What is Nandrolone Decanoate (Deca-Durabolin)?
Some of the many benefits of Deca-Durabolin include improved endurance and recovery, increase in Red Blood Cells and glycogen replenishment, reduced joint pain, increased protein synthesis, nitrogen retention, and IGF-1 production, inhibition of cortisol, increased collagen synthesis and bone mineral content, and the ability to slowly gain and maintain lean muscle mass. Although the slow addition of muscle mass may not be favourable for some users, for others it can be extremely beneficial as this generally means that the muscle mass can be maintained for much longer post-cycle.
Although Deca is less likely to cause severe masculinizing side-effects such as acne, increased hair growth, deepening of voice, etc., it is not recommended for use in women due to its long-acting nature. It can cause virilization in women, and therefore, should be immediately discontinued if symptoms arise. These effects have been found in women taking as little as 50mg/week. Therefore, it is recommended that women stick to NPP as the body can rid itself of the hormone in a much shorter time frame, reducing the possibility of permanent masculinizing effects. Nandrolone Decanoate is a strong agonist of the androgen receptor, which is the biological target of androgens like testosterone and DHT, meaning it can suppress endogenous testosterone synthesis while not being a sufficient androgen itself.
What is the recommended dosage?
The recommended dosage of Deca varies widely depending on who you talk to. In our opinion, a sensible dosage for most athletes is between 200-600mg per week for males, with advanced athletes reaching up to 800-1000mg/week. A typical cycle will last 8-12 weeks, and although Deca is commonly tolerated in longer cycles, it is not recommended to exceed a cycle of 16 weeks. It is not recommended for use in women, however, if deca is desired, female users should not exceed 50mg/week for a maximum of 6 weeks to minimize the virilization effects. It is strongly recommended that women use NPP over Deca in case virilization effects arise.
It is common for users to take their desired dosage in one injection/week, however, can be split into two with the same results.
What does Deca stack well with?
For males, it is recommended that Deca-Durabolin be added with a testosterone base such as Test Enth, Cyp, or Sustanon at a ratio of roughly 60% testosterone, and 40% Deca, as Deca can suppress the body’s natural testosterone production. This can be further supplemented with an oral anabolic steroid such as Dianabol, Anadrol, Turinabol, or Anavar for maximum size and strength gains. Due to the addition of testosterone, it is recommended that an anti-estrogen is also used. It is not recommended that Deca be stacked with Trenbolone as they are both progesterone-based drugs that can cause a buildup of prolactin in the body. There are no recommended stacks for females.
