Deca

Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid used to treat anemia, osteoporosis and other conditions. It’s a synthetic version of testosterone. Some athletes use nandrolone to build muscle, but these uses are illegal in the U.S. and most of the world. Nandrolone can cause serious side effects and should only be taken with a healthcare provider’s supervision.

What is nandrolone?

Nandrolone (Deca-Durabolin®) is a synthetic (made in a lab) version of the hormone testosterone. It’s also known as nandrolone decanoate and 19-nortestosterone. Nandrolone is a type of anabolic androgenic steroid. Healthcare providers prescribe nandrolone to treat some forms of anemia. It can also help build tissue in people with weakened or damaged tissue.

As with many other anabolic steroids, nandrolone is commonly misused. Some bodybuilders and teens use nandrolone to “bulk up,” or gain muscle mass. Some athletes use nandrolone to try and boost their performance. But this is dangerous.

Prescription nandrolone provides health benefits, but its use comes with risks of serious side effects. You should only take nandrolone under the close supervision of a healthcare provider.

How does nandrolone work?

Providers give nandrolone as an injection (shot) into a muscle. Once in your body, it behaves a lot like testosterone. Testosterone is a sex hormone called an androgen. Testosterone also has “anabolic” properties. This is why nandrolone is called an “anabolic androgenic” steroid. The language offers clues about how nandrolone works:

• Anabolic: Anabolism is the process of building muscles, bones or other body structures. Testosterone promotes tissue growth and expands muscle mass.
• Androgenic: Testosterone is an androgen. It’s most known for stimulating the development of sex characteristics in men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB).

Scientists modeled nandrolone after testosterone because of testosterone’s anabolic (tissue-building) power. They boosted its anabolic properties while weakening its androgenic properties. So nandrolone has more tissue-building power than testosterone but is a weaker sex hormone.

Still, nandrolone is a sex hormone. The side effects associated with nandrolone occur because it behaves as an added sex hormone in your body.

What is nandrolone used for?

Healthcare providers primarily prescribe nandrolone to treat anemia associated with chronic kidney failure. Anemia involves not having enough healthy red blood cells. Nandrolone boosts red blood cell production.

Providers also use nandrolone to treat:

• Osteoporosis in people who no longer get periods (postmenopause).
• AIDS-associated wasting away syndrome.
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• Breast cancer.

Some studies suggest that nandrolone can help heal damaged joints.