What is "oxandrolone"

n. A synthetic anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone.

Oxandrolone (brand names Oxandrin, Anavar, Lonavar, others), is an anabolic steroid that was first available as a prescription drug in the United States in 1964. It is a synthetic derivative of dihydrotestosterone with an oxygen atom replacing the 2 carbon and methylation in the 17 position.

Researchers and medical professionals have used oxandrolone to treat a wide variety of disorders. These include idiopathic short stature, Turner syndrome, body mass loss from catabolic illness or long-term corticosteroid treatment, severe burns, surgical or general trauma, osteoporosis, anemia, hereditary angioedema, HIV/AIDS-induced wasting, alcoholic hepatitis, and hypogonadism.

Oxandrolone is well-established as a safe treatment for patients recovering from severe burns. Medical research has also established oxandrolone's efficacy in aiding the development of girls with Turner syndrome. Although oxandrolone has long been used to accelerate growth in children with idiopathic short stature, it is unlikely to increase adult height and in some cases may even decrease it. Oxandrolone has therefore largely been replaced by growth hormone for this use.

Some bodybuilders use oxandrolone for its muscle-building properties, usually purchasing it from black market suppliers. This is illegal in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and many other countries.