Sten

Sten yet another blended steroid, similar to Testoviron, but with different dosing and with the addition of DHEA.Specifically, this blend is made up of testosterone propionate and testosterone cypionate, as well as a steroid called dehydroepiandrosterone, or better known as DHEA. DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex as well as the brain. Some of this hormone is actually converted to testosterone in males and estrodiol in women (1).

The function of DHEA in the body is not clearly understood. For starters, unlike testosterone, there is no receptor for DHEA or its close relative DHEAS. It is also non anabolic receptor mediated, meaning its action has nothing to do with the anabolic receptors in your body. Lets figure out exactly what it does which is beneficial to us. For starters, Dehydroepiandrosterone is well known to decrease body fat significantly (3)(4). It has been shown to reduce both abdominal fat as well as visceral fat (5). This, to my mind, makes Sten a very exciting drug, as it contains a steroidal fat-burner as well as a short and long acting testosterone.

Obviously, Sten also contains testosterone, so it would be appropriate to have a brief review of that compound as well. Testosterone is well know to cause strength and muscle growth. The most obvious mechanism by which testosterone induces muscle growth is that it promotes nitrogen retention in the muscle (6) and the more nitrogen the muscles holds the more protein the muscle stores. Testosterone can also increase the levels of another anabolic hormone, IGF-1, in muscle tissue (7), and this hormone is the mediator of Growth Hormone, which also (as the name implies) causes muscle growth. Testosterone can help protect your hard earned muscle from the catabolic (muscle wasting) glucocorticoid hormones (11), thus inhibiting the actions of them. Testosterone has the ability to increase red blood cell production (12), and a higher RBC count may improve endurance through more highly oxygenating the blood going to your muscles. More highly oxygenated blood in your muscles will improve recovery from strenuous physical activity.

Sten would be used very similar to a Sustanon-type blend. Sten is not nearly as common as it was 5 years ago, but can still be found in some parts, especially in Mexico. Male users would want to take a dosage range of 200-400mg/wk for an effective range. Intermediate users would use a dosage of 400-800mg/wk while advanced users could go as high as 1000mg/wk though. This compound should not be recommended to women even in low doses...though the more adventurous women I know have tried 1/2 an amp/week of it. Remember, ladies, testosterone has very strong virilizing properties in women such as deepened voice, increased body hair, acne, and clitoral hypertrophy.

The testosterone contained in Sten can be converted to other unwanted by-products also. The 5-alpha-reductase enzyme can convert the testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, or better known as DHT. DHT is what is responsible for many males to lose their hair and for prostate hypertrophy. Anti-DHT drugs such as Finasteride can be taken to block this conversion and offset most of this possible side effect. Some men will be much more genetically prone for hair loss which will greatly magnify the effects of DHT.

A second by-product produced by exogenous testosterone administration is, of course, estrogen. The aromatase enzyme can convert testosterone into estrogen. The rate in which it converts will vary depending on dose and person to person. The top symptoms include bloating, gynecomastia, elevated blood pressure, acne, and increase in cholesterol levels. To combat this, the use of anti-estrogen compounds is highly recommended.

Users of this compound report great gains with testosterone in general. It can be used in cycles planned to gain mass or lose fat. Gains usually come quickly and are maintained well with proper post cycle preventions.

Testosterone is usually considered the base compound of any cycle. After all, it is the primary anabolic hormone in the male body. For this reason, Sten can be stacked with any other compound desired. The most popular combinations are with Dianabol, Equipoise, Deca, or Trenbolone.

Sten contains only natural hormones. Partly for this reason, the drugs contained in Sten are only detectable for approximately 3 months. This makes Sten a good choice for those that are only seasonally tested.

Although a blend of esters, the longest active life is reported to be just around 2-3 weeks. The length of this life is attributed to the testosterone cypionate contained in Sten. Ideally, Sten should be injected at least every third day in order to properly utilize the testosterone propionate in it while giving stable levels of testosterone in the blood.

I have to admit, this is really the only blended testosterone product I will recommend, and this is for several reasons, really. For starters, there are absolutely zero known fakes of this product. The second reason is that its absurdly cheap When I was last in Mexico, it was less than $3USD for a box of 2 amps (2mls each), each amp containing 25mgs of testosterone propionate, 75mgs of Cypionate, and 20mgs of DHEA. This means you get 200mgs of testosterone, plus 40mgs of the fat-burning DHEA, for half the price of an amp of Sustanon.

As a final note, I never smuggled a hundred amps of Sten from Mexico back into the U.S. of A. in an industrial sized suntan lotion bottle.

Sten Profile

(Testosterone Cypionate &Propionate + DHEA)
    [17b-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one/17-(1-oxopropoxy)-(17beta)-androst-4-en-3-one
    + 3beta-Hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one]
    Testosterone base + cypionate ester. + propionate ester
    Formula: C27 H40 O3.
    Molecular Weight: 412.6112
    Molecular Weight (base): 288.429
    Formula (base): C19 H28 O2
    Melting Point (base): 155C
    Effective Dose (Men): 200-2000mg+ week.
    Effective Dose (Women): Not recommended
    Active life: 12 days.
    Detection Time: Up to 3 months
    Anabolic/Androgenic ratio:100/100.
    Molecular Weight (DHEA): 412.6112, 288.429
    Formula (DHEA): C27 H40 O3, C19 H28 O2
    Melting Point (DHEA) 90, 149 - 151 C
    Manufacturer: Atlantis, MX 120mg/2ml
    Effective Dose (Women): Not recommended
    Average Active Life: +/- 1-1.5 weeks
    (2ml of Sten contains 25 mg testosterone propionate, 75mg testosterone
    Cypionate, and 20mg DHEA)

References:

1. Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil. 2003 Jun;1(2):111-9.
2. Endocr Res. 2004 Nov;30(4):667-71
3. Effect of DHEA on endocrine functions of adipose tissue, the involvement of PPARgamma.Biochem Pharmacol. 2005 May 16; [Epub ahead of print]
4. Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on hormonal, metabolic and behavioral status in patients with hypoadrenalism. J Endocrinol Invest. 2004 Sep;27(8):736-41.
5. Effect of DHEA on abdominal fat and insulin action in elderly women and men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004 Nov 10;292(18):2243-8.
6. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997 Feb;82(2):407-13.
7. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Mar;282(3):E601-7.
8. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 May;7(3):271-7.
9. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2004 Oct;5(5):459-70.
10. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Oct;89(10):5245-55.
11. Anat Histol Embryol. 2003 Apr;32(2):70-9.
12. J Lab Clin Med. 1995 Mar;125(3):326-33.
13. Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue. 2003;9(4):248-51
14. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Apr;88(4):1478-85