Comprehensive medication guide to Oxandrolone including estimated pricing, availability information, side effects, and how to find it in stock at your local pharmacy.
Estimated Insurance Pricing
Most insurance plans do not cover compounded medications; Medicare Part D typically excludes compounded drugs. Some employer-sponsored plans may approve coverage with a prior authorization letter of medical necessity. FSA and HSA funds can be used to purchase compounded oxandrolone.
Estimated Cash Pricing
$150–$350 per 30-day supply from a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy; no commercial generic exists after the FDA's June 2023 market withdrawal. Prices vary by pharmacy — call multiple compounders for quotes. GoodRx coupons do not apply.
Medfinder Findability Score
25/100
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Oxandrolone is a synthetic anabolic steroid and androgen originally sold under the brand names Oxandrin and, historically, Anavar. It was first introduced for medical use in the United States in 1964. As a DEA Schedule III controlled substance, it requires a valid prescription from a licensed, DEA-registered prescriber.
Oxandrolone was FDA-approved as adjunctive therapy to promote weight gain after weight loss following major surgery, chronic infection, or severe trauma; to offset protein catabolism from long-term corticosteroid therapy; to relieve bone pain in osteoporosis; and as an adjunct to growth hormone in Turner syndrome. It has also been widely used off-label for HIV/AIDS-related muscle wasting and severe burn recovery.
Important: All FDA-approved commercial oxandrolone products (Oxandrin and all generic versions) were permanently withdrawn from the US market on June 28, 2023. As of 2026, oxandrolone is only available through licensed 503A compounding pharmacies with a valid Schedule III prescription.
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Oxandrolone is a synthetic agonist of the androgen receptor (AR) — the same receptor targeted by testosterone. When oxandrolone binds to androgen receptors in muscle cells, the drug-receptor complex enters the cell nucleus and activates genes that drive protein synthesis, increase nitrogen retention, and reduce protein catabolism. The net result is preservation and growth of lean muscle mass.
Oxandrolone has a unique 2-oxa structural modification (an oxygen replaces a carbon at position 2 of the steroid nucleus) that makes it resistant to inactivation by 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in skeletal muscle. It is also a 5α-reduced compound, meaning it cannot be further converted by 5α-reductase in androgenic tissues like the prostate and scalp — this is why it has a much higher anabolic-to-androgenic ratio (approximately 10:1) than testosterone.
Oxandrolone does not aromatize to estrogen, so it does not cause estrogen-related water retention. However, as a 17α-alkylated steroid, it is processed by the liver in a way that creates hepatotoxicity risk — the primary safety concern that led to its market withdrawal in 2023.
2.5 mg — tablet (compounded)
Lower strength; typical for women, pediatric patients, and geriatric patients (5 mg BID)
10 mg — tablet (compounded)
Standard adult dose; a 30-day supply at BID dosing = 60 tablets
5 mg — tablet (compounded)
Intermediate strength available from some compounding pharmacies
20 mg/day — total daily dose
Maximum recommended adult dose, taken as 2.5–10 mg per dose in 2–4 divided doses
Finding oxandrolone in 2026 is very challenging. It scores 25 out of 100 on medfinder's findability scale — reflecting the fact that no commercial oxandrolone exists anywhere in the standard US pharmacy supply chain. You cannot fill this prescription at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, or any major retail pharmacy.
The only legal source is a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy that is also DEA-registered for Schedule III controlled substances. Not all compounding pharmacies handle controlled substance anabolic steroids. Finding one that can fill the prescription, has oxandrolone API in stock, ships to your state, and has an acceptable price requires significant effort.
That's where medfinder helps. Enter your oxandrolone prescription and location, and medfinder calls pharmacies near you to find which ones can fill it — saving you hours of phone calls.
Because oxandrolone is a DEA Schedule III controlled substance, it must be prescribed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who holds a current DEA registration for Schedule III substances. The prescription must be filled at a separately DEA-registered 503A compounding pharmacy.
Types of providers who commonly prescribe oxandrolone:
Some telehealth platforms specializing in men's health and TRT can prescribe oxandrolone as a Schedule III controlled substance, subject to current DEA telemedicine regulations. The provider must be DEA-registered in the patient's state of residence.
Yes. Oxandrolone is classified as a DEA Schedule III controlled substance (non-narcotic) under the Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990. Schedule III substances have a recognized medical use but a moderate potential for abuse and dependence.
As a Schedule III drug, oxandrolone prescriptions may be refilled up to 5 times within a 6-month period under federal law. The prescribing physician must be DEA-registered. The dispensing pharmacy must also hold DEA registration for Schedule III substances to fill the prescription.
Possessing or distributing oxandrolone without a valid prescription is a federal crime. Athletes who use it outside a therapeutic context face legal consequences and bans from professional sports organizations — the NCAA, IOC, and WADA all prohibit its use in competition.
Common side effects that many patients experience include:
Serious side effects requiring immediate medical attention:
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Testosterone cypionate/enanthate
Injectable testosterone; most accessible and widely covered androgen alternative. Generic available under $30/month with insurance. Less anabolic relative to androgenic effects compared to oxandrolone.
Nandrolone decanoate
Injectable anabolic steroid with high anabolic-to-androgenic ratio; similar clinical profile to oxandrolone; available via compounding. Used for muscle wasting and anemia of chronic kidney disease.
Stanozolol (Winstrol)
Oral anabolic steroid with comparable anabolic profile; available via compounding. More pronounced HDL suppression than oxandrolone.
Methyltestosterone (Android)
FDA-approved oral androgen; lower anabolic potency than oxandrolone; commercially available; covered by some insurance for hypogonadism.
Prefer Oxandrolone? We can find it.
Warfarin (Coumadin)
majorOxandrolone markedly potentiates warfarin's anticoagulant effect. Warfarin dose reduction of 80–85% may be required. Requires frequent INR monitoring. This is the most dangerous drug interaction.
Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
majorOxandrolone decreases cyclosporine metabolism, raising cyclosporine blood levels and risk of toxicity including nephrotoxicity. Avoid or monitor closely.
Oral hypoglycemics and insulin
moderateOxandrolone inhibits metabolism of oral hypoglycemics and potentiates insulin effect, risking hypoglycemia. Monitor blood glucose closely; dose adjustment may be needed.
Corticosteroids / ACTH
moderatePharmacodynamic synergism may enhance edema formation when combined with adrenal steroids or ACTH.
Pexidartinib (Turalio)
majorBoth agents are hepatotoxic. Avoid co-administration.
Epoetin alfa (Epogen)
minorPharmacodynamic synergism — may allow lower epoetin doses for same effect on red blood cell production.
Oxandrolone was a genuinely useful anabolic steroid for specific medical conditions — particularly its favorable anabolic-to-androgenic ratio made it appropriate for women, children, and patients who needed lean mass preservation without significant masculinizing effects. The FDA's June 2023 market withdrawal reflected long-standing safety concerns (liver toxicity and cardiovascular risk) rather than any sudden safety crisis.
For patients who currently have a prescription, the path forward involves finding a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy that can prepare it on a patient-specific basis. This is more complex and more expensive than filling a standard retail prescription, but it is legally and medically feasible with the right pharmacy relationship.
If you're having trouble finding a pharmacy to fill your oxandrolone prescription, medfinder can help by contacting pharmacies in your area and identifying which ones can fill your specific prescription. Provide your medication details and location, and medfinder does the hard work of calling pharmacies so you don't have to.
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Our medication guides are researched and written to help patients make informed decisions. All content is reviewed for accuracy and updated regularly. Learn more about our standards
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