Anadrol
50 ® (oxymetholome)
Quick
overview:
Active Life: Less than 16 hours
Drug Class: Highly Anabolic/Androgenic Steroid (Oral)
Average Dose: Men 50-150 mg/day
Acne: Yes
Water Retention: Yes, high
High Blood Pressure: Yes
Liver Toxic: Yes, very high
Aromatization: Debatable
DHT Conversion: It is a derivative of DHT
Decrease HPTA function: Yes, extreme
Anadrol 50® is the U.S. brand name for oxymetholone, a very potent
oral androgen. This compound was first made available in 1960, by the
international drug firm Syntex. Since oxymetholone is quite reliable
in its ability to increase red blood cell production (and effect characteristic
of most anabolic/androgenic steroids), it showed great promise in treating
cases of severe anemia. It turned out to be well suited for this purpose,
and was popular for quite some time. But recent years have brought fourth
a number of new treatments, most notably the non-steroidal hormone Epogen
(erythropoietin). This drug is shown to have a much more direct effect
on the red blood cell count, without the side effects of a strong androgen.
Syntex stopped in the U.S. in 1993, which was around the same time they
decided to drop this item in a number of foreign countries as well.
Plenastril from Switzerland and Austria was dropped; following soon
was Oxitosona from Spain. Many Athletes feared Anadrol 50 might be on
the way out for good. But new HIV/AIDS studies have shown a new light
on oxymetholone. These studies are finding (big surprise) exceptional
anti-wasting properties to the compound and believe it can be used safely
in many such cases. Interest has been peaked, and as of 1998 Anadrol
50 is again being sold in the United States. This time we see the same
Anadrol 50 brand name, but the manufacturer is the drug firm Unimed.
Syntex continues to market & license this drug in a number of countries
however (under a few different brand names).
Anadrol
50 is considered by many to be the most powerful steroid available,
with results of this compound being extremely dramatic. A steroid novice
experimenting with oxymetholone is likely to gain 20 to 30 pounds of
massive bulk, and it can often be accomplished in less than 6 weeks,
with only 50-100mg a day. This steroid produces a lot of trouble with
water retention, so let there be little doubt that much of this gain
is simply bloat. But for the user this is often little consequence,
feeling bigger and stronger on Anadrol 50 than any steroid they are
likely to cross. Although the smooth look that results from water retention
is often not attractive, it can aid quite a bit to the level of size
and strength gained. The muscle is fuller, will contract better and
is provided a level of protection in the form of "lubrication"
to the joints as some of this extra water is held into and around connective
tissues. This will allow for more elasticity, and will hopefully decrease
the chance for injury when lifting heavy. It should be noted however,
that on the other hand the very rapid gain in mass might place too much
stress on your connective tissues for this to compensate. The tearing
of pectoral and biceps tissue is commonly associated with heavy lifting
while massing up on heavy androgens. There is such a thing as gaining
too fast. Pronounced estrogen trouble also puts the user at risk for
developing gynecomastia. Individuals sensitive to the effects of estrogen,
or looking to retain a more quality look, will therefore often add Nolvadex
to each cycle.
It
is important to note however, that this drug does not directly convert
to estrogen in the body. Oxymetholone is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone,
which gives it a structure that cannot be aromatized. As such, many
have speculated as to what makes this hormone so troublesome in terms
of estrogenic side effects. Some have suggested that it has progestational
activity, similar to nandrolone, and is not actually estrogenic at all.
Since the obvious side effects of both estrogens and progestins are
very similar, this explanation might be a plausible one. However we
do find medical studies looking at this possibility. One such tested
the progestational activity of various steroids including nandrolone,
norethandrolone, methandrostenolone, testosterone and oxymetholone.
It reported no significant progestational effect inherent in oxymetholone
or methandrostenolone, slight activity with testosterone and strong
progestational effect inherent in nandrolone and norethandrolone. With
such findings it starts to seem much more likely that oxymetholone can
intrinsically activate the estrogen receptor itself, similar to but
more profoundly than the estrogenic androgen methAndriol.
If this is the case we can only combat the estrogenic side effects of
oxymetholone with estrogen receptor antagonists such as Nolvadex or
Clomid, and not with an aromatase inhibitor. The strong anti-aromatase
compounds such as Arimidex, Femara, or Aromasin would prove to be totally
useless with this steroid, as aromatase is not involved.
