Sometimes human users may experience an event called "tren cough" shortly after or during an injection, where the user experiences a violent and extreme coughing fit, which can last for minutes and in some cases even longer.
"Tren cough", despite it's name, is not exclusive to trenbolone. It can occur when injecting any oil-steroid solutions, if the solution accidentally is injected intravenously. When the oil-steroid solution gets into the bloodstream, the steroid oil solution travels into the lungs, therefore causing a coughing fit. There exist several theories on why this phenomenon happens.[9]
Trenbolone has both
anabolic and
androgenic effects.[6] Once
metabolized, trenbolone esters have the effect of increasing
ammonium ion uptake by muscles, leading to an increase in the rate of
protein synthesis. It may also have the secondary effects of stimulating appetite and decreasing the rate of
catabolism, as all
anabolic steroids are believed to; however, catabolism likely increases significantly once the steroid is no longer taken.[13] At least one study in rats has shown trenbolone to cause gene expression of the
androgen receptor (AR) at least as potent as
dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This evidence tends to indicate trenbolone can cause an increase in male
secondary sex characteristics without the need to convert to a more potent androgen in the body.[14]
Studies on metabolism are mixed, with some studies showing that it is metabolized by
aromatase or
5α-reductase into
estrogenic compounds, or into 5α-reduced androgenic compounds, respectively.[15][16]
The potency of Trenbolone is not known, although it's often falsely believed to be five times high as that of
testosterone.[17][18] This is based on a book by William Llewellyn but has not been definitively proven. Trenbolone was never approved for human use, and therefore limited data on the subject exists. The relevant literature, is usually done in rats, which makes the 500/100 potency number inaccurate. Rats respond differently to androgens and are less sensitive to androgens. While some literature report a 5 fold higher potency, two other scientific reviews report a 3 fold higher potency, which makes it unclear as to how large the relative potency actually is.[19][20] Trenbolone also binds with high
affinity to the
progesterone receptor,[6][21][22][23] and binds to the
glucocorticoid receptor as well.[22]
Trenbolone and 17-epitrenbolone are both excreted in urine as conjugates that can be hydrolyzed with beta-glucuronidase.[24] This implies that trenbolone leaves the body as beta-
glucuronides or
sulfates.
Trenbolone is the
generic name of the drug and its
INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name and
BANTooltip British Approved Name.[2][3][4] It has also been referred to as trienolone or trienbolone or tren.[2][3][4][28]
Legal status
Some
bodybuilders and
athletes use trenbolone hexahydrobenzylcarbonate and other esters (acetate, enanthate) for their muscle-building and otherwise performance-enhancing effects.[29][6] Such use is illegal in the United States and several European and Asian countries. The DEA classifies trenbolone and its esters as
Schedule III controlled substances under the
Controlled Substances Act.[30] Trenbolone is classified as a Schedule 4 drug in
Canada[31] and a class C drug with no penalty for personal use or possession in the
United Kingdom.[32] Use or possession of steroids without a prescription is a crime in
Australia.[33]
^Fox AJ, Lalloo UG, Belvisi MG, Bernareggi M, Chung KF, Barnes PJ (July 1996). "Bradykinin-evoked sensitization of airway sensory nerves: a mechanism for ACE-inhibitor cough". Nature Medicine. 2 (7): 814–817.
doi:
10.1038/nm0796-814.
PMID8673930.
^Fahey TD (March 1998).
"Anabolic Steroids: Mechanisms and Effects". Encyclopedia of sports medicine and science. Internet Society for Sport Science.
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^Yarrow JF, McCoy SC, Borst SE (June 2010). "Tissue selectivity and potential clinical applications of trenbolone (17beta-hydroxyestra-4,9,11-trien-3-one): A potent anabolic steroid with reduced androgenic and estrogenic activity". Steroids. 75 (6): 377–389.
doi:
10.1016/j.steroids.2010.01.019.
PMID20138077.
S2CID205253265.
^Gettys TW, D'Occhio MJ, Henricks DM, Schanbacher BD (January 1984). "Suppression of LH secretion by oestradiol, dihydrotestosterone and trenbolone acetate in the acutely castrated bull". The Journal of Endocrinology. 100 (1): 107–112.
doi:
10.1677/joe.0.1000107.
PMID6361192.
^"Controlled Substances Act". United States Food and Drug Administration. 11 June 2009.
Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2016.