DNP 2.0 (removed sources)

DNP guide
By BioMed (trip !!1JEgcrDzIzk)

WARNING: DNP IS A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH IF NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY. BEFORE EVEN CONSIDERING TAKING IT, READ THIS BASIC GUIDE THOROUGHLY AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH


GENERAL INFO
2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) is an inhibitor of ATP production in cell's mitochondria. It does that by uncoupling a metabolic pathway called oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in energy loss by heat production. It is used as a dieting aid, and might be the strongest fat-loss agent known to date. This guide will try to provide a safe guideline for using DNP responsibly, and will try to debunk some of the most popular myths revolving around the consumption of DNP.

USAGE GUIDELINE

Dosage/length
- Dosages should be spread as evenly as possible, taken along with food.
- Dosages vary from person to person and from the desired effect. A commonly advised dosage is 2-6mg per kg of body mass (estimated LD50 20-50mg/kg), though there are many experienced users that have tried more and survived. Beginners are advised to start at the lower end of the spectrum as the estimated half-life* is 36h and it takes up to 5 days for the dnp to accumulate into your bloodstream and for full side-effects to be present.
- The length of the cycle again depends on the desired effects, but 3-4 weeks should be relatively safe for a healthy adult male taking the dosages recommended above.


Diet
- Because of it's muscle-sparring properties, a low deficit can be sustained during the cycle for optimal results (1000-1300 kcals below TDEE).
- It is worth mentioning that even if you eat at your normal maintenance, you will still lose fat due to your raised BMR. According to estimates from empirical evidence gathered, DNP can raise your BMR up to 60-70% (http://i.imgur.com/zy9v7gG.jpg), so your normal maintenance kcals will be a deficit while on a cycle. You will obviously lose less fat this way, and the heat generated will be greater.
- Many macronutrient ratios have been discussed. DNP is muscle-sparring, meaning you won't be needing the amount of protein you would normally need on a cut. That being said, my personal advice would be to follow a normal cutting diet of a high-protein/low-fat/low-carb** ratio. The reason I suggest this is that eating less carbs will reduce the heat, and if you are following an extremely low deficit eating some extra protein doesn't seem like a bad idea. But any diet rich in protein will be fine.
- Drinking lots of water should be a no-brainer, but I will mention it either way. You can easily get dehydrated on DNP, even during your sleep. Make sure never to neglect drinking water, especially during hot days/workouts/before sleep. A good idea would be to replenish electrolytes too, which will be discussed in the supplements section.
- A good fiber intake is important on DNP, since it can cause diarrhea which in turn can cause dehydration. A great source of fiber is all-bran cereal, with 100g covering around 70% of your daily needs. Some fruits like berries also have a high fiber content, and will help against the carb cravings.
- Taking a multivitamin and fish oil can always be a good idea, especially when a low deficit will not let you take the ideal dosage of all vitamins and EPA/DHA you need per day.

Exercise
- You might find it hard to stick to your normal exercise program due to the excess heat and fatigue. Some loss of strength is normal, though not always present. It is advised that whatever you do, you make sure that you don't overheat and that you don't dehydrate. Weight lifting is recommended for strength maintenance and raising your TDEE. Cardio is also allowed, as long as you don't overheat your body. A personal recommendation would be to avoid high intensity cardio on dosages higher than 400mg/day, and stick with low intensity cardio workouts. The effects of DNP are already strong enough, 30 minutes of running won't make a considerable difference to your fat-loss. Your main goal in your workouts should be strength maintenance.





SUPPLEMENTS
Recommended:
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 600mg/day: has been shown to prevent nerve damage and to have therapeutic potential for neuropathy [1] [2]
- Vit C 2-3g/day: antioxidant, prevents damage from free radicals
- Vit E 500-1000UI/day: antioxidant
- Milk-thistle (silymarin) 1g/day: antioxidant, prevents liver damage from toxic factors  and promotes liver healing [3]
- Electrolyte solution: will help prevent/treat dehydration, may prevent damage done to the neuron's ion pumps due to electrolyte unbalance


Handy:
- Melatonin: makes sleeping easier
- Multivitamin: mentioned above
- Fish oil: mentioned above
- Caffeine: provides an energy boost
- Ephedrine: can be stacked with caffeine to suppress appetite and boost energy levels
Worth mentioning:
- Insulin: have seen two accounts of it recommended for nerve damage prevention, would not advise