Anadrol
50 is also a very potent androgen. This factor tends to produce many
pronounced, unwanted androgenic side effects. Oily skin, acne and body/facial
hair growth can be seen very quickly with this drug. Many individuals
respond with severe acne, often requiring medication to keep it under
control. Some of these individuals find that Accutaine works well, which
is a strong prescription drug that acts on the sebaceous glands to reduce
the release of oils. Those with a predisposition for male pattern baldness
may want to stay away from Anadrol 50 completely, as this is certainly
a possible side effect during therapy. And while some very adventurous
female athletes do experiment with this compound, it is much too androgenic
to recommend. Irreversible virilization symptoms can be the result and
may occur very quickly, possibly before you have a chance to take action.
It
is interesting to note that Anadrol 50 does exhibit some tendency to
convert to dihydrotestosterone, although this does not occur via the
5-alpha reductase enzyme (responsible for altering testosterone to form
DHT) as it is already a dihydrotestosterone based steroid. Aside from
the added c-17 alpha alkylation, oxymetholone differs from DHT only
by the addition of a 2-hydroxymethylene group. This grouping can be
removed metabolically however, reducing oxymetholone to the potent androgen
l7alpha-methyl dihydrotestosterone (mesterolone; methyldihydrotestosterone).
There is little doubt that this biotransformation contributes at least
at some level to the androgenic nature of this steroid, especially when
we note that in its initial state Anadrol 50 has a notably low binding
affinity for the androgen receptor. So although we have the option of
using the reductase inhibitor finasteride (Proscar) to reduce the androgenic
nature of testosterone, it would be of no benefit with Anadrol 50 as
this enzyme is not involved.
The
principle drawback to Anadrol 50 is that it is a 17alpha alkylated compound.
Although this design gives it the ability to withstand oral administration,
it can be very stressful to the liver. Anadrol 50 is particularly dubious
because we require such a high milligram amount per dosage. The difference
is great when comparing it to other oral steroids like Dianabol or Winstrol,
which have the same chemical alteration. Since they have a slightly
higher affinity for the androgen receptor, they are effective in much
smaller doses. Anadrol 50 has a lower affinity, which may be why we
have a 50mg tablet dosage. When looking at the medical requirements,
the recommended dosage for all ages has been 1 - 5 mg/kg of body weight.
This would give a 220lb person a dosage as high as 10 Anadrol 50 tablets
(500mg) per day. There should be little wonder why when liver cancer
has been linked to steroid use, Anadrol 50 is generally the culprit.
Athletes actually never need such a high dosage and will take in the
range of only 1-3 tablets per day. Many happily find that one tablet
is all they need for exceptional results, and avoid higher amounts.
Cautious users will also limit the intake of this compound to no longer
than 4-6 weeks and have their liver enzymes checked regularly with a
doctor. Kidney functions may also need to be looked after during longer
use, as water retention/high blood pressure can take a toll on the body.
Before starting a cycle, one should know to give Anadrol 50 the respect
it is due. It is a very powerful drug, but not always a friendly one.
When
discontinuing Anadrol 50, the crash can be equally powerful. To begin
with, the level of water retention will quickly diminish, dropping the
user's body weight dramatically. This should be expected, and not of
much concern. What is of great concern is restoring endogenous testosterone
production. Anadrol 50 will quickly and effectively lower natural levels
during a cycle, so HCG and Clomid/Nolvadex are a must when discontinuing
a cycle.
The
old practice of slowly tapering off your dosage is totally ineffective
at raising testosterone levels. Without ancillary drugs, run away cortisol
levels will likely strip much of the muscle that was gained during the
cycle. If HCG and Clomid/Nolvadex are used properly, the person should
be able to maintain a considerable amount of new muscle mass. Before
going off, some alternately choose to first switch over to a milder
injectable like Deca-Durabolin. This is in an effort to harden up the
new mass, and can prove to be an effective practice. Although a drop
of weight due to water loss is likely when making the switch, the end
result should be the retention of more (quality) muscle mass with a
less pronounced crash. Remember ancillaries though, as testosterone
production will not be rebounding during Deca therapy.
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Steroid Profiles - Anadrol 50 ® (oxymetholome) - Steroidology.com