Introduced by the in the early 1960's by the Ciba corporation, Dianabol (known as D-bol on the street) had the power to create muscle mass so extreme that it would make girls swoon and the less pumped up boys run in fear. Even though it was introduced over four decades ago, the anabolic steroid remains as popular today as it was back in the golden era of steroid usage and is still quietly sought after in some bodybuilding circles.

Dianabol, which is a chemical derivative of the male hormone testosterone, is known not only to produce extreme muscle mass, but also had the disturbing side effect of creating extreme masculine properties. An attribute that is okay for the males using the product, but does not sit well with female bodybuilders.

Not only does the supplement produce tremendous muscle mass, it has also been shown to increase strength by leaps and bounds. In order to achieve the desired effects, most male users must take close to 125 milligrams of the substance (equivalent to five tablets daily). Another benefit noted is its ability to work well with other supplements. The mix of choice includes Dianabol and Deca-Durabolin.

While Dianabol has a variety of positive side effects, it also comes with a whole laundry list of not so pretty problems. Among the most common are male breast development, acne, water retention, extremely oily skin and unwanted hair growth. In addition the substance has been shown to have a link to baldness, most commonly in men with the genetic make-up for the condition. Many users try to counteract some of these side effects by using an estrogen blocker.

As with many steroids, Dianabol is chemically modified so that it can survive passage through the liver and digestive organs without breaking down. While this modification allows the drug to have a longer effect in the body, it also can create a highly dangerous toxicity level in the liver, which can lead to liver failure and even cancer. It is thought that using the drug for shorter periods of time (no more than an two month cycle) can reduce the risk of this problem.

So is it really worth the risk? While steroids have a whole host of negative side effects that should be deterrent enough, couple that with the fact that the United States Food and Drug Administration banned all steroids as illegal substances back in the early 1990's and you have double the reason not to give the supplement a try. Also, consider the fact that if caught using or selling the substance, you face the same prosecution as any other illegal drug user or dealer.

In addition, all professional and many amateur sports require periodic drug testing of their athletes. If found to be using performance enhancing substances, athletes not only run the risk of criminal prosecution, but also the potential of being banned from their sport for life.

With all the alternatives on the market, it is a wonder that anyone would want to take the legal and health risks posed by substances such as Dianabol. Not only are these alternative supplements completely legal and lacking in the ugly side effects of their beefed up steroid cousins, many have been shown to provide remarkable results.