You want serious muscle gains – but getting them at the cost of losing your hair (literally) doesn’t sound very inviting.
Yet that is the reality for many guys and girls out there.
There’s a lot of confusion about which Steroids do and do not cause hair loss.
That’s why we’ve got together this master article that reveals the facts about Steroids and hair loss.
Read on to find out exactly which Steroids do and which Steroids don’t cause hair loss.
We’ll also reveal the legal, legal alternatives to Steroids that will eliminate hair loss along with the other side effects of Anabolics.
Warning: The content on Muscleandbrawn.com and the information included in this article is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Prior to buying anything, check that it is compliant where you live with your current government laws.
Hair Loss from Steroids
With newbies only concentrating on packing as much muscle on as possible, they often forget about these more mild/irritating side effects they can experience when on a cycle.
They’re so obsessed with the mass, that when they’re off-cycle they start to realize that their precious hairline has somewhat receded. Hair loss is one of the hormonal side effects that are part of the deal with many Anabolic Steroids. The increased Testosterone levels that come with Steroid use also increases the body’s levels of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Increased levels of DHT are known to cause hair loss. It causes hair follicles to shrink which, in turn, leads to a shorter active growth phase, known as the anagen phase. At the same time, the resting, or telogen phase, is extended.
The result of these processes is hair thinning and eventual hair loss.
Many Affected
Many other Steroid users are also becoming victims of hair loss when on a cycle.
Simply type in “Steroids hair loss” and you’ll have dozens of forum posts of anxious bodybuilders.
I personally haven’t noticed much when I’ve taken various Steroids, possibly some thinning from stronger AAS. However, I’m genetically blessed with thick hair.
Below is an anonymous friend of mine who’s also used Steroids and gives his experience:
“Although it wasn’t too severe it was still really annoying and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go through another cycle as I was too frightened of losing my hair.”
So, we’ve compiled some information for Steroid-users who want to make some serious gains, but keep their hairline intact.
Steroids That Don’t Cause Hair Loss
The Steroids which don’t cause as much hair loss are the ones that don’t convert readily into DHT.
So, basically you need to be looking for some milder Anabolics including the likes of:
Anavar
Anavar is a DHT-derivative, so it doesn’t convert to DHT, however it can still cause hair loss in sensitive individuals. Some users however notice the opposite and that their hair actually grows thicker on anavar.
Stronger Androgens such as Dianabol, Trenbolone, Anadrol and Testosterone are likely to aggravate hair loss unless you’re genetically gifted (like Jay Cutler).
Anvarol By Crazy Bulk
Deca-Durabolin
Deca is one of the safest Steroids when it comes to hair loss because, rather than converting to DHT, it converts to the far less problematic DHN. However, you should avoid taking Finasteride along with DHT because the combination will actually make hair loss worse!
Decaduro By Crazy Bulk
Oral Turinabol
Oral Turinabol reportedly has an Androgenic rating of zero. That means that it will not cause any hair loss at all. This structurally altered form of Dianabol provides power Anabolic (muscle and strength enhancing) effects with very few side effects. That makes it the best option if you are concerned with hair loss.
Worst Steroids for Hair Loss
As we have already identified, DHT increase is the main driver of hair loss when you take Anabolic Steroids. So, naturally, those Steroids that cause the greatest DHT increase will cause the greatest hair loss. The higher the Androgenic (sex hormone related) rating of a Steroid, the more likely it will be to cause hair loss as well.
Steroids that are designed for cutting and fat loss are more likely to have high levels of DHT and be likely to cause Androgenic side effects. That is why cutting compounds are more likely to cause hair loss than mass building ones.
Here are the worst Steroids for hair loss:
Winstrol
Winstrol is also known as Stanozolol. It is one of the most popular Steroids for getting ripped during a cutting cycle. This is an oral Steroid that, despite its hair loss side effects, will not convert to estrogen in the body. It is also known to cause joint problems.
Winsol By Crazy Bulk
Anadrol
Anadrol became popular when the underground Steroid guru, Dan Duchaine, touted it as a cheaper alternative to Dianabol. Even though it is in the DHT sterol group, Anadrol is not a cutting agent. Rather it is used to get bigger and stronger. In addition to causing hair loss, it may also lead to bloating, headaches and gyno.
Anadrole By Crazy Bulk
Dianabol
Dianabol is probably the most well known and popular Anabolic Steroid that exists. It is fundamentally an oral version of testosterone that converts readily to estrogen. As well as leading to hair loss, long term use of Dianabol can also be hepatotoxic, meaning that it can cause liver damage.
I strongly recommend that women do not use Dianabol due to its masculinizing effects.
D-bal By Crazy Bulk
Other Strategies to Minimize Hair Loss
There are also ways to help “tolerate” inevitable hair loss side effects by using DHT Inhibitors or Proscar as these will reduce the DHT levels in your body.
