Anabolic steroidAndrogen19-nortestosteroneProhormoneOral

19-Nor-Androstenedione

Also known as 19-Nor-4-androstenedione · norandrostenedione · 19-nor-AD

Written by enwyReviewed 5 Aug 20262 sources0 comments

A nandrolone precursor that converts to nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) rather than testosterone. Famous for triggering nandrolone-positive doping tests in athletes who took over-the-counter supplements in the late 1990s. Now a DASCA-scheduled controlled substance.

01 Overview

19-Nor-4-androstene-3,17-dione lacks the C19 methyl group of androstenedione, so its downstream product is nandrolone rather than testosterone. It was sold as a prohormone promising nandrolone-like anabolism with less estrogen conversion.

Its historical significance is mostly analytical: because it metabolises to the same 19-norandrosterone marker used to detect nandrolone doping, contaminated or deliberate supplement use produced numerous positive tests and contamination controversies. It was scheduled under DASCA 2014.

02 Mechanism

Converted by 17-beta-HSD to nandrolone (19-nortestosterone); nandrolone is a progestogenic, mildly aromatising anabolic androgen. Metabolises to 19-norandrosterone, the nandrolone doping marker.

03 Dosing

Tier	Dose	Route	Notes
Historic prohormone use	100–300 mg/day	Oral	Typical old prohormone dose range.

Ester comparison

Ester	Half-life	Injection freq.	Testosterone by mass

04 Effects

Effect	Magnitude	Evidence
Nandrolone-type anabolismUsers reported lean mass and joint-comfort effects consistent with low-dose nandrolone; controlled data are minimal.	Modest	Anecdotal
Lower estrogen conversion than testosterone precursorsNandrolone aromatises less than testosterone, though progestogenic effects replace some estrogenic risk.	Reduced aromatisation	Preclinical

05 Side effects

Effect	Severity	Frequency	Evidence	Countermeasures
Positive nandrolone doping testProduces 19-norandrosterone, the WADA nandrolone marker, causing failed drug tests.	Moderate	Near-universal in tested athletes	Clinical
Progestogenic and HPTA suppressionProgestogenic activity plus testosterone suppression; libido/erectile effects possible.	Moderate	Common	Observational

06 Legal status

United States

Schedule III controlled (DASCA 2014)

Anabolic steroid under the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act. · as of Jan 2026

07 References

Norandrostenedione supplements and urinary 19-norandrosteroneClin Chem, 2000

Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014US Public Law 113-260

08 Discussion0 comments

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This page is reference information, not medical advice. Doses and protocols are documented as they appear in the clinical literature and in practice — describing them is not a recommendation to use them. Countermeasures listed here are not a substitute for a physician. Legal status varies by jurisdiction and changes.