THG – Tetrahydroestrinone – (13S, 17S) – 13, 17-hydroxy – 1,2,6,7,8,13,14,15,16,17 – decahydrocycloprentaphenanthren-3-one, often referred to as “The Clear” was created in the BALCO labs in San Francisco.
Used primarily in track and field, THG (Tetrahydroestrinone) is also being used widely in the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball.
THG was synthesized expressly for the use of athletes in sports. It was only discovered as a potentially banned substance when an anonymous coach sent a spent syringe to U.S. antidoping officials. But it was difficult to assay, and required a delicate chromatographic process to identify and define it.
All androgenic steroids are based on a chemical structure that features a complex of four heagonal carbon rings. Minute changes to these molecular groups attached to the periphery of a central ring complex produces a new derivative of a steroid. Chemists can literally make thousands of variations very easily. THG is one of those.
The chemical structure of THG is similar to that of trenbolone (a veterinary drug used in agricultural ruminant herds) and gestrinone (used to treat endometriosis in women) – both synthetics that are banned for use by athletes internationally. Both are separated only by four hydrogen atoms. THG is produced when hydrogen atoms are added to gestrinone.
It has an affinity to androgen receptors and progesterone receptors, but not to estrogen receptors.
Because this steroid was developed in a clandestine fashion, it has never been subjected to the normal process of clinical trials and animal testing before becoming available to athletes for the purpose of performance enhancement.
This is significant because even highly anabolic D-Bol, thought to be liver toxic, still underwent a variety of testing that made it viable for legitimate human use. It’s important for athletes to know that there is some chain of protocol and responsibility. Because while athletes may not have concern for health complications at the forefront of their minds today, the possibility of health problems occurring later
Some may argue that the way in which athletes use these drugs precludes responsibility by any drug company, since arguably, the amounts used exceed what would ever be recommended for human consumption. However, knowing unequivocally how an AAS acts in testing is some assurance. Designer steroids simply do not provide the comfort of that knowledge.
Unknown health risks are essentially traded for access to drugs that are not yet on the market, therefore not yet detectable.