You must have heard about Deca Durabolin if steroids interest you. Be it for medical use or non-medical purpose, the use of Deca Durabolin is unprecedented to other steroids.
But is this all to know about Deca Durabolin?
No, it isn’t.
This is why we are going to address all your unanswered questions here such as what is Deca Durabolin, where is it derived from and a much-needed comparison of Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone decanoate) and its cousin Nandrolone phenylpropionate (NPP) to tell you which is better than the two of them.
What is Deca Durabolin?
Deca Durabolin is a common name for the compound Nandrolone decanoate.
Deca Durabolin is an Androgenic and anabolic steroid (AAS).
Now you must be wondering, WTH is AAS?
Well, let me explain.
Androgenic refers to ‘male-like characteristics’ and anabolic refers to ‘muscle-building capability.
Androgenic and anabolic steroids are derivatives of testosterone that have reduced androgenic properties and elevated anabolic activity.
Consuming AAS ensures that you get the anabolic benefits of testosterone with substantially reduced androgenic side effects.
Androgenic and anabolic steroids are classified into 3 main classes. Nandrolone decanoate, or Deca Durabolin, is a Class II steroid ester i.e., it has an ester modification done to the basic unit of testosterone. This synthetic compound has a relatively long ester chain modification (the term ‘deca’ refers to the number ’10’. I hope you get the gist of what I am trying to tell you).
Now, let’s come to the main question.
How does knowing all this benefit you at all?
You will know that, in just a moment.
How is Deca Durabolin connected to Nandrolone phenylpropionate(NPP)?
NPP also belongs to the family of nandrolone esters, which means both Nandrolone decanoate(Deca Durabolin) and Nandrolone phenylpropionate(NPP) are sister compounds.
The main difference lies in the length of their ester modification. Nandrolone decanoate has a longer ester chain modification than Nandrolone phenylpropionate i.e., NPP is smaller in size than the former.
So, does the difference in ester chain length influence their efficiency?
Eh, not so much.
The size difference largely contributes to the half-life of both of the compounds. (Half-life refers to the amount of time any compound remains active in your system)
Deca Durabolin has a greater half-life (12 to 15 days) than NPP, which has a half-life of 5 to 7 days.
Benefits of Nandrolone compounds:
Although NPP was officially released in 1959 and Deca Durabolin in 1961, there are some common benefits of both of these Nandrolone compounds.
For medical purposes, Nandrolone esters are used to treat
- Aplastic anemia
- Wasting syndromes such as osteoporosis (mostly in menopausal women)
- Inoperable breast cancer
- Anemia of kidney failure
- Chronic kidney disease
Not only this, but nandrolone supplements have also been used for athletic or bodybuilding purposes. (Haven’t you heard of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s jam? It was the one and only Nandrolone decanoate! People went wild in the 1970s when Arnold revealed that Deca Durabolin was the reason behind his awe-striking muscular body).
The added benefits you get from using Nandrolone compounds for bodybuilding are
- Increased collagen production in your body which protects your ligaments and tendons from wear and tear and also improves their healing capacity.
- Increased synovial fluid production which acts to the advantage of your joints (it protects them from damage and heals them from stress)
- Enhanced muscle repair function due to increased collagen production in your body, this makes you quickly gain muscles in an effective way)
- A drastic increase in anabolic function which makes you get strength and size gains
- Bare minimum androgenic side effects.
Now let’s compare the two both in terms of benefits and harms.
Deca VS NPP: A detailed analysis
Deca Durabolin:
Deca was officially launched in 1961 and it quickly became a hit among celebrities. (The most famous celeb associated with Deca Durabolin’s use is the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 1970s action hero whose bulky muscular build was the dream of many!)
What sets Deca Durabolin apart is its ability to bulk you up while greatly enhancing the muscle-building abilities of your body.
Nandrolone decanoate works by improving nitrogen retention in your body. This helps in the production of lean muscle mass more quickly than normal. Not only this, but Deca Durabolin also influences water retention in your body.
You might think water retention is a downside for bodybuilding, but this is not always the case!
The added protection from the excess water present in your muscles allows you to do insanely hard strength training! You can lift extreme weights while on Deca without worrying about damaging your muscles.
And you will look bigger too! Isn’t that what you secretly wish for?
But don’t get your hopes high up yet.
Since Deca Durabolin is a long ester, it takes longer pinning cycles to show results. The active half-life of Deca Durabolin is approximately 12 days. And it wouldn’t become active in your bloodstream until 1 or 2 days after you have eaten it.
Therefore, you would have to wait at least a month(!) before your body starts showing results.
However, a plus side of this case is that since it’s a longer ester, you would not have to dose up as frequently as others. This property makes Deca Durabolin an ideal candidate to be used within a combo cycle. The safest cycle of Deca Durabolin is that of Deca and Testosterone. You can use this cycle for 3 to 4 months every year to reap the maximum benefits of the Nandrolone decanoate.
