Turinabol (chlorodehydromethyltestosterone, “Tbol”) is a modified version of Dianabol with a chlorine atom that stops it converting to estrogen. It gives slower, drier gains than Dianabol and is still hard on the liver and cholesterol.
- It was the core drug of East Germany’s secret state doping programme.
- No water retention or estrogen side effects, but 17-alpha-alkylated.
- Its long-lasting metabolites are now detectable months after use.
Turinabol has an unusual place in steroid history: few compounds have such a well-documented record of use, because the East German government kept files on it. That history also tells us a lot about its long-term costs.
What Turinabol is
Chlorodehydromethyltestosterone was developed by the East German pharmaceutical company Jenapharm and released in 1965 as Oral Turinabol. It is Dianabol (methandrostenolone) with a chlorine atom added at carbon 4. That one change stops it converting to estrogen and reduces its androgenic strength. It is still 17-alpha-methylated, so it works orally but strains the liver.
Turinabol was never a mainstream medicine outside East Germany and is not approved anywhere today, so there is no current label dose.
The East German doping programme
From the late 1960s until 1989, under a secret state plan known as State Plan 14.25, East German sports authorities gave Oral Turinabol to thousands of athletes, many of them teenagers, often without their knowledge. Records released after reunification, studied by researchers including Werner Franke and Brigitte Berendonk, documented the programme in detail.
The consequences for many athletes were serious: liver damage, heart disease, infertility, and in women, permanent masculinisation, including deep voices and excess body hair. Many former athletes later received compensation from the German government. It is a sobering record of what long-term androgen use can do, particularly to young people and women.
Turinabol compared with Dianabol
| Turinabol | Dianabol | |
|---|---|---|
| Converts to estrogen | No | Yes, to a potent estrogen |
| Water retention | Minimal | High |
| Speed of gains | Slower, steadier | Fast |
| Liver strain | Moderate to high | High |
| HDL cholesterol drop | Large | Large |
| Detection time in testing | Months (long-term metabolites) | Weeks to months |
Because it does not cause water retention, gains look modest at first but more of what is gained is kept after stopping. Read our Dianabol guide for comparison.
Side effects
- Liver strain: raised enzymes, and cholestasis with heavier or longer use
- Cholesterol: marked HDL drop, LDL rise
- Blood pressure increases, though less than with water-retaining orals
- Suppression of natural testosterone
- Muscle cramps and “pumps”
- In women, masculinising effects that may not reverse
Turinabol and women
Turinabol is sometimes promoted to women as a “safe” oral because it is milder than many others. The East German records show why that is misleading. Female athletes in the programme were given relatively small amounts, yet many developed deep voices, excess facial and body hair, an enlarged clitoris, menstrual problems and acne. Several of these changes, especially voice deepening, were permanent. Some women also reported fertility problems and pregnancy complications later in life. Any androgen can cause these effects in women, and early signs such as hoarseness or a cracking voice should be taken seriously: stopping quickly gives the best chance of avoiding lasting changes. A doctor can assess hormonal changes and check for other causes.
Detection in sport
In 2012, anti-doping scientists identified long-term metabolites of Turinabol that remain detectable for months. Reanalysis of stored samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics using this method led to dozens of disqualifications. Athletes tested under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program should assume Turinabol use can be detected long after the last dose.
Monitoring
Liver enzymes, bilirubin, a lipid panel, complete blood count and kidney function before starting and within a few weeks, plus regular home blood pressure readings. Your doctor can order these, or you can pay at LifeLabs or Dynacare. See our bloodwork guide and liver support during orals.
Is it a beginner oral?
Turinabol is often described as a “gentle” oral because it lacks estrogen side effects. It is gentler than Dianabol or Superdrol in some ways, but it still carries liver and cholesterol risks, and any oral adds strain to a first course. Most guidance for a first experience is testosterone alone; see a first testosterone course and oral steroids compared.
Products and legal status
We carry Genetix Turinabol 20 mg, with batch lab results on the product page. Turinabol is a Schedule IV controlled substance in Canada and is banned in sport.
Frequently asked questions
Is Turinabol the same as Dianabol?
It is Dianabol with an added chlorine atom, which stops estrogen conversion and makes it milder and drier, but it is still 17-alpha-alkylated.
Does Turinabol cause water retention?
Very little, because it does not convert to estrogen.
How long can Turinabol be detected?
Long-term metabolites identified in 2012 can be detected for months after the last dose.
Photo: Dɐ, Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
General information, not medical advice. Turinabol is not an approved medicine and is a Schedule IV controlled substance in Canada.
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