Here are the 6 best oral steroids used in bodybuilding today for both muscle gain and fat loss purposes. These rankings are roughly related to anabolic (muscle building) capabilities.
1. Methasterone
Superdrol (methasterone) is one of the most potent anabolic steroids in the world, providing significant increases in muscle strength and hypertrophy (size). This is a compound that truly lives up to its name.
Superdrol does not aromatize into estrogen, making it a unique oral steroid for muscle gain. Therefore, almost all weight gained on Superdrol will be retained post-cycle, as it does not cause an increase in extracellular water retention.
We often see Superdrol used by advanced steroid users to take their physique to the next level while maintaining maximum muscle definition.
However, Superdrol is one of the most toxic steroids, causing liver overstrain and uncontrolled increases in blood pressure.
Superdrol has been likened in the bodybuilding community to dropping a bomb on the liver. This is also what we found in our testing, coupled with high levels of cardiotoxicity. Therefore, beginner steroid users should strictly avoid Superdrol.
Experienced steroid users who take Superdol for the first time are often shocked by its ability to increase lean muscle tissue and lead to significant improvements in strength.
Compared to other anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), Superdrol has a high chance of injury because strength levels usually increase dramatically in a short period of time. Therefore, bodybuilders should be cautious about lifting as heavy as possible with Superdrol, as some of our patients have experienced hernia rupture and required emergency medical surgery.
2. Anadrol
Anadrol (Oxymetholone) is a powerful DHT-derived compound and is arguably the best steroid for weight gain.
Unlike Superdrol, Anadrol has estrogenic effects and therefore leads to significant weight gain in the form of lean muscle and water retention.
We typically see users gain up to 30 pounds on Anadrol, and strength levels soar as well.
Anadrol, like Superdrol, is highly hepatotoxic, causing elevated AST (aspartate transaminase) and ALT (alanine transaminase) levels on our liver function tests. Our patients have had success reducing liver damage with supplementation with TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid).
Note: TUDCA supplementation is recommended when taking any hepatotoxic oral steroid.
Surprisingly, male physique athletes will briefly cycle anadral before competition to achieve significant gains in muscle fullness. We have found that they are able to maintain maximum definition by adopting a low sodium diet to maintain extracellular fluid retention. The combination of high estrogen levels and a sodium-rich diet is what really causes the bloating.
Anadrol, like Superdrol, can have detrimental effects on the heart, causing cardiac hypertrophy and significant increases in blood pressure.
Anadrol can be cycled alone or stacked with other bulking steroids for maximum mass and strength gains, such as Trenbolone, testosterone, or Deca Durabolin.
However, Anadrol should not be taken with any other hepatotoxic compounds to prevent further liver damage.
We have treated late-stage steroid users taking doses up to 100 mg/day and running Anadrol cycles of up to 8 weeks.
We have found SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators) to be effective when taking Anadrol as they prevent the expansion of breast tissue (gynecomastia) in the chest area.
SERMs work by inhibiting the effects of estrogen directly at the receptor level, which is critical because Anadrol does not aromatize (convert testosterone to estrogen). This is exactly why AIs (Aromatase Inhibitors) are ineffective in controlling estrogen-related side effects.
3. Dianabol
Dianabol (Metandienone) is the most commonly used oral anabolic steroid in the world today.
Throughout history this was also true, it was commonly used by classic bodybuilders in the 1970s to help add incredible mass in the off-season.
It is believed that a certain “Austrian bodybuilder” combined Dianabol with Deca Durabolin, enabling him to dwarf his opponents and dominate the Olympia stage.
Dianabol is similar to Anadrol in terms of effects; in our experience, it is a powerful mass gainer that also has hepatotoxic and estrogenic properties.
We have found that Dianabol does not cause significant androgenic effects due to a significant reduction in 5α-reductase, which reduces the conversion of testosterone to DHT.
As a result, Dianabol causes fewer incidents of prostate enlargement, androgenic alopecia (hair loss), and acne vulgaris.
Dianabol can be cycled alone, by intermediates, or stacked with other bulking steroids by advanced users.Dianabol should not be taken with another hepatotoxic oral steroid (such as Anadrol, Superdrol, or Winstrol).
Dianabol does aromatize; therefore, to prevent the occurrence of gynecomastia, a SERM (such as Tamoxifen) may be taken.
We have found that SERMs may be a better choice than AIs (aromatase inhibitors) because the latter can worsen lipid profiles and increase the risk of hypertension.
4. Testosterone Undecanoate (Andriol)
Testosterone is usually administered by intramuscular injection; however, it is also available in an oral form called Testosterone Undecanoate.
It is very unique compared to other oral steroids in that it is suspended in an oil-based capsule. This esterification allows Testosterone Undecanoate to be absorbed via the lymphatic route, thereby bypassing the liver and significantly reducing liver toxicity.
When taking testosterone orally, 20 grams of dietary fat should be consumed with each dose to maximize absorption. We have found that its bioavailability is extremely low when taken on an empty stomach.
This is in contrast to other oral steroids, which are c-17 alpha-alkylated and need to be consumed on an empty stomach to achieve full effect. This is due to the fact that most oral medications are fat soluble and therefore susceptible to reduced absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.
