Anadrol, also known as Oxymetholone or Anapolon, is a synthesized anabolic steroid. It was created in the 60s by Zoltan Anadrol Z F. It is used clinically as a treatment for osteoporosis and anemia and is used to stimulate the growth of muscles in malnourished and underdeveloped patients.
It didn’t take long for people looking for performance enhancers to hear about Anadrol and use it for themselves. Oxymetholone works to boost weight gain by increasing appetite and upping the red blood cell count. It can also increase strength.
On the other hand, surprisingly, taking too much Anadrol can decrease your appetite and make it tough to gain weight. You can’t grow if you aren’t eating anything.
Brand/Trade Names: Anadrol, Anadrol 50, Anapolon, Anadrolic, Anapolon, Anadrollic, Anadroll, A50, Abombs, Oxydex, Hemogenin, Oxyanabolic
Chemical Structure: 17-hydroxy-2- (hydroxymethylene)-17-methyl- 5a-androstan-3-one
The Molecular Formula:C21H32O3
About Anadrol
Anadrol, also known as Oxymetholone, gets its name because it was derived from Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and is a 17-Alpha-Alkylated steroid (17-aa). The “aa” is just a way to express that the steroid has been chemically altered to the 17th position which means the steroid stays whole during digestion and can safely pass through the liver. If it weren’t for this alteration, it would likely be destroyed before it could even enter the bloodstream.
The good news is that this alteration means that users of Anadrol can absorb one of the most potent anabolic steroids there is. The bad news is this power comes at a price as Anadrol is also one of the most damaging liver-toxic steroids available.
The 17-aa alteration means that Anadrol gets to work as soon as it enters the body. The half-life of an anabolic androgenic steroid plays a big part in how potent they are. The half-life of Anadrol is a relatively short 8.5 hours. Steroid with this kind of half-life works almost instantly, but the duration of the effects is short-lived.
This is why many athletes are taking Anadrol half the dose and take it twice across a day to elongate the effects of the steroid and keep it in their system for longer. Having said this one dose is usually enough to keep the steroid working in your body long enough, just not at peak levels.
The Benefits of Anadrol
Anadrol is such an effective bulking agent because it was originally developed to build muscle and combat a weight deficiency in patients. While some steroids can be used for both bulking and cutting the majority of them, just serve one goal. Anadrol is one such steroid, and it should only be used for bulking. There is one aspect of Anadrol that can be used for cutting but all the major benefits are for bulking.
Anadrol unleashes a lot of power quickly and is easily one of the most potent steroids there is. It only takes a few weeks to bulk up between 20-30 pounds and gain an immense boost in strength.
Anadrol is typically used as part of a stack and not on its own because it has low androgen binding characteristics. As a result, other steroids are taken to fill this role for you and create better synergy between the different steroids that you’re on.
Anadrol Side Effects
The liver is incredibly adept at healing itself and can usually repair itself when you stop taking Anadrol, as long as you take it responsibly, and you already have a healthy liver.
There are other adverse side effects besides liver toxicity. The steroid also causes estrogenic side effects. Many steroids can cause these kinds of side effects, and it happens because they convert estrogen through the aromatase process.
Anadrol is a DHT based steroid though it doesn’t aromatize. Even though it doesn’t convert estrogen, Anadrol has been shown to increase the amount of estrogen produced so you should be careful when taking it.
These estrogenic side effects include gynecomastia (man boobs), high blood pressure, and water retention.
Water retention, in particular, is a common problem with Anadrol.
Many athletes will choose to supplement their Anadrol with an Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) like Arimidex or Letrozole to keep these adverse effects away.
Both Arimidex and Letrozole have been proven effective at reducing estrogen levels.
Using Anadrol for Cutting
By now you can see how great Anadrol is for bulking. Because of this, it is rarely used as a cutting agent. There is one major exception to this generalization and it happens in competitive bodybuilding.
Competitive bodybuilders will usually take Anadrol in the weeks leading up to show. They will take a lot of the steroid during these few weeks to make better use of the carbs in their diet right up until the competition.
By doing this they can achieve a much fuller look but, as with all things, it’s best to use caution and be smart about it.
If you’re sensitive to water retention, especially from Anadrol, then it’s best not to use it in this manner.
If you aren’t sensitive, and you maintain a strict diet, then you shouldn’t have an issue. It also helps to use an aromatase inhibitor and follow a strict contest cycle to get the best results.
Anadrol Cycles and Doses
Anadrol usually comes in 50mg tablets. For most people one dose of 50mg a day will be enough. Some also choose to take 100mg a day and this dose will almost always be more than sufficient. Taking any more than this could quickly lead to problems.
One thing that is worth noting is that Anadrol doesn’t have the same risk to reward ratio you find in other anabolic steroids. This weighs the risks of taking the steroid with the benefits (rewards). While it is true that you get better results from taking more, it’s also true that you run a greater risk of running into a bad side effect.
Anadrol stops being rewarded after 100mg per day. Just 50mg a day could be enough to cause adverse side effects and some people can’t even manage that dose safely.
Taking a higher dose will not give you better results and will typically do more damage to your liver. It’s not worth it.
Many people taking Anadrol will do so during the bulking cycle. They will take it only as part of a bulking cycle and not for the entirety of the cycle, though. It’s a good idea to use it for around 4-6 weeks because taking it for longer will cause a lot of stress on your liver. It also stops being as effective after six weeks. So it’s best to use it for a 4-6 week cycle.
People taking Anadrol will find that it works great with any form of testosterone, and if you want to get the most out of it, you should pair it up with Deca-Durabolin.