hormoneInjectableControlledSchedule III (US, Anabolic Steroids Control Act)Not FDA-approvedPrescription only (US)Methenolone enanthate has never held FDA approval and has no human clinical trial record; the compound is a Schedule III anabolic steroid in the USAvailable human literature is limited to forensic/doping detection and animal toxicology rather than efficacy or safety trials
Methenolone EnanthateBenefits, Dosage & Interactions
Also known as: Primobolan, Primo
Methenolone enanthate, often known by its brand name Primobolan, is an injectable synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is characterized by relatively mild anabolic properties and very low androgenic effects compared to many other steroids. Research on Methenolone Enanthate focuses on muscle and strength.
How much Methenolone Enanthate do people take?
No human dosing is reported in the cited literature. The animal studies used 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally, five times weekly for 4 weeks, in rats (source 2); a livestock-residue study used 1 mg/day oral or 1 mg intramuscular doses in chickens, not humans (source 4). Route reported: Intramuscular injection is the conventional depot-ester route for this compound class; the cited animal work used intraperitoneal dosing. These are amounts documented in the cited studies and labels for Methenolone Enanthate — they are reported for reference, not a recommendation. Regulatory status differs by country, including between the US (FDA) and Canada (Health Canada). Confirm any amount with a licensed clinician before you take it.
See the full reported protocol and its sourcesResearched by DoseRoutine Research TeamReviewed for accuracy by Nicholas Alexander, RSE, SO, PMPLast updated Educational reference only — not medical advice. Always confirm dosing and safety decisions with a licensed clinician.
Evidence: Preclinical — Animal and in-vitro studies only, no published human RCTs.
Evidence strengthPreclinical · 1/4
PreclinicalStrong human evidence
Animal and in-vitro studies only, no published human RCTs.
Is methenolone enanthate a form of testosterone replacement?
No. Methenolone enanthate is a distinct anabolic androgenic steroid, not a testosterone ester. Historical investigations do not establish an appropriate replacement therapy for confirmed testosterone deficiency or support modern bodybuilding safety claims.
Source: Historical methenolone clinical investigation
Browse compound evidence cardsPlasma half-life
Not established
Default unit
mg
What published protocols report
Ranges documented in the literature, shown for reference. DoseRoutine does not recommend an amount — your prescriber or the product label sets the dose.
- Reported amounts
- No human dosing is reported in the cited literature. The animal studies used 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally, five times weekly for 4 weeks, in rats (source 2); a livestock-residue study used 1 mg/day oral or 1 mg intramuscular doses in chickens, not humans (source 4)[2]
- Route studied
- Intramuscular injection is the conventional depot-ester route for this compound class; the cited animal work used intraperitoneal dosing[2]
Reported for Methenolone Enanthate in the cited sources. Published ranges are not dosing advice.
Mixing Methenolone Enanthate: bacteriostatic water and syringe units
The vial arrives as dry powder. How much water you add sets the strength, and the strength sets the mark you draw to on the syringe. The table assumes a 5 mg vial and a 250 mcg example draw on a U-100 insulin syringe, where 100 units is one millilitre. If your vial is a different size, scale it — the arithmetic is the same.
| Bacteriostatic water added | Resulting strength | 250 mcg draws to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 5 mg/mL | 5 units |
| 2 mL | 2.5 mg/mL | 10 units |
| 3 mL | 1.67 mg/mL | 15 units |
Units, not millilitres. Insulin syringes are marked in units, and mixing up mcg and mg on a peptide label is the single most common error people report. Check the label twice. Run your own vial through the calculator.
Storage and stability
- Before mixing
- Sealed and still as a dry powder, Methenolone Enanthate vials are normally kept in the fridge at 2–8 °C, out of light. Short spells at room temperature during shipping are the norm for lyophilized peptides and are not, on their own, a sign the vial is spoiled.
- After mixing
- Once bacteriostatic water goes in, the vial belongs in the fridge and is generally treated as good for about 28 days — that is how long the benzyl alcohol in bacteriostatic water is relied on to hold back bacterial growth. Plain sterile water has no preservative, so a vial mixed with it is a single-session vial. Never freeze a reconstituted vial.
- When to throw it out
- A properly mixed vial is clear. Cloudiness, floating strands, a color change or powder that will not go into solution after gentle swirling all mean the vial should be discarded rather than used. Shaking a peptide vial hard is the usual cause — swirl it, or run the water down the inside wall of the vial instead of onto the powder.
Handling and shelf-life figures describe general practice for lyophilized peptides. They are not a dose and not medical advice — your prescriber or the product label sets the amount.
