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WHY Anavar is NOT toxic to the liver

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liftsiron
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By WRONGUN @ Sculpted by Iron

Why is Anavar not Liver Toxic?
Anavar does not contain a C-17 alpha alkylated ion which makes it extremely safe and non-toxic to the liver. It also does not easily convert to estrogen like other steroids
As for toxicity of 17aa the only report i have to hand at the moment but will dig out more is:

From research conducted by Michael Mooney that this is particularly well noted with HIV patients who have been using Oxandrin, another brand name for oxandrolone Anavar is much less liver toxic than other 17-alpha alkylated steroids, probably because it is primarily metabolized outside of the liver, when metabolized, and much of it is excreted unchanged. At higher doses it can increase liver enzyme values, there seems to be no evidence that any cytotoxicity exists, as is the case with other 17-alpha alkylated steroids.

Anabolic Steroids and the Liver

Anabolic steroids are processed by the liver. As discussed earlier, C-17 alkylated oral steroids (steroids with an alkyl group added at the alpha position of the "C-17" or number 17 carbon atom of the molecule to withstand total degradation on their first pass through the liver [see Steroids 101 section above]) are unusually harsh on the liver. For this reason, even moderate short-term administration of these C-17 oral steroids can effect liver function test readings. Elevated liver counts indicating liver stress (toxicity) have been reported in recent studies of somewhat moderate oral anabolic steroid therapy (daily doses of 40 and 80 mg of oxandrolone [Oxandrin, formerly Anavar]) as reported in the online periodical Medibolics, edited by Michael Mooney (Medibolics: Table of Contents). However, these elevated liver function readings will return to normal after cessation of a moderate, short-term steroid cycle. I could find not one case to the contrary. Further, it is recognized that intense weight training alone often causes changes in liver function tests, including SGOT, SGPT and LDH (this is something that all physicians monitoring athletes using anabolics should be familiar with).

The more serious liver problems attributed to anabolic steroid use include hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and peliosis hepatitis (blood-filled sacs within the liver). But the majority of cases reporting liver problems have dealt with extremely sick and elderly patients treated with C-17 alkylated oral steroids for years of continuous use, and many of these patients had a particular type of anemia linked to liver tumors even without anabolic steroid therapy. A computer search of the medical literature looking for steroid-associated liver tumors could find only three in athletes (Friedl, 1990). Of the three athletes, one was using 700 mg of oxymetholone a week for five straight years, and one had a tumor more indicative of classic liver cancer than of steroid-associated tumors. Virtually all of the reported liver problems seemed to occur with the 17 alpha-alkylated oral steroids. There have been no cysts or liver tumors reported in athletes using the 17 beta-esterified injectable steroids (Wright & Cowart, p. 61). It has been noted that injectable steroids generally appear to have little effect on the liver at all (Haupt, 1993, p. 469).

Recent studies continue to suggest that reports of serious adverse effects of anabolic steroids upon the liver in healthy athletes may be highly overstated. In a study of athletes, of the 53 current or past steroid users who underwent laboratory testing, only one subject displayed an abnormal liver test (Pope & Katz, 1994, p. 379; incidentally, on physical examination, not one user displayed evidence of any major abnormalities possibly attributable to steroids, such as high blood pressure, edema, acne or hair loss.) Another study tested one of the most powerful and reputedly dangerously toxic anabolic steroids for 30 weeks on HIV positive men and women (Hengge et al.). Oxymetholone, formerly known as Anadrol in the U.S. and a C-17 alkylated oral steroid, was administered in a dosage of over 1,000 mg per week (more than that used by many bodybuilders, and for a much longer duration of uninterrupted use). The results were significant gains in lean muscle mass -- even without any weightlifting. Even more importantly - and surprisingly -- there were no significant problems with liver function, water retention, or virilization side effects (it will be interesting to see whether further studies yield consistent findings at such high dosages).

While the dangers of anabolics to athletes' livers appear to have been highly exaggerated, it must be recognized that an apparently healthy athlete with a previously existing but undiscovered liver problem could do serious damage to himself by self-administering C-17 oral anabolic steroids. For this reason alone, it would be quite irresponsible for any athlete to use anabolic steroids without having a physician regularly conduct blood tests to monitor liver function.

Wrongun!
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old dog
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cool!


