What is Anavar?

Anavar (Oxandrolone) is an oral anabolic steroid, created in 1962 to promote lean muscle mass in those suffering from muscle-wasting conditions. The other main objective when formulating Anavar was to create a mild drug, with few side effects, so women and children could safely take it.

In 1964, an American pharmaceutical company named G.D Searle & Co brought Anavar to market.

It was successful in becoming an effective treatment for men, women and children suffering from catabolic illnesses, burns, infections and those recovering from surgery. Anavar was also prescribed for treating osteoporosis, due to its ability to increase bone mineral density.

As doctors’ understanding of Anavar evolved, it became a medicine deemed as safe, with Anavar remaining FDA-approved even today. This is contrary to other steroids, where they were initially approved for medicinal, but later banned by the FDA; due to harsh side effects later becoming well-known.

Despite studies proving the safety of Anavar long-term, it is currently banned for recreational purposes. Anavar is classed as a schedule III controlled substance, although it is still widely used in medicine today.

G.D Searle & Co removed Anavar from the market in 1989. This was partly due to bad publicity, stemming from athletes and bodybuilders using Anavar to cheat in sports, given the drug’s performance and muscle-enhancing effects.

However, in 1995 Anavar made a comeback, returning to pharmacies under the brand name Oxandrin, now produced by BTG (Bio-Technology General Corp).

BTG arranged a deal with Searle where they would continue manufacturing the steroid but would distribute it exclusively to BTG — thus being sold under a new company name.

BTG was granted orphan drug designation, for treating rare muscle-wasting diseases and conditions (AIDS, Turners syndrome, muscular dystrophy). This gave BTG 7 years of market exclusivity, resulting in a pharmaceutical monopoly. Consequently, BTG was able to significantly increase the price of Anavar by 1,200%.

Oxandrin is still sold today but under the newly formed company name of Savient (formerly BTG).

Generic Anavar is now produced and sold, with the orphan drug designation expiring, destroying BTG’s monopoly.

However, due to this previous elevation in price, plus high demand for Anavar and only a few labs in the world producing it; Anavar still remains expensive today. It is regarded as one of the highest-priced steroids on the market, along with Primobolan.

Anavar is typically used by bodybuilders in cutting cycles, due to its simultaneous fat-burning and muscle-building effects. Powerlifters can also cycle Anavar before meets, due to it significantly increasing strength.

Anavar Benefits

Anavar is one of the most coveted steroids on the market, despite its high market price. Here is why vast amounts of bodybuilders are eager to purchase oxandrolone:

• Muscle gain
• Fat loss
• Strength-building
• Mild side effects
• Female-friendly
• Enhanced athletic performance
• Big pumps

Fat Loss

Anavar significantly increases the body’s Triiodothyronine (T3) to thyroxine (T4) ratio. T3 is the active thyroid hormone that elevates a person’s metabolism and enhances fat loss. Similar to how free testosterone is the most important testosterone score for building muscle mass, T3 is the most important thyroid score, for increased fat-burning.

Anavar increases T3 by dramatically reducing TBG (thyroid-binding globulin), whilst simultaneously spiking TBP (thyroxine-binding prealbumin). This process increases the uptake of T3 at a cellular level.

Fat loss is somewhat noticeable on Anavar, with research showing that a moderate dose of 20mg per day can result in 4lbs of fat loss, over the course of 12 weeks. Thus research shows that Anavar’s anabolic effects outweigh its fat-burning properties, with participants in the same study gaining 7lbs of muscle.

Not only does Anavar burn subcutaneous fat, but it also reduces visceral fat. This is different from other anabolic steroids, which typically reduce subcutaneous fat, whilst increasing visceral fat. This may be due to Anavar improving insulin sensitivity, whilst other steroids can result in a person becoming less sensitive to insulin; potentially leading to steroid-induced diabetes.

Muscle Gain

Anavar (and all anabolic steroids) are essentially forms of exogenous testosterone, thus Anavar will increase muscle mass.

