Stanolone (DHT / androstanolone)
Stanolone is pharmaceutical dihydrotestosterone (DHT) itself, the most potent natural androgen, available medically as a transdermal gel or injection (androstanolone) for androgen deficiency. It is a strong androgen but weak systemic anabolic, cannot aromatise, and is used clinically where avoiding oestrogen conversion is desired. Its side-effect profile is androgenic — prostate, hair and skin — rather than oestrogenic.
01 Overview
Stanolone (androstanolone) is exogenous dihydrotestosterone, the endogenous 5-alpha-reduced metabolite of testosterone and the body's most potent natural androgen at the receptor. It has real clinical use — chiefly as a transdermal gel in Europe for hypogonadism and, historically, by injection — which gives it a reasonably characterised human profile. Because it is already the terminal androgen it cannot aromatise, so it raises androgenic tone without oestrogenic effects, useful clinically when oestrogen elevation must be avoided.
Paradoxically for such a strong androgen it is a poor muscle-builder systemically: it is rapidly metabolised in muscle by 3-alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, so it does not accumulate to drive hypertrophy the way testosterone does, and it can suppress the HPG axis and lower endogenous testosterone. Its potent androgenicity means prostate effects, hair loss and acne are the main concerns, and it is used in performance contexts mainly for its androgenic 'feel', libido and pre-contest hardening rather than mass.
02 Mechanism
Directly activates the androgen receptor as the most potent natural androgen; cannot aromatise, but is rapidly inactivated in muscle by 3-alpha-HSD, so it is strongly androgenic yet weakly anabolic systemically.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | 50–100 mg/day | IM | Short-acting; frequent dosing needed for unesterified forms. |
| Therapeutic | 125–250 mg/day | Transdermal | Clinical transdermal gel dosing for androgen deficiency. |
Ester comparison
| Ester | Half-life | Injection freq. | Testosterone by mass |
|---|
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased androgenic tone and libidoAs the most potent natural androgen it strongly supports libido and androgenic effects; documented clinically. | Clinical | ||
| No oestrogen conversionCannot aromatise, so avoids oestrogenic side effects — its clinical rationale. | Clinical | ||
| Hardening / dry cosmetic effectReported dryness and hardness pre-contest; weak systemic anabolic effect limits mass. | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prostate stimulationAs potent DHT it drives prostate growth, a concern especially in older men. | Moderate | Common | Clinical | |
| Accelerated male-pattern hair lossDHT is the principal driver of androgenetic hair loss. | Moderate | Common | Observational | |
| HPTA suppressionSuppresses gonadotropins and endogenous testosterone. | Moderate | Universal | Clinical |