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jboldman
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So the point is, if you are healthly, Anavar is probably the safest 17a steroid you can use but in high doses it will elevate your liver enzymes and if your liver is compromised already by alcohol or drug intake you could do damage. This is the reason that i do not take anavar.

jb


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Black Baccara
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I do not find that it's really interesting, no scientific explanation ...
When you compare mg for mg, toxicities are almost similars. Oxandrolone's toxicity is maybe weaker because his oxygen atom make it less hydrophobic and it can pass the liver more quickly and avoid metabolization. But in my opinion, to claim that is a non-toxic and safe drug is a mistake ...


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omnibus
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Posted by: Black Baccara

I do not find that it's really interesting, no scientific explanation ...
When you compare mg for mg, toxicities are almost similars. Oxandrolone's toxicity is maybe weaker because his oxygen atom make it less hydrophobic and it can pass the liver more quickly and avoid metabolization. But in my opinion, to claim that is a non-toxic and safe drug is a mistake ...

As I understand it,Anavar is metabolized to a high degree by the kidneys and a lot of it passes through unmetabolized.It has been discussed here before.


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olb33
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i loved anavar but it made me really dry and my nose really dry

Stuff I say is ficticious. DOnt take anything I say seriously.


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Zircon
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Hey baccara,

On a mg per mg basis you would say things like Dbol anavar and Anadrol (???), turinabol are very similar? Or are you talking only in one sense of toxicity (hepatoxicity only)? Think we had this discussion before?

thanks

ps any news from that cycling mate of yours using winny?


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Black Baccara
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I talk about toxicity. Turinabol could be more toxic because it has an additional alteration (Cl in C4).
Yes I have news from my friend, in his opinion Stanozolol is great for aerobic purpose.


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liftsiron
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Posted by: jboldman

So the point is, if you are healthly, Anavar is probably the safest 17a steroid you can use but in high doses it will elevate your liver enzymes and if your liver is compromised already by alcohol or drug intake you could do damage. This is the reason that i do not take anavar.

jb

It is used in the treatment of hepatitis and chirrosis without causeing further harm to an already injured liver.

Last year I ran var at 40mgs ed for nearly six months without noticable changes in bloodwork with the exception of lipids which all dropped includeing hdls but the ratio remained acceptable.

liftsiron is a fictional character and should be taken as such.


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liftsiron
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Posted by: Black Baccara

I do not find that it's really interesting, no scientific explanation ...
When you compare mg for mg, toxicities are almost similars. Oxandrolone's toxicity is maybe weaker because his oxygen atom make it less hydrophobic and it can pass the liver more quickly and avoid metabolization. But in my opinion, to claim that is a non-toxic and safe drug is a mistake ...

No drug is completely safe, but as far as 17AA steroids go anavar is as safe as they get in regard to the liver.

liftsiron is a fictional character and should be taken as such.


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Zircon
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Hey Baccara,

Yep winstrol is cool, thing is, how long is it detectable aty the rates he is taking? How detectable long for, the oral form at World cup level?thanks


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liftsiron
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Wasting Syndrome: Oral Oxandrolone Re-Released in U.S.

by John S. James
Published: December 22, 1995

Oxandrolone (brand name Oxandrin(R); an earlier name, 'Anavar', is obsolete) is an oral anabolic steroid which is not primarily metabolized in the liver. It became available in the U.S. in December 1995. Anabolic agents work by promoting protein synthesis, and are one approach to the treatment of wasting syndrome, which involves an abnormal loss of protein and lean body mass.

Oxandrolone was approved by the FDA more than 30 years ago, specifically for regaining weight lost due to infectious disease, among other uses. This approval -- "as adjunctive therapy to promote weight gain after weight loss following extensive surgery, chronic infections, or severe trauma, and in some patients who without definite pathophysiologic reasons fail to gain or to maintain normal weight" -- is still in force. But despite FDA approval, oxandrolone has long been unavailable in the U.S.; companies chose to drop it instead of meeting the increasing regulatory requirements for anabolic steroids, for a drug which was off-patent and therefore had a low profit margin. Now a small pharmaceutical company, Bio-Technology General Corp. (BTG), has reintroduced oxandrolone for weight gain, and is researching it for four indications for which the drug has orphan-drug status: AIDS wasting, alcoholic hepatitis, Turner's syndrome in girls, and constitutional delay of growth and puberty in boys. A recent
double-blind study in 67 patients with AIDS wasting found weight gain with 15 mg/day of oxandrolone for 16 weeks, stable weight with 5 mg, and weight loss with placebo (to be published).

