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4-Andro

Also known as: 4-DHEA, 4-Androsterone, 4-Androstenolone, 4-Androsten-3β-ol-17-one, 3β-Hydroxyandrost-4-en-17-one

5
1 · Natty510 · Enhanced

Lower numbers = closer to natural. Higher numbers = more enhanced.

Why this rating?

4-Andro is a prohormone that converts in the body to testosterone (via 4-androstenedione), so its active product aromatizes to estrogen and gives "wet," fuller gains. Conversion is inefficient and oral bioavailability is limited, so it is one of the milder prohormones, a modest, testosterone-like bump rather than a dramatic one. But the end product is still exogenous androgen: it suppresses natural testosterone and needs PCT. It sits at the lower end of the prohormone tier. Rated 5.

Overview

An oral prohormone (4-DHEA), a positional isomer of DHEA, that converts in the body to testosterone via 4-androstenedione. Because its active product aromatizes, 4-Andro gives fuller, "wet" bulking gains and is often paired with the dry-converting 1-Andro. It is marketed as a "legal" prohormone/dietary supplement, but its legal status is unsettled. The ketone form is not explicitly named on the federal Schedule III anabolic-steroid list the way the related "4-androstenediol" is, though the FDA has challenged similar DHEA-isomer prohormones as unlawful dietary ingredients.

Purpose & Use Cases

Wet, Full Bulking Gains

Converts to testosterone (which aromatizes), giving fuller, wetter mass and strength, a bulking feel rather than dry hardness.

Testosterone "Base" Prohormone

Often used as the aromatizing base of a prohormone stack, paired with dry-converting 1-Andro to balance the look.

Recomposition / Strength

Used in short cycles for strength and lean mass with an estrogenic, well-fed feel.

Benefits

  • Converts to testosterone: the reference anabolic androgen
  • Aromatizes for fuller "wet" gains and strength
  • Estrogen supports libido, mood and joints (unlike dry prohormones)
  • Orally active; one of the milder prohormones

Good to Know

It becomes testosterone, and aromatizes

4-Andro (4-DHEA) is a prohormone that converts to testosterone via 4-androstenedione (3β-HSD then 17β-HSD). Because the end product is testosterone, it aromatizes to estrogen, which is why 4-Andro gives fuller, "wet" gains, and why it behaves like a mild testosterone cycle on your hormones.

The "wet" counterpart to 1-Andro

4-Andro aromatizes (wet, full) while 1-Andro converts to non-aromatizing DHB (dry, hard). They are frequently stacked so the estrogen from 4-Andro supports mood, libido and joints while 1-Andro adds dryness, a common prohormone pairing.

A "supplement" in a legal gray area: not a benign one

4-Andro (4-DHEA) is still sold OTC by some vendors: the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014 explicitly scheduled the diol form "4-androstenediol," but does not separately name this 17-ketone "4-DHEA" form. That does not make it safe or clearly legal. The FDA has challenged similar DHEA-isomer prohormones as unlawful "dietary ingredients," and because the active product is real testosterone, it still needs PCT and will fail a drug test.

One of the few prohormones where finasteride helps hair

Because its active product is testosterone (which makes DHT via 5α-reductase), finasteride/dutasteride can blunt its hair/prostate effects, the same as on a testosterone cycle. This is NOT true of dry prohormones like 1-Andro, whose active product is already 5α-reduced.

Muscle memory raises your natural ceiling

Even a mild prohormone that converts to testosterone adds myonuclei that persist after you stop ("muscle memory"). A past 4-Andro cycle keeps nudging your "natural" ceiling upward, which is why the natty scale still counts it despite the supplement label.

Dosage Guidelines

Experience LevelDosage Range
Beginner0 – 0 mg/day
Intermediate300 – 500 mg/day
Advanced500 – 750 mg/day
Frequency
Daily oral, split doses; community-reported prohormone practice, not a medically established dose
Typical Cycle Length
4 – 8 weeks
Notes

There is no medical dosing. The ranges shown reflect prohormone-era community practice and are not verified from a medical source. Conversion to testosterone is inefficient, so relatively high oral doses are used. Because the active product is real testosterone, treat it like a steroid cycle with PCT. Not appropriate for beginners.

Half-Life

Not well characterised as an oral prohormone; dosed daily. Its activity comes from conversion to testosterone (via 4-androstenedione).

Side Effects

Estrogenic Effects (water retention, gyno risk)

common
Severity
2/5

The active product aromatizes to estrogen, so water retention, higher blood pressure and gyno risk can appear, the "wet" side of 4-Andro.

Mitigation

A low-dose AI or a gyno SERM if symptoms appear, dosed to bloodwork; manage sodium.

HPTA Suppression

very common
Severity
3/5

Converts to testosterone, an exogenous androgen, so it suppresses natural production and requires PCT, despite the "supplement" label.

Mitigation

Full SERM PCT after the cycle; do not treat it as benign.

