Furazabol - Miotolan Profile

Furazabol/Miotolan Profile

Pharmaceutical Name: Furazabol
Chemical structure: 17-alpha-methyl-5-alpha-androsta-2,3-furazan,17b-ol
Molecular Formula: C20H30N2O2
Molecular weight of base: 330.4692
Active Life: approximately 4 hours
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio (Range): 270-330/73-94



Furazabol is a 17-alpha-alkylated oral steroid that is derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Interestingly, it also has no 3-keto group, which is needed for androgenic binding (1). This obviously hinders the androgenic activity of the compound and thus limits its muscle and strength building abilities. These are traits shared by Stanozolol. It is for this reason that Furazabol is most commonly compared to Stanozolol in both their structures and effects.

For the most part this compound is considered a “pre contest” compound for bodybuilders. Due to its androgenic effects and lack of estrogenic activity, users with relatively low body fat should notice a “muscle hardening” effect when using adequate dosages. Users anecdotally report that there is little to no water retention when administering the drug, and muscle begins to appear much denser and harder. This would follow from the lack of aromatization and androgenic nature of the drug.

However, these effects should also serve as a caution that major gains in muscle mass or strength are not likely to be experienced with Furazabol. There is simply not enough androgenic activity to provide these. However, if used for the specific purpose of enhancing the appearance of the user’s muscle, Furazabol can be quite beneficial when used in conjunction with other anabolic compounds.

An interesting and beneficial difference between Furazabol and Stanozolol is their effects on users’ cholesterol levels. While Stanozolol will drive HDL levels down and LDL level will increase, Furazabol actually improves these. In animal studies it has been shown that administration of Furazabol increases levels of plasminogen (2). Plasminogen is a substance found in the fluids of the body that becomes plasmin when activated which is an enzyme in plasma that is responsible for the destructuring of blood clotting substances in the body. This effect resulted in the decrease in plasma fibrinogen levels as well as a decrease in plasma cholesterol levels. Of course these effects only lasted as long as administration of the drug continued and quickly dissipated once this was ceased (2). However for this reason it can be concluded that, at least in terms of cholesterol health, Furazabol would be a much safer choice than Stanozolol.


Use/Dosing

In terms of dosing, for inexperienced males users, doses in the range of 30-90 milligrams per day should be sufficient to promote very noticeable gains. Due to the short active life of the compound, multiple doses a day should be administered. Three to four would likely be the minimum needed to provide the users with stable blood concentrations of the drug.

In terms of the appropriate dosage for use by women, 5 to 20 milligrams per day should be adequate to experience gains in muscle mass and density. As always however, doses larger than those recommended here have been experimented with by both males and females. Of course with these increasing doses come greater risks and likelihood undesirable side effects will be experienced.

While there have been some studies conducted that have indicated that Furazabol has little effect on endogenous testosterone production, for the most part these studies used relatively small doses (3), much smaller than would be needed to experience any type of muscle building effect. For this reason, along with the fact that it is unlikely that any male users would administer Furazabol without running any other type of anabolic steroid(s) in conjunction with it, the regular post-cycle recovery protocol should be followed.


Risks/Side Effects

Furazabol can not aromatize and therefore estrogenic side effects are not a concern with this compound. As well, the drug is relatively mild in terms of expected androgenic side effects and therefore these should not be a source of concern for most users. This is also a reason why Furazabol is a relatively safe choice for women.

The only real cause of concern for most users would be that the compound is derived from dihydrotestosterone as it relates to (1,4). This of course will indicate that side effects associated with dihydrotestosterone could become apparent with use of the drug. Hair loss, acne and prostate enlargement are all possible side effects that could be encountered when administering the compound.

Finasteride will usually help in preventing or minimizing the effects of dihydrotestosterone, but it will not help with this as a result of furazabol. This is due to the fact that as stated the drug is derived from dihydrotestosterone and so its androgenic activity will not be increased via interaction with the 5 alpha reductase enzyme. However these related side effects should be tolerable if dosages and cycle length are kept within reasonable limits.

As noted earlier, since the compound is 17-alpha-alkylated liver values will likely be raised when administering it. For this reason, and the fact that permanent liver damage is possible, it is recommended that a user limit their use of the drug to about 4-8 weeks. This moderate length of use should not result in any serious complications in terms of liver health.



References

1. Kim T, Suh JW, Ryu JC, Chung BC, Park J. Excretion study of furazabol, an anabolic steroid, in human urine. J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl 1996 Dec 6;687(1):79-83

2. Kumada T, Abiko Y. Enhancement of fibrinolytic and thrombolytic potential in the rat by treatment with an anabolic steroid, furazabol. Thromb Haemost. 1976 Nov 30;36(2):451-64

3. Ichii S. Changes in the cytoplasmic androgen receptor of rat ventral prostate after administration of androgens, antiandrogens and anabolic steroids. Endocrinol Jpn. 1980 Aug;27(4):483-93

4. Gradeen CY, Chan SC, Przybylski PS. Urinary excretion of furazabol metabolite. J Anal Toxicol. 1990 Mar-Apr;14(2):120-2