Oxymetholone

Oxymetholone (Anadrol), is a synthetic anabolic steroid developed by Syntex in 1960. Its primary clinical applications include treatment of osteoporosis and anaemia, as well as stimulating muscle growth in undernourished or underdeveloped patients. The drug was approved for human use by the FDA. However, later non-steroidal drugs such as Epogen were developed and proven to be more effective as a treatment for anaemia and osteoporosis without the side-effects of oxymetholone. The drug remained available despite this, and eventually found a new use in treating HIV wasting syndrome. While classified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, it remains available via prescription as Anadrol®-50. Anadrol®-50 is a registered trademark of Alaven™ Pharmaceutical.

Presented most commonly as a 50 mg tablet, Oxymetholone is the strongest androgenic steroid available. Similarly, it also poses the greatest risk of side effects of any steroid. Despite very low binding affinity with the androgen receptor, oxymetholone is highly effective in promoting extensive gains in body mass, mostly by greatly improving protein synthesis. For this reason, it is often used illegally by bodybuilders and athletes. Many athletes also use Oxymetholone as a method of protection for the joints under heavy loads. Due to the high water retention users experience from this drug, it similarly lubricates the joints and helps protect them from injury. Oxymetholone is widely considered by bodybuilders to have the strongest anabolic effect out of any oral steroid available; weight increases of 20 pounds in 2 weeks are not unheard of with this drug.

Side effects
The side-effects of short-term use of the drug itself include nausea, bloating, acne, and masculinising effects such as deepening of the voice, growth of facial hair and clitoral hypertrophy. In addition, oxymetholone is readily aromatized by aromatase to form a progestagen, and unless selective estrogen receptor modulators such as tamoxifen or clomifene are taken in conjunction with the drug, there is a significant risk of the appearance of estrogenic effects such as gynaecomastia over time. Because of its 17α-alkylated structure, oxymetholone is highly hepatotoxic. Long term use of the drug can cause a variety of serious ailments, including hepatitis, liver cancer, and cirrhosis. It's dangerous to take oxymetholone in high dosages for periods of time exceeding four weeks, and is commonly used by bodybuilders during the start of a steroid cycle to help gain mass and increase serum levels of androgens quickly.

Use with other steroids
To further increase its effectiveness as an anabolic agent, bodybuilders typically stack (see steroid stack) oxymetholone with other anabolic steroids. Since it is already a very potent androgen, many users will combine it with drugs such as nandrolone, boldenone and testosterone to further their gains.