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Muscle & performance

DHB Oral (1-Testosterone)

The potent 1-testosterone derivative - dry, hard gains without aromatization.

1 min read 7 sources

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White tablet bottle with a black TPD label for DHB Oral on a white podium, next to it a large glossy blue 3D steroid molecule in a bright lab
Preclinical · not approved

Summary

At a glance

Sources checked on 26 Oct 2026

Human trials in the registry
0 trials

no trial with DHB or 1-testosterone on ClinicalTrials.gov, as of 26 Oct 20266

Lean mass with precursor
+6.3 %

4 weeks of strength training with an oral precursor, placebo +0.5%2

HDL cholesterol with precursor
-38.7 %

same trial, no significant change on placebo2

Liver marker AST with precursor
+113.8 %

same trial, plus creatinine +19.6% and kidney filtration rate -18%2

Detectable after one capsule
9 days

typical breakdown product of the precursor in urine, one volunteer, doping research3

  • DHB Oral is 1-testosterone taken by mouth, a steroid with one double bond between the first and second carbon atoms. It shares only the name with boldenone.7
  • In cell experiments 1-testosterone bound very selectively to the androgen receptor and activated it strongly without being converted first.1
  • In rats an equimolar amount was as potent as testosterone propionate on the prostate, seminal vesicles and the levator ani muscle. Unlike with testosterone propionate, liver weight rose.1
  • In humans there is only one trial with an oral precursor that the body converts into 1-testosterone among other things: lean mass and strength rose within 4 weeks, HDL fell by 38.7 percent and liver and kidney markers worsened.23
  • There is no registered human trial and no approval for DHB itself. Everything here is the state of research, not a recommendation.6
Profile

Updated June 2026

Class
1-testosterone derivative

dihydroboldenone

Use
Oral

1-2x per day

Half-life
short
WADA
banned

anabolic

Sizes
10 mg

1 size in the shop

Contents 12 sections
  1. At a glance
  2. What is DHB?
  3. How it works
  4. Use and dosing
  5. What the research shows
  6. Research status
  7. Side effects
  8. Storage
  9. Related compounds
  10. FAQ
  11. Glossary
  12. Sources

What is DHB?

DHB (dihydroboldenone, also 1-testosterone) is a potent anabolic structurally related to boldenone but stronger and without aromatization. It delivers dry, hard gains with a good strength component. The injectable form is notorious for severe injection site pain - the oral form avoids that.

This information is for research and educational purposes only. No medical advice.

Comparison

1-testosterone and relatives

Related steroids at the same receptor, as described in the TPD lexicon. Tap a card to open its entry.

Oral 1-testosterone DHB Oral (1-Testosterone) AR
1-testosterone, cypionate ester DHB (Dihydroboldenone, 1-Testosterone Cypionate) AR 17-alpha methylated 1-testosterone 17a-Methyl-1-Testosterone (M1T) AR Boldenone, second double bond Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate) AR Another oral anabolic steroid Anavar (Oxandrolone) AR

How it works

DHB activates the androgen receptor strongly, does not aromatize and causes no estrogen side effects. Gains are dry and high quality, the anabolic-to-androgenic ratio is considered favorable.

Where it acts

Where 1-testosterone acted in experiments

Tap a point or a card. Red = androgen receptor, grey = observed. Animal data and one trial with a precursor.

  1. Levator ani muscle (rat)

    Grew as much as with testosterone propionate1

    AR
  2. Prostate and seminal vesicles (rat)

    Grew as much as with testosterone propionate1

    AR
  3. Liver

    Liver weight rose in rats, AST +113.8% with the precursor1

    Observed in trials
  4. Blood lipids

    HDL -38.7%, LDL +32.8% with the precursor2

    Observed in trials
  5. Kidney

    Creatinine +19.6%, filtration rate -18% with the precursor2

    Observed in trials
  6. Fat tissue

    Fat mass -24.6% with precursor and training (placebo -9.5%)2

    Observed in trials

Known targets1

Compound PubChem CID 236666: one described target, Agonist, binds very selectively (cell assay).

