Trenbolone: A Comprehensive Guide to Uses, Dosages and Side Effects

The creators of "tren" made significant modifications to the original molecule. As a result, trenbolone lost some properties of its "parent," while others, such as progestogenic activity, became more pronounced.

Additionally, it acquired many characteristics that are not typical for nandrolone or any other anabolic steroid.

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Trenbolone in Medicine

It is believed that trenbolone was specifically created for veterinary use and was not intended for humans at all. In reality, this is far from the truth: all the features that the creators tried to impart to trenbolone were not needed by animals.

It just so happened that both the injectable and oral versions of this drug could not gain approval from regulatory authorities in the United States.

But that's in the USA. In Europe, "tren" was ignored for a long time, but in 1980, the French company Laboratoires Negma released the original trenbolone ester – cyclohexylmethylcarbonate – specifically for medical use.

The drug was produced for 17 years and sold not only in France. However, it never received a license in the USA – which is why Americans naively consider "tren" an exclusively veterinary drug.

Production Features and Quality of the Drug

Trenbolone has a very narrow melting point range. Moreover, the melting of trenbolone powder begins earlier than that of the vast majority of other anabolic steroids.

This is often forgotten (or simply not controlled due to temperature regime – typical for artisanal production) resulting in the solution turning yellowish (in extreme cases, dark brown).

The problem of maintaining the temperature regime becomes even more challenging if the concentration of the active substance in the solution exceeds permissible norms. These norms are listed below.

Just a reminder: color change of the solution indicates a decrease in drug quality, sometimes significantly so.

Cough After Trenbolone Injection

Trenbolone is the only anabolic steroid that itself significantly irritates the respiratory tract. If the allowable concentration was maintained during production, this effect of "tren" is almost non-existent. Otherwise, a trenbolone injection may result in a coughing fit.

To dissolve more powder, more solvent is needed – obviously, right? But the benzyl alcohol (or rather, its fumes) usually used in the production of oil solutions of anabolic steroids also irritates the respiratory tract quite well.

Combined with the irritation caused by excessively high concentrations of trenbolone in the composition, this can lead to persistent coughing and (in the worst case) a state resembling anaphylactic shock.

Once again, if "tren" was produced without violating the technological process, respiratory problems during its injections will be minimal (or even absent).

Therefore, when choosing a specific drug containing one of the trenbolone esters, the quality must be given the utmost attention.

Pharmacodynamics and Effect on the Body

In the body, the trenbolone ester molecule undergoes transformations: the enzyme esterase separates the ester chain from it, and as a result, a simple trenbolone molecule – 17beta-hydroxyestra-4,9,11-trien-3-one is obtained. Under the influence of aromatase, this molecule turns into another – estra-4,9,11-trien-3,17-dione, and under the influence of 5-alpha-reductase – into 17alpha-hydroxy-estra-4,9,11-trien-2-one.

The trenbolone molecule itself has a high affinity for androgen receptors (AR), but its metabolites have a much lower ability to form a stable pair with AR and estrogen receptors.

A very interesting feature of trenbolone: it is a powerful androgen on its own. This characteristic completely excludes its use by women.

Side Effect

Trenbolone strongly suppresses the body's production of its own testosterone. After using this anabolic steroid, the level of luteinizing hormone cannot be restored for a very long time – up to several years.

I mean, the level of luteinizing hormone can be returned to normal relatively quickly, but restoring it to its previous value takes a long time.

Effect on Estradiol Levels

The second negative characteristic of trenbolone is lowering estradiol levels. This is understandable – there is simply nothing for this hormone to turn into if trenbolone is used "solo" or with other non-aromatizing anabolic steroids.

Moreover, trenbolone can somewhat suppress aromatization, for example, of testosterone.

In any case, lowering estradiol levels – coupled with the pronounced androgenic activity of "tren" – contributes to mood swings and rage outbursts.

Interestingly, animals are given trenbolone injections only together with drugs that can raise their estrogen levels.

Both characteristics are largely explained by the fact that trenbolone is a powerful progestin – its molecules bind to progesterone receptors just as well as progesterone molecules.

Trenbolone provokes extremely strong testicular atrophy, so using chorionic gonadotropin alongside it is almost mandatory.

In adolescents who were injected with trenbolone for various reasons, sexual development completely stopped. In general, this drug should not be prescribed during puberty.

Trenbolone somewhat suppresses the production of thyroxine (T4) and significantly inhibits the conversion of T4 to triiodothyronine – T3.

This means that this anabolic steroid is not recommended for those with hypothyroidism. Healthy people should take T3 along with it.

Several studies suggest that men who received trenbolone injections after the age of 40 had a significantly increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia in general. Thus, "tren" is clearly not for older athletes.

Half-life

Trenbolone has an exceptional "not like the others": its own half-life ranges from two to three days, an absolute record among anabolic steroids.

