Turinabol, also known as Oral Turinabol or Tbol, was originally developed and manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Jenapharm in East Germany. It was created in the 1960s and used by East German athletes as part of state-sponsored doping programs during that era.
Jenapharm designed Turinabol as a derivative of testosterone with modifications to reduce its androgenic effects while maintaining anabolic properties. Initially, it was used in medical settings for various purposes, including treating muscle wasting conditions, osteoporosis, and other health issues.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, the use of Turinabol in medicine declined, and its pharmaceutical production also decreased. However, despite its discontinuation in the pharmaceutical industry, it found its way into the illicit market and became popular among athletes and bodybuilders due to its reported anabolic effects and lower androgenic properties compared to some other steroids.