Trenbolone Is a strong androgen that is devoid of estrogenic activity. The first preparation containing this steroid to catch the attention of the American bodybuilding community was Finajet, a veterinary preparation introduced in the 1980’s in U.S. and Europe (as Finaject) by the drug firms Hoechst and Roussel. This product contained 30mg/mL of this fast acting acetate ester of trenbolone, and came packaged in a whopping 50mL vial. Finajet made a strong showing for a short period in the 80’s, where this androgen became a sought after cutting steroid.The strong androgenic and non-estrogenic properties of this steroid made it ideal for increasing muscle hardness, definition and strength without water retention, and consequently Finajet became popular with competitive bodybuilders. Hoechst removed the product from the market by 1988, however, the European version soon followed, and the U.S. source for trenbolone quickly dried up. It had disappeared from the market for quite some time, earning cult status as some type of unobtainable super-steroid. After some time however trenbolone acetate had reemerged in the U.S., first in the form of Finaplix® cattle implant pellets and more recently as the injectable Trenbol 75 introduced in and imported from Mexico. Its old reputation stuck, and these products are now in very high demand on the U.S. market.
Structurally trenbolone is a 19-nor steroid, being derived from the anabolic nandrolone. Its additional two alterations however (c9 and ell double bonds) make trenbolone very different in appearance than its parent nandrolone. First, as mentioned estrogenic activity has been eliminated.This is a result of the c 9-10 double bond, which occupies a bond that would be necessary for aromatization of the A ring to be possible.This bond does not appear to be removed metabolically, which is the only way estrogen conversion would be possible with this compound. Although nandrolone is rarely thought of as an estrogenic steroid, conversion to estradiol is still possible to a low extent.The fact that trenbolone does not convert to estradiol therefore remains to be a significant difference between the two steroids.
Its lack of estrogenic activity has made trenbolone very appealing for competitive athletes looking to shed fat, while at the same time trying to avoid water retention. Likewise “tren” can give us the high androgen content needed In order to elicit a very hard, defined physique. While it is a noteworthy hardening agent, this is certainly not the only benefit to this steroid however, it also a noteworthy anabolic. The muscle building properties of this steroid are often compared to strong drugs such as testosterone and Dianabol, said to be very similar just without the same level of water retention. This may be a little generous of a description however. Its lack of estrogenic activity does seem to hurt this agent in its abilities to promote muscle mass gains. For many, it is similarly still relegated to cutting cycles. Of interest is the fact that while trenbolone is often recommended as a great addition to a good mass cycle, it is rarely reported to be such a powerful agent when used alone. When taken without another estrogenic steroid, results are most often reported as good lean tissue growth accompanied by exceptional hardening and fat loss. Although perhaps it is not quite as potent as the more estrogenic bulking agents if sheer mass is the goal, I think we can still safely say that trenbolone is a better builder milligram for milligram than nandrolone, and likely the most anabolic of all the non-estrogenic steroids.
The androgenic activity of this drug is also much stronger than that of its parent nandrolone. This is due to two interesting traits. First, trenbolone does not appear to undergo 5-alpha reduction in humans149. As such, it does not display the strong anabolic/androgenic dissociation noted with nandrolone. It retains the same level of potency when entering cells of various androgen target tissues as it does when entering muscle tissues, and does not get weaker. This in of itself makes trenbolone far more androgenic In appearance. Furthermore the induction of double bonds at c9 and d 1 seems to increase androgen receptor binding150.This represents a second way that the potency of trenbolone is increased. Side effects like acne, body/facial hair growth and hair loss are therefore all possible during use of this steroid. Despite the base structural similarities of the two steroids, we should clearly not confuse trenbolone in any way with nandrolone in regards to its ability to induce such side effects. Tren is simply much more androgenic.
