Substance:
oxymetholone
Anadrol
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 admittedly characteristic of nearly all anabolic/androgenic
steroids), it showed particular promise in treating cases of
severe anemia. For this purpose it turned out to be well suited,
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 item is shown to have a much
more direct effect on the red blood cell count, without the side
effects of a strong androgen.
Anadrol
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 one or two tablets per 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 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. Clearly 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 Cytadren
and Arimidex would similarly prove to
be totally useless with this steroid, as aromatase is uninvolved.
Anadrol is also a very potent androgen. This
trait tends to produce many pronounced, unwanted androgenic side
effects. Oil 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 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 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
(discussed below), 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 17alpha-methyl dihydrotestosterone (mestanolone;
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 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 offers us no
benefit with Anadrol as this enzyme is not involved.
The
principle drawback to Anadrol 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 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 has a lower affinity, which may be why we have a 50
mg tablet dosage. For comparison, taking three tablets of Anadrol
(150 mg) is roughly the equivalent of 30 Dianabol tablets or 75 Winstrol tablets (!).
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
220 lb person a dosage as high as 10 Anadrol tablets (500 mg) per
day. There should be little wonder why when liver cancer has been
linked to steroid use, Anadrol 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 the respect it is due. It is a very
powerful drug, but not always a friendly one.
When
discontinuing Anadrol, 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 will quickly and
effectively lower natural levels during a cycle, so HCG and/or Clomid/Nolvadex are a must when discontinuing a cycle.
The common practice of slowly tapering off your pill dosage is wholly
ineffective at raising testosterone levels. Without ancillary
drugs, a run away cortisol level will likely strip much of the
muscle that was gained during the cycle. If HCG and/or 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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