Oxabolone Cipionate
An obscure injectable 19-nortestosterone derivative (4-hydroxynandrolone cipionate) once marketed in Europe under names such as Steranabol. It is a metabolite-like relative of nandrolone with mild anabolic activity and low androgenicity, of interest mainly historically and to anti-doping laboratories. Human performance data are essentially nonexistent.
01 Overview
Oxabolone is 4-hydroxy-19-nortestosterone; the cipionate (cyclopentylpropionate) ester provides a depot release. Structurally it is a hydroxylated nandrolone relative and was included in a few European pharmaceutical preparations decades ago for tissue-building and recovery indications, now largely discontinued.
Its pharmacology resembles a weaker nandrolone: modest anabolic activity, low androgenic burden, and the general 19-nor tendency toward HPG suppression. Because it saw only limited clinical use and virtually no modern study, its evidence base is thin and it is mostly of historical and forensic interest. It appears on anti-doping lists as an anabolic agent.
02 Mechanism
Androgen-receptor agonist of the 19-nortestosterone class with modest anabolic and low androgenic activity; the 4-hydroxy group and 19-nor structure limit androgenicity.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historical therapeutic | 25–50 mg/wk | IM | Approximate historical clinical dosing; modern data absent. |
| Estimated | 100–200 mg/wk | IM | Inferred performance range; weakly anabolic. |
Ester comparison
| Ester | Half-life | Injection freq. | Testosterone by mass |
|---|
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modest lean mass and recovery supportMild anabolic and tissue-recovery effect, the basis of its historical use; no controlled data. | Anecdotal | ||
| Low androgenicityAs a 19-nor with a 4-hydroxy group, androgenic side effects are comparatively low. | Preclinical |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possible progestogenic effectsAs a 19-nor relative, some progestogenic activity and associated sexual side effects are plausible. | Mild | Uncommon | Anecdotal | |
| HPTA suppressionSuppresses endogenous testosterone as with other 19-nortestosterone steroids. | Moderate | Common | Observational |