Article and paper data contributed by Molecular
spec sheet13 rows
Dihydroboldenone (DHB), also known as 1-testosterone, is an anabolic-androgenic steroid; chemically it is the 5-alpha-reduced form of boldenone and a close relative of DHT. It is used in bodybuilding circles for lean, dry muscle gains and strength without estrogen conversion. It has a reputation for strong anabolic activity and, like most injectable steroids, for causing painful injection sites. It is a controlled substance in many countries and is not a supplement.
- Strong anabolic, lean-mass builder
- No estrogen conversion (dry gains)
- Notable strength gains
- No water retention or bloat
- Very painful injection sites
Mechanism
Dihydroboldenone works like other anabolic steroids, binding and activating the in muscle and other tissues to ramp up protein synthesis and lean-tissue growth [1]. Structurally it is a 5-alpha-reduced steroid, so it cannot be aromatized into ; that is why users associate it with dry, non-bloated gains and no estrogenic side effects like water retention [1]. Because it does not need conversion to stay active in androgen-heavy tissues, it behaves as a stable, potent androgen. As with all anabolic steroids, it suppresses the body's own testosterone production through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, so natural hormones fall during use [1].
receptor fingerprint
agonist
Aromataseresists
HPG axis (natural testosterone)suppresses
Safetyrisks and cautions, not medical advice
A controlled anabolic steroid, not a supplement, and banned in sport. It suppresses natural testosterone, can strain cholesterol and the cardiovascular system, and is notorious for very painful injections. Non-aromatizing androgens can still bring androgenic effects like hair loss and acne, and post-cycle recovery of natural hormones is a real concern. Used only with medical awareness of the risks.
History
Dihydroboldenone (DHB, also called 1-testosterone) is the 5-alpha reduced form of boldenone, distinguished by a double bond between the first and second carbons that blocks aromatization. The molecule has been known for decades but was never judged efficacious enough to pursue as a therapeutic and was never approved for medical use. It reached consumers as the prohormone 1-AD (1-androstenedione), sold by Patrick Arnold's company in the early 2000s until the 2004 Anabolic Steroid Control Act amendment scheduled it. Since then DHB has persisted as a designer and underground-lab injectable steroid used in bodybuilding, valued for lean-mass gains without estrogenic activity.
Subjective profileweighing the evidence above
A controlled anabolic steroid, banned in sport, and nowhere near supplement territory. It suppresses natural testosterone, strains cholesterol and the cardiovascular system, and the injections are notoriously painful. The dry-gains reputation does not pay for any of that.
Resources
Don't even think about it.
Research
- 1971first citedMetabolism of 1-dehydroandrostanes in man. I. Metabolism of 17 -hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one,…
- 2019most recentHuman steroid biosynthesis, metabolism and excretion are differentially reflected by serum and…
- 1.Pharmacology of anabolic steroids
- 2.17beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androst-1-en-3-one (1-testosterone) is a potent androgen with anabolic properties
- 3.Seized designer supplement named "1-Androsterone": identification as 3β-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-17-one and its urinary elimination
- 4.Metabolism of boldenone in man: gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric identification of urinary excreted metabolites and determination of excretion rates
- 5.Metabolism of 1-dehydroandrostanes in man. I. Metabolism of 17 -hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one, 17 -cyclopent-1'-enyloxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one (quinbolone) and androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (1)
- 6.Metabolism of boldione in humans by mass spectrometric techniques: detection of pseudoendogenous metabolites
- 7.A comparative study of the effect of the dose and exposure duration of anabolic androgenic steroids on behavior, cholinergic regulation, and oxidative stress in rats
- 8.Human steroid biosynthesis, metabolism and excretion are differentially reflected by serum and urine steroid metabolomes: A comprehensive review
- 9.Human hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and pre-receptor regulation: insights into inhibitor design and evaluation
- 10.Limitations of direct estradiol and testosterone immunoassay kits
- 11.Cross-reactivity of steroid hormone immunoassays: clinical significance and two-dimensional molecular similarity prediction
- 12.Limitations of direct immunoassays for measuring circulating estradiol levels in postmenopausal women and men in epidemiologic studies
12 listed here; entry last updated July 2026
Reviews
My notesprivate to this device
FAQ
What exactly is DHB?
It is dihydroboldenone, the 5-alpha-reduced version of boldenone (Equipoise), and it goes by 1-testosterone. Think of it as a DHT-like, non-aromatizing androgen with a reputation for strong, dry gains.
Why is it known for painful injections?
DHB is infamous for post-injection pain and swelling, more than most steroids. This is one of the main practical complaints and often limits how people use it.
Does it cause estrogen side effects?
No; being 5-alpha-reduced, it cannot aromatize into estrogen, so bloating and gyno from estrogen are not really a concern. Androgenic sides like acne or hair loss can still happen.
Is it legal or safe?
It is a controlled anabolic steroid in many places and banned in sport. It suppresses your natural testosterone and carries the usual steroid risks, so it is not a casual compound.
Adverse effects
- Very painful injection sites
Notes and cautions
- Suppressed natural testosterone
- Cholesterol and cardiovascular strain
- Androgenic effects (acne, hair loss)
- 1-testosterone is a potent androgen in its own right rather than a weak precursor, and it does not depend on 5-alpha reduction the way testosterone does [2].
- Its 17-keto relative, 1-androsterone, has been sold directly as a supplement; it was identified in a seized product as 3-beta-hydroxy-5-alpha-androst-1-en-17-one [3].