Cymric_Knight
New member
Every few months it seems like there is a new way to take prohormones. Swallow them, suck on them, slop them on your skin, practically everything but stick them up your butt! Although part of the reasoning for these is just new marketing angles, these modes of administration do all share certain legitimate advantages and disadvantages these properties have been discussed at length before in articles by others and myself.
One of the newest modes of administration being experimented with has not really gotten much attention in the physique media. This is the intranasal form, and I will attempt to explain how it works, and what its advantages and disadvantages are.
THE INTRANASAL ROUTE
The nasal mucosa is the area of the nasal passages that extends from where the nostrils end to where the throat begins. It extends underneath the base of the brain and is highly permeable. It also provides a relatively large surface area compared to the sublingual mucosa. As is the case with the sublingual mucosa, certain substances (i.e. prohormones) can rapidly and efficiently absorb into the tissue and be transported into the circulation. This allows drugs to be administered in small dosages so they can circumvent the first pass liver degradation seen with straight oral administration. However, with intranasal administration, the rapidity and extent of absorption is greater than that of even sublinguals. This makes it the most bioavailable route for taking prohormones, short of injection.
EAST GERMAN RESEARCH
The practice of prohormone / steroid drug administration was most widely utilized and studied by the East Germans. Several patents for intranasal steroid administration were granted to Mattern and Hacker, the premier East German experts, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain. These include intranasal usage of androstenedione, testosterone, mestanolone, and Oral-Turinabol™ (dehydrochloromethyltestosterone), in other words, all the East German anabolic favorites. The East Germans instituted intranasal steroids in their athletic program after 1981, and up until 1989, intranasal androstenedione and testosterone were widely used by their athletes, primarily as pre-event drugs.
The East Germans thought highly of intranasal administration of androgenic steroids for several reasons. First of all, they found this mode of administration to be superior for harnessing the psychotropic effects of androgens. The term psychotropic, as it refers to androgens, describes the heightened mental alertness, ability to handle stress, and motor function (psychomotor) stimulation that is mediated by androgen receptors in the brain. Due to the proximity of the nasal passages to the base of the brain, the East Germans believed that absorption here maximized the passage of steroids through the blood brain barrier and into the cerebrospinal fluid where they can activate CNS androgen receptors.
This psychotropic effect of intranasal androgens is what made these the preferred choice for pre-event usage. According to the East German data, levels of steroids in the blood would maximize at 15 minutes and decline to baseline by 90 minutes. Levels in the CNS are probably elevated even sooner (seconds to minutes). Furthermore, with the usage of intranasal testosterone and androstenedione, the East Germans discovered that the ratio of urinary testosterone / epitestosterone were normalized within 24 hours, allowing them to pass post competition drug testing.
PRACTICAL USAGE
Intranasal drugs are administered using a nasal pump applicator, which provides a small volume of liquid in a fine mist. The drug is dissolved or suspended in the fluid and the mist is directed up into the nasal mucosa by shoving the nasal applicator deep up into the nostrils, and simultaneously sniffing while depressing the pump applicator.
In the case of prohormones or steroids, the dosage can vary from 6 mg to 18mg at one time. This amount will be very efficiently absorbed; however, attempts to increase the one time dosage will probably not result in a substantial increase in amount absorbed. These dosages can be repeated every few hours, although daily administrations should be kept under 10 times to avoid nasal irritation.
It is important to utilize the correct nasal formulation. Traditional formulations used ethanol, water, and surfactants to produce an emulsion. The state of the art formulations now utilize hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) complexes to form a true aqueous solution (completely dissolved, with no ethanol or surfactants). The HPBCD complexes are not only more efficiently absorbed, but they produce a lot less irritation and burning than the emulsified formulations.
As far as what people can expect from intranasal prohormones, the feedback as well as personal experience has been that this form is far superior to all other shorter acting forms of andro. The majority of people can noticeably feel the acute psychotropic effects after dosing, especially the first few times it is used. This is not a classic stimulatory effect like with ephedrine, but can best be described as something that puts you into the "zone" of concentration, focus, and calm alertness. Not much unlike the feeling you have when you can’t stop sinking free throws or when you are out in the yard working hard and don’t ever want to stop.
The longer term muscle gain effects from this preparation are also superior to shorter acting dosage forms, although not as great as with long acting spray topicals. The intrinsic fast acting nature of intranasal administration requires one to practice rather frequent administration to obtain the full physical benefits on muscle growth. On the other hand, there is minimal suppression of endogenous production with such periodic spikes, compared to constant elevation that is seen with topicals. Still, if one wants the ultimate prohormone punch they can do a long acting topical along with a pre-workout intranasal for the maximum psychotropic edge in the gym. I don’t think you can do any better than that with prohormones short of shooting them through a needle.
Although intranasal prohormones are no less safe then any other available form of prohormones, it by law cannot be sold explicitly as such. Intranasal (as well as sublingual and transdermal) delivery are considered "drug delivery systems" by the FDA, because of this they cannot be sold without regulatory approval. As a matter of fact, the ONLY acceptable form of nutritional supplements is oral (swallowed).
Because of this restrictive law, intranasal products cannot be advertised as such, and instead companies use terms like "Intraoral" while implicitly indicating its intended usage as best they can. These products are sold in the same intranasal applicator with the correct dosage and formulation, however it is up to the consumer to be savvy enough to figure out what really has to be done with it. In other words, it is up to the consumer to closely read what is being presented here while taking it upon themselves to do the rest.