Due to the substitution of a carbon atom, replacing an oxygen atom in the A ring (in the C2 position), this molecular structure makes Anavar resistant to inactivation via the enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. This explains Anavar’s very high anabolic rating, being: 322-630.

However, its high anabolic rating doesn’t translate into exceptional muscle gains in practical settings. Thus if a user is coveting huge muscle gains, they may opt for other steroids, such as Dianabol, Trenbolone, Anadrol or Testosterone. Or they may decide to stack some of these compounds with Anavar.

One benefit to Anavar is that it produces lean muscle gains. Thus, users won’t gain fat, water weight, or become bloated. This is due to Anavar being 5α-reduced, thus it doesn’t aromatize, meaning estrogen levels will not rise. This is beneficial for bodybuilders wanting to look dry and aesthetic. It is also appealing to athletes, who do not want to be carrying additional water weight when performing.

Women can typically experience better muscle gains compared to men on Anavar, even with a modest dose of 5-10mg per day.

Strength Building

Anavar has a significant impact on strength, which is surprising to some considering it is deemed a ‘cutting steroid’ and doesn’t cause dramatic muscle/weight gain.

Anavar’s ability to rapidly increase strength is mainly due to it being exogenous testosterone. However, it also has a dramatic effect on ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) production and creatine content inside the muscle cells.

Higher levels of ATP are beneficial for those who want to hit new PR’s when bulking. Or for users cutting, who may otherwise lose strength whilst eating low calories for a prolonged period of time.

Users have reported Anavar significantly increasing strength gains, despite eating low calories.

This is also why powerlifters may take Anavar before a competition, should they want a boost in strength (without much weight gain). Dr. Thomas O’Connor states that top elite powerlifters in the 1970s, whom he has treated, were practically all on Anavar.

Thus, the connotation of it being a ‘girl steroid’ isn’t quite the case, with some of the strongest men in the world taking it too.

Mild Side Effects

Anavar is one of the best steroids on the market, in regards to side effects. Research has shown it to have ‘excellent safety’ in long-term medical settings. Due to its mild nature, it is commonly used by beginner bodybuilders looking to build modest amounts of muscle and fat.

A general rule with steroids is: the better the results, the more side effects.

Anavar’s benefits aren’t overly powerful (at least compared to other steroids), but the side effects are very tolerable. Its risk/reward ratio is thus very positive.

Less Liver Toxic

Anavar is a c17-alpha alkylated oral steroid, which is beneficial, as the compound will be fully active after bypassing the liver. However, unlike other oral steroids, Anavar’s not significantly hepatotoxic.

This is due to Anavar being metabolised mainly by the kidneys, instead of the liver. Some of the Anavar will bypass through the liver; however, this is a smaller percentage compared to other C17-aa steroids.

Research shows that 20mg of oxandrolone causes 72% less BSP (Sulfobromophthalein; a marker of liver stress), compared to an equal dose of fluoxymesterone. Fluoxymesterone is also a C17-aa steroid.

Thus liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are likely to rise on Anavar; however, this will only be a mild increase, compared to oral Dianabol or Anadrol for example. Research shows that elevated enzymes are likely to return to normal, after discontinuing oxandrolone.

Note: Liver damage should not be discounted; however, if very high doses of Anavar are administered for excessive periods of time.

No Gyno or Water Retention

As previously mentioned, Anavar doesn’t aromatize; thus gynecomastia is very unlikely on Anavar.

Progestational activity is also non-existent in Anavar, therefore progesterone-induced gyno also will not occur.

The only incidence of gynecomastia occurring on oxandrolone was in a study done on adolescent boys. 33 cases of gyno were reported; however, these findings are contradictory to other research in adults. Thus if Anavar is taken long-term by children during puberty, the risk of gyno seems to increase. However, it’s important to point out that these children were taking moderate doses of Anavar continuously for 6 months to 8 years. The average bodybuilder will run Anavar for a maximum of 8 weeks.

Furthermore, water retention is very unlikely on Anavar, with the compound creating a ‘dry’ and ‘ripped’ look. This diuretic effect is also likely to increase vascularity and muscle striations; whilst contributing to a leaner appearance.

