Best Steroids for Bulking, Cutting, and Strength

Anabolic steroid use has become increasingly common recently, with bodybuilding becoming more mainstream.

In this article, we will detail the best steroids in terms of results when bulking and cutting.

Note: The most suitable or least destructive anabolic steroids can only be accurately determined on an individual basis, based on their existing health, and thus this post only serves as a general guide.

For example, one person trying to gain 30 pounds of muscle will prefer a different cycle than someone who wants to burn 10 pounds of fat and reveal their six-pack.

• A person wanting to build large amounts of muscle can achieve this goal by taking various powerful bulking steroids.
• A person wanting to burn significant amounts of subcutaneous fat may achieve this goal by simply taking Anavar.

Thus, in this article, we will make known the best steroids a person can take, tailored to their specific goals.

What Are the Best Steroids for Bulking?

Bulking steroids are essentially anabolic compounds that build significant amounts of muscle hypertrophy. They do this by increasing free testosterone, protein synthesis, and nitrogen retention.

They’re also very effective for increasing strength because of the weight and muscle gains.

We find bulking steroids are best taken in conjunction with a high-calorie diet to maximize anabolism.

The best steroids for bulking:

1. Dianabol
2. Testosterone
3. Anadrol
4. Trenbolone
5. Deca Durabolin
6. Turinabol

1. Dianabol

Dianabol, or methandrostenolone, is the most common bulking steroid used by bodybuilders.

Here are a few reasons why:

• It’s an oral tablet.
• It is very anabolic.
• Moderate toxicity (less than Anadrol and trenbolone)

Although injectable Dianabol is available, Dianabol primarily comes in pill form. This format is optimal for bodybuilders who don’t want to mess with needles due to pain or the consequences of a misplaced injection.

Some of our patients describe Dianabol as the best steroid for building muscle. Others may say Anadrol works better for them; however, the decision often depends on how well a person responds to each compound.

Was Dianabol Utilized by Classic Bodybuilders?

Arnold Schwarzenegger may know just how effective Dianabol is, as he and other bodybuilders (believed to be) using Dbol in the ’70s, helping him to secure 7x Mr. Olympia titles.

Dianabol is still believed to be the staple bulking steroid in professional bodybuilder stacks today, five decades later.

A first cycle of Dianabol commonly produces 30 lbs of mass and 70+ lb increases in strength in our experience.

However, these stats apply to novices, and thus experienced users will gain less than this.

Side Effects

1. Very cardiotoxic
2. Very hepatotoxic
3. Very suppressive
4. Estrogenic

2. Testosterone

Testosterone is a staple bulking steroid used as a base in many steroid stacks.

It is similar to Dianabol; however, testosterone is predominantly an injectable steroid and is less anabolic and more androgenic.

• In terms of gains, the difference between the two compounds, concerning anabolism, is small. We see users commonly gain 25 pounds from their first testosterone cycle.
• A testosterone-only cycle is a standard beginner cycle due to its less toxic nature yet powerful muscle-building properties (1).

Note: Beginners typically only take low doses of testosterone (200–300 mg per week) to start with.

Can Testosterone Reduce Fat Mass?

Testosterone is also an effective fat-burning compound (2, 3), helping to simultaneously lower a user’s body fat percentage while adding lean muscle.

We find that testosterone generally does not cause as prominent water retention or bloating as Dianabol or Anadrol. However, some fluid gain is normal.

Side Effects

1. Very androgenic
2. Mildly cardiotoxic
3. Estrogenic
4. Suppressive

3. Anadrol

Anadrol (oxymetholone) is a very potent anabolic steroid and arguably the best in terms of pure mass and muscle gains.

The reason why Anadrol isn’t listed as number one on this list is because we have ranked steroids in order of pros vs. cons.

• Although Anadrol is slightly more powerful than Dianabol, we observe its side effects to be more severe. This is why it’s less popular and a riskier steroid to take.
• Out of all the bulking steroids, Anadrol will cause the most weight gain (approximately 30+ pounds in a single cycle).

Such weight gain is likely to be slightly more than Dianabol, due to Anadrol causing more water retention (which will be lost post-cycle).

We typically see testosterone levels rising on Anadrol, resulting in vast strength gains and intense pumps, that are sometimes painful.

Arguably the harshest side effect of Anadrol is an upward surge in blood pressure. This reaction is due to the steroid having a notable lowering effect on HDL levels (the beneficial type of cholesterol).

