RagingWhoreMoan
Full Access
Delta-2 (2-Androstenone)
b3n1bp.jpg
Nomenclature:
5a-androst-2-ene-17-one or 2-androsten-17-one
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio:
Unknown. The active version of this prohormone, 2-androstenol, was found to have no activity by oral administration according to the researchers at Searle, [1] though this may be because 2-androstenol is not water soluble and so cannot be absorbed by the small intestine - unlike 2-androstenone. [2]
Suffice to say that it is relatively weakly active (meaning that it needs to be dosed fairly high), much like many other non-17a-alkylated prohormones (such as 11-oxo, 4-AD, and boldione).
Synonyms:
Delta-2, 2-androstenone
History:
While 2-androstenol was previously released as one of the two compounds in Anabolc Xtreme's 3-AD (the other being androsterone), 2-androstenone was new to the market in 2011.
In fact, two unaffiliated companies brought out the compound roughly simultaneously: AndrogenetX in the US and Fusion Supplements in the UK.
Structure and Function:
This non-methylated compound possesses the Δ2 double bond as found in the designer steroid desoxymethyltestosterone (a.k.a madol, pheraplex), therefore it lacks the 3-keto function common to most anabolic steroids.
The easiest way to think about this compound is as a prohormone to unmethylated pheraplex (desoxymethyltestosterone). Like DHEA or 4-androstenedione it has a 17-keto function, which will be reduced by interaction with the 17bHSD enzyme in vivo to the active hormone 2-androstenol (unmethylated phera). This 17b-hydroxylated metabolite will be the one responsible for the anabolic and androgenic effects seen with this drug.
Effects:
Like all anabolic steroids, the user can expect a marked increase in protein synthesis leading to a much faster rate of muscle accumulation, along with a significant boost in strength. Aromatisation should be impossible (due to the lack of a 3-keto and 4-ene), though as with all non-aromatising androgens that does not mean that estrogen-related side-effects are impossible (just much less likely).
Side Effects:
There's some supposition that pheraplex is an inhibitor of 11b-hydroxylase, which would account for the apparent water retention ("bloat") and high blood pressure some users experienced, despite the fact that phera doesn't aromatise to estrogen. Inhibition of 11b-hydroxylase can lead to increased renin secretion which results in higher levels of aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid that causes high blood pressure and water retention through sodium retention and the excretion of potassium. [3]
One study on bodybuilders found far higher levels of aldosterone in the steroid-taking group than in the non-steroid taking group - and these changes remained far past the end of their cycles. [4]
Whether or not this is the case for 2-androstenone - or phera for that matter - remains to be proven, but it is food for thought, particularly as a previous study pointed the finger at aldosterone as a cause of left ventricular hypertrophy, and suggested that it's heart remodelling effects may be unrelated to it's blood-pressure increasing effects. [5]
On balance though, this is likely to be one of the safer compounds on the market, due to the lack of liver-damaging 17a-methylation, lack of aromatisation, and possible "feel good" qualities if it shares that quality with it's big brother pheraplex.
The side effects common to all oral steroids, as discussed in the other writeups in this series, will also apply here.
Recommended Dosages and Cycle Durations:
There's a lack of solid feedback from users at the point of writing, though I would suggest doses in the range of 300mg upwards, with most users seeing best results around 600mg/day for a period of four to six weeks, followed by an appropriate PCT protocol and period of discontinuation.
