1 AD Information
1AD (1-androstene-3beta, 17beta-diol)
or (1-androstene-3beta, 17beta-dione)
Target Hormone: 1-testosterone
Target conversion: (supposedly) very high, because it has a double bond at
the 1st carbon and it is a diol version.
Conversion enzyme: 3-ß-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase (3HSD)
DHT conversion: some converting back to DHT through unknown pathway
Estrogenic effects: None whatsoever
1-AD is an oral only compound that converts to a different target hormone
altogether, namely 1-testosterone. Early data¹ suggests that 1-testosterone is
700% more anabolic than testosterone. How that translates in real world terms is
yet to be determined. From the testimonials (they are limited) I've read the
gains are slightly better than those of Nor-diol, so that would be a significant
improvement, though not quite as high as the percentage might suggest. There was
an initial dione version, but I believe that has been pulled and all 1AD
currently available is diol. Again that means no estrogenic conversion prior,
but none post-conversion either because 1-test doesn't aromatize. It's a
derivative of the androgenic compound DHT, meaning that it has already undergone
5-alpha-reductase and cannot under any circumstances form estrogen.
The androgenicity is still very much an issue. It can convert to DHT via a
different pathway (I should say convert back) but it's not known to what extent
or what effects it has. So far no one has reported any serious side effects in
this nature, but neither has there been any rigorous large-scale testing. The
jury is still out on what this means to people who are at risk for things like
prostate enlargement and hair loss. Since it is extremely androgenic in other
ways as well, this is one aspect that will need further digging to get to the
bottom of. I fear this may be the weakness of 1AD.
Oral activity is a great plus. To date orals are the only form that allow
serious stacking and proper use of prohormones (more on that later). On the
downside a lot of it doesn't survive the liver which makes us toss away a large
amount of money spent on prohormones, because the yield is rather low. 1AD may
have solved that problem. In steroids people make things 17-alkalated to survive
the liver, but in return this increases liver toxicity severely. But a double
bond in the one position (hence the name 1-testosterone) ensures a greater
amount surviving without the risk of liver toxicity. Chemically you can liken it
to the steroid primobolan, which is the same structurally except for an extra
methyl-group but also has the double bond in the one position. It functions much
in the same way. Making this perhaps the most potent oral prohormone to date. I
would estimate oral activity to be in the neighborhood of 30%. That means even
relatively small doses can exert decent effects, which will no doubt make up for
its preposterous price.
In effects 1-test has been likened more often to Halotestin and trenbolone
than Primobolan, qualitatively speaking. I did some research on this and this
would mean that most of the gains are lean mass (not huge mass increases, then
losing most) making it great to use even when cutting (though obviously the
gains will be a lot smaller) and that the amount of water and fat weight is
significantly reduced because there is no estrogen effect whatsoever. So blowing
up like a balloon is out of the question, which isn't so visually satisfying,
but it gets you harder and the gains are for real. That has to count for
something. Halotestin is 17-alkalated by the way, so if you go researching don't
be frightened by the enormous liver toxicity of Halostestin as I was, since 1AD
is not 17-alkalated.
Since info on 1-testosterone is fairly scarce and hard to find, I did some
more research on trenbolone in the specific steroid milieu (several websites, a
few experienced users and a special shout-out to La Fetarde of our very own
steroid boards for the info) and found that the common belief is that it is best
stacked with a non-androgen for best results. Meaning that if you were thinking
of stacking this, moderate doses (standard 300 to 600 mg) would be best used
with Nor-diol, but if you were thinking of doing a serious stack (expensive,
900-1200 mg), you may want to consider 19Nor instead so there is no competition
for enzymes.
There has been some talk of using 1AD as a pre-contest hardener as even users
who were dieting and experienced very little gains boasted some impressive
physiques nonetheless.
The major downsides to 1AD: physiologically the
only side-effect reported so far is a loss of libido, to which
Patrick Arnold himself replied that it may best be stacked with 4-diol if this worries
you (or you have an insatiable girlfriend like me). And some of the testimonials
said something about a distended belly, though it went away. Other than that, the
only major setback is once again the cost.
To order
prohormones, click here.
|