The DOI matches its Crossref record; 35 of the 35 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Effects of Supraphysiologic Doses of Testosterone on Muscle Size and Strength in Normal Men
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Athletes often take androgenic steroids in an attempt to increase their strength. The efficacy of these substances for this purpose is unsubstantiated, however. METHODS: We randomly assigned 43 normal men to one of four groups: placebo with no exercise; testosterone with no exercise; placebo plus exercise; and testosterone plus exercise. The men received injections of 600 mg of testosterone enanthate or placebo weekly for 10 weeks. The men in the exercise groups performed standardized weight-lifting exercises three times weekly. Before and after the treatment period, fat-free mass was determined by underwater weighing, muscle size was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and the strength of the arms and legs was assessed by bench-press and squatting exercises, respectively. RESULTS: Among the men in the no-exercise groups, those given testosterone had greater increases than those given placebo in muscle size in their arms (mean [+/-SE] change in triceps area, 424 +/- 104 vs. -81 +/- 109 square millimeters; P < 0.05) and legs (change in quadriceps area, 607 +/- 123 vs. -131 +/- 111 square millimeters; P < 0.05) and greater increases in strength in the bench-press (9 +/- 4 vs. -1 +/- 1 kg, P < 0.05) and squatting exercises (16 +/- 4 vs. 3 +/- 1 kg, P < 0.05). The men assigned to testosterone and exercise had greater increases in fat-free mass (6.1 +/- 0.6 kg) and muscle size (triceps area, 501 +/- 104 square millimeters; quadriceps area, 1174 +/- 91 square millimeters) than those assigned to either no-exercise group, and greater increases in muscle strength (bench-press strength, 22 +/- 2 kg; squatting-exercise capacity, 38 +/- 4 kg) than either no-exercise group. Neither mood nor behavior was altered in any group. CONCLUSIONS: Supraphysiologic doses of testosterone, especially when combined with strength training, increase fat-free mass and muscle size and strength in normal men.
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“Testosterone [44] and related anabolic androgenic steroids [45] increase muscle mass in both animals and humans.”
From Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search (2025) · cites this paper as [44]
In the citing paper
“Moreover, given that the effects of these drugs and resistance training are additive [44], we suggest trials”
From Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search (2025) · cites this paper as [44]
In the citing paper
“Results of randomised trials have also shown that supraphysiological doses of testosterone in men result in increased fat-free mass, muscle size, and strength.80”
From Age-related and disease-related muscle loss: The effect of diabetes, obesity, and other diseases (2014) · cites this paper as [80]
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Sex Steroids and the Construction and Conservation of the Adult Skeleton
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Metadata
- Authors
- Bhasin, S., Storer, T. W., Berman, N., Callegari, C., Clevenger, B., Phillips, J., Bunnell, T. J., Tricker, R., Shirazi, A., & Casaburi, R.
- Affiliations
- Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (US)
- El Camino College (US)
- Harbor–UCLA Medical Center (US)
- Oregon State University (US)
- Venue
- New England Journal of Medicine
- Publisher
- Massachusetts Medical Society
- Published
- 1996-07-04
- Volume
- 335
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-7
- ISSN
- 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
- 1533-4406
- OpenAlex
- W2326289669
- Cited by
- 1,659
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 81 · 2021: 67 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 58 · 2013: 53 · 2012: 56
- FWCI
- 44.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (7r01dk045211-04)
- U.S. Public Health Service (MO-00543)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (1RO1-DK-45211)
- National Center for Research Resources (P20 RR 11145-01, P20RR011145)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Doping in Sports
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- testosterone, testosterone enanthate, anabolic steroids, muscle size, muscle strength, fat-free mass, resistance training, weightlifting, athletes, muscle hypertrophy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Anger, Behavior, Biomechanical Phenomena, Body Weight, Double-Blind Method, Gonadotropins, Pituitary, Humans, Injections, Intramuscular, Lipids, Male, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, Testosterone, Weight Lifting, Muscle, Skeletal
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