Oxandrolone (also known as Anavar) was first synthesized by the American pharmaceutical company Searle Laboratories and released under the trademark Anavar in 1964. It has been prescribed for the treatment of many medical conditions, such as debilitated HIV-infected patients, anemia, strengthening bones, recovery from burns, people with Turner syndrome, and promotion of lean tissue growth following surgery, trauma, infection, or prolonged corticosteroid administration. Anavar is a popular choice among female athletes seeking anabolic effects while minimizing the risk of androgenic activity, as well as athletes preparing for strength and endurance sports that require lean muscle without water and fat. An oxyandrolone cycle won`t help athletes gain colossal muscle volumes; however, it is a perfect compound to use while getting rid of fat and giving the body a more defined look. 

Oxyandrolone is a structurally modified form of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with C17-alpha-alkylation to allow for oral bioavailability. It also differs from DHT by having an oxygen atom in place of carbon-2 in the A-ring, an alteration that considerably increases the anabolic strength of the steroid by partly making it resistant to metabolism by 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in skeletal muscle tissue. Oxandrolone is the only commercially available steroid with such a substitution to its basic ring structure. Despite the C17-alpha-alkylation, oxandrolone has a very gentle impact on the liver. Research has shown that taking oxandrolone at 20 mg per day for twelve weeks did not cause a statistically important increase in AST and ALT. It also does not participate in aromatization and is not estrogenic itself. 

In regards to the impact on the hormonal system, oxandrolone does not completely shut down the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPTA), especially at moderate dosages. However, post-cycle therapy utilizing antiestrogens is still strongly recommended.
Anavar is perhaps the mildest and safest oral steroid on the market today, making it ideal for those new to anabolic steroids.