Primobolan Depot (Methenolone Enanthate)
(Methenolone Enanthate)
Methenolone is an anabolic androgenic steroid that was first released in 1962 by Squibb under the trade name Nibal (oral) and Nibal Depot (injectable). This was a very short-lived product on the U.S. market and by the mid-1960’s the German pharmaceutical powerhouse Schering would own all rights to the Methenolone hormone. Through Schering the hormone would be released as Primobolan (oral) and Primobolan Depot (injectable). The injectable Depot version will be our focus here. For information on oral Primobolan, please see the Primobolan profile.
Primobolan Depot represents one of the more popular anabolic steroids in performance enhancing circles, especially bodybuilding due to the Arnold Schwarzenegger stigma that surrounds it. It’s often been said this was his favorite anabolic steroid, and while he used it this stigma has created a misunderstanding of the steroid for some. This isn’t all that surprising, attach Arnold’s name to anything like this and you’ll make it sell.
Along with holding a bit of a unique stigma, Primobolan Depot carries one of the highest safety ratings among all anabolic steroids. This steroid is relatively mild and can be safe for both men and women. In fact, the steroid has even been used successfully in premature infants and children in specific therapeutic settings. The hormone is also well-known for having a solid record in the treatment of muscle wasting diseases, osteoporosis and sarcopenia, and is a great steroid for treating prolonged corticosteroid exposure. Primobolan has also been used effectively in the treatment of carcinoma, as well as hepatitis in some cases.
In a performance capacity, Primobolan Depot is not what we can call a strong mass promoting steroid. For the male athlete, it’s also not what we can call a foundational steroid. However, man or woman most will find Primobolan Depot to be far more effective and beneficial than its oral counterpart. Despite being a relatively weak mass builder, this steroid most certainly has its place in performance enhancement but the key to obtaining the benefits is understanding the proper points of use. This is where many steroid users fall short. They often expect certain things from certain steroids that it cannot do and are left scratching their head.
Primobolan Depot Functions & Traits:
Methenolone is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or more specifically a structurally altered version. The composition of the hormone is DHT with an added double bond at carbon positions one and two. This greatly increases the steroid’s anabolic nature. It also carries an added 1-methyl group, which in-turn protects the hormone from hepatic breakdown. In the case of Primobolan Depot, what we have is the Methenolone hormone with an added or attached Enanthate ester. This ester is added in an effort to control the hormone’s release time slowing it down substantially. An important note, at one time injectable Methenolone Acetate was available. However, this product was discontinued in 1993. Currently, the only way you will obtain Methenolone Acetate is in oral Primobolan or through an underground lab that happens to manufacture an injectable version. However, injectable Methenolone Acetate is a bit of a rare product. If you’re going to use the Methenolone hormone in its injectable form, which is the preferred recommended form, Primobolan Depot is the only version most will have access to.
Primobolan Depot is a relatively mild anabolic steroid carrying an anabolic rating of 88 and an androgenic rating of 44-57. In order for these ratings to hold some teeth consider the rating system. All ratings are derived using the testosterone hormone as the baseline. Testosterone holds a rating of 100 in both categories. As you can see, Methenolone is a little weaker and while its anabolic rating isn’t that far off it is a little deceiving. Primobolan Depot will not provide as much lean tissue growth properties as its rating implies.
In its direct functioning capacity, Primobolan Depot offers several traits commonly found in anabolic steroids. The hormone has the ability to enhance protein synthesis and increase red blood cell count, as well as inhibit glucocorticoid hormones in the body. These traits do not manifest in Primobolan Depot as strongly as they do with many steroids, but they are in part what make this a valuable anabolic steroid. Where this steroid truly shines is in its ability to promote nitrogen retention in the muscles, as well as it possessing a strong binding affinity for the androgen receptor. The enhanced nitrogen retention is important due to the fact that all muscle tissue is comprised of approximately 16% nitrogen. Low nitrogen levels will lead to a catabolic state, where as the more we retain the more anabolic we remain. Then we have the androgen receptor binding, this is important as such a trait has been linked to lipolysis. Almost all anabolic steroids promote a stronger and more powerful metabolism, but the strong binding affinity for the androgen receptor actually promotes direct fat loss. Coupled with the enhanced nitrogen retention, this makes Primobolan Depot an excellent cutting steroid.
The Methenolone hormone has also been shown to have a positive affect on the immune system. In cases of muscle wasting and immune issues such as with AIDS, Primobolan Depot has proven very useful. It may very well not be the only steroid used in such cases. As it won’t promote strong mass characteristics it probably won’t be the only one prescribed. However, the moderate anabolic nature along with immune enhancement makes it a top choice in these cases.
The ability of Primobolan Depot to enhance the immune system can also be very beneficial to every day steroid users. If your immune system is stronger, you’ll be healthier and have an easier time reaching your goals. But in the case of a cutting cycle it can be extremely valuable as immune systems often become a little weaker during a hard diet. This can hold very true among competitive bodybuilders who often go through diets for several months most people could not endure for a week.
