Nandrolone (Deca-Durabolin, or “Deca”) is a highly effective anabolic steroid used worldwide for decades by powerlifters and bodybuilders. In bodybuilding circles, the issue of Deca’s effects upon the body’s receptors has long been discussed. A “receptor theory” has been debated for years. Does using Deca result in damage to your body’s receptors, limiting future gains? Are the initial Deca-based gains worth long-term ramifications? How can Deca use be well managed to benefit from this? Let’s learn more.
When most trainers use Deca for the first time, they notice a tremendous amount of initial growth. Even at low doses, trainers have been known to add 20 to 30 pounds of water and muscle to their frame in a very short period of time. Deca is legendary for this initial growth burst, and it’s one of the main reasons steroids are so popular among casual trainers. Word-of-mouth from their friends about “that first cycle when I gained 25 pounds of muscle” makes the drug too tempting to pass up.
Later cycles are never as effective, not by a mile. Researchers are baffled as to why this is the case. No further cycle after the first one, even at much higher doses, can produce the same level of muscle growth. This has led many theorists to suggest Deca damages the body’s receptors, those cells which allow the steroid to be absorbed into muscle tissue, which leads to growth. We know that Deca is highly attracted to muscle tissue receptors, which explains the initial phase of growth. Is it possible that Deca stimulates a great deal of growth, but highly damages the receptors at the same time, sort of “scorched earth” policy on the muscle tissue?
What can a regular gym rat like you do to benefit from this debate, or at the very least, prevent damage to your body? First off, plan your cycles out both long-term and short-term. If you know up front that Deca is highly effective ONCE, you may be well advised to hold off on using it until you’ve gotten a few cycles under your belt, and you encounter a major plateau to overcome. In other words, if you have one magic training bullet to initiate a 20-pound gain, it might be better to save it for when you really need it.
Knowing that use of Deca 300 by Dragon Pharma could potentially limit all future gains; perhaps you want to avoid it altogether. It’s a personal decision, and one that should be well researched. It all depends on your bodybuilding goals. If you only wish to gain 20 pounds of muscle, then an early Deca cycle could help you reach that goal. However, if your goal were to add 60 pounds of body weight over several years and complete nationally, it would be wiser to save Deca for when it’s really needed.
Getting to know the facts on Deca and its effects upon receptors will help you to reach your bodybuilding goals faster and with better long-term success.
