Oxandrolone

an oral 17-alpha-alkylated androgen with measured human pharmacokinetics and controlled burn data, whose US approvals were withdrawn in 2023 after FDA safety and effectiveness review.

tier S · androgens · 31.6 vs 43.3 days hospital stay in one severe-burn RCT

verdict

the burn outcome and human half-life are real, and so are the withdrawal, boxed liver warning, lipid injury, and endocrine risks.

if you are asking whether Anavar is mild or liver-safe — no. oxandrolone is 17-alpha-alkylated and its historical label warned about peliosis hepatis, liver tumors, cholestatic hepatitis, jaundice, and adverse LDL and HDL changes.

if you are asking whether it has human outcome data — yes, in defined medical populations. an 81-patient severe-burn trial reported a shorter hospital stay but also more ALT elevations. that does not validate athletic or cosmetic use.

if you are asking what its half-life is — the historical Oxandrin label reported 10.4 hours in younger volunteers and 13.3 hours in older adults after oral dosing. those are measured human values, not a dosing schedule.

The S tier grades provenance and outcome evidence. It is not an approval claim, a safety rating, or a recommendation.

why S-tier

S tier reflects a clear molecule, regulator-reviewed human PK, and a controlled human outcome. It does not erase the 2023 approval withdrawal or convert the archived label into a current recommendation.

the core tension

Oxandrolone has unusually good human evidence for this class, but its strongest trial still recorded hepatic injury and FDA later withdrew every US approval on safety or effectiveness grounds.

what it is

Oxandrolone is an orally active 2-oxa, 17-alpha-methyl, 5-alpha-reduced anabolic-androgenic steroid. The page refers to the free oral drug, not an injectable ester or an unidentified product sold under an Anavar nickname.

what it does

It activates the androgen receptor and can support nitrogen retention and lean-tissue recovery in catabolic medical settings. The same receptor activity can suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, virilize androgen-sensitive tissue, and alter growth in children.

origin

Oxandrolone was sold in the United States under NDA 013718 and later generic applications. FDA withdrew the approvals effective June 28, 2023, then determined that the withdrawal rested on safety or effectiveness grounds.

why researchers are interested

Its reputation comes from oral activity, lower apparent androgenic activity in old animal assays, and real medical outcome data. None of those facts makes it hepatically neutral or establishes a safe supratherapeutic exposure.

does it work

In severe burns, 10 mg every 12 hours in the studied inpatient protocol shortened mean length of stay from 43.3 to 31.6 days. ALT above 100 U/L occurred in 19 percent on oxandrolone and 5 percent on placebo. This supports one medical outcome and one harm signal, not a general performance claim.

claims vs the data

• oxandrolone is liver-safe — contradicted — its label carried boxed hepatic warnings and the burn RCT recorded more ALT elevations than placebo.
• its half-life is 9.4 hours — unsupported — the archived label reports 10.4 hours in younger volunteers and 13.3 hours in older adults.
• a burn trial validates bodybuilding use — unsupported — a severe-burn inpatient outcome does not transfer to healthy performance use.

key facts

• molecular formula: C19H30O3
• molecular weight: 306.45 g/mol
• amino acids: n/a (steroidal small molecule, not a peptide)
• half-life: 10.4 hours in younger volunteers and 13.3 hours in older adults in the historical Oxandrin label
• type: oral 2-oxa, 17-alpha-methyl, 5-alpha-reduced anabolic-androgenic steroid
• CAS: 53-39-4
• 10.4 h younger-adult label half-life
• 13.3 h older-adult label half-life
• 81 participants in severe-burn RCT
• 2023 US approval withdrawn

frequently asked questions

Is oxandrolone FDA-approved now?

No. FDA withdrew the brand and generic approvals effective June 28, 2023. Historical approval and an archived label do not mean a product is currently approved or marketed.

What human half-life was measured?

The historical label reported 10.4 hours in younger volunteers and 13.3 hours in older adults. The displayed 10.4-hour curve uses the younger cohort and states the older value separately.

Is oxandrolone safe for the liver?

No safe conclusion follows from its reputation. It is 17-alpha-alkylated and carried boxed warnings for peliosis hepatis, liver tumors, cholestatic hepatitis, jaundice, and adverse lipid changes.

Does the burn trial prove athletic benefit?

No. It studied hospitalized patients with severe burns, not healthy athletes, and recorded a liver-enzyme harm signal alongside the recovery outcome.

related peptides

• Oxymetholone — another oral 17-alpha-alkylated androgen with human outcome data
• Stanozolol — another non-aromatizing 17-alpha-alkylated androgen with controlled lipid data
• testosterone — the clinically characterized reference androgen

reptides grades the research record and cites the literature behind every call. research reference only; not medical advice.