References & evidence
Documents the Methenolone Enanthate entry is written from. Each number matches an inline marker above.
- [1]Evaluation of Methenolone Enanthate Efficacy in Preventing MRONJ: A Randomized Trial on RatsGürses G, Sur E, Cengiz ZO, Körez MK · Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine · 2024 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 39113433
- [2]Side effect of metenolone enanthate on rats heart in puberty: morphometrical studyOzdemir O, Bozkurt I, Ozdemir M, Yavuz O · Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology · 2013 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 23280519
- [3]Aspergillus niger-mediated biotransformation of methenolone enanthate, and immunomodulatory activity of its transformed productsHussain Z, Dastagir N, Hussain S, Jabeen A, Zafar S, Malik R · Steroids · 2016 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 27133901
- [4]Effect on sports drug tests of ingesting meat from steroid (methenolone)-treated livestockKicman AT, Cowan DA, Myhre L, Nilsson S, Tomten S, Oftebro H · Clinical Chemistry · 1994 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 7955383
References & Evidence
Sources on this page that document Methenolone Enanthate dosing, timing and safety.
- [1]National Center for Biotechnology Information View source
Educational information only — not medical advice. Dose ranges vary by person, indication and prescriber.
What is Methenolone Enanthate studied for?
What is Methenolone Enanthate?Sources for this section: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Methenolone enanthate, often known by its brand name Primobolan, is an injectable synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is characterized by relatively mild anabolic properties and very low androgenic effects compared to many other steroids. In medical contexts, methenolone enanthate has been used to treat muscle wasting in diseases, osteoporosis, and to promote weight gain in underweight infants. It is specifically an enanthate ester formulation, meaning it has a long-acting profile due to the slow release of methenolone from the injection site. This extended release allows for less frequent administration compared to shorter-esterified versions. Methenolone enanthate is a controlled substance in many countries due to its potential for misuse and abuse, particularly in non-medical settings for performance and physique enhancement. It is known for its ability to promote lean muscle mass gains and increase strength without significant estrogenic side effects like water retention or gynecomastia. However, like all anabolic steroids, it carries a risk of androgenic side effects and suppression of natural testosterone production.
What does the research say about Methenolone Enanthate?
Tap a section to expand.
Methenolone enanthate exerts its effects by binding to androgen receptors within target cells, similar to natural testosterone. Once bound, the steroid-receptor complex translocates to the cell nucleus, where it interacts with specific DNA sequences (androgen response elements). This interaction modulates gene transcription, leading to increased protein synthesis and a reduction in protein degradation, which collectively promote an anabolic (tissue-building) state. Being a derivative of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), methenolone is not aromatized into estrogen by the aromatase enzyme, unlike many testosterone-derived steroids. This explains its lack of estrogenic side effects. Its anabolic-to-androgenic ratio is considered favorable, meaning it promotes muscle growth more effectively with fewer masculinizing side effects compared to more potent androgens. The enanthate esterification at the 17-beta hydroxyl group slows its release from the injection site, resulting in a prolonged half-life and sustained physiological effects. Once cleaved from the ester, the active methenolone molecule acts on androgen receptors and also reduces sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels, thereby increasing the amount of free, biologically active testosterone (if present) and other anabolic hormones in circulation. (DrugBank, PubChem)
Source for this section: Sources for How does Methenolone Enanthate work?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
The primary benefits associated with methenolone enanthate stem from its anabolic properties and low androgenic/estrogenic activity. Medically, it has been utilized for:
- **Muscle wasting conditions**: To help patients regain or maintain muscle mass in conditions like AIDS, cancer, and other chronic catabolic states. (DrugBank)
- **Anemia**: In some cases, it has been used to stimulate red blood cell production, though less commonly than other agents. (PubChem)
- **Osteoporosis**: To improve bone density due to its anabolic effects on bone tissue. (DrugBank)
- **Pediatric weight gain**: Historically used in underweight infants and premature babies to promote growth and weight gain, although this use is now less common due to the availability of safer alternatives. (DrugBank)
In non-medical contexts, individuals may seek methenolone enanthate for:
- **Lean muscle gain**: Promoting relatively slow but high-quality muscle mass, often seen as 'dry' gains without significant water retention.
- **Strength improvement**: Enhancing physical strength and endurance.
- **Muscle preservation during caloric deficit**: Its anti-catabolic properties can help maintain muscle tissue even during periods of calorie restriction, making it popular during 'cutting' cycles.
- **Reduced estrogenic side effects**: Its inability to aromatize prevents estrogen-related issues such as gynecomastia and excessive water retention.
