7 Best Oral Steroids For Bodybuilding In 2024 (Side Effects) (2025)

Want to know the most effective oral steroids and get cut without having to inject yourself like a pin cushion every week?

Injectable steroids are 10x the nuisance oral steroids are – they are a major pain to administer. Get it even slightly wrong and you could end up with paralysis or an embolism.

No wonder bodybuilders and athletes roundup the best pill steroids and get swole – makes it easy to understand why oral steroids are coveted by so many bodybuilders.

In this article, we reveal the 6 best oral steroids for muscle growth, whether you want to pack on mass, get ripped, or do both. We’ll also cover the best legal alternatives for each compound.

What are Oral Steroids?

Tablet steroids are steroids specifically manufactured to be taken orally. They have been chemically altered to survive a pass through the gut and liver digestion before being made available to the bloodstream (c-17 alpha alkylated).

One of the major reasons oral steroids for muscle growth were produced, is because not everyone is keen on injecting themselves with a thick oil every week.

Self-administered injections open up a gateway for infections and bacteria, one that doctors want people to avoid at all costs. That said, even the best oral steroids pose some potential risks.

Best Oral Steroids for Bodybuilding

Now that you know that even the best oral anabolic steroids will come with their fair share of steroids, let’s look at the safest options.

In this list, we will discuss the 6 best pill steroids and include a few honourable mentions.

1. Superdrol (Methasterone/methyldrostanolone)

Superdrol is considered to be one of the strongest oral steroids on the market.

It is a very effective option for those looking for rapid muscle growth but it’s also one of the hardest steroids to manage.

Previously sold as a prohormone and dietary supplement, Superdol is categorized as a controlled substance in many economies because of its health risks.

These may include:

• Shin splints
• Acne
• Loss of libido
• Roid gut

An oral version of the Masteron (Drostanolone) drug but with very different characteristics:

Superdrol used to be sold legally as a Prohormone before the feds found out it was indeed a Steroid.

Comparable to a bomb in its effects, it will bring the user fullness and roundness in no time at all.

2. Anadrol (Oxymetholone/Oxy/Anapolon/Anaps/A-Bombs)

Anadrol is one of the most prominent bulking oral steroids due to its anabolic effects. Just one oral steroid cycle will leave you more swole, with significant muscle and strength gains.

Anadrol is a DHT (dihydrotestosterone) steroid but acts like a Nandrolone. You can expect common side effects like nausea, insomnia, and diarrhea alongside cysts and liver tumors.

Oxymetholone or Anadrol is considered a brutish and the most effective oral steroid. Medically, it is used to treat those who have lost weight due to illness, and it is also used to increase red blood cell count.

It is important to understand that while Anadrol is technically a DHT, it acts much more like a 19-Nor Steroid which means that you can expect a lot of fullness and strength gains.

However, you can also expect a fair amount of oestrogenic effects such as gynecomastia (development of breast tissue in men) and bloating due to water retention.

This may come as a surprise, seeing as DHTs cannot convert to oestrogen.

Thus, Oxymetholone somehow raises oestrogen in the body (quite rapidly) but we’re not sure why – there are a few theories if you feel like looking around.

William Llewellyn (in his book) mentions that this is due to the increased stability of the 3-Keto group.

3. Dianabol (Metandienone/DBol)

Dianabol is enlisted as one of the best tablet steroids on the planet and is probably the one most people end up using first.
Known for being a watery replacement for oral testosterone steroids, its effects are similar to those of Test but slightly different.

Obviously, the 17 alpha Alkylation means that you now have an orally available drug, whilst the double bond at the C1 and C2 will result in less androgenicity.

Dianabol is going to seem more of a ‘wet’ compound based on internet forums, but remember, Arnold didn’t use Testosterone.

He used Dianabol as his Test base, and he was very lean. Using Dianabol with a poor, unbalanced diet and a lackluster training will only lead to bad results. Even the best bulking steroid will require your effort in terms of diet and training.

While there are various better compounds, Dianabol is one of the most famous steroids used to gain lean muscle.

Do keep in mind that all oral steroids will impact hunger due to the first pass and it can cause strain on your cardiovascular health or lead to virilization in women.

4. Winstrol (Stanozolol/Winni)

Winstrol is known as the dry compound. It has the ability to reduce progesterone in the body which can help you appear leaner.

Stanozolol, Winstrol, or Winni is one of the most popular cutting drugs on the market.

If you’re looking for oral steroids for muscle mass that will make you look lean and not bloated, Winstrol is one of your best bets – it’ll offer increased strength and enhanced athletic performance as well.

It was actually formulated by condensation of the 3-keto-aldehyde moiety of Oxymetholone (Anadrol) with Hydrazine.

It is a DHT derivative, meaning it has an inability to convert into oestrogen because it does not interact with the Aromatase enzyme.

Winstrol is also rather good at stimulating both connective tissue (prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), collagenase, gelatinase, and stromelysin) and protein expression.

Winstrol and Anavar are often compared since they share similarities – they share anabolic effects and are used in cutting cycles – but their formulations and water retention abilities are different.

Winstrol can help reduce water retention which will result in a drier and more grainy look compared to Anavar.

Some users may experience discomfort and dryness in their joints whilst using Winstrol. Anavar has fewer side effects whilst Winstrol is more cost effective.

5. Anavar (Oxandrolone/Var)

Anavar is often called the female steroid but is used by men all the same. It is also the steroid with the least amount of side effects, barring maybe only Primobolan.

Anavar, chemically called Oxandrolone, is the most popular compound used by females but is still used by men regularly to increase muscle size and conditioning.

