Baseline JournalPractical, evidence-based guidance for strength athletes on anabolic steroids: how to get results, what to monitor, how to use more safely, how to cut and bulk. Written by an athlete, reviewed by a physician. Independent, no shop.https://baselinejournal.com/enBulking without getting fat: surplus size, rate of gain, protein, and when to stophttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/bulking-without-getting-fat/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/bulking-without-getting-fat/Gain muscle, not fat: a 10–20% surplus, 0.25–0.5% of body weight per week, 1.6–2.2 g protein per kg, and why a bigger surplus only adds fat.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBulkingbulkingmuscle gaincalorie surplusproteinlean bulkoff-seasonHigh hematocrit on testosterone: what the number means, the threshold, and what brings it downhttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/high-hematocrit-explained/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/high-hematocrit-explained/Why androgens raise hematocrit, why thick blood matters, the 54% threshold physicians use, how to test it properly, and the measures that lower it.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHealth & bloodworkhematocriterythrocytosisblood viscosityphlebotomytestosteronemonitoringInjection safety and hygiene: how to avoid infections, abscesses and nerve damagehttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/injection-safety-and-hygiene/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/injection-safety-and-hygiene/Sterile technique for intramuscular injections: sites, needles, preparation, rotation, what infection looks like, when to see a doctor.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsinjectionhygieneabscessinfectionharm reductionsterile techniqueKeeping your gains after a cycle: what you lose, what you keep, and the five things that decide ithttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/keeping-gains-after-a-cycle/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/keeping-gains-after-a-cycle/Why muscle drops after stopping anabolic steroids, why some of it stays permanently, and the training, protein, calorie and recovery rules that keep the most.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRecoverykeeping gainsmuscle memorypost-cyclerecoverytrainingproteinBlood pressure on anabolic steroids: why it rises, how to measure it, what brings it downhttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/managing-blood-pressure-on-cycle/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/managing-blood-pressure-on-cycle/The most common and most fixable cardiovascular effect of anabolic steroids: how to measure at home, the thresholds, and what actually lowers it.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHealth & bloodworkblood pressurehypertensioncardiovascularmonitoringsodiumharm reductionEstrogen on cycle: the symptoms of too high, the symptoms of too low, and why crushing it costs youhttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/managing-estrogen-without-overdoing-it/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/managing-estrogen-without-overdoing-it/Aromatising steroids raise estradiol; inhibitors lower it. Both extremes hurt. How to tell them apart, what to test, and why preventive AI use is a mistake.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsestrogenestradiolaromatase inhibitorgynecomastiawater retentionharm reductionOral vs injectable steroids: liver, lipids, blood levels, and why physicians prefer injectableshttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/oral-vs-injectable-steroids/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/oral-vs-injectable-steroids/How oral and injectable steroids differ: liver processing, HDL impact, stability of blood levels, and what that means for the lower-risk choice.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsoral steroidsinjectable steroidsliverHDL17-alpha-alkylatedestersTestosterone replacement therapy explained: who it is for, what it does, how it differs from a cyclehttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/trt-explained/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/trt-explained/What TRT is, the diagnosis needed, what it restores, the Endocrine Society monitoring schedule, and the line between therapy and performance use.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT40+ and hormone therapyTRTtestosterone replacement therapyhypogonadismlow testosteroneover 40monitoringBloodwork on anabolic steroids: what to test, when, and what to do with the numbershttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/bloodwork-before-during-after/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/bloodwork-before-during-after/Blood tests for anabolic steroid use on a timeline: baseline panel, what to recheck during use, recovery markers after, and the values that mean act now.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHealth & bloodworkbloodworkblood testshematocritlipidsliver enzymestestosteronemonitoringCutting without losing muscle: rate, protein, traininghttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/cutting-without-losing-muscle/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/cutting-without-losing-muscle/Lose fat, keep muscle: 0.5–1% of body weight per week, 2.3–3.1 g protein per kg fat-free mass, heavy lifting with less volume, sleep. What changes on androgens.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCuttingcuttingfat losscalorie deficitproteinmuscle retentioncontest prepComing off anabolic steroids: how recovery works and what PCT actually doeshttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/post-cycle-therapy-explained/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/post-cycle-therapy-explained/How your own testosterone returns after anabolic steroids, the timeline, what PCT medicines do, when a physician uses them, and how to keep your gains meanwhile.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRecoverypost-cycle therapyPCTrecoveryhypogonadismSERMhCGkeeping gainsHow to use anabolic steroids more safely: the principles that protect your results and your healthhttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/safer-use-principles/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/safer-use-principles/Harm-reduction rules for anabolic steroid use: what to set up before, the three numbers to control during, when to stop, and how to come off keeping your gains.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsharm reductionsafer usemonitoringblood pressurehematocritrecoveryresultsAnabolic steroid side effects: what to watch for, what to do, what reverseshttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/side-effects-of-anabolic-steroids/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/side-effects-of-anabolic-steroids/Steroid side effects organised by what to do: early signs, the fix, and whether it reverses after stopping. Heart, blood, liver, hormones, skin, mood.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsside effectscardiovascularlivergynecomastiahair lossmoodharm reductionWhat anabolic steroids are, how they work, and what results to expecthttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/what-are-anabolic-steroids/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/what-are-anabolic-steroids/Anabolic steroids in plain terms: mechanism, the three classes of compounds, realistic gains from the controlled trials, medical vs sports use, legality.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAnabolic steroidsanabolic steroidstestosteroneresultsmuscle growthpharmacologyWomen and anabolic steroids: results, risks, and how to use more safelyhttps://baselinejournal.com/articles/women-and-anabolic-steroids/https://baselinejournal.com/articles/women-and-anabolic-steroids/What women get from anabolic steroids, which effects are permanent, the early signs only you will notice, the monitoring that matters, and rules that keep risk low.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFor womenwomenfemale athletesvirilizationmenstrual cyclesafer usestrength sports