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Peptide & Experimental

Oral-Turinabol (dehydrochlormethyltestosterone)

Oral anabolic-androgenic steroid with a 17α-methyl structure, former East German medicine from Jenapharm, today without approval · Turinabol, Turi, OT, DHCMT, dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, 4-chlorodehydromethyltestosterone, chlorodehydromethyltestosterone

Oral-Turinabol is an anabolic-androgenic steroid in tablet form, developed by the East German pharmaceutical company Jenapharm and introduced for clinical use in 1965. It became known not as a medicine but as the most frequently used agent of the East German state doping program. On its effect there are secret files instead of studies – on its consequences there are investigations of people who often received it as adolescents and without their knowledge.

In short

That Oral-Turinabol increases strength and performance is documented in internal East German reports, for example on 40 world-class throwers; the effect was particularly strong in women. There are no controlled studies on this; the only thing studied in a controlled way in humans is how the body breaks down the substance. What is well documented, by contrast, is what former East German athletes suffer from today: wear of the musculoskeletal system, mental illness, hormonal disorders, cardiovascular disease and tumors. These data cannot cleanly separate the substance from the pressure of the system and from the other agents. The legal situation is clear: in Germany, the active substance is listed in the annex of the Anti-Doping Act, and in sport it is prohibited at all times.

What it is and how it works

Oral-Turinabol contains dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a chlorinated derivative of metandienone. It was produced by the state-owned company Jenapharm in Jena and came onto the market in East Germany for clinical use in 1965. Like many tablet steroids, it carries a 17α-methyl group. In Germany, no medicine with this active substance is listed today.

Like all anabolic-androgenic steroids, it binds to the androgen receptor: it increases protein synthesis, has a masculinizing effect and, via feedback, suppresses the body’s own hormone production. An overview of the whole substance class, its effects and the large cohort studies can be found under Anabolic steroids (anabolics, AAS).

What has been measured precisely in humans is above all its breakdown. In a controlled study with 5 healthy men, metabolites were detectable in urine for between 9.9 and 44.9 days after a single dose, depending on the person (Loke 2021).

The East German program

According to files secured after 1990, hundreds of physicians and scientists in East Germany conducted doping research from 1966 onwards; every year several thousand athletes received androgens, including minors of both sexes. From 1968, the agents were also given specifically to women and girls, because they worked most strongly there. Oral-Turinabol was the most frequently used substance (Franke & Berendonk 1997).

A recent review estimates that from the 1970s onwards around 15,000 underage athletes were affected. The agents were given covertly, without knowledge, information or consent, often before puberty and despite known health risks (Spitzer & Bley 2026). The tablets were handed out to the adolescents as “vitamins”, and they had to swallow them in front of the coaches (Franke & Berendonk 1997).

There were two assistance acts for the victims. According to the German federal government, 2,062 applications were submitted and 1,643 approved (Bundestag 2023).

What is well supported

Two things are supported, neither from clinical studies. First, the performance effect: East Germany itself evaluated it for years, with series of measurements on top athletes and a clear effect in women. Second, the consequences: people who were doped in the East German system are, decades later, more often physically and mentally ill than non-doped athletes and non-athletes. Also well measured is how long the substance remains detectable in urine – the basis on which samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games were retrospectively tested positive (Loke 2021).

What the studies show

Secret report from 1973: performance under the agent

A secret report by physicians and coaches evaluated the effect in 40 world-class athletes in the throwing and putting disciplines, each with and without the agent. In one female shot-putter, performance rose by around 2 m in 11 weeks; without the agent she did not reach her best marks. Similarly clear effects were reported mainly in women (Franke & Berendonk 1997). This is documentation, not a study: there was neither random allocation nor a control group.

Controlled administration to 5 men

The only controlled study in humans examined detection, not the effect. After a single dose, urine was collected for 60 days; the last clearly positive result lay between day 9.9 and day 44.9, depending on the person (Loke 2021).

Doped and non-doped athletes compared

One study compared three groups: elite athletes doped in adolescence, non-doped elite athletes and people without elite sport. The doped group had more physical and mental illness and more difficulties at work; men more often had impaired liver function, depression and tumors. The authors emphasize that the pressure of the system during a vulnerable phase of life may also contribute to the consequences (Berger 2024).

107 recognized doping victims

The analysis of the medical records of 56 women and 51 men showed above all degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system with chronic pain, in second place mental illness, as well as bone fractures and consequences for the male sexual organs. The picture matched earlier questionnaire surveys. The authors estimate that up to 12,000 people suffer from the consequences (Raschka & Koch 2024).

Psychological consequences

In a case-control study with questionnaires, the majority of former East German elite athletes showed clinically relevant psychological distress, 65.19 % pronounced depressive symptoms (Buhrmann 2023). A review cites a lifetime prevalence of mental disorders of up to 98 %, mainly depression, anxiety disorders and somatic symptom pain disorders (Spitzer & Bley 2026).

