Boldenone

Boldenone (1,4-androstadiene-3-one-17β-ol, available as the undecylenate ester), also known under the trade names Equipoise, Ganabol, Equigan and Ultragan, is an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly for treatment of horses. It is not indicated for use in humans in the US and is only available through veterinary clinics.

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Use in doping

The activity of boldenone is mainly anabolic, with a low androgenic potency. It has a very long half-life, and can show up on a steroid test for up to 1.5 years, due to the long undecylenate ester attached to the parent steroid.

Boldenone will increase nitrogen retention, protein synthesis, increases appetite and stimulates the release of erythropoietin in the kidneys. The drug is commonly used in doping within bodybuilding, even though this use is illegal. If intended to assist in bodybuilding, the drug is taken as part of a steroid stack of other anabolic steroids, usually with a potent androgen like testosterone as the 'base' of the stack.

Boldenone is often used by bodybuilders in both off-season and pre-contest. Because it has similar properties to methandienone (methylated boldenone), it is a favorite for adding strength and size. Another reason Boldenone is so popular for bulking is because it increases the appetite; this is also a reason many athletes will stay away from it pre-contest. Boldenone is well known for increasing vascularity while preparing for a bodybuilding contest.

Common bodybuilding doses range between 200 mg to 400 mg/week but could be as high as 800 mg/week.

Boldenone has a low rate of aromatization (about 50% of Testosterone), which means it does not convert to estrogen easily and does not cause very much water retention. Many Bodybuilders will find that it is a good replacement drug for Nandrolone.

Boldenone is among the substances banned by Major League Baseball, as well as most other major athletic organizations.

It is easily detectable in blood tests due to its long metabolic half-life. Trace amounts of the drug can easily be detected for months after discontinued use.

Use in mixed martial arts

Stephan Bonnar and Josh Barnett, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships, have also tested positive for the banned substance.^[1] After the World Extreme Cagefighting show on January 20, 2006 Muay Thai turned MMA fighter Kit Cope also tested positive for Boldenone.^[2]Following the Strikeforce card on June 22, 2007 former PRIDE and UFC fighter Phil Baroni tested positive for Boldenone, as well as Stanozolol.^[3] Most recently, at a K-1 WGP event in Las Vegas on August 17, 2007 two fighters, Rickard Nordstrand and Zabit Samedov, both tested positive for Boldenone.^[4]

Use in AFL

Justin Charles of Richmond tested positive for the substance in 1997 and was suspended for 16 matches.

Use in boxing

Former three time champion James Toney tested positive for boldenone after a May 24th fight. Toney also tested positive for nandrolone two years ago after a fight with John Ruiz costing him the WBC heavyweight championship.

Side effects

Although commonly compared to nandrolone, boldenone lacks progesterone receptor interaction and all the associated progestinic side effects. Boldenone can, however, produce mild androgenic side effects. Oily skin, acne, increased aggression and hair loss are all possible with this compound but rare. Boldenone does reduce to a more potent androgen dihydroboldenone via the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme (analogous to the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), however its affinity for this interaction in the human body is low to nonexistent. Suppression of the HPTA, water retention, possible increase in acne and possible conversion to estrogen, high blood pressure are all side effects associated with Boldenone. Boldenone is also known to cause anxiety and flu like symptoms which manifest themselves most acutely in short ester versions like: acetate, and propionate (almost unusable), but which are also present in the enanthate, cypionate, and undecyclenate forms.

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