We all know that bodybuilders often take steroids to build muscle mass and boost strength. But steroids have quite a bad reputation due to their nasty side effects. However, not all steroids are created in the same way, and Anavar is considered a milder option among them.
Anavar is an anabolic steroid created for muscle enhancement with fewer side effects [2]. In today’s blog, we’ll explore Anavar’s potential advantages, possible side effects, and recommended dosage.
By the end of this blog, you will be able to understand whether Anavar is a better option compared to other steroids.
What is Anavar?
Anavar, also known by the name Oxandrolone, is an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS), which is a synthetic form of testosterone. [1]
It has been proven to exert strong effects on the human body and help increase muscle mass, enhance muscle strength, and boost stamina. [1]
The drug was initially used to regain weight in those patients who had lost weight due to serious injuries. Studies have shown that the medication also helps increase weight in patients with burn injuries. [2]
In bodybuilding, Anavar is used to gain muscle mass. One of the impressive qualities of this steroid is that it doesn’t cause water retention, allowing muscle gain without excessive water retention or weight gain. Anavar also shows the potential to reduce body fat.
For those exploring non-steroidal options for muscle growth, YK-11 is a powerful myostatin inhibitor with SARM-like effects.
How Does Anavar Work?
Anavar works in multiple ways. It binds to the androgen receptor in the skeletal muscle to:
Increase protein synthesis
Anavar is believed to enhance protein synthesis in muscle tissue. This is significant as your body uses protein to build muscle mass, burn fat, and produce hormones. Protein synthesis also plays an essential role in growth and development.
Reducing sex hormone-binding globulin levels
Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is a hormone that decreases the amount of free testosterone in your body, something you want to avoid if you’re going to build lean muscle mass. So, by reducing SHBG levels, Anavar will help you get muscular.
Inhibit glucocorticoid hormones
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones derived from cholesterol. While there’s no doubt that they perform some essential functions in the body, glucocorticoid excess causes muscle atrophy, increased fat build-up in the abdomen, hypertension, and even osteoporosis.
Anavar Benefits for Bodybuilding
Most bodybuilders use Anavar when on a cutting cycle. This is because of the simultaneous ability of this supplement to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. In this section, we’ll provide you with a list of bodybuilding-related benefits of Anavar:
Increases lean muscle mass
A 2005 study reported that while it was previously thought that you had to take Anavar for at least 12 weeks to see significant increases in lean body mass. Most gains can be achieved within approximately six weeks. [1]
What’s more, the gains won’t be limited to muscle mass. They will extend to the muscle area, volume, and, more importantly, strength. This means Anavar will not only improve your appearance but also your athletic performance. This drug will also improve your ability to do everyday activities.
Another effective fat-burning and strength-enhancing compound worth considering is Cardarine GW-501516, often stacked during cutting phases.
Promotes Weight Gain in Burn and Injury Recovery
This anabolic steroid has also been shown to stimulate weight gain. This is especially true for people who have experienced significant weight loss due to injury, chronic infection, surgery, severe trauma, and unknown causes. [2]
You might also explore Follistatin, a protein that blocks myostatin and helps in muscle growth, often used in injury recovery protocols.
Boosts Strength
Anavar will also have a positive impact on your strength. That is due to its ability to increase your body’s ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production.
As you may already know, ATP is the energy-carrying molecule in your body’s cells. It’s responsible for giving your body the fuel to perform every single activity you do every second of every day.
Thus, by increasing your endogenous ATP production, Anavar will enable you to push your limits in the gym.
Increases Nitrogen Retention
Clinical studies have shown that Anavar increases nitrogen retention. Bodybuilders know the importance of nitrogen retention. It leads to periods of muscle growth. It also plays an integral part in tissue repair, which is crucial for muscle building. That’s because muscle tissues torn by weight lifting must be repaired for muscle hypertrophy to take place.
Reduce Pain
Multiple human studies and clinical trials have been conducted on Anavar. These have shown that this anabolic steroid may expedite recovery post-burn injury, reduce pain associated with osteoporosis, increase height velocity, and alleviate symptoms of Turner syndrome.[3]
Anavar Bodybuilding Dosage
For athletes and bodybuilders, the optimal Anavar dosage ranges between 20 and 50 mg.
Users with no prior experience with performance enhancers will do well to stick to the lower end of the range. Going above the dosage range will increase your risk of severe side effects.
Here are the recommended Anavar dosages for different bodybuilding goals:
- For recomposition- To build muscle mass even when losing body fat, we recommend taking 1 pill per day for 60 days.
- For powerlifting: Many users who have set records in bench, press, squats, and deadlifts while taking Anavar suggest taking 2 pills per day
A typical Anavar cycle lasts four to six weeks and is followed by post-cycle therapy. A 50 mg/day Clomid or HCG PCT will be enough to kick-start your body’s natural production of testosterone, suppressed during the cycle.
It’s recommended to stick with the PCT for 4-6 weeks for best results.
Anavar Side Effects
Anavar is generally well-tolerated if taken in the above dosage range, However, adverse effects may develop if one exceeds the given dosage range, which includes:
- Testicular Atrophy
- Gynecomastia
- Acne
- Low Sperm Count
- Male Pattern Baldness
- Liver Stress
- Kidney Stress
Conclusion
Anavar can play a vital role in supporting weight gain and muscle recovery in patients suffering from burns, injuries, or other conditions that result in significant muscle wasting.
Its ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and promote nitrogen retention makes it an effective tool in bodybuilding. However, its use should be carefully monitored by healthcare professionals to ensure safety and efficacy, as it is a potent substance with potential side effects.
Reference Links:
- Schroeder, E. T., Zheng, L., Yarasheski, K. E., Qian, D., Stewart, Y., Flores, C., Martinez, C., Terk, M., & Sattler, F. R. (2004). Treatment with oxandrolone and the durability of effects in older men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(3), 1055–1062. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00808.2003
- Demling, R. H., & DeSanti, L. (1997). Oxandrolone, an anabolic steroid, significantly increases the rate of weight gain in the recovery phase after major burns. The Journal of Trauma, 43(1), 47–51. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199707000-00012
- Miller, J. T., & Btaiche, I. F. (2009). Oxandrolone Treatment in Adults with Severe Thermal Injury. Pharmacotherapy, 29(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1592/phco.29.2.213
