Trestolone
MENT, Trestolone acetate, 7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone, 7alpha-methyl-19-nortestosterone
Forms: Sold mainly as trestolone acetate; no pharmaceutical form exists.
Injectable steroidsNot approved for humansWADA S1.1 · prohibitedEvidence: limited human data
7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone (MENT), an experimental and very potent androgen. It is not converted to DHT but forms the potent estrogen 7α-methylestradiol and acts on progesterone receptors.
Legal status: Never approved; sold as a 'research chemical'. Not named in the US steroid list, but US law can treat close analogues sold for muscle growth as anabolic steroids; varies by country.
What it gives
What people use it for and what the sources report. Strength is a general category from the literature: mild, clear or strong.
Purpose
Used for muscle gain. Developed by the Population Council as a male contraceptive and for testosterone replacement, but never approved; sold as a 'research chemical'.
What people seek and what studies show
A potent androgen in cell tests. In hypogonadal men, replacement doses maintained most androgen-dependent functions except bone density, and spared the prostate. The far higher doses used for muscle gain have never been studied; the gains, often with water retention, are known only from user reports.
Effects
Evidence: Limited human data — some human studies, small or short
Sought effects by goal (as reported)
Mass
Sought for: muscle growth, strength
Recomposition
Sought for: muscle growth
Strength
Sought for: strength, muscle growth
Possible side effects
Possible does not mean certain: whether they appear depends on dose, duration, individual response and monitoring. Below — what to watch for and how to notice it early.
17 possible side effects
level · how often it is reportedElevated
Suppression of natural testosterone & fertility
commonBuilt as a male contraceptive: in trials it suppressed LH, FSH and testosterone and stopped sperm production in many men.
How to notice: Lower libido and energy, smaller testicles; low natural testosterone on tests after stopping.
In women: Menstrual changes or missed periods, lower libido and energy; reduced fertility.
Elevated
Black-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
commonSold only as a 'research chemical': no pharmaceutical product exists, so content, purity and sterility are unverified.
How to notice: Unexpected effects, pain or infection, a stronger or weaker effect than expected.
Moderate
Thick blood (hematocrit) / clot risk
commonHematocrit and hemoglobin rose in contraceptive trials; higher exposure is likely to raise them more. A blood count tracks it.
How to notice: Often silent; sometimes headaches, flushed face, itch after a hot shower.
Moderate
Worse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
commonLipid changes were moderate and transient at contraceptive doses; at the far higher sport doses an HDL drop is expected, as with other potent androgens.
How to notice: No symptoms — only visible on a lipid panel.
Moderate
High estrogen (water, gyno risk)
possibleAromatizes to 7α-methylestradiol, an estrogen as potent as estradiol at its receptor; users often report water retention and breast tenderness.
How to notice: Puffiness, sensitive or itchy nipples, mood swings, water weight.
Moderate
High prolactin / progestogenic effects
possibleIn cell tests it activates progesterone receptors as efficiently as progesterone; libido problems or nipple discharge warrant a prolactin test.
How to notice: Lower libido, weaker erections, nipple sensitivity or discharge.
Moderate
Gynecomastia
possibleEstrogenic plus progestogenic activity make breast-gland growth a plausible risk; early tenderness deserves a doctor's look.
How to notice: A tender lump or swelling under the nipple.
Moderate
Low libido / erectile problems
possibleIn a trial, sexual function fell at a low replacement dose and held at a higher one; at high doses progestogenic effects may also affect libido.
How to notice: Lower desire, weaker or less frequent erections.
In women: Lower desire and arousal.
Moderate
Higher blood pressure
possibleWater retention and estrogenic action can push blood pressure up; home readings show the trend.
How to notice: Often silent; sometimes headaches, flushing, nosebleeds — a home monitor shows it.
Moderate
Heart strain / heart-muscle thickening
possibleNo data at sport doses; as a potent androgen it adds to the class heart load of years of AAS use.
How to notice: Shortness of breath on effort, lower endurance, palpitations.
Moderate
Unknown long-term safety (little human data)
possibleNo long-term data at the doses used in sport; in hypogonadal men on replacement-level doses, spine bone density fell.
How to notice: Nothing to notice — the risk is what is not yet known.
Moderate
Kidney strain
rareNo compound-specific data; long-term heavy AAS use has been linked to protein in urine and kidney scarring (FSGS) in bodybuilders. Cystatin C and a urine test help reveal it.
How to notice: Usually silent; foamy urine or swelling in later stages.
MenLow
WomenHigh
Virilization in women (often irreversible)
commonA very potent androgen: in women, voice, hair and clitoral changes are expected and may be permanent.