Less Androgenicity

Anavar is already a derivative of dihydrotestosterone, meaning there is no conversion to DHT via the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. As a result, Anavar has mild androgenic properties and side effects. This is reflected in a low androgenic rating of 25.

Therefore, in theory, androgenic side effects should be mild. However, in practical settings; acne, male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement can occur, due to Anavar being a DHT-based steroid.

Note: DHT side effects are determined largely by your genetics, thus some may experience significant hair loss on a low dose of Anavar, whereas others may experience no hair loss on high doses of trenbolone year-round. Furthermore, such androgenic side effects often reverse post-cycle, including hair thinning/loss.

Suitable for Women

Due to Anavar’s mild androgenic rating, it doesn’t typically produce virilization side effects in women (when taken in low to moderate doses). Thus Anavar is known to be a female-friendly steroid.

Virilization side effects include:

• Deepening of the voice
• Hair growth (on the body)
• Clitoral enlargement
• More pronounced jaw
• Smaller breasts
• Irregular menstrual cycles

Therefore, because Anavar doesn’t typically cause the above side effects, keeping a woman’s femininity intact; it’s very popular among females looking to build muscle and burn fat.

Note: Masculinization is still possible if doses higher than 10mg a day are taken. Studies have reported girls experiencing virilization effects when taking high doses of 0.125mg per kg continuously for a year. The average age of the girls in this study was 9 years old.

Increased Recovery, Endurance & Speed

Anavar has proven successful in treating burn patients, because of its ability to accelerate recovery. It is this principle as to why athletes also use Anavar. Enhanced recovery enables an athlete to increase training intensity, duration and frequency for better performance. With higher red blood cell count and increased ATP production, muscular endurance will also improve on Anavar.

Although, it is not just strength and endurance athletes that can benefit from Anavar. Sports where speed is rewarded such as: sprinting, swimming or boxing; may also take Anavar in conjunction with other steroids.

Research has shown anabolic steroids to increase sprint speed in rats by up to 29% when using steroids. Furthermore, their endurance also improved by 41%.

Big Pumps

Anavar causes significant intracellular water retention, resulting in constantly full and pumped muscles throughout the day.

This is beneficial for bodybuilders who want to look as big as possible. Such additional muscle fullness, combined with Anavar’s dry properties, can also result in enhanced vascularity.

This is due to water filling inside the muscle cell, and fluid being expelled outside the muscle cell. This causes superficial veins to become more visible, no longer being obscured by extracellular water.

Note: some Anavar-users report excessively big pumps (usually in the lower back), which can be uncomfortable/painful. This can often feel like a locked, cramping sensation inside the muscle, which lasts for several hours. Consequently, the person may not be able to finish their workout due to severe discomfort. Hence this benefit may become a side effect for some users.

Anavar Side Effects

Anavar has been branded by researchers as “effective and safe” even when used in the long term. Thus, when used in a clinical setting with low to moderate doses, Anavar doesn’t typically produce dangerous side effects.

However, if Anavar is abused in a recreational setting, where higher doses are administered; the risk of side effects increases. In which case the following can occur:

• High LDL cholesterol
• Suppressed testosterone
• Kidney damage
• Hair loss

High LDL cholesterol

Approximately a decade after Anavar came to market, there was promise for it being a medication to successfully treat high cholesterol. This was due to doctors in the 70’s observing reduced total cholesterol levels in Anavar-users.

However, later research showed that Anavar negatively shifts the ratio of HDL to LDL levels.

(HDL is the good type of cholesterol and LDL the negative type).

In one study, men with HIV took 20mg of Anavar per day for 12 weeks. Consequently, their HDL levels were suppressed by 30%.

The second group who took a higher dose of 40mg, experienced a 33% decrease in HDL, whilst elevating LDL levels by roughly 30%.

Men who took 80mg of Anavar per day saw a 50% decline in HDL levels.

