Oxymetholone (Anadrol)
Oxymetholone ('Anadrol', 'A-bombs') is a potent 17α-methylated oral DHT-derived steroid used clinically for anaemia and wasting and recreationally for extreme mass and strength. It causes strong water retention and marked hepatic strain, and despite not aromatising it produces pronounced oestrogen-like effects through a poorly understood mechanism.
01 Overview
Developed as a treatment for anaemias of deficient red-cell production and later studied in HIV wasting, oxymetholone has a substantial clinical literature. It is one of the strongest oral steroids for adding raw body weight quickly, favoured in the heaviest bulking and strength contexts.
Although a DHT derivative that cannot aromatise, oxymetholone causes water retention, bloating and gynaecomastia in many users; it is thought to act as an oestrogen-receptor agonist directly or via other pathways. Its hepatotoxicity is considered among the more severe of the oral steroids, and appetite suppression and lethargy are frequent complaints at higher doses.
02 Mechanism
Androgen-receptor agonist (DHT-derived, 2-hydroxymethylene substituted) that strongly stimulates erythropoiesis and protein synthesis; does not aromatise but exerts direct oestrogenic activity by an incompletely defined route.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic | 1–5 mg/kg/day | Oral | Clinical anaemia dosing, weight-based. |
| Common | 50–100 mg/day | Oral | Typical bodybuilding range. |
| Heavy | 100–150 mg/day | Oral | Little added benefit over 100 mg for most; side effects escalate. |
Ester comparison
| Ester | Half-life | Injection freq. | Testosterone by mass |
|---|
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid mass and strength gainOne of the strongest orals for fast increases in body weight and strength. | +5-10 kg possible | Clinical | |
| Increased red blood cell massStimulates erythropoiesis; used therapeutically for anaemia. | Clinically meaningful | Clinical | |
| Water retentionHeavy fluid retention inflates weight and blood pressure and blurs muscular definition. | Observational |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oestrogen-like effects (gynaecomastia, bloating)Gynaecomastia and water retention occur despite no aromatisation. | Moderate | Common | Observational | |
| HepatotoxicityAmong the more hepatotoxic orals; associated with cholestasis, peliosis hepatis and, rarely, hepatic tumours with prolonged use. | Severe | Common | Clinical | |
| HPTA suppressionStrong suppression of endogenous testosterone. | Severe | Universal | Clinical |
06 Commonly used with
What oxymetholone 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 | ||
| Testosteronebase dose | Anadrol is typically run as a bulking kickstart on a testosterone base that provides the main injectable anabolic drive while Anadrol adds rapid early size and strength.Trade-off: Combined with testosterone's aromatisation, Anadrol's estrogenic-like activity drives heavy water retention and elevated blood pressure. | |
| Nandrolone decanoateDeca, mass stack | Paired in mass-building cycles where Anadrol kickstarts rapid weight and strength gains while the slower nandrolone builds over the following weeks.Trade-off: Both cause significant water retention and blood-pressure elevation, and this bloated bulk stack is hard on the cardiovascular system and the liver. | |
| Support & ancillaries | ||
| TUDCAliver support | Used alongside oxymetholone to support the liver, as Anadrol is one of the more hepatotoxic C17-alkylated orals in common use.Trade-off: Liver support cannot fully counter Anadrol's marked hepatic strain, and it does nothing for the compound's blood-pressure and lipid effects. | |
| Post-cycle | ||
| TamoxifenPCT | Run after cycle to restart natural testosterone and, given Anadrol's estrogen-like gynecomastia risk, to help address estrogenic breast tissue changes.Trade-off: Tamoxifen does not restore full function quickly and carries its own mood, vision and lipid side effects during the recovery window. | |