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Trenbolone: The Holy Grail of Steroids?
Powerful Muscle Builder or Monstrosity?
By William Llewellyn
Researchers underline what the bodybuilding world had figured out long ago; trenbolone is an especially powerful agent for supporting fat loss and muscle definition.
Trenbolone is arguably one of the most potent anabolic steroids in ready use by bodybuilders today. Fueled by a previous and long history of limited availability and high prices, however, a great deal of myth has developed around this steroid. To some, it is the holy grail of steroids – extremely powerful, fast acting, and anabolic. To others, trenbolone is a monstrosity, too side-effect-prone to consider using for any length of time. This conflict often obscures our understanding of its underlying biological properties.
While I don’t expect we will settle this here and now, a research review paper was published on trenbolone in the medical journal Steroids1 that is far more thorough than any to come before it. While citing more than 250 individual medical studies, mainly on animals (trenbolone has not been heavily studied in humans), the authors do an excellent job of bringing readers up to date on the current scientific knowledge concerning this controversial steroid. The following is a review of the key points.
No DHT-type Metabolite
The paper reiterates that trenbolone is not metabolized by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which is particularly concentrated in the liver, hair follicles, skin, and prostate. This is the same enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to the more potent steroid dihydrotestosterone (DHT), implicated in some of its adverse effect potential.
The main metabolites of trenbolone (epitrenbolone and trendione) are less active than trenbolone itself, demonstrating that this steroid is not potentiated in the body. Although we normally think of trenbolone as strongly androgenic, the researchers do remind us that it may actually offer a more favorable ratio of anabolic-to-androgenic activity than testosterone. This could mean less chance of prostate growth when used under therapeutic conditions, a common worry with testosterone administration in aging men.
Trenbolone and Estrogen
Trenbolone does not convert (aromatize) to estrogen. Furthermore, it does not appear to offer significant inherent estrogenic activity. The review also cites a collection of studies suggesting trenbolone may actually be mildly anti-estrogenic. This may be due to several activities, including 1) the partial inhibition of the aromatase enzyme, 2) the reduced expression of estrogen receptors in certain tissues, and 3) suppression of serum estrogen via feedback inhibition of endogenous testosterone (which is used to synthesize estrogen in the body).
Estrogenic activity is also implicated in some of the potential side effects of testosterone administration, including fluid retention, gynecomastia, prostate hypertrophy, and sleep apnea. This may be another favorable property compared to testosterone, at least under some conditions. The fact that trenbolone is not estrogenic, of course, is not news to most bodybuilders who have used it.
Broad-Spectrum Anabolic
Trenbolone is a potent tissue-synthesizing steroid, with what appears to be a very broad spectrum of anabolic activity. Although its mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood, the research paper underlines several activities that are supported by clinical research. Much of the data shows trenbolone as a strong traditional anabolic steroid, mediating much of its activity by binding and activating the androgen receptor. Its affinity to bind is approximately 300 percent greater than that of testosterone, roughly equal to that of DHT.
Trenbolone may also support muscle anabolism by increased IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) levels, and has been shown to stimulate satellite cell activation and proliferation. Finally, studies suggest trenbolone can significantly antagonize the effects of glucocortocoids, as well as reduce the breakdown of amino acids in the liver. The researchers note that trenbolone probably has more robust anti-catabolic activity than testosterone, which is also very relevant to total net protein retention.
Effects on Fat Mass
Many anabolic steroids are known to support lipolysis (fat degradation). This occurs directly, via stimulation of the androgen receptor in adipose (fat) tissue. Androgens may also indirectly trigger fat loss by shifting stem cells away from the adipogenic process. There can be greatly varying degrees of lipolytic potency between agents, however.
The researchers in this study underline what the bodybuilding world had figured out long ago; trenbolone is an especially powerful agent for supporting fat loss and muscle definition. Animal studies cited in the paper have shown that trenbolone reduces both subcutaneous and intramuscular fat stores, as well as muscle marbling. Furthermore, the researchers cite their own unpublished studies demonstrating trenbolone to have significantly stronger lipolytic effect than testosterone. The fact that trenbolone is better for supporting fat loss, again, is already widely confirmed by bodybuilders.
Trenbolone Side Effects
The researchers emphasize the lack of controlled studies on the use of trenbolone in humans. Any discussion of its safety is founded on animal studies and its known biological effects. Trenbolone, of course, shares similar potential for androgenic side effects to all anabolic-androgenic steroids. A full discussion is probably not warranted here. In reviewing various toxicological studies, however, the researchers do not find support for trenbolone having any unique toxic or carcinogenic effect. They are actually encouraging of more research into the potential therapeutic application of trenbolone, based on 1) its ability to suppress testosterone and DHT, often linked to adverse reactions, 2) its own lack of metabolism by 5-alpha reductase or aromatase, and 3) its metabolism to less potent steroids in vivo.
Conclusion
Much of what has been said in this paper about trenbolone has been discussed before, though never in such an organized fashion in the medical journals. Trenbolone is indeed a powerful muscle-building steroid. It is the only injectable steroid that has an anabolic effect arguably comparable to that of testosterone, but without the same estrogenic activity. This makes it unique, and also highly valued.
While most bodybuilders do find that trenbolone tends to produce notable androgenic side effects including oily skin, acne, and aggravated hair loss (for those prone), we cannot discount the idea that it might be very useful under certain clinical conditions. This steroid has not been available for human use in any part of the world for many years now. While trenbolone is clearly down at the moment (at least through licit channels), perhaps it is not entirely out. Perhaps one day we will we see a reemergence of this steroid in human medicine.
Reference:
Yarrow, J. McCoy, S. Borst, S. Tissue selectivity and potential clinical applications of trenbolone (17beta-hydroxyestra-4,9,11-triene-3-one): a potent anabolic steroid with reduced androgenic and estrogenic activity. Steroids, 75(210) 377-389.
William Llewellyn is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the use of performance-enhancing substances. He is the author of the bestselling anabolic steroid reference guide ANABOLICS and CEO of Molecular Nutrition. William is an accomplished researcher/developer in the field of anabolic substances, and is also a longtime advocate for harm reduction and legislative change. He built the website anabolic.org, an extensive online database of information on anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
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