While anabolic steroids are getting more and more popular, especially during the last few decades, there is one question in regards to their usage that might pop up in your head over and over again: How long do steroids stay in your system? Well, unfortunately, the only specific answer we can give to this question is: It fully depends on the steroid you take. It is a fact that compared to the oral steroids, the injectable ones stay in the blood for longer but the half-life of all anabolic steroids regardless of their form can actually vary between less than a week and more than a year a.k.a up to 12-18 months. So let’s dive in deeper into the topic.
We all have heard about the fascinating results that steroids can bring in just a couple of weeks. Many athletes experience a significant increase in both strength and workout performance, that otherwise would take ages for them to achieve. Even the potential negative side effects don’t stop bodybuilders of taking steroids in both injectable and oral form.
It is also not a secret that most anabolic substances are actually strictly forbidden and even illegal in some countries. This is why so many athletes aim to stay informed about the half-life period at least of the most popular steroids. So, if you are going to get tested for steroids on your job, or as a pre-competition procedure, but you still insist on taking anabolic supplements, you should always consider the period that your body will need to get rid of the drug completely.
And when it comes to steroid testing, you should keep in mind that the standard urine and blood tests are usually able to discover the most common substances available on the market. However, there are also some more complex tests that are designed to measure the level of anabolic substances in your body with quite good precision. Despite all the risks that steroids can bring, it is a fact that taking anabolic supplements is still one of the most popular ways to gain some muscle mass and strength in no time. And although they are widely used by people of all ages and genders, the only question that most people care about is how long do anabolic steroids stay in your system. In fact, very few are familiar with the real impact those types of medications might have on the body.
It is not a coincidence that most steroids are actually banned by so many sports and countries. Unlike many other dangerous drugs, steroids do not cause such a noticeable impact on the behaviour, like strong excitement for example. However especially when overdosed, they can lead to frequent mood changes, nervousness and even anger and aggression. Furthermore, some steroids can lead to serious health issues and even addiction in the long term. Those are mostly related to:
- High blood pressure and even heart attacks
- Liver toxicity and tumours
- Gynecomastia etc.
This is why, it is extremely important to consider if you have a real need of taking steroids and therefore to talk to your doctor or fitness instructor first, in case you decide to give the steroids a try.
Steroid Drug Testing
Have you ever wondered how does the steroid drug testing work? Or how long does a steroid injection last compared to its oral alternative? Well, let’s find the answer together. Long story short, steroids can be detected by measuring the testosterone levels and steroid metabolites in the body of a certain person. Those levels can be checked through the urine, blood or even the follicles of the hair. Along with those methods, there are other popular steroid drug tests such as GC, Radioimmunoassay, HPLC and in more serious cases even chromatographic methods that can measure the steroid levels in the body. Of course, the different sports have different anti-doping rules and therefore different methods for testing. However, if you want to pass a steroid drug testing you should either reconsider taking anabolic substances at all or you should make sure to get familiar with the half-life period of the medication you are interested in. All anabolic steroids can be conditionally divided into the following groups:
Steroids that can be detected up to a week after the last intake:
- 1. Testosterone Suspension
- 2. Testosterone Undecanoate
- 3. Clenbuterol
Substances like Testosterone Suspension can be easily detected up to three days after the last intake. There are also some drugs that have even shorter half-life such as Testosterone Undecanoate and Clenbuterol. This makes them some of the best supplements to take straight before an upcoming competition.
Steroids with up to 6 weeks half-life period:
- 1. Parabolan
- 2. Primobolan
- 3. Stanozolol
- 4. Dianabol
- 5. Anavar
- 6. Testosterone Propionate etc.
With relatively short half-life, those substances have a really fast effect as well. However, it should be noted that the half-life periods that we mentioned above are valid for the oral versions of Dianabol and Stanozolol only. Their injectable variations, however, stay longer in the blood.
Steroids with up to 4 months half-life:
- 1. Anadrol
- 2. Testosterone Cypionate
- 3. Stenox
- 4. Anapolin
- 5. Winstrol etc.
All those medications stay in the body for 2 to 4 months. That’s why despite their good action, most of the bodybuilders prefer to take them during the off-season when there is almost no chance to get tested. This way they can enjoy good results without putting their career on risk.
Up to one year half-life:
- 1. Dianabol
- 2. D-Bol
- 3. Turinabol
- 4. Anabolin etc.
Since it takes almost a year for these substances to leave the body completely, many athletes prefer to avoid them. However, in some cases, the risk might be worth it in view of their strong action.
More than a year
- 1. Durabolin
- 2. Deca-Durabolin
- 3. Turinabol
Known also as extremely heavy, those types of substances can be recognized in the body even a year after the last intake. With up to 18 months half-life, they should be avoided if you want to pass a steroid drug test.