Testosterone is one of the safest steroids we have tested and is still approved by the FDA to this day for the treatment of hypogonadism.
Due to its mild nature, beginners often use a testosterone-only cycle, which promotes large gains in mass.
The reason why bodybuilders often inject testosterone is because it is much cheaper on the market, costing only a fraction of the price of the undecanoate.
However, if a bodybuilder can afford it, the undecanoate will likely produce the same results as the injectable esters, with 20-30 pounds of muscle mass.
Another benefit of oral testosterone over injectable testosterone is its rapid onset of action. We see serum testosterone levels peak in the blood just 5 hours after the first oral dose of testosterone.
In contrast, testosterone cypionate and testosterone enanthate, two of the most popular injectable options, are slow to act, with half-lives of around 8 days each.
We found that large doses (2,800 mg per week) of testosterone undecanoate were required to achieve significant gains in mass and size due to its low bioavailability.
5. Winstrol
Winstrol (Stanozolol) is the second most widely used oral steroid (after Dianabol) and is primarily used as a fat loss steroid.
It is able to enhance fat burning while increasing lean muscle tissue due to its powerful ability to reduce SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) levels.
Testosterone bound to SHBG is inactivated; therefore, the less SHBG there is, the higher the free testosterone levels.
We found that testosterone is the key testosterone scorer, which is used by the body for many physiological processes, including promoting new skeletal muscle tissue and reducing adipose tissue (fat storage). It can quickly reduce the user’s body fat percentage while also having a diuretic effect (due to lack of aromatization).
This can result in a dry-looking physique coupled with prominent vascularity. In our experience, one downside to Winstrol’s draining effect is a decrease in muscle fullness due to a decrease in glycogen and intracellular fluid within the muscle cells.
In our experience, the rapid improvement in body composition without significant weight gain also makes Winstrol a popular steroid among athletes.
The downsides of Winstrol are the same as those of other toxic oral steroids: liver strain and high blood pressure.
We have found that the diuretic effects of Winstrol can also increase joint inflammation, causing considerable discomfort or pain in some people.
The above doses are often taken by intermediate steroid users. We have seen Winstrol often produce virilizing side effects in women. However, we have also seen female patients prevent this physiological change by using very small doses (5 mg/day).
6. Anavar
Anavar (Oxandrolone) is a mild anabolic steroid that is primarily used in fat loss cycles.
H Anavar, like Winstrol, is one of the few oral steroids that can produce lean muscle gains while removing fat.
A unique advantage of Anavar is that it can reduce both visceral and subcutaneous fat levels. In contrast, other anabolic steroids often reduce subcutaneous fat but increase visceral fat, often resulting in a bloated appearance (albeit skinny).
Anavar’s ability to burn VF is due to its positive effects on insulin sensitivity and increasing T3 levels (triiodothyronine), a hormone that is crucial for regulating fat tissue and metabolism.
We do not see Anavar produce unusual weight gains compared to other oral steroids, such as Anadrol or Dianabol.
However, its mild nature and high tolerability in both men and women make it a popular steroid from a safety perspective.
Although Anavar produces only modest gains in lean mass and dramatic increases in bodyweight, it is excellent at increasing muscle strength. As a result, the weightlifters and boxers in our care often use Anavar long-term, allowing them to get stronger without having to move up a weight class.
Are oral steroids more dangerous than injectable steroids?
Oral steroids are not inherently more dangerous than injectable steroids, despite this common stigma in the bodybuilding community.
There is a common perception that oral steroids are bad because they damage the liver, while injectable steroids are good because they bypass the liver.
While oral steroids do cause more hepatic stress due to slower clearance, the safety of any steroid needs to be assessed on an individual basis.
Indeed, based on our testing, oral steroids generally have a worse effect on cholesterol levels, thus exacerbating cardiovascular stress. This is due to their stimulatory effect on hepatic lipase in the liver.
Therefore, as a general rule, injectable steroids are a more optimal method of administration for protecting the heart and liver.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, we have found that Testosterone Undecanoate, Anavar, and Primobolan are just some of the oral steroids that cause little to no hepatic (liver) stress.
Additionally, Trenbolone is one of the most potent injectable steroids and causes extremely severe side effects compared to milder oral steroids such as Anavar, Primobolan, or Testosterone Undecanoate.
Additionally, based on our experience, there are very few injectable steroids that women can take that can safely avoid virilizing side effects. The only possible exception is Deca Durabolin.
However, there are a variety of oral steroids that are safe for women to use without affecting their femininity (such as Anavar, Primobolan, and Anadrol).
What are the most powerful oral steroids?
The most powerful oral steroid we have seen in terms of building muscle and gaining tremendous strength is oral Trenbolone, also known as methyltrenbolone.
However, due to the high toxicity of methyltrenbolone, even in moderate doses, bodybuilders almost never use it, preferring instead injectable Trenbolone. Our patients’ liver function tests and blood pressure readings indicate that methyltrenbolone is unsafe. Interestingly, we have also seen that it causes interference with the central nervous system, which negatively affects mood and well-being, comparable to recreational drugs such as amphetamines or cocaine.
Superdrol, Anadrol, and Dianabol are some other powerful anabolic steroids that are commonly used in muscle-building cycles. These create a more favorable balance of results versus side effects than oral trenbolone.