It is notoriously hard to produce and will fetch a pretty penny. Like other DHTs, Anavar cannot convert into Oestrogen, as it does not interact with the Aromatase Enzyme.

Anavar is as close as scientists ever came to designing the best oral steroid, as it seems to have the least amount of side effects of all the steroids.

Not quite as anabolic as other steroids, but still remarkably good at building lean muscle mass.

See, all DHTs will directly increase force production – combining this with progressive overload and a lot of food, you’re bound to gain lean muscle mass.

Therefore, a lot of bodybuilders use it in their oral steroid cycle for optimized results.

Since it is metabolized in the liver and has a considerably short half-life, you need frequent and sustained doses for long-term effects.

Overall, this is a compound used often in the cutting season to make sure you retain as much muscle mass as possible. As an oral, you can also expect insane cell hydration, meaning you’ll feel pretty full.

6. Primobolan (Metenolone/Primo)

Primobolan or Primo is a steroid that is often misunderstood, and people will often just simply ignore it because ‘it isn’t strong’.

There is some truth to this, as far as anabolism goes, it is even slightly weaker than Testosterone, but is significantly less androgenic.

Primobolan is an anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It can be found in two forms:

• Metenolone Enanthate: an injectable steroid which has a longer half-life (needs less doses)
• Metenolone Acetate: an oral steroid that has a shorter half-life (needs daily doses)

The oral version is actually 17 Beta Alkylated, meaning it is less liver-toxic than the 17 Alpha Alkylated.

Overall, Primo is actually just low on most side effects. Due to the low Androgenic rating and the mildness of the drug, it is tolerated remarkably well – even by females. Primo also seems to be a lot more popular in Europe.

As it is a DHT Derivative, Primo will not convert into oestrogen, as it cannot interact with the Aromatase Enzyme.

DHT in general is also a lot stronger than Testosterone, and supposedly also has a stronger binding affinity 5 times stronger than a normal oral Testosterone steroid.

Primobolan is favoured by a lot of athletes as it can help improve performance and can help retain lean muscle mass.

Since its anabolic effects are a bit more modest than other oral steroids for bodybuilding, most side effects of Primo are also pretty mild.

How we chose the best steroids

Your Needs and Purpose

Whether you are looking to get better gains or lean out, in this list we included all the possible oral steroids that you might want to get closer to your goals. Some steroids will help you put on muscle and increase your mass whilst others can help you get leaner and increase muscle definition.

Efficiency and Quality

We based this list off of thorough research and scientific evidence. This list only includes the six best tablet steroids that have proven effective through impressive transformations. Each steroid is a powerhouse of its own, offering you the best results in a short time.

How to use Oral Steroids

You should have done quite a bit of research before even considering steroid use, but, in case you may have missed something, here are some tips for oral steroid use:

• Consider consulting a healthcare professional. Before starting any oral steroid, it is recommended you see a professional who can assess your health and give you suitable recommendations.

• After an oral steroid cycle, consider doing PCT (post-cycle therapy) as it can help rebalance your body’s natural hormone production and reduce withdrawal effects.

• Do not take orals with food as food can lower the bioavailability of the compound. Rather take the tablet with Omega 3 Fatty Acids as this would increase the bioavailability

• Practice a healthy lifestyle which includes doing plenty of exercise and following a really healthy diet.

• Dosage and cycle length should be closely monitored. Do not overuse any steroids since excessive use can have detrimental cardiovascular and liver effects.

Side Effects of Oral Steroids

Compared to their injectable versions, oral steroids tend to be on the steeper side in terms of pricing; moreover, their side effects can be a bit more unique apart from the standard ones associated with all steroids.

Let’s take a look:

Oral Steroids are almost always liver toxic

Barring Oxandrolone, pill steroids will always place a strain on the liver. While some are less intense than others, it is still important to keep in mind the potential harm that could be done to your body.

Primarily, oral steroids are toxic because of their metabolism and chemical structure.

An excessively long oral steroid cycle can impair the flow of bile from the liver which can lead to cholestasis – the buildup of bile can result in liver damage.

Oxidative stress caused by steroid metabolism can contribute to liver toxicity by damaging liver cells.

This kind of hepatic strain can be caused by milder steroids like Test as well, therefore it is imperative for people using testosterone oral steroids – or any other – to monitor their liver health closely.

Increased Water Retention

Oral steroids use water retention to bring a bit of fullness into the body by drawing water into the cells.

However, due to this water-retaining tendency, you must regularly monitor your blood pressure and kidney function to ensure you do not run into serious problems during your oral steroid cycle.

Cardiovascular Strain

Prolonged use of anabolic steroids can put your cardiovascular health at risk. Steroids can raise the level of LDL cholesterol and bad cholesterol, which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries.

An increase in blood pressure can be expected due to its strong androgenic effects. This combined with changes in the lipid profile can significantly increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Amongst a lot of steroids, Trenbolone and Anadrol – the best bulking oral steroids – are infamous for causing the most cardiovascular-associated problems.

Psychiatric Issues

Oral anabolic steroids can cause users to experience rapid changes in mood, these may include aggression, depression, and irritability – this is often referred to as ‘roid rage.’

These are just the tip of the iceberg. It is important to do your due diligence before deciding to ingest body-altering drugs.

Conclusion

Sure, the best oral steroids have made their place in the fitness world, but that place is very specific and very acute.

You should ideally always be using injectables, but in a pinch, these can work. For the most part, the orals should be in for a short cycle and then get the hell off them!

FAQs about Oral Steroids