Miotolan® (furazabol) oral anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone

akn · Jun 21, 2014

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w

unctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

oNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w

ontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w

ontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w

ontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w

ontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w

oNotOptimizeForBrowser/> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Description:
Furazabol is an oral anabolic steroid derived from

dihydrotestosterone. This agent is moderately anabolic, with
only mild androgenic properties. This is no doubt due to the
modification of the steroid’s A-ring, which allows the
steroid structure to remain stable and bind receptors in
muscle tissue long enough to provide an anabolic benefit.
Dihydrotestosterone, in comparison, is a poor anabolic,
quickly metabolized in muscle tissue to inactive metabolites.
The gains associated with furazabol are not extreme, and
would more closely resemble the quality growth of a mild
non-aromatizing anabolic like stanozolol or drostanolone,
instead of the watery bulk of a testosterone. For this reason,
furazabol is most often applied during cutting phases of
training, and by athletes in speed and weight-restricted
sports.
History:
Furazabol was first described in 1965.541 The only modern
pharmaceutical preparation of record containing furazabol, at
least known to researchers in the West, was Miotolan from
Daiichi Seiyaku Labs in Japan, which was sold in Japan
mainly during the 1970’s and ’80’s. The agent itself is
scarcely mentioned in the Western medical literature, and
consequently a great deal of myth has come to surround it
among athletes. A realistic appraisal sits this agent in a very
similar class to stanozolol, however, with both agents being
moderately strong anabolics with low androgenic activity.
Aside from this, it is difficult to ascribe any drastically
unique traits to this drug.
Furazabol was a popular steroid among Olympic athletes
during the 1980’s, when it was quietly known among certain
trainers that testing officials had not yet identified the agent,
and therefore could not test for it. Dr. Jamie Astaphan, the
physician that accompanied Ben Johnson to the 1988
Olympics in Seoul, reportedly was giving Johnson (and
numerous other athletes at the time) furazabol, knowing the
drug would not be detectable. It remains uncertain how
Johnson ultimately tested positive for stanozolol, which Dr.
Astaphan strongly denied giving his athletes. Within two
years, methods for the detection of furazabol in urine were
published, immediately eliminating any value this agent
formerly possessed as a steroid undetectable to drug
screeners.
Today, furazabol is very scarcely known to bodybuilders.
The Miotolan brand from Japan was discontinued many years
ago, and no pharmaceutical preparation containing furazabol
has been known to exist since. The drug is occasionally
located on the black market, however, due to the fact that is it
still produced in bulk (as a raw material for product
manufacturing) in Asia. From there it is obtained by
underground steroid manufacturing operations in the West,
and produced into oral tablets and capsules. Currently the
actual number of products containing furazabol is small,
although could easily be expanded if market demand for the
agent increases. It remains unlikely that an actual
prescription product containing this steroid will ever be seen
again.
How Supplied:
Furazabol is no longer available as a prescription drug
preparation. When sold it came in the form of tablets
containing 1mg of steroid.
Structural Characteristics:
Furazabol is a modified form of dihydrotestosterone. It
differs by: 1) the addition of a methyl group at carbon 17-
alpha, which helps protect the hormone during oral
administration, and 2) the attachment of a furazan group to the
A-ring, replacing the normal 3-keto group. When viewed in
the light of 17-alpha methyldihydrotestosterone, the A-ring
modification on furazabol seems to considerably increase its
anabolic strength while reducing its relative androgenicity.
Side Effects (Estrogenic):
Furazabol is not aromatized by the body, and is not
measurably estrogenic. An anti-estrogen is not necessary
when using this steroid, as gynecomastia should not be a
concern even among sensitive individuals. Since estrogen is
the usual culprit with water retention, this steroid instead
produces a lean, quality look to the physique with no fear of
excess subcutaneous fluid retention. This makes it a
favorable steroid to use during cutting cycles, when water
and fat retention are major concerns.
Side Effects (Androgenic):
Although classified as an anabolic steroid, androgenic side
effects are still possible with this substance, especially with
higher doses. This may include bouts of oily skin, acne, and
body/facial hair growth. Anabolic/androgenic steroids may
also aggravate male pattern hair loss. Women are warned of
the potential virilizing effects of anabolic/androgenic
steroids. These may include a deepening of the voice,
menstrual irregularities, changes in skin texture, facial hair
growth, and clitoral enlargement. Furazabol is a steroid with
relatively low androgenic activity relative to its tissuebuilding
