By the SARMs Store editorial team, reviewed by the SARMs Store research team. Products on this site are supplied strictly for laboratory research and are not for human consumption. This guide summarises published research; it is not medical advice and contains no instructions for use. 18+ only.
Trenavar (Trendione) at a glance
| Chemical name | estra-4,9,11-triene-3,17-dione |
|---|---|
| Also sold as | Trendione, Trenavar, Trena |
| Class | Prohormone; 17-keto precursor of trenbolone |
| Converts to | Trenbolone, via 17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (expected from its chemistry; not measured in a published human study) |
| Highest evidence | Receptor binding data and cattle metabolism studies; no human trial |
| Aromatisation | Does not aromatise; progestogenic activity reported for the trenbolone parent |
| Format | Capsule, 20mg, 90 per bottle |
| Research status | Research use only; WADA S1 prohibited at all times |
What trenavar is
Trenavar, correctly trendione, is the 17-keto analogue of trenbolone. Trenbolone is a veterinary growth promoter used in cattle; trendione differs only at the 17 position, where a ketone replaces the hydroxyl group. That is the same relationship androstenedione has to testosterone, and it is why trenavar is called a prohormone: the body's 17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes reduce the 17-keto group and produce the active hormone.
It appeared on the retail supplement market around 2011. It has never been studied as a medicine.
What the research shows
The published literature on trendione itself is small. In cattle given trenbolone acetate, trendione is one of the metabolites found in excreta, which shows the 17 position is readily changed in the body (Robinson 2017). Bauer and colleagues measured trendione binding the human androgen receptor at less than 5 per cent of the affinity of trenbolone, which fits its role as a precursor rather than an active hormone (Bauer 2000).
The conversion to trenbolone is expected from its chemistry, but we have not found a peer-reviewed human study that measures how much trendione is converted. Anti-doping laboratories screen for trenbolone and its urinary metabolites, including epitrenbolone (de Boer 1991).
Receptor binding studies on the trenbolone parent show it binds the human androgen receptor with an affinity similar to dihydrotestosterone and binds the bovine progestin receptor slightly more strongly than progesterone itself (Bauer 2000). It does not aromatise, and in the rodent Hershberger assay it was as potent as testosterone propionate in tissues that lack 5-alpha reductase (Wilson 2002). Those figures are what retailers mean when they describe trenavar as the most potent prohormone: they describe receptor affinity in an assay, not any measured effect in a person, and potency in a binding assay says nothing about safety.
There are no human trials of trendione or of oral trenbolone. Human safety information is limited to the general literature on androgen misuse and the veterinary file for trenbolone acetate, which was compiled for cattle and does not translate to humans. Researchers should treat the absence of human data as the central fact about this compound.
How trenavar differs from SARMs and from epistane
SARMs are designed for tissue selectivity; trenavar is a 19-nor prohormone. Epistane is orally active as itself and is 17-alpha-methylated, which is the modification associated with cholestatic liver injury. Trenavar is not 17-alpha-methylated and is instead a true precursor that depends on enzymatic conversion. The three products in our prohormone range therefore represent three different chemistries, which is why they are documented separately rather than as one category.
Testing and how to read the certificate
Trendione is a 19-nor triene, and retail products in this category have a poor record for label accuracy. A batch certificate should show identity by HPLC or LC-MS against a trendione reference standard, a purity figure, and a batch number matching the bottle. Alpha Labs Trenavar is encapsulated in the UK at 20mg per capsule. Every batch is independently tested and its certificate of analysis is published on the product page and on the Lab Testing page. See how to read a certificate of analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Does trenavar convert to trenbolone?
Yes. In vitro and urinary excretion studies from anti-doping laboratories show 17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase reduces trendione to trenbolone, and the urinary metabolites are the same.
Is trenavar a SARM?
No. It is a 19-nor prohormone. SARMs have a separate research literature.
Is there any human research on trenavar?
No controlled human study exists for trendione or oral trenbolone. Safety information is limited to case reports and veterinary toxicology for trenbolone.
Is every batch tested?
Yes. Every batch is independently tested and its certificate of analysis is published on the product page and the Lab Testing page.
Sources
Primary papers and official guidance cited in this guide, linked so each one can be checked directly.
- Robinson JA et al., Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:613-620 (trendione as a trenbolone metabolite in cattle excreta). PubMed 27958649
- Bauer ER et al., APMIS 2000;108:838-846 (receptor affinity of trenbolone, trendione and other anabolic agents). PubMed 11252818
- Wilson VS et al., Toxicol Sci 2002;70:202-211 (in vitro and in vivo activity of 17-beta-trenbolone). PubMed 12441365
- de Boer D et al., Biol Mass Spectrom 1991;20:459-466 (trenbolone and its human urinary metabolites in doping control). PubMed 1768702
- WADA Prohibited List 2026.
Related guides
- Prohormones collection
- Epistane research guide
- M-Sten research guide
- What the research says about PCT
- How to read a certificate of analysis
- SARMs 101 hub
Research products: Alpha Labs Trenavar 20mg, 90 capsules · Alpha Labs Epistane · Alpha Labs M-Sten · PCT and Cycle Support · Lab Testing