Trenbolone will also suppress natural testosterone production very quickly, making clear that estrogen is not the only culprit in this regard.This would necessitate the use of a testosterone stimulating drug like Clomid®/Nolvadex® and/or HCG in order to avoid a pronounced “crash” as the drug is discontinued. This may have something to do with its progestational activity. Although listed as non-progestational in other steroid literature, studies clearly show trenbolone to bind with this receptor 151 ,52. Since we know that all sex steroids promote negative feedback inhibition of testosterone production, including progestins, this mechanism cannot be excluded. We also know that the effects of estrogen seem to be augmented by heightened progestin levels153, with this hormone capable of inducing side effects that might not otherwise be apparent with a given level of estrogen in the body. However, while we do notice that estrogenic side effects do not seem to be reported with trenbolone, it may still be reasonable to conclude that some caution should be taken with this compound (particularly when using this steroid with other estrogenic steroids). Logic leads one to think that without heightened estrogen levels, the slight progestational nature of trenbolone may fail to induce side effects, while it would have the potential of lowering ones threshold to side effects when other estrogenic steroids are used concurrently by enhancing the actions of this hormone. This theory cannot be proven at this time.
Trenbolone is a very versatile steroid, working exceptionally well for both bulking and cutting purposes. It seems to mix well with just about any type of steroid. For a lean, hard build, one can add a mild anabolic like Winstrol® or Primobolan®. Without extra water beneath your skin, the androgen/anabolic mix will elicit a very solid, well-defined build. For a good mass gain, still without excessive bloat, Deca-Durabolin® or Equipoise® are popular additions. Here again, the trenbolone will greatly enhance and solidify the new muscle growth. When looking purely for mass, trenbolone pairs well with testosterone, Anadrol 50® or Dianabol.The result will no doubt be an incredible gain of (somewhat solid) muscle mass. In some rural areas where anabolics are hard to obtain, Finaplix® (discussed below) is commonly used in conjunction with Synovex pellets (testosterone propionate/estradiol benzoate).
Although the slight estrogen content of Synovex does give us some unwanted bloat, the testosterone propionate adds in very well. A very cheap, easy to obtain combination which is still technically legal since cattle implants are excluded from U.S. controlled substance laws.
Finaplix® is a veterinary cattle implant that contains trenbolone acetate. It was the first commercial product to contain trenbolone acetate after its long hiatus following the withdrawal of Finajet and Finaject in the late ’80s. Its release has garnered a lot of attention with athletes, despite being in the form of an implant pellet. What is so unusual about all of these products is the fact that, remarkably, they are all exempt from U.S. controlled substance laws.They are totally and perfectly legal to buy with no license or prescription, albeit for the use of implanting cattle and not self-consumption. I assume this is to make it easy for livestock owners to have access to growth promoting agents. If a veterinarian were needed every time these products were to be used, they might be too troublesome or cost prohibitive to consider. Admittedly, since these products come in the form of pellets they are not in a form suitable for human consumption either, making their exemption seem a little more reasonable than at first glance.
Currently, the most popular product is still the original Finaplix® brand name, although it is currently being marketed by Intervet instead of the Hoechst-Roussel Agri-vet Company.This product comes in two forms, Finaplix-H and Finaplix-S, which denotes if the product was intended for a Heifer or a Steer respectively. The total dosages of both products are different, with the “H” version containing 100 20mg TA pellets (2,000 mg) and the “S” version only 70 (1,400 mg). Ivy Animal Health has introduced two competing products of equivalent makeup, sold as Component-TH and Component-TS.There are also the Revalor and Synovex+ brands that contain trenbolone acetate with an added dose of estrogen. However, these are much too troublesome for the athlete to consider using and should never be purchased.
Since the drug comes in the form of a cattle implant, administration is a bit difficult. Most commonly one or two
implant pellets are ground up and mixed with a 50/50
water/DMSO mix and applied to the skin daily.This homebrew transdermal mix is effective, but the user is forced to walk around bearing the ripe scent of garlic (an effect of the DMSO). Others simply grind up one or two pellets with the back of a spoon and inhale (snort) them. Here the drug enters the blood stream through the mucous membrane, a poor, but still effective means of delivery for steroid hormones. Those who have tried this often claim it is not as irritating as they had imagined it would be. One, however, does always run the risk of wearing away at the lining of your nose after time, so it would be best not to make this a regular habit. More adventurous individuals make a practice of mixing their own injections.The pellets are ground into a fine powder (usually anywhere from 2 to 6 pellets), and then they are added to sterile water, propylene glycol, or an oil-based injectable steroid (or veterinary vitamin).This is usually repeated twice weekly, although some do manage to undergo this practice more frequently. Since this is not being done in a controlled sterile environment, one is obviously taking a risk. I do not doubt that infection is a common result. Some have actually started selling kits that contain all the necessary ingredients to separate the binders from the active steroid and brew a pure sterile injectable right in your kitchen. Most of the kits sold at this time are very thorough in their designs, and feedback on them has typically been excellent. I prefer not to mention actual product names, as it would probably not be a good idea to draw attention to the companies selling them. But they are not that hard to find right now. It is also of note that trenbolone acetate implant pellets are the active ingredients in a number of black market preparations, including the once popular Finabolan. Make no mistake; this is an underground product, despite the fact that it now carries a very official looking hologram sticker.