One of the newest modes of administration being experimented with has not really gotten much attention in the physique media. This is the intranasal form, and I will attempt to explain how it works, and what its advantages and disadvantages are.
THE INTRANASAL ROUTE
The nasal mucosa is the area of the nasal passages that extends from where the nostrils end to where the throat begins. It extends underneath the base of the brain and is highly permeable. It also provides a relatively large surface area compared to the sublingual mucosa. As is the case with the sublingual mucosa, certain substances (i.e. prohormones) can rapidly and efficiently absorb into the tissue and be transported into the circulation. This allows drugs to be administered in small dosages so they can circumvent the first pass liver degradation seen with straight oral administration. However, with intranasal administration, the rapidity and extent of absorption is greater than that of even sublinguals. This makes it the most bioavailable route for taking prohormones, short of injection.
EAST GERMAN RESEARCH
The practice of prohormone / steroid drug administration was most widely utilized and studied by the East Germans. Several patents for intranasal steroid administration were granted to Mattern and Hacker, the premier East German experts, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain. These include intranasal usage of androstenedione, testosterone, mestanolone, and Oral-Turinabol™ (dehydrochloromethyltestosterone), in other words, all the East German anabolic favorites. The East Germans instituted intranasal steroids in their athletic program after 1981, and up until 1989, intranasal androstenedione and testosterone were widely used by their athletes, primarily as pre-event drugs.
The East Germans thought highly of intranasal administration of androgenic steroids for several reasons. First of all, they found this mode of administration to be superior for harnessing the psychotropic effects of androgens. The term psychotropic, as it refers to androgens, describes the heightened mental alertness, ability to handle stress, and motor function (psychomotor) stimulation that is mediated by androgen receptors in the brain. Due to the proximity of the nasal passages to the base of the brain, the East Germans believed that absorption here maximized the passage of steroids through the blood brain barrier and into the cerebrospinal fluid where they can activate CNS androgen receptors.
This psychotropic effect of intranasal androgens is what made these the preferred choice for pre-event usage. According to the East German data, levels of steroids in the blood would maximize at 15 minutes and decline to baseline by 90 minutes. Levels in the CNS are probably elevated even sooner (seconds to minutes). Furthermore, with the usage of intranasal testosterone and androstenedione, the East Germans discovered that the ratio of urinary testosterone / epitestosterone were normalized within 24 hours, allowing them to pass post competition drug testing.
PRACTICAL USAGE
Intranasal drugs are administered using a nasal pump applicator, which provides a small volume of liquid in a fine mist. The drug is dissolved or suspended in the fluid and the mist is directed up into the nasal mucosa by shoving the nasal applicator deep up into the nostrils, and simultaneously sniffing while depressing the pump applicator.
In the case of prohormones or steroids, the dosage can vary from 6 mg to 18mg at one time. This amount will be very efficiently absorbed; however, attempts to increase the one time dosage will probably not result in a substantial increase in amount absorbed. These dosages can be repeated every few hours, although daily administrations should be kept under 10 times to avoid nasal irritation.
It is important to utilize the correct nasal formulation. Traditional formulations used ethanol, water, and surfactants to produce an emulsion. The state of the art formulations now utilize hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) complexes to form a true aqueous solution (completely dissolved, with no ethanol or surfactants). The HPBCD complexes are not only more efficiently absorbed, but they produce a lot less irritation and burning than the emulsified formulations.
As far as what people can expect from intranasal prohormones, the feedback as well as personal experience has been that this form is far superior to all other shorter acting forms of andro. The majority of people can noticeably feel the acute psychotropic effects after dosing, especially the first few times it is used. This is not a classic stimulatory effect like with ephedrine, but can best be described as something that puts you into the "zone" of concentration, focus, and calm alertness. Not much unlike the feeling you have when you can’t stop sinking free throws or when you are out in the yard working hard and don’t ever want to stop.
The longer term muscle gain effects from this preparation are also superior to shorter acting dosage forms, although not as great as with long acting spray topicals. The intrinsic fast acting nature of intranasal administration requires one to practice rather frequent administration to obtain the full physical benefits on muscle growth. On the other hand, there is minimal suppression of endogenous production with such periodic spikes, compared to constant elevation that is seen with topicals. Still, if one wants the ultimate prohormone punch they can do a long acting topical along with a pre-workout intranasal for the maximum psychotropic edge in the gym. I don’t think you can do any better than that with prohormones short of shooting them through a needle.
Although intranasal prohormones are no less safe then any other available form of prohormones, it by law cannot be sold explicitly as such. Intranasal (as well as sublingual and transdermal) delivery are considered "drug delivery systems" by the FDA, because of this they cannot be sold without regulatory approval. As a matter of fact, the ONLY acceptable form of nutritional supplements is oral (swallowed).
Because of this restrictive law, intranasal products cannot be advertised as such, and instead companies use terms like "Intraoral" while implicitly indicating its intended usage as best they can. These products are sold in the same intranasal applicator with the correct dosage and formulation, however it is up to the consumer to be savvy enough to figure out what really has to be done with it. In other words, it is up to the consumer to closely read what is being presented here while taking it upon themselves to do the rest.