Therefore taking Anavar can increase the risk of arteriosclerosis (clogging of the arteries), and will almost certainly spike blood pressure to some extent. If very high doses are taken, cardiovascular side effects can become severe leading to hypertension, heart disease or stroke.

Cholesterol levels are likely to regulate back to normal once users discontinue supplementation.

High doses of Anavar may cause some flushing in the face or body, causing users’ skin to appear red. This is a sign of elevated body temperature and (potentially) increased blood pressure. Although this sensation is not likely.

Note: People who have high blood pressure or are genetically prone to heart disease should not take Anavar (or other steroids), due to its negative redistribution of cholesterol levels.

Suppressed Testosterone

Being exogenous testosterone, Anavar will increase testosterone levels dramatically.

However, once the body recognizes this hormonal imbalance, it will decrease endogenous (natural) testosterone production; in an attempt to reduce cardiovascular strain.

In the previously cited study, they also measured the impact of Oxandrolone on testosterone levels. After 12 weeks, the groups taking 20mg and 40mg per day experienced a 45% reduction in testosterone. The 80mg group suffered a 66% reduction in testosterone.

Further research shows that even tiny doses of oxandrolone (2.5mg), when taken in boys suffering from delayed puberty, can shut down endogenous testosterone production. Thus when bodybuilders take Anavar, they will typically experience a sudden increase in well-being, confidence, motivation and aggression. This is due to the exogenous testosterone kicking in; however, once they come off Anavar, they can experience: tiredness, fatigue and reduced libido.

Testicular atrophy is also a common sign of shutdown testosterone levels, which occurs due to less sperm production in the testes. Anavar may also negatively affect fertility, due to damage to the sperm via decreased HPA axis function. However, sperm quality is likely to improve post-cycle.

Note: Testosterone levels typically recover 1-4 months after a user stops taking Anavar. An effective PCT protocol can accelerate the recovery of endogenous testosterone. The higher the dose of Anavar, the longer this process can take. Hypogonadism is possible with Anavar-abuse, however high doses over a long period of time are likely needed, without cycling off.

Kidney Damage

Oral steroids are metabolised by the liver. However, Anavar is unique in this respect, being mostly metabolised by the kidneys. This can put them under increased strain, leading to acute kidney injury.

On Anavar, the body will increase endothelin production via stimulation of the RAA (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone) system. This results in inflamed cytokines, a group of proteins produced in the kidneys; a marker of increased stress.

Hair Loss

Anavar is a DHT-derived steroid, thus accelerated hair loss can be experienced in genetically susceptible individuals.

DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), is a powerful androgen that binds to the hair follicles on your scalp, resulting in miniaturization and inhibited growth. This can result in thinning, recession or hair follicles falling out.

How much hair loss users will experience is determined by their genetics. Or more specifically, how sensitive they are to dihydrotestosterone.

How to Prevent Hair Loss on Anavar

There are two main options when trying to prevent hair loss:

• Directly treat the scalp (externally)
• Block DHT internally

There are certain shampoos that block DHT from a follicular level. This is the less effective of the two options; however, this method will not significantly interfere with your body’s overall production of DHT, but will instead target the scalp specifically.

This is a positive for bodybuilders as they want to keep DHT levels in the body high, with the hormone binding to androgen receptors up to 5x more effectively than testosterone.

The second option is to block DHT from a cellular level.

Finasteride (Propecia) is an FDA-approved medication, shown to be effective at blocking DHT levels in the body and reducing hair loss. It is available in pill form via a prescription; however, studies show that roughly 52% of men report muscle loss when taking it. Thus taking finasteride may counteract the anabolic effects of Anavar, causing bodybuilders to be unsatisfied with their results.

Anavar Tranformations

John Miller got ripped in 8 weeks using a cutting stack, which included: Anavar, Winstrol, Clenbuterol and Sustanon 250. (Pic not available)

Cole took a combination of bulking and cutting compounds (including Anavar), in two different phases during this transformation. He gained 25lbs of muscle in total, whilst stripping a significant amount of fat.

Cole’s bench press PR also improved by 50lbs. He describes Anavar as “the best experience” out of all the supplements he’s ever taken.

