Primobolan
Also known as: Primo, Methenolone, Methenolone Enanthate, Primobolan Depot
Lower numbers = closer to natural. Higher numbers = more enhanced.
Why this rating?
Primobolan is one of the mildest anabolic steroids per milligram, which is exactly why typical male doses run high (400-800mg/week), even so, it still provides a clear anabolic effect beyond natural capacity, especially its ability to preserve and build lean tissue through severe caloric deficits that would strip muscle naturally. It is rated in line with similarly mild, non-aromatizing cutting compounds like Anavar and Masteron, lower than harsher mass-building steroids (testosterone, Equipoise, Nandrolone), but it remains a real performance enhancer, not a placebo.
Overview
A DHT-based steroid favored for its high safety profile and low side-effect burden. Often used in high doses for lean mass preservation. Long rumored in bodybuilding lore to have been Arnold Schwarzenegger's favorite steroid.
Purpose & Use Cases
Lean Mass Preservation
Excellent for maintaining muscle during caloric deficits and cutting phases.
Quality Muscle
Provides slow but high-quality lean muscle gains without water retention.
Female Use
One of the few steroids considered relatively safe for female athletes due to low virilization risk.
Benefits
- No estrogen conversion (no gyno or water retention)
- Mild on hair (compared to other DHT derivatives)
- Good for cutting and maintaining lean mass
- Relatively safe for long cycles
- Suitable for women at low doses
- Minimal liver toxicity (injectable form)
Good to Know
A DHT-derivative: finasteride will not save the hairline
Primobolan is already a DHT derivative, so there is no testosterone-to-DHT conversion for finasteride/dutasteride to block. Its hair impact is milder than Masteron or Winstrol, but if you are DHT-prone a 5-AR inhibitor still does nothing for it.
Mild does not mean weak-per-mg-free. It means high doses
Because methenolone is gentle, male users run 400-800mg/week, and the oral form (methenolone acetate) is not 17-alpha-alkylated so it is not the usual liver concern, but it is heavily cleared on first pass, so oral Primo needs large doses to work and is expensive and frequently faked.
Female-friendly and muscle-memory relevant
Low virilization risk makes it one of the few steroids women use (50-100mg/week). And like any anabolic, the myonuclei it adds persist after the cycle. Muscle memory means a past run keeps your "natural" ceiling slightly higher.
Dosage Guidelines
| Route | Typical Dose | Frequency | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injectable (enanthate) | 400 – 800 mg/week | 2x/week injection | 12 – 20 wk |
| Oral (Methenolone Acetate tablets) | 100 – 200 mg/day | Split 2-3x/day with meals (short-acting acetate ester; single large doses are less efficient) | 8 – 12 wk |
Dosing depends on how it's administered. Pick your route in the calculator to score the one you use.
Often run at higher doses due to mild nature. Expensive compound, beware of counterfeits.
Methenolone acetate undergoes heavy first-pass hepatic clearance, making it roughly half as potent orally as the injectable ester per source claims - so oral doses run much higher than an equivalent injectable dose: 100mg/day is described as a floor, with 200-300mg/day cited for a more noticeable effect (thinksteroids/Llewellyn-sourced profile).
Side Effects
Hair Loss
commonAccelerated hair loss in those genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness.
Topical minoxidil/finasteride for hair protection.
Lipid Disruption
uncommonMild negative impact on cholesterol levels.
Omega-3 supplementation and regular cardio.
Testosterone Suppression
commonSuppression of natural testosterone, though milder than many steroids.
Run with testosterone base; standard PCT after cycle.
General Mitigation Strategies
Standard PCT protocol after cycle. Topical treatments for hair if concerned. Monitor lipids with bloodwork. One of the mildest steroids for side effects.
Support Supplements
Ancillary supplements commonly run alongside Primobolan to manage side effects, support the target tissue, or fill nutrient demands it creates.
Lipid support (omega-3 + citrus bergamot)
As a DHT-derivative Primo nudges HDL down, though far more gently than Winstrol/Masteron. Omega-3 helps triglycerides; citrus bergamot lowers LDL via statin-like flavonoids.
- Dose
- Omega-3 2-4 g/day; citrus bergamot 500-1,000 mg/day
- Timing
- With meals
- When
- More relevant on long (12-20 week) runs or when stacked with drier compounds, monitor a full lipid panel.
Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)
Standard PCT required. Due to long half-life, wait 2-3 weeks after last injection before starting PCT.
How It Works
As a DHT derivative, Primobolan does not aromatize to estrogen and has a mild anabolic effect. It enhances nitrogen retention and protein synthesis while being one of the safest steroids for long-term use.
Hormonal & Androgenic Profile
88:44-57 (methenolone): mild, quality-lean profile
Does not aromatize, no AI needed and no estrogenic bloat or gyno risk.
A DHT derivative (already past 5-alpha-reductase), so finasteride/dutasteride cannot help. There is nothing to block. Its androgenic hair effect is milder than most DHT-derivatives, but 5-AR inhibitors still will not soften it.
Milder on lipids than harsher DHT-derivatives but still trims HDL over long cycles; no water retention or estrogenic BP rise. Generally well tolerated, which is why it suits extended runs.
Fundamentals
Reference on the practices relevant to Primobolan: how they are done and where they go wrong. Not a recommendation to use it.
Common Stacks
- Primobolan + Testosterone - Classic lean mass stack
- Primobolan + Anavar - Enhanced cutting stack
- Primobolan + Masteron - Competition prep stack
Legal Status
Schedule III controlled substance (USA).
Legal status varies by country and changes over time. This is a general summary, not legal advice.
WADA Status
Methenolone (Primobolan) is explicitly prohibited. Detectable for extended periods due to long ester.