Androgen receptor
Gene
AR
UniProt
P10275
ChEMBL
CHEMBL1871
Action
Agonist, binds very selectively (cell assay)
Two glossy blue 3D steroid molecules rest in hollows on light blue, transparent muscle fibres, each next to a dark ring as a binding site
1-testosterone binds very selectively to the androgen receptor. Symbolic image.

Use and dosing

Dosing

Dosing, titration and syringe

Loading the dosing information …

  • Getting started and stepping up, drawn as a staircase
  • Units on the U-100 syringe for every step
  • How long one vial lasts
White tablet bottle with a black TPD label for DHB Oral, five white round tablets in front of it on a light surface
Symbolic image.

What the research shows

Compound-specific human studies are scarce. The AAS pharmacology (Kicman 2008, Hartgens & Kuipers 2004) classes the properties of non-aromatizing anabolics.

Study results

What the trials measured

Interactive: switch tabs, tap points, show or hide arms. Arms are named relative to each other, no dosing advice.

Strength training with a precursor of 1-testosterone2

Change over 4 weeks in percent, 17 trained men, oral precursor against placebo

Lean body mass2
Placebo +0.5%
Oral precursor +6.3%
Fat mass2
Placebo -9.5%
Oral precursor -24.6%
Back squat, one-repetition maximum2
Placebo +5.7%
Oral precursor +14.3%
Competition total2
Placebo +5.9%
Oral precursor +12.8%

The trial tested 1-androsterone, an oral precursor, not DHB. In the urine of a volunteer it showed up as 1-testosterone among other metabolites. Small 4-week trial, all values as stated in the abstract.

Blood values on the precursor2

Change over 4 weeks in percent, same trial

HDL cholesterol2
Oral precursor -38.7%
LDL cholesterol2
Oral precursor +32.8%
Liver marker AST2
Oral precursor +113.8%
Creatinine2
Oral precursor +19.6%
Kidney filtration rate2
Oral precursor -18.0%

None of these values changed significantly on placebo. The authors conclude that the harm to the cardiovascular system and the liver outweighs the benefit.

Transparent glass sculpture of a thigh muscle with a red blood vessel in a glass display case in a bright room
The key data come from cell and rat experiments. Symbolic image.

Research status

Where the research stands

DHB itself has never been tested in a registered human trial, neither as a tablet nor as an injection. As of 26 Oct 2026. 6

  1. Preclinical Cell assays and rats
  2. Phase 1 no registered trial
  3. Phase 2 no registered trial
  4. Phase 3 no registered trial
  5. Approval not yet
Not approved and no registered human trial. What exists are cell and animal studies and one trial with an oral precursor.6

So far there is no registered trial in humans. 6

Side effects

  • Androgenic - hair loss in predisposed individuals, acne.
  • Lipids can worsen.
  • HPTA suppression - PCT topic.
  • No estrogen side effects.

Storage

Store dry and cool, protected from light. Out of reach of children.

Three white tablet bottles and a folded light blue towel on a white shelf
Store dry, cool and protected from light. Symbolic image.

Related

Related compounds

Same receptors or blends with DHB Oral (1-Testosterone): all in the TPD lexicon.

DHB Oral (1-Testosterone)
DHB (Dihydroboldenone, 1-Testosterone Cypionate) The same compound with an ester as an injection 17a-Methyl-1-Testosterone (M1T) 1-testosterone with a methyl group Equipoise (Boldenone Undecylenate) Shares only the name, different profile Anavar (Oxandrolone) Oral anabolic steroid Methyltestosterone Oral testosterone with a methyl group Testosterone Undecanoate Testosterone with a long ester

FAQ

Common questions about DHB Oral (1-Testosterone)

Short answers, each backed by the sources below.

What is the difference between DHB and boldenone?

Chemically DHB is 1-testosterone: it has one double bond between the first and second carbon atoms, boldenone has a second one. That is where the name dihydroboldenone comes from, the profile is a different one. In experiments 1-testosterone acted directly on the androgen receptor without being converted first.71

Has DHB Oral been studied in humans or approved?

No. ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial with DHB or 1-testosterone (as of 26 October 2026) and there is no approval. There are also no data on how the tablet is absorbed, that is how much of it reaches the blood.6

What does research show about the effect?

The key paper comes from the Center for Preventive Doping Research in Cologne. 1-testosterone bound very selectively to the androgen receptor and activated it strongly. In rats an equimolar amount was as potent as testosterone propionate on the prostate, seminal vesicles and the levator ani muscle. Unlike with testosterone propionate, liver weight rose. The authors classify it as a typical anabolic steroid with the side effects typical for the class.1

What did the oral precursor trial show?

17 trained men took 1-androsterone or placebo orally for 4 weeks and followed a training plan. With the precursor lean mass rose by 6.3 percent (placebo 0.5) and fat mass fell by 24.6 percent (placebo 9.5). At the same time HDL fell by 38.7 percent, LDL rose by 32.8 percent, AST by 113.8 percent and the kidney filtration rate dropped by 18 percent. Another paper found 1-testosterone in urine after this precursor. DHB itself was not tested.23

How long can DHB be detected?

There is no measurement for DHB itself. After a single capsule of the precursor 1-androsterone a typical breakdown product was detectable in the urine of one volunteer for up to 9 days. According to doping research 1-testosterone is among the substances that tests look for.31

Which side effects have been described?

There are no human data for DHB itself. Reviews of anabolic steroids describe suppressed natural hormone production that can last for months after stopping, falling HDL and rising blood pressure. In animal testing liver weight rose on 1-testosterone, with the precursor blood lipids, liver and kidney markers worsened.5412

Glossary

Terms explained briefly

Dotted words in the text open these explanations directly.

1-testosterone
Steroid with one double bond between the first and second carbon atoms. The chemical core of DHB.
Androgen receptor
Protein inside the cell that androgens bind to. Genes are then read, for example for muscle building.
Aromatization
Conversion of certain androgens into estrogen by the enzyme aromatase.
AST
Aspartate aminotransferase, a liver marker in the blood. It rises when liver cells are under strain.
HDL cholesterol
Cholesterol carrier that takes fat from the vessels to the liver. Low levels are considered unfavourable for the heart and vessels.
HPTA
Axis of hypothalamus, pituitary and testes that controls natural testosterone production.
Levator ani muscle
Pelvic floor muscle of the rat that responds strongly to androgens. Used in animal studies as a measure of the anabolic effect.
PCT
Post cycle therapy, the phase after stopping in which natural hormone production is meant to restart.
Preclinical
Research in the lab and in animals before a compound is tested in humans.
Prohormone
Precursor that the body first converts into the actual compound.
Testosterone propionate
Testosterone with a short propionate ester, the reference compound in many animal studies.

Evidence

Sources

Show all 7 sourcesHide sources 5 Studies1 Trial registry1 Database checked 26 Oct 2026

Studies

  1. 1-testosterone is a potent androgen with anabolic properties (cells and rats)

    Friedel et al., Toxicology Letters, 2006

    DOI 10.1016/j.toxlet.2006.03.001 PMID 16621347
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  2. Oral precursor of 1-testosterone: training, blood lipids, liver and kidney

    Granados et al., Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014

    DOI 10.1152/japplphysiol.00616.2013 PMID 24381122
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  3. 1-androsterone: breakdown in the body, among others to 1-testosterone

    Parr et al., Steroids, 2011

    DOI 10.1016/j.steroids.2011.02.001 PMID 21310167
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  4. Review of the pharmacology of anabolic steroids

    Kicman, British Journal of Pharmacology, 2008

    DOI 10.1038/bjp.2008.165 PMID 18500378
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  5. Review: effects and side effects of anabolic steroids in athletes

    Hartgens und Kuipers, Sports Medicine, 2004

    DOI 10.2165/00007256-200434080-00003 PMID 15248788
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed

Trial registry

  1. Search on ClinicalTrials.gov

    ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine

    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2

Database

  1. Structure of 1-testosterone in PubChem

    PubChem, U.S. National Library of Medicine (CID 236666)

    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubChem

In the shop

DHB Oral (1-Testosterone) in the catalog

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