Equipoise®, which has the chemical name boldenone undecylenate, is a type of synthetic steroid. It is often used to build muscle in horses, but can produce the same effects in human beings. In the horse training industry, Equipoise® is typically used to facilitate harder training while athletes and bodybuilders use it to build muscle quickly and increase their performance. Regardless of whether it used for human beings or animals, Equipoise® is considered a controversial drug.
The legalities of using Equipoise® may depend on where a person lives or where a horse-related sporting event is located. In many places, a professional athlete who takes this steroid before competition is committing a crime, and some countries make it a crime to even possess it without a prescription. In some jurisdictions, it also illegal for horse use before horse sporting events.
Equipoise®, which means equally balanced, is one of the brand names given to this steroid, but it is marketed under many other names as well. The name is a scientific term but was given to a Thoroughbred horse in the 1930s. The horse was a champion, and the Equipoise® steroid was concocted in a lab while the horse was still popular.
Though this steroid may be abused in some cases, it does have legitimate uses in veterinary care. Veterinarians may use it on horses that are malnourished. It may also be used in treating horses that are underweight or overexerted for the purpose of increasing their muscle mass quickly. It may even help restore a horse’s hair to its former level of quality.
One of Equipoise's® effects is an increase in the user's appetite, which is directly related to muscle building because an increased appetite typically means the person or animal takes in more food. This food, which becomes energy for the body, is used to help the body increase its production of tissues, which means more muscle. Typically, Equipoise® is injected right into the horse’s or human user’s muscles. Often, horses receive injections that are administered at least a couple of weeks apart. A person, however, may take the steroid in small doses a couple of times each week.
Unfortunately, Equipoise® can have adverse effects. It may cause aggressive behavior, for example, in a horse. In humans, it may cause sterility; muscle and tendon strain; or joint damage. Some people may also experience hair loss and an increase in skin blemishes while taking this steroid. Additionally, it may have slightly masculinizing effects.