Running anavar for the first time at 40, what to expect

Starting my first var run next week. Been on TRT for 2 years, run a couple of test blasts, but never added an oral. Going with 50mg per day for 8 weeks alongside 200mg test. I am 40, main goals are strength and a bit of body recomp. Read a lot about lipids taking a hit and some joint dryness. Any tips from guys who have run var, anything that surprised you or things you wish you had known going in?

The strength increase is real and comes fast. Week 2-3 you will notice it clearly. Lipids are the main concern, get bloods at week 4. At 50mg it is manageable for 8 weeks but do not extend it. Some joint dryness is possible but at 200mg test your E2 should be high enough to offset that. One thing that surprised me was how much fuller muscles looked even on a low calorie diet. Var is a quality compound, enjoy it.

The pump you get in the gym on var is something else. Almost too much at times, forearm pump during back work was a real issue for me first couple of weeks. Take taurine if that happens. Lipids wise my LDL went up about 30 points at 50mg, came back down 6 weeks after stopping. Nothing alarming but worth tracking. At 40 the strength and body comp results are probably even better than for younger guys since your natural test is lower, the relative effect is bigger.

Anavar is hepatotoxic, not severely so compared to other orals, but at 50mg for 8 weeks liver enzymes will rise. Add TUDCA at 500mg daily throughout the run and for 4 weeks after. Also the lipid impact is primarily on HDL suppression rather than LDL elevation, which is slightly different from other orals. Fish oil, red yeast rice, and regular cardio will help maintain lipid profile. At 40 with TRT as the base this is a reasonable and manageable cycle.

been on var twice now. first thing i noticed was the aggression in the gym, good aggression, just dialed in and focused. second thing was the pumps which can get painful like the guy above said. taurine helps a lot. at 40 you are going to love it, the strength gains stick around better than younger guys in my experience. keep diet clean and you will see real body comp changes in 8 weeks