Proviron has the distinction of being one of the oldest available anabolic steroids in the world.

It was way back in the 1930s that Schering released it in the market as a therapeutic aid to treat androgenic deficiencies in aging men.

In fact, it continues to be used in many parts of the world as a therapeutic agent even for treating prepubescent males.

But it is in the bodybuilding circuit that it really got its due.

Oral Proviron, along with oral Primobolan happen to be among the most widely used synthetic compounds in the 1970s.

Most of the old school bodybuilders, including Schwarzenegger were touted to include Mesterolone regularly in their stack. Some attribute it to the libido enhancing effect that it has, which is one of the most unique traits among AAS compounds.

If this old, tested and somewhat unique compound has caught your fancy, then here are the details that you should know before you add it to your stack.

What is Proviron?

Proviron is a structurally altered form of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) that has an added methyl group at the first carbon position.

This unique structural alteration makes it a more active form of DHT.

In fact, in theory, it is more anabolic than testosterone with fewer androgenic effects.

To be precise, it has an anabolic androgenic ratio of 150:40.

However, most users have found that these numbers can be misleading, for it does not even come close to testosterone in translatable anabolic effects.

Instead, it has more prominent androgenic effects than what that rating would indicate.

Don’t get us wrong. It is still an excellent compound to add to any stack. We’ll get to that in a minute.

But if you expect the 150 anabolic rating to come through, then you’d end up disappointed.

Instead, consider adding Mesterolone to your stack for some of the other, immensely beneficial effects it has on the body.

Proviron is one of the very few oral anabolic steroids that can withstand the digestive process and hepatic breakdown.

This means, that it has much better bioavailability as compared to other orals.

How to use Proviron?

The average recommended dose for Proviron is 50-75mg/day.

This is ideal for first time users looking to add it to their stack.

However, if you have used Mesterolone before, have built up a tolerance or have hit a plateau with your AAS cycles, then you can up that to up to 100mg/day and see how your respond to the drug.

Pros often take doses as high as 150mg/day. But that high a dose will also severely increase your risk of side effects.

And the risk to reward ratio starts to get thinner.

What are the effects of Proviron?

Like most other anabolic androgenic steroids from the golden era of bodybuilding, Proviron is a somewhat misunderstood compound today.

Most people fail to understand the purpose of using an oral steroid that’s weaker than test at best.

Well, here’s why.

Muscle hardening:

While you are on some AAS cycles, you will notice that your muscles look fuller but not hard. That’s because of water retention, which is a somewhat unavoidable part of using certain steroids. However, Proviron is pure DHT which prevents water retention in the first place. So, if you add it to a stack, your muscles will look harder. An effect that is prominently caused by synthetics like Masteron and Anavar.

Anti-Estrogen:

Proviron is a much more effective Estrogen Inhibitor than Nolvadex or other popularly used anti-estrogen pills. That’s because unlike these pills, which suppress Estrogen in the body, Proviron stops estrogen from being produced. So, if you are sensitive to estrogen, this is one of the best reasons to add it to your stack. It is almost impossible to experience estrogenic sides while you are on Proviron.

Reduces SHBG (Sex hormone Binding Globulin):

Another unique effect of Proviron is that it has a strong binding affinity to SHBG, which in turn is associated with keeping most of your available free testosterone in the bound state. By binding to SHBG and thereby reducing it, Proviron will free up the testosterone to do what it does best, which is build muscle. So, if you are on an exogenous test cycle, the results will be more amplified when you use Proviron. That’s the most desired effect of the steroid. It amplifies the androgenicity of other steroids.

Fat Loss:

Proviron also has a strong binding affinity to androgen receptors which increases lipolysis or fat loss. This makes it a great product to add to a cutting cycle.

Libido enhancement:

One of the inherent effects of Proviron is added libido. We wouldn’t consider that a reason to add it to your stack. But it’s a definite plus. Who doesn’t like a little extra between the sheets?

Side effects of Proviron

Along with Primobolan and Anavar, Proviron has one of the best safety ratings among steroids. But, there are a few possible side effects which I must mention below.

No obvious toxicity signs such as weakness, lethargy, tremors, refusal of feeds, weight loss, hair-loss, coma and death were seen in any of the animals. However, most of the animals exhibited calmness; improve appetite for food and water and general sense of well-being all through the duration of the study. – Hormonal and Histomorphological impacts of Oral Mesterolone (Proviron) in Adult Male Sprague Dawley Rats’ Epididymes.

• Androgenic sides: Proviron is an extremely androgenic steroid. So, you can experience some of the common sides associated with androgens, like hair loss and acne. In females, it will cause virilization, accelerated body hair growth and deepening of the vocal cords.
• Cholesterol: Proviron will wreak havoc with your cholesterol levels at a much faster rate than other steroids would. So, if you have a history of poor cholesterol, Proviron is off limits for you. Even if you have a healthy cholesterol profile, you should keep a close eye on the levels while you are on the drug.
• Suppression: One of the best parts of using Mesterolone is that there’s hardly any suppression of your natural testosterone production. Even at doses as high as 150mg/day, the suppression is mild and inconsequential.

To sum it up

Proviron has always been considered the most easily available anabolic steroid because it is still sold in Europe.

So, unless you are testing your luck by sourcing from shady underground labs in China, chances are that you will get legit Proviron easily.