[Operator]

Nandrolone has long been known to have significant stimulatory effects on muscle growth. As described above, nandrolone displays a greater myotrophic:androgenic ratio compared to testosterone (15). When compared to testosterone, the high levels of 5AR in androgenic tissues (i.e., the prostate) convert nandrolone to a less active metabolite (versus DHT that is highly active). Furthermore, the lack of 5AR in skeletal muscle allows nandrolone to produce a primarily anabolic/myotrophic (i.e., muscle growing) effect (15). The ability of nandrolone to preferentially stimulate muscle growth formed the basis of its use in the treatment of anorexia and cachexia in patients with chronic medical disorders such as chronic renal failure and HIV (8,35). In these patients, administration of nandrolone has been shown to increase lean body mass as well as muscle mass and strength (8,35).

Hypogonadism has been shown to be associated with dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes (36). Testosterone supplementation in hypogonadal men improves these risk factors leading, in some patients, to complete resolution of their metabolic syndrome (36-38). Indeed, an increase in lean body mass and muscle mass with the systemic administration of nandrolone could improve body composition and augment testosterone’s effects in preventing (39) and reversing metabolic syndrome and the risk of type 2 diabetes in hypogonadal men.