Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate)
Boldenone Undecylenate is a testosterone derived anabolic androgenic steroid that is best known by the trade name Equipoise given to it by Squibb in the 1970’s. While Equipoise is officially classified as a veterinarian grade anabolic steroid, the first batches of Boldenone were introduced on the human grade pharmaceutical market by Ciba in the early 1950’s under the brand name Parenabol. Human grade Boldenone would see some success in human medicine through the 1960’s and 70’s but would ultimately be discontinued by the end of the decade. Since that time, the steroid has only been available through veterinarian medicine and underground labs with the Equipoise name dominating the market. Fort Dodge Animal Health now owns the Equipoise name.
For decades, it has been assumed that Equipoise was very similar to Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate). This assumption was in part based on comments the late Dan Duchaine made about the steroid. However, the two compounds are not similar in any way; in fact, Duchaine would recant the statement, but the initial statement has been enough to keep the rumor alive. If Equipoise shares anything in common with another anabolic steroidal hormone, it would be testosterone, but EQ as it’s commonly known is unique in its own right. An important note regarding the differences in these two steroidal hormones; Nandrolone carries a strong progestin nature, while Boldenone carries no progestin characteristics.
Equipoise Functions & Traits:
Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate) is a structurally altered form of testosterone. It is a very slight change in an added double bond at the carbon one and two position. This double bond greatly reduces the hormone’s androgenicity, as well as estrogenic nature. It is then attached to the very large or long Undecylenate ester, which is responsible for controlling the release of the hormone once administered into the body. The Undecylenate ester allows for a peak release in Boldenone approximately 3-4 days after injection, with a slow continuous release of the hormone to follow for approximately 21 days.
Due to its structural change, Equipoise only aromatizes at approximately 50% the rate of testosterone. Estrogenic side effects are possible, but the odds are highly in the individual’s favor compared to testosterone. It is not as powerful of a mass builder as testosterone, not even close, but the reduced estrogenic activity should allow the individual to make cleaner gains through supplementation.
Equipoise shares many similarities regarding direct enhancement properties with testosterone. Common shared properties include its ability to enhance protein synthesis, nitrogen retention in the muscles, inhibit glucocorticoid hormones and increase IGF-1 output. Equipoise is also well known for increasing red blood cell count, a trait shared by most all anabolic steroids. However, issues of concern have been noted regarding how much Equipoise can increase red blood cell count. But available data tends to support this only being a concern with extremely high dose use for extremely long periods of time. In many ways, the increase in red blood cells provided by Equipoise can be fast and rapid, but may not present a significant advantage or disadvantage compared to most anabolic steroids when used responsibly. Without question, a moderate increase in cell production would be very advantageous for most any athlete.
Effects of Equipoise:
The effects of Equipoise are fairly straightforward. This is a generally well-tolerated anabolic steroid that presents notable anabolic activity in most users in a clean and even fashion. Outside of performance enhancement use, Boldenone did enjoy some success as a human grade steroid for a time. The steroid had some success in treating muscle wasting diseases and osteoporosis, but would ultimately give way to other steroidal options. As a veterinarian steroid, Equipoise is well-known for its use in horses, hence the name “Equipoise” and its similarity to the word “Equestrian.” EQ is often given to horses in an effort to increase lean body weight, which is in part due to the steroid’s ability to increase appetite. An increased appetite is well noted among many performance enhancing athletes that use Equipoise, however, it doesn’t appear to affect everyone the same. Many who use the anabolic steroid report no increase in appetite, it tends to be highly individualistic, but it could be useful for those struggling to consume needed calories.
As an off-season bulking steroid, Equipoise can add quality lean mass gains, but they will not come overnight, and will fall short of many anabolic steroids. Steroids like Deca Durabolin will produce far greater mass results, as will steroids like Anadrol and Dianabol; however, the latter two are often accompanied by large amounts of water retention. Some athletes have, however, reported stronger off-season gains when Equipoise is added to a total off-season stack rather than used as a base steroid. If appetite suppression is an issue, this steroid may very well help you consume the excess calories needed for off-season growth. Of course, while it may not be a tremendous mass building steroid, for some it may produce all the mass they want. Not everyone who uses anabolic steroids is looking for immense gains in size.