William stripped 17lbs of fat from taking a cutting stack (including Anavar), stacked with HGH. He also reported gaining a considerable amount of lean muscle, particularly in his chest and arms.

His strength also improved, adding 35lbs to his bench press and becoming “one of the strongest” in his gym. He also experienced increased stamina during his workouts.

William says his results were “incredible” and has “never seen gains this fast” in the 5 years he’s been weight training.

Giovan took Anavar to get leaner and increase her curves. She lost 3% body fat, whilst increasing her BMI to 21.6 from 20.1, indicating lean muscle gains. (pic not available)

Anavar Results (Before and After Pictures)

Anavar will cause users to build muscle and burn fat simultaneously. However, Anavar won’t produce exceptional fat loss when used alone as a cutting steroid. Instead, fat loss is mostly achieved via a person’s diet, thus eating in a calorie deficit.

In clinical settings, Anavar has burned 4lbs of fat over a 12 weeks period on a moderate dose of 20mg per day (in men).

When you compare this to the 7lbs of muscle gained by these men, it’s easier to understand why some bodybuilders use Anavar during bulking cycles. Women may gain more muscle than this, due to their endogenous testosterone production being much lower than men. 

For an anabolic steroid, Anavar’s results are relatively mild. However, the results are still good enough for gym-goers and bodybuilders to regularly implement Anavar into their cycles.

For best results when bulking, it would be wise to stack Anavar with another compound such as testosterone. This will produce superior results, in regards to size and mass gained.

When cutting, Anavar will strip away fat, whilst increasing muscle size and strength. If a very aggressive low-calorie diet is implemented, bodybuilders may simply retain their lean mass (instead of adding new muscle tissue). Bodybuilders often worry about losing muscle size and strength whilst cutting, thus Anavar prevents this from happening, easing their anxiety.

Users commonly experience noticeable muscle gains in the deltoids on Anavar; however, the reason for this is not entirely known. One theory is that the deltoids have a high number of androgen receptors compared to other muscle groups.

Therefore, with Anavar being a DHT-based steroid and dihydrotestosterone binding to androgen receptors 5x more effectively than testosterone, this could be the chemical explanation behind such hypertrophy.

Anavar results (in women) – 10mg per day

Anavar Dosage

For Men

When Anavar was first released, a general dose of 5-10mg per day was common. However, athletes and bodybuilders now typically take 15, 25, 50 and even 100mg per day. This is usually administered for 6-8 weeks. (sometimes up to 16 weeks)

Longer cycles are more likely to be more hepatotoxic, cause elevated LDL cholesterol levels and decrease natural testosterone production even further, so proper liver protection is a must.

Important: Those who are buying underground lab Anavar via the black market, may claim these doses are too low. This is due to many scams, where someone thinks they are taking 40mg of Anavar, but in fact, is only 20mg. This is a common scenario where the seller has cut their dose in half. Thus the above dosage recommendations are based on taking 100% real Anavar. 

Anavar pills typically come in 2.5mg, 10mg or 20mg doses. With Anavar’s short half-life (9.4-10.4 hours), it is more effective to split up doses throughout the day, keeping high concentrations of oxandrolone in your system.

Many male bodybuilders will take 2 x 10mg doses. Others use pill cutters to split 10mg pills in half (for example), thus giving them 4 x 5mg doses. If 2.5mg pills are obtained, this reduces the need to cut any of the pills down.

You can also take a dose of Anavar 45 minutes before a workout, resulting in a positive effect on motivation, energy levels and focus. 

For Women

There were no dosage instructions specific to women when Anavar was first released. The only caution was that pregnant women should refrain from using the drug.

Over half a century later, many women have used Anavar with much trial and error. Now it is widely considered that doses in the range of 5-10mg will produce noticeable results (in muscle growth and fat loss), whilst keeping virilization side effects at bay. Cycles are also kept relatively short at 4-6 weeks.

Female Cutting Stack

This stack is tailored for women who want to reduce their body fat percentage, build lean muscle and increase muscle tone.

