Synthol - How Big is Big Enough!

This compound is a perfect example of the extremes that some bodybuilders will go to be the "biggest". Not content to have 20 or 22-inch arms, bodybuilders found a way to push the limits up to the 27-inch barrier. Yes you read correctly there are freaks walking around now sporting thigh-sized arms from their shoulders!

Synthol has its origins in the 1980's when a drug called Esiclene was all the rage. For those who missed the 1980's, Esiclene, was not used to build muscle mass like traditional steroids but instead was used as a quick fix to bring up weak bodyparts before a contest. The drug acted primarily by causing a localized swelling. Bodybuilders found it very useful in bringing up such small muscles as the calves, rear shoulders, and arms. The only drawbacks were that Esiclene was very painful to use and very short-lived.

In the mid 1990's a researcher took the next logical step and invented an oil-based compound that could be injected directly into the muscle.
The initial name he chose was Synthol, but he later learned that this was already registered and trademarked by a pharmaceutical company. So he renamed his product Pump N' Pose, but as with steroid trade names the first name stuck. It has now reached the point that Synthol is as well known as such bodybuilding compounds as creatine, Dianabol, and whey protein.

Chemically the drug is composed of 85% medium-chain triglyceride oils (a fatty acid), 7.5% lidocaine (painkiller), and benzyl alcohol. The oil is injected straight into the muscle where it becomes trapped between the muscle fibers. With each injection, a larger volume of oil builds up, and the muscle swells up just like a balloon. It is estimated that about 30% of what is injected is broken down by the body while the remaining 70% breaks down slowly over three to five years. Users report incredible muscle pumps during training, but this could be a result of the extra pressure generated by the trapped oil.

Is it safe?

Although some bodybuilders consider Pump & Pose relatively safe to use, there are numerous health issues to consider. Injecting any amount of fatty-acid material intramuscularly can be dangerous. This is compounded by the fact that most bodybuilders have any medical training. It's very easy to hit a major nerve and if you do hit one by accident you can easily cause permanent paralysis of muscle fibers in that area.

The repeated injections cause other problems. As bodybuilders have discovered from long-term steroid use, sticking a needle into the same are results in the build up of painful scar tissue that may require surgery to remove. And it gets worse. Should you inject into a vein or artery by mistake the fatty acids could be carried to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. They may also reach the heart and induce a heart attack. They might even make it to the brain and lead to stroke. As you might guess all three cases are potentially fatal. Oh and did we mention that if you strike a larger artery such as the femoral artery you could bleed to death in minutes!