Equipoise is also well-noted for promoting increases in strength. An increase in strength can be very beneficial to an off-season mass plan, but perhaps more beneficial to the enhancement of athletic performance. Unfortunately, the extremely long detection time will prohibit many athletes from using EQ. Total detection time can stretch to five months. However, the steroid definitely provides numerous advantages to the athlete, not only in an increase in strength but a notable increase in muscular endurance. Recovery should also be enhanced. Regardless of the desired purpose of use, all who supplement with Equipoise will enjoy these related benefits.
Equipoise can also be used as a cutting steroid; in fact, this may be the most beneficial point of use. This anabolic steroid is an excellent protectant of lean muscle mass. In order to lose body fat, you must burn more calories than you consume, you must be in a caloric deficit, and this will hold true with or without anabolic steroid use. Unfortunately, a calorie deficit puts our lean muscle tissue at risk as the body will often take what it needs in order to meet its energy demands from our lean tissue. Proper dieting can greatly protect our lean muscle mass, but it can only go so far. Without the introduction of an anabolic steroid, some muscle mass will eventually and inevitably be lost. EQ will greatly protect you from this loss in lean tissue, and it has also been shown to have some very nice conditioning effects on the physique. Such effects will be greatly enhanced when combined with a non-aromatizing steroid like Masteron (Drostanolone) or Trenbolone. However, during most cutting plans of a competitive bodybuilding nature, while EQ is commonly used it is normally only used at the frontend of the cutting cycle. It will normally be discontinued during the later half of the plan due to possible estrogenic activity. While total estrogenic activity should be low, during this phase of supplementation any and all estrogenic activity is normally avoided or at least minimized to the lowest point possible.
Side Effects of Equipoise:
Equipoise is a generally well-tolerated anabolic steroid for most men, and is often very well-tolerated by many women when low doses are applied. Side effects of Equipoise use are certainly possible, but most healthy adults should find this anabolic steroid very manageable. In order to help you understand the possible side effects of Equipoise use as well as their management, we have broken them down into their specific categories along with all the related information you’ll need.
[1] Estrogenic:
The Boldenone hormone does not aromatize heavily, but it is aromatized to estrogen nonetheless. This is due to the testosterone hormone’s interaction with the aromatase enzyme. High levels of estrogen can prove problematic in their promotion of gynecomastia, excess water retention and high blood pressure if water retention becomes severe. Due to the moderate level of aromatizing activity, most men should find related side effects very easy to control. Moderate doses should be manageable, but many will find high doses to require added attention.
In order to combat the estrogenic side effects of Equipoise, an anti-estrogen medication is sometimes needed. Not all will need an anti-estrogen when using this steroid, but it’s always a good idea to at least have one on hand. The anti-estrogen medications you can choose include Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERM’s) like Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) and Aromatase Inhibitors (AI’s) like Arimidex (Anastrozole). AI’s will prove to be the most effective as they inhibit the aromatase process and lower total serum estrogen levels. Unfortunately, they can have a negative impact on cholesterol, which is further enhanced by the use of an aromatizing steroid. SERM’s are not as effective, but they are often enough for many men. SERM’s will not inhibit the aromatase process from occurring, but rather bind at the estrogen receptor preventing the hormone itself from binding. As an added bonus, SERM’s may actually improve cholesterol levels due to their promotion of estrogenic activity in the liver. SERM’s should be your first choice due to potential cholesterol issues AI’s if they can get the job done.
[2] Androgenic:
Equipoise can produce androgenic side effects such as acne, accelerated hair loss in those predisposed to male pattern baldness and body hair growth. However, the overall androgenicity of this steroid is greatly reduced due to the structural nature that creates EQ in its double bond at the carbon one and two position. Such side effects of Equipoise are still possible, but they will be strongly linked to genetic predisposition, but most will find the threshold is fairly high.