Our LFTs (liver function tests) also show Anadrol to be hepatotoxic and thus damaging to the liver (4).

Side Effects

1. Very hepatotoxic
2. Very cardiotoxic
3. Very suppressive
4. Moderately androgenic
5. Moderately estrogenic

4. Trenbolone

Trenbolone is a powerful anabolic steroid that can be used for bulking or cutting. In bulking terms, trenbolone is one of the best steroids for building lean muscle mass.

How Does Trenbolone Compare to Other Bulking Steroids?

In our experience, weight gain on trenbolone is not as prominent as on Anadrol or Dianabol (because it doesn’t cause fluid retention). Furthermore, because trenbolone is a potent fat burner (5), the scales may not reflect the amount of size users gain.

Note: Because trenbolone only causes lean gains, the increased muscle size is more comfortably retained post-cycle.

If a bodybuilder measured the success of their bulk purely by weight gain, trenbolone would not be the best steroid to take. However, if a bodybuilder measured the success of a bulk based on how he looks in the mirror, trenbolone would be the leading anabolic compound.

• The downside to trenbolone is that it’s a very harsh compound and is only well tolerated by a few bodybuilders.
• Mental side effects, such as anxiety, paranoia, and depression, have been reported by our patients, as well as decreased testosterone levels and high blood pressure. Thus, trenbolone is strictly not for beginners.

Side Effects

1. Very cardiotoxic
2. Very suppressive
3. Very androgenic

5. Deca Durabolin

Deca Durabolin (nandrolone) is a mild injectable steroid. It does not produce exceptional muscle hypertrophy; however, it’s commonly used in bodybuilding and makes our top 5 list because its pros largely outweigh its cons.

Does Deca Durabolin Demonstrate Less Toxicity Than Other Anabolic Steroids?

• As far as steroids go, Deca Durabolin is one of the safest, with it still being FDA-approved (6) for the treatment of osteoporosis and anemia.
• Thus, the side effects of Deca Durabolin are minimal compared to other toxic bulking compounds.
• The main side effects associated with Deca Durabolin are low endogenous testosterone levels and sexual function. However, we see that such side effects typically reverse post-cycle in a matter of weeks or months.

Depending on how effective a bodybuilder’s PCT is, will determine how quickly hormone levels normalize.

Why Do Bodybuilders Utilize Deca Durabolin?

We notice that when Deca Durabolin is added to a stack with other bulking steroids, it slowly adds notable amounts of size and mass.

It won’t cause fast results as it has long esters and thus takes several weeks to peak in the blood. However, with an extended cycle and a moderate dose, Deca is effective at adding moderate amounts of muscle. We have found it to be an underrated bulking steroid, based on its low toxicity.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and other bodybuilders back in the 1970s commonly stacked Deca Durabolin with compounds such as Dianabol, helping to create a more natural and aesthetic look.

Side Effects

1. Very suppressive
2. Erectile dysfunction
3. Increases progesterone

6. Turinabol

Turinabol (known as Tbol) is a derivative of Dianabol. However, we find it to be a very contrasting compound.

Tbol does not aromatize, and thus it causes no water retention and decreases the risk of gynecomastia forming, which is the opposite of Dianabol.

What Are the Advantages of Turinabol?

Thus, the mass users pack on with Turinabol are lean and dry gains, with their weight fluctuating less compared to a Dianabol cycle, where more water weight will be gained, resulting in puffy and smooth muscles.

• With an 8-week cycle of Turinabol, we have seen users gain 16 lbs (7 kg), which can be retained post-cycle with an effective PCT.
• Turinabol is a milder steroid compared to most other anabolics. Thus, users do not typically experience harsh side effects.

With Turinabol being an oral steroid, liver toxicity is to be expected; however, our tests do not show hepatic inflammation to be deleterious. However, if excessive doses are utilized, hepatic peliosis is possible.

Turinabol is less androgenic than Dianabol, so we record fewer cases of acne vulgaris and hair loss (although it is still possible).

Side Effects

1. Liver inflammation
2. Increase in cholesterol
3. Mildly suppressive

What Are the Best Steroids for Cutting?

Cutting is an important phase for a bodybuilder, where the objective is to burn fat while retaining muscle mass gained from the previous bulk.

Consequently, a bodybuilder will appear more muscular as tone increases and waist size noticeably decreases.

Our bodybuilding patients’ main concern when cutting is muscle loss, which can be prevented by taking the following cutting steroids:

1. Anavar
2. Winstrol
3. Primobolan
4. Masteron
5. Proviron

1. Anavar

Anavar (oxandrolone) is potentially the most beneficial anabolic steroid when cutting.