How to notice: Hoarse or deeper voice, new facial or body hair, menstrual changes, clitoral enlargement.
Low
Water retention / bloating
possibleWater retention is often described by users; it can push blood pressure up.
How to notice: Puffy face and ankles, softer look, quick weight jumps.
Low
Acne, oily skin
possibleOily skin and acne are possible, though it is not converted to DHT in skin.
How to notice: Oily skin, spots on back, shoulders and face.
Low
Androgenic hair loss
possibleNot converted to DHT, so scalp effects may be weaker than with testosterone, but hair loss is still possible in those prone.
How to notice: More hair in the shower, thinning at the temples or crown.
Low
Injection pain, infection, oil cough
possibleShort-acting acetate injections can be painful; redness, heat or fever suggest infection.
How to notice: Soreness, lumps; a short coughing fit right after an injection.
What the levels mean
Lowbackground — just be aware
Moderatewatch for signs
Elevatedneeds regular control
Highcritical — can be life-threatening or permanent
Level: general category from the literature, not your personal risk
How often
- common
- reported often
- possible
- reported in some people
- rare
- reported occasionally
How to lower the risks
For 14 of 17 possible side effects there are specific ways to lower the chance: everyday measures, supplements and options a doctor may consider. For the rest — general advice. No measure removes a risk completely. Prescription medicines are listed only for a doctor to decide on, after tests — they have side effects of their own.
ElevatedSuppression of natural testosterone & fertility
Check hormones before and after; if they stay low, see an endocrinologist.
Measure
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (7)
- Regular blood tests — LH, FSH and testosterone show how deep suppression is and whether natural production has recovered afterwards.
- Working with a doctor — Assesses how deep suppression is and guides recovery afterwards, including fertility testing.
- Clomiphene — A doctor may consider it after stopping, guided by hormone tests; recovery after long use can still take months. Risks: vision changes, mood swings, rare clots. Has side effects of its own.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) — A doctor may consider it to preserve fertility (in men it keeps the testes working); it does not restart the pituitary, so natural LH still has to recover. Risks: higher estradiol, gynecomastia. Has side effects of its own.
- Tamoxifen — A doctor may consider it after steroids are stopped, guided by hormone tests; it has not been tested for this after steroid use. Risks: blood clots, vision changes. Has side effects of its own. Not offered to women: in the women’s view it adds to a risk this substance already carries.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropins, menotropins) — A fertility doctor may consider adding it to hCG when semen tests and FSH stay low; it does not restart the pituitary. Risks: gynecomastia, acne. Has side effects of its own.
- Toremifene — A doctor may consider it after steroids are stopped, guided by hormone tests; it raised testosterone in subfertile men but was never tested after steroids. Risks: QT prolongation, clots. Has side effects of its own. Not offered to women: in the women’s view it adds to a risk this substance already carries.
ElevatedBlack-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
Products obtained without a prescription are often fake, mislabeled or non-sterile, and there is no way to check at home. For legal supplements, look for third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF).
ModerateThick blood (hematocrit) / clot risk
Check the blood count regularly; if hematocrit stays high, a doctor decides — usually stopping or reducing the cause, sometimes therapeutic phlebotomy, never blood-bank donation. Avoid dehydration: it thickens the blood further.
Measure
How each option helps (3)
- Regular blood tests — A blood count shows hematocrit and hemoglobin climbing toward the range where clot and stroke risk rises.
- Therapeutic phlebotomy prescribed by a doctor — Only on a doctor's decision, never at a blood bank. Lowers hematocrit quickly but temporarily; repeated sessions drain iron, and a lower clot risk is unproven.
- Working with a doctor — Manages thick blood by changing what you use or, if justified, by therapeutic phlebotomy.
ModerateWorse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
Avoid combining several oral steroids; regular cardio, soluble fiber (psyllium), less saturated fat and alcohol; if LDL/ApoB stay high, a doctor may consider a statin. Omega-3 only lowers triglycerides.
Measure
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (8)
- Regular blood tests — A lipid panel with ApoB shows how far HDL has dropped and LDL risen — changes you cannot feel.
- Working with a doctor — Interprets lipids and ApoB and decides whether a statin or other therapy is warranted.
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Alcohol raises triglycerides; its small HDL bump does not lower heart risk.
- Regular cardio training — Raises HDL a little and lowers triglycerides; it cannot offset a steroid-driven fall in HDL on its own.
- Berberine — Placebo-controlled meta-analysis: LDL about 0.5 and triglycerides about 0.4 mmol/L lower; HDL unchanged. Trials are mostly small; no statin substitute.
