Anavar X 100

Anavar Overview

Anavar (oxandrolone) is an oral anabolic steroid, created in 1962 to promote lean muscle mass in those suffering from muscle-wasting conditions. The other main objective when formulating anavar was to create a mild drug, with few side effects, so women and children could safely take it.

In 1964, an American pharmaceutical company named G.D Searle & Co, brought Oxandrolone to market.

It was successful in becoming an effective treatment for men, women and children suffering from: catabolic illnesses, burns, infections and those recovering from surgery. Oxandrolone is also prescribed for treating osteoporosis, due to its ability to increase bone mineral density.

Despite studies proving the safety of anavar long-term (1), it is currently banned for recreational purposes.

Studies

G.D Searle & Co removed anavar from the market in 1989. This was partly due to bad publicity, stemming from athletes and bodybuilders using anavar to cheat in sports, given the drug’s performance and muscle enhancing effects.

However, in 1995 Oxandrolone made a comeback, returning to pharmacies under the brand name Oxandrin, now produced by BTG (Bio-Technology General Corp).

BTG arranged a deal with Searle where they would continue manufacturing the steroid, but would distribute it exclusively to BTG, thus sold under a new company name.

BTG was granted orphan drug designation, for treating rare muscle-wasting diseases and conditions (AIDS, Turners syndrome, muscular dystrophy). This gave BTG 7 years of market exclusivity, resulting in a pharmaceutical monopoly. Consequently, BTG were able to significantly increase the price of Oxandrolone by 1,200%.

Oxandrin is still sold today, but under the newly formed company name of Savient (formerly BTG).

However, due to this previous elevation in price, plus a high demand for anavar and only few labs in the world producing it; anavar still remains expensive today. It is regarded as one of the highest-priced steroids on the market, along with primobolan.

bodybuilders are using Anavar mainly in cutting cycles, due to its simultaneous fat-burning and muscle-building effects. Powerlifters can also cycle Oxandrolone before meets, due to it significantly increasing strength.

Oxandrolone Structure

PubChem CID: 5878

Molecular Weight: 306.4

Synonyms: Anavar, Oxandrin, Oxandrolone

Anavar Benefits

• Fat Loss

Anavar significantly increases the body’s Triiodothyronine (T3) to thyroxine (T4) ratio . T3 is the active thyroid hormone which elevates a person’s metabolism and enhances fat loss . Similar to how free testosterone is the most important testosterone score for building muscle mass, T3 is the most important thyroid score, for increased fat-burning.

Anavar increases T3 by dramatically reducing TBG (thyroid-binding globulin), whilst simultaneously spiking TBP (thyroxine-binding prealbumin). This process increases the uptake of T3 at a cellular level.

Fat loss is somewhat noticeable on anavar, with research showing that a moderate dose of 20mg per day can result in 4lbs of fat loss, over the course of 12 weeks . Thus research shows that anavar’s anabolic effects outweigh its fat-burning properties, with participants in the same study gaining 7lbs of muscle.

Not only does anavar burn subcutaneous fat, but it also reduces visceral fat. This is different to other anabolic steroids, which typically reduce subcutaneous fat, whilst increasing visceral fat . This may be due to anavar improving insulin sensitivity , whilst other steroids can result in a person becoming less sensitive to insulin (7); potentially leading to steroid-induced diabetes.

• Muscle Gain

Anavar (and all anabolic steroids) are essentially forms of exogenous testosterone, thus anavar will increase muscle mass.

Due to the substitution of a carbon atom, replacing an oxygen atom in the A ring (in the C2 position), this molecular structure makes anavar resistant to inactivation via the enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. This explains anavar’s very high anabolic rating, being: 322-630.

However, its high anabolic rating doesn’t translate into exceptional muscle gains in practical settings. Thus if a user is coveting huge muscle gains, they may opt for other steroids, such as: dianabol, trenbolone, anadrol or testosterone. Or they may decide to stack some of these compounds with anavar.

One benefit to Oxandrolone, is that it produces lean muscle gains. Thus, users won’t gain fat, water weight or become bloated. This is due to anavar being 5α-reduced, thus it doesn’t aromatize, meaning estrogen levels will not rise. This is beneficial for bodybuilders wanting to look dry and aesthetic. It is also appealing to athletes, who do not want to be carrying additional water weight when performing.

Women can typically experience better muscle gains compared to men on anavar, even with a modest dose of 5-10mg per day.

• Strength Building

Anavar’s ability to rapidly increase strength is mainly due to it being exogenous testosterone, however it also has a dramatic effect on ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) production and creatine content inside the muscle cells.

Higher levels of ATP is beneficial for those who want to hit new PR’s when bulking. Or for users cutting, who may otherwise lose strength whilst eating low calories for a prolonged period of time.

Users have reported anavar significantly increasing strength gains, despite eating low calories.