- **Low androgenic activity**: Compared to many other steroids, it has a lower propensity for androgenic side effects like acne, oily skin, and male pattern baldness, though these risks are still present.
This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Methenolone enanthate's therapeutic efficacy has been documented in various medical literature, primarily concerning its use in muscle wasting syndromes and conditions requiring anabolic support. For example, studies have shown its utility in promoting positive nitrogen balance and weight gain in catabolic states. (PubChem) However, due to its classification as a controlled substance and the development of alternative therapies, extensive modern clinical trials focusing solely on methenolone enanthate in humans are less common than in prior decades. Much of the understanding of its effects also comes from its historical clinical use and pharmacological profiling. The understanding of its mechanism and effects is generally well-established within pharmacology and toxicology literature. (DrugBank)
While considered mild in comparison to some other anabolic steroids, Methenolone Enanthate is not without potential side effects. These can include:
- **Androgenic side effects**: Although low, risks include acne, oily skin, increased facial/body hair growth, and accelerated male pattern baldness in predisposed individuals. In females, virilization symptoms such as deepening of the voice, clitoral enlargement, and menstrual irregularities can occur.
- **Cardiovascular effects**: Negative impact on lipid profiles, including decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL, 'good cholesterol') and increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL, 'bad cholesterol'), potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- **Testosterone suppression**: Exogenous administration of methenolone enanthate will suppress natural endogenous testosterone production, which can lead to symptoms like low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and mood disturbances. Post-cycle therapy (PCT) is often required to restore natural hormone levels.
- **Hepatotoxicity**: While methenolone enanthate is not 17-alpha-alkylated (which is commonly associated with liver toxicity in oral steroids), there is still a theoretical, albeit rare, risk of liver strain with prolonged high-dose use, particularly if other liver-toxic substances are concurrently used.
- **Injection site pain/inflammation**: As with any injectable substance, local pain, swelling, or infection at the injection site is possible.
- **Mood changes**: Some users report irritability, aggression ('roid rage'), or other psychological disturbances.
This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Methenolone enanthate should be used with extreme caution and only under strict medical supervision. Key warnings include:
- **Risk of abuse**: Due to its potential for muscle growth and performance enhancement, it is frequently abused by athletes and bodybuilders, leading to significant health risks.
- **Cardiovascular disease**: Individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, or high cholesterol should avoid methenolone enanthate due to its potential to worsen these conditions and increase cardiovascular risk.
- **Liver function**: While less hepatotoxic than oral anabolic steroids, individuals with impaired liver function should exercise caution. Regular monitoring of liver enzymes may be necessary.
- **Prostate issues**: Male users, particularly older individuals, should be aware of potential exacerbation of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an increased risk of prostate cancer, although the latter is a subject of ongoing debate and research.
- **Psychological effects**: Users should be monitored for mood swings, aggression, or other behavioral changes.
- **Fertility**: Suppression of natural testosterone can lead to temporary or, in some cases, prolonged or permanent infertility in males.
- **Women and children**: Use in women carries a high risk of irreversible virilization. Use in children can lead to premature epiphyseal closure, stunting growth.
This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Methenolone enanthate is contraindicated in individuals with:
- **Known hypersensitivity** to methenolone or any of its excipients.
- **Carcinoma of the prostate or male breast**: Due to its androgenic nature, it can stimulate the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers.
- **Severe cardiac, hepatic, or renal disease**: As it can exacerbate these conditions.
- **Pregnancy and breastfeeding**: Due to the high risk of fetal harm and virilization of the infant.
- **Hypercalcemia**: Especially in women with metastatic breast carcinoma.
- **Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding**.
This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Combining methenolone enanthate with certain pharmaceutical agents or substances can either increase the risk of side effects or alter its therapeutic effects. While not exhaustive, potential interactions include:
- **Oral anticoagulants (e.g., Warfarin)**: Anabolic steroids can enhance the effects of anticoagulants, increasing the risk of bleeding. Close monitoring of INR and dose adjustments may be necessary. (FDA label for other AAS)
- **Corticosteroids**: Concomitant use may increase the risk of edema.
- **Insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents**: Anabolic steroids can alter glucose tolerance and decrease blood glucose levels, potentially requiring dosage adjustments of antidiabetic medications. (FDA label for other AAS)
- **Hepatotoxic drugs**: Although methenolone enanthate is less hepatotoxic, combining it with other drugs known to cause liver damage could theoretically increase the risk of liver injury.
- **Alcohol**: Excessive alcohol consumption while using methenolone enanthate can exacerbate potential liver strain and cardiovascular risks.
