androstanolone include buccal or sublingual tablets (Anabolex, Stanolone), topical gels (Andractim, Gelovit, Ophtovital), and, as esters in oil, injectables like androstanolone propionate (Pesomax) and androstanolone valerate (Apeton). Androstanolone benzoate (Ermalone-Amp, Hermalone, Sarcosan) and androstanolone enanthate (Anaboleen Depot) are additional androstanolone esters that are available for medical use in some countries. Androstanolone esters act as prodrugs of androstanolone in the body and have a long-lasting depot effect when given via intramuscular injection. Legal status Androstanolone, along with other AAS, is a schedule III controlled substance in the United States under the Controlled Substances Act. Androstanolone is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited substances, and is therefore banned from use in most major sports. Research In the early- to mid-2000s, transdermal or topical androstanolone was under development in the United States for the treatment of hypogonadism (as a form of androgen replacement therapy), male osteoporosis, and cachexia (in cancer patients) and in Australia for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It reached phase II clinical trials for hypogonadism and BPH and phase III clinical studies for cachexia but development was ultimately never completed for these indications in these specific countries. Although androstanolone itself has not been approved for cachexia in any country, an orally active synthetic derivative of androstanolone, oxandrolone (2-oxa-17α-methylandrostanolone), is approved and used for this indication in the United States. Topical androgens like androstanolone have been used and studied in the treatment of cellulite in women. Topical androstanolone on the abdomen has also been found to significantly decrease subcutaneous abdominal fat in women, and hence may be useful for improving body silhouette. However, men and hyperandrogenic women have higher amounts of abdominal fat than healthy women, and androgen therapy has been found to increase abdominal fat in postmenopausal women and transgender men. References External links Androstanolone (for hypogonadism and cachexia) - AdisInsight Androstanolone (for hypogonadism and BPH) - AdisInsight Androstanolone (for male osteoporosis) - AdisInsight 5α-Reduced steroid metabolites Secondary alcohols Androgens and anabolic steroids Androstanes Estrogens GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators Ketones Testosterone World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited substances