Dispelling the deca + finasteride myth

"I heard you can't use finasteride with deca"
Without fail, you'll hear this statement at least once a month.

First off, let me preface this by saying that this is true, in certain contexts.
However, I'm an advocate of including testosterone in every cycle, so my explanation is with the assumption that one will be using nandrolone in addition to testosterone

For those that do not know, testosterone converts to DHT via the 5 alpha reductase enzyme. DHT is far more androgenic than testosterone and is the main contributor to MPB in those genetically predisposed.

Finasteride is a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, and therefore limits the conversion of testosterone to DHT via competitive inhibition.

Nandrolone itself is a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor (although it yields DHN in the process). So less DHT is produced if nandrolone is present. Also, DHN is much less androgenic than nandrolone and much less androgenic than DHT. So, finasteride with deca (nandrolone) should both work to reduce DHT levels, and since finasteride will inhibit 5a reductase, it'll also keep levels of DHN lower too.

The misconception that deca with finasteride is a bad combination stems from the the days when deca only cycles were more common (often referred to as the days before jason updated the AR homepage cycles ) If one were running a deca only cycle (or any deca cycle without test), then finasteride would be a poor choice, because DHN is less androgenic than nandrolone. However, since we're assuming test to be included in a deca cycle, and both test and DHT are far more androgenic than nandrolone, if your goal is preventing the formation of the most androgenic compounds, then both deca and finasteride work together to reduce DHT formation.

To sum things up, if you're running a test + deca cycle and are worried about MPB (and you're susceptible), then including finasteride is a far better option than NOT including it, although the nandrolone will help to reduce DHT formation on its own to some extent.

This doesn't touch on the many positive effects of DHT (libido, muscle hardness, decreased SHBG and therefore increased bioavailable AAS).....this is only in the context of preventing hairloss.
 
Interesting, i have always been afraid of deca because of that myth. Perhaps ill give Deca a go sometime.
 
Good post.

Buffdoc explained some time ago that DHT is not bad for the hair because it has high affinity for the AR, but because it selectively activates the genes involved in the apoptosis of hair follicle cells.... So the theory was flawed in the first place...
 
hhajdo said:
Good post.

Buffdoc explained some time ago that DHT is not bad for the hair because it has high affinity for the AR, but because it selectively activates the genes involved in the apoptosis of hair follicle cells.... So the theory was flawed in the first place...

Interesting. I assume then that the same holds true for all of the more "androgenic" compounds? If not, what property (structural) is thought to be significant. My assumption is that AR-mediated actions can only really differ due to binding affinity to ARs, but of course non AR-mediated actions can have a great deal more variability.
 
einstein1905 said:
Interesting. I assume then that the same holds true for all of the more "androgenic" compounds? If not, what property (structural) is thought to be significant. My assumption is that AR-mediated actions can only really differ due to binding affinity to ARs, but of course non AR-mediated actions can have a great deal more variability.

Binding affinity is relevant, but there are other reasons for differences in their actions...

Nandi12 wrote a great article about this:

http://www.mindandmuscle.net/content/page-129.html


..."Since the discovery of AR coactivators, less emphasis has been put on binding affinity and more on ligand/receptor conformation to recruit and bind coactivators. This handily explains why drugs with low binding affinities are nevertheless potent androgens/anabolics. They bind to the AR and induce a conformation that readily recruits and binds coactivators and other transcription factors. This theory obviates the need for mysterious non-AR mediated effects. (Although such effects do exist, like glucocorticoid receptor antagonism.)..."




http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12589933
 
I recently finished a deca cycle, back loaded with test. During this cycle I was on avodart as I've been for months before and propecial before that. Upon finishing my test- my hair started falling out at a more rapid pace. I heard this deca myth and attributed the hairloss to this myth. Now I'm very confused as well as scared to start my second cycle of Sustanon (sust) 250 and EQ. Any thoughts on my experience.

I'm 160lbs, 5'10" 8% BF been lifting for over 10 years looking to put on more size and cuts with gains that will last (hence the EQ).

Any advise on how to fight the hairloss on this stack is greatly appreciated.
 
needforspeed said:
I recently finished a deca cycle, back loaded with test. During this cycle I was on avodart as I've been for months before and propecial before that. Upon finishing my test- my hair started falling out at a more rapid pace. I heard this deca myth and attributed the hairloss to this myth. Now I'm very confused as well as scared to start my second cycle of Sustanon (sust) 250 and EQ. Any thoughts on my experience.

I'm 160lbs, 5'10" 8% BF been lifting for over 10 years looking to put on more size and cuts with gains that will last (hence the EQ).

Any advise on how to fight the hairloss on this stack is greatly appreciated.
Lay out your cycle in terms of what was used what weeks...
"backloaded with test"? I'm not clear what you mean by that, but deca has a very long ester, so if you didn't see effects early on, it's likely because deca wasn't at peak plasma levels until 5-6 weeks into things. Had you been on avodart before starting the cycle? If not, a common side of avodart is to experience some add'l hairloss upon starting it
 
I just finished a cycle:

8 weeks of deca at 300mgs
10 weeks of EQ at 400mgs
8 weeks of Anavar (var) at 40mgs

It's the end of the 10th week, I have not used deca for 2 weeks.

How long should I wait until I start taking finasteride again?
 
einstein1905, nice post. Scienfitic, yet easy for the non-science buff to understand!!!

Great Post!!!!
 
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