Oxymetholone: label use, approval status and risks

What is oxymetholone?

Oxymetholone is an oral anabolic steroid, a 17-alpha-alkylated synthetic derivative of testosterone. It was approved in the US as Anadrol-50 tablets for anemias caused by poor red blood cell production.

Also known as: Anadrol-50, Anadrol, Anapolon.

US tablet strength

Anadrol-50 came as 50 mg scored tablets. Drugs@FDA lists Anadrol-50 (NDA 016848) as discontinued.

Approval status and how it is used

The Anadrol-50 label (2004) indicates oxymetholone for anemias caused by deficient red cell production, including acquired and congenital aplastic anemia, myelofibrosis, and anemias caused by drugs that damage the bone marrow. It gives 1 to 5 mg per kg of body weight per day for children and adults, usually 1 to 2 mg/kg/day, with a trial of at least 3 to 6 months. The label also says anabolic steroids have not been shown to improve athletic ability.

Anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled substances in the US, and this one is named in the federal list (21 CFR 1308.13(f)). Having it without a valid prescription is illegal. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List as an anabolic agent, banned in and out of competition.

The label warns about peliosis hepatis (blood-filled cysts in the liver), liver tumors, and cholestatic hepatitis and jaundice with 17-alpha-alkylated steroids, and recommends periodic liver tests. It also warns of lower HDL and higher LDL cholesterol, says hemoglobin and hematocrit should be checked for too many red cells at high doses, and says anabolic steroids suppress the pituitary hormones that drive the testes; testicular shrinkage and low sperm counts are listed side effects. The label adds that anabolic steroids can increase the effect of warfarin and other blood thinners, so clotting tests need close monitoring.

Oxymetholone half-life and time to peak

• Half-lifeNot listed
• Time to peak (Tmax)Under review, see source
• Route in Dose TrackBy mouth (oral)

The Anadrol-50 label gives no half-life or time to peak. In healthy volunteers given a single 50 mg dose by mouth (Cardoso 2002), blood levels peaked at about 3.5 hours (210 ± 42 minutes). The app's modeling value is 2 hours, which does not match, so we do not list it. We found no published human half-life, so we do not list the app's 16-hour value either.

How to track oxymetholone in Dose Track

1. Add oxymetholone from the built-in list. It sits next to everything else you take, so a GLP-1, TRT and a few peptides all live in one log.
2. Log each tablet when you take it, including split or fractional tablets, so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

How Dose Track handles peptides · Reconstitution calculator · Half-life calculator

Related compounds

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Cardoso CR, et al. Validation of the determination of oxymetholone in human plasma analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Application to pharmacokinetic studies. J Chromatogr B. 2002;775(1):1-8.
2. Anadrol-50 (oxymetholone) tablets prescribing information (Unimed), revised August 2004. Drugs@FDA.
3. Drugs@FDA: Anadrol-50 (oxymetholone), NDA 016848, marketing status.
4. Pavlatos AM, et al. Review of oxymetholone: a 17alpha-alkylated anabolic-androgenic steroid. Clin Ther. 2001;23(6):789-801.
5. 21 CFR 1308.13(f): Schedule III anabolic steroids. eCFR, October 2026.
6. World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026 Prohibited List, S1 Anabolic agents.

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