Mesterolone is an anabolic-androgenic steroid. The Federal Drug Administration lists it as a controlled substance. Bayer Shering Pharma markets mesterolone under the brand name Proviron. Mesterolone is a synthetic derivative of the male hormone testosterone, and clinically it is used to treat conditions in which the body does not make enough male hormones. It is also used illicitly, often in combination with other steroids, to increase muscle mass and strength.
Masculinization
Proviron has androgenic properties. Androgens are widely reported to cause acne, growth of facial hair, vocal changes, erectile stimulation, male breast enlargement and changes in sex drive. In women, androgens may additionally cause enlargement of the clitoris and menstrual period cessation.
Organ Toxicity
Bayer reports that Proviron should not be taken by individuals with prostate cancer, liver tumors, breast cancer or hypercalcemia. Bayer does not report on any specific studies that evaluated the adverse effects of mesterolone, but reports on the toxicity of synthetic testosterone derivatives in general. As a group, anabolic-androgenic steroids have been associated with certain types of tumor growth, hypercalcemia, liver dysfunction, increased cholesterol and lipids, and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease and hormone disruption are associated with anabolic-androgenic abuse; however, their prevalence is difficult to estimate because large studies have not been done and adverse effects may not appear until middle age.
A study published in June of 1980 in a German journal reported that mesterolone was effective in treating patients with renal anemia and it did not affect liver function. A study in the January 1979 issue of the journal Andrologia reported that mesterolone did not influence lipid metabolism in men treated for six months. Although in these studies the doses of mesterolone used did not cause appreciable toxicity, abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids commonly involves the use of much higher doses and steroid combinations.
Psychiatric Disorders
The abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids has been found in some studies to increase the risk of developing certain psychiatric disorders. A review study published in the November 2008 issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence concluded that chronic abuse of anabolic-adrogenic steroids increases the risk of developing depression, aggression and mania. In the early 1980s, mesterolone was evaluated for its efficacy in treating depression in males. Some studies found it moderately effective, while others found it no more effective than a placebo in treating depression.
References
- Bayer: Product Information--Proviron
- PubMed: Plasma Cholesterol, Triglycerides, FSH and Testosterone Levels of Normolipemic Male Patients with Decreased Fertility Treated with Mesterolone
- PubMed: Long-term Treatment of Renal Anaemia with Mesterolone
- Pubmed: Long-term Psychiatric and Medical Consequences of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse
- PubMed: The Effects of Mesterolone, a Male Sex Hormone in Depressed Patients
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