Arguably the most potent of all the oral steroids currently available, oxymetholone was first developed in 1960 as a treatment for anemias caused by deficient red blood cell production. Oxymetholone's ability to increase red blood cell count results from the enhanced synthesis of erythropoietin (EPO) which in turn stimulates red blood cell production. Since oxymetholone is also a very effective at stimulating muscle growth, other clinical uses include; HIV wasting syndrome, osteoporosis and as adjunct therapy for underdeveloped or malnourished patients.

As a drug used in athletics, oxymetholone has a reputation for fast, noticible gains in both strength and size making it particularly appealing for bulking cycles and/or strength contests. As a synthetic derivative of testosterone (specifically dihydrotestosternone), oxymetholone exhibits a postive effect on nitrogen balance in athletes who combine this drug with a high protein diet. Oxymetholone has a reputation for very dramatic weight gains often exhibiting a "puffier" look as a result of increased water retention. Hand-in hand with water retention, many users will also experience related side effects like, increased blood pressure, headaches, and back pumps. Increased liver enzymes is practically a given, as it will be with almost all oral steroids, and is certainly dose related.

All oral steroids have the potential to be hepatotoxic and oxymetholone is no exception. In fact, oxymetholone has a reputation for being one of the most liver toxic orals available, however, keeping your daily administration of this drug to 100 mg or less for no more than 6 weeks at a time seems to reduce the odds of any serious liver damage. Users report that increasing the daily dose to 150 mg or more per day only seems to increase the side effects without significant improvements in the gains. A common approach for taking oxymetholone is to split the daily dose in half and then administer twice, once in the morning and once in the evening (eg. 25 mg x 2 or 50 mg x 2). There are many fans of oxymetholone, who incorporate it as a kickstart to a cycle or in addition to a bulking stack, that contradict all the negative reports on oxymetholone. Many users find this drug to be no more toxic than other orals used at similar doses.

Oxymetholone should not induce estrogen related side effects since it is a DHT derivative and therefore not subject to aromatisation , however, gyno has been reported by some athletes using this drug. Since oxymetholone does not aromoatise, Anastrozole, Femara, or Exemestane are not effective with this steroid and users should consider a SERM instead to manage related side effects. It is speculated that oxymetholone will increase estrogen sides if used on a cycle with other compounds prone to estrogen related side effects but does not necessarily increase the likelihood of these same side effects on other cycles incorporating compounds that are not known to cause these sides.

Oxymetholone will produce gains in strength and size on its own, however users can expect rapid losses of both upon discontinuation. Therefore, Oxymetholone is most effective when combined with a bulking cycle of injectable compounds such as testosterone and/or nandrolone.

Oxymetholone is produced by many reputable pharmaceutical companies such as Geneza Pharmaceuticals (GP Oxy), Sciroxx (Oxydex), Ibrahim (Anapolon), Axiolabs (Oxyplex), British Dragon (Oxanabol).