How Primobolan Affects HDL Cholesterol

Androgens lower HDL partly by increasing hepatic lipase activity, which breaks down HDL particles. This has been shown most clearly for oral 17-alpha-alkylated steroids.

• Route matters: injectable testosterone at 200 mg a week cut HDL by 9%, while oral stanozolol cut it by 33% (Thompson, 1989).
• Steroid stacks can be severe: in athletes self-administering several steroids, HDL fell from 1.08 to 0.43 mmol/L and ApoB rose, with no recovery 6 weeks after stopping (Hartgens, 2004).
• The only human lipid study of methenolone gave it to 28 women with breast cancer; 12 developed raised LDL-type lipid patterns, all reversible on stopping (Garbrecht, 1981). It did not report HDL.

Injectable Primo with testosterone: user reports suggest a mild additional HDL fall, for example 12 points after adding Primo in one log, and 39 to 37 mg/dL on 300 mg test with 100 mg Primo in another.

Primo in larger stacks: HDL of 0.7 mmol/L was reported in a 58-year-old on test, Primo and NPP, alongside a haematocrit of 0.54.

Oral Primo: unmeasured, but oral androgens generally hit HDL harder than injectables.

Lipids at baseline and 6 to 8 weeks into the cycle: HDL, LDL, triglycerides and, ideally, ApoB.

Draw fasted and at the same time of day for comparable results.

Recheck 6 to 12 weeks after the cycle ends: lipid changes from steroid stacks can take more than 6 weeks to recover.

Mild is not zero. Do not skip lipids because Primo has a gentle reputation.

If HDL falls below about 0.9 mmol/L (35 mg/dL) or ApoB rises: reduce total androgen load first, avoid orals, and see our cholesterol guide for supplements and medication options.

Further reading: How to protect your cholesterol on steroids