Liver Stress

uncommon
Severity
2/5

It is not 17α-alkylated, so hepatotoxicity is low compared with methylated orals, though general strain and formulation effects are still reported.

Mitigation

Keep cycles reasonable, avoid alcohol and hepatotoxic stacks, and check bloodwork.

Androgenic Effects (acne, hair loss)

uncommon
Severity
2/5

The active testosterone converts to DHT, so acne and hair loss are possible in predisposed individuals.

Mitigation

Because the active product is testosterone, finasteride/dutasteride can help the DHT-mediated hair/prostate effects here.

General Mitigation Strategies

Treat 4-Andro as the mild testosterone cycle it becomes in the body. Because the active product aromatizes, keep a low-dose AI or gyno SERM on hand for estrogenic symptoms and watch blood pressure/water. It is not 17α-alkylated so liver strain is low, but bloodwork is still sensible. A full SERM PCT is required since it suppresses natural testosterone. Unlike the dry prohormones, finasteride can help hair because the active product is testosterone, which converts to DHT via 5α-reductase.

Support Supplements

Ancillary supplements commonly run alongside 4-Andro to manage side effects, support the target tissue, or fill nutrient demands it creates.

Aromatase inhibitor on hand (anastrozole / arimistane)

The active product aromatizes, so an AI may be needed for water retention or gyno at higher doses.

Dose
Anastrozole 0.25-0.5 mg dosed to E2, or arimistane as an OTC option
Timing
As needed if estrogenic symptoms appear
When
Only if symptoms appear: estrogen also carries benefits, so do not crash it.

SERM for PCT (tamoxifen / clomiphene)

Key

Restores natural testosterone after the cycle: required because the active testosterone suppresses the HPTA.

Dose
Nolvadex 40/40/20/20 mg/day or Clomid 50/50/25/25 mg/day over 4 weeks
Timing
Starting shortly after the last dose

Lipid + blood pressure support

Any androgen cycle strains lipids and BP; omega-3/citrus bergamot for lipids, telmisartan if BP rises with the water retention.

Dose
Omega-3 2-4 g/day; citrus bergamot 500-1,000 mg/day; telmisartan 20-40 mg/day if needed
Timing
Daily; titrate BP support to readings

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

⚠️PCT Required

Because 4-Andro converts to testosterone and suppresses natural production, a full SERM PCT is required. Standard protocol: Nolvadex 40/40/20/20 mg/day or Clomid 50/50/25/25 mg/day over 4 weeks, starting shortly after the last dose. Because the active product aromatizes, there can be some estrogen rebound, keep a SERM/AI plan and confirm recovery with bloodwork (LH, FSH, total/free testosterone, E2).

How It Works

4-Andro (4-DHEA, 4-androsten-3β-ol-17-one) is a positional isomer of DHEA that acts as a testosterone prohormone. Enzymes convert it to 4-androstenedione (via 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) and then to testosterone (via 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase); the resulting testosterone and androstenedione are substrates for aromatase, so the pathway produces estrogen. The reason 4-Andro gives "wet" gains. The active testosterone drives androgen-receptor-mediated protein synthesis and nitrogen retention.

Hormonal & Androgenic Profile

Aromatizes (→ estrogen)moderate
Natural test suppressionmoderate
Hair loss risk (DHT-prone)moderate
Liver toxicitylow
DHT-derivativeNo
Progestogenic (19-nor)No
Anabolic : Androgenic ratio

No reliable ratio for the prohormone; its activity comes from conversion to testosterone (the 100:100 reference androgen). Conversion is inefficient, so effective potency is modest.

Estrogen control

The active product converts to testosterone, which aromatizes, hence the "wet" gains. A low-dose AI or gyno SERM may be needed at higher doses, dosed to bloodwork, but estrogen also carries benefits so do not over-suppress it.

DHT / 5-AR & finasteride

Its active product is testosterone, which converts to DHT via 5α-reductase, so, unlike the dry (already-5α-reduced) prohormones, finasteride/dutasteride can reduce the DHT-mediated hair/prostate effects here.

Cardiovascular impact

Aromatizing "wet" androgen effect: estrogenic water retention and blood-pressure rise are the main concerns, plus mild lipid strain. Milder overall than dry/methylated compounds.

Fundamentals

Reference on the practices relevant to 4-Andro: how they are done and where they go wrong. Not a recommendation to use it.

Oral compounds and the liver→

What the liver panel actually shows

HPTA suppression and recovery→

What post-cycle therapy is for

Bloodwork: what to measure and when→

The markers that matter here

Warning signs & when to seek care→

When to stop and get help

WADA Status

⛔Prohibited by WADA
Category: S1. Anabolic Agents
In-Competition: ProhibitedOut-of-Competition: Prohibited

Prohibited at all times: 4-Andro (4-DHEA) is a prohormone/precursor of testosterone, and exogenous androgens and their precursors are banned as anabolic agents.

References

Last updated: July 18, 2026