- **Other anabolic steroids**: Stacking with other anabolic steroids can significantly increase the risk and severity of all side effects, including cardiovascular, androgenic, and suppressive effects, without necessarily providing proportionally greater benefits.
This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Methenolone enanthate is an injectable compound with a long-acting ester. Due to its long half-life of approximately 240 hours (10 days), injections are typically administered weekly. The specific dose and frequency must be directed by a licensed clinician based on individual medical needs and response. Self-administration or use outside of medical guidance is strongly discouraged.
Source for this section: Sources for When should you take Methenolone Enanthate?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Put it into practice
Reading about Methenolone Enanthate is the first step — DoseRoutine helps you act on it. These free tools turn what you just learned into a routine.
What interacts with Methenolone Enanthate?
| Interacts with | Severity | Type | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any peptide + hormone | Note | Category ruleConfidence: theoretical | Injectable peptides plus hormones can have overlapping or compounding effects that aren't always well characterized.Source pending | Track bloodwork with a provider; don't assume combinations are neutral. |
Frequently asked questions about Methenolone Enanthate
The primary difference lies in the ester attached. Methenolone enanthate is a long-acting injectable form, releasing slowly over several days or a week. Methenolone acetate is an oral form (though an injectable acetate also exists) with a much shorter half-life, requiring more frequent administration. The 'enanthate' ester makes the compound suitable for less frequent injections, typically once a week, while the 'acetate' ester requires daily oral dosing or much more frequent injections.
While sometimes considered 'milder' than other steroids, methenolone enanthate still carries a significant risk of virilization in women, including irreversible changes like deepening of the voice, clitoral enlargement, and increased body hair. For these reasons, its use in women is strongly discouraged outside of very specific and carefully monitored medical contexts, where the benefits strictly outweigh these risks.
Methenolone enanthate is derived from DHT and does not aromatize into estrogen. Therefore, it does not directly cause estrogen-related side effects such as significant water retention or gynecomastia (male breast enlargement). This is one of its distinguishing features compared to many testosterone-derived anabolic steroids. However, it can still suppress natural testosterone production, and if not managed correctly, hormonal imbalances could indirectly contribute to some issues.
Methenolone enanthate has a long half-life of approximately 240 hours (10 days). This means it takes about 5 half-lives for the drug to be almost entirely eliminated from the body, which would be around 50 days (more than seven weeks). Detection times for anti-doping tests can be even longer due to metabolites, often extending up to several months. (PubChem)
In many countries, including the United States, methenolone enanthate is a controlled substance (e.g., Schedule III in the US) and is illegal to possess or use without a valid medical prescription. Its use in sports is banned by anti-doping agencies. Legal status can vary by country, but generally, non-medical use is prohibited.
As a hormone, Methenolone Enanthate can overlap with other supplements, prescription medicines, hormones and peptides. Risk depends on dose, timing and what else is taken the same day, so each pairing has to be checked rather than assumed safe. The free checker at https://doseroutine.com/interaction-checker covers Methenolone Enanthate with no sign-up.
Methenolone Enanthate is administered by injection, so the measured volume — not a tablet count — is the unit that matters. It is a controlled substance in some jurisdictions, so the prescribed amount is the only appropriate one. Amounts for this hormone vary by protocol, formulation and individual response, so follow the dose your clinician or the product label specifies.
Whether Methenolone Enanthate fits alongside testosterone replacement therapy depends on the protocol — dose, ester and ancillaries such as HCG or anastrozole — and on current bloodwork. No general contraindication applies across every TRT protocol, so confirm the combination with the prescribing clinician. See the free TRT interaction reference: https://doseroutine.com/trt-supplement-interactions
"Peptides" is not one category — healing peptides, GLP-1 agonists, growth-hormone secretagogues and melanocortins each behave differently next to Methenolone Enanthate. Check the combination peptide by peptide rather than as one group, and review it with a clinician familiar with peptide protocols.
Published frequency for Methenolone Enanthate varies by protocol and formulation, so the label or prescription is what sets it. Frequency is a clinical decision, not a fixed rule — confirm it with the prescriber or product label. Comparison of apps that keep a schedule like this: https://doseroutine.com/best-dose-tracking-apps
The effect of a missed dose of Methenolone Enanthate depends on the protocol and formulation you are on. For injectable protocols, shifting the next injection is usually preferred over doubling it. Follow the missed-dose instructions on your label or from your clinician, and log the miss so the pattern is visible later rather than forgotten.
