Yes, epiandrosterone is a steroid. Specifically, it belongs to a class called C19 steroids (androgens), meaning it has the four-ring carbon structure common to all steroids and 19 carbon atoms characteristic of male sex hormones. Your body produces it naturally as a byproduct of DHEA metabolism, and it serves as a precursor to more potent hormones like testosterone and estradiol.
What Kind of Steroid It Is
Epiandrosterone (sometimes abbreviated EpiAND) is classified as an androstanoid, a subcategory of sterol lipids. Its full chemical identity is 3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one. In plain terms, it’s a naturally occurring androgen, one of the hormones responsible for traits typically associated with male development like muscle growth and body hair.
On its own, epiandrosterone is considered a weak androgen. It doesn’t have the same direct potency as testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). But it matters biologically because your body can convert it into those stronger hormones through a chain of enzymatic reactions. An enzyme called 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) converts epiandrosterone into androstanedione, which can then be processed further into DHT. This conversion pathway has been studied particularly in the context of prostate cancer, where even small amounts of DHT production inside tumor tissue can fuel growth.
Why It Shows Up in Supplements
Epiandrosterone is marketed in bodybuilding and fitness supplements as a “prohormone,” a compound your body converts into a more active hormone after you take it. The appeal is that it can theoretically raise DHT or testosterone levels, promoting muscle growth and strength. Supplement companies sometimes label it as “Epi-Andro” and position it as a legal alternative to anabolic steroids.
The legal picture is complicated. Epiandrosterone is not explicitly listed among the compounds added to the federal controlled substances schedule by the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014, which is why some supplement makers continue to sell it. However, the FDA has taken enforcement action against companies selling bodybuilding products containing steroid and steroid-like substances. In 2017, the agency issued warning letters to multiple supplement companies, stating that products labeled to contain such substances “are not dietary supplements” regardless of how they’re marketed. The regulatory gap means epiandrosterone products remain available online and in some retail stores, but their legal status sits in a gray zone that could shift.
It’s Banned in Competitive Sports
The World Anti-Doping Agency lists epiandrosterone by name on its Prohibited List under category S1: Anabolic Agents. It is banned at all times, both in competition and out of competition, and is classified as a “non-Specified Substance.” That designation means athletes who test positive face stricter penalties compared to substances that WADA considers more likely to be ingested accidentally. If you compete in any sport governed by WADA rules, the Olympics, NCAA, or most professional leagues, using epiandrosterone will result in a doping violation.
Both epiandrosterone and a closely related compound called 1-epiandrosterone appear separately on the prohibited list, so variants marketed under slightly different names carry the same risk.
Side Effects and Safety Concerns
Because epiandrosterone feeds into the DHT pathway, its side effects mirror those of elevated DHT levels. WebMD rates it as “possibly unsafe for most people” when taken by mouth. Reported side effects include hair loss, behavioral changes, and infertility. There are also concerns about liver damage and heart disease with ongoing use.
These risks make sense given the biology. DHT is the primary driver of male pattern baldness, so anything that raises DHT levels can accelerate hair thinning in people genetically predisposed to it. The infertility risk comes from the way external androgens suppress your body’s natural hormone signaling. When you flood your system with a testosterone precursor, the brain reduces its own signals telling the testes to produce sperm and hormones, a feedback loop that can take months to recover from after stopping use.
Liver stress is a concern shared with many oral steroid-related compounds. Unlike injected steroids that enter the bloodstream directly, oral compounds pass through the liver first, and the liver has to process and break them down. Over time, this repeated workload can cause measurable damage, especially at the doses common in bodybuilding supplements.
How It Compares to Other Prohormones
Epiandrosterone is often described as “milder” than other prohormones because it converts to DHT rather than testosterone directly. DHT is potent but doesn’t convert to estrogen, so users are less likely to experience side effects like water retention or breast tissue growth that come with testosterone-boosting compounds. This is part of its marketing appeal.
That said, “milder” is relative. It is still an anabolic agent that alters your hormone balance, carries real side effects, and will trigger a positive doping test. The fact that your body produces small amounts of it naturally does not make supplemental doses safe. Your body also produces cortisol and insulin naturally, but flooding your system with extra amounts of either would cause serious problems. The same principle applies here.