actions, making the threshold for strong androgenic
side effects comparably higher than with more androgenic
agents such as testosterone, methandrostenolone, or
fluoxymesterone. Note that furazabol is unaffected by the 5-
alpha reductase enzyme, so its relative androgenicity is not
affected by the concurrent use of finasteride or dutasteride.
Side Effects (Hepatotoxicity):
Furazabol is a c17-alpha alkylated compound. This alteration
protects the drug from deactivation by the liver, allowing a
very high percentage of the drug entry into the bloodstream
following oral administration. C17-alpha alkylated
anabolic/androgenic steroids can be hepatotoxic. Prolonged
or high exposure may result in liver damage. In rare instances
life-threatening dysfunction may develop. It is advisable to
visit a physician periodically during each cycle to monitor
liver function and overall health. Intake of c17-alpha
alkylated steroids is commonly limited to 6-8 weeks, in an
effort to avoid escalating liver strain.
The use of a liver detoxification supplement such as Liver
Stabil, Liv-52, or Essentiale Forte is advised while taking
any hepatotoxic anabolic/androgenic steroids.
Side Effects (Cardiovascular):
Anabolic/androgenic steroids can have deleterious effects on
serum cholesterol. This includes a tendency to reduce HDL
(good) cholesterol values and increase LDL (bad)
cholesterol values, which may shift the HDL to LDL balance
in a direction that favors greater risk of arteriosclerosis. The
relative impact of an anabolic/androgenic steroid on serum
lipids is dependant on the dose, route of administration (oral
vs. injectable), type of steroid (aromatizable or nonaromatizable),
and level of resistance to hepatic metabolism.
Furazabol has a strong effect on the hepatic management of
cholesterol due to its non-aromatizable nature, structural
resistance to liver breakdown, and route of administration.
Anabolic/androgenic steroids may also adversely affect
blood pressure and triglycerides, reduce endothelial
relaxation, and support left ventricular hypertrophy, all
potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and
myocardial infarction.
Note that furazabol is often mistakenly described as a steroid
with unique beneficial cholesterol-lowering effects. Such
statements usually make reference of studies conducted in the
early 1970’s, which examined the lipid-lowering effects of
the agent.542 Such a position, however, lacks a modern
perspective of the drug. To draw a parallel, during the early
1970’s there was research done on oxandrolone,
demonstrating a lipid-lowering effect.543 Upon closer
inspection, however, it was shown that oxandrolone tends to
lower HDL (good) cholesterol, increasing the HDL-LDL
ratio and atherogenic risk. General cholesterol-lowering
applications for the drug never materialized. The same is true
for furazabol. Some have gone so far as to recommend this
steroid to those with high cholesterol! Such use absolutely
should be avoided.
To help reduce cardiovascular strain it is advised to
maintain an active cardiovascular exercise program and
minimize the intake of saturated fats, cholesterol, and simple
carbohydrates at all times during active AAS administration.
Supplementing with fish oils (4 grams per day) and a natural
cholesterol/antioxidant formula such as Lipid Stabil or a
product with comparable ingredients is also recommended.
Side Effects (Testosterone Suppression):
All anabolic/androgenic steroids when taken in doses
sufficient to promote muscle gain are expected to suppress
endogenous testosterone production. Without the intervention
of testosterone-stimulating substances, testosterone levels
should return to normal within 1-4 months of drug secession.
Note that prolonged hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism can
develop secondary to steroid abuse,necessitating medical
intervention.
Administration (Men):
An effective dosage of furazabol seems to begin in the range
of 10-20 mg daily for men, taken for no longer than 6 or 8
weeks. At this level it seems to impart a measurable musclebuilding
effect, which is usually accompanied by fat loss and
increased definition. Doses of 30 mg per day or more
considerably increase the anabolic potential of the drug, but
at the expense of greater hepatotoxicity. The muscle-building
activity of furazabol could, instead, be further enhanced by
the addition of an injectable anabolic such as Deca-
Durabolin® or Equipoise®. In this case, the combination
should provide a noteworthy gain of solid, quality muscle
mass without a loss of definition due to water retention. We
could alternately use a more potent aromatizable androgen
such as testosterone, although here the gains may be
accompanies by some level of water retention, and
potentially a decrease in muscle definition.
Administration (Women):
In the athletic arena, an effective oral daily dosage would
fall in the range of 2-5 mg, taken in cycles lasting no more
than 4-6 weeks to minimize the chance for virilization. As
with all steroids, virilizing side effects are still possible in
women, but remain rare with conservative dosing.
Availability:
Furazabol is no longer produced as a prescription drug
product, although underground preparations containing this
steroid may be located.

By WL

Miotolan® (furazabol) oral anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone

akn

Musclechemistry Member

Similar threads