Methylhydroxynandrolone
Chemical Name:
4-Hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-hydroxyestra-4-ene-3-one
Estrogenic Activity: none Progestational Activity: moderate
Methylhydroxynandrolone, or MHN for short, is a potent derivative of the anabolic steroid nandrolone. It differs from this base steroid structurally in two ways. First, it has been c-17alpha alkylated (methylated), a modification that allows this steroid to be orally active. Next, an additional hydroxyl group has been added at its 4 position, similar to hydroxytestosterone. Together these two alterations have created a potent orally active and non-aromatizable anabolic steroid, with a profile somewhat similar to that of Winstrol or Anavar - a primarily anabolic agent with no discernible estrogenic activity. This anabolic was investigated back in the 1960's, and to spite its effective nature was never released as a prescription drug. Its properties make it of obvious interest as a designer steroid, and I would not be surprised if numerous athletes have used it for this purpose over the years. However, since we have not seen a MHN scandal in the media, this remains a matter for speculation.
Although this steroid is a nandrolone derivative, it acts quite differently from its chemical parent. For starters, while nandrolone is a relatively mild steroid, MHN is an exceedingly potent synthetic agent.
According to assay results published in Hormonal Steroids (Academic Press, 1964), methylhydroxynandrolone is 13 times more potent than methyltestosterone. This is clearly something of interest for this makes MHN stronger than any prescription steroid known currently. MHN is also quite potent as an androgen, behaving more like trenbolone than nandrolone in this regard. The relative androgenicity of this steroid is likely intensified by its 4-hydroxyl group, a modification that prevents its 5-alpha reduction to weaker "dihydro" metabolites in the skin, scalp and prostate. MHN cannot interact with the reductase enzyme, therefore, it retains its original level of potency in these same tissues. This steroid is still technically more of an "anabolic" than an "androgen", but it is definitely not the mild nandrolone you are familiar with.
Due to its displaying such a high level of milligram for milligram potency, the typical effective daily dosage for men is going to be comparatively much lower than one would expect with other agents. For example, while Dianabol might warrant using 25-35mg daily to notice a pronounced benefit, methylhydroxynandrolone users will likely be working in the range of only 5-15mg per day. At this level MHN should provide very solid gains in muscle mass and strength, with no water retention or increased fat deposition. If anything the user is likely to lose body fat at the same time, one of the reasons why athletes will often spend the extra money on an anabolic like Winstrol, instead of simply taking cheap testosterone or Dbol. This drug is also versatile for stacking, and mixes well with most other anabolics (for cutting) or androgenic (for bulking phases). Women should probably stay away from this steroid altogether, and instead opt for an agent known to be less androgenic (and friendlier to women). Something like Primobolan, Winstrol or Anavar would be a much better choice than MHN, with less chance for permanent masculine side effects.
Methylhydroxynandrolone is not available as a prescription agent at this time, in any part of the world. This agent was merely investigated as a drug, and never sold as one. It has appeared on the U.S. supplement market very recently, sold legally and openly as a nutritional product. This was due primarily to the fact that it was never regulated as a drug in this country, and, barring a direct listing on the 1992 steroid law, could not be covered by it. MHN has since been included in the most recent expansion of our nation's steroid laws, and is formally a controlled anabolic steroid in the U.S. as of January 20, 2005. Possession of this agent after this date carries all the same legal risks and consequences as other popular and illegal steroids.
My article for Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone (M4OHN) was written for the same company that I wrote my Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone (M4OHT) article for. It was also written in 2004 in a period leading up to the banning of prohormones, when manufacturers were bringing out all sorts of new compounds that were either active steroids or precursors to them. Most all of them had never been tested and were able to be created due to the new found access to a book by Julius Vida, a scientist who synthesized every possible modification of male sex steroids and then published them in a book, entitled "Androgens and Anabolic Agents, Chemistry and Pharmacology", in 1969. Although the book had been long out of date, an individual finally was able to find a copy of it and scanned it, converted it into PDF format, and sold it. This, along with the availability of Chinese companies to synthesize almost anything requested, allowed supplement companies to sell steroids that were never manufactured or widely used - and hence, not scheduled - a legal loophole that is still exploited to this day. Although for some reason, both M4OHN and M4OHT were banned by California state law, they were not banned in any other state, and as such, they were manufactured and sold until finally banned by the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004.
Hydroxy Nandrolone, like its counterpart, Hydroxy Testosterone, is a steroid which is quite obscure and not much is written about it in medical literature. Hydroxy Nandrolone was produced commercially in Italy under the name Steranabol. However, it was sold as an injectable product, as opposed to an oral one, with cypionate ester attached. It is chemically known as oxabolone.
Nandrolone is the base steroid of Hydroxy Nandrolone. Nandrolone deconate is a popular anabolic steroid, commonly known as Deca Durabolin. Deca is well known for being a strong anabolic compound, with fewer androgenic properties. This is due to the fact that nandrolone is missing a carbon atom at the 19 position, giving it overall more affinity for the androgen receptor than testosterone. [1] However, unlike Hydroxy Nandrolone, nandrolone can aromatize into estrogen, which is another factor involved in it's strong anabolic effects.
