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



This is another one of the popular ones. Next to Deca and D-bol the third most abused substance among athletes is stanozolol, as documented by the many positive drug tests. Among them the case sprinter Ben Johnson, who was stripped of his Gold Medal in the 100 meter dash in the 1988 Olympics. But since then the number of positives has grown exponentially. In bodybuilding Shawn Ray's positive in the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic (a brief stint the IFBB had with drug testing). Ray was the winner of that event, but Canadion pro Nimrod King was also shown to have stanazolol metabolites in his urine.

That short paragraph to illustrate what sort of an impact it has made on the world of sports. Stanozolol is commonly referred to as Winny, after its trade name as marketed by Winthrop : Winstrol. In Europe this may be a bit confusing as the most available form there is called Stromba. Winny comes in two forms, an injectable form and an oral form. Both are equally popular and both are to be used daily. The injections are the same compound as the orals, which is methylated. Due to this feat it can't be esterified for time-release. So its not quite suited for weekly injections although this is claimed on the package insert of the veterinary form of Winny. Another thing that would further add to the difficulty of time-release is that it is delivered in an aqueous solution. That would not exactly facilitate the entry into adipose tissue, needed for the esterification and storage of the substrate in the body.

The injectable version often gives more results. In similar doses there is still more breakdown upon first pass in the liver, making it difficult to get an equal amount absorbed. And on top of that it has to be mentioned that most people simply don't take an equal amount. Too many pills, lesser availability, higher cost. Many factors play a role in that. But of course an oral is to be preferred over daily injections as that gives the necessary complications as well. Think of abscesses and lumps, the searching for new injection sites due to pain and so on. Some have solved this problem by simply drinking the Winny injections. It's the same substance, also methylated to withstand the liver, the availability and price are better and its contained in water. So there really aren't many objections to this.

Of course because they are the same substance, regardless of the method of use, its not advised to use Winny for long periods of time. Slightly less hepatoxic than most 17-alpha alkylated substrates, so it can be used a bit longer, as long as 8 weeks, but longer than that is not wise. Elevation of liver values is quite common.

The specificity of Winny however, lies in how it counteracts estrogenic side-effects such as gyno and excess water retention. First of all it's a 5-alpha reduced substrate. 5-alpha reduction breaks the double bond between positions 4 and 5, which is required for conversion to estrogen via aromatase, the primary enzyme for the manufacture of estrogen in males. Because some of these compounds nonetheless show some affinity for aromatase they may have some use in blocking estrogen from other steroids they are stacked with. Wether or not Winny acts in this way is not entirely sure. What has been a popular point of discussion with stanozolol is its suggested anti-progestagenic effects. The theory goes that Winny can bind and compete for a position at the progesterone receptor much like Clomid of Nolvadex would at the estrogen receptor, thereby inhibiting progestagenic effects. Now, progesterone can aggravate estrogenic side-effects by agonizing estrogen and it does play a role in gyno.

We also discussed that certain steroids may indeed stimulate and act at the height of the progesterone receptor including nandrolone and Norethandrolone. These hormones are also altered by it inducing a decrease in libido and a sense of lethargy and such, and eventhough they aromatize in lesser rates than some other steroids, they show an equal capability to cause estrogenic side-effects, particularly when stacked with other aromatizable compounds. Now there is evidence that Winny does indeed bind to the progesterone receptor1 and its users do not indicate the normal characteristics of progesterone stimulation, which bodes well for these anti-progestagenic properties. There is also some clinical data that it does aid in symptoms that require progesterone suppression2. Much in the way danazol was also successfully used. The one thing we shouldn't lose sight of however is in what rate it binds to the progesterone reception. There is no data on this. For all we know it couldn't bind strong enough to compete with nandrolone or norethandrolone. So its not wise to state that Winny is an anti-progestagin per se, but it does make Winny a good match for these products in stacks in any case.

Strong gains are never really made while using stanozolol (it's a weak androgen since it has no 3-keto group needed for androgen binding), but decent and fairly easy to maintain gains are possible. Its limited time of use however makes most experienced users opt for other steroids in that regard. Winny, in bodybuilding circles at least, is used mostly during cutting cycles to maintain mass. Winstrol, like a DHT compound also gives a distinct increase in muscle hardness and striations in people with a low body-fat percentage. This lends further credence that it too may be a an anti-estrogen. But most likely it has more to do with the overall lower levels of circulating estrogen. Winny is also quite effective at promoting strength because it binds very well at the androgen receptor. Short term stanozolol use can promote drastic strength, a feat often employed early in a bulking cycle (although d-bol would be more suited in that case) or late in a cutting cycle to prevent a decrease in performance. This combined with the red blood cell count-stimulating properties of its androgen affinity make it popular among track athletes as well in order to beget better results. As many, including Ben Johnson, did not take into account it can be detected for quite some time after last use so its not advisable for drug tested athletes. Many have assumed otherwise due to the short half-life, but apparently some inactive metabolites are easily esterified, so they can be found up to 5 months after the last injection.

