Androxon (analog Andriol)
Substance: testosterone undecanoate
Delivery: 30caps 40mg/caps
Manufacturer: Organon Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.
Androxon (Andriol)
is a unique oral testosterone product, developed by the international
drug firm Organon. One of the more recently developed anabolic steroids,
Androxon (Andriol) first became available in the early 1980's. This compound contains
40 mg of testosterone undecanoate, based in oil (oleic acid) and sealed
inside a capsule. Subtracting the ester weight, this equates to a dosage
of approximately 25mg of raw testosterone per cap. The design of this
steroid is quite different from that of most oral steroids. Drugs administered
orally generally enter the blood stream through the liver. When a steroid
compound is given this way without some form of structural protection,
it will be quickly broken down during the "first pass". This
process leaves very little steroid intact, basically deactivating the
drug. Adding a methyl group (c-17 AA) to the structure is one way to
protect it from this process, however stress is also placed on the liver
as a result. In some instances this stress can lead to actual damage
to liver tissues, so the designers of this steroid sought another way
to protect the testosterone molecule. With Restandol(Andriol), this
was accomplished by making a form of testosterone that would be absorbed
through the lymphatic system. This is due to its high fat solubility
brought about by the ester, and its suspension in oil. Having the compound
absorbed this way was thought to be very advantageous, as it allows
the steroid to bypass the destructive first-pass through liver. This
should permit the compound to enter the blood stream intact, without
the need for a harsh chemical alteration. The ester breaks off once
it is in circulation of course, yielding free active Pharmacokinetics
of Orai Testosterone testosterone. In design this steroid appears to
be undecanoate that of a completely liver safe and orally active form
of testosterone.
On paper this drug seems
like an ideal oral testosterone product. Clean, safe and worlds apart
from other oral testosterone derivatives like the crude methyltestosterone.
But as we always hear in life, if it looks to good to be true, it probably
is. And there are definitely some issues with Restandol®. The first
problem is that bioavailability, although clearly worlds apart from
trying to take straight testosterone orally, is probably not significant
next to c17alpha alkylated orals. Athletes typically find that in doses
of less than 240mg per day (6 capsules) effects are generally not seen
at all. 240mg of testosterone ester daily, the primary male androgen,
and only a meager effect. When doses go higher, maybe 8-10 capsules
(320-400mg), new muscle growth is slight to moderate at best, but no
incredible bulky gains are ever reported. Logic leads one to think that
only a little testosterone is making its way into circulation. Testosterone
is a powerful hormone no matter what the ester or form of administration.
If it were active in the blood stream, the results would have to be
pronounced. When one injects an oil based testosterone ester like cypionate,
a dosage of 400mg per week is more than sufficient. 400mg Restandol(Andriol)
per day should be packing on an incredible amount of mass. Where does
it all go? Individual problems with absorption may play into things
here. The graph above shows the median response noted when this drug
was given to a group of women. It does not however depict the striking
differences in individual metabolism that were noted in this experiment.
If we look at results from each of four subjects, the differences are
dramatic to say the least. While one is off the scale with testosterone
levels, another barely budges at all. What is even more confusing is
that results were so inconsistent, that at times higher levels were
achieved with a lower 20mg dose compared to the 40mg when given to the
same subject. Clearly there is little to be said except that this drug
is unpredictable in its ability to be absorbed and utilized by the body.
While one day you might be getting great absorption, perhaps the next
day you are getting very little. Studies with men were no better than
with women, where again this drug was shown to be unpredictably absorbed
and utilized with blood levels ranging from 11.5 to 60.1 nmol/L with
80mg twice daily49.
One might also pay interest
to the "mildness" of this compound as described by other bodybuilding
materials.Restandol® is often spoken about as some type of magic
product, which to spite being a form of regular testosterone somehow
allows for only minimal estrogen conversion. You should know that the
way a drug is administered includes a number of factors that can slightly
alter its effect, the most predominant being the speed of release. This
effects the time it takes for a peak blood level to be reached, and
likely the length it takes to see results. The primary reason Testosterone
suspension seems more powerful than enanthate is because more drug is
active on day one. At the same time estrogen builds up faster and side
effects become pronounced very quickly. The ester is also part of the
total weight, and 100mg testosterone contains a much larger quantity
of testosterone molecules that testosterone plus ester, another reason
for varying effect. But these changes do not amount to all that much.
The structure of testosterone is what allows it to break down into estrogen.
The only way we can really prevent an androgen from converting to estrogen
is to change the base molecule, not the ester. Once free in the blood
stream we cannot prevent testosterone from being aromatized without
interfering with the aromatase enzyme itself. The lack of results and
side effects often reported with Restandol®must be going hand in
hand with poor absorption.
Most athletes today consider
Restandol a very poor buy. I know other references do find use for this
drug, which is defendable because some amount of steroid clearly does
enter the blood stream in tact. Technically it is still an oral testosterone,
and definitely does not carry the same liver-toxicity risks associated
with most steroids designed for this type of administration, so all
is not Post. Those specifically looking for a mild oral at times do
purchase this product, and occasionally are even satisfied with their
results. But for most its high price and required high daily dosages
usually causes them to avoided it when crossing it on the black market.
Besides, if we want a mild steroid the last thing we really should shop
for is a testosterone.
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