You must always remember though that it is not the DHT alone that causes hair-loss, it is a complex series of enzymes and hormones which are usually triggered by a high Androgenic environment.
The annoying thing is that DHT just seems to be a hormone which has a much easier time removing your hair.
If you really don’t want to risk your hair falling out then you should probably stay away from Dianabol and Anadrol as they are the two most notorious Steroids for causing it.
Nonetheless our anonymous user tells us “I have also lost hair from taking Winstrol and also Primobolan” – so everyone is different.
SARM Alternative to Anavar: Cardarine (GW501516)
As you are no doubt aware, hair loss is not the only, nor the most serious, side effect when it comes to Anabolic Steroid use. There are serious health risks involved when you start putting synthetic chemicals of any kind into your body. That is why many people make the choice to reject Anabolic Steroid use and turn, instead, to a class of products that mimic the effects of Steroids by creating the Anabolic environment inside the body that promotes natural increases in testosterone and human growth hormone.
The most obvious alternative to Anabolic Steroids are SARMs. SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) act exactly the same as steroids do in their mechanism, albeit in a less dramatic fashion. SARMs are Selective in their nature, hence the name. While Steroids will bind to all the Androgen receptors in the body, including ones we do not want such as the Prostate, SARMs will only bind to Androgen receptors in the muscle and bone.
SARMs are also not hormones, do not typically convert to DHT, and while some of the strongest ones could have escalating side effects, typically the side effects are rather low. You can still see a great increase in hypertrophy and fat loss, even increased endurance.
If you’re looking to replace Anavar with a SARM, you’re probably looking at Cardarine GW501516. A SARM that can greatly aid with fat loss, muscle gain or retention, and comes with less sides than Anavar! Particularly, it doesn’t suppress endogenous Testosterone.
Cardarine GW501516
One hell of a name, and one hell of a tool! Cardarine is an exceptional tool for weight loss. It’ll preserve muscle loss while you’re in your diet, but also massively accelerate weight loss. As mentioned earlier, Cardarine is technically not a SARM but actually a PPAR Delta Agonist. It’ll bind to PPAR Delta receptors, and cause the body to just burn more energy.
Usually dosed as a liquid shown here by Chemyo, you do sometimes find pills or capsules. Cardarine is also known to increase vascularity – combined with the weight loss this could also massively help with cardiovascular capabilities.
Available at various retailers online such as Chemyo.
10% off with: muscleandbrawn10
Read full Cardarine Review
Do all Steroids cause hair loss?
No, all Steroids do not cause hair loss. Those that do are the ones that readily convert to DHT and that are highly Androgenic. The best Steroids to take to avoid hair loss are:
Anavar
Decadurabolin
Oral Turinabol
Will one cycle of Steroids cause hair loss?
One cycle of a Steroid can cause hair loss, but will generally not cause hair loss. However, depending on the compound that you are using, two or three cycles may cause problems. The worst Steroids for hair loss are those that are highly Androgenic and that readily convert to DHT.
Does Anavar cause hair loss?
No, Anavar does not cause hair loss. In fact, some users claim that it actually makes their hair grow thicker. Anavar is not very Androgenic and does not convert to DHT.
Does Winstrol cause hair loss?
Yes, Winstrol is one of the worst Steroids for hair loss. It has high DHT conversion, although it does not have high estrogenic conversion.
Does Tren cause hair loss?
Yes, Trenbolone can cause hair loss. This drug is a derivative of DHT and has high Androgenic properties. This is the worst combination when it comes to hair loss!
Does Deca cause hair loss?
No, Deca will not cause hair loss. Instead of converting to DHT, it will convert to DHN, which is not a problem for your hair follicles.
Does Dianabol cause hair loss
Yes, Dianabol is one of the worst Steroids for hair loss. It converts to DHT and is highly Androgenic.
Does Anadrol cause hair loss
Yes, Anadrol is another Steroid that causes hair loss. Once again, it is the combination of DHT conversion and high estrogenic properties that causes the problem.
Does Equipoise cause hair loss?
No, Equipoise is not a Steroid that is associated with hair loss. It does not readily convert to DHT, which is the main hormonal driver of hair loss when it comes to Anabolic Steroid use.
Does Masteron cause hair loss?
Yes, Masteron can cause hair loss. Though it does not aromatize and produce estrogenic side effects, it can produce such Androgenic effects as hair loss and acne.
Summary
You now know exactly which Anabolic Steroids to avoid to prevent hair loss and which ones are the worst. We’ve also presented you with a side effect free alternative through the use of legal Steroid alternatives that can save you of all of the headaches associated with Anabolic Steroid use. That is the course that I recommend!
