Winstrol (Stanozolol) is one of the most popular anabolic steroids in existence.  Known as simply “Winny” in the fitness community. It was once approved for human use. But now Stanozolol is simply used by athletes looking to get an edge on their opponents.  Sporting a 320 anabolic rating along with a 30 androgenic rating, it has some of the most distinct attributes and side effects, which will be discussed in this profile.

Development

Winstrol (Stanozolol) has a very interesting history.  Originally approved by the FDA (food and drug administration USA) in 1962, it was created by Winthrop Labs/Sterling Drug.  Their medical intent was to treat venous issues because it is good at stimulating blood fibrinolysis and other skin problems like lipodermatosclerosis.   It has also been used for animals, especially horses for racing.

Forms of delivery

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is found in both oral and liquid form. 

Oral

Interestingly, the oral form was developed for humans while the injectable form was supposed to be used in only animals injected into their muscles.

Injectable

Today both forms are used by athletes, although the injectable version is known as a very painful injection causing what is known as PIP (post injection pain).

Liquid

You can also drink the liquid, as it resembles a milky watery substance (aqueous suspension) and has a very strong taste, so I recommend chasing it down right away with juice.

The science of how it works

DHT

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is most certainly a DHT (dihydrotestosterone) derivative.  DHT is a male androgen hormone that is converted from testosterone at a 5% rate. That gives men our male-like features including penises.  This steroid has this feature thanks to an A-ring that replaces the 3 keto group and makes it a very dry steroid which cannot aromatize into estrogen at all.

Liver Toxicity

It also is very easily bioavailable thanks to the addition of a methyl group which means the liver cannot break it down, making it stronger than some oral steroids, but also liver toxic.

SHBG

Another feature of Winstrol (Stanozolol) is its ability to bind to SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), which means it will help boost the ratio of free testosterone.  In the end, it will help your other steroids work even better when you use it as part of a stack.

How it benefits the athlete

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is one of the best steroids to give the user tremendous pumps.

Bumps

Pumps are blood and nutrients which rapidly shuttle into the muscles during a workout, and help the muscle tighten while also expanding.  This can be an awesome thing for those who enjoy bodybuilding and seeing vascularity and hardness while watching themselves in the mirror, doing photo shoots, or competing.   In fact, Winstrol (Stanozolol) is one of the top 2 or 3 most popularly used steroids ahead of a competition.

The Downside

However, the downside is those who like to do a lot of cardio or jogging may find it impossible to train while on it.  Also, even those who weight train might find back pumps a bit of a nuisance.  There is some thought in the track community that it is helpful to use it for short sprinting or other fast twitch competitions like hurdling or jumping.

Finally, those who powerlift may not get enough benefits to justify using it due to its ability to dry out the joints.

A Muscle hardener

All in all, it is a great steroid for those who want dryness, vascularity, hardness, and some gains in muscle and strength.  It also does what all steroids do which is boost protein synthesis and red blood cell count.

History of doping

Part of the reason Winstrol (Stanozolol) has gained such popularity over the years is due to the most famous doping controversy of the 1980’s.

This occurred at the 1988 Summer Olympics when sprinter Ben Johnson was busted for using this steroid after winning the 100M.

A domino effect happened after with many athletes trying to copycat his success assuming that this steroid would turn them into world class sprinters.  This ultimately led to the United States government cracking down hard on anabolic steroids with new laws.

Half-life

The half-life is only 8 hours for the oral and about 24 hours for the injectable.  The detection time is 3 weeks for the oral and 8 weeks for the injectable.

Dosages and stacking

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is typically dosed 1-2X per day at 25-75mgs total.  I personally have had much success using it. I used it at a conservative dosage especially when using it as part of a stack.

For those seeking a harder look, you can stack in Primobolan, Masteron, or Trenbolone.  Those that want to do a recomposition should consider using SARMS due to their low side effects.  The best options are GW501516 (cardarine), LGD4033 (ligandrol) and S4 (andarine).

Be very careful if choosing to stack in another liver toxic oral, as this can cause severe organ issues.  Blood work is crucial in making sure you use this safely.

Side effects

Although Winstrol (Stanozolol) has a reputation for being mild and weak, this is the furthest from the truth.  This false belief probably stems from the old school mentality that steroids that aromatize into estrogen are the only ones that yield side effects. Also, when it comes to estrogenic issues this steroid will not cause you those problems.

1. However, it will cause major liver toxicity as mentioned already.
2. It also is much more androgenic than what you would assume on paper.

This means it will send cholesterol levels sky high, increase aggression, affect sleep, and cause a rise in blood pressure.

Another big side effect to watch out for is the DHT (dihydrotestosterone) side effects.  These include enlarged prostate, dry joints and the #1 complaint of loss of head hair.  Winstrol (Stanozolol) may be the worst steroid for head hair loss. In addition, blocker drugs like finasteride will not help you combat this.

Female use

Some females have used Winstrol (Stanozolol) successfully, however, there are far better options available with fewer risks.

Availability

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is still legal in a handful of countries, however, it is banned in the United States.  Those looking to buy the steroid must research sources, and you can easily purchase it via the black market.