When combating the possible androgenic side effects of Equipoise, it’s important to note they are brought on by the steroid being metabolized by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This metabolism will reduce Boldenone to an extremely potent androgen in dihydroboldenone, far more potent than dihydrotestosterone (DHT); however, the total dihydroboldenone activity has proven to be extremely low in human beings. You will further find the androgenic nature of Boldenone will not be significantly affected by 5-alpha reductase inhibitors like Finasteride that are often used to combat the reduction to DHT.
Due to the androgenic nature of Equipoise, women may potentially experience virilization symptoms. Virilization symptoms may include body hair growth, a deepening of the vocal chords and clitoral enlargement. However, the low androgenicity will make this steroid possible to use for some women without such symptoms. At the same time, the extremely slow acting nature of the compound can make it difficult to control regarding blood levels, and alternative steroids may be preferred. Without question, individual sensitivity will dictate a lot. If Equipoise is used and virilization symptoms begin to show, use should be discontinued immediately at their onset and they will fade away. If symptoms begin to show and are ignored, the symptoms may become irreversible.
[3] Cardiovascular:
The relative cardiovascular strain brought on by Equipoise should be much less than many anabolic steroids, especially those of an oral nature. Boldenone does have the ability to negatively affect cholesterol ratios, particularly in its ability to suppress HDL levels. However, it should not be of an extreme nature, and should be well within the realm of control for most healthy adults. Of course, the introduction of an AI to combat estrogenic effects will potentially enhance the improper lipid profiles, and should be considered when planning your cholesterol management.
All those who supplement with Equipoise as with all anabolic steroids should keep a close eye on their cholesterol levels, and should ensure they are healthy enough for use before supplementation begins. A cholesterol friendly lifestyle will be very important and should protect most who use Equipoise. Ensure your diet is cholesterol friendly and includes plenty of omega fatty acids. Incorporating plenty of cardiovascular activity is also highly advised.
[4] Testosterone:
Like all anabolic steroids, Equipoise will suppress natural testosterone production. The rate of suppression varies from one steroid to the next, and while EQ is not the most suppressive steroid it will produce a significant reduction in total serum testosterone levels. For this reason, most men will need to include exogenous testosterone in their total stack when using EQ. The form of testosterone is inconsequential. All that matters is your body receives the testosterone it needs in order to prevent a low testosterone condition. A low testosterone condition can be very problematic, it carries numerous possible symptoms and is extremely unhealthy. If testosterone is used as a base steroid in your cycle, suppression will not be a concern. However, if testosterone does not represent a base, you should ensure you apply a minimum testosterone replacement therapy related dose based on the testosterone compound you choose.
Once the use of Equipoise has come to an end and all the exogenous steroidal hormones have cleared your system, natural testosterone production will begin again. The revived production will occur on its own, but a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan is often recommended. A PCT plan will stimulate natural testosterone production and promote a more efficient recovery. It will not bring your testosterone levels back to where they were prior to anabolic steroid use, but it will provide an advantage. A well-planned PCT will ensure you have enough testosterone for proper bodily function while your levels continue to naturally rise. It should also significantly cut down the total time to full testosterone recovery; however, total recovery still may take several months post PCT.
Important notes on natural testosterone recovery and Equipoise use, as well as anabolic steroids in general. Natural recovery assumes no prior low testosterone level existed. It also assumes severe damage was not done to the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular-Axis (HPTA) due to improper anabolic steroid supplementation practices. For those who include EQ in their cycle, your PCT plan should begin approximately 2 weeks after your last steroid injection, assuming the cycle ended with Equipoise. Many will find beginning HCG use ten days after the final injection to be the best route to follow, while following HCG use with SERM therapy. Alternatively, some may choose to end their Equipoise use well before the total conclusion of a cycle, end the cycle with only small ester base steroids and enable them to begin their PCT plan much sooner.
