i don't think that people who take prohormones are stupid. some of them are, but some of them aren't. looking at the gains they are reporting, though some of them may be agents of the companies who sell them, still apparently they DO work.
the articles by Amy Shipley seem to be somewhat biased. not necessarily sensationalistic, but obviously not the full truth. yeah, the right steroids done the right way, abstemiously, with appropriate PCT will probably be more effective and safer than some of these oral pro-hormones.
but if you're talking about pro-hormones, in total, including all of the stuff they had coming out the 2004 ban.. i sure would like to try that 19-nor-4-diol or whatever it was called. transdermal, i like the idea of sustained levels over a longer time. right now i've got some methasteron from analholic xxxtreme's pooperdrool and illegal gear's methyl-masturbate. i also have some m-1-alpha and m-1-p. i have the novedex xtreme (discontinued and inferior to..) and novedex XT from gasp!ari. the methoxy-trn (referred to here as meo-trn) from ALRI looks like a nice strengthener, and i've enjoyed those effects, though i only went up to 3mg for two days. i also have max lmg.
i haven't used illegal steroids or pre-ban PHs. i wish i could get my weak little hands on some 19-nor-4-diol to stack with my performance enhancers. or maybe some 4-ad. who knows.
i haven't used any of these for very long, the ones i've used for two weeks were at sub-optimal dosages but they sure seemed to be doing something.
i don't know where to post this so i'll post it here:
i have been using a test run of 2 capsules m-1-p + 2 capsules m-1-alpha mixed together and then split into four parts, taken three times per day. you can do the math. the reason i'm using fractions is 1) m-1-p dehydrates me too much and causes my lower lip to crack just like max lmg and 2) i want to see how i respond to lower dosages before i use higher dosages.
i have been supplementing with about 1.5g-3g of creatine monohydrate for some time now and haven't noticed much other than the regular dehydration in the early morning when i use the stuff, which is because of the enhanced hydration. i have gone up to an entire 5-6g of creatine and have bloated to 160-162 lbs. i was previously stuck at 150-152 lbs. my poundages in the weights are just below what used to be my previous bests for regular work sets of 5-8 reps (high rep scheme) or 2-4 reps (low rep scheme). i have started experimenting with these substaces below my previous bests in order to more accurately compare my results, not to "cheat" my way to previous strength levels. for comparison, see? i used tribulus occasionally for my chest (i respond to trib) to get to my previous best. which may indicate i am naturally low-normal on test.
i can't see the extra 2-3g of creatine monohydrate per day boosting me up by this many pounds, on my frame. maybe 5 pounds but not by a full ten pounds. i wish i'd monitored my body weight more closely after this kind of weight increase. i have moved up on the weights and though i have done it slowly and cautiously i must say i feel ready to move up again already. my nervous system, the androgenic effects of this combo of legal gear's recommended stack, have definently done their work on my CNS. i am definently stronger and look fuller and more muscular throughout the day. i'm sure not the same as the reports are on some of the nitric oxide (NO) boosters, but it is there. i sleep lightly and less, have more energy throughout the day and even when i'm feeling sluggish when i start in on those warm-up sets i am definently getting into the zone and pumping out those work sets with an ease and strength that is quite pleasant. i've got to cycle off the extra 1.5-3 grams of creatine per day and get off the m-1-p/m-1-alpha stack and see how much i weigh after that, which should take about 5 days after discontinuance if my experience with methasteron holds true. i am not at a level that is beyond my own "natural" strength. i definently have faster recovery and sleep isn't as much of a factor. i am finding that the tiredness from these substances isn't much, maybe i'm a little more tired waking up and forcing myself to work but it doesn't feel like a slog when i get moving and am up. they feel good. i don't like the estrogen control complex in the m-1-p because i am probably low-normal on estrogen, too. i have low body fat, a full-blown ectomorph and would actually probably appreciate some estrogen thrown into my fantasy steroid injectables if i were to have a choice, given the winter and my joints and lips.
i must say i have not been able to get above 152-153 after the "recomposition" affects of the blood-type diet. i naturally slimmed down and lost the excess fat on my tummy and thighs and buttocks, though they were slight. i had a previous high weight of 165, briefly at 169lbs on a rather slight frame of 5'9"3/4. that was not on the blood-type diet and i was most likely not as muscular as i am now, though my biceps were larger (butt was larger too but that was because of a juicy rump with plenty of fat).
it's almost been two weeks and it sure is working. sub-optimal doses, too. on the labels m-1-p has under it "strength and mass" and m-1-alpha has "explosive mass". i don't know what compounds are in these for sure, the amy shipley article tried to make the m-1-p sound dubious but if you read the article it is two compounds and one is a progestin.. but they may have caused very nice results in someone who is a proven ectomorph. my ARs are pretty virginal, barely two weeks on methasteron cycling up from 1/3 (3.3mg), 1/2 (5mg), 3/4 (7.5mg) to a full 10mg capsule per day (in divided doses). obviously on a "cycle" of this duration and dosage PCT was a snap. actually the novedex was way too strong coming off 10mgs methasteron for that length, even half a capsule was producing worrisome "thrashing python" attacks in the morning (took just before bed-time as directed on the bottle).
those estrogen blockers/binders can be pretty kick-ass on the test levels i bet. it seems that some people are getting great strength gains and some mass out of them. i know my test levels get a bit crazy on the novedex xt. i find a little generic tribulus helps keep the hormones right to stave off the mid-afternoon decrease in energy when the novedex isn't taken at other times, just before bed as directed on the bottle. i took the tribulus with the lunch on those occasions.
i seem to get flak when i express approval of tribulus amongst the PH crowd. i get flak for supporting PHs among the real juicers. i guess it's all a continuum. i think the PHs can be very effective, however. though i have read that the androgen receptors can respond differently given past AAS usage/history, i'm thinking that if someone already past their "natural" physique, the more muscle they have on their body the harder it will be to get bigger. we can only eat so much and digest so much, and we've still got to expend energy on living and making a living. the bigger we get the harder it is to get even bigger. and methasteron is a real steroid, not a pro-hormone or pro-steroid. just like halodrol is very similar to oral turinabol.. heh heh.