- Citrus bergamot — Pooled small trials show lower LDL and triglycerides, but certainty is low to very low; it is no replacement for statins.
- Omega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA) — Clearly lowers triglycerides but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm; DHA-containing oils may even raise LDL slightly.
- Psyllium husk fiber — Lowers LDL by about 0.2–0.3 mmol/L (roughly 5–10%), also on top of doctor-prescribed statins; no effect on HDL.
ModerateHigh estrogen (water, gyno risk)
Check estradiol by blood test before acting on symptoms; keep salt and body fat in check.
Measure
How each option helps (2)
- Regular blood tests — A sensitive estradiol test shows whether water retention or nipple tenderness really comes from high estrogen.
- Working with a doctor — Prescription estrogen control is safer when adjusted by lab results than by guesswork.
ModerateHigh prolactin / progestogenic effects
Test prolactin if libido drops; a doctor decides on correction.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Regular blood tests — Prolactin testing matters with 19-nor compounds and helps explain low libido or nipple discharge.
ModerateGynecomastia
React early: see a doctor at the first lump, check estradiol and prolactin.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Early assessment of breast-tissue growth allows treatment before the change becomes permanent.
ModerateLow libido / erectile problems
Find the cause by tests (estradiol, prolactin, testosterone) rather than guessing.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Finds the cause of low libido or erectile problems instead of masking it.
ModerateHigher blood pressure
Less salt, regular cardio, good sleep; home readings; a doctor if it stays high.
Measure
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (8)
- Home blood-pressure monitoring — Seated, rested readings on several days show your true BP; persistently high values are a signal to see a doctor.
- Regular cardio training — Regular aerobic training lowers resting BP by a few mmHg, more in people with high BP.
- Working with a doctor — Diagnoses persistent hypertension and prescribes treatment when needed.
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Regular drinking raises blood pressure; cutting it out lowers it.
- Coenzyme Q10 — Inconsistent: some analyses show a small systolic drop in cardiometabolic disease, but a Cochrane review found no clinically meaningful effect.
- Magnesium — Meta-analysis of trials: about 2 mmHg lower systolic pressure on average.
- Omega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA) — Small drop of a few mmHg, mainly in people with untreated high blood pressure.
- Taurine — Meta-analysis of 20 small trials: about 4 mmHg lower systolic pressure on average.
ModerateHeart strain / heart-muscle thickening
Regular cardio, blood pressure control, an echo as a baseline and then yearly.
Measure
How each option helps (4)
- Heart screening: ECG and echocardiogram — Echocardiography shows wall thickening and reduced pumping early, while stopping AAS and treating BP can still help.
- Working with a doctor — Orders ECG and echocardiography and treats early heart changes.
- Home blood-pressure monitoring — Keeping BP controlled is one of the main ways to limit heart-wall thickening.
- Regular cardio training — Supports heart and vessel function, but does not reverse steroid-related heart thickening or weakening.
ModerateUnknown long-term safety (little human data)
What is unknown cannot be lowered, only avoided; tell your doctor what you have taken.
ModerateKidney strain
Drink enough water, control blood pressure, avoid regular painkillers (NSAIDs).
Measure
How each option helps (3)
- Fluid & electrolyte management — Good hydration eases kidney stress from heavy training and heat; dehydration plus NSAIDs is a classic cause of acute kidney injury.
- Regular blood tests — Creatinine reads high in muscular people and with creatine; cystatin C and a urine test give a truer picture of the kidneys.
- Working with a doctor — Investigates protein in the urine or falling kidney function and can start treatment that slows kidney damage.
MenLow
WomenHigh
Stop at the first voice change and see a doctor — early stopping matters.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Steroid labels say to stop at the first mild signs (hoarse voice, facial hair, clitoral growth) to prevent permanent change; checks catch them early but do not make use safe.
Low-level side effects
Water retention
Steady salt and water intake, cardio, check estradiol.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Tells harmless water retention from swelling due to heart, kidney or liver trouble; steroid labels warn that edema can come with heart failure.
Acne
Gentle skin care, cleansing after training, a dermatologist if it spreads.
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (3)
- Adapalene — Reduces spots in many users. Redness, scaling, dryness and stinging are common early and usually ease; acne may look worse at first. Rarely, allergic swelling.
- Benzoyl peroxide — A first-line acne option. Dryness, redness and peeling are common at first; it bleaches hair and fabric; rarely, serious allergic reactions. Severe steroid acne needs a dermatologist.
- Zinc — Trials show a modest drop in inflamed spots, weaker than antibiotics; steroid acne is driven by androgens.
Hair loss
Ketoconazole shampoo, minoxidil, a dermatologist early if you are prone to it.
