Sustanon 250

Sustanon History & Overview

Sustanon 250 is a fairly popular Testosterone preparation that has been available for a very long time and continues to be utilized significantly among bodybuilders and athletes, as well as throughout the medical practice. Sustanon is the brand and trade name for what is essentially a precise blend or mixture of 4 different esterified variants of Testosterone in a specific ratio. The precise ratio of Testosterone variants in the blend are:

30mg of Testosterone Propionate
60mg of Testosterone Phenylpropionate
60mg of Testosterone Isocaproate
100mg of Testosterone Decanoate

Total mg of Testosterone: 250mg per ml.

The cumulative total mg of Testosteorne, as mentioned above, is 250mg combined of these esters. This is also why the 250 is a part of the Sustanon 250 trade name. The original purpose of blending these esters to create a formulation like this is first and foremost for medical purposes, specifically for the treatment of hypogonadism and/or andropause, and it is used as a Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). More specifically, the ester ratios are designed to provide a combination of rapid release of Testosterone initially into the bloodstream, followed by a slow and more steady release with the intention of providing more stable blood plasma levels and keeping them consistently leveled[1]. By comparison, one could utilized a solitary Testosterone ester, Testosterone Enanthate for example, which is strictly as its name implies: Testosterone Enanthate.

Organon pharmaceuticals developed and marketed Sustanon in the early 1970s. As previously mentioned, their intent was to provide a Testosterone medication that would be a superior prescription medicine in a clinical context compared to single solitary Testosterone variants. This would ideally result in a patient having to only administer the preparation at infrequent intervals compared to other variants. Sustanon 250 is by nature a medication of European origin and design and was actually never officially approved as a medication in North America, and remains a European and international product. Similarly, there exists a sister product to Sustanon 250, which is Omnadren, which is essentially by nature, a direct copy of Sustanon. Omnadren is Polish in origin and was used more extensively throughout Eastern Europe and the Caucasus area. Upon first release into the market, the Testosterone ratios in Omnadren were slightly different from Sustanon, but shortly after its release, Omnadren was manufactured with the exact same ratios and specifications as Sustanon.

Where bodybuilders and athletes are concerned, the use of blended products like Sustanon have fallen out of practice somewhat, but has still remained fairly popular especially among beginners and first-timers to the anabolic steroid world. It was originally a very popular product because many athletes and bodybuilders perceived that they were getting more “bang for their buck”, so to speak, in that they were purchasing more mg for their hard-earned cash. The truth of the matter, however, is that in the big picture this is not the case. Sustanon 250 was originally developed with the intention of medical treatment rather than physique and performance enhancement by athletes and bodybuilders.

For those being treated with medical conditions that necessitate the use of Sustanon 250 with a more convenient administration schedule in mind, the patient only requires an injection of the product once every 3 – 4 weeks. For the purpose of performance and physique enhancement, on the other hand, a different routine and dosing schedule is required. In the long run and big picture, the optimal peak blood plasma levels reached with Sustanon 250 tend to be achieved at more or less the same time period as with other Testosterone variants. Sustanon therefore tends to only achieve the minimum standards required for the price that it sells for, and combined with the complicated dosing and scheduling necessitated by the myriad of different Testosterone esters in the blend, makes it less than an ideal choice for athletics and bodybuilding.

Though, at the end of the day, Sustanon is a Testosterone product that is only different in terms of its release rate. Chemically, it is simply Testosterone. Testosterone itself is considered the grandfather of anabolic steroids in general, and holds muscle-building properties such as interaction with the androgen receptor in order to initiate a signal downstream in muscle cells that are involved in muscle growth and fat loss[3]. Testosteorne also seems to have an effect on muscle growth that lie out of the realm that are typical to muscle growth, like facilitating the synthesis of glycogen[4].

Sustanon 250 Side Effects

The side effects that are part in parcel of Sustanon 250 are all those that are known to be related to Testosterone itself, which is no surprise considering Sustanon is a Testosterone product by nature.

