Methandienone vs Turinabol: What to Choose and for Whom

Methandienone and turinabol are often regarded as «starter» oral steroids — supposedly a simple choice for those who are considering pharmacology for the first time. The editorial team considers such a framing dangerous and offers a different comparison: which people will suffer most from each of the substances, what happens to the hormonal system and the psyche, and which paths of progress do not take away health.

The myth of the «easy first cycle»

In gyms the notion is still widespread that an oral steroid is an «easy start» after which one can «try it and stop». The epidemiological data summarized by Kanayama and Pope (2018) show otherwise: most users of anabolic steroids start at a young age, and a significant proportion later move on to more complex and more dangerous regimens.

The oral route of administration creates a false sense of safety: a tablet is perceived as something less serious than an injection. In reality, it is precisely the 17α-alkylated oral steroids, which include both methandienone and turinabol, that have the most pronounced liver toxicity and the strongest negative effect on the lipid profile.

In addition, neither methandienone nor turinabol is produced today by leading pharmaceutical companies for human use. What is sold under these names is the product of illegal production with an unpredictable composition.

Finally, a «first cycle» is also the first suppression of one's own hormonal system. For a young person who does not yet have children, the consequences for fertility may be much more important than a few kilograms of mass.

For whom methandienone is more dangerous

Methandienone aromatizes into 17α-methylestradiol — an active estrogen that is inactivated slowly. Therefore the greatest risk from it is borne by people sensitive to estrogenic effects.

• Men prone to gynecomastia, in particular those who experienced enlargement of the mammary glands in adolescence. Gynecomastia can become irreversible and require surgery.
• People with arterial hypertension: retention of fluid and sodium raises blood pressure.
• People prone to acne and androgenic hair loss: methandienone is markedly androgenic.
• Women: high androgenic activity means rapid virilization.

Separately, one should mention expectations. The rapid weight gain on methandienone is largely associated with fluid and glycogen retention. After discontinuation part of the weight disappears, which often pushes a person toward repeated use.

The cardiovascular risks of methandienone add up: estrogenic fluid retention, decreased HDL, increased blood pressure. The review by Baggish et al. (2017) shows that prolonged use of anabolic steroids is associated with decreased myocardial function and accelerated atherosclerosis.

For whom turinabol is more dangerous

Turinabol does not aromatize, so for people prone to gynecomastia it is formally «milder». However, in other respects its risks are no less, and because of the almost complete absence of clinical data — even worse predictable.

Turinabol threatens most those with liver diseases. Like methandienone, it is a 17α-alkylated steroid capable of causing cholestasis, elevated transaminases, and in rare cases — peliosis and liver tumors. Combination with alcohol or other hepatotoxic substances increases the risk.

The history of the GDR program (Franke, Berendonk, 1997) points to two more vulnerable groups — women and adolescents. Female athletes who received turinabol had signs of virilization, and systematic intake from a young age was accompanied by long-term health problems.

Finally, turinabol is a particularly poor «choice» for athletes undergoing doping control. The long-lived metabolites described by Sobolevsky and Rodchenkov (2012) provided a large number of positive results in the reanalyses of Olympic samples.

Common: hormonal axis, psyche, dependence

Any exogenous androgen is perceived by the hypothalamus and pituitary as a signal that «there are enough hormones». In response, the secretion of gonadoliberin, LH and FSH decreases, and the testes reduce the production of testosterone and sperm. This happens both on methandienone and on turinabol.

After discontinuation the axis does not recover immediately. The review by Rahnema et al. (2014) describes anabolic hypogonadism: the period when the exogenous androgen is already gone, but one's own testosterone has not yet recovered. It is accompanied by fatigue, decreased libido, depressed mood and the loss of some of the gained results.

It is precisely this condition that, according to the review by Pope et al. (2014), is one of the mechanisms of forming dependence on anabolic steroids: a person resumes intake in order to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms. Some users also have a distorted perception of their own body (muscle dysmorphia), which reinforces this cycle.

The psychological effects of the intake itself include irritability, mood swings and sleep disturbances. They are described for the class in general and give no grounds to consider either of the two substances «psychologically safe».

Safer paths to results

For most people who have been training for less than a few years, the potential for natural progress is far from exhausted. A well-designed program with progressive loading, sufficient sleep and a caloric surplus provides a steady gain in mass without risk to the liver and fertility.

Protein intake at a level of about 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight per day, according to the meta-analysis by Morton et al. (2018), provides most of the possible benefit for gaining muscle mass. Distributing protein across several meals is convenient in practice.

Creatine monohydrate, according to the ISSN position stand (Kreider et al., 2017), is an effective and safe supplement for healthy people: a typical maintenance dose is 3–5 g per day. It is also permitted in sport.

If, however, progress has stalled and well-being has worsened, it is worth checking not only training but also health: basic tests and a consultation with a doctor will help identify the causes that no steroid will eliminate.

Editorial conclusions

Methandienone is more dangerous for people prone to gynecomastia, hypertension and androgenic side effects. Turinabol does not aromatize, but it equally harms the liver, lipids and fertility and has even less clinical data.

Both substances suppress the hormonal axis, can form dependence and are banned in sport. The myth of the «easy first cycle» has no scientific basis.

For most people, natural progress, protein, creatine and health monitoring are a real and safe alternative.

We also recommend reading our materials «Methandienone or Turinabol: What's the Difference», on muscle dysmorphia and on how to assess your hormonal profile.

References

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2. Pope HG Jr, Wood RI, Rogol A, et al. Adverse health consequences of performance-enhancing drugs: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev. 2014;35(3):341–375.
3. Rahnema CD, Lipshultz LI, Crosnoe LE, et al. Anabolic steroid-induced hypogonadism: diagnosis and treatment. Fertil Steril. 2014;101(5):1271–1279.
4. Baggish AL, Weiner RB, Kanayama G, et al. Cardiovascular toxicity of illicit anabolic-androgenic steroid use. Circulation. 2017;135(21):1991–2002.
5. Franke WW, Berendonk B. Hormonal doping and androgenization of athletes: a secret program of the German Democratic Republic government. Clin Chem. 1997;43(7):1262–1279.
6. Sobolevsky T, Rodchenkov G. Detection and mass spectrometric characterization of novel long-term dehydrochloromethyltestosterone metabolites in human urine. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2012;128(3–5):121–127.
7. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.
8. Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384.