Oxymetholon

Oxymetholone Dragon Pharma — Overview

Oxymetholone Dragon Pharma is a 50 mg tablet of oxymetholone — the compound sold commercially as Anadrol and one of the most potent oral mass-building AAS ever produced. Its anabolic rating of approximately 320 (versus testosterone at 100) translates into the fastest body weight and strength accumulation of any oral AAS in widespread use: gains of 8–15 lbs in the first four weeks are typical at standard doses, with strength increases that often outpace even injectable cycles of much longer duration. These results are not entirely lean tissue — oxymetholone produces pronounced intramuscular glycogen loading and significant water retention — but the anabolic stimulus on muscle protein synthesis is real and substantial.

Oxymetholone is derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and does not aromatize through the standard aromatase pathway. Despite this, it produces clearly estrogenic effects in most users — water retention, gynecomastia risk, and E2 elevation on bloodwork. The mechanism is not fully characterized but is independent of aromatase; as a practical consequence, aromatase inhibitors are not effective for managing oxymetholone's estrogenic side effects. Selective estrogen receptor modulators — specifically Nolvadex or Raloxifene — are the correct management tools. This distinction matters and is covered fully in the Side Effects section. As with all oral 17α-alkylated AAS, a testosterone base is mandatory, liver support is non-negotiable, and cycle duration is capped at 4–6 weeks. Oxymetholone Dragon Pharma is available at Steroid Warehouse in 50 mg tablets.

About the Compound: Oxymetholone

Oxymetholone is a synthetic 17α-alkylated androgen derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Its chemical name is 17α-methyl-2-hydroxymethylene-5α-androstane-17β-ol-3-one; the addition of a 2-hydroxymethylene group to the DHT backbone is responsible for both its dramatically amplified anabolic activity relative to other DHT derivatives and its unique pharmacological character — particularly the estrogenic-like effects that occur without aromatization.

Clinically, oxymetholone was developed for the treatment of anemia and muscle-wasting conditions including aplastic anemia, HIV-associated wasting syndrome, and protein-deficiency states. Its mechanism in anemia involves stimulation of erythropoietin (EPO) production, which increases red blood cell mass — an effect that also elevates hematocrit in performance contexts and makes it a compound with meaningful cardiovascular implications beyond the lipid changes seen with most AAS. This EPO-mediated erythropoiesis is why hematocrit monitoring is particularly important during oxymetholone cycles.

The compound does not undergo aromatase-mediated conversion to estradiol — it lacks the C4–5 double bond required for aromatase activity. Yet circulating E2 rises in most users, and estrogenic symptoms (gynecomastia, water retention) are among the most common side effects. Multiple hypotheses exist: the 2-hydroxymethylene group may confer partial estrogenic receptor agonist activity, or oxymetholone may upregulate endogenous estrogen synthesis through non-aromatase pathways. Practically, the key implication is that anastrozole and exemestane (aromatase inhibitors) have little to no effect on oxymetholone-induced estrogenic activity; tamoxifen (Nolvadex) or raloxifene are the appropriate tools. The half-life is approximately 8–9 hours, and the 17α-methyl group enables oral bioavailability while imposing the standard hepatotoxicity burden of alkylated oral AAS.

What Oxymetholone Does

• Rapid, extreme increase in body mass and muscle fullness — oxymetholone produces the fastest mass accumulation of any oral AAS in regular use; gains of 8–15 lbs in 4 weeks at 50–100 mg/day are consistently reported; this reflects a combination of genuine lean tissue synthesis via androgen receptor activation, significantly elevated intramuscular glycogen and water retention, and the anti-catabolic effect of a high androgenic environment; muscle fullness and vascularity increase dramatically within the first 10–14 days
• Exceptional strength output in a short timeframe — strength increases with oxymetholone are among the most dramatic of any compound; compound lift numbers improve rapidly — weeks rather than months; this is driven by both the direct anabolic stimulus to muscle tissue and the increased body weight, leveraged water in joints, and neurological effects of the androgenic environment; powerlifters and strength athletes have used oxymetholone for precisely this reason for decades
• EPO-mediated erythropoiesis and oxygen-carrying capacity — oxymetholone stimulates endogenous EPO production, which drives red blood cell production and increases haemoglobin and hematocrit; the practical effect is improved muscular endurance and reduced recovery time between sets; this EPO-stimulation mechanism is distinct from the direct androgenic erythropoiesis seen with other AAS and produces more pronounced hematocrit elevation — which is why this specific marker requires careful monitoring
• Nitrogen retention and anti-catabolic environment — like all high-anabolic compounds, oxymetholone creates strongly positive nitrogen balance, reducing muscle protein breakdown and supporting the net anabolic state; this is particularly useful during high-calorie bulking phases where training volume is high and recovery demands are elevated
• Appetite stimulation — oxymetholone typically increases appetite, which is an asset in bulking phases where caloric surplus is the goal; some users at higher doses (100 mg/day) experience the opposite effect — nausea that suppresses appetite — which is a common reason for keeping dose at 50 mg/day; appetite stimulation is dose-dependent and individual

Who It's For

• Intermediate and experienced AAS users in dedicated bulking phases — oxymetholone is not a first-cycle compound; it requires an understanding of how to manage a compound with estrogenic effects that do not respond to AIs, the hepatotoxicity burden of 17α-alkylated AAS, and the cardiovascular implications of EPO-stimulated hematocrit elevation; users with at least one completed testosterone-only cycle who understand baseline management are the appropriate candidates; the typical protocol is oxymetholone as a 4–6 week oral kickstart alongside testosterone enanthate or cypionate
• Athletes prioritizing maximum mass and strength output in minimum time — the specific scenario where oxymetholone outperforms other oral AAS is one where the user wants the largest possible mass and strength increase over a defined 4–6 week window, accepts water retention as part of the outcome, and has the dietary and support infrastructure to manage the estrogenic environment; the combination of rapid mass accumulation, strength increase, and muscle fullness makes it unmatched among oral compounds for sheer bulk-phase output; powerlifters, strongman athletes, and those entering a mass-gaining block benefit most directly
• What differentiates this from similar alternatives: compared to Dianabol 50, oxymetholone produces more extreme mass and strength but with more pronounced water retention, more GI side effects (nausea is uncommon with Dbol, common with Anadrol at higher doses), and the critical AI-ineffectiveness distinction; compared to Superdrol, oxymetholone is a wet bulk compound (water retention, fullness) versus Superdrol's dry lean gains; compared to injectable testosterone alone, it provides rapid onset mass and strength in weeks 1–4 while long-ester testosterone builds to stable blood levels
• Users who should choose something else: anyone seeking lean, dry gains without water retention should use Superdrol, Winstrol, or injectable alternatives; users with a history of gynecomastia who are sensitive to estrogenic stimulation should approach oxymetholone cautiously (AI will not protect them; Nolvadex prophylaxis is the tool but is not always sufficient); users with elevated baseline hematocrit or polycythaemia should not use oxymetholone; anyone with impaired liver function at baseline is excluded

Oxymetholone vs Alternatives

Combinations

Side Effects & Management

Bloodwork Monitoring

PCT

Oxymetholone's half-life of approximately 8–9 hours means the compound clears in 2–3 days. If paired with a short-ester testosterone, PCT can begin 3–5 days after the last Anadrol tablet. For the most common configuration (Enantat 250 + Anadrol kickstart), Anadrol will have fully cleared long before the testosterone ester clearance window ends — PCT begins 2 weeks after the last Enantat injection. Verify that liver enzymes are trending back toward normal before initiating PCT.

Practical Summary