The 3 steroids in this stack are:

1. Clenbuterol 

2. Anavar

3. Winstrol

These 3 steroids are optimal for females who want to cut.

By combining these 3 compounds together, users can expect better and faster results than taking Anavar alone.

This trio will not add huge amounts of muscle, thus it is suitable for women wanting to look strong and attractive, instead of bulky and manly.

Anavar Cycles

Anavar-only cycle

Anavar-only cycles aren’t common among hardcore bodybuilders because of the steroid’s mild nature. Thus, stacking Anavar with another compound such as testosterone will produce better results. However, with this combination, users will also experience more side effects.

Anavar-only cycles are still effective and a more common protocol for beginners during their first steroid cycle. This can be a wise choice, as it introduces the body to a much less toxic compound, at a time where the body’s tolerance is less.

However, beginners who are coveting massive muscle gains may be disappointed with an Anavar-only cycle. Instead, they may opt for a Dianabol or testosterone-only cycle.

For Men

This cycle is suitable for beginners. Once a man has built up some tolerance to Anavar, he may wish to start on 20mg/day in future cycles and extend the cycle up to 8 weeks.

For Women

This cycle is suitable for beginners. It begins with a small dose to gradually introduce the compound, reducing the risk of side effects. A first-time female cycle can also last for 4 weeks.

Once a woman has built up some tolerance to Anavar, she may choose to begin future cycles at 10mg per day and extend the cycle duration to 6 weeks (for further results).

Anavar and Test Cycle

Testosterone is an injectable steroid that produces exceptional muscle and strength gains. Combining this steroid with Anavar enhances its anabolic effect, whilst increasing lipolysis (fat loss). Enanthate or cypionate are common testosterone esters used for this stack.

Note: For beginners, a testosterone-only cycle is a better choice, as stacking test and Anavar will exacerbate cholesterol issues and endogenous testosterone suppression.

Below is an intermediate testosterone and Anavar cycle. This is more suitable for men who have already completed one or two cycles of testosterone or Anavar.

Anavar and testosterone is not a stack recommended for women, as the addition of testosterone greatly increases the chance of virilization. Elite female bodybuilders may implement these two steroids together, but with the expectation of masculinization occurring in moderate doses.

Anavar and Andriol Cycle

Testosterone is predominantly an injectable steroid; however, Andriol (testosterone undecanoate) is the lesser-known oral version.

Test undecanoate is less popular than injectable testosterone (among bodybuilders) because it is more expensive and less powerful.

However, this stack may be of great interest to people who don’t want to take injectables and want better results than an Anavar-only cycle. There are more powerful and cheaper orals than test undecanoate, such as Dianabol or Anadrol 50. However, testosterone undecanoate is considered to be a ‘safe oral androgen‘, following a 10 year study. Anadrol and Dianabol orals are very hepatotoxic in comparison.

Research shows that liver enzymes do not rise on testosterone undecanoate (over a 10 year period); plus the risk of gynecomastia and prostate enlargement is low.

In one of the studies cited above, 80-200mg of testosterone undecanoate was taken for 72 months by 35 men. 9 of them had never received such androgen treatment before. None of these men developed gynecomastia at any stage during the study.

In the second study, 33 men took testosterone undecanoate for 10 years, and only two men observed a mild reduction in urine flow.

Thus in terms of side effects, Andriol is very similar to Anavar, being classed as a ‘safe’ drug (in medicine). However, LDL levels are still likely to rise and testosterone levels will be suppressed temporarily post-cycle.

Note: If you implement this cycle, ensure Andriol (testosterone undecanoate) is taken with food, as its bio-availability is very low when taken on an empty stomach. To further increase absorption ensure the meal contains at least 19 grams of fat or a minimum of 30% of the meal’s calories consisting of fat. Both of these methodologies have been effective in research. Higher quantities of fat present in the meal, correlated with higher serum testosterone levels in users taking Andriol.

Other Cycles

Anavar can technically be combined with any other steroid. However, beginners should avoid taking it with harsh compounds (such as Anadrol, trenbolone, Winstrol, etc).