Where the data stop

There is no controlled study comparing Oral-Turinabol with placebo or another steroid – neither on efficacy nor on safety. The performance data come from the files of a system that wanted results, not knowledge.

The long-term data are valuable but have limits. Those affected usually received several agents, including testosterone injections and mestanolone (Franke & Berendonk 1997), the amounts are often unknown in the individual case, and many investigations rely on questionnaires or on recognized victims, that is, a selected group. On top of this came the pressure of the system, which the studies themselves name as a possible cause. How the substance affects recreational athletes today has not been specifically studied.

Status, approval and legal

In Germany, no medicine containing dehydrochlormethyltestosterone is listed (Gelbe Liste, as of 10/2026). An unapproved finished medicinal product may not be placed on the market (§ 21 German Medicines Act). The active substance is named in the annex of the Anti-Doping Act: manufacture, trade, supply and prescription for doping purposes are prohibited (§ 2 para. 1), as are acquisition, possession and bringing into the country in non-small quantities for doping in sport (§ 2 para. 3). On the WADA Prohibited List 2026 it is listed under S1.1 and is prohibited at all times.

Safety

The long-term studies of former East German athletes describe disorders of hormonal regulation, growth and organ damage, cardiovascular disease, tumors and degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system; in men, impaired liver function was noted more often (Berger 2024, Spitzer & Bley 2026). Psychologically, depression, anxiety and pain disorders are in the foreground. In women, there is also masculinization, which can be permanent; as early as 1976, the deep voices of the East German female swimmers attracted public attention (Franke & Berendonk 1997). For the substance class as a whole, heart damage, shutdown of the body’s own hormone production and an increased risk of death are documented in large cohorts, see Anabolic steroids (anabolics, AAS). Before any step, a conversation with a physician belongs here – not as a formality, but because of consequences that can be permanent.

BK-Score Long used, barely studied

Human evidence3
Mechanism6
Safety data4
Hype gap3
Track record of use6

Evidence 3, because the performance effect is documented only in internal East German files without a control group – a secret report from 1973 evaluated 40 world-class throwers (Franke & Berendonk 1997) – but there is not a single randomized trial on muscle growth, strength or performance; the only thing studied in a controlled way in humans is the breakdown, in 5 men (Loke 2021). Mechanism 6, because the androgen receptor and suppression of the hormonal axis are known for the substance class and the metabolism has been measured in detail in humans, but the effect of this individual substance on muscle, heart and liver has not been quantified. Safety 4, because there are long-term data on hundreds of former East German athletes – comparative studies with non-doped athletes, the analysis of 107 recognized doping victims and psychological findings such as 65.19 % with pronounced depressive symptoms – but those affected usually received several agents under massive pressure and the damage cannot be attributed to the substance alone; a low number here means poorly studied, not harmless. Hype 3, because the agent is traded as a mild, clean tablet steroid, while the only large source of data on humans describes the long-term damage of the East German program. Use 6, because it was used as a medicine in East Germany from 1965 and given to thousands of athletes every year from 1966, but today it is not used under medical regulation anywhere. Direction open: the increase in performance is documented but has never been tested in a controlled way.

The score rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. “Safety data 9” means well studied – not harmless.
Subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules – not a scientific rating and not a medical recommendation. Rules and all ratings (German)

Frequently asked questions about Oral-Turinabol

What was Oral-Turinabol?

A steroid in tablet form from the East German company Jenapharm, introduced for clinical use in 1965. From 1966 it was used in the East German state doping program and was the most frequently used agent there.

Is the performance effect established?

It is documented, but not tested in studies. Internal East German reports show marked jumps in performance, especially in women. There was no control group or random allocation, and a randomized trial on muscle growth or strength does not exist to this day.

What long-term consequences do former East German athletes have?

Most often degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system with chronic pain and mental illness, especially depression. In addition, there are hormonal disorders, cardiovascular disease, tumors and, in women, masculinization that can be permanent.

Can these consequences be clearly attributed to the agent?

Not entirely. Those affected usually received several agents and were under great pressure, often already as children. The studies show that doped athletes are more often ill than non-doped ones, but cannot separate out the share of the individual substance.

Is Oral-Turinabol allowed in Germany?

No. There is no approved medicine with this active substance, it is named in the annex of the Anti-Doping Act, and in sport it is prohibited at all times.

Why does it still turn up in doping tests today?

Because breakdown products remain detectable in urine for a long time, in one study up to 44.9 days after a single dose. With these detection methods, samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games were retrospectively tested positive.

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Information only, not medical advice and not a usage or dosage recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in the hands of a physician. Last updated: 2026-10-05.