Anabolic Steroid Quality Control: Can You Test Steroid Quality with Blood Work

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Spotting Fake Steroids: Why Blood Tests Alone Aren't Enough
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The modern market of sports pharmacology is quite specific. Users of AAS often encounter counterfeits or ineffective drugs.

Hence arises the question: "how can one determine the quality of pharmaceuticals?" The first thought that may come to mind is to perform a blood test.

However, how informative is such a method? This article will discuss that.


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Only Testosterone

Is it possible to check the quality of AAS by injecting (or taking tablets throughout the day) and then taking a testosterone analysis?

Yes, of course, after injection (and taking tablets, but for simplicity I will only refer to injection), the level of androgenic anabolic steroid testosterone in the blood should rise, and this increase should be reflected in the analysis.

But to what extent? Even for testosterone, it's not so easy to determine, let alone other "anabolics."

A while ago, I tried to find out how much the testosterone level in the blood rises after injecting standard doses of different drugs — nandrolone, boldenone, trenbolone, drostanolone, metenolone.

I spent a lot of time and money, but didn't achieve a meaningful result. However, a negative result is still a result, so there's no need to regret it...

Regarding testosterone, it's becoming more apparent: ideally, 24 hours after injecting 250 mg of enanthate, the testosterone level in the blood should be within 48-52 nmol/L. But even here, it's not all that simple: I've provided data for enanthate — for other esters, the indicators will be different.

Total Testosterone Analysis is Inaccurate

Yes, it's true: a total testosterone analysis gives only an approximate result. This is due to both the analysis itself and the laboratory where it is conducted.

Firstly, the testosterone level is subject to fluctuations; even after injection, it remains stable for a relatively short time. Secondly, despite its apparent simplicity, a total testosterone analysis is quite complex: not every laboratory can conduct it with proper accuracy.

Most available laboratories usually provide relative accuracy only for simple analyses, and hormone analyses do not fall into this category.

In fact, giving the same blood sample to three different laboratories will yield three completely different total testosterone levels. Which one should be considered correct?

Can Counterfeits Be Detected Through Blood Analysis

In theory, along with a total testosterone analysis, you can also take tests for estradiol and SHBG — I always recommend doing so when checking your own testosterone levels.

But in this case, one analysis is not enough — you need to do at least two with a 2-3 day interval. And considerable experience is also necessary to correlate estradiol, SHBG, and testosterone levels.

However, here's where it can be beneficial: if you injected, for example, "Primobolan," and several days later your estradiol level has significantly increased, then what you have on hand is definitely not "prima."

Quantity, Not Quality

In general, even the quantity of what you injected cannot be accurately determined — only approximately. As for quality, it's not worth discussing: accurately determining what exactly was used as the active ingredient in your "anabolic" is not feasible.

Simple example: the testosterone level in the blood after 24 hours will be approximately the same whether after injecting 250 mg of enanthate or approximately 80 mg of propionate.

It's known that Sustanon (omnadren), testosterone enanthate, and testosterone cypionate are counterfeited, packaged in vials with small doses of testosterone propionate.

Raw Material Quality

It's also impossible to assess the quality of the raw material from which a specific drug is made through analysis, even approximately. The presence or absence of foreign investments in such an analysis also cannot be shown — and these investments greatly affect the effectiveness of the drug.

Yes, you can find out some unpleasant reactions of the body to the injection, but the information obtained will not be very accurate.

A Bit About Real Quality Analyses

And again, I'll briefly repeat what I've already written: only laboratory analyses — liquid chromatography (or thin-layer — liquid as an option), mass spectrometry or their "symbiosis" — chromato-mass spectrometry can provide accurate results.

This way, you can obtain data on the amount of active substance in a specific drug and the quality of that drug. This applies not only to AAS but also to other medicinal substances — growth hormone, peptides, etc. And even biologically active supplements, many of which are often called sports-related.

Disclaimer: The site administration does not promote the use of anabolic steroids or any other pharmaceuticals. The information is provided for informational purposes only, is not a guide to action and does not replace medical advice.

Ivan Vlasov
fitness coach project creator
Fitness, lifestyle, health — three main directions dedicated to this internet resource. I simply love what I do. That's why I created the 2GYM project. Learn more
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