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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 admittedly characteristic of nearly all anabolic/androgenic steroids), it showed particular promise in treating cases of severe anemia. For this purpose Anadrol 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. Financial disinterest finally prompted Syntex to halt production of the U.S. Anadrol 50 in 1993, which was around the same time they decided to drop this item in a number of foreign countries. 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).

Many companies have started the production of Anadrol products in the recent years. British Dragon is producing Oxydrol, an oral form of 50mg oxymetholone that is one of the favourite products on the market. On the other side Eurochem Labs are producing Oxythol, an oral form of 50mg oxymetholone with same qualities but a bit lower price. Also know is Anapolone from Abdi Ibrahim (Turkey), but unfortunately very unpopular lately because of many counterfeits that are sold. Among products worth mentioning is also Androlic from British Dispensary.

Anadrol 50 is considered by many to be the most powerful anabolic steroid available, with results of this compound being extremely dramatic. A steroid novice experimenting with Anadrol (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 anabolic 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 anabolic 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 Anadrol 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 anabolic 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. In speaking with chemist Patrick Arnold about my thoughts on this, I was afforded very believable support for my suspected explanation. According to Pat:

I share your thoughts on this. Anadrol has an acidic hydrogen in the A-ring at a vicinity that is approximate to where the acidic phenolic hydrogen of estradiol is. I suspect it is a potent estrogen agonist'

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 50 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 Anadrol. Many individuals respond with severe acne, often requiring medication to keep it under control. Some of these individuals find that Accutane 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 (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 (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 (see: Proscar) to reduce the androgenic nature of testosterone, it offers us no benefit with Anadrol 50 as this enzyme is not involved.

The principle drawback to Anadrol 50 is that it is a 17-alpha 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 (seen in the 5mg and 2mg tablet strengths). Anadrol 50 has a lower affinity, which may be why we have a 50mg tablet dosage. For comparison, taking three tablets of Anadrol 50 (150mg) 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 50 tablets (500mg) per day. There should be little wonder why when liver cancer has been linked to anabolic 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. Anadrol 50 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/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 Durabolin therapy.