It is anabolic; therefore, users will build muscle during their cut, but it also has potent lipolytic properties, making Anavar an adept fat burner (7).

• Users on Anavar will experience reduced subcutaneous and visceral fat mass.
• A common complaint of bodybuilders cutting is depleted glycogen levels, resulting in muscle atrophy and a decrease in strength.
• Anavar increases glycogen storage, causing full muscles and large pumps during their workouts.
• Anavar also significantly increases strength levels in our patients (8), comparable to several bulking steroids.

Anavar also has mild side effects; therefore, it is uncommon to observe toxic effects in modest dosages. Transient testosterone suppression is likely to be moderate, with levels commonly normalizing in a matter of weeks or months (for most users).

Despite being an oral steroid, Anavar also does not pose significant risks to the liver in therapeutic dosages, as the kidneys help to process Anavar, taking the strain and workload off.

What Is the Cost of Anavar?

• One downside to Anavar is the price, and it’s regularly counterfeited on the black market. If users are diligent, they may be able to obtain a cycle of Anavar for a couple of hundred dollars.
• However, for pharmaceutical-grade Anavar, the price is likely to be several hundred dollars. Therefore, Anavar isn’t the best choice for a low-budget steroid cycle.

Side Effects

1. Mildly suppressive
2. Some hepatotoxicity
3. Mild to moderate cardiotoxicity

2. Winstrol

Winstrol (stanozolol) is an anabolic steroid that works similarly to Anavar, building muscle and burning fat simultaneously. Winstrol also does not aromatize (9), causing the muscles to appear dry and grainy.

• We have found that Winstrol is slightly more effective for adding muscle for novice users than Anavar; however, it poses notably more side effects.
• On Winstrol, bodybuilders will experience heightened blood pressure, exacerbated testosterone suppression, acne, hair loss, and liver toxicity (compared to Anavar).

Can Winstrol Decrease Muscle Fullness?

Winstrol also doesn’t produce the muscle fullness of Anavar, causing the muscles to appear more flat or depleted.

However, Winstrol is cheaper than Anavar, making it a more affordable compound. Consequently, Winstrol is sometimes labeled as a poor man’s Anavar. Nonetheless, Winstrol is one of the best steroids for cutting.

Side Effects

1. Significant hepatotoxicity
2. Significant cardiotoxicity
3. Joint pain
4. Virilization in women

3. Primobolan

Injectable Primobolan (methenolone) is a mild steroid in terms of side effects, commonly utilized in the ’70s during the Golden Era. It was rumored to be Arnold’s staple cutting steroid.

We have found the benefits vs. side effects ratio of Primobolan to be positive, hence why users can cycle it for sustained periods (up to 10 weeks).

• Primobolan doesn’t promote water retention, making it beneficial for maximum muscle tone and a dry physique.
• We do not see Primobolan produce significant muscle gains; however, a subtle increase in muscle size is common when taking this compound during strict dieting. Fat burning will also be amplified.

Primobolan is commonly stacked with other compounds for enhanced results, such as trenbolone or halotestin (when cutting).

Note: The cost of Primobolan is high, similar to Anavar. We have found both to be the most expensive steroids on the market.

Side Effects

1. Mildly suppressive
2. Mild cardiotoxicity
3. Hepatotoxic
4. Mildly androgenic

4. Masteron

Masteron (drostanolone) is an injectable steroid that was introduced in the 50s and has been administered in bodybuilding circles since the ’70s.

What Are the Origins of Masteron?

• Masteron wasn’t formulated for anabolism but to aid women in their treatment of breast cancer.
• However, due to its strong anti-estrogen effects (10), it was found to increase lean muscle mass without water retention, making it an effective cutting steroid.

We view Masteron as a more powerful version of Proviron (which is listed below).

Side Effects

1. Very androgenic in practice
2. Suppressive
3. Mildly cardiotoxic

5. Proviron

Proviron (Mesterolone) is an oral steroid that can produce a dry physique with distinguished vascularity.

Proviron elevates the metabolism, enhancing fat loss while simultaneously producing marginal muscle gains. Its effects, regarding drying a person out, can be prompt and visibly noticeable within a matter of hours.

Why Do Bodybuilders Supplement With Proviron?

Several of our patients have admitted to taking Proviron on the day of a photoshoot or competition due to its sudden improvements in vascularity and muscle definition.