SIDE-EFFECTS

Side effects will be present, and are dose dependent

Common:
- Excess heat, sweating
- Mild dehydration
- Shortness of breath
- Yellow sperm/urine
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Disturbed sleep pattern
- Diarrhea
-Tachycardia

Less-common:
- Rash
- Tingling sensation in extremities

Rare:
- Swelling
- Pain in extremities
- Jaundice
- Cataracts

Excess heat is the trademark side-effect of DNP, and it gets worse with bigger dosages and consumption of more carbs. In case of overheating, try to lower the body temperature by any means possible. Dehydration is the result of excess sweating, plenty of water and electrolytes should be ingested. Shortness of breath/yellow bodily fluids/fatigue/disturbed sleep patterns/diarrhea are all common side-effects, but not always present.

If a rash appears, it means you are allergic to DNP. Rashes can appear late in the cycle, and usually don't appear in the next one. In case one appears, discontinue taking DNP and start taking an anti-histamine (Fexofenadine would be my recommendation, the old sticky recommended Benadryl). A tingling sensation might be an early sign of nerve damage, but many cases have been reported of people feeling a tingling sensation on DNP without it resulting to actual neuropathy. My recommendation would be to monitor it, if you see you get it at the same spot and/or it spreads/becomes more intense stop the DNP immediately and start taking 600mg/day of NAC for 6-8 weeks.

Swelling and jaundice are both indicators of liver damage. Though liver damage is extremely rare, DNP is a toxin after all and may result in liver damage to people with already weakened livers. If any of the 2 present, discontinue taking DNP and continue taking milk-thistle. Visiting a doctor/having a liver enzyme blood panel done is also advised.

Pain in extremities indicates severe nerve damage, DNP use should be discontinued immediately and a doctor should be consulted.

Cataracts is very rare in males, with a handful of recorded cases. It is more a more prevalent risk in females however, even though most reported cases of cataracts were of females taking DNP for many months. [4]


CONTRAINDICATIONS/DRUG INTERACTIONS

- DNP should be avoided by people predispositioned to cataracts/neuropathy/liver damage, and for some people (ex. diabetics) it should be taken with care. Since I cannot cover all interactions DNP has with different drugs, be sure to check yourself if DNP interacts with any of the medication you currently might be taking.
- Diuretics and alcohol shouldn't be ingested, due to resulting dehydration
- Smoking is not advised due to shortness of breath
- DNP potentiates the effects of insulin, dosages in diabetics should be decreased accordingly


PERSONAL NOTES

- DNP makes you feel numb and disoriented, so a good idea would be to take it on a period where you won't have many responsibilities as you most likely won't be able to perform optimally.
- DNP will cause an increase in appetite. An EC stack can help with this, while providing you with an energy boost.
- Experiment with dosages/cycle lengths, and don't hesitate to stop the cycle early if you don't feel good.
- DNP is much more dangerous for females than males, and may cause infertility.
- DNP should be stored in a cool dry place, away from heat sources.
- DNP in capped/tabbed form is extremely illegal, so be careful about who knows what you're taking and where you store it.
- DNP powder is stronger than it's crystal form, aprox. 4:5 ratio
- Like mentioned above, DNP takes up to 5 days to stack in your bloodstream (http://i.imgur.com/TUGgzjn.jpg). Do not up the dosage because you don't feel the effects on the first day, give it 4-5 days.
- From personal experience, keeping yourself busy will take your mind off the heat. Listen to music, do some chores, play vidya, anything that helps you relax.
- Feel free to add anything I forgot in this guide and I will review it. I made this in 3h, so there's a strong possibility I forgot to mention something that would be vital to a DNP novice.

FURTHER READING:

Animal’s posts
http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/articles-forum/1834-dnp-all-info-here.html

T-NATION Everything DNP
http://tnation.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_training_performance_bodybuilding_gear/everything_about_dnp_24dinitrophenol

Old sticky
http://pastebin.com/m5kQLmnX


* the half-life is disputed, but that is the generally accepted one
** by low-carb I do not mean a ketogenic diet, but a diet with 100-150g of carbs

[1] Hart, A. et al. (2004)
[2] Welin, D. et al. (2009)
[3] Szilárd, S. et al. (1988)
[4] Rodin, F. (1936)