If you want to improve your muscle tone, physical appearance, and strength, you may have thought about using the steroid Equipoise. This steroid is bound to provide you with a tight, bulky bod, envied by any bodybuilder. Yet, what are the side effects of Equipose, and why should you avoid them?
While Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate Injection) is an effective way to build muscle strength, it is a steroid intended for animals. If you plan to use Equipoise to gain muscle power or improve your appearance, it is crucial to know the side effects. Keep reading to learn about five detrimental side effects of Equipoise that you’ll want to avoid at all costs, regardless of the benefits.
Oily Skin and Acne
While users of EQ aim to promote their physique by losing fat and gaining muscle, it has an effect on your skin that may not be worth it. Equipoise will give users a great muscle tone without looking too bulking, but may change their skin composition, making it more oily and prone to acne.
All steroids have a reputation for causing acne due to their active ingredients increasing the oil production in the skin. When the oil glands become inflamed or infected, it is known as acne. This type of acne is known as steroid acne.
Although oily skin and acne are common among all steroids, it is a huge side effect of Equipoise. Oily skin and acne are more often seen after high dosages of EQ, but it can happen after any dose at any time in the cycle.
This acne is mainly reported on the face and back due to increased oil production, which completely counteracts the action of gaining a strong body with minimal imperfections.
You can avoid acne from Equipoise by maintaining a simple skin cleansing routine. EQ users recommend choosing one of the following remedies to avoid breakouts from occurring:
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Salicylic acid
- Retinoids
Benzoyl peroxide is a treatment used for most types of acne, recommended by dermatologists. Yet, it should not be used in combination with salicylic acid or retinoids as it can cause dry skin and even more breakouts.
Salicyclic acid is a treatment for acne that exfoliates and sheds dead skin cells. It is perfect for oily skin as it cleanses and reduces inflammation of the oil glands reducing the size and frequency of acne.
Retinoids are derived from vitamin A that are used to treat various types of acne and prevent skin aging. It is available over the counter, but doctors can tell you the specific type of retinoid that will work best for your skin as you take EQ.
Hair Loss
Another counteractive side effect of Equipoise is hair loss! While you work to get a better-looking bod, you may be a risk of losing your hair! If you want to keep your beautiful locks, then be sure to know how to avoid hair loss from EQ usage.
It may not affect every Equipoise taker, but it is more likely to happen to EQ users that have a family history of hair loss, receding hairlines, and baldness. It also causes seborrheic dermatitis which causes dry scaly spots on your scalp as well as dandruff.
So, if you are genetically predisposed to hair loss, how much EQ should you take?
Unfortunately, no proven answer states what dosage of EQ will cause hair loss. This steroid affects each person differently and your body may react completely differently than someone that is taking the same dosage.
However, to combat a fresh bald head or a dry itchy scalp, you can take the following steps:
- Use a homeopathic hair treatment
- Hormone therapy
- Finasteride
- Rogaine
- Stop using Equipoise
The best method for avoiding hair loss while using Equipoise is to stop using it. This will prevent any further hair loss that you already have and allow your hair to regrow with other treatments.
Some doctors recommend non-surgical treatments such as homeopathic hair therapy. There are various methods including Flouricum Acid and Phosphorus. It is best to see a doctor for homeopathic treatment, as they can help identify if the EQ is causing your hair loss if you a genetically predisposed, or a matter of both.
Hormone therapy is another option recommended by EQ users. Since Equipoise is a steroid that adds hormones to your body, it may cause hair loss. After visiting the doctor, they will be able to determine if hormone therapy is a solution to baldness after using EQ.
Finasteride is a hair growth medication that treats hair loss and hyperplasia in men. This hormonal medication changes testosterone to another enzyme that hormone hair growth. Although this medication will increase the amount of hair you grow, it will also decrease prostate size.
Rogaine is a supplement known to many men that aim to regrow their hair. However, Rogaine will only regrow your hair, not prevent it from falling out or thinning.
Although there are many methods to regrow hair, there are no specific ways to prevent hair loss except by stopping the steroid. If you are genetically conditioned to hair thinning, it is best to refrain from using this steroid, unless you want to use a method to regrow your hair when you are finished with the dosage.
Organ Damage
The biggest and most crucial side effect of taking Equipoise is the damage that it may cause to your organs. Although no person wants to damage their internal parts, getting a better physique may be more appealing.
As Equipoise is an anabolic steroid, it makes the consumer’s liver more hepatoxic, which means can lead to hepatoxicity and severe organ damage depending on the amount taken, the route of administration, and duration.
Hepatoxicity can cause organ damage in the following organs:
- Liver
- Cardiovascular system
- Testicles
- Kidneys
The effects of EQ on the liver can be seen as higher fatty liver disease, liver damage, cholestatic liver injury, and liver tumors.
Equipoise also affects the cardiovascular system and puts consumers at higher risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and heart attacks.
The main ingredient of Equipoise is testosterone but, in consuming EQ, there is a risk of reduced sexual function and testicular atrophy. But if it adds testosterone, why would your testicles shrink?
Due to the artificial testosterone put into the body, your testicles no longer need to produce it, therefore leading to your body understanding it will no longer need to use this organ to produce testosterone. This impairs fertility, and in some cases, it is irreversible.