Oxandrolone is relatively expensive, with price to wholesalers being $3.75 to $30 per day, depending on dose. This is a fraction of the cost of human growth hormone ($140/day or more to the patient), which is also used to treat this kind of AIDS-related weight loss due to unknown metabolic changes. The FDA approval for weight loss may help with insurance reimbursement. Much less expensive anabolic steroids are also available; some of them may be comparable to oxandrolone, except that they must be injected. (An early study, which measured anabolic activity by changes in nitrogen excretion in human subjects on a constant diet, found that oxandrolone had about six times the anabolic activity of the same amount of testosterone.(1))

The usual adult dose recommended in the package insert is one 2.5 mg tablet two to four times daily; but the instructions also note that doses as low as 2.5 mg per day or as high as 20 mg per day can be used. (Each 2.5 mg tablet costs $3.75 to the wholesalers.) As with other anabolic steroids, the package insert includes many cautions and warnings of possible adverse effects -- too many to summarize here. But a major controlled study used four times the current approved oxandrolone dose in treating severe alcoholic hepatitis, and reported "no complications attributable to its use."(2)

Oxandrolone is distributed in the U.S. by Quantum Express; it is a Schedule III controlled substance. Quantum Express can handle assignment of benefits (meaning that it will deal directly with insurance companies); and there is a compassionate-access program for those with no insurance or other way to pay. For more information, health-care professionals should call 800/741-2698.

References

1. Fox M, Minot AS, and Liddle GW. Oxandrolone: A Potent Anabolic Steroid of Novel Chemical Composition. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM. 1962; volume 22, pages 921-924.

2. Mendenhall GL, Moritz TE, Roselle GA and others. A study of oral nutritional support with oxandrolone in malnourished patients with alcoholic hepatitis: Results of a Department of Veterans Affairs cooperative study. HEPATOLOGY 1993; volume 17, number 4, pages 564-576.

liftsiron is a fictional character and should be taken as such.


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jboldman
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i think the difference is in the degree. We use poisons to kill cancer cells with a net gainin the well being of the patient. In the studies using anavar to treat the lover, the liver is so comprimised that the patient is indanger of dying, the addition of anavar makes a net gain in health at low doses but that is not necessarily transferable to bodybuilders.

jb


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Big Cat
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This isn't about anavar, but about 17AA steroids in general. Liver toxicity has always been blown out of proportion, and if you are going to quote medibolics, may as well post the one about the study on anadrol as well, where it was used at 150-200 mg per day for 20 weeks WITHOUT compromising of the liver. And then you want to compare that to 40-80 mg of anavar which DID cause liver damage.

This is all fine and well, but I think most of you are losing sight of what really counts, and that is that 17AA steroids damage your liver, and even though in most cases its highly exaggerated, it isn't always. And when it comes to your health its best to err on the safe side. Especially since 90% of you STILL do not get check-ups regularly when taking steroids. Well, all my athletes HAVE to get checked up every 3 weeks, and I can honestly tell you, not a single one has ever had elevated liver values beyond a certain point after 6 weeks. That includes with 100mg Winny, 100 mg Var, 150 mg drol, 50mg dbol and 40 mg norethandrolone. But I STILL do not use any oral steroid longer than 8 weeks, I NEVER recommend them to anyone, and I never allow use in the final 4 weeks of a cycle.

So yeah, liver damage is SEVERELY exaggerated, but then we've known that for years now. Nonetheless, if you don't get checked up regularly to monitor liver values, then you need to keep use limited to 6-8 weeks. Keep in mind as well that most problems stem from longer term use in clinical situations, but that usually concerns lower doses than we'd normally use as well. You can't compare 5-10 mg of winny, to 100 mg per day.

Good things come to those who weight.

The Big Cat is a researcher and theoreticist. His advice must never be taken in the stead of proper advice from a medical professional, it is entirely intended for research purposes.


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Realgains
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Good point BC and JB.........

IMHO it's the dose and duration that is key, in the healthy liver.

My wife can take 15-20 of Var a day for 3 months and have no change in her liver or lipid panels.

I think low dose anavar is very safe BUT none of us men would ever take such a little dose as it wouldn't do much if anything more than or own test levels.

Male doses of anavar need tol be at least 40-50mg a day in my opinion and at that dose I wouldn't be 'on' for longer than 8 weeks.

But you know with all the 17aa free gear out there why do we men take Var at all? I know that it is great for the ladies, at low dose, but don't you think a mild non toxic steroid like EQ is a much better choice for men that anavar?

gee I would sooner take 400 of EQ a week then 40 of Var per day.

In fact dare I say that EQ is the best steroid for man...males at least..when we are weighing gains to sides that is.

RG


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