Effects of Primobolan Depot:
As a bulking steroid in an off-season plan, Primobolan Depot is generally not the best choice. The steroid simply isn’t well-suited for a significant promotion in lean tissue mass. However, this is a steroid that cannot promote water retention as it lacks any estrogenic activity. Due to this fact any weight gained due to use will be 100% pure lean muscle mass, it simply may not be all that much.
When it comes to off-season use, we can, however, make an exception for females. Women are far more sensitive to the hormonal compound, and it may very well provide the anabolic boost they need for off-season growth. We’d actually call Primobolan one of the best anabolic steroids for female off-season use. For those who are worried about a lot of excess mass, most women aren’t looking to gain 30lbs, remember total mass will largely be dependent on the individual’s diet and total steroidal dosing. Keeping the dose moderate and controlling your diet will enable you with the ability to easily control the amount of mass you want to gain. As a bonus, due to the metabolic enhancement and fat burning properties of this steroid, you will be able to gain off-season muscle mass with less body fat accumulation that would otherwise occur.
From off-season bulking the next point of discussion will be the cutting phase. Without question, man or woman this will be the best time to use Primobolan Depot. This is a fantastic steroid for protecting hard earned muscle tissue. In order to lose body fat, we must burn more calories than we consume. You can follow the healthiest diet on earth and exercise yourself into the ground, but if you do not burn more than you consume you will not lose body fat. Through this necessary caloric reduction, this can put our lean muscle mass at risk. The deficit will cause the body to pull what it needs for its energy demands from wherever it can. The idea is to ensure it’s pulling from fat, but the body will be tempted to pull from muscle tissue in an effort to save body fat. This is part of the human bodies survival instinct. By supplementing with Primobolan Depot, we ensure our muscle mass is protected and fat is lost. We also ensure body fat is burned at a far more efficient rate. Those who use Primobolan Depot in this phase will also notice they are much harder and defined once body fat is low.
Primobolan Depot can also be a good steroid for athletic enhancement. It has the ability to promote increases in strength and will have a positive affect on muscular endurance and recovery. Equally important, as it’s not a powerful mass builder this can make it a great choice for many athletes. Many athletes don’t want to gain a lot of mass if any at all. In some cases, added mass may hinder performance. More importantly, staying away from rapid increases in muscle mass will protect the athlete from prying and suspicious eyes.
Side Effects of Primobolan Depot:
Possible side Effects of Primobolan Depot most certainly exist, but with confidence we can call this one of the safest anabolic steroids any adult could ever use. The possible side effects of Primobolan Depot will be far less extensive than many anabolic steroids. While it will still carry possible side effects, we will further find they are in many ways much milder than many anabolic steroids. In fact, supplementing with this steroid side effect free is a very possible reality. In order to understand the side effects of Primobolan Depot, we have broken them down into their separate categories along with all the information you’ll need.
[1] Estrogenic:
The side effects of Primobolan Depot do not include any of an estrogenic nature. This anabolic steroid does not aromatize and carries no progestin nature. For this reason gynecomastia and water retention are impossible when using Primobolan Depot. This also reduces the odds of running into blood pressure issues. High blood pressure is often associated with severe excess water retention, which again is impossible with Primobolan Depot.
[2] Androgenic:
Despite being a mild anabolic steroid, the side effects of Primobolan Depot can include those of an androgenic nature. Such effects can include acne, accelerated hair loss in those predisposed to male pattern baldness and body hair growth. Very few will have an issue with acne when using this steroid. There are exceptions with the most common exception being those who are already acne sensitive. As for hair loss, this can be one of the unfriendliest steroids on the market in this regard. If you are not predisposed to male pattern baldness there is no risk, but those who are will more than likely notice accelerated thinning.
In order to combat androgenic side effects of anabolic steroids, many often turn to 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Finasteride is the most common as it will interfere with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This is the enzyme responsible for reducing testosterone to DHT. However, in the case of Primobolan Depot it’s already DHT and related inhibitors will have very little effect as the hormone is not metabolized by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme.
While a mild anabolic steroid, the androgenic nature of Primobolan can promote virilization in women. Virilization symptoms include body hair growth, a deepening of the vocal chords and clitoral enlargement. Such effects are strongly dependent on the total dose and individual sensitivity to the Methenolone hormone. Most who supplement with low to moderate doses will not have a problem. If for any reason virilization symptoms begin to show, you are strongly encouraged to discontinue use immediately. If you discontinue use at the onset of symptoms you will find they fade away rapidly. If the symptoms are ignored and use continues, the related symptoms may very well become permanent.
[3] Cardiovascular:
Primobolan Depot should not have a strong affect on blood pressure. The possibility of high blood pressure does exist, especially if there is a present underlying issue; however, it is unlikely in most cases. When it comes to the cardiovascular side effects of Primobolan Depot, those of a cholesterol nature will be the most pronounced. This steroid can have a more pronounced negative effect on cholesterol than testosterone but should be far less than most oral steroids. However, the negative potential most certainly exist and can include a reduction in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and increases in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Due to the potential negative cholesterol effects of Primobolan Depot, a cholesterol friendly lifestyle will be important. This will include a cholesterol friendly diet that is rich in omega fatty acids and low in saturated fats and simple carbohydrates. Including plenty of cardiovascular activity in your routine is also recommended. In all cases, all are encouraged to keep an eye on their cholesterol levels.
