make you feel about yourself when taken properly.
The 1970s were a time when classic bodybuilders thrived on the power of Dianabol. The anabolic steroids gave them all that extra size, strength even durability.
The benefits of dianabol have never been in doubt, with it remaining one the most popular steroids 50 years later. It’s well known within fitness and bodybuilding communities its side effects can be overlooked by new users who may take this product during their first cycle.
This is a list of possible side effects that might happen during treatment with Dianabol. While some are more severe than others, all may impact your health in one way or another and should be taken into consideration before continuing on this path (and hoping for the best).
Dianabol Side Effects
Side effects of dianabol include water retention, gynecomastia (growth of male breasts),liver toxicity, testicular suppression and high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure
Dianabol is a powerful anabolic steroid with many side effects including increased cholesterol and blood pressure. The user’s heart health will suffer as well, so it’s important to know all of the potential hazards before using this drug.
Dianabol can increase plaque build up and has been linked to a higher risk for heart disease. Your blood pressure will also rise, increasing the chance of developing myocardial infarction (heart attack).
Dianabol is an oral steroid, so it passes through your liver. This can cause some damage to your cardiovascular system because of how harsh that process is.
The side effects of Dianabol include water retention and an increase in blood viscosity. This can be extremely dangerous, since it impairs the flow of oxygen-rich fluids/blood to or from your heart.
Bodybuilders who are looking to reduce the cardiovascular strain of Dianabol may want to use fish oil. This can help you maintain stability in your blood pressure, especially if it’s high risk or already unstable due to an illness like hypertension.
Maintaining optimal levels is important because this will ensure that there isn’t too much stress put on our hearts when we work out hard.
When you work out, your body produces more of a natural chemical called nitric oxide. This substance helps regulate blood pressure and can reduce the effects of medications like Dianabol.
N.O is a natural substance that can help you relax your blood vessels, helping the flow of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.
In contrast to the effect that weightlifting has on blood vessels, cardiovascular activity can actually help you get bigger and stronger by dilating your muscles.
Gyno (Gynecomastia)
Dianabol has been known to produce gynecomastia in males due its aromatase enzyme presence, which converts testosterone into estrogen.
The symptoms of gynecomastia can range from mild cases that only affect the pores, skin texture or shape to more extreme ones where males may have swollen breasts.
Nipples can be swollen for a variety of reasons, but they’ll usually go away after the hormones regulate and estrogen levels decrease.
An aromatase inhibitor, such as letrozole, can be taken to prevent gynecomastia. An AI stops the conversion of testosterone into estrogen and will alleviate pressure on your heart due to high cholesterol levels, however it could also worsen blood pressure.
The use of SERMs has been shown to keep healthier cholesterol ratios by blocking estrogen like effects at a receptor level, thus not preventing the conversion rate for testosterone into estradiol.
Two medications often used by bodybuilders are Nolvadex and Clomid. These may be taken if you’re experiencing any swollenness in the nipple area, effectively preventing breast tissue from growing more offensively.
Water Retention
One of the side effects from too much estrogen is water retention, which can lead to 10 pounds or more in water.
Dianabol is often referred to as a off season steroid. It can cause the midsection and face of a person who uses it during their workout routine, due either from bloating or water retention (which may show up in your gut).
Most people experience some degree of water retention during their time using steroids, but this is usually not a problem because it’s temporary and useful for strengthening muscles.
With the use of Furosemide, you can expect an increase in aesthetics without any loss to strength or fullness. However there may be some decrease when taking Dianabol because it will help reduce water retention while enhancing its benefits on your muscles.
The use of diuretics will also help see an increase or improvement with blood pressure because it makes circulation easier for your brain to manage.
Dianabol is a wonderful drug for bulking, but it’s also known to cause water retention. If you want the ability build muscle without worrying about your weight going up then I would suggest using Trenbolone or Superdrol instead.
Toxic Liver
The use of Dianabol may result in significant liver stress, as it is c-17 alpha alkylated and a hepatotoxic. This means that your AST/ALT enzymes will shoot up until the cycle has ended or you stop taking them.
There are many bodybuilders who don’t worry about the liver because it’s a resilient organ. The liver is a resilient organ, this means that it often bounces back after extensive abuse.
Stacking this steroid with other steroids like Winstrol or Anadrol should not be used because they will only make things worse for your body not to mention how poor performance might turn out.
Suppressed Testosterone
The HPTA axis is damaged due to the production of natural Testosterone being decreased by anabolic steroids. This may not be problematic during cycles but once you stop using them, there will likely be enough side effects from low testosterone that they become less noticeable over time as your body repairs itself and gains back its functionality again.
There are a number of symptoms that can indicate low testosterone;
- Fatigue which leaves you exhausted.
- You may feel tired.
- Testicular atrophy which is a condition where your testicles become smaller.
- May experiences a decrease in well-being which could lead to worsening of emotional health
- Reduced desire for sex.
HPTA axis damage can cause permanent cancellation of an individual’s hormone levels, resulting in a loss of muscle mass and abandoning all hope for fat metabolism.
The most common way to recover from anabolic steroids use is with post cycle therapy (PCT). A number of medications such as Nolvadex, HCG and Clomid are effective at restoring testosterone levels in the body.
Dianabol is a very potent and effective steroid, but it’s important to note that only one of these three may be needed. If you plan on stacking dianabol with other strong steroids though your cycle will require all six for recovery purposes.
Summary
Dianabol can help you avoid the worst of acne problems by not converting to estrogen. It’s also good for preventing male pattern baldness and other Androgenic health issues.
While there are some benefits to using Dianabol, such as building muscle and losing fat at an accelerated rate (which could help you achieve your fitness goals), it also poses risks. In particular for users who have heart problems or liver disease these two conditions can degenerate more quickly when combined with steroid use.
You should always take precautions as given in this article when using dianabol because it can cause unwanted side effects.
Be careful with Dianabol if you’re experiencing troublesome symptoms like high blood pressure or any other difficulties on this drug, call your doctor immediately and stop taking it.
Hi, I'm Dave Moffat the founder and Chief Editor of steroidsourcetalk.com. My passion has always been bodybuilding but with 15 years' experience in weight loss programs too, it's hard not to mention all that when you're working at your fitness level fullest (I hope). When Im not in the gym or spending time away from my family i often think about what advice would help others achieve theirs goals just like these inspired mine.