As a result, the half-life of trenbolone esters is significantly increased: while for acetate it is roughly equal to the half-life of the pure drug, for enanthate it is 9-11 days.

Injectable trenbolone – especially the "long" esters – is not the best choice for those who will undergo doping control. However, you can avoid using "tren" altogether and still test positive for it.

It is known that some substances banned for athletes can enter their bodies through the meat of animals. This happens with nandrolone and clenbuterol, but it can also happen with trenbolone.

The fact is that this anabolic steroid is still actively used in animal husbandry. Metabolites of trenbolone can accumulate in the meat of animals and then – along with a piece of good steak – can enter the human body.

How much can enter us in this way? Up to 3-4 mg – enough for these metabolites to be detected in a doping test urine sample.

Fortunately, they leave the human body quickly: the amount of metabolites decreases by half after 24 hours and by 63% after 72 hours.

There is a methylated version of trenbolone known as methyltrienolone (methyltrenbolone). This is not the oral "tren" often found on the market: that is trenbolone acetate.

Methyltrienolone has a methyl group at the 17th position instead of an ester chain, making it impossible for the liver to break down this drug, not on the first pass, not the second, not even the third.

On one hand, this is not very good – implying the highest hepatotoxicity of the drug. But on the other hand, it means that very small doses of the drug are effective.

A dose of 100-200 mcg is effective and virtually undetectable – there are no methods for detecting trenbolone metabolites in such small amounts today.

Fat Burning Properties

Trenbolone targets visceral fat – visceral fat melts away literally before your eyes. This is an indispensable quality when preparing for bodybuilding competitions and related disciplines, and reducing this type of fat positively affects health

Tren affects subcutaneous fat somewhat weaker, but still – it is a much more powerful "fat burner" than any other anabolic steroid.

Effect on Lipid Profile

This point is somewhat related to the previous one. Like any other anabolic steroid, trenbolone lowers high-density lipoprotein levels.

But at the same time, it significantly lowers low-density lipoprotein levels. Overall, this has a positive effect on the health of the cardiovascular system

Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

Once again, this point follows from trenbolone's ability to reduce visceral fat – it improves tissue sensitivity to insulin.

All these qualities of "tren" still lead to it being considered as a remedy for overcoming metabolic syndrome in men and preventing type 2 diabetes.

And yes: it could be the perfect solution for hormone replacement therapy – if not for the dementia issues.

Inflammation Control

The progestogenic activity of trenbolone allows it to reduce inflammation. Strengthening the musculoskeletal system is also facilitated by the stimulation of IGF-1 secretion in the liver under the influence of trenbolone.

Cardioprotection

Reducing inflammation has a beneficial effect on vascular health, which is also aided by the lowering of LDL levels. But the positive impact of trenbolone on the cardiovascular system is not limited to this.

Studies show that in animals suffering from hypogonadism, trenbolone helped avoid negative changes in the heart muscle – in particular, thinning of the heart walls.

Most likely, trenbolone will also be a cardioprotector for athletes who often exhibit athletic heart syndrome.

Trenbolone and Muscle Growth

I already mentioned that the trenbolone molecule has a high affinity for androgen receptors. I would even call this affinity exceptionally high.

So, trenbolone in the same doses as testosterone should allow for more significant muscle gains.

Indeed, "tren" can be called the best of the available anabolic steroids when it comes to muscle fiber hypertrophy. But, in reality, achieving impressive volumes solely with its help does not work, and there are several explanations for this.

Firstly, it is worth remembering that fat tissue is also present in muscles. Trenbolone puts this fat "under the knife" – as a result, the muscles become more rigid, but may even lose some volume.

Secondly, "tren" completely lacks estrogenic activity. And this activity is very important for muscle growth – it is estradiol that primarily increases the number of androgen receptors in muscles.

It turns out that trenbolone is more suitable for experienced athletes who have more androgen receptors in their muscles than "ordinary mortals."

Thirdly, unlike testosterone, nandrolone, and even methenolone, trenbolone does not increase the activity of growth factors within muscle cells (although, as already mentioned, it increases the overall level of IGF-1), and therefore does not affect muscle fiber hyperplasia.

What to Combine Trenbolone With?

All this leads us to the natural conclusion: trenbolone should be combined with an anabolic steroid that:

1. aromatizes or has estrogenic activity;
2. or can stimulate muscle fiber hyperplasia.

In fact, there are only two candidates – testosterone and nandrolone. But it is hardly worth combining "tren" with the latter: the summation of the progestogenic activity of both drugs can lead to extremely negative consequences – both an extremely strong suppression of the production of one's own testosterone, and a sharp decrease in libido, and even some muscle tissue destruction.

So we are left with only testosterone. However, there is also methandriol. In fact, joint injections of trenbolone and methandriol are used in animal husbandry.