Disclaimer: The following article is for educational purposes only and NOT to promote the use of illegal steroids. If you have any questions or concerns, Dr. Touliatos is currently available for consultations.
Turinabol (Chlorodehydromethyltestosterone) and Anavar (Oxandrolone) are oral anabolic steroids, commonly used by bodybuilders and athletes for a competitive edge.
Anavar and Turinabol are relatively similar in relation to how they affect body composition, despite obvious differences in chemical structure.
Turinabol is a derivative of Methandrostenolone (Dianabol), hence its nickname ‘baby dbol’. Meanwhile, Anavar is a DHT (dihydrotestosterone) derivative.
Muscle and Strength Gains
Anavar and Turinabol are considered relatively mild compounds in the anabolic steroid family tree. However, their benefits in terms of muscular hypertrophy and strength are far from mild.
Turinabol is the superior steroid for building mass, with it generally considered a lean bulking steroid. Anavar however, is predominantly taken during cutting cycles; with it building less mass vs Turinabol.
Beginners typically gain >15lbs of lean muscle on Turinabol from a 6-week cycle. On Anavar, novices can expect to build up to 10-12lbs.
Anavar and Turinabol are both potent strength-enhancing compounds, which is surprising to some considering both of these compounds do not aromatize, and thus weight gain is not excessive.
Fat Loss
Neither compound will cause any weight loss, due to simultaneous muscle growth.
However, both compounds will cause reductions in subcutaneous fat mass, whilst limiting water retention.
Turinabol burns moderate amounts of fat directly, simply by being a form of exogenous testosterone (a fat-burning hormone). Tbol makes for a suitable cutting steroid for some users, due to its ability to inhibit extracellular water retention; and thus maximize muscle definition.
Anavar is a unique anabolic steroid in relation to fat loss, due to it having a stimulative effect on Triiodothyronine (T3) levels (1). T3 is the active thyroid hormone that significantly increases lipolysis (fat loss).
Anavar increases T3 by inhibiting TBG (thyroid-binding globulin) and elevating TBP (thyroxine-binding prealbumin). This process effectively increases the conversion of T4 to T3. This is good news for bodybuilders, as T4 (Thyroxine) is the inactive thyroid hormone, and T3 is the hormone that stimulates fat loss.
Anabolic steroids, including Turinabol, decrease subcutaneous fat, but increase visceral fat. This is why bodybuilders, despite being lean, can have bloated-looking midsections.
Anavar is the exception to this rule, reducing both subcutaneous and visceral fat mass; via the improvement of insulin sensitivity (2).
Thus, male and female bodybuilders may experience greater overall fat loss on Anavar (vs Turinabol), especially in the midsection—due to a decrease in VF.
However, it should be noted that Turinabol and Anavar’s anabolic attributes outweigh their ability to induce fat loss.
Turinabol for Women
Very few anabolic steroids are taken by women for fear of virilization effects occurring. Side effects when taking androgenic anabolic steroids include:
- Deepened voice
- Clitoral enlargement
- Hair growth (body)
- Androgen-induced alopecia
- Jaw hypertrophy
- Laryngeal prominence (Adam’s Apple) enlargement.
However, females have experienced great success with preventing the above side effects on Turinabol and Anavar, when taken in conservative dosages.
This may not come as a surprise when considering the initial motivations for creating each of these anabolic steroids. With Anavar, scientists attempted to formulate a compound that promoted anabolism in patients suffering from cachexia (muscle-wasting); including men, women and children. Thus, it was their intention for Anavar to be free from masculinizing effects.
German scientists created Turinabol with the intention of helping their nation become an Olympic super force. Female gymnasts and swimmers were known to have utilized Tbol, thus to reduce any suspicions of foul play, it was in the doctor’s interests to synthesize a compound that would allow women to retain their feminine attributes.
A typical Anavar cycle for beginner female bodybuilders can look as follows:
Going above 10mg/day or/and extending cycles beyond 5-6 weeks will increase the chances of masculinization.
A typical Turinabol cycle for beginner female bodybuilders can look as follows:
Such low dosages are unlikely to cause secondary sex characteristics in women. However, they are high enough to cause notable increases in muscle hypertrophy, strength and fat loss.
Abuse of Turinabol in the form of high dosages or extended cycles (past 5-6 weeks) will increase the risk of masculinization.
Side Effects
Turinabol and Anavar are among the best steroids in regards to safety. Although all anabolic steroids cause a negative impact on a user’s overall health, these two compounds are of the least destructive.
Liver
Mild hepatotoxicity is to be expected on Anavar and Turinabol, considering they are both c-17 alpha-alkylated compounds. Consequently, ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) scores will rise moderately.
For most bodybuilders, this is rarely problematic, due to the resilience of the liver and its self-rejuvenating properties. However, those with existing or previous liver issues (and individuals taking hepatotoxic medications) should avoid all oral anabolic steroids.
Heart
Cardiovascular health is negatively affected by all anabolic steroids; however, Turinabol and Anavar are among the least cardiotoxic.
This is quite unique for oral steroids, which typically have harsher effects on cholesterol, due to their stimulation of hepatic lipase; a liver enzyme that negatively affects HDL cholesterol.
Anadrol, Dianabol, Superdrol and Winstrol are some examples of particularly cardiotoxic oral steroids. However, Turinabol and Anavar’s mild nature reduces the risk of hypertension.
Note: Those will elevated blood pressure or cardiomyopathy in their family should avoid all anabolic steroids.
Testosterone Suppression
Temporary endogenous testosterone suppression is certain when taking any anabolic steroid.
The extent of which can be moderate, or a complete shutdown of the HPTA (hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular axis).
In Anavar and Turinabol’s case, a moderate drop in testosterone can be experienced by users, with testosterone levels often recovering to natural peak levels several weeks post-cycle.
This recovery process is likely to take place in 30 days or less when using an effective PCT (post-cycle therapy).
Excessive use of anabolic steroid substances, without taking ample time off in between cycles, is likely to delay endogenous testosterone recovery.
Hair Loss
Some claim that Anavar does not cause hair loss, as the 5-alpha reductase enzyme is not present, causing Anavar to possess a low androgenic rating of 25.
However, Anavar is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for hair follicle miniaturization on the scalp.
Thus, it is common for men and women to complain of thinning of the hair during cycles. This can often reverse post-cycle when DHT levels return to normal; however, regular cycles and a personal predisposition to male pattern baldness may accelerate hair loss in the long-term on Anavar.
Turinabol, however, is a derivative of Methandrostenolone (Dianabol) which has very low androgenicity, and is not a DHT-derived steroid. Thus, Turinabol would be the safer steroid to take, in regards to preserving hair thickness and preventing recession.
Conclusion: Which is the Better Steroid?
Some bodybuilders may consider Turinabol the better steroid if their priority is to build lean muscle mass, as Tbol will add a few more pounds of lean muscle vs Anavar.
However, Anavar is the more optimal steroid for cutting, due to its lipolytic (fat-burning) effects being more prominent.
In terms of safety and side effects, both steroids are very similar, having a mild nature in contrast to other anabolic steroids.
