Demystifying Steroids
(ACT UP NY version)
ACT UP NY x The Love Tank
Your guide to safer anabolic steroid use for building muscle with fewer risks.
This guide is for people - of any gender - who are considering using anabolic steroids for the first time or are curious about them or for people who have used steroids before but want to learn more about how to do so more safely.
The purpose of this guide is to demystify the use of steroids for building muscle - to explain what they can and cannot do - and to provide holistic harm reduction information. This means this guide contains advice about how to more safely use steroids (including how to inject safely and how to mitigate side effects) and also how to adopt a good outlook on steroids (how to decide whether you should use them, how to appraise risks, and how to think about body image).
Written and researched by Dr. Benjamin Weil.
Produced by The LoveTank CIC, November 2023.
Amended and edited by ACT UP NY for distribution in the USA.
What’s inside
1. Who Is This Guide For?
2. A Note on Sex and Gender
3. What Are Steroids?
4. Steroids Are Not a Silver Bullet
4.1. Reaching your natural potential
4.2. Body image
5. Risks and Side Effects
6. Safer Steroid Use
6.1. What is a cycle?
6.2. What steroids should I use?
6.3. What dose should I use?
6.4. Can I use oral steroids?
6.5. How do I know if my steroids are real?
6.6. How do I look after my health on a cycle?
6.7. How do I inject safely?
6.8. What do I do when I finish a cycle?
6.9. What happens next?
Resources
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A community resource about safer steroid use - including advice about: (1) steroid cycles for beginners, (2) post-cycle therapy, (3) dosing of compounds like aromatase inhibitors and nolvadex, (4) dosing for women, (5) the risks of steroid use under the age of 25.
NOTE 1: You may need to create a free Reddit account to view this page:
NOTE 2: You can find further community discussions on the r/steroids page by searching for a term you are interested in e.g. “liver protectors”
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1. On 'bigorexia'
A Men’s Health article about men struggling with muscle dysmorphia2. MyoMinds
A charity helping people to develop better mental health regarding exercise and food3. International OCD Foundation
Information and support groups about body and muscle dysmorphia, among other compulsive disorders. -
1. 988 Lifeline
24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress2. Psychology Today
National directory of therapists that can be filtered for location and treatment focus3. Clarity Therapy NYC
Mental Health Services for people of color in NYC4. Therapy for Black Men
National Resource to connect Black Men with mental healthcare -
1. ROIDTEST
An at-home steroid testing kit2. Injecting anabolic steroids: step-by-step visual guide
This guide from Exchange Supplies provides comprehensive information about safe intramuscular injection practices for steroids3. How to do an Intramuscular Testosterone Injection
This video demonstrates how to do a safe intramuscular injection in the thigh and glute:4. Needle and syringe services
NYC
Where to buy sterile injecting equipment
Some pharmacies may require a prescription to sell needles and syringes in some states. Click here for a list of needle regulations by state.
In New York, pharmacies may or may not require a prescription to sell needles and syringes, but they are legally allowed to sell up to 10 per person per day without a prescription.
Purchase injecting equipment online:
— Syringes
— Needles
5. Hormone Tests