[5] Hepatotoxicity:
Boldenone is not a hepatotoxic anabolic steroid and will present no stress or damage to the liver.
Equipoise Administration:
Standard Equipoise doses will normally fall in the 200-400mg per week range. Most men will find 400mg to be very well-tolerated and generally the minimal amount of EQ they’ll want to use. Many will also find 600mg per week to be extremely well-tolerated with side effects being extremely easy to control. However, such doses will increase estrogenic potential. Due to the long activity of the steroid, most men could easily get by with one injection per week, but splitting the weekly dose into 2-3 smaller injections will cut down on total injection volume. Further, some have reported side effects are even easier to control with a smaller more frequent injection schedule despite an extremely long half-life.
Regardless of the total dose, Equipoise should be used for a minimum of 8 weeks. This is a very common duration of use in cutting cycles. Many cutting plans will begin with 8 weeks of Equipoise with an additional 4-8 weeks without the hormone opting for non-aromatizing agents. During the off-season period of use, 8 weeks will again be the minimum, but most will find 12 weeks to be far more efficient. Bulking or cutting, you will find Equipoise to be an extremely versatile anabolic steroid that stacks well with all anabolic steroids.
For female use, 50mg of Equipoise per week is a standard dose. Virilization is avoidable with this dose but will be highly dependent on sensitivity. Some women may be able to tolerate 75-100mg per week, but should not attempt such a dose until they have become comfortable with 50mg per week. Most women will also find 6 week cycles of Equipoise to be as far as they want to take it, with occasional 8 week runs by those who tolerate the hormone well.
Availability of Equipoise:
Equipoise is widely available on the veterinarian and black markets. The actual Equipoise brand by Fort Dodge Animal Health is commonly found on the black market, and nearly every underground lab on earth manufactures their own version of Boldenone Undecylenate. Unfortunately, when it comes to the Boldenone hormone, and this includes the Equipoise brand, we have one of the most commonly counterfeited anabolic steroids on the market. In fact, while it is impossible to prove an assumption that more have used counterfeit or low quality EQ than high quality the assumption is probably not off base. Under-dosing of this compound is a massive problem, as is labeling a vial EQ but it actually containing a large ester base testosterone.
Well-known brands include Equipoise by Fort Dodge Animal Health, although commonly counterfeited. Ganabol is another popular brand out of Columbia, but is also highly counterfeited. Alpha Pharma also manufactures the product under the Boldebolin name; this is a relatively new Boldenone compound. Again, you will further find most all underground labs carry the steroid, but you should be extremely careful when it comes to a purchase in order to ensure a quality product.
Equipoise Reviews:
Equipoise is a very versatile anabolic steroid that can be used for numerous purposes. We would not call it the most valuable or powerful anabolic steroid of all time, but in some circles it has received an undue poor reputation. This is in part due to the massive amount of counterfeit Equipoise on the market. It is also due to many often expecting benefits from the steroid that it is not intended to provide. If you’re expecting enormous increases in mass due to this steroid’s use, you’re going to be disappointed. However, some associate the quality of a steroid only on the basis of its ability to promote mass, and inevitably they give EQ a bad name. Mass promotion is not the only way anabolic steroids are to be judged; unfortunately, this way of thinking has plagued many steroid message boards for quite sometime and greatly damaged anabolic steroid education. Equipoise can be an excellent addition to a well-planned cycle, but you must understand what it can provide and how it can benefit you in order to get the most out of it.
Equipoise Profile:
(Boldenone Base + Undeclyenoic Acid Ester
[1,4-androstadiene-3-one,1 7b-ol] [1-dehydrotestosterone]Molecular Weight (base): 286.4132
Molecular Weight (ester): 186.2936
Formula (base): C19H26O2
Manufacturer: Androchem laboratories
Effective Dose (Men): 200-600mgs/week
Effective Dose (Women): 50-100mgs/week
Active life: 15 days
Detection Time: Up to 5 months
Anabolic/ Androgenic ratio: 100:50
