We’re going to discuss how potent it is, and how it works. We will cover the benefits and effects in the body, and how you can maximize your returns using it as part of your bodybuilding regime.
Epi-Andro dosage and cycle length will also be discussed, along with a discussion on whether it’s best for bulking or cutting.
I’ll also cover Epi-Andro side effects, and how acute they can be. Plus, I’ll discuss a couple of alternatives you might want to consider if you decide that Epi-Andro isn’t for you.
Let’s Talk About What Epi-Andro Is
Epiandrosterone was first created in the 1930s, so it’s not as new as many people think. It’s not actually that potent, and despite its sideline used by bodybuilders for several decades, it never really came under scrutiny until the more modern evangelical attack on basically any non-licensed substance.
Epi-Andro is a metabolite of DHEA. Known as a “prohormone”, it’s one of several androsterone substances available that are all steroid hormones. It’s called the prohormone because it’s a precursor to the hormone in the body. That means it has to be processed in order to take effect. That makes it slower and it loses some of its potency.
The goal of Epi-Andro is to increase testosterone concentrations, delivering the effects that higher levels of testosterone bring in muscle tissue, and the male body generally.
Although it’s commonly referred to as Epi-Andro, it’s also known by many other names. So don’t get confused into thinking any of these are different, because they are all the same:
- Epi-Andro
- Epiandrosterone
- 3-hydroxy-androstane-17-one
- Trans-Androsterone
- 3-Epiandrosterone
- Mesotrope
- 3b-hydroxy-5a-androstane-17-one
- Dymethazine
So however it’s marketed to you, Epi-Andro is a prohormone that stimulates higher levels of free testosterone concentrations in the body.
Epiandrosterone Results & Potential Benefits
The potential benefits of using Epi-Andro are as follows:
- Improved lean muscle mass
- Increased strength
- Higher sex drive
- Increased vascularity
- Dry muscle gains
- Higher energy levels
- Faster recovery times
- Better mood and positivity
Now those are the benefits, but what sort of Epiandrosterone results are typical after a single cycle of around 10 weeks?
I’ll talk about my own experiences in a moment, but when I did my research, these are what I found people reporting is typical:
- You’ll definitely see muscle mass gains that are harder and larger than you can achieve naturally.
- Mood and elevated positivity are definitely there. You’ll have more determination and drive, and you want to get things done.
- Recovery times are faster and you just feel stronger before, during, and after your workouts.
My Epi-Andro Cycle Experience
I did a 10-week cycle of Epi-Andro after a 12-week break since my last SARMs cycle. So I was clean and I’ve been doing natural bodybuilding for three months prior to this.
I will say up front that I found myself a little disappointed. This stuff is not as potent as good quality SARMs, especially if used on its own. Androgenic SARMs for me, things like RAD-140 and LGD-4033 are significantly more potent in terms of driving anabolic effects in the body.
The effects were definitely better than using natural bodybuilding supplements, and far better than working without supplements at all. I cut some fat, I put on some muscle, and I felt stronger and more positive than they had during my natural bodybuilding regime prior to the cycle.
But overall, I didn’t find this prohormone for bodybuilding as good as SARMs, and there would definitely be more downsides to androgenic SARMs because it’s less targeted in the body.
Epiandrosterone Dosage & Cycle Length
I don’t want to give you 100% crystal-clear dosage ranges to work within because those things don’t exist. You have to remember that Epi-Andro is a totally unregulated substance for use on humans.
All we can do is go on discussion from the bodybuilding world online and do some experimentation to find a dosage range that works as well as possible, without being too much. Also, at high doses this can be quite aggressive the side effects because it’s highly androgenic, so you do have to be careful how much you dose, and how long for.
If you can get actual Epi-Andro then a dose of around 300 mg is about right.
Be careful though, because some of the supplements out there you can buy that claim to be Epi-Andro are actually derivatives that contain other things as well. Because they are derivatives, it means there has to be a double metabolization in the body for the prohormone to be bioavailable, not just a single metabolization.
In terms of cycle length, I’d recommend 12 weeks as a maximum. Remember that this is highly androgenic and can deplete your natural testosterone production.
Can You Use Epi-Andro Or Other Prohormones For Cutting?
Higher levels of testosterone can produce a cutting effect in the body.
You burn more energy, you gain more muscle, and testosterone helps with the efficiency and volume of energy burning. So yes, you can use prohormones for cutting, and Epi-Andro results definitely include a reduction in body fat.
However, again, I’ll say that this is not the most efficient supplement to use if you want to focus on losing body fat.
Epi-Andro Side Effects & Efficiency
Epi-Andro is one of the new types of prohormone that is different in structure from the original ones that were banned under the 2004 act passed in the USA.
So people claim that they are far safer and better. But that’s not actually the truth. Although they are different, they still have the same anabolic side effects and problems. Epi-Andro and other similar prohormones for bodybuilding are highly anabolic in an untargeted way, not as potent as, but similar to anabolic steroids.
SARMs selectively activate androgen receptors in muscle and bone tissue, so they are highly targeted. This is not what prohormones or anabolic steroids do.
So Epi-Andro is less targeted and less efficient at providing androgenic effects and benefits in the body than more targeted androgenic SARMs.
So in terms of side effects, you could get any or all of the following:
- Shrunken testicles
- Increased prostate growth
- DHT level elevation
- Rising and unsteady estrogen levels
- Aggression
- Liver toxicity problems
- Deteriorating cardiovascular health
- Hair loss
Now although these things will only happen with long-term use, and especially at higher doses, it points to the fact that you shouldn’t see a prohormone as something safe like SARMs. You should look at it is a less potent anabolic steroid.
Also, because they deplete natural testosterone production by doing that job for the body, you can get testosterone drop towards the end of your cycle. Sometimes this can be absolutely chronic.
That means you could need PCT supplements like Nolvadex to bounce back your levels. It could also mean that you can suffer from gyno and other androgenic problems where natural production is curbed and estrogen levels are elevated.
Epi-Andro Alternatives (That Aren’t Bodybuilding Prohormones)
Overall, I have to conclude this Epi-Andro review by saying that it’s probably not the best thing to use.
Sure, give it a try, sensibly, and you should be fine in the short term. But just like anabolic steroids, this is taking a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. You are hitting your body all over with unregulated increased testosterone effects.
SARMs are a better option. The androgenic ones like S-23, LGD-4033, and RAD-140 are far more potent but far more targeted.
You can also stack these androgenic SARMs with non-androgenic SARMs like Cardarine and Ostarine to increase the overall potential benefits.
The problem with SARMs is that they are becoming rarer because of the ban in export that took effect in China last year. So although you can still get some of them, until they are manufactured outside China, they will be more and more difficult to get hold of.
Could Plant Steroids Be A Better Option?
Maybe one alternative is the growing range of natural plant steroids, known as sapogenins, that are increasing in popularity amongst bodybuilders due to a lack of side effects and potential anabolic benefits.
I have tried a couple of these plant steroids and they definitely are worth a shot. They don’t have these side effects, but they definitely elevate your muscle growth and fat cutting. A great starting place to experiment would be a brand called Sapogenix, from a company called huge supplements.
It’s great because it bundles in several of these plant steroidal extracts, meaning you stand the best chance of getting the potential benefits from them.
So in conclusion, I don’t advise prolonged use of prohormone supplements. They aren’t targeted enough, and they can cause collateral damage in the body in the medium to long term.
Choose SARMs for potency and safety, or if you want to steer clear of androgenic substances completely, then go for plant steroids that mimic testosterone in the body, but do not activate the androgen receptors in humans.
