What is Anavar?

Anavar, also known as oxandrolone, is an oral AAS that was first developed in 1964 to help promote muscle re-growth which cause weight loss.  It also used as part of a treatment for those with HIV/AIDS.   Once bodybuilders began using Anavar it was discontinued in the late 80's then picked back up by another pharma company and is approved by the FDA for an array of uses including HIV, alcoholic hepatits, Turner syndrome, and even anemia.  Due to its medical uses it is likely that anavar is capable of boosting your immune system while on, this might be true in my opinion based on personal experience.

Anavar has small androgenicity and moderate to high anabolic effect.  It is thought that anavar being a 17-alpha alkylated steroid that it would be liver toxic; however, studies have shown that doses of 20mg use in 12 week cycles had very little impact on increased liver enzymes.  In my own experience running anavar up to 60mg a day my liver values were not impacted whatsoever.  Nevertheless, its still important for bodybuilders to avoid alcohol and consider running support supplements to help cleanse the liver during use.  This is where bloodwork comes into play.

Oxandrolone is also popular among women and run in low doses 5mg to 15mg per day.  This is due to the lack of male characteristics, unlike other AAS, however keep in mind it is still a male hormone and should be used only by extremely experienced females.  Females will notice increased strength and tremendous libido increases on anavar. 

For men the dosage can range from 20mg per day all the way up to 100mg per day.  If your anavar is dosed well there is no reason why 40-60mg a day wouldn't be enough to yield excellent results.  Anavar, in my opinion, is extremely underrated when it comes to strength gains.. this is probably due to it being a DHT derivative, and it does not aromatize, so it gives the impression of 'weak' gains.  For that reason it might be the absolute best oral AAS for powerlifters who are trying to make weight, perhaps only Halotestin can compare but then you have to factor in the side effects.   Anavar is very unique in that the side effects are very low, the biggest side effect you may experience is appetite increase and some bodybuilders report upset stomach which can be resolved usually by eating and drinking plenty of water when you take a dose.

If anavar sounds like the perfect oral steroid keep in mind good things costs money.  For the amount of anavar you would need per month its one of the more expensive AAS on the market, also it is faked frequently.   This is where a very trustworthy UG source comes into play otherwise don't even bother taking the risk.

A myth with anavar is that it doesn't suppress the body's HPTA.  Just like all AAS there is always going to be suppression so its important to have a PCT (post cycle therapy) in place.

Another myth is you cannot run anavar alone.  Although it is not androgenic and very mild that does not mean you cannot run it alone, however it would be advantageous to stack with another compound to give it a kick.   If you stacked it with trenbolone expect tremendous strength gains for example, in my experience this was the stack where I set all time PR's.   If you are looking for a nice re-comp or bodybuilder look then stacking with primobolan and some light testosterone would be tremendous.

Also, as with any type of performance enhancing drug, you should use only if you are healthy and already have a proper base and weight training background.  If you are overweight and want to use anavar to lose body fat you are wasting your money and will be extremely dissapointed.  
Those with a proper base and with experience weightlifting will appreciate a compound like anavar because of the slow and quality gains it puts on.  Since anavar does not aromatize (turns into estrogen) do not expect bloat and water weight gains like you would on other compounds like dianabol.   Also the pumps on anavar are tremendous and you can expect a hard look vs. a flat and watered look to your muscles.   Users also report increased vascularity and in my personal experience I love the way anavar makes you look in the mirror and not what it gives you when you step on a scale.

So to review: Bodybuilders typically will run anavar for 4-8 weeks at 20-65mg a day, although some like to run it even higher.  And its not necessary to stack it but adding another compound is probably a good idea to give it a nice kick.  If used in a stack you can typically use it to finish off a cycle or kickstart a cycle depending on your goals.