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.
Anabolic steroids are often associated with gaining exceptional amounts of muscle hypertrophy and strength, which is medically what they were designed for — treating patients with cachexia (muscle wasting conditions).
Although anabolic steroids’ sole purpose is to promote weight gain, researchers have found that increases in muscle mass, are often accompanied with simultaneous fat loss (1).
Also researchers have found that certain steroids are better than others for burning fat, which is why bodybuilders cycle similar compounds when cutting, in an attempt to accelerate lipolysis (fat loss) and increase muscle definition.
It is somewhat deceptive to say the following compounds listed in this article are the best steroids for weight loss, because although they will enhance fat burning, they also simultaneously add lean muscle tissue — ultimately causing weight gain.
Thus, the scales may not reflect dramatic weight loss, but the mirror will.
A more accurate description of the AAS below, are: the best steroids for fat loss (not weight loss).
5 Best Steroids for Fat Loss
Anavar not only causes weight loss in terms of lipolysis (fat loss), but it also has diuretic qualities — flushing out extracellular water.
Thus, users will not only become leaner and more toned on anavar, but they will also achieve a smaller waist and relieve any bloating.
The scales may not be the best measuring apparatus for monitoring fat loss on anavar, as this steroid simultaneously produces moderate lean muscle gains.
All anabolic steroids will have some fat burning properties because they are all forms of exogenous testosterone.
Bodybuilders typically have less subcutaneous fat, but higher visceral fat after taking steroids. This increase in visceral fat (surrounding the internal organs) is caused by insulin resistance via estrogen dominance (commonly caused by steroids that aromatize).
However, one unique trait about anavar is that it doesn’t aromatize into estrogen or directly affect estrogen receptors. Thus, not only does anavar reduce subcutaneous fat mass, but also visceral fat. Therefore, your stomach will become more defined and smaller.
In contrast, bodybuilders who take estrogenic steroids, can end up having more toned abs (due to less subcutaneous fat), whilst possessing a more bloated/distended stomach (increase in visceral fat).
Another reason why anavar is arguably the best steroid for weight loss (fat loss), is due to its safety profile. Anavar is a FDA approved drug in medicine, used to treat cachexia (2), and is often well tolerated by women and children.
Thus, due to anavar’s low toxicity, many users do not experience any obvious side effects when taking this compound. However, if abused with excessive dosages or overextended cycles, dangerous side effects can occur.
Anavar is also one of the few steroids women can take to safely burn fat and increase muscle tone, with it seldom causing virilization effects (when taken in conservative dosages).
Anavar Cycle for Men
Anavar Cycle for Women
Here are some before/after pictures, demonstrating potential fat loss from an anavar cycle:
Note how the woman above didn’t actually lose any weight (+2kg), yet she experienced dramatic fat loss.
2. Winstrol
Winstrol (Stanozolol) is a similar anabolic steroid to anavar, in regards to both of them being DHT derivatives and having potent fat burning and lean mass building properties.
If we were ranking the best steroids for weight loss (or ‘fat loss’), winstrol would likely take top spot. However, it comes behind anavar on our list simply because it has more toxic side effects.
Bodybuilders often cycle winstrol during cutting phases, to get as lean and ripped as possible; maximizing muscle definition.
Winstrol not only burn a little more fat than anavar, but it will also flush out more water. This may be a bonus for those looking to get as lean as possible; but a possible disadvantage to bodybuilders as they are likely to lose some intracellular muscle fullness.
Like anavar, winstrol does not aromatize and thus it burns both subcutaneous and visceral fat stores.
Winstrol however is going to cause significant fluctuations in LDL/HDL cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. It also is a c-17 alpha alkylated oral compound, causing notable elevations in AST/ALT liver enzymes; indicating significant hepatic stress.
Winstrol will also cause testosterone levels to shut down, due to damage to the HPTA axis. Users often experience their natural testosterone levels returning several months after taken winstrol (assuming they don’t take any other anabolic substances following post winstrol cessation).
Winstrol is not female friendly, unlike anavar, being the culprit for many cases of virilization on the fitness scene. If you want to avoid masculinization, anavar is a better choice for women. The only exception would be if females took very small doses of winstrol and utilized short cycles, in which case women are likely to retain their femininity.
Winstrol Cycle for Men
Winstrol Cycle for Women
3. Turinabol
Turinabol is a dianabol derivative, which may surprise some considering dianabol is mainly used as a mass-building, bulking agent.
Turinabol is a ‘dry’ anabolic steroid, whereas dianabol is a ‘wet’ compound. This is due to turinabol failing to aromatize, resulting in lean and dry muscle gains; whereas dianabol can cause water retention and bloating.
Turinabol also does not pose any risk in terms of gynecomastia, making it a very effective and coveted anabolic steroid that can be successfully utilized during bulking or cutting cycles.
Turinabol users will build moderate amounts of muscle and burn noticeable amounts of fat, similar to the potency of winstrol; but with more muscle fullness.
Turinabol is arguably the best steroid for weight loss (fat loss), if users are planning on incorporating regular cardio into their training split.
This is because it is among the best AAS for muscular endurance, thus cardiovascular performance will vastly improve due to a notable increase in red blood cell production.
The actual purpose of Turinabol’s creation was to improve endurance, specifically in German swimming athletes. German scientists had previously observed dianabol increasing muscular strength and power, but at a cost of excessive weight gain.
Thus, they created a compound virtually identical to dianabol, with the exception of an extra 4-chloro alteration of clostebol. This meant that athletes could carry less weight, yet experience superior athletic performance.
Therefore, if someone were to combine anabolic steroids with regular cardio or HIIT (high intensity interval training), turinabol may indirectly help them burn more fat, by increasing the intensity and duration of workouts. Calorie expenditure is also likely to increase.