Also, Anavar’s dry and hard effects will be counteracted if you stack it with a ‘wet’ steroid. I.e. one that aromatizes and causes significant water retention. Some examples of wet steroids are Anadrol, Dianabol, Testosterone and Deca Durabolin.

Thus Trenbolone or Turinabol may be considered if users want to build more muscle/burn more fat, as it’s also a dry compound. Winstrol is another dry steroid. However, Trenbolone and Winstrol are particularly harsh on the body (Tren more so), hence why they are mainly cycled by experienced steroid-users.

Do You Need to Run a PCT on Anavar?

The main purpose of a PCT is to restart endogenous testosterone production. This is done to help retain gains experienced from a cycle. It is also to ensure your hormones are functioning at a normal level, ensuring optimal physiological and psychological health.

Anavar will cause natural testosterone levels to decline, however, it’s unlikely to shut testosterone down fully.

Previously we cited a study that stated men taking 20mg a day for 12 weeks experienced a 45% decrease in testosterone levels. This was an excessive cycle duration, with a standard cycle length of 6-8 weeks (for men). From this study, we can conclude that natural testosterone production is likely to remain fairly high if a moderate dose/cycle is performed.

Thus, some people doing Anavar-only cycles may decide not to utilize a PCT, and wait for their natural testosterone to recover. This typically can take 1-4 months.

However, if a user stacks Anavar with other anabolic steroids, this suppressing effect will be heightened; making a PCT a recommended strategy. Alternatively, if a user doesn’t want to wait several months, they can incorporate a PCT to reduce this recovery time period.

A very aggressive PCT is:

• hCG – 2000 IU for 20 days (taken every 2 days)
• Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) – 20mg x 2 (taken continuously for 45 days)
• Clomiphene (Clomid) – 50mg x 2 (taken continuously for 30 days)

If a user is stacking Anavar with harsh compounds they may incorporate the above protocol.

However, if a man utilizes an Anavar-only cycle, taking one of these PCT drugs alone should be more than enough, bringing back endogenous production quickly.

For those who do want to incorporate a PCT, it should be started immediately upon the oxandrolone leaving your body. You can calculate this using the following formula: 5.5 x half-life.

Anavar’s half-life is 9.4-10.4 hours. Although the half-life increases as a person ages, therefore it can rise up to 13.3 hours in the elderly.

Thus if we state the half-life as 10.4 hours, the PCT should begin 57 hours after your last dose.

Do Women Need to Run a PCT with Anavar?

There is a common notion that women do not need a PCT; however, in practical settings, women do show signs of their testosterone levels shutting down after AAS. Thus, it is a good idea for women to run a PCT after taking Anavar, as although they produce less testosterone than men, it remains an important hormone for their: well-being, libido and cementing gains from a cycle.

Men produce testosterone via their testicles, whereas women produce testosterone via their ovaries.

Women often report feeling depressed and experiencing low libido when coming off cycles. Dave Crosland, the founder of Crosland’s Harm Reduction Services, tested a female who had just come off a steroid cycle; and found her testosterone and estrogen levels to be extremely low.

Nolvadex can be used as a PCT in women, which has been successful in speeding up recovery and relieving feelings of depression. However, menstrual cycles have still taken 3-6 months to return. Female Nolvadex doses should be less than a male, with cycles also being shorter. A protocol Dave Crosland reports as having some success is:

Nolvadex PCT (female)

• 1st week – 20mg
• 2nd week: 15mg
• 3rd week: 10mg
• 4th week: 5mg

However, DHEA is the official medical treatment prescribed to women for low androgen levels. Therefore this PCT protocol is the preferred method.

DHEA PCT (female)

• 25-50mg per day (4 weeks)

DHEA has been used for 4-6 months in trials, thus it can be taken for as long as necessary (within this time span), until symptoms of being shut down diminish.

hCG is not recommended for women as a PCT, due to evidence of it enlarging the ovaries and causing virilization. Clomid also isn’t an ideal PCT for women, as it may cause the ovaries to become oversensitive.