Estrogenic side effects are typical of Testosterone, as it is an aromatizable anabolic steroid. This means that the aromatase enzyme, which is responsible for the conversion of Testosterone into Estrogen, tends to have an affinity for Testosterone at a moderate level. Estrogenic side effects include: water retention, bloating, elevated blood pressure due to the aforementioned water retention, potential increases in Estrogen-related fat gain/retention, and potential development of gynecomastia (breast tissue formation). All side effects listed are, of course, dependent on dosage and individual genetics and sensitivity. Side effects can be mitigated with the use of an Estrogen blocker such as a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM, Nolvadex, for example). Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are another option that do not block Estrogen from interacting with receptors like SERMs do, but instead serve to disable and inhibit the aromatase enzyme, thereby reducing blood plasma levels of Estrogen and/or preventing their rise in the first place.

Being that Sustanon 250 is a blend of the androgen Testosterone in various esterified forms, androgenic side effects are also a potential. This occurs by way of Testosterone converting into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) at varying degrees in different tissues. This results in a rise in the stronger androgen DHT, which can result in the following androgenic side effects: increased oily skin (as a result of increased sebum secretion), and by way of increased sebum, increased acne, increased body hair growth, increased facial hair growth, and the potential to trigger the development of Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) which can only really exist if the individual is genetically prone or predisposed to it. These potential side effects can be reduced or prevented through the use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which serve to bind to and block the effects of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme responsible for the reduction of Testosterone into DHT. Topical DHT blockers are also an option, such as the shampoo known as Nizoral.

Moderate androgens like Testosterone can also bring about the dreaded virilization (masculinization) side effects, especially among females[5], which is why it is not a typical choice for female athletes. Virilization side effects are similar to androgenic side effects: increased facial and body hair growth, the deepening of the voice, enlargement of the clitoris, and disruptions to the menstrual cycle. Some of these side effects are permanent while some are temporary.

Liver problems are not an issue with Sustanon 250 or any injectable Testosterone compound[6].

Cardiovascular side effects are always a concern with any anabolic steroids, specifically in the area of blood cholesterol changes. Testosterone has been shown to promote a small to moderate drop in the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol[7], and when used with an aromatase inhibitor becomes worse where studies have shown that the ‘bad’ cholesterol increases on top of the HDL changes[8].

As with all anabolic steroids, Testosterone will cause the negative feedback loop in the body to react in such a way that endogenous natural Testosterone production will be suppressed or possibly even shut down, particularly at the dosages required for athletics and bodybuilding.

Dosing and Administration of Sustanon 250

As Sustanon 250 was originally designed for medical use in mind (particularly TRT as mentioned earlier), the prescription guidelines have always called for the administration of 250mg every 3 weeks. After that administration schedule has been adhered to for a period, the frequency and dosage is adjusted in accordance with the physician’s professional assessment and the patient’s medical needs.

Where bodybuilding and athletics are concerned, Sustanon 250 is usually administered at beginner dosages of 300 – 500mg per week with seldom requirements to increase dosages beyond this, and this is definitely the case if it is used alongside other compounds. Intermediate users occasionally increase their dosages upwards of 500 – 750mg per week, usually when Sustanon is used solitarily with no other products. Advanced users have been known to venture as high as 750 – 1,000mg per week, and usually when the only compound used is Sustanon without anything else.

An increasing trend within the last 10 years has been the use of Sustanon in the range of TRT dosages during performance enhancing cycles for the sole purpose of only maintaining normal physiological function that Testosterone is meant to promote. During this period, other anabolic steroids are used at higher dosages, which end up doing most, if not all of the anabolic work during the cycle. In this case, Sustanon would be used in the range of 100 – 250mg per week while other anabolic steroids stacked into the cycle (usually non-aromatizing compounds) are used at slightly higher dosages.

For females, Sustanon 250 is not suggested with the exception of high level professional (or professional-aspiring) female bodybuilders. Testosterone is quire androgenic on its own accord, and females should venture elsewhere in the anabolic steroid world to seek out less androgenic compounds for athletic and physique purposes.

