Active Life: around 48 hours
Drug Class: Anabolic/Androgenic Steroid (for injection or oral)
Average Dose: Men 50-100 mg/day.....Women 25-50 mg/week
Acne: Rare
Water Retention: Rare
High Blood Pressure: Rare
Liver Toxic: Yes, it is a 17AA steroid
Aromatization: No, it is a DHT derivative
DHT Conversion: None
Decrease HPTA function: Low

Winstrol is a popular brand name for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. This compound is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone, although its activity is much milder than this androgen in nature. It is technically classified as an anabolic steroid, shown to exhibit a slightly greater tendency for muscle growth than androgenic activity in early studies. While dihydrotestosterone really only provides androgenic side effects when administered, stanozolol instead provides quality muscle growth. The anabolic properties of this substance are still mild in comparison to many stronger compounds, but it is still a ggod, reliable builder of muscle. Its anabolic properties could even be comparable to Dianabol, but Winstrol does not have the same tendency for water retention. Stanozolol also contains the same c17 methylation we see with Dianabol, an alteration used so that oral administration is possible. To spite this design however, there are many injectable versions of this steroid produced.

Since stanozolol is not capable of converting into estrogen, an anti-estrogen is not necessary when using this steroid, gynecomastia is not a concern even among the most sensitive individuals. Since estrogen is also the cause of water retention, instead of bulk look, Winstrol produces a lean, quality look with no fear of excess subcutaneous fluid retention. This makes it a great steroid to use during cutting cycles, when water and fat retention are a major concern. It is also very popular among athletes in combination strength/speed sports such as Track and Field.

The usual dosage for men is 35-75mg per day for the tablets and 25-50mg per day with the injectable version. It is often combined with other steroids depending on the desired result. For bulking purposes, a stronger androgen like testosterone, Dianabol or Anadrol is usually added. Here Winstrol will balance out the cycle a bit, giving us good anabolic effect with lower overall estrogenic activity than if taking such steroids alone. The result should be a considerable gain in new muscle mass, with a more comfortable level of water and fat retention. For cutting phases Winstrol can be combined with a non-aromatizing androgen such as trenbolone or Halotestin. Such combinations should help bring about the strongly defined, hard look of muscularity so sought after among bodybuilders. Older, more sensitive individuals can add compounds like Primobolan, Deca-Durabolin or Equipoise when wishing to stack this steroid. Here they should see good results and fewer side effects than with standard androgen therapies.

Women usually take around 5-10mg daily. Although female athletes usually find stanozolol very tolerable, the injectable version is usually off limits.

With the structural (c17-AA) alteration, the tablets will also place a higher level of stress on the liver than the injectable (which avoids the "first pass"). During longer or higher dosed cycles, liver values should therefore be watched closely through regular blood work. Although less common, there is still a possibility of liver damage occuring with the injectable form. While it does not enter the body through the liver, it is still broken down by it, providing a lower (but more continuous) level of stress. Such stress would of course be increased with the addition of other c17-AA oral compounds to a cycle of Winstrol. When using such combinations, cautious users would make every effort to limit the length of the cycle (preferably 6 to 8 weeks) and take some form of liver protectants. It should also be noted that both versions of Winstrol have been linked to strong adverse changes in HDL/LDL cholesterol levels. This side effect is common with anabolic steroid therapy, and obviously can become a health concern as the dose/duration of intake increase above normal. The oral version should have a greater impact on cholesterol values than the injectable due to the method of administration, and may therefore be the worse choice of the two for those concerned and this side effect.

The oral use of stanozolol can also have a profound impact on levels of SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin). This is a characteristic of all anabolic/androgenic steroids, however its potency and form of administration make Winstrol particularly noteworthy in this regard. Since plasma binding proteins such as SHBG act to temporarily constrain steroid hormones from exerting activity, this effect would provide a greater percentage of free (unbound) steroid hormone in the body. This may amount to an effective mechanism in which stanozolol could increase the potency of a concurrently used steroid. To further this purpose one could also addition Proviron, which has an extremely high affinity for SHBG. This affinity may cause Proviron to displace other weaker substrates for SHBG (such as testosterone), another mechanism in which the free hormone level may be increased. Adding Winstrol and Proviron to your next testosterone cycle may therefore prove very useful,, markedly enhancing the free state of this potent muscle building androgen.