Boldenone (1,4-androstadiene-3-one-17β-ol, available as the undecylenate ester), also known under the trade names Equipoise, Ganabol, Equigan and Ultragan, is an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly for treatment of horses. It is not indicated for use in humans in the US and is only available through veterinary clinics.

The activity of boldenone is mainly anabolic, with a low androgenic potency. It has a very long half-life, with minimal blood levels present up to 8 weeks after discontinued use.

Boldenone will increase nitrogen retention, protein synthesis, increases appetite and stimulates the release of erythropoietin in the kidneys. The drug is commonly used in doping within bodybuilding, even though this use is illegal. If intended to assist in bodybuilding, the drug is taken as part of a steroid stack of other anabolic steroids, usually with a potent androgen like testosterone as the 'base' of the stack. Common bodybuilding doses for Equipoise range between 200 mg to 400 mg/week but could be as high as 800 mg/week.

Equipoise has a low rate of aromatization (about 50% of Testosterone), which means it does not convert to estrogen easily and does not cause very much water retention. Many Bodybuilders will find that it is a good replacement drug for Nandrolone.

As an undecylenate ester, boldenone needs only be injected every week (staying active well over 4 weeks), but because the preparations come in 25 mg/ml, users most often opt for 25-50 mg every day to every other day. A use of 300-400 mg per week seems to be the normal recommendation. Its not hepatoxic to any serious degree and can therefore be used for longer cycles. The appearance of underground forms of boldenone in higher concentrations (200 mg/ml) has made it easier to inject only once a week, which is to be preffered over the multiple dosings because it has a more even release and the cumulative effect shows much sooner. Speaking of cumulative effect, the best results with boldenone are seen when a user front-loads. Usually that means he will use a high doses of 600-800 mg/week for 2 weeks and then lower that dose to the normal 300-400 mg/week for the remaining 8-10 weeks.

Boldenone is most often used for cutting. Its stacking partners for this purpose in particular are trenbolone, stanazolol and testosterone propionate. I'm no big fan of testosterone for cutting, although propionate is commonly used with great success by many users. Nonetheless I don't recommend test for cutting for beginners. Stanazolol is particularly useful in improving muscle hardness and strength while boldenone offers increased vascularity without overly aromatizing. The use of 50 mg of stanazolol every day, stacked with 300-400 mg per week of boldenone should serve the purpose of retaining gains and gaining increased definition and vascularity while shedding fat very well. Trenbolone would be a better match for those looking for moderate but very lean gains. Parabolan at 76 mg every other day for example will provide a decent increase in lean mass in combination with boldenone, without having to sacrifice shape or definition. Of course any combination of the above is an option as well. For example 300 mg of equipoise per week stacked with 76 mg of parabolan every other day and 50 mg of Winstrol every day, possibly with some test propionate at 50 mg a day.

Many atheletes find boldenone the better choice for bulking. Due to its effect on vascularity it is mostly used for cutting, but if you had a drug that increased your appetite like boldenone does, would you really use it to lose weight? It makes more sense to use it in a stack with a testosterone ester like enanthate or cypionate for good gains, instead of nandrolone. Sort of as a base. It aromatizes less than nandrolone and doesn't have that pesky progestagenic effect either, and because it increases appetite it would provide you with the means to an end in terms of gaining weight. 300-400 mg a week of boldenone with 500 mg of sustanon or 500 mg of testosterone enanthate would form an incredible stack. Even for those who prefer deca, adding a small amount of boldenone will go a long way in improving appetite. But boldenone is stronger than Deca, mg for mg, as well as safer and less suppressive.

Boldenone makes a very poor match for nandrolone and methenolone though, since its very similar in action. The beauty of boldenone is that it can be an alternative for nandrolone when bulking due to its leaner results and more potent anabolic action, as well as an alternative for methenolone because while barely aromatizing its stronger than methenolone (Primobolan), gram for gram.

The use of secondary drugs is rarely required. It doesn't aromatize at a great rate so the use of anti-aromatases is rarely implemented and the use of Nolva and clomid, during a cycle, is only necessary when stacked with aromatizing steroids like testosterone. Nolvadex or Clomid may have some use in restoring natural test post-cycle, because of the long-acting ester (11 carbons) and the mild estrogenic component. Normally 4 weeks of treatment is required, starting 1.5 to 2 weeks after the last shot.