Sustanon is a testosterone based anabolic steroid and as such has many of the same side effects as any anabolic steroid. Although developed as the perfect hormone replacement drug, it gained a great deal of popularity among body builders. Testosterone is used as a performance-enhancing agent and its use by many well-known and record-breaking athletes is well documented. Sustanon normally contains four different testosterone esters at a rate of testosterone propionate at 30 mg, testosterone phenylpropionate at 60 mg testosterone isocaproate at 60mg and testosterone decanoate 100 mg per ml.
The advantage to Sustanon for hormone replacement therapy was the convenience of once a month injections. However, the average athlete that uses testosterone as a PED, usually takes a far larger dose and carefully maintains optimal blood levels. The results of testosterone supplementation by athletes can be seen in larger muscles, longer fibers, more red blood cell production and the production of more motor neurons which can increase speed and power.
Sustanon side effects may include suppression of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Testes-Axis ( HPTA) function. What that means is that the body is normally very sensitive to changes and that includes what it considers an excess of any hormone as well as any perceived deficits. When an increase in testosterone is detected then the body suppresses natural testosterone production as a result. This is one reason many steroids are given in cycles, to allow normal functioning to proceed and the natural hormone production cycle to recover.
Another side effect of Sustanon is that it also aromatizes and can convert to estrogen that can in turn lead to more side effects that are undesirable. Estrogen in the system can produce gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) a condition most men prefer to avoid.
Sustanon also can convert to DHT, which can produce some unwanted side effects such as male pattern baldness, and prostate enlargement. Some athletes also take a DHT blocker in order to avoid some of these side effects while on a cycle of Sustanon.
Several concerns about the use of Sustanon have arisen over the last few years. Testosterone is not in and of itself a bad thing but an all in one convenient mixture of four different testosterone esters is not very convenient for athletes who generally end up dosing every other day even with Sustanon. The cost of Sustanon 250 per mg of effective steroid is much higher than that of single suspension injectable testosterone. So although Sustanon is just as effective as many other testosterone esters, it is not as convenient as first visualized by the creators of the anabolic steroid and that is because of the needs of the athletes using this drug.
It is important when purchasing Sustanon to ensure that the product is provided by a well-known supplier and to avoid less effective black market fakes of a well-known steroid. Purchasing from a reliable supplier also ensures that the manufacturer produces the Sustanon in accordance with international pharmaceutical quality assurance and purity standards.