1) What are prohormones? These are products that raise the levels of the male hormones testosterone (Androdiol®) and 19-nortestosterone (Norandrodiol®). They contain metabolic precursors that your body transforms into the active hormones.
2) What benefits will these products have for me? These male hormones are very capable of raising your energy and mood levels, your libido, and can aid in the development of lean body mass and strength
3) What are the differences between Nor and Andro products? Andro prohormones products convert to testosterone; the male hormone responsible for male secondary side effects including muscle growth. Nor prohormones convert to 19-nortestosterone which is a hormone that shares the muscle building (anabolic) activity of testosterone, while having only a fraction of the androgenic (male virilizing) activity. Male virilizing effects include effects on the prostate and body and scalp hair. Norandrodiol® will not stimulate the central nervous system like Androdiol. Furthermore, it will not have the positive effects on libido and aggressiveness like its Androdiol® counterpart. This does not mean that Androdiol is inferior, only different. Many athletes have reported positive results from the combined use of Norandrodiol and Androdiol
4) How should I take the "Cyclo" products? The tablets should be taken orally up to four times per day, dissolved under the tongue. No food or beverage should be consumed for at least 20 minutes after the lozenge fully dissolves. The doses should be spread apart as much as possible (i.e. every 4 hours). It may also be advantageous to take a dose before exercising.
5) What are the risks, if any, from these products? There are surprisingly few risks from these products, provided you are a male in relatively good health. A recent peer reviewed university study has shown that after four weeks of consuming these substances, there were no negative effects on any biochemical parameters, including no effects on the bodies own testosterone production. People who should not consume these products are males under the age of 18, or men with prostate cancer or any other androgen related disorders.
6) What kind of prohormone product should I take, how long should I take them for, and how long should I wait in between cycles? That depends on a lot of factors. If you are concerned about maintaining your own testosterone production fully then you should stick to shorter cycles of two to three weeks, with two to three weeks off time in between cycles. Also, you should stick to fast acting compounds such as the cyclodextrin formulas and intra-orals.
If you wish to maximize results, then cycles of 4 to 8 weeks are recommended, followed by 4 to 6 weeks off. This time is to allow endogenous testosterone production to fully re-establish. Longer acting preparations such as the topical sprays and sustained release cyclo (SR) products are also best for maximum response.
7) How long do the prohormones stay in my system? That varies widely from formula to formula, and also depends on the dose taken. It can range from a couple of hours for the shortest acting preparations, to 24 hours or more for the longest. Since we are unable to give out exact numbers, we will simply list them from shortest acting to longest acting.
Short (less than 3 hours)---------------------- Long (greater than 24 hours) Intraoral, Cyclo Formulas, Oral capsules, Cyclo SR Formulas, Topical spray
8) What is the best product if I am only interested in a pre-workout boost? The best products for this purpose would be the intraoral spray or the cyclo lozenges. These products get into your system fast, and keep hormones elevated for a length of time that will last throughout a normal workout.
9) Should a woman take these products? If so, how would they do so? Women can take the nor prohormones if they keep their cycles shorter than 4 weeks. The recommended female cycle is one to three cyclo-nordiol a day for two to four weeks, followed by four to six weeks off. Women should be aware of any abnormal facial hair growth, clitoral enlargement, and voice lowering. If these appear to be happening the product should be discontinued to avoid any lasting androgenic physical changes. Masculinization is very rare with proper usage of this product, however, it is best to be cautious and aware just in case. Women usually receive excellent results with nor prohormones and are often tempted to try more than is recommended. We strongly urge women to avoid this temptation.
10) Will these products give me breasts, zits, or a cue ball head? The issue of side effects has to be addressed in a straightforward manner. The issue of gynecomastia, or bitch tits, is one that is related to increases in serum estrogen. Luckily, the diol prohormones do NOT elevate estrogens significantly (unlike androstenedione), and therefore the risk of “gyno” is quite low.
Pimples are not a common side effect, although some people report a slight increase of acne on the back or shoulders that is usually light and transient. A rare individual who is hypersensitive to androgens and pimples conceivably might have a more serious reaction.
Male pattern baldness can be accelerated slightly only in those individuals taking Androdiol® that are genetically predisposed to it. These individuals can take moderate dosages of Norandrodiol® though and suffer little if any problems.
11) Are there any problems with liver, prostate or mental effects? There have not been any public reports of liver problems from blood tests using prohormones, even at higher dosages. However, it may be wise for one to get blood tests done if they plan on taking higher dosages for prolonged periods. Also, if one has a pre-existing liver problem they are advised to avoid prohormones completely.
People with pre-existing prostate conditions are definitely contraindicated with prohormones. On the other hand though, there is no convincing medical evidence that suggests testosterone or prohormones will lead to the development of benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostate cancer in normal individuals.
Users often report an increased mental energy and focus on prohormones. This is usually considered a positive benefit, however in a small amount of individuals it is associated with some insomnia as well. This is something the consumer should be aware of.
12) Does using this product affect normal testosterone production? Proper use of prohormones will not adversely affect one’s own hormone producing system. The body's testosterone negative feedback loop (HPTA) will naturally respond to elevations of testosterone, however it rebounds right back so long as one does not stay on prohormone products for inordinately long periods of time (> 8 weeks).
As far as which products are safest in regards to endogenous production; they generally follow along the lines of duration of action. That is, the cyclo products produce the least down regulation response, while the topical sprays produce the most. The topical sprays, of course, are generally the most effective.
