by – Among the synthetic injectable anabolic steroids – compounds other than testosterone, the natural product – trenbolone is perhaps the most remarkable. Of them, it is certainly the most remarkable for mass gain, strength gain, and contest preparation.
Trenbolone Side Effects
To some extent, there is a price in side effects to be paid for this, but not nearly to the extent that many imagine. While a few find trenbolone problematic for reasons of increased aggressive tendency, night sweats, or reduced aerobic performance, most find these side effects slight and easily managed, or non-existent for them personally.
Avoid Trenbolone-Only Cycles
Trenbolone, whether as the acetate (Finaplix, Finajet), enanthate, or cyclohexylmethylcarbonate (Parabolan), should not be used as the sole anabolic in a steroid cycle. Mass gains are greatly limited when this is done. Instead, trenbolone should be stacked with Dianabol, Anadrol, or testosterone as the most common and highly suitable choices.
Trenbolone and Suppressed Estradiol Production
A second reason is that estradiol levels fall too low when trenbolone is used alone. This occurs because natural testosterone production is suppressed when using trenbolone, and this in turn suppresses natural estradiol production. And since trenbolone itself does not aromatize (convert to estrogen), then there is very little substrate available for aromatization, and estrogen production becomes abnormally low. This can cause joint, mood, and libido problems.
Concurrent use of testosterone, Dianabol, or HCG with trenbolone can solve the above estrogen issue. Typically at least 100 mg/week of testosterone will be used for this purpose, or at least 10 or 15 mg/day of Dianabol.
Stacking Trenbolone
Trenbolone exhibits interesting stacking behavior. Combination with either Dianabol or Anadrol gives a very strong synergistic effect. Even if the same total milligram amount of steroid is used per week, results are much better with such a combination than with any of these steroids used alone.
For example, 50 mg/day of trenbolone acetate used with 50 mg/day Dianabol gives much better results in a steroid cycle than either 100 mg/day TA used alone, or that amount of Dianabol used alone. I wouldn’t recommend either of those single-drug usages for a steroid cycle, but the trenbolone/Dianabol stack has produced amazing physique changes in very many instances.
In contrast, trenbolone’s stacking behavior with oxandrolone (Anavar), methenolone (Primobolan), or drostanolone (Masteron) is entirely different. If keeping the same total milligram amounts, these combinations do not outperform trenbolone used alone. So, while it’s acceptable to combine these drugs, the purpose should not be to achieve increased total effect. Such combinations may be useful however to reduce side effects, or to accommodate the materials that are on hand.
Typical Trenbolone Dosages
Trenbolone acetate is usually used at doses of 35-150 mg/day, and more typically 50-100 mg/day. The 35 mg figure generally is appropriate only when having high personal sensitivity to trenbolone-specific side effects. When trenbolone usage is this low and an effective cycle is desired, another injectable anabolic steroid should be added. Masteron is a good choice for this purpose. Another, quite different choice is testosterone.
As for the higher 150 mg/figure, this generally is used for the purpose of increased nervous system stimulation compared to 100 mg/day rather than for further mass or strength improvements, which are already maximized or very nearly maximized at 100 mg/day.
Most users find 50-75 mg/day to be an ideal dosage range, giving excellent benefit as part of an anabolic steroid stack.
These milligram amounts are unusually low for an injectable anabolic steroid. Part of the reason is that trenbolone is remarkably potent (effective per milligram.) Another reason is that because the acetate ester is unusually light, a very high percentage of the weight of the trenbolone acetate molecule is the active steroid.
Trenbolone Acetate versus Trenbolone Enanthate
In contrast, trenbolone enanthate’s percentage of active steroid is nearly 20% lower. For this reason, weekly total dosing for trenbolone enanthate is a little higher than for the acetate. For the enanthate, weekly total dosing is typically 300-800 mg.
Unlike trenbolone acetate which has a half-life of only about 1 day and therefore should be injected daily, trenbolone enanthate is typically injected 2-4 times per week. The half life is probably about 5 days.
Trenbolone and Cortisol
While the mass gain results from trenbolone can instead be achieved with high milligram amounts of other injectable anabolic steroids, trenbolone differs from them in being stronger as a glucocorticoid (cortisol) antagonist and in decreasing blood corticosteroid levels. For this reason, it reduces subcutaneous water retention. And further, this anti-cortisol effect can make a significant difference in fat loss. It may also be a partial explanation for any increased tendency to aggression that is sometimes seen with trenbolone.
Trenbolone and Progestagenic Activity?
With regard to activity at other receptors, many have written regarding theories of progestagenic activity of trenbolone. Where legitimate trenbolone is used, practical experience shows no detectable effect with regard to water retention or gynecomastia. Veterinary literature reports no detectable progestagenic effect. And if this were not enough, recent cell culture research shows progestagenic potency to be only about 1% that of progesterone itself, which would not be an important amount.
For these reasons, I would make no decisions against trenbolone from fears of claimed progestagenic activity. It is a very well-proven compound in bodybuilding, including in contest-prep situations where an actually-progestagenic compound would be very unsuited.
“Tren Cough”
The final unusual thing about trenbolone to be mentioned is “tren cough.” This is a very brief episode which may occur with only a small percentage of injections, perhaps not even 1%. It can be very unpleasant for a minute or two. The most likely explanation is from irritant effect of a small amount of the oil preparation entering the bloodstream, not by direct injection into a vein but by leakage into a small blood vessel that was cut as the needle entered. There is no evidence of lasting harm from this.
Trenbolone Summary
If uncertain about personal response to trenbolone, the acetate ester is preferable as it clears the system quickly. It is also very desirable for short cycle use or for the ending weeks of longer cycles because the rapid clearance provides quick transition from having high levels suited for optimal results to low levels allowing recovery.
While trenbolone use is not necessary to achieve excellent results in an anabolic steroid cycle, it can be a remarkable aid towards such results.
Trenbolone acetate is the chemical name of the active ingredient in Finaplix. Finaplix is a registered trademark of Roussel Uclaf Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
About the author
Bill Roberts is an internationally-recognized expert on anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). He received a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and completed the educational and research requirements for a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at a major American university.
Bill entered the nutritional supplement industry prior to completing his doctoral thesis but his education was invaluable so far as being able to design/improve nutritional supplement compounds, since it was in the field of designing drug molecules and secondarily some work in transdermal delivery.
His education was not specifically "geared" toward anabolic steroids other than expertise with pharmacological principles having broad applications. This has allowed Bill to provide unique insight into the field of anabolic pharmacology with knowledge of points which he would not have known otherwise.