Methasterone

• Methyldrostanolone

Methasterone is a potent oral anabolic steroid. Methasterone is a modified form of dihydrotestosterone. It differs by: 1) the addition of a methyl group at carbon 17-alpha, which helps protect the hormone during oral administration, and 2) the introduction of a methyl group at carbon-2 (alpha), which considerably increases the anabolic strength of the steroid by heightening its resistance to metabolism by the 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme in skeletal muscle tissue. Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetically produced versions of the naturally occurring male sex hormone testosterone. The term “anabolic” refers to muscle-building whilst “androgenic” refers to increased male sexual characteristics; “steroids” refer to the class of drug. Medically, they are prescribed to treat various conditions related to muscle wastage or for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Male hormones such as testosterone and its metabolite di-hydrotestosterone are responsible for the developmental changes that occur within the male body through adolescence such as increased body mass, facial and body hair, oily skin, acne and mood swings. Whether AAS are injected or taken orally they work by mimicking testosterone. When they enter the blood stream they attach to specific receptors (a bit like a lock and key) at cell level. This allows them to enter the nucleus of the cell, which in turn helps the cell to create and retain more protein. This process is called protein synthesis. It is this construction of new proteins that is associated with increased muscle size and strength. Steroids can also support muscle growth by other means i.e. increasing levels of free androgens, increasing human growth hormone production and insulin-like growth factor. They may also stop the body entering a catabolic state where muscle would be broken down and size diminishes. The use of anabolic steroids and associated drugs (such as human growth hormone) has been associated with diverse adverse effects on both physical and psychological health, including, on rare occasions’ fatalities. However, this issue remains poorly researched, with evidence predominantly being drawn from case studies/reports and self-reported effects from the users themselves. Many of the adverse effects to anabolic steroids may be classed as dose dependent, with higher dosages being more likely to result in both short and long term adverse effects. The length of time the drugs are used for can also influence the likelihood of adverse effects, with longer regimes possibly more likely to produce side-effects. Another key factor in relation to the adverse effects of anabolic steroid use is the underlying health of the drug user. Specific individuals will have a much higher genetic propensity to some adverse effects. These may be either the less dramatic side effects that many users will consider as being manageable, to potentially life threatening conditions affecting the cardiovascular or hepatic systems. Furthermore, responses to drugs can be idiosyncratic, characterised by an unpredictable hyper-response to a stimuli, in this case the self-directed administration of anabolic steroids. The most commonly reported adverse effects are by no means life threatening but can still have a negative impact on the anabolic steroid user.

Hepatoxicity: Methasterone is a c17-alpha alkylated compound. This alteration protects the drug from deactivation by the liver, allowing a very high percentage of the drug entry into the bloodstream following oral administration. (17alpha alkylated anabolic/androgenic steroids can be hepatotoxic. Prolonged or high exposure may result in liver damage. Cardiovascular: Anabolic/androgenic steroids can have deleterious effect on serum cholesterol. This includes a tendency to reduce HDL (good) cholesterol values and increase LDL (bad) cholesterol values, which may shift the HDL to LDL / balance in a direction that favours greater risk of arteriosclerosis. The relative impact of an anabolic/androgenic steroid on serum lipids is dependent on the dose, route of administration (oral vs. injectable) I type of steroid (aromatizable or non-aromatizable), an< / level of resistance to hepatic metabolisrr / Fluoxymesterone has a strong effect on the hepatic management of cholesterol due to its structural resistance to liver breakdown. Testosterone Suppression: All anabolic/androgenic steroids when taken in doses sufficient to promote muscle gain are expected to suppress endogenous testosterone production. Without the intervention of testosterone-stimulating substances, testosterone levels should return to normal within 1-4 months of drug secession.

Dermatological & Hair: Male pattern baldness has been shown to be androgen-dependent (Randall, 2004). It is conceivable that in those who are genetically predisposed to this form of scalp hair loss, the use of certain types of steroids could accelerate the progression of hair loss. Conversely, many steroid users report increased growth of body hair when using steroids. From the limited data available growth of facial hair may be particularly pronounced in female users. Gynaecomastia: Gynaecomastia is the growth of the glandular breast tissue in males, caused by an imbalance in the ratio of oestrogen to testosterone. This imbalance is a direct result of an excess of testosterone resulting in aromatisation (conversion of excess testosterone into an oestrogen like compound. This in turn can cause the growth of breast tissue and female fat distribution. Those anabolic steroids with a high androgenic component are more likely to result in this adverse effect. Many of the drugs commonly used in conjunction with anabolic steroids such as growth hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin, spironolactone) have also been clinically associated with gynaecomastia. Genitourinary: Anabolic steroid use can suppress endogenous testosterone leading to shrinkage of the testes. It can take a prolonged period for testicular production and fertility to recover. Many anabolic steroid users report increased libido while using steroids, conversely on cessation of use, libido is often decreased below original levels. Erectile dysfunction has also been reported both during use and following cessation of use. There have been a small number of case reports of renal cancers in individuals who reported use of anabolic steroids. But, as in the case of many of the more serious side effects of anabolic steroids, a causal link has not been fully ascertained. Liver: The use of anabolic steroids, in particular oral C17 alpha alkylated steroids (such as methandienone and oxymetholone), has been associated with disease and dysfunction of the liver, with cases of jaundice being relatively common. The extent of impact on liver function is inconclusive with studies reporting diverse results and conclusions. However, there have been a small number of case reports of liver tumours in anabolic steroid users. Cardiovascular: The use of anabolic steroids has been associated with a range of both acute and chronic cardiovascular pathologies. Reported adverse effects include hypertension, altered lipid metabolism, altered haemostatic system, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, stroke, thrombosis, sudden cardiac death and cardiac hypertrophy However, much of the data related to these cases is equivocal.