The only folks that have "no love" for deca are the misinformed. Most of the rap against deca is based on anabolic discussion board urban legends.
I've already stated my opinion......I like deca, have used it for nearly 3 decades. I consider it to be a cornerstone of enhanced bodybuilding.
The facts about deca are these:
All steroids, including deca, are synthetic testosterone derivitives and all bind to the same receptor....the AR receptor.
Some steroids have been chemically engineered to produce more anabolic results and decrease androgenic side effects. Deca is the original of this type of steroid. All such derivatives possess both anabolic and androgenic properties, but deca has fewer androgenic side effects than testosterone.
The standard scientific test to determine androgenic vs. anabolic properties is to measure the effect of the drug on the growth of prostate tissue(bad) and the growth of skeletal muscle tissue(good).
Esterless deca, when compared to esterless testosterone, has 80% less effect on prostate tissue, while showing over twice the positive impact on skeletal muscle tissue growth.
So is it any wonder that experienced bodybuilders love deca?