Finaplix® and competing trenbolone acetate pellets are available through many veterinary suppliers. This is the least expensive way to locate this steroid, as an agricultural store will typically sell a single Finaplix-H cartridge (2,000mg) for approximately $35. On the black market this same amount can easily sell for as much as $75 or $100. Since many vet/agricultural suppliers have become aware that athletes are ordering these products, you should know that many are reluctant to sell. It is also rumored that the FDA gets a report of the sales of this product, however, this has not been confirmed. There is also talk of athletes being visited by the DEA and postal inspectors after ordering the pellets through the mail. At this time, Finaplix is still fully legal to possess, however, the DEA may be paying an unwelcome interest in companies that market or support its sale to bodybuilders.One would be best advised to be careful.
Moving on from Finaplix pellets, legitimate pharmaceutical preparations using trenbolone are not as scarce today as they were 5 years ago. In reviewing the popular, legitimate products to be found on the black market, here is what you should expect.
Animal Power is selling a 75mg/mL trenbolone acetate injectable in Mexico called Trenbo 75. AP products are probably going to be amongst the most difficult for counterfeiters to duplicate accurately, as this manufacturer has a very strong focus on security measures. Most notable is the Animal Power holographic sticker, which is affixed to all product packaging (see: Security Stickers).
Nutri-Vet sells a 100mg/mL trenbolone acetate in Mexico, under the brand name Ultra Tren.This is a high dosage for a poorly soluble ester like acetate, suggesting that this product may contain a little more alcohol than comparable 75mg/mL products.
Pet’s Pharma is another new drug company in the Mexican steroid scene.They produce a trenbolone acetate injectable called Trenbolon 75. This product comes packed in both 10mL and 20mL multi-dose vials, and carries the company’s (non-holographic) security sticker to deter counterfeiting. Pet’s Pharma has not been a big target of counterfeit manufacturers, as of yet, making them a fairly safe company to shop.
Quality Vet’s Trembolona QV 75 Is still one of the most popular in Mexico. It also contains a 75mg/mL dose of trenbolone acetate, packaged in a 10mL multi-dose vial. QV is an extremely reputable company, and to deter counterfeiting the line is protected by hologram stickers.
Ttokkyo’s Trenbol 75 is off the market now, and the company is closed. Avoid all product bearing the Ttokkyo name at this time, as even old stock should be long gone from the black market.
Loeffler makes an oral trenbolone acetate product in Mexico called Acetenbo 50. This may not be as crazy as you think,as the synthetic and hard-to-metabolize nature gives this steroid a fair level of oral bioavailability. The product, however, is extremely expensive for what it provides, so it is not extremely popular right now. Note that Loeffler has recently started using hologram stickers. Be sure to look for them when shopping.
British Dragon makes Trenabol in Thailand, containing 75 mg/mL of steroid in a 10mL vial. BD is a reputable company, and feedback on this product has always been excellent. Note that they are no longer using holographic stickers on their injectable products. Instead, they use a red or blue metallic foil inlay as part of all vial labels. Also, make sure the vial top carries the Trenabol name directly in the plastic. Once removed, you should be looking at a rubber stopper with a dragon logo formed in the center. At one time BD was also licensing an oral 25mg tablet called Parabolan Tablets to an Eastern European exporter; however, this relationship has since been discontinued (along with the product).
Trenol 50 is manufactured in Myanmar by WDV Pharmaceuticals. This 50mg/mL 6mL multi-dose vial provides a decent amount of steroid, although it does not make its way to the U.S. very often. WDV products seem most popular in areas of Eastern Europe, and to a lesser extent Western Europe.