Oral steroids are anabolic steroids, which can be taken in the form of a serum or capsules. This means they do not have to be injected. Oral steroids can be prescribed to treat many diseases, and are also used by bodybuilders and athletes to increase muscle mass. Anabolic steroids are a synthetically manufactured form of the hormone testosterone and related compounds derived from testosterone.
Oral steroid is very popular in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the market is very large, deeply loved by athletes. Its products mainly include:
Oxymetholone (Anadrol)
Oxandrolone (Anavar)
Turinabol (Tbol) Powder
Methandienone (Dianabol)
Winstrol (Stanozolol)
Chemists needed to solve a number of problems to make oral administration of anabolic steroids possible. When ingested, the liver is programmed to break down the steroid structure before it reaches blood circulation. This meant that the structure of the steroid had to be altered to create an effective oral solution.
Chemists realised that by replacing the hydrogen atom at the 17th alpha position of the steroid with a carbon atom, its structure would resist the liver’s attempt at breaking it down. A steroid with this alteration is commonly called a C-17 alpha alkylated oral.
Pharmaceutical companies soon utilized this advance, and began producing oral steroids including methyltestosterone, Dianabol, Winstrol and Anavar.
The added alkylation of these products does however alter the activity of the steroid considerably. One significant change is an increased chance of the steroid producing estrogenic side effects. The 17-Alkylation of the steroid produces a more active form of estrogen. These estrogens are more biologically active due to their longer half-life.
Many people choose to take oral steroids to avoid having to inject them. They are administered by mouth in the form of capsules or serums. Most oral steroids are toxic to the liver (hepatotoxic). This is because when the pills or capsules are swallowed, they travel through the body to the liver, which then tries to eradicate the steroid from the body. This would ultimately prevent the steroid from entering the body, and to avoid this, a carbon atom has been added to the 17th molecule of the steroid structure to replace the hydrogen atom, which enables the steroid to survive the journey through the liver. This improves the bioavailability of the steroid, but does also place extra strain on the liver. Many users of oral steroids also take milk thistle, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Liv-52 as protection for the liver.
Injectable steroids avoid this pass through the liver by being injected straight in to the muscle (not the vein). Some harsher steroids will however place strain on the kidneys instead. Some users choose to take injectable steroids alongside oral steroids.
The way that oral steroids are altered in comparison to injectable steroids means that it creates a much more potent anabolic agent. This means that popular agents such as Dianabol and winstrol are notably effective in relatively lower doses compared to injectables such as testosterone and nandrolone .
Oral steroids usually come in pill form. One of the most popular oral steroids is Anavar. The most common dosage for muscle enhancing benefits with Anavar would be in the range of 15 – 25 mg per day. This is usually taken for a period of six to eight weeks.
Oral steroids are often taken in conjunction with other steroids for a more dramatic result. For example, while bulking one might add around 200 mg of testosterone ester per week. This should result in a more dramatic muscle gain with less water retention.
For women who are looking to avoid the masculinising effects of anabolic steroids, the dosage can be lessened to 5 – 10 mg per day. This will still achieve considerable gains, without causing the androgenic side effects.
Studies have shown that taking oral anabolics alongside food may lessen its bioavailability. The drug dissolving with the undigested dietary fat of the food causes this. For maximum results, oral steroids should be taken on an empty stomach.
The use of anabolic steroids always requires post cycle therapy to prevent adverse side effects from occurring at the termination of use, and taking oral steroids is no different. PCT is needed to restore the body’s natural levels of testosterone and is also essential for maintaining any gains that have been made during the cycle. The main drugs used for PCT are Clomid, Nolvadex and HCG.
Individuals who are looking for quick results usually take oral steroids. This is occurs once they have been ingested, and happens because the steroids are put straight through the first pass metabolism and enter the bloodstream to exert their anabolic effects.
Many bodybuilders claim that an oral steroid cycle alone should not be undertaken. This is due to the added strain on the liver, and claims that because of the short half life of oral steroids, the gains do not last as long as the effects of intra-muscular injections. To counter-act this, and make the results more long lasting, users often use testosterone in conjunction with oral steroids. The mass gained from the steroids is maintained more effectively using this approach.
Oral steroids are illegal to possess without prescription in the Canada. They are only available from pharmacies with a valid prescription. The laws on steroid possession and use in the Canada are strict, and illegally supplying any anabolic steroids, or possessing them with intent to supply carries significant risks.