Like Hydroxy Testosterone, Hydroxy Nandrolone also has a hydroxyl group at the 4 position on the molecule. This makes it incapable of interacting with the aromatese and 5 alpha reductase enzymes. However, since regular nandrolone typically reduces into a much weaker androgen, DHN (dihydronandrolone) via 5AR, this would make Hydroxy Nandrolone more androgenic. In the body nandrolone reduces to DHN through the same pathway that testosterone reduces to DHT. But, in this case, DHN is weaker and less androgenic than DHT, which is responsible for most of testosterone's androgenic effects (acne, androgenic alopecia, prostate issues, etc). So, with Hydroxy Nandrolone, we are left with a more potent androgen since it cannot convert through the same pathway. [2]
When we look at the information on Steranabol, we see that it is overall less potent than its parent, nandrolone. [3] Although not structurally similar, Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone is probably closer in action to another popular steroid, oxandrolone. Oxandrolone, commonly known for its trade name, Anavar, a very mild oral steroid, even though it's a 17-alpha-alkylated (methylated) compound that's based on DHT. Oxandrolone is well known for for it's safety and low potential for HTPA shutdown. It is usually incorporated into cutting or lean mass cycles, as it will not aromatize because of it's DHT base.
Because of it being derived from DHT, oxandrolone can be somewhat androgenic in higher doses, and this will probably not be as pronounced with Hydroxy Nandrolone. This is because the hydroxyl group reduces androgen receptor binding affinity. There is also a question of progesterone related activity with this compound. It is well known that nandrolone and its derivatives can bind to the progesterone receptor. [4] However, it is thought that progesterone requires the presence of estrogen in order to cause gyno. Therefore, those prone to gyno may not want to use Hydroxy Nandrolone with another aromatizing compound like 4AD, while others might simply just use an anti-estrogen, such as tamoxifen citrate (Nolvadex) - a SERM, or an AI like ATD while on a cycle. However, it is unknown what affinity Hydroxy Nandrolone has for the progesterone receptor, so taking precaution is not unwarranted.
With Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone, or MOHN, we end up with a very interesting compound. Using MOHN, one would expect increases in lean muscle mass, as well as a noticeable increase in strength. Since MOHN doesn’t aromatize, you would not notice water retention, or other estrogenic side effects typically associated with Deca. MOHN would work well during bulking cycles with the addition of 4AD and 1-testosterone or 1,4andro, and probably work even better on cutting cycles with a lower dose of 4AD. MOHN should be well tolerated by people concerned about side effects, and even women. Being a methylated compound, it will increase strain on the liver, so it would be best not to stack it with other methylated substances. As with MOHT, supplements that assist in liver function, such as ALA, NAC and Milk Thistle would be a welcome addition to the stack.
As a chemist, it was MHN's similarities to Turanabol that piqued my interest. I'll try to explain in my own words rather than cut and paste the same old stuff.
Here comes the science bit!
Turanabol is dbol with a polar group (a chlorine atom) at the 4 position, which prevents it from being able to interact with either aromatase or 5a dehydrogenase.
MHN is methyl nandrolone with a polar group at the 4 position (a hydroxy group), which prevents it from being able to interact with either aromatase or 5a dehydrogenase
Hydroxy nandrolone was developed as an improvement on nandrolone. As a general rule, when you methylate a steroid at the 17a position, it becomes orally available, but also becomes a lot more androgenic. For example, methyl testosterone is much harsher than testosterone, M-1T is very different from 1-testosterone, and dianabol is much more androgenic than boldenone.
Hydroxy nandrolone is barely androgenic in the first place, so methylating it makes it much more potent, and more like anavar in character.
When (injected) nandrolone forms a dihydrotestosterone metabolite, that metabolite is much milder than nandrolone itself, so much of nandrolone's anabolic power is lost via this route.
MHN doesn't form a dihydrotestosterone metabolite, or aromatise, so those breakdown routes are closed, and it is rather potent. It's also more resistant to Liver inactivation because its methylated, so it's more likely, milligram for milligram, to do its job at a receptor than plain old nandrolone.
I've noticed increased vascularity and definition from day to day. However, I weighed myself this morning, and have actually gained a couple of lbs. Its not very scientific, but I seem to be losing fat (or at least water) whilst gaining a bit of muscle. This is whilst taking MHN in the 20 to 30mg a day range, on a diet which isn't particularly high on Protein (as I'm so pennyless this week).
I think of Turinabol and MHN as chemical cousins. MHN is to nadrolone what Turinabol is to Boldanone - almost. The base molecule has been 17a methylated, and has a big lump sticking out at the 4 position to stop it from forming either an estrogen or a dihydrotestosterone metabolite
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