This is also why powerlifters may take anavar before a competition, if they want a boost in strength (without much weight gain). Dr Thomas O’Connor states that top elite powerlifters in the 1970’s, whom he has treated, were all on Oxandrolone. Thus, the connotation of it being a ‘girl steroid’ isn’t quite the case, with some of the strongest men in the world taking it too.

• Mild Side Effects

Oxandrolone is one of the best steroids on the market, in regards to side effects. Research has shown it to have ‘excellent safety’ in long-term medical settings (9). Due to its mild nature, it is commonly used by beginner bodybuilders looking to build modest amounts of muscle and fat.

A general rule with steroids is: the better the results, the more side effects.

Anavar’s benefits aren’t overly powerful (at least compared to other steroids), but the side effects are very tolerable. Its risk/reward ratio is thus very positive.

• Less Liver Toxic

However, unlike other oral steroids, anavar’s not significantly hepatotoxic.

This is due to anavar being metabolised mainly by the kidneys, instead of the liver. Some of the anavar will bypass through the liver, however this is a smaller percentage compared to other C17-aa steroids.

Research shows that 20mg of oxandrolone causes 72% less BSP (Sulfobromophthalein; a marker of liver stress), compared to an equal dose of fluoxymesterone (10). Fluoxymesterone is also a C17-aa steroid.

Thus liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are likely to rise on anavar, however this will only be a mild increase, compared to oral dianabol or anadrol for example. Research shows that elevated enzymes are likely to return to normal, after discontinuing oxandrolone (11).

• No Gyno or Water Retention

As previously mentioned, anavar doesn’t aromatize; thus gynecomastia is very unlikely on anavar.

Presentational activity is also non-existent in anavar, therefore progesterone-induced gyno also will not occur.

The only incidence of gynecomastia occurring on oxandrolone was in a study done on adolescent boys (12). 33 cases of gyno were reported, however these findings are contradictory to other research in adults. Thus if anavar is taken long-term by children during puberty, the risk of gyno seems to increase. However, it’s important to point out that these children were taking moderate doses of anavar continuously for 6 months to 8 years. The average bodybuilder will run anavar for a maximum of 8 weeks.

Furthermore, water retention is very unlikely on anavar, with the compound creating a ‘dry’ and ‘ripped’ look. This diuretic effect is also likely to increase vascularity and muscle striations; whilst contributing to a leaner appearance.

• Less Androgenicity

Anavar is already a derivative of dihydrotestosterone, meaning there is no conversion to DHT via the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. As a result, anavar has mild androgenic properties and side effects.

Therefore in theory, androgenic side effects should be mild, however in practical settings acne, male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement can occur, due to anavar being a DHT-based steroid.

Furthermore, such androgenic side effects often reverse post-cycle, including hair thinning/loss.

• Suitable for Women

Due to anavar’s mild androgenic rating, it doesn’t typically produce virilization side effects in women (when taken in low to moderate doses). Thus Anavar is a female-friendly steroid.

Virilization side effects include:

• Deepening of the voice
• Hair growth (on the body)
• Clitoral enlargement
• More pronounced jaw
• Smaller breasts
• Irregular menstrual cycles

Therefore, because anavar doesn’t typically cause the above side effects, keeping a woman’s femininity intact; it’s very popular among females looking to build muscle and burn fat.

Note: Masculinization is still possible if taking doses higher than 10mg a day . Studies have reported girls experiencing virilization effects, when taking high doses of 0.125mg per kg (13) continuously for a year. The average age of the girls in this study was 9 years old.

• Increased Recovery, Endurance & Speed

Anavar has proven successful in treating burn patients, because of its ability to accelerate recovery. It is this principle why athletes also use anavar. Enhanced recovery, enables an athlete to increase training intensity, duration and frequency for better performance. With higher red blood cell count and increased ATP production, muscular endurance will also improve on anavar.

Although, it is not just strength and endurance athletes that can benefit from anavar. Sports where speed is important such as: sprinting, swimming or boxing; may also take anavar in conjunction with other steroids.

Research has shown anabolic steroids to increase sprint speed in rats by up to 29% when using steroids. Furthermore, their endurance also improved by 41%

• Big Pumps

Anavar causes significant intracellular water retention, resulting in constantly full and pumped muscles throughout the day.

This is a beneficial for bodybuilders who want to look as big as possible. Such additional muscle fullness, combined with anavar’s dry properties, can also result in enhanced vascularity.

Note: some anavar-users report excessively big pumps (usually in the lower back), which can be uncomfortable/painful. This can often feel like a locked, cramping sensation inside the muscle, which lasting for several hours. Consequently the person may not be able to finish their workout due to severe discomfort. Hence this benefit may become a side effect for some users.

Anavar Side Effects

• High LDL cholesterol
• Suppressed Testosterone
• Kidney Damage
• Hair Loss

Dosage

Men: 15-50mg/Day

Women: 5-10mg/Day