Stenbolone acetate is an injectable anabolic steroid that was introduced by Syntex in 1963. Syntex had sold this agent for a brief period of time in the United Kingdom and Mexico, under the brand name Anatrofin. It was also sold through license in Spain under the basic (generic) name Stenbolone. Stenbolone acetate has long since been discontinued, with the last commercial preparation reportedly withdrawn from market (voluntarily) in the early 1980's. This steroid was reported to have been developed by Syntex in an effort to find a less toxic alternative to Anadrol. Anatrofin was, likewise, looked at as a non-methylated injectable alternative to this powerful oral steroid, used in similar areas of clinical research and medicine (mainly in the treatment of Anemia). Its demise was likely financially driven, as Anatrofin disappeared at a time when many manufacturers were dropping their lesser-used steroids.
Structurally stenbolone is a 2-methylated derivative of 1-testosterone (dihydroboldenone). In this case, the resulting steroid remains very similar to its non-methylated parent, with only modest differences in anabolic and androgenic potency. On the tissue building side, stenbolone is probably a little weaker on a milligram for milligram basis than 1-testosterone. It is a little difficult to make direct comparisons, however, as the studies on these two steroids used different drugs as standards of comparison. As an androgen, stenbolone is also probably slightly weaker than 1-testosterone, when you are talking milligram for milligram dose. The anabolic/androgenic ratio, which is really the most relevant measure, remains roughly equal between the two steroids. Users will adjust the dosage of any steroid up or down to meet a desired level of growth, making these two steroids easily interchangeable. When compared to testosterone, stenbolone has roughly three times greater anabolic effect, and somewhere between 7% and 44% more androgenic activity.
As a 1-testosterone derivative, stenbolone also cannot aromatize into estrogen. This makes water retention and fat gain relatively a non-issue.There is always a chance that as a 1-testosterone derivative we will see some progestational activity (and therefore a possible intensification of the estrogenic side effects of other steroids); however, there seems little in the known history of this drug to support that. In fact, stenbolone always had a reputation for being an ideal cutting drug, helping athletes shed significant water and fat mass when stacked with a variety of other steroids. Common effective doses ranged from 100-250mg per week for men and 25mg per week for women. Being that Anatrofin uses stenbolone with the fast acting acetate ester, one would subdivide the total weekly dosage into two or three applications if wishing to keep blood levels steady. Stenbolone is not the least androgenic steroid, however, it does have a favorable enough anabolic/androgenic ratio to make it of interest to female athletes. They may be well served, however, to extend beyond the normal bi or tri-weekly injections. This will minimize androgenic buildup,and allow for a little time each week for steroid levels to settle down. Provided dosage is kept reasonable, this drug does seem to work well with female bodybuilders.
When Anatrofin was available, it was packaged in individual 1ml glass ampules. These came in three different strengths, containing 25, 50 or 100mg of steroid per ml. As with most injectables,oil was used as a solvent. European bodybuilders were disappointed when Anatrofin was removed from the market global market a couple of decades ago. Its loss was a hard felt one, very much like the old Primobolan acetate injectables. Old timers often claimed that the likes of this steroid were never replaced with the other popular non-aromatizable anabolics. Whether or not this is based on realistic experience or simple nostalgia remains to be seen. It is difficult today to say how different this agent ultimately is from 1-testosterone, a close chemical and pharmacological relative which we have much more modern experience with. Perhaps in the future we will get the opportunity to find out. Until then, stenbolone will remain nothing more than an elusive mystery drug, and an interesting chapter in the history of anabolic steroids.