Steroid Slang, Street Names & Glossary

In gyms, forums, and private chats, people rarely use full chemical names like "methandienone" or "oxandrolone." Instead, they talk about "gear," "juice," "Tren," "Var," "BPC," "MK-677" and dozens of other slang terms. This glossary explains the most common names and abbreviations used for steroids, peptides, SARMs, prohormones, and underground lab products. It is for education and harm awareness only, not to promote or encourage illegal use.

How Steroid Slang Develops

Slang usually forms because the real names are long, technical, or risky to say openly. People shorten chemical names, use initials, borrow from brand labels, or invent casual terms that sound harmless. Over time, these words spread across gyms, online boards, and social media, so many users know "Tren" but not "trenbolone," or "Var" instead of "oxandrolone." Understanding this slang helps decode conversations and recognize when performance-enhancing drugs are being discussed.

Core Street Names for Steroids

These are general words people use for anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) as a group, not for one specific compound. Many of them show up in official drug-education and anti-doping material.

• Roids / 'Roids – Short for "steroids." One of the oldest and most common slang terms in bodybuilding and sports communities. 
• Juice – Refers to steroids in general or to "being on" a steroid cycle ("He's on the juice"). The idea is "juicing up" performance.
• Gear – Very common gym slang for any anabolic drugs or sometimes all performance-enhancing drugs. Used worldwide in bodybuilding circles. 
• Gym Candy – Slang used in some prevention materials to describe steroids as tempting "candy" for athletes seeking quick gains.
• Arnolds – Slang for steroids referencing Arnold Schwarzenegger, symbol of the classic steroid era.
• Pumpers – Refers to steroids or people using them, connected to the "pump" in muscles after training.
• Stackers – Users who "stack" multiple compounds, or the drugs themselves. From the practice of stacking steroids together.
• Weight Gainers / Weight Trainers – Terms appearing in some public-health glossaries to describe steroids and users seeking mass.

Most Popular Steroids & Their Common Names

Below are some of the most frequently discussed anabolic steroids, with their usual "gym names" and brief notes. Law-enforcement and medical sources list several of these as the most commonly encountered AAS.

• Testosterone ("Test") – Base hormone used in many cycles. Common shorthand: Test E (enanthate), Test C (cypionate), Test P (propionate).
• Nandrolone Decanoate ("Deca") – Long-acting injectable often discussed for joint relief and bulking. Known formally as nandrolone.
• Trenbolone ("Tren") – Very strong injectable steroid associated with rapid strength and physique changes, as well as harsh side effects.
• Stanozolol ("Winstrol", "Winny") – Oral or injectable; often linked to strength and hardness. Frequently named in anti-doping cases.
• Methandienone ("Dianabol", "Dbol" / "D-bol") – Classic oral bulking steroid, one of the earliest popular AAS in bodybuilding.
• Oxandrolone ("Anavar", "Var") – Oral steroid often promoted as a "milder" option; used medically for weight gain in some conditions.
• Oxymetholone ("Anadrol", "A-bombs") – Very strong oral steroid associated with big weight and strength gains, but more side effects.
• Boldenone Undecylenate ("Equipoise", "EQ") – Veterinary-origin injectable; used by some athletes for slow lean gains.
• Methenolone ("Primobolan", "Primo") – Known as a lean-building steroid with a reputation (not always accurate) for being "cleaner."
• Drostanolone ("Masteron", "Mast") – Common in cutting cycles aimed at hardness and conditioning.
• Halotestin ("Halo") – Fluoxymesterone; powerful oral often discussed for strength and aggression in power sports.
• Mixed testosterone blends ("Sustanon", "Sust") – Commercial mix of several Test esters; slang often shortens to "Sust."

Peptides: Names, Abbreviations & Slang

Performance-related peptides are usually referred to by short codes rather than full chemical names. They are not steroids, but they often appear in the same conversations about performance and recovery.

