The Trenbolo(g)ne Sandwich: An International Study Comparing Health Harms Among Men Who Use Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids With and Without Trenbolone.

Abstract

Introduction: Trenbolone is a high-risk anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS), yet quantitative evidence describing its psychosocial and physical harm profile remains limited. This study compared self-reported concerns among men who used trenbolone in the past 12 months (trenbolone group) with those who used other AAS but not trenbolone (non-trenbolone group).

Methods: Data were drawn from male respondents to the Global Drug Survey 2024 who reported past-year AAS consumption (N = 1146; M_age = 31.46, SD = 9.93). Participants were categorised as the trenbolone group (n = 237) or non-trenbolone group (n = 909) based on past-12-month injectable trenbolone use. Chi-squared tests examined between-group differences in psychosocial and physical concerns. Multiple-response frequencies and UpSet plots were used to assess number and co-occurrence of reported harms.

Results: Chi-square analyses indicated that psychosocial concerns, including mood instability, irritability and depressive symptoms, were significantly more common among the trenbolone group (all p < 0.001), with small-to-moderate effect sizes (ϕ = 0.13 to 0.20). Physical concerns, particularly cardiovascular and hepatic effects, were also significantly more prevalent among the trenbolone group (all p < 0.001; ϕ = 0.18 to 0.20). UpSet plot visualisations showed denser clustering of harms among the trenbolone group compared with the non-trenbolone group.

Discussion and conclusions: Trenbolone use is associated with a higher prevalence and co-occurrence of psychosocial and physical concerns relative to other AAS use. These harms suggest trenbolone use is reflective of severe risk profiles within the AAS-using communities. Targeted harm-reduction messaging and clinical screening strategies may be warranted for this subgroup.