Oxandrolone

Oxandrolone counteracts muscle wasting while also promoting muscle growth. In addition to lean muscle mass, it can also aid with the following:

• Anabolic Properties: Promotes significant muscle growth and strength due to its potent tissue-building characteristics
• Minimal Androgenic Effects: Less likely to cause virilization in women and androgenic side effects like acne or hair loss in both sexes
• Improved Body Composition: Helps increase lean body mass and decrease fat mass, enhancing overall health and physique
• Ease of Administration: Available in oral forms (capsules or troches), making it more convenient for patients compared to injectable muscle-building agents
• Potential for Enhanced Recovery: May reduce downtime after workouts or injuries is less likely to cause joint pain

Potential Side Effects

• Liver toxicity: rare instances of severe liver issues associated with oxandrolone, including liver failure, cysts, and tumors. Patients should be monitored for signs of liver distress, such as sudden abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusual fatigue.
• Hormonal imbalances: including suppression of natural testosterone production, which may lead to testicular atrophy, infertility, and changes in libido. Setting a defined duration is crucial to help prevent prolonged hormone suppression.
• Cardiovascular issues: increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including elevated blood pressure and changes in cholesterol levels (e.g., lower HDL and higher LDL).
• Psychological effects: may cause mood swings, aggression, or irritability.
• Potential for dependency or misuse: some individuals may misuse oxandrolone, especially in bodybuilding, leading to dependency.
• Skin problems: acne, oily skin, and hair loss can occur in some individuals.
• Virilization in women: women may experience masculinization symptoms such as voice deepening, excessive hair growth, or clitoral enlargement.

Drug Interactions

• Warfarin: Use caution when taking oxandrolone with warfarin, as it may significantly affect its metabolism. A reduction of 80%-85% of the warfarin dose may be necessary to maintain a target INR.
• A comprehensive medication reconciliation is recommended to evaluate for possible contraindications or interactions

Oxandrolone works by mimicking the effects of natural androgens (like testosterone), but with a greater anabolic effect and weaker androgenic effect.

Q. Is there a case for using oxandrolone with another anabolic steroid or testosterone?

A. Oxandrolone will sometimes be co-prescribed with testosterone. This is because oxandrolone can make endogenous testosterone levels plummet, and this is an important hormone with multiple functions in the body. Oxandrolone has a high myotrophic (muscle promoting) to androgenic (masculinizing effects) ratio, and there's no advantage to using it together with other anabolic steroids like nandrolone or stanozol with a comparable anabolic profile. Oxandrolone would be favored when weight gain is desired, such as in catabolic conditions like trauma, burn injury or surgery.

1. Wu C, Kovac JR. Novel Uses for the Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Nandrolone and Oxandrolone in the Management of Male Health. Curr Urol Rep. 2016 Oct;17(10):72. doi: 10.1007/s11934-016-0629-8. PMID: 27535042.

2. Oxandrolone [prescribing information]. Chestnut Ridge, NY: Par Pharmaceutical; April 2020.