For an injectable like Methenolone Enanthate the record needs more than a checkbox: vial concentration, the measured volume, and which site the last injection went into. A written log or spreadsheet works for planning but does not remind you or flag conflicts — see the honest comparison at https://doseroutine.com/vs/spreadsheet and the wider roundup at https://doseroutine.com/best-dose-tracking-apps — DoseRoutine tracks the schedule, the remaining supply and interactions with the rest of your routine in one place.
No. Methenolone enanthate is a distinct anabolic androgenic steroid, not a testosterone ester. Historical investigations do not establish an appropriate replacement therapy for confirmed testosterone deficiency or support modern bodybuilding safety claims.
No. The word mild is not a clinical safety classification. Anabolic steroids can suppress reproductive function and affect cardiovascular health; historical disease studies cannot establish the safety of recreational use or combinations.
No human dosing is reported in the cited literature. The animal studies used 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally, five times weekly for 4 weeks, in rats (source 2); a livestock-residue study used 1 mg/day oral or 1 mg intramuscular doses in chickens, not humans (source 4). Route reported: Intramuscular injection is the conventional depot-ester route for this compound class; the cited animal work used intraperitoneal dosing. These are amounts documented in the cited studies and labels for Methenolone Enanthate — they are reported for reference, not a recommendation. Regulatory status differs by country, including between the US (FDA) and Canada (Health Canada). Confirm any amount with a licensed clinician before you take it.
Which studies looked at Methenolone Enanthate?
Peer-reviewed research indexed in PubMed. Each entry links to the original record.
- 1.Effect of methenolone enanthate (NSC-64967) in advanced cancer of the breast(opens PubMed in a new tab)Cancer · 1968 · PMID 4952912 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4952912/
Sources cited on this page
Specific documents referenced by the numbered markers above. Each number matches the marker in the text.
- PubChem CID 248271(opens in a new tab)National Center for Biotechnology Information · pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/248271
Verify at
Publisher search links for Methenolone Enanthate. These are places to check the information — they are not citations, so they are not numbered.
- DrugBank(publisher search, opens in a new tab)DrugBank Online · publisher search
- FDA-approved labeling (DailyMed)(publisher search, opens in a new tab)U.S. Food and Drug Administration · publisher search
- PubMed literature search(publisher search, opens in a new tab)National Library of Medicine · publisher search
- Wikipedia entry(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · publisher search
DoseRoutine compiles summaries from publicly available scientific and regulatory references. Always verify important decisions with a licensed clinician. How we source and review this information.
What is the short answer on Methenolone Enanthate?
Plain-text summary, safe to quote verbatim:
Methenolone enanthate, often known by its brand name Primobolan, is an injectable synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is characterized by relatively mild anabolic properties and very low androgenic effects compared to many other steroids. Research on Methenolone Enanthate focuses on muscle and strength.
Source: DoseRoutine — https://doseroutine.com/library/methenolone-enanthate
Methenolone Enanthate cheat sheet
DoseRoutine cheat sheet · Hormone
Methenolone Enanthate
Methenolone enanthate, often known by its brand name Primobolan, is an injectable synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is characterized by relatively mild anabolic properties and very low androgenic effects compared to many other steroids.
Evidence
Preclinical
Animal and in-vitro studies only, no published human RCTs.
Studied range
No human dosing is reported in the cited literature. The animal studies used 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally, five times weekly for 4 weeks, in rats (source 2); a livestock-residue study used 1 mg/day oral or 1 mg intramuscular doses in chickens, not humans (source 4)
Route
Intramuscular injection is the conventional depot-ester route for this compound class; the cited animal work used intraperitoneal dosing
Schedule III (US, Anabolic Steroids Control Act)Not FDA-approvedPrescription only (US)Methenolone enanthate has never held FDA approval and has no human clinical trial record; the compound is a Schedule III anabolic steroid in the USAvailable human literature is limited to forensic/doping detection and animal toxicology rather than efficacy or safety trialsMuscle
Key references
- Evaluation of Methenolone Enanthate Efficacy in Preventing MRONJ: A Randomized Trial on Rats (2024)
- Side effect of metenolone enanthate on rats heart in puberty: morphometrical study (2013)
- Aspergillus niger-mediated biotransformation of methenolone enanthate, and immunomodulatory activity of its transformed products (2016)
Studied ranges, not dosing advice. Not medical advice — talk to a clinician. doseroutine.com/library/methenolone-enanthate
Cite this page
Using this in an article, AI answer, or research note? Please attribute:
DoseRoutine. (2026). Methenolone Enanthate — Overview, Benefits & Side Effects. Retrieved from https://doseroutine.com/library/methenolone-enanthate
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