Pioneering Research in Endocrinology
In 1849, German physiologist Arnold Adolph Berthold conducted foundational experiments in endocrinology. His research on sex hormones demonstrated the role of testes in producing androgens, laying the groundwork for modern hormone science.
Decades later, Charles Édouard Brown-Séquard, a Harvard professor, claimed rejuvenating effects after injecting himself with a concoction derived from dog and guinea pig testicles. This “elixir” became so popular that guinea pigs became scarce as researchers and doctors rushed to replicate his findings.
The Isolation of Testosterone
Fred C. Koch and his student Lemuel McGee made strides in isolating testosterone, deriving 20 mg from 40 lbs of bull testicles in 1927. Karoly David and Ernst Laqueur at Organon further advanced this work, identifying testosterone’s chemical structure by isolating 10 mg from 220 lbs of bull testicles. In 1935, a crystalline compound was identified and named testosterone.
The original extraction methods were impractical due to the sheer volume of testicular tissue required. However, that same year, two groups—Adolf Butenandt and G. Hanisch in Germany and Leopold Ruzicka with A. Wettstein in Switzerland—synthesized testosterone from cholesterol. These breakthroughs earned Butenandt and Ruzicka the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, marking the “Golden Age of Steroid Chemistry.”
The Spread of Testosterone Use
The 1930s-1950s saw rapid advancements in testosterone production and research. By the 1940s, American chemist Russell Earl Marker discovered diosgenin, a plant compound found in wild yams, as a precursor for synthesizing steroids. This discovery significantly reduced costs and expanded availability.
Early Applications in Sports and Medicine
- Steroid Use in Professional Sports: In 1889, Major League Baseball pitcher James Francis “Pud” Galvin openly used the Brown-Séquard elixir, with media praising its effects.
- Clinical Trials and Research: By 1937, injectable and oral anabolic steroids became available, leading to formal studies like the 1940 research on testosterone metabolism supported by Yale University.
- Recognition as an Anabolic Hormone: In 1936, Charles Daniel Kochakian established the link between testosterone and muscle growth, demonstrating its anabolic effects through experiments on dogs.
Wider Availability and Innovation
By the 1940s, steroids became cheaper as diosgenin-based synthesis streamlined production. Companies like Syntex SA, founded by Marker, played a crucial role in distributing hormonal drugs in the U.S. Between 1948 and 1955, Searle Pharmaceuticals synthesized over 1,000 steroid variants in an effort to reduce androgenic side effects.
Cultural Context and Legacy
Given testosterone’s early discovery and widespread experimentation, it is plausible that even “old-school” athletes in the 1940s explored its potential benefits. The YOLO mindset of the era, combined with the promise of enhanced performance, suggests that many may have prioritized immediate gains over long-term considerations.
This historical timeline underscores the enduring fascination with performance enhancement, illustrating how scientific breakthroughs continually push the boundaries of human potential.
References
V.C. Medvei (1982). ”A History of Endocrinology” ISBN 978-94-009-7304-6
Patrick Lenehan (March 1,2004). ”Anabolic Steroids” ISBN 9780203634530
Ralph I. Dorfman and James B. Hamilton (February, 1940). ”Concerning the Metabolism of Testosterone to Androsterone”
Gallagher TF, Koch FC (November 1929). ”The testicular hormone” J. Biol. Chem. 84 (2): 495–500.
Butenandt A, Hanisch G (1935). “Umwandlung des Dehydroandrosterons in Androstendiol und Testosterone; ein Weg zur Darstellung des Testosterons aus Cholestrin” [About Testosterone. Conversion of Dehydro-androsterons into androstendiol and testosterone; a way for the structure assignment of testosterone from cholestrol]. Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem (in German) 237 (2): 89. doi:10.1515/bchm2.1935.237.1-3.89.
Butenandt A, Hanisch G (1935). “Uber die Umwandlung des Dehydroandrosterons in Androstenol-(17)-one-(3) (Testosterone); um Weg zur Darstellung des Testosterons auf Cholesterin (Vorlauf Mitteilung). [The conversion of dehydroandrosterone into androstenol-(17)-one-3 (testosterone); a method for the production of testosterone from cholesterol (preliminary communication)]”. Chemische Berichte (in German) 68: 1859–1862.
Ruzicka L, Wettstein A (1935). “Uber die kristallinische Herstellung des Testikelhormons, Testosteron (Androsten-3-ol-17-ol) [The crystalline production of the testicle hormone, testosterone (Androsten-3-ol-17-ol)]”. Helvetica Chimica Acta (in German) 18: 1264–1275. doi:10.1002/hlca.193501801176.
Pud Galvin: The Godfather of Juicing By Joe Halverson, Correspondent Jan 15, 2011. Bleacher Report: Los Angeles.
David KG, Dingemanse E, Freud JL (May 1935). “Über krystallinisches mannliches Hormon aus Hoden (Testosteron) wirksamer als aus harn oder aus Cholesterin bereitetes Androsteron” [On crystalline male hormone from testicles (testosterone) effective as from urine or from cholesterol]. Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem (in German).
Millard Baker “The Amazing History of Anabolic Steroids in Sports.” August, 2011. ThinkSteroids.com (accessed March 5, 2017)
