Anabolic vs. Androgenic Questions

Pharma
1

Alright, I’ve had these questions on my mind for a while now, and I was hoping someone could possibly shed some light on the matter.

From my basic understanding, steroids possess two qualities: their anabolic level and androgenic level; anabolic being muscle building capability and androgenic being strength/“Alpha Male” capabilities. Certain drugs have certain proficiencies in certain areas (anavar being androgenic, deca being anabolic, for example, right?).

Hopefully my understanding of the terms anabolic and androgenic when referred to AAS is correct. Providing it is, what in the chemical structure makes a drug more anabolic/androgenic? From my basic understanding an offshoot of testosterone is produced, and the effects are viewed in a clinical laboratory to determine it’s anabolic/androgenic rating. This is what I’ve heard, so if that’s the case then there’s nothing in the chemical structure to suggest that a certain formulation will be better suited for anabolic and/or androgenic purposes? Is a steroid compound simply produced, and THEN measured for it’s anabolic/androgenic propensities AFTER it’s produced, or are the compounds created with certain effects in mind?

Secondly, what effects take place in the body regarding anabolic and androgenic reactions. I assume that both activate the androgen receptors in the muscle, but does a more anabolic compound activate it in a different manner than an androgenic compound? This is simply a random thought, but does DHT play into the affects of androgenic steroids? I believe I heard somewhere about a correlation between DHT and androgenic effects.

If these questions are novice/uninformed I apologize. This has really been bugging me, and I wouldn’t even know where to begin when looking for an answer.

2

I can hear Bushy’s keyboard bashing away in the distance, I feel you may have all the answers you require rather soon

3

I like this question alot, as a bio these kinds of questions get me excited.

Most people know about the Androgen receptor and that the various AAS bind to it to produce their anabolic and androgenic effects. Some of the variability in these effects comes down to the different binding properties that the various steroids have. Some bind with more affinity and for longer periods of time, creating a spectrum of effects.

The AR receptor is located within the cell, as opposed to the cell membrane, meaning that the steroids have to pass through the membrane to reach the AR receptor. It appears that when the steroids pass through the membrane they activate various other metabolic pathways as they interact with various protein kinases located in the membrane. These interactions activate protein synthesis and other metabolic pathways not associated with the AR receptor and hence prodce no virilizing effects.

As to whether one can predict where a steroid lies on the androgen-anabolic spectrum by its chemical structure, I have no idea and I suspect your going to have to find a biochemist to tell you.