Turinabol is a milder steroid in terms of side effects, presenting less toxicity to the liver and heart than winstrol. Female athletes wanting to avoid masculinization may be safer taking turinabol than other AAS, as women frequently took tbol furing the 60s and 80s.
However, virilization cases did sporadically appear especially when female athletes started combining turinabol with other anabolic steroids, such as testosterone and deca durabolin. Thus, despite some promise, until more research is completed on the virilization effects of turinabol in an isolated environment, it may be wise for women to opt for anavar (a more thoroughly researched compound in medicine for almost six decades).
Turinabol Cycle for Men
Turinabol Cycle for Women
4. Trenbolone
If we ignore side effects completely, trenbolone is perhaps the best steroid for fat loss (subcutaneous), and superior than all other anabolic steroids on the market.
Trenbolone has exceptional muscle building and fat burning effects, making it a powerful bulking or cutting steroid. Its impressive fat burning capabilities can be attributed to its strong androgenic nature; with androgen receptors shown to stimulate lipolysis in adipose tissue (3). This occurs due to an increase in beta-adrenoceptors and adenylate cyclase activity.
Trenbolone also does not aromatize, keeping estrogen levels low and thus ensuring additional weight loss, in the form of water.
The reason that trenbolone ranks low on our list of: top 5 steroids for weight loss (fat loss), is due to it producing harsh side effects and increasing progesterone.
Trenbolone causes significant surges in LDL cholesterol, posing serious cardiovascular risks to users; dramatically increasing the chance of developing hypertension.
Trenbolone also causes notable testosterone suppression, due to damage of the HTPA axis. Consequently, men can experience several months of low testosterone symptoms, such as: decreased well-being, libido, energy and erectile quality.
Trenbolone also has the potential to greatly increase male pattern baldness, via sharp elevations in DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
Unfortunately, tren can actually increase visceral fat, often caused by female sex hormones rising, commonly being estrogen. Although there is no notable aromatization, or estrogen activity with trenbolone, progesterone mimics the same fat-storing effects — which trenbolone does raise.
Thus, users are likely to experience a significant reduction in subcutaneous fat, at the expense of an increase in visceral fat (causing a leaner, yet more bloated appearance to the midsection).
Trenbolone is not suitable for women to take, if they want to avoid masculinization.
Trenbolone Cycle for Men
Note: Weight loss (fat loss) will occur faster when taking trenbolone acetate. This is a short ester and thus it peaks in users’ system sooner than taking a longer trenbolone ester (enanthate).
5. Testosterone
Testosterone is an FDA approved injectable anabolic steroid, often prescribed in medicine for endogenous testosterone deficiency.
Bodybuilders have been using testosterone since it came to the market almost a century ago, assisting in building large amounts of muscle and strength. However, testosterone’s fat burning effects are often underrated, with it being a potent compound for reducing subcutaneous fat mass.
Its ability to burn fat surpasses many other anabolic steroids, due to its high androgenicity (similar to trenbolone).
However, testosterone does aromatize and thus weight gain in the form of water is common and may lead to temporarily reduced muscle definition and bloating (especially in individuals following a moderate to high sodium diet).
Testosterone’s estrogenic effects may cause visceral fat storage, which although this type of fat is invisible (hidden internally around the organs) — it can cause a distended look to the waistline.
However, testosterone makes takes the last spot on our top steroids for weight loss (fat loss) list, due to its impressive safety profile. No anabolic steroid is 100% safe, especially when bought via an underground lab and taken without expert medical supervision. However, testosterone is an FDA approved medicine and thus it has proven to be safe when taken in the correct dosages when treating hormone imbalances of cachexic states. However, testosterone remains illegal for recreational use.
Testosterone causes only mild fluctuations in cholesterol when taken in moderate dosages and poses little hepatic toxicity. Thus, it is of the most cardiovascular-friendly anabolic steroids available.
Its various esters come in injectable form, which may not ideal for some users. The only exception to this is testosterone undecanoate, an oral form of testosterone, otherwise known as TestoCaps. However, TestoCaps’ retail price is very expensive and a fraction of the price of injectable testosterone esters, such as cypionate and enanthate.
Testosterone is not suitable for women to take due to its strong androgenic rating, which may accelerate male pattern baldness in men, as well as oily skin/acne vulgaris.
Testosterone Cycle for Men
Dosages can increase up to 500mg/day, with cycles extending to 12 weeks, based on a user’s level of experience. Although higher dosages will increase fat loss, they also increase risk and the severity of side effects.
Here is a before/after photo, demonstrating the typical fat burning effects of testosterone from a first cycle.
Summary
There are no ‘best steroids for weight loss’, as all AAS will cause weight gain. However, the above compounds are the best steroids for fat loss.
In terms of safety and suitability for both men and women, anavar can be regarded as the best steroid for fat loss; due to its mild effect on cholesterol, liver, testosterone suppression and low incidents of virilization.
If users are more willing to risk their health and are unable to afford anavar’s high market price, they may opt for winstrol (a more powerful fat burner). However, females should take a very low dosage of winstrol to avoid virilization, as outlined.
All of the anabolic steroids listed above will cause significant muscle gain, which can assist in improving body composition. Additional muscle mass will also help to elevate a person’s metabolic rate, indirectly helping them to burn more fat.
Muscle gain occurring alongside fat loss is advantageous, as rapid/excessive weight loss through dieting can result in sagging (due to muscle loss). Having adequate levels of muscle mass will help to give a lift to the muscles, decreasing the impact of gravity over time; whilst also increasing muscle tone.
To maximize fat loss/weight loss, users should eat in a calorie deficit (-500/day), which will maximize fat burning and muscle retention. Calorie deficits greater than this (starvation diets) can lead to water storage and muscle loss.
