EQUIPOISE :
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.
Use in dopingThe activity of boldenone is mainly anabolic, with a low androgenic potency. It has a very long half-life, with minimal blood levels present up to 8 weeks after discontinued use.
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.
Common bodybuilding doses for Equipoise range between 200 mg to 400 mg/week but could be as high as 800 mg/week.
Equipoise 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. As of November 2005, Matt Lawton is the only baseball player known to have tested positive for it.
It is a poor drug of choice for any athlete who will be subject to a blood test due to its long metabolic half-life. Trace amounts of the drug can easily be detected for months after discontinued use.
Boldenone use in mixed martial artsStephan Bonnar and Josh Barnett, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships, have also tested positive for the banned substance. After the World Extreme Cagefighting show on January 20, 2006 Muay Thai and MMA fighter Kit Cope also tested positive for Boldenone.
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