Boldenone (formerly Equipoise) is an essential compound in bodybuilding for increasing strength and mass. Bodybuilders frequently combine it with testosterone or nandrolone in cycles that last eight weeks or more for maximum effects.
Anabolic steroids are powerful tools, stimulating protein synthesis and leading to substantial gains in lean muscle tissue. Furthermore, anabolic steroids have also been known to boost endurance allowing athletes to push harder beyond limitations to reach new levels of physical performance.
1. Increased blood pressure
Boldenone is an anabolic steroid widely used by bodybuilders. It increases protein synthesis and nitrogen retention while simultaneously stimulating appetite, making it a reliable companion drug during pre-contest preparation as it increases both vascularity and strength.
Current methods for the detection of boldenone and its metabolites in edible meats lack reliability, leading to their common use as proof of illegal treatment; urine or fecal tests for boldenone metabolites being present as evidence can only provide limited insight.
Therefore, in this study a new indicator – malondialdehyde – was evaluated for use as an early marker of oxidative stress detection among calves treated with boldenone or its metabolites.
2. Increased cholesterol
Boldenone can increase cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing risk for atherosclerosis. Furthermore, triglyceride levels tend to rise with use resulting in heart disease and other health issues.
Boldenone-treated broilers demonstrated histopathological changes that resulted in mild dilatation of central veins along with diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration between hepatocytes.
These findings indicate that boldenone is toxic to broilers’ livers and kidneys, decreasing meat quality while potentially decreasing production rates. Therefore, its use as a growth promoter should be discouraged.
3. Increased gynecomastia
Boldenone has quickly become a favorite among bodybuilders and athletes. Its key function is increasing nitrogen retention in muscle tissues, thus encouraging protein synthesis and muscle growth.
Furthermore, Boldenone also increases red blood cell production resulting in greater oxygen-carrying capacity as well as endurance benefits.
Gynecomastia in adult males can be caused by estrogen-like substances and drugs used to treat ulcers (such as steroids and cimetidine). It has also been associated with alcohol, methamphetamine or heroin use and could indicate hormone issues in those affected.
4. Increased anxiety
Boldenone is an injectable medication typically taken at 200 to 400 milligrams weekly by bodybuilders to increase muscle mass and strength gains, making it a popular choice during off-season bulking cycles and pre-contest prep periods.
Boldenone has been linked with increased anxiety in male rats due to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Vitamin C was found to correct most of these changes (Figure 2). This indicates that boldenone may act as an inducer of oxidative stress – this also applies to its shorter ester versions such as acetate and propionate.
5. Increased urination
Boldenone, originally designed as a veterinary anabolic steroid, has quickly become one of the most sought-after anabolic steroids among bodybuilders. It is widely recognized for increasing muscle mass and strength gains while pushing athletes beyond plateaus to break personal records and set new personal bests.
Boldenone is an androgen that enhances nitrogen retention, protein synthesis and appetite as well as release of erythropoietin. Additionally, its use has been linked to improving nutrient efficiency and endurance; however, its usage in certain sports may be illegal and pose health risks; for this reason its usage must be closely monitored.
6. Increased liver enzymes
Boldenone boasts an extremely low rate of aromatization (roughly half that of testosterone), making it popular among bodybuilders for muscle growth and strength development.
Boldenone-treated rats experienced severe myocardial dysfunction with necrosis, interstitial fibrosis, misshapen nuclei and moderate leukocyte infiltration.
Treatment with GSPE and vitamin C partially alleviated its toxicities; particularly beneficial in terms of reduced anxiety-like behavior during elevated plus maze tests as well as reduced time spent in the open arm. The latter group spent significantly less time in the open arms of the maze.
7. Increased acne
Boldenone can easily convert to estrogen, leading to water retention that can result in acne breakouts for some users. On the flipside, boldenone may also help build muscle mass and strength in some users.
Supraphysiologic doses of boldenone increase oxidative stress biomarkers in male reproductive tissues, liver or hepatocytes and brain cortex and hippocampus. Boldenone can also cause red blood cell count increases which could result in higher blood pressure; potentially dangerous for people living with hypertension. It has even been known to cause hair loss.
8. Decreased bone density
Boldenone is an anabolic steroid widely used by bodybuilders to improve strength and increase performance. By increasing red blood cell production, this compound increases oxygen-carrying capacity and endurance–making it easier for athletes to push past strength plateaus and break personal records.
Bone density may be affected by multiple factors, including family history, diet and medications such as bisphosphonates or denosumab that help slow bone breakdown. Supplements containing calcium and vitamin D are known to help increase bone mass while these medications also act to slow its breakdown.