And believe me, once you use this cycle for gains, you will be hooked on the results!
Deca Durabolin, when combined with Testosterone, gives you massive gains (the ones you have always dreamt of having!). Deca Durabolin will turn you into a Hulk(a realistic one at least) that has a monstrous muscular body and endures extreme weightlifting without any break. You will see your body reach its plateau point in terms of toned muscles and clear-cut physique.
Deca, even at high doses, only enhances the androgenic properties by 20%, so you don’t have to worry about this part at all.
Nevertheless, one thing is for sure: you cannot recover from Nandrolone decanoate without PCT(post cycle therapy). Deca Durabolin disturbs your hormones way too much for them to return to their normal range without any assistance.
But I know what you must be thinking: Does PCT make you lose all your bodybuilding gains?
Well, yes and no.
Let me explain.
Yes, you will lose some of the water weight on PCT but no, the lean muscle mass you have gained will not be lost. So, rest assured, you will not go back to your initial state after completing the Deca Durabolin cycle!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
|
|
Nandrolone phenylpropionate(NPP)
Nandrolone phenylpropionate was the first Nandrolone compound to be ever released. With its official launch in 1959, it amassed quite an attention after its impressive anabolic properties were made public.
The best thing about Nandrolone phenylpropionate is that it makes you gain muscles without any water retention. Since the risk of bloating is crossed out with NPP, you will only gain lean muscle mass during its use. Therefore, people looking for a safer option or an alternative to unnecessary water bloating can use NPP for efficient muscle building.
You also do not gain over-the-top weight while on NPP. This protects your tendons and ligaments from added stress they face when you bulk up dramatically(just like you do while on Deca). Hence, you can add it to your cutting routine or your bulking cycle for added protection to your body.
The non-water retentive property of NPP makes PCT easier for you, both mentally and physically.
Let me tell you why.
Since NPP does not cause water retention in your body, you will not lose most of the weight you have gained during its use (unlike Deca Durabolin). NPP saves your body from a dramatic shift of image during PCT, something which comes as a shock for people who come off of Deca Durabolin (the bulkiness reduces a lot when the water weight is lost).
Not only this, NPP has a short ester chain, therefore it is eradicated from your system earlier than Deca Durabolin. NPP has an active half-life of 5 to 7 days, therefore it is easier to get it out of the system (if you have serious side effects) than Deca Durabolin, which takes almost two weeks to clear from the system. You, therefore, have more control over your body with short-ester compounds than with long-ester steroids. Sensitive users are therefore recommended to use the NPP cycle first and foremost.
The downside of Nandrolone phenylpropionate is what you have read before: No bulking up as compared to Deca. This is the primary reason for its decreased popularity as compared to Deca Durabolin. NPP does improve your muscle-building capacity and muscle recovery, but it doesn’t make you gain any appreciable weight. A modest-looking lean yet muscular body is all that you get by NPP.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
|
|
Deca Durabolin VS NPP: Which is more suitable for joints?
Bodybuilders dread facing joint pain. It is a death sentence to their strength training and a deal-breaker for their bodybuilding dreams.
To keep up with the rigorous exercise regimen, you need to top up your game with steroids so that your joints do not suffer excessive damage from constant cutting workouts. Since Nandrolones are known for their property of joint pain relief, experts usually recommend them to alleviate joint pain.
But which is a better option for joint pain relief: Deca Durabolin or NPP?
Well, the answer is NPP.
The primary reason behind this is that Deca Durabolin makes you a member of Swole city (the bulking effect is a game on another level!). But this prominent weight gain, primarily due to water retention, makes it stressful for your joints to support your evolved body structure.
Since NPP does not make you retain water at all, its joint relief or collagen-building effect is more prominent than the former.
Deca Durabolin VS NPP: Which is better of the two?
Well, we have now come to the question of the day.
Deca and NPP both are quite remarkable steroids in their way. But knowing which is better for gains is necessary for you to make a decision.
Hence, the winner of the Deca Durabolin VS NPP comparison is…
No one.
Yes, you read it right.
This is because what’s better of the two depends entirely on your goal.
If you wish to bulk up like those professional bodybuilders, whose gains make you turn your head and leave your mouth wide open, then Deca Durabolin is the right choice for you. On Deca, the monstrous gains you develop make you as big as you can get, so if you don’t mind losing some of the water weight post-therapy then you are good to go.
However, if you wish to gradually improve your lean muscle mass, without becoming extraordinarily big, then go for NPP without a second thought. The short pinning cycles as well as the radical effect it has on your body are well suited for a subtle muscular body.
But don’t forget: both of these Nandrolone compounds can have serious side effects. Their long-term use is not recommended at all. Nandrolone compounds shut off your system harshly, making them one of the most difficult compounds to gain recovery from! I would suggest you read my other article referring to the side effects of Deca Durabolin. You must take all the precautions while on a Nandrolone cycle.