Proviron also works as a synergistic agent, helping to enhance the effects of other steroids when stacked with them. Proviron is commonly stacked with injectable steroids for enhanced gains, such as trenbolone or testosterone.

• In terms of side effects, we generally record mild interactions, with it demonstrating less toxicity than other anabolic steroids.
• However, Proviron will skew cholesterol, increasing LDL levels. Therefore, it increases the risk of myocardial infarction.
• Proviron may not affect blood pressure as much as other cardiotoxic steroids due to its diuretic properties, thus reducing blood viscosity.

Side Effects

1. Mildly cardiotoxic
2. Very androgenic
3. Moderately suppressive

Are There Additional Cutting Substances That Are Effective?

There are other drugs that bodybuilders use for cutting purposes to reduce fat mass (which aren’t officially steroids), such as clenbuterol and Cytomel (T3).

Our patients typically utilize these before a competition to help them burn fat mass. They do not have any significant anabolic effects; therefore, users won’t gain any notable muscle mass.

• On clenbuterol, users’ metabolisms will increase, causing a spike in calorie expenditure.
• While on Cytomel, T3 levels will increase, which is the powerful thyroid hormone that directly targets fat stores, causing significant weight loss.

What Are the Best Steroids for Strength?

In our experience, the best steroids for raw power and increasing personal records on compound lifts are:

1. Superdrol
2. Anadrol
3. Halotestin
4. Trenbolone
5. Testosterone suspension
6. Mibolerone
7. Anavar
8. All bulking steroids

These are often used by strongmen and powerlifters, as well as bodybuilders.

1. Superdrol

Is Superdrol a Steroid?

Superdrol is an oral steroid that is a DHT derivative (similar to Anadrol). It was once incorrectly marketed as a prohormone (in the early 2000s). We remember being surprised at how potent this compound was.

Later on, it was revealed that Superdrol was an anabolic steroid.

How Effective Is Superdrol for Increasing Muscular Strength?

Superdrol is an appropriate name for this steroid regarding strength gains. The strength gains we have observed from Superdrol have been unsurpassed by other anabolics. We have even found such strength increases to become dangerous (increasing the risk of injury).

Note: It is advised that users do not lift as heavy as possible when taking Superdrol.

• We have known first-time users to gain over 60 lbs on their lifts on Superdrol, yet experienced steroid users who’ve used this steroid before gain less.
• Superdrol is a versatile anabolic steroid that can be used for bulking or cutting. Superdrol is very anabolic, often adding 12–15 pounds of lean muscle to users in a single cycle.
• We could describe its effects as being the oral equivalent of trenbolone, but with additional strength gains. Superdrol would also be worthy of ranking high on our best steroids for bulking list.

Superdrol can also be used for cutting, as it does not aromatize, increasing muscle hardness.

Superdrol is potentially the best steroid for strength; however, its side effects are also harsh. Our patients often use a liver support supplement, SERM, and a strong PCT for harm reduction on Superdrol.

2. Anadrol

• We have already covered Anadrol’s anabolic effects in the best steroids for bulking section; however, its ability to increase strength is particularly noteworthy (11).
• It’s not uncommon for bodybuilders to increase their squat, deadlift, or bench press by 60 pounds on an Anadrol cycle.

What Do Anadrol Users Need to Be Wary Of?

The same precautions should be applied when taking Superdrol regarding increasing the weight slowly and not lifting as heavy as possible to reduce the likelihood of injury. However, if the person taking Anadrol is a powerlifter, they may not be able to adhere to this.

3. Dianabol

• Dianabol is also one of the best steroids for strength due to the increased muscle mass and significant weight gain it provokes.
• Dianabol, in our experience, is slightly less effective than Anadrol for increasing strength, although certainly comparable.

Some users may find Dianabol to be more effective than Anadrol for increasing muscular strength; however, the difference can be attributed to the person genetically responding better to Dianabol. Nonetheless, it is a steroid that enhances raw power.

4. Halotestin

Halotestin (otherwise known as Halo) is a steroid regularly used by bodybuilders and other athletes, including powerlifters, strongmen, boxers, fighters, and sprinters.

• Halotestin does not produce any noticeable muscle gains, making it less commonly used among bodybuilders for bulking.
• Instead, we see Halotestin more often utilized during cutting cycles, enhancing strength, energy, and aggression (as a result of Halotestin’s high androgenic rating).
• Halotestin will also harden the muscles, as it doesn’t convert to estrogen, making it a visually pleasing steroid for cutting.

