Deca Makes You Weird

Sections:

1. Introduction

1. Using rat tests, 4-week treatment with nandrolone was shown to produce an anxious phenotype in rodents^[1].

1. But several studies have confirmed a depressive phenotype from deca that is dissimilar from testosterone.

2. Chronic (4-week) nandrolone treatment has been shown to induce a reduction in sweet-taste (sucralose) preference, which is an indicator of anhedonia^[2].

1. Note that SSRIs increase sucralose preference in rats.
2. Serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine levels in the nucleus acumens (which transmits dopamine while the animal eats sucralose) were all reduced.

3. 6 week nandrolone treatment decreased NPY neuron availability in the hippocampus and decrease NPY blood levels, which are thought to associate well with pituitary NPY levels^[3].

1. NPY expression is lower in the depressed.

4. 4-week treatment with nandrolone produced a depressive and anhedonic state associated with increased activating of the kynurenine pathway, an alternate metabolism for tryptophan^[4].

1. Tryptophan is mainly catabolized by the kynurenine pathway which yields neuroactive compounds including kynurenine.
2. An alternate metabolism for tryptophan is towards serotonin, which has consistently been lowered in deca users.

2. Study Design^[5]

1. 18 rats were divided into control, deca, and test.
2. Deca and test given injections every 3rd day for 18 days.
3. Blood levels, behavior, and brain matter were analysed.

3. Results:

1. The majority of alterations were region specific to the hypothalamus:

1. Nandrolone more than testosterone upregulates mRNA transcription of the oxytocin receptor gene.

1. Oxytocin regulates food intake and sexual behavior.

1. In this study on rats, nandrolone decanoate rats experienced less body weight gain than control or testosterone undecanoate rats.

2. It forms a complex with dopaminergic neurons.

1. The effect of oxytocin injection on behavioral changes in rats is inhibited by the dopamine antagonist haloperidol and partially abolished by the MOR antagonist naloxone^[6].

3. Oxytocin transmission occurs after stressful events.
4. Oxytocin receptors, neurons, and levels are found to be increased in the depressed.

2. Nandrolone and testosterone also upregulated the neuropeptide Y 1 and 5 receptor expression in the hypothalamus, and NPY is also thought to regulate food intake.

1. Nandrolone upregulated the 1R less and 5R more.

3. The authors predict that this effect is AR dependent, as it occurs more in deca than test groups but occurs in both and deca has a higher affinity for the androgen receptor.

1. Deca only produces less effect on pubic and scalp AR due to being transformed by 5AR into a weaker androgen.
2. Previously, oxytocin genes were shown to be regulated by AR expression in the hypothalamus.

2. Stress hormone levels:

1. Adrenocorticotropic hormone was reduced more in the deca group than the test group, but both lower than control.
2. Corticosterone was reduced in the testosterone group but increased from control in the deca group.

1. This is the rat equivalent of cortisol. Deca increases cortisol from baseline.

3. Behavior:

1. Deca group gained less bodyweight.
2. Deca group moved less, overall.
3. It was previously shown that testosterone could increase movement, where deca decreased it^[7].

4. Takeaways

1. Deca consistently produces a depressive phenotype in rats, though it inconsistently produces an anxious phenotype.
2. Anhedonic people tend to complain, while anxious people tend to switch the subject a lot.
3. Alterations in the oxytocin, neuropeptide y, and monoamine pathways may explain these changes.

Deca Worsens Blood Sugar Control

1. Introduction

1. It is known that GH worsens insulin sensitivity and produces full-fledged diabetes in acromegalics.
2. Physiologic testosterone improves lipolysis and insulin sensitivity.
3. What about supraphysiologic amounts of steroids? Historical studies have exhibited worsened glucose metabolism.
4. In this study, we examine the effects of supraphysiologic doses on the metabolisms of rats.

2. Design

1. Rats in a control, low dose deca, and high dose deca group.

3. Results

1. Body composition:

1. Deca treatment increased muscle mass and water content.
2. Deca treatment decreased total fat mass but not visceral fat (only IM and SubQ).

2. Insulin resistance in muscle:

1. OGTT tests were the same, but reduced skeletal muscle uptake in response to insulin was found with deca.
2. Specific muscle insulin insensitivity (metformin?).

3. Serum levels:

1. Serum glucose levels are lower in the deca group.
2. However, serum insulin levels are higher, implying a potential role for deca directly at the pancreas.

4. Glucose production while fasting:

1. Glucose can be produced by glycolysis of glycerol from fat tissue or from gluconeogenesis.
2. Deca treatment increases glycerol, potentially due to triglyceride breakdown or impaired gluconeogenesis.
3. High dose deca impaired gluconeogenesis (from glycerol, lactate, or amino acids).

5. Insulin resistance at the liver:

1. Liver glycogen levels are also lower.
2. Liver glucokinase also decreased.

6. It is unclear how these changes occur, suggestions made:

1. Reduced glucocorticoid activity.
2. Reduced thyroid activity.