What Is Oxandrolone? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

Oxandrolone is a synthetic anabolic steroid — a man-made compound derived from testosterone — that has been used medically since 1964. Known commercially as Oxandrin (and historically as Anavar), it was one of the few anabolic steroids available by prescription in the United States for legitimate therapeutic purposes. While its FDA-approved commercial forms were withdrawn in June 2023, it remains a legal Schedule III controlled substance that can still be prescribed and obtained through licensed compounding pharmacies.

What Is Oxandrolone Used For?

Oxandrolone was originally FDA-approved for several specific medical conditions:

• Weight restoration after major surgery, trauma, or chronic infection: Patients who have lost dangerous amounts of weight due to illness or surgery can use oxandrolone as adjunctive therapy to help regain lean body mass.
• Offsetting corticosteroid-induced protein catabolism: Long-term corticosteroid therapy breaks down muscle protein. Oxandrolone can help counter this effect.
• Bone pain from osteoporosis: Oxandrolone was approved for relieving bone pain associated with thinning bones.
• Turner syndrome: Used as an adjunct to growth hormone therapy in girls with Turner syndrome to promote height.

Beyond these FDA-approved uses, oxandrolone has been widely studied and used off-label for:

• HIV/AIDS-related muscle wasting
• Severe burn injury recovery (widely adopted in burn centers globally)
• Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy
• Age-related sarcopenia (muscle loss)
• Adjunct to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for men

What Drug Class Is Oxandrolone?

Oxandrolone is classified as an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS). It is a DEA Schedule III controlled substance under the Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990. Schedule III means it has a recognized medical use but also a moderate potential for abuse and dependence.

Unlike Schedule II drugs (like morphine or Adderall), Schedule III substances can be prescribed with refills (up to 5 within 6 months). However, all prescriptions require a DEA-registered physician or qualified prescriber.

What Are the Brand Names for Oxandrolone?

The primary US brand name was Oxandrin (previously Anavar). Several other international brand names existed including Antitriol (Spain), Lonavar (Argentina, Australia, Italy), and Vasorome (Japan). As of 2026, none of these are commercially manufactured — the drug is only available through compounding. Among those who misuse it in bodybuilding circles, it is colloquially referred to as "Var" (a shortened form of the old Anavar brand name).

Oxandrolone Dosage and How It's Taken

Oxandrolone is taken orally as a tablet. Standard dosing from the prescribing information:

• Adults: 2.5–20 mg per day in 2–4 divided doses. A typical course is 2–4 weeks, repeated intermittently as needed.
• Geriatric patients: 5 mg twice daily is the recommended dose.
• Children: ≤0.1 mg/kg body weight per day (≤0.045 mg/lb). Pediatric dosing should only be managed by specialists.

Oxandrolone therapy is designed to be adjunctive (supporting other treatment) and intermittent — not indefinitely continuous. Duration depends on clinical response and the appearance of adverse effects. Store at room temperature (68–77°F).

Who Should NOT Take Oxandrolone?

Oxandrolone is contraindicated in:

• People with prostate cancer or suspected prostate cancer
• Women with breast cancer and elevated calcium levels (hypercalcemia)
• Pregnant women (FDA Pregnancy Category X — causes fetal harm)
• Patients with nephrosis or the nephrotic phase of nephritis
• Patients with hypercalcemia

How Is Oxandrolone Available in 2026?

All FDA-approved commercial oxandrolone products were withdrawn in June 2023. As of 2026, the only legal source for patients in the US is a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy — and only with a valid Schedule III prescription from a DEA-registered provider. Not all compounding pharmacies handle controlled substances; finding the right one can take time. medfinder contacts pharmacies on your behalf to find which ones can fill your specific prescription.

For the full story on why it's no longer commercially available, see: Why Is Oxandrolone Hard to Find in 2026?.