Pro-hormones

Pro-hormones - substances which are predecessors of hormones while in itself they have no biological activity. The term pro-hormones was for the first time used in medicine in the middle of the 20th century. In a human body the large number of natural pro-hormones meets: pro-insulin - a predecessor of insulin, thyroxin - a predecessor of a triyodtironin, etc.

In bodybuilding pro-hormones are understood as pro-steroids which in case of hit are converted into an organism, as a rule at the expense of an enzymatic otshchepleniye of a part of a molecule, in active anabolic steroids, such as testosterone, etc. Though concepts pro-hormones and pro-steroids aren't synonyms as believe many. Pro-steroids are only one of types of pro-hormones.

"Attention" Since 2011 pro-hormones practically disappeared from the market of sports food that is connected with a mass prohibition of import to Russia, and also their productions.

Pro-hormones in bodybuilding

In the last two decades pro-hormones (pro-steroids) are actively used in athletes in bodybuilding, powerlifting and other strength sports for increase in muscle bulk and power indicators. Initially, the main benefit of pro-hormones consisted in their legal status as formally they don't belong to anabolic steroids. Nevertheless in recent years many pro-hormones are entered in the list along with steroids and their turnover is limited.

Today, producers constantly work on creation of new pro-hormones which aren't entered in the list prohibited yet, however there pass 1-2 years and a product withdraw from circulation. Thus, there is a fixed race of the companies and the state, to lagging of the last for some time.

As a rule producers declare that their pro-hormones it is much safer than steroids, however actually it not always so. First, the main objective of the producer is not creation of safer product, but synthesis of a new formula which would possess anabolic action and at the same time wasn't entered in the list prohibited while the safety issue passes into the background. Secondly, the majority of pro-hormones are much weaker than anabolic steroids, and the smaller frequency of side effects is explained by it. From what it is possible to draw a conclusion that pro-hormones are safe no more than steroids in moderate doses.

The fixed race of the producer and the state control leads to the fact that in the market there are pro-hormones which don't pass any clinical tests, and often it becomes clear that these additives have quite serious side effects which have more difficult character than classical steroids. It is necessary to notice that pro-hormones have the status of nutritional supplement, and it means that quality control at these products is much lower than at pharmaceutical medicines.

Conclusion

Progormona's "attention" have no pharmacological advantages in comparison with anabolic steroids and is usually much weaker than the last whereas side effects arise quite often, in connection with low quality control and almost total absence of researches. There is a probability of delayed side effects, possible cancerogenic activity and so on. Some information about Phenotropil.

Popular pro-hormones

4-androstenedione

• It is converted into testosterone
• Researches show that the level of conversion doesn't exceed 6%, it means that only the twentieth part of additive turns into testosterone.
• High level of aromatization, that is the probability of development of a ginekomastiya, hypostases and other side effects is high.
• High androgenic activity.

4-androstenediol (4-AD)

• It is converted into testosterone
• Level of conversion is 15.76%
• It isn't converted into estrogen
• Has smaller androgenic activity in comparison with 4-androstenedione as doesn't turn in degidrostestosteron.

19-norandrostenedione

• It is converted in nandrolon (retabolit)
• Anabolic activity almost like at testosterone
• Doesn't turn into estrogen
• Low androgenic activity

19-norandrostenediol

• It is converted also in nandrolon
• Level of conversion is a little higher than the previous pro-hormone

1-androstenediol (1-AD)

• It is converted in 1-testosterone (dihydroboldenone)
• Has by 7 times big anabolic activity and twice big androgenic activity in comparison with testosterone.
• It is almost completely converted into an active form when passing through a liver
• It isn't flavored (doesn't turn into estrogen)

1.4-androstadienedione (1,4 AD)

• It is converted into boldenone
• High bioavailability at oral reception
• Low extent of aromatization to estrogen (50% are less in comparison with testosterone)
• Low androgenic activity

1-testosterone (1-T)

• It is similar to testosterone
• Has by 4 times big bioavailability at oral reception in comparison with testosterone
• Doesn't turn into estrogen
• Actually isn't pro-hormone

Ghost effects

Pro-hormones have the same ghost effects as well as anabolic steroids. Expressiveness and frequency depends on a specific formula of the component. Many pro-hormones require carrying out PCT.

Read the main article: Ghost effects of steroids.

Scientific overview

Testosterone and hormone of growth – the main hormones from the point of view of muscle growth (anabolism processes), increase in muscular force, delay of reactions of a catabolism, decrease in a share of fat in an organism. Besides, testosterone is responsible for some men's characteristics (such as pilosis of certain parts of the body, rough voice, etc.).  It is widely known that athletes often accept high doses of anabolic steroids with the purpose to improve adaptation to trainings, to increase muscle bulk and/or to accelerate recovery during intensive trainings. 

Researches in general showed that acceptance of anabolic steroids and hormones of growth really promotes a surplus of muscle bulk and force. Nevertheless, similar practice has a number of side effects. Cases of hormonal dysfunction, violation of work of a liver, a giperlipidemiya are known (increases in level of lipoproteins in blood). Besides, acceptance of steroids increases risk of cardiovascular diseases and inadequate behavior (so-called "steroid rage"). Some of these effects are irreversible, especially at women. For this reason most the sports organizations forbade use of anabolic steroids. Their application should be avoided. The unique exception is application of steroids to destination of the therapist for treatment of certain diseases.

Pro-hormones (androstenedion, 4-androstenediol, 19-holes-4-androstenedion, 19-holes-4-androstenediol, 7-keto-degidroepiandrosteron (DHEA), degidroepiandrosteron (DHEA), etc.) in fact are precursors of testosterone and other anabolic steroids, at the same time have a natural origin. Because of a natural origin they became popular among bodybuilders. Now quite large amount of nonprescription additives contains pro-hormones.

At the moment there are some data confirming a capability of pro-hormones to increase testosterone level in blood. But there are practically no certificates that additive of pro-hormones is capable to improve adaptation to trainings at young men with the normal level of hormones. Data are provided in the majority of researches that pro-hormones don't influence testosterone level in any way, and some of them can increase the level of estrogen and reduce the level of lipoproteins of a high density (HDL). 

Thus, though pro-hormones can be used for maintenance of level of men's hormones in the senior age groupes, they are represented inefficient from the point of view of application for athletes. Besides, most the sports organizations forbade use of pro-hormones as "the steroidopodobnykh of substances". It is necessary to remember that acceptance of pro-hormones will yield positive test result on anabolic steroids. Intentional and unintentional use of pro-hormones (as a part of various additives) became the reason of many positive samples at athletes recently.

Thus, it is necessary to study attentively composition of additives regarding availability of pro-hormones. Especially it concerns athletes whose sport forbids acceptance of these substances. For example, some pro-hormones are forbidden to sale in the territory of the USA since in 2004 the special law concerning application of anabolic steroids (Anabolic Steroid Control Act) was adopted there. The unique exception is degidroepiandrosteron (DHEA) which passed a set of clinical tests in the senior age groups.

Recently the new method of increase in level of endogenous testosterone – blocking of activity of an aromataza was found. In two researches effects of inhibitors of an aromataza (androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione) and (hydroxyandrost-4-ene-6,17-dioxo-3-THP ether and 3,17-diketo-androst-1,4,6-triene) were studied. In both experiments substantial increase of level of dihydrotestosterone was fixed. Influence of additives on a surplus of dry muscle bulk in one of experiments wasn't carried out, in another no changes were noted.