References:
[1] J. Med. Chem., 1966, 9 (5), pp 693–697
[2] New prohormone: Delta-2
[3] Cardiovascular Toxicity of Anabolic Steroids, Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology Vol. 33: 497-520
[4] Aldosterone Concentrations in the Blood Plasma and in the Urine Samples as the Biological Marker of Anabolic Adrogenic Steroids (AAS) Abuse, Recent advances in doping analysis (12). Sport und Buch Strauß, Köln (2004) 395-401
[5] New perspectives on the role of aldosterone excess in cardiovascular disease. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2001 Oct;28(10):783-91.
b3n1bp.jpg
Nomenclature:
5a-androst-2-ene-17-one or 2-androsten-17-one
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio:
Unknown. The active version of this prohormone, 2-androstenol, was found to have no activity by oral administration according to the researchers at Searle, [1] though this may be because 2-androstenol is not water soluble and so cannot be absorbed by the small intestine - unlike 2-androstenone. [2]
Suffice to say that it is relatively weakly active (meaning that it needs to be dosed fairly high), much like many other non-17a-alkylated prohormones (such as 11-oxo, 4-AD, and boldione).
Synonyms:
Delta-2, 2-androstenone
History:
While 2-androstenol was previously released as one of the two compounds in Anabolc Xtreme's 3-AD (the other being androsterone), 2-androstenone was new to the market in 2011.
In fact, two unaffiliated companies brought out the compound roughly simultaneously: AndrogenetX in the US and Fusion Supplements in the UK.
Structure and Function:
This non-methylated compound possesses the Δ2 double bond as found in the designer steroid desoxymethyltestosterone (a.k.a madol, pheraplex), therefore it lacks the 3-keto function common to most anabolic steroids.
The easiest way to think about this compound is as a prohormone to unmethylated pheraplex (desoxymethyltestosterone). Like DHEA or 4-androstenedione it has a 17-keto function, which will be reduced by interaction with the 17bHSD enzyme in vivo to the active hormone 2-androstenol (unmethylated phera). This 17b-hydroxylated metabolite will be the one responsible for the anabolic and androgenic effects seen with this drug.
Effects:
Like all anabolic steroids, the user can expect a marked increase in protein synthesis leading to a much faster rate of muscle accumulation, along with a significant boost in strength. Aromatisation should be impossible (due to the lack of a 3-keto and 4-ene), though as with all non-aromatising androgens that does not mean that estrogen-related side-effects are impossible (just much less likely).
Side Effects:
There's some supposition that pheraplex is an inhibitor of 11b-hydroxylase, which would account for the apparent water retention ("bloat") and high blood pressure some users experienced, despite the fact that phera doesn't aromatise to estrogen. Inhibition of 11b-hydroxylase can lead to increased renin secretion which results in higher levels of aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid that causes high blood pressure and water retention through sodium retention and the excretion of potassium. [3]
One study on bodybuilders found far higher levels of aldosterone in the steroid-taking group than in the non-steroid taking group - and these changes remained far past the end of their cycles. [4]
Whether or not this is the case for 2-androstenone - or phera for that matter - remains to be proven, but it is food for thought, particularly as a previous study pointed the finger at aldosterone as a cause of left ventricular hypertrophy, and suggested that it's heart remodelling effects may be unrelated to it's blood-pressure increasing effects. [5]
On balance though, this is likely to be one of the safer compounds on the market, due to the lack of liver-damaging 17a-methylation, lack of aromatisation, and possible "feel good" qualities if it shares that quality with it's big brother pheraplex.
The side effects common to all oral steroids, as discussed in the other writeups in this series, will also apply here.
Recommended Dosages and Cycle Durations:
There's a lack of solid feedback from users at the point of writing, though I would suggest doses in the range of 300mg upwards, with most users seeing best results around 600mg/day for a period of four to six weeks, followed by an appropriate PCT protocol and period of discontinuation.
References:
[1] J. Med. Chem., 1966, 9 (5), pp 693–697
[2] New prohormone: Delta-2
[3] Cardiovascular Toxicity of Anabolic Steroids, Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology Vol. 33: 497-520
[4] Aldosterone Concentrations in the Blood Plasma and in the Urine Samples as the Biological Marker of Anabolic Adrogenic Steroids (AAS) Abuse, Recent advances in doping analysis (12). Sport und Buch Strauß, Köln (2004) 395-401
[5] New perspectives on the role of aldosterone excess in cardiovascular disease. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2001 Oct;28(10):783-91.