The last organ that can be critically damaged by the use of equipoise is the kidneys. Studies on rats have shown that EQ oftentimes leads to renal injuries and eventually, renal failure. EQ and other anabolic steroids have a high chance of causing chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injuries, and even glomerular toxicity.
Glomerular toxicity can cause your body to stop filtering your blood properly. As the glomeruli are damaged, they can leak red blood cells and crucial proteins into your urine. When this happens, your hands, feet, face, and abdomen can begin to swell to keep extra fluid as it is laking the protein your body needs.
Damages to your organs are irreversible and can be fatal. The best way to avoid them is by not taking Equipoise or only using it in small dosages for short periods.
Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is something all humans hope to avoid! Yet, while taking equipoise, there is an ironic chance that it will cause erectile dysfunction, lower sperm count, infertility, and testicular atrophy!
One study concluded that the use of testosterone and EQ for more than 3 years is likely to cause decreased libido as well as erectile dysfunction.
You can see the results in the following table for duration and dosage and how the percentage of men who experienced erectile dysfunction.
| Maximum Dosage Weekly (mg) | Percentage of sample experiencing ED |
| <400 | 16% |
| 400-600 | 27% |
| 600-800 | 18% |
| 800-1000 | 20& |
| >1000 | 17% |
This data confirms that for users of anabolic steroids such as EQ users have a higher risk of erectile dysfunction when consumed in weekly dosage of 400-600 mg.
The following table shows the chance of erectile dysfunction based on the age that men started using equipoise.
| Starting Age | Percentage of sample experiencing ED |
| 14-18 | 7% |
| 19-22 | 30 |
| 23+ | 64% |
It can be noted that the later you take equipoise the higher risk you have of sexual dysfunction. Although it also depends on the number of weeks per year that equipoise is used.
The following table shows the percentage of men with sexual dysfunction based on the weeks per year that they used anabolic steroids.
| Weeks per year | Percentage of sample experiencing ED |
| <10 | 6% |
| 10-20 | 18% |
| 21-30 | 17% |
| 31-40 | 9% |
| 41-50 | 6% |
| >50 | 44% |
It is evident in this study that the number of weeks per year using equipoise has a huge impact on sexual function. If EQ is used for more than 50 weeks per year, you are at high risk for sexual dysfunction.
If you are looking to keep your sex organs functioning the way they should be, equipoise should be avoided, and only take in small dosages for less than ten weeks per year.
Hormonal Body Changes
Equipoise is a steroid that uses testosterone to help build muscle and physique. It should be extremely clear that your body will go through hormonal changes as you take equipoise.
The increased levels of testosterone can lead to your body decreasing or stopping your testosterone hormone production overall, which leads to sexual dysfunction.
Yet, there is another hormonal change that many EQ users are unaware of: it also causes an increase in estrogen.
This increase in estrogen can have the following side effects in men while taking Equipoise:
- Increased water tension
- Gynecomastia
Although it is highly unlikely, equipoise can cause increased water tension due to it being an anabolic androgen steroid.
Taking equipoise can also cause gynecomastia which is an increase in the amount of breast gland tissue. This is due to the imbalance of the hormones estrogen and the extra testosterone you are putting in your body.
For women, there are serious adverse effects of taking EQ. Women may experience virilizing effects from taking this sort of steroid.
Virilizing effects of Equipose for women include
- Deepening of the voice
- Changes in the menstrual cycle
- Change in skin texture
- Growth of facial hair
- Enlargement of the clitoris
Virilization is caused by an excess of androgens that are male hormones. If women take EQ, they are actively putting testosterone into their body, which can cause them to develop more masculine features.
Women’s voices may grow deeper and they may develop facial hair due to the increase of testosterone.
They also may experience changes in the menstrual cycle or irregularities with each cycle.
Skin texture changes will happen to both male and females as anabolic steroids will make skin more oily and prone to acne.
Yet, the strangest side effect for women taking Equipoise is the chance of clitoris enlargement. This side effect can be seen as both positive and negative, as some women may like to have a larger clitoris for sexual pleasure. However, others may see this as a negative side effect and will want to avoid it at all costs.
Overall, there are quite a few hormonal changes that men and women will go through as they take Equipoise. Be sure to be aware of the potential side effects and take precautions before you begin this treatment.
Final Thoughts
While Equipoise can provide you with a smooth, muscular bodybuilder bod, it has various side effects that may not be worth the risk. If you are planning on taking Equipoise be sure of the side effects and how to avoid each one so that you can continue growing and working on your physique, without damaging your skin, hair, organs, and sex life.
Sources
Gary David is the founder and CEO of CrazyMass, one of the nation’s leading supplement companies. Before starting CrazyMass in 2006, Gary was a bodybuilder and personal trainer for several gyms throughout Northwest Michigan, helping clients meet their fitness goals. Gary happily worked in this profession for over 15 years. He saw that most weight gaining products to increase muscle were made with ingredients that were dangerous or of poor quality. He knew there was a safer and healthier way to do this, so he created a special blend of herbs, amino acids, and nutrients to help bodybuilders slim down and gain muscle.
Although Gary no longer participates in bodybuilding competitions, he continues to be involved in the community, helping others prep for shows and attending events where he can advertise CrazyMass products. When Gary isn’t working long hours, he likes to spend his time working out at the gym, boating on Lake Michigan, traveling the trails around Northern Michigan by four-wheeler, and spending time with his family. He also loves to take a yearly trip to Europe with his wife and children.