How Does Halotestin Affect Users?

Some of our patients report feeling “like the Hulk” on Halotestin, with increased levels of irritability and anger. Such reactions may be beneficial for workouts; however, users should be cautious about this steroid negatively affecting their personalities and close relationships. If someone is susceptible to angry outbursts, they should avoid using Halotestin, as it may cause roid rage.

When Should Halotestin Be Consumed?

As a result of this constant amped-up feeling, Halotestin is possibly the best steroid to take pre-workout. The downside to this is that users may have more difficulty sleeping at night due to excessive stimulation of the central nervous system. Therefore, it is best taken earlier in the day.

• Based on our SHBG testing, Halotestin shuts down endogenous testosterone production, so it is important not to cycle it for long periods and to implement a PCT.
• We also see it harming blood pressure, combined with strong androgenic effects; thus, it is not suitable for women.
• Cycles are usually kept very short due to the toxicity of Halotestin.
• We find it does not cause any further size or strength gains after 4 weeks.

5. Trenbolone Acetate

With trenbolone being 3x more androgenic than testosterone (12), its significant effects on muscular strength are not surprising.

• Trenbolone acetate is not only advantageous for transforming a person’s body composition but also for enhancing strength, especially when stacked with testosterone or Anadrol.
• Despite users experiencing only a moderate amount of weight gain on trenbolone, we find it can compete against the wetter steroids on this list.

However, trenbolone causes a lot of suppression concerning endogenous testosterone (13), so it’s a steroid that should be used with great caution (especially when stacked with other toxic steroids like Anadrol).

6. Testosterone Suspension

• All forms of testosterone will be very effective in increasing muscular strength. However, testosterone suspension is a superior form in our experience.
• This is because testosterone suspension is pure testosterone in water. Other forms of testosterone are various esters, which the body has to process before they become active in the body.

Thus, testosterone suspension is the purest and fastest-acting form of testosterone, which requires two daily injections to maintain peak concentrations.

What Are the Drawbacks of Testosterone Suspension?

One of the downsides to testosterone suspension, apart from the standard side effects of testosterone, is that it requires a larger needle for the injection. This is because the suspension is not micronized and is thus more susceptible to clogging syringes due to the larger crystals.

7. Mibolerone

We find that mibolerone (dimethyl-nortestosterone), also known as Cheque Drops, is a regular compound taken by strongman athletes, with it being less popular in bodybuilding.

• This is because it is highly efficacious at increasing muscular strength but barely impacts a user’s body composition.
• Mibolerone is also used by some fighters due to the steroid clearing out of the body quickly, helping them go undetected during drug tests.
• This steroid also causes heightened levels of aggression, helping those competing in combat sports.

What Are the Health Risks Associated With Mibolerone?

A major downside we see with mibolerone is that it’s very hepatotoxic, causing excessive strain on your liver. Although the liver is generally a resilient organ, this compound will cause notable inflammation and damage.

Therefore, users typically will only utilize mibolerone for a brief time (i.e., a few days before a special fighting event) and refrain from drinking alcohol during the cycle.

8. Anavar

Although Anavar won’t help users build exceptional amounts of muscle, it does have the ability to significantly increase strength (despite being a cutting steroid).

• Ironically, one of its nicknames is the girl steroid, with it being utilized by various women due to its lack of masculinizing effects (14).
• However, Anavar’s use is not exclusive to women, as we have treated elite male powerlifters who also regularly cycle Anavar.

How Does Anavar Increase Power?

Anavar’s ability to increase strength and power can be attributed to its unique level of creatine uptake inside the muscle cells (15), which increases ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production.

9. All Bulking Steroids

Any effective bulking steroid will increase strength significantly as a consequence of increased muscle mass, testosterone levels, protein synthesis, and intracellular water weight. Examples of such bulking compounds can be found in the best steroids for bulking list.

Summary

There aren’t any best steroids when it comes to having optimal health, as every single anabolic steroid can cause several negative reactions.

However, cosmetically speaking, the best steroids to take will depend on an individual’s personal goals.

• If they want to bulk up, Dianabol, Anadrol, testosterone, and trenbolone are all effective compounds.
• If users want to burn fat, Anavar and Winstrol will enhance lipolysis.
• If users want to maximize strength, Superdrol, Anadrol, and Dianabol can help achieve this goal.

However, the best steroid should not be viewed as the most powerful but as one that can give users the most results with the least amount of damage.

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