• BPC-157 ("BPC", "Body Protection Compound") – Experimental peptide discussed for gut, tendon, and ligament healing; nickname comes from "Body Protection Compound."
• TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4) – Fragment of the TB-4 protein; widely mentioned for soft-tissue repair and improved mobility.
• CJC-1295 – Growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) analog; often combined with Ipamorelin as a "GH peptide stack."
• Ipamorelin ("Ipa") – Growth hormone secretagogue known for selective GH release with relatively fewer side effects.
• GHRP-2 / GHRP-6 – Older GH-releasing peptides; GHRP-6 is often linked with increased appetite.
• HGH (Human Growth Hormone) – Not a peptide code but often mentioned with peptides; recombinant growth hormone itself.
• GHK-Cu – Copper peptide associated with skin, hair, and tissue regeneration conversations.
• IGF-1 / IGF-1 LR3 – Insulin-like growth factor; "LR3" is a longer-acting analog discussed for hypertrophy potential.
• Melanotan ("MT-2") – Tanning peptide also noted for side effects like darkened moles and nausea.
• "Healing peptides" – Loose slang category that usually means BPC-157, TB-500, and similar recovery-focused compounds.

SARMs: Codes, Brand Names & Slang

SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) are often sold and discussed under research codes plus catchy nicknames. They are not technically steroids, but they act on androgen receptors and are marketed as "milder" alternatives, even though safety concerns remain.

• Ostarine (MK-2866, Enobosarm) – Often simply called "MK" or "Osta," promoted for lean mass and joint comfort.
• LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) – Commonly shortened to "LGD"; marketed for size and strength.
• RAD-140 (Testolone) – Usually just "RAD"; discussed for strong anabolic effects with SARM-like selectivity.
• MK-677 (Ibutamoren) – Non-SARM GH secretagogue; widely called "MK-677" or "Ibu," known for increased appetite and GH/IGF-1.
• GW-501516 (Cardarine) – Often shortened to "GW" or "Cardarine"; technically a PPARδ agonist, discussed for endurance and fat-loss.
• SR-9009 – Sometimes called "Stenabolic"; mentioned for circadian rhythm and endurance-related effects
• S4 (Andarine) – "S4" is the standard shorthand; discussed for cutting and visual side effects (yellow tint/night vision changes).
• YK-11 – Often kept as "YK-11"; sometimes described as a "myostatin inhibitor" with both SARM-like and steroid-like properties.

Prohormones & Related Compounds

Prohormones are substances that convert into active steroids in the body. Many "designer steroids" and old-school prohormones were marketed under supplement-style names to look legal while acting like harsh oral steroids.

• Superdrol – Originally a designer oral; known for strong mass and strength but significant liver stress.
• Epistane / Havoc – Anti-estrogenic designer steroid often used in dry, hardening cycles.
• 1-AD / 1-Test products – Prohormones designed to convert into 1-testosterone or related active steroids.
• "Designer steroids" – Marketing phrase for newly tweaked molecules designed to escape early drug laws while acting like strong AAS.
• DNP – Not a steroid but often discussed in the same circles; an extremely risky fat-loss chemical listed in IPED overviews.

Underground Lab (UGL) Language & Codes

In many countries, non-medical steroid supply comes from Underground Labs (UGLs). These are unofficial manufacturers that create their own "brands," labels, and sometimes internal codes for vials and tablets. Glossaries and forums may refer to "UGL gear," "house brands," or "lab codes" for particular batches or recipes.

Typical patterns include:

• Shortened compound names + dose – e.g., "Test E 250," "Tren A 100," "EQ 300," where the number is mg/ml.
• Blend names – e.g., "Mass Mix," "Cut Mix," "Bulk Stack" to describe multi-steroid combos.
• Batch codes – letters and numbers printed on labels so users can track specific production runs.

Because UGL products are unregulated, labels and codes are not standardized and can change quickly. Public-health and law-enforcement sources consistently warn that underground products carry higher risks of contamination, mislabeling and dosing errors compared to approved medical products. :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34}

General Gym & Cycle Vocabulary

Many slang terms are not specific drugs, but ways of talking about how steroids, peptides, and SARMs are used.

• Cycle – A planned period of use followed by time off.
• Blast – High-dose period, often with more aggressive compounds.
• Cruise – Lower-dose maintenance period, sometimes at TRT-like levels.
• On / Off – Being "on" means using drugs; "off" means not currently running a cycle.
• PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) – A phase used after steroids to help the body recover natural hormone production.
• Natty – Slang for "natural," meaning not using steroids or PEDs (though definitions vary in practice).

Bottom Line

The world of steroids, peptides, SARMs, and related drugs has its own language: "gear," "juice," "Tren," "Var," "BPC," "MK-677," "RAD," "Superdrol" and many more. Knowing this slang doesn't mean endorsing use—it simply helps you understand what people are really talking about in gyms, chats, and online discussions. Because many of these substances are controlled drugs with real health risks, reliable information, medical guidance, and legal awareness are always more important than the slang itself.