Prohormones: A Review

The Problem with Prohormones (Prohormone Review)

Someone emailed me a few days ago and asked me what I think of prohormones. I’ll share my opinion, but let me make something clear: I’m not a doctor, pharmacist, or chemist. If you are looking for highly technical information, you’ve come to the wrong place. I’m just going to tell you my own experience and opinion.

I remember when prohormones came out in the 90’s. Patrick Arnold (aka “the father of prohormones”) came up with supplements that the body supposedly converted into muscle-building hormones. First there was androstendione, and others soon followed. I was a naïve supplement consumer, so I tried several of them (androstendione, 4-AD, 1-AD, etc). Like many weight lifters, I thought these super-supplements would give me an edge in my training.

Looking back, I have to say none of these prohormones really made much difference (other than lightening my wallet). My best lifts of that decade came from adjusting my training methods—not from prohormones (if memory serves me correctly, I was only taking protein and creatine supplements when I made some of my best gains).

Patrick Arnold is a legitimate chemist. If I understand the story correctly, he was responsible for some of the “designer steroids” that were part of the BALCO scandal (such as "the clear," which Marion Jones admitted to using).

But I’m still generally unimpressed prohormones. I know many new versions/formulas have come out, but my mind hasn’t changed. Here are the problems I have with prohormones:

1. The wrong people want to take them:
I tried prohormones when I was in my mid 20’s. I had plenty of natural testosterone—trying to “boost” it was a complete waste of money. I think many other young men are drawn to these supplements at a time when they don’t need them. If you are in your mid-twenties or a teenager, you don’t need any more testosterone—it’s already at its natural peak!

2. I don’t trust the supplement industry:
One thing hasn’t changed since the 90’s—the supplement industry still sells a lot of over-hyped garbage. I’m not a chemist or pharmacist, so I can’t make any sense of the prohormone advertisements. I have no way of knowing if these supplements really can convert to testosterone (or any other anabolic hormone). The logical response for me is to simply disregard the supplement claims.

3. Cost/Benefit Ratio:
As mentioned, I just don’t remember making any significant gains on prohormones. If I’m going to spend money on something, I expect it to actually do something.

4. Risk/Benefit Ratio:
I was shocked when I learned androstendione could convert to estrogen—not what I was looking for! I don’t believe the supplement companies have completely solved this problem. In other words, I think there’s a risk of side effects that comes with most prohormones. Considering the lack of tangible positive results, I just don’t see the point in taking them.

Now--here's an expert opinion:

Testosterone prohormones such as androstenedione, androstenediol, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have been heavily marketed as testosterone-enhancing and muscle-building nutritional supplements for the past decade. Concerns over the safety of prohormone supplement use prompted the United States Food and Drug Administration to call for a ban on androstenedione sales, and Congress passed the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004, which classifies androstenedione and 17 other steroids as controlled substances. As of January 2005, these substances cannot be sold without prescription. Here, we summarize the current scientific knowledge regarding the efficacy and safety of prohormone supplementation in humans. We focus primarily on androstenedione, but we also discuss DHEA, androstenediol, 19-nor androstenedione, and 19-nor androstenediol supplements. Contrary to marketing claims, research to date indicates that the use of prohormone nutritional supplements (DHEA, androstenedione, androstenediol, and other steroid hormone supplements) does not produce either anabolic or ergogenic effects in men. Moreover, the use of prohormone nutritional supplements may raise the risk for negative health consequences.

Source: "Testosterone prohormone supplements," Human Performance Laboratory, University of Nebraska at Kearney, HPERLS Department, Kearney, NE, USA.

Conclusion:

Based on my own past experiences and a general lack of scientific evidence, I'm not going to spend any money on prohormones any time soon.  I'd recommend investing in a program like No-Nonsense Muscle Building if you are a beginner or hardgainer trying to learn how to put on muscle.