Oxandrolone and a small LFT bump – any red flags?

Question

I started taking 20 mg of oxandrolone per day last month to help with a stubborn muscle loss after a burn zhv. The first LFT panel I checked, pretty routine after starting anything hormonal, showed my ALT and AST were about 20 % higher than baseline, but still under the upper limit. I didn’t notice any itching or jaundice. For me it felt a little worrisome, so I asked my doctor to double‑check the numbers and to look at my bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. They all stayed normal. I’ve been reading that short‑term oxan can mildly stress the liver, especially at 20–25 mg/day, and that most people’s enzymes settle after a few weeks. I’ve pulled the dose down to 15 mg for a month now, and my enzymes have slipped back a bit. I’m still taking the pill daily, but I’ll keep a log and do another LFT in four weeks. If anyone’s been on oxa and saw a spike, let me know if you trimmed the dose or just monitored. Just making sure we’re all on the same page about what “normal” looks like.

student_rational · Accepted Answer

I’ve been on oxandrolone for about six weeks now for a similar muscle loss issue after a burn. I also saw a 15‑20 % rise in ALT/AST first round, but kept everything under the upper limit. I didn’t cut the dose, just started checking every 3‑4 weeks. The enzymes crept back toward baseline after the first 6‑8 weeks. If you’re staying under 20 mg/day and don’t have symptoms like itching or dark urine, it’s usually fine, but keep a log and make sure your bilirubin stays normal. If you ever see a jump above normal limits, hitting the doctor again is the safest route.

Oxandrolone and a small LFT bump – any red flags?

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