effects of water ret. on bodyfat readings?

[Cannibal]

I remember being 215lbs at 16% bf on my last mass cycle. On my current cycle I am 224lbs at 21.6% bf. Friends tell me that I look pretty lean, can the water retention from gear such as D-bol, sus, and deca cause higher bodyfat percentages?

 

[Beezers]

Water retention under the skin will have a dramatic impact on body fat readings. It looks and feels like fat for the most part. If a reading is taken via calipers they can't disipher the difference. A lot of times when people bulk heavily for the first time and then think they are gaining fat very quickly it is water. Many guys have quit a bulking cycle within two or three weeks because they balooned up with water but thought it was fat.

 

[crimson coal]

How would the water retention act on those electronic bodyfat scales? I have been wondering this myself. Is the water stored as fat or muscle?

 

[dirkpitt51]

Don't even use the electronic bf scales. The electrical impedience method for measuring bodyfat is complete bullshit. I've come out at 10% or under using calipers on a number of different occasions. I stood on one of those electrical impedience scales and came out at 20%. I'm a guy with a six pack so I know that shit is wrong. Just my opinion though. Anyone out there put any faith into the electrical method?

 

[Cannibal]

My gym has one of those hand held eletronic gizmo's. I'm not lean by any means, calipers usually say I'm at 16-17%, the electronic thingy says about 22%. I know that the difference is not that much, but when you're taking this stuff seriously, that much variance is TOO MUCH. I thought that the high reading was from the gear and water retention, that's why I originally posted this question. But know I'm thinking that I better check again with the calipers!

Thanks to those of you that replied.