Sustanon 250 Uses & Cycles

Sustanon was originally intended to provide a fast, initial increase in blood plasma levels in the first 24 – 48 hours after injection. Afterwards, blood plasma levels will ideally remain at those levels for about 21 days due to the longer Testosterone esters slowly releasing Testosterone[9]. The concept in this case was that Sustanon would be perfect for TRT purposes. This is a point that should be remembered by anyone wanting to use Sustanon in their cycle. As a result of Sustanon’s half-life, it is important to understand that it should be run for longer cycles than your average Testosterone product. This means usually cycles of 10 – 14 weeks in length, with 10 weeks being considered quite short.

Normally Sustanon is used on its own with nothing else, especially with beginners and first-time users. Because it is a Testosterone product, it can also be used as a foundation in any cycle where other compounds are stacked with it. First-time users have the possibility of using one other anabolic steroid with it, but Sustanon in these cases is usually used alone. However, if an additional anabolic is used, especially in the case of beginners, it is usually used with something like Dianabol (Methandrostenolone) as a kickstart for the first 4 – 6 weeks of the total 12-week cycle. Deca-Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate) is also another frequent partner compound that is paired with Sustanon due to its almost identical long half-life, making it perfect for 12-week cycles.

Buy Sustanon 250 & Legality

Being that Sustanon 250 is a Testosterone product with still moderate popularity especially among beginners, it is quite openly and readily available on the market. It can be obtained via a variety of sources – internet, websites, e-mail mail order, and in-person sources. Sustanon is a very cheap product, and pharmaceutical grade Sustanon is quite abundant on the market, with underground lab (UGL) products being even more plentiful. Counterfeit pharmaceutical Sustanon product does still circulate on the market, however, though not as badly as other products.

Pharmaceutical Sustanon 250 can be had for anywhere from $6 – $20 for a 1ml ampoule with 250mg. UGL-grade Sustanon 250 is even more affordable, anywhere from $50 – $100 per 10ml multidose vial and as high as $140 – $160 per 10ml vial, depending on the source type and which underground lab is manufacturing it.

Sustanon References:

1. Cantrill JA, Dewis P, Large DM et al. Which testosterone replacement therapy? Clin Endocrinol (oxf) 21 (1984) 97-107. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6467640)
2. Toth M., Zakar, T. Relative binding affinities of testosterone, 19-nortestosterone and their 5-alpha reduced derivatives to the androgen receptor and to other androgen-binding proteins: A suggested role of 5alpha-reductive steroid metabolism in the dissociation of “myotropic” and “androgenic” activities of 19-nortestosterone. J Steroid Biochem 17 (1982) 653-60. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/16308036_Relative_binding_affinities_of_testosterone_19-nortestosterone_and_their_5a-reduced_derivatives_to_the_androgen_receptor_and_to_other_androgen-binding_proteins_a_suggested_role_of_5a-reductive_steroid)
3. Sjogren J, Li M, Bjorntorp P. Androgen hormone binding to adipose tissue in rats. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1995 May 11;1244(1):117-20. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7766646)
4. Ramamani A, Aruldhas MM, Govindarajulu P. Differential response of rat skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism to testosterone and estradiol. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1999 Apr;77(4):300-4. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10535679)
5. Ramamani A, Aruldhas MM, Govindarajulu P. Differential response of rat skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism to testosterone and estradiol. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1999 Apr;77(4):300-4. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10535679)
6. Enzyme induction by oral testosterone. Johnsen SG, Kampmann JP, Bennet EP, Jorgensen F. 1976 Clin Pharmacol Ther 20:233-237. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/947655)
7. High-density lipoprotein choilesterol is not decreased if an aromatizable androgen is administered. Friedl K, Hannan C et al. Metabolism 39(1) 1990. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2294373)
8. Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men. Bhasin S, Woodhouse L. et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 281:E1172-81, 2001. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11701431)
9. Product data sheet: Sustanon 250. August 31, 2001. Pharmaco (N.Z.) LTD Auckland New Zealand. (https://medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/s/Sustanoninj.pdf)