[4] Testosterone:
All anabolic steroids suppress natural testosterone production, but the rate of suppression often varies dramatically from one steroid to the next. The Methenolone hormone is much less suppressive than many anabolic steroidal hormones. Testosterone, Nandrolone and Trenbolone will all be far more suppressive than Methenolone. While suppression is much milder than with the aforementioned steroids, it is still notable enough to warrant the use of exogenous testosterone when using Primobolan Depot. Men who do not include exogenous testosterone therapy in their plan will fall into a low testosterone condition. Your genetics or rumors you’ve heard will not change this fact. Those who include exogenous testosterone will enjoy a much more positive experience. Those who do not will open the door to numerous low testosterone symptoms. Such symptoms can be very bothersome, diminish your quality of life and are often very unhealthy. Women who use Primobolan Depot will have no need for exogenous testosterone therapy.
Once the use of Primobolan Depot and all anabolic steroids has come to an end, natural testosterone production will begin on its own. In fact, this is one of the easiest steroids to recover from. However, most are still encouraged to implement a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan. A PCT plan will cut down the total recovery time and promote a healthier you. Such a plan will not bring your testosterone levels back to normal on its own, this will still take some time, but it can greatly reduce the recovery time. More importantly, it will ensure you have enough testosterone for proper bodily function while your levels continue to naturally rise.
An important note on natural testosterone recovery, this assumes no prior low testosterone condition existed. It also assumes no severe damage to the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular-Axis (HPTA) exist due to improper steroidal supplementation practices.
[5] Hepatotoxic:
Primobolan Depot is not hepatotoxic and will present no stress or damage to the liver.
Primobolan Depot Administration:
In a therapeutic setting the standard male Primobolan Depot dose will fall in the 100-200mg per week range. Initial therapy often begins with 200mg per week and is reduced to 100mg per week after a little time has passed. In some cases, the dose may be reduced as far as 100mg every 2 weeks. For the male athlete, 300mg per week is normally considered the low end dose. However, 200mg per week will provide catabolic protection during a cutting phase, but 300mg per week will be far more effective. As this is a relatively mild anabolic steroid, most men will find they can tolerate 400-500mg per week very well. Even 600mg per week should be well within the realm of control for most men. Doses above 600mg per week are not uncommon, but keep in mind doses that fall in the 600mg or above range will potentially exasperate the androgenic activity of the steroid. Regardless of the total dosing, 8-12 weeks of total use is normally recommended. As for stacking, Primobolan Depot will stack well with most all anabolic steroids. As it will most commonly be used during the cutting phase steroids like Anavar, Masteron, Trenbolone and Winstrol are all common additions.
While it is used in a female therapeutic setting, Schering has never officially listed standard Primobolan Depot doses. For the female athlete, 50-100mg per week is generally all the Primobolan Depot they will need. More importantly, such a dosing range should be very controllable in terms of virilization for most women. Always keep in mind individual sensitivity will play a role and while some will experience virilization symptoms at this dosing range most will not. Women who go above the 100mg dosing will more than likely experience virilization symptoms. If other steroids are stacked with it this is almost assured. Regardless of the total dose, most women will find 4-6 weeks of use to be more than enough. Many women find stacks of Anavar and Primobolan Depot to be very beneficial with the Methenolone only making up 4 weeks of a total 8 week cycle. A final note on female use; many women may find oral Primobolan to be more controllable. It is not as effective as the Depot version; however, it is a little easier to control blood levels with this fast acting form.
Primobolan Depot Reviews:
Primobolan Depot is a high quality anabolic steroid. However, the stigma that surrounds it has often made it sound more appealing than it really is. Many steroid users have discovered this themselves, and unfortunately this too has created a skewed perception. Primo as it’s often known is a great steroid but you have to understand it and know what it can do if you’re going to be satisfied with the results. If you’re looking to gain an enormous amount of muscle mass, this steroid is not for you. For some reason, many assume if an anabolic steroid cannot provide a lot of mass this makes it useless; nothing could be further from the truth. The use of anabolic steroids is not always about promoting mass. In fact, in some cases mass promotion has nothing to do with use at all. Athletes who use anabolic steroids are rarely looking for mass but rather increased strength and most commonly enhanced muscular endurance and recovery. This makes Primobolan Depot a great choice for an athlete. Then we have the cutting cycle, and in a true cutting plan growth is not a concern. In a true cutting plan the goal is losing body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Once again, this makes Primobolan Depot a fantastic steroid and a favorite of many competitive bodybuilders during contest prep time.
Primobolan Depot Profile:
Methenolone + Enanthate Ester
17beta-Hydroxy-1-methyl-5alpha-androst-1-en-3-one
Molecular weight of base: 302.4558
Molecular weight of Enanthate ester: 130.1864
Formula: C20H30O2
Melting Point:
Manufacturer: Androchem Laboratories
Effective Dose: (Men) 350-600mgs/week; (Women) 100mgs/week
Active Life: 10-14 days
Detection Time: 4-5 weeks
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio (Range): 88:44-57
