Proviron is the trade / brand name for the androgen known as Mesterolone. It is an oral product, and is not considered an anabolic steroid. This is because its anabolic activity is known for being extremely weak – so weak, in fact, that it can be practically considered nonexistent. Proviron was initially developed by Schering in 1934, making it one of the oldest steroids manufactured and marketed for medical use. Mesterolone is so old, in fact, that it shared its inception alongside Methyltestosterone in 1935, and Testosterone Propionate in 1937, which were two of the first anabolic steroids put to use in medicine as well. Of course, Methyltestosterone and Testosterone Propionate are best remembered for all of their glory while Proviron is/was lesser known. This is likely due to the fact that the former two anabolic steroids were demonstrated as being very strong anabolic agents, while the latter was not.
Although Proviron is considered a very old medication, it still stands the test of time as being known as a compound that has impressive effectiveness as a medicine alongside an impressive history of safety and tolerance among patients. Within the medical establishment, Proviron has been utilized as a medication for the treatment of declining well-being in older males due to declining androgen levels, libido dysfunction in males, and infertility.
Its use as a fertility aid is where Proviron was really emphasized in medical literature. This is because while almost all anabolic/androgenic steroids are known to cause temporary infertility, Proviron in normal therapeutic dosages actually barely suppresses endogenous gonadotropins (LH and FSH) when utilized. However, Proviron is poorly misunderstood as a compound that increases LH, which it does not do. Instead, research has demonstrated that Proviron provides the androgenic effects necessary for spermatogenesis in specific areas in the testes.
Schering still manufactures Mesterolone under the name of Proviron across the world today. It has been sold under different brand names as well, including Pluriviron (in Germany by Asche), Vistimon (in Germany by Jenepharm), and Restore (in India, by Brown and Burke). What is interesting, however, is that Proviron was never approved for use on the prescription market in the United States.