List of androgens and anabolic steroids



This is a list of androgens/anabolic steroids (AAS) or testosterone derivatives. Androgen esters are mostly not included in this list. The major classes of testosterone derivatives include the following (as well as combinations thereof):


 * Testosterone derivatives: direct derivatives of testosterone not falling into the groups below
 * 4,5α-Reduced/dihydrogenated testosterone derivatives: dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derivatives
 * 19-Demethylated testosterone derivatives: 19-nortestosterone (nandrolone) derivatives
 * 17α-Alkylated testosterone derivatives: methyltestosterone and ethyltestosterone derivatives
 * 17α-Ethynylated/vinylated testosterone derivatives: ethynyltestosterone (ethisterone) and vinyltestosterone derivatives

The last group consists of progestins with mostly only very weak androgenic/anabolic activity.

This article pertains to steroidal androgens; nonsteroidal androgens like the selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) andarine and enobosarm (ostarine) are not included here.

Commentary
The 17α-ethenylated (vinylated) testosterone derivative norvinisterone (vinylnortestosterone) is much more potent as an AAS than the 17α-ethynylated testosterone derivatives and is intermediate in potency between the 17α-ethynylated progestins and conventional AAS, with approximately one-third and one-fifth of the respective androgenic and anabolic activity of nandrolone in animal bioassays.

Vinyltestosterone has been described as a weak AAS, though stronger than its 17α-ethynylated analogue ethisterone.

Commentary
17α-Ethynylated testosterone derivatives are potent progestins with only very weak androgenic/anabolic activity and are used as oral contraceptives or for the treatment of gynecological conditions in women. They are invariably classified as progestins rather than as AAS. However, these progestins are testosterone derivatives and do have significant androgenic/anabolic activity, sometimes producing acne and other mild androgenic effects in women. Conversely, in men, these drugs may actually have functional antiandrogen effects due to their potent progestogenic and hence antigonadotropic activity and capacity to suppress gonadal testosterone production.