Oxandrolone
A mild oral DHT-derived steroid with a genuine clinical history in burns and wasting. Popular for strength and definition without water retention — with a worse lipid profile than its gentle reputation suggests.
01 Overview
Oxandrolone is 17α-alkylated to survive oral dosing but is unusually mild on the liver for that class. It does not aromatise, so gains are lean and dry.
Its reputation as "mild" is accurate for androgenic and hepatic effects but misleading on lipids, where it is disproportionately harsh.
02 Mechanism
DHT-derived androgen-receptor agonist. Non-aromatising, so effects are lean without oestrogenic water retention; strongly suppresses HDL via hepatic lipase.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic | 5–20 mg/day | Oral | Clinical range for wasting and burns recovery. |
| Common | 20–50 mg/day | Oral | Physique use; lipid impact scales quickly. |
Ester comparison
| Ester | Half-life | Injection freq. | Testosterone by mass |
|---|
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased strengthWithout significant mass or water gain | Moderate | Clinical | |
| Lean, dry appearanceNon-aromatising, so no oestrogenic bloat | Moderate | Observational | |
| Preserved lean mass in a deficitThe basis of its clinical use in wasting | Demonstrated | Clinical |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe HDL suppressionDisproportionately harsh on lipids relative to its mild reputation — HDL can fall 30–50%. | Severe | Very common | Clinical | |
| Hepatic strainMild for a 17-AA oral, but still present; transaminase elevations occur. | Mild | Common | Clinical |
06 Commonly used with
What oxandrolone is combined with, and why. This is about intent rather than safety — the interactions table below covers what is dangerous. Nothing here is listed without what it costs.
| Compound | Frequency | Purpose & trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Stacked compounds | ||
| Testosterone propionatecutting kickstart | Oxandrolone is added to a lean cutting cycle to preserve strength and muscle in a deficit while adding a dry, hard quality without much water.Trade-off: As a C17-alpha-alkylated oral it is hepatotoxic and worsens the lipid profile, notably suppressing HDL even at moderate doses. | |
| Support & ancillaries | ||
| TestosteroneTRT/base dose | Anavar is suppressive despite its mildness, so a testosterone base is run to maintain normal androgen levels and prevent low-testosterone symptoms during use.Trade-off: Adding injectable testosterone brings aromatisation, water retention and a longer suppression/recovery timeline to an otherwise oral-only plan. | |
| TUDCAliver support | Taken with oxandrolone to support bile flow and hepatocyte health during oral C17-alkylated use.Trade-off: Liver support mitigates but does not eliminate hepatic and cholestatic stress, and it does nothing for the oral's adverse effect on cholesterol. | |
| Post-cycle | ||
| TamoxifenPCT | Used after cycle to restart the HPTA, since even mild oral anabolics plus a testosterone base suppress natural production.Trade-off: SERM recovery is slow, and tamoxifen's own side effects and further lipid impact stack onto the cholesterol hit already caused by the oral. | |