Trenbolone: Some of its lesser-known benefits

Trenbolone was first synthesized in 1963 and quickly became a bodybuilder’s favorite in the next few decades. Nowadays, it’s almost impossible to find a BB who hasn’t heard of, tried or consistently used it for cutting, bulking, or even both.

Being part of the nandrolone group, this 19-nor steroid has a precise combination of attributes which provide amazing results, with some users claiming it’s unparalleled at improving their physiques. Typically, trenbolone is recognized by its ability to provide substantial gains in lean dry muscle tissue and its strength building capabilities, but in this article, we will go over some of the lesser-known qualities of trenbolone.

  1. Estrogen Interaction: many old school bodybuilders were taught to avoid aromatase inhibitors during the bulking season, probably due to the fact that it’s much harder to put on weight with very low estrogen levels, mainly due to the water retention effect experienced when there’s more circulating E2. However, today it’s very common to see AI’s being freely employed in several protocols, mainly because everybody wants to look good all year around for all kinds of social media. On this particular matter, one study made by the meat industry (the most interested party in the effects of trenbolone) in cattle showed that trenbolone usage with a moderately high estrogen level can lead to up to 75% improved rates in IGF-1 levels as compared to just using trenbolone in a low estrogen environment. This fact alone supplies some evidence as to why the testosterone + trenbolone stack is so effective at building mass when compared to just trenbolone at the same amount of mgs/week, as testosterone will provide some estrogen via aromatization to the process.
  2. Proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells: trenbolone also stimulates growth through the proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells via increased IGF-1 sensitivity. After a heavy training session, the muscle tissue will sustain damage and nearby satellite cells will quickly begin to multiply (proliferation) and fuse to the damaged muscle tissue, initiating the repair process. The majority of these immature satellite cells will then turn into new mature muscle cells (through a process called differentiation), either creating new tissue (myofibrils) or repairing previously damaged strands. This processes lead to an overall increase in size and strength of the trained muscle.
  3. Drying-out effect: another one of trenbolones most prized effects is its ability to provide a dense, dry, hard look to the muscles, mainly due to the reduction in subcutaneous water which accompanies its use, known as the “drying-out effect”. Together with this effect, trenbolone also has the ability to protect against intramuscular fat accumulation, as shown in studies involving livestock.
  4. Nutrition repartitioning: yet another one of trenbolone’s benefits is the nutrition repartitioning effect, which means it’s capable of prioritizing the use of nutrients in the body for protein synthesis and glycogen restoration instead storing energy in the form of adipose tissue, which means the food you eat is more likely to be used for muscle growth and less likely to be stored as fat deposits. This nutrient repartitioning effect also has a direct implication in food efficiency, with one study done in cattle showing that even while eating the same amount of food throughout their lives, animals treated with trenbolone had anywhere between 17 to 26% more lean mass in their carcasses when compared to the control group. This shows that the steers on trenbolone were able to gain much more muscle with the same amount of nutrients as the other groups, meaning that trenbolone made them much more efficient at using the food they were eating.
  5. Body Re-comping: lastly, trenbolone’s potent body re-comping abilities are remarkable, with some users reporting unrivaled results with its usage. Sure, there are steroids that can help you get bigger and stronger or leaner while keeping your mass, but nothing does it all at the same time as thoroughly and as quickly as trenbolone.

However, as with most things in life, using trenbolone comes at a price: it’s probably the hormone that will suppress your natural production the most and there are studies that suggest trenbolone messes with serotonin receptors in the brain, so using it for too long may not be the best idea. Generally speaking, 12 weeks is the maximum I would recommend someone take trenbolone without a break.

Marco D. Angelo

PhD in biochemistry, specialized in enzymology and metabolic biochemistry with a background in pharmacology, he works in a molecular biology laboratory and in his spare time works as a high-performance trainer in addition to assisting other coaches.

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