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (1)
- Minoxidil (topical) — Slows thinning and regrows some hair; scalp itching and early temporary shedding are common, unwanted facial hair possible. Gains fade once stopped.
Injection site
Sterile technique, never share needles, vials or pens; see a doctor for a hot, swollen site. If equipment was ever shared, test for HIV and hepatitis B/C and ask about hepatitis B vaccination.
Check-ups and blood tests
Which tests and check-ups to do and when. This is a guide — agree the exact schedule with your doctor.
Baseline tests
your own starting values — every later result is compared with them
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)cholesterol
Complete blood count (hematocrit, hemoglobin)hematocrit
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)blood pressure, kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGnatural testosterone, libido
Estradiol (sensitive assay)high estrogen, gynecomastia, libido
Prolactinprolactin, gynecomastia, libido
Home blood-pressure logblood pressure, heart, kidneys
ECGheart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)heart
Urinalysiskidneys
While taking
about 4–6 weeks in, then every 6–8 weeks — agree the exact schedule with your doctor
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)cholesterol
Complete blood count (hematocrit, hemoglobin)hematocrit
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)blood pressure, kidneys
Estradiol (sensitive assay)high estrogen, gynecomastia, libido
Prolactinprolactin, gynecomastia, libido
Home blood-pressure logblood pressure, heart, kidneys
Urinalysiskidneys
After stopping
4–8 weeks after stopping (later after long-acting injections), then until values return to baseline
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)cholesterol
Complete blood count (hematocrit, hemoglobin)hematocrit
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)blood pressure, kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGnatural testosterone, libido
Semen analysisnot earlier than 3 months after stopping, then every 3 months until normalnatural testosterone
Every year
with regular or repeated use
ECGheart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)heart
Which doctors can help
Sports physiciancoordinates everything
Endocrinologistnatural testosterone, high estrogen, prolactin, gynecomastia, libido
Cardiologistcholesterol, blood pressure, hematocrit, heart
Urologistlibido
Nephrologistkidneys
Gynecologistvirilization, natural testosterone, libido (women)
At home
- Home blood pressure: 2–3 times a week in the morning, keep a log
Get medical help at once if
- A painful lump under the nipple or nipple discharge — see a doctor early, while it can still regress; a hard, painless or fixed lump, skin dimpling or bloody discharge — see a doctor promptly.
- Sudden severe headache, vision changes, numbness or weakness on one side, trouble speaking — call emergency services.
- Swelling, pain or redness in one leg; sudden shortness of breath or chest pain; sudden one-sided weakness or numbness, trouble speaking or seeing — seek urgent care.
- Chest pain or pressure, breathlessness on light effort, swollen ankles, fainting — seek urgent care.
- Much less urine than usual, cola-colored urine, new swelling, flank pain — see a doctor now.
- Deepening voice, new facial hair, clitoral enlargement — stop and see a doctor: changes can become permanent. (women)
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
For women
Never studied in women. As a very potent androgen it is expected to virilize quickly — voice deepening, facial hair, clitoral enlargement — and such changes may be permanent.
Myth & fact
Myth
“Trestolone is a safer, 'prostate-sparing' steroid.”
Fact
Trials did show it spares the prostate, but hematocrit rose, bone density fell at replacement doses and fertility is strongly suppressed; nothing is known about sport doses.
Combinations
Overlap5α-reductase inhibitor with steroids it cannot affect
DHT-derived steroids, trenbolone and trestolone act without 5α-reductase, so finasteride and dutasteride do not lower their effect on hair or prostate; they only reduce DHT made from testosterone, while finasteride and dutasteride keep their own side effects.
DrostanoloneMetenolone1-TestosteroneOxandroloneStanozololOxymetholoneMesteroloneMethasteroneTrenboloneMethyl-1-testosterone (M1T)Desoxymethyltestosterone (DMT, Madol, Pheraplex)Epistane (methylepitiostanol, Havoc)ProstanozolMestanoloneStenbolone1-Andro (1-androsterone) and related prohormonesEpiandrosterone (Epi-Andro)Androstanolone (dihydrotestosterone, DHT)Sources
von Eckardstein S et al. A clinical trial of 7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone implants for possible use as a long-acting contraceptive for men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003 (opens in a new tab)Anderson RA et al. Evidence for tissue selectivity of the synthetic androgen 7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone in hypogonadal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003 (opens in a new tab)García-Becerra R et al. Comparison of 7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone effectiveness alone or combined with progestins on androgen receptor mediated-transactivation. Reproduction 2012 (opens in a new tab)
Check how Trestolone combines with your stack
Possible side effects by body system, combinations, how to lower the risks and which tests to do — free.
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