Winny is mostly quite well-tolerated in men. Cramps, headaches, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels and liver damage are noted, but on a not so-frequent basis. Standard virilization symptoms associated with the stimulating of the androgen receptor, however, are a problem. Acne, prostate hypertrophy and an aggravation of male pattern baldness can occur, so use by women has to be discouraged.

Due to the frequent rate of injections, users generally have to go spotting for different sites of injection on the body. Calves, shoulders, arms and such. When doing so they noted a localized increase in mass which has given root to the myth that Winny can add muscle where it is injected. What I'm about to say goes for all compounds known to date : Steroids do not increase mass locally. The observance is noted because the injection breaks the fascia around the muscle, which possibly gives a muscle a little more room to grow. This is mostly temporary, and in the best cases very limited. Multiple injections would not increase the size in comparison. When the fascia heals, if it heals, it can lead to something called compartments syndrome, where a nerve is pinched between a muscle and its fascia. Leading to numbness quite often and in some cases to a paralysis of everything that nerve controls. This is not a frequent occurrence. This is rare, but my point was documenting that localized growth spurred by an injection is a myth.

A last note about injectable Winny is : shake before use. Its called an aqueous solution, but the Winny being a steroid is not particularly polar, meaning it doesn't dissolve in the water. When the stuff sits, it will accumulate at the bottom of the vial. A good way to recognize the real stuff as well. So shake before you draw it into a syringe or mix it before you drink it, and perhaps even stir it again once in the syringe prior to injection.

Winstrol is best used at a rate of 50 mg a day. When in an injection that amounts to a single injection every day around the same time. In orals, that'll be at least 5 tabs of a legit product. In a mass stack Winny makes a good match for Deca and Nilevar. Whether or not its anti-progestagenic effects are for real or not, lets just say it can't hurt. In any stack with Deca the use of 25-50 mg a day for the first 6-8 weeks of the stack can kickstart it and add some strength. With Nilevar there is a practical objection because it is also 17-alpha alkylated and more toxic than Winny, so your stack would be limited to 6 weeks, which is not overly productive.

Winstrol is one of the favorite steroids in general, as confirmed by many positive doping cases. Stanozolol, for example, was one of the substances which enabled Ben Johnson to achieve his magic sprints. It also gave this excep-tional athlete a distinctly visible gain in hard and defined quality muscles, possibly making quite a few bodybuilders envious. During the first doping-tested professional bodybuilding championships, the Arnold's Classic 1990, the winner, Shawn Ray, and the enormously massive Canadian pro, Nimrod King, tested positive on Winstrol (stanozolol), (FLEX, July 1990). The Track and Field World Champi-onships 1993 in Stuttgart also brought two positive "stanozolol cases" to light. To make a long story short: Winstrol is a very effec-tive steroid when used correctly. It is important to distinguish be-tween the two different forms of administration of stanozolol, since the injectable Winstrol Depot is distinctly more effective than the oral Winstrol. Thus it is preferred by most athletes.

What is special about the injectable Winstrol Depot is that its sub-stance is not-as is common in almost all steroids-dissolved in oil; it is dissolved in water. Although almost every steroid-experienced bodybuilder knows this difference, the practical application of this knowledge rarely occurs: the injection-free intervals of the com-pound Winstrol Depot must be distinctly shorter than with the other common steroids. Simplified, this means that Winstrol Depot 50 mg/ml must be injected much more frequently than the oil-dis-solved steroids (e.g. Primobolan, Deca-Durabolin, Sustanon 250, Parabolan, etc.). The reason for this is the relative low half-life time of steroids. Those dissolved in water must be injected at least every second day, and best results are observed at a daily injection of 50 mg. The substance stanozolol is a precursor to the dihydrotestosterone and consequently, it prevents Winstrol Depot from aromatizing into estrogens with water retention occurring only rarely. Based on these characteristics the main application of Winstrol Depot is clearly defined in bodybuilding: preparation for a competi-tion. Together with a calorie-reduced diet which is rich in protein Winstrol Depot gives the muscles a continuously harder appear-ance. Winstrol Depot is usually not used as the only steroid during dieting since, based on its low androgenic component, it does not reliably protect the athlete from losing muscle tissue. The missing, pronounced androgenic effect is often balanced by a combined in-take with Parabolan. Depending on the athlete's per-formance level, the athlete usually takes 50 mg Winstrol Depot ev-ery 1-2 days and Parabolan 76 mg/1.5 ml every 1-2 day. Although there is no scientific proof of a special combined action between Winstrol Depot and Parabolan, based on several practical examples, a synergetic effect seems likely. Other steroids which athletes suc-cessfully combine with Winstrol Depot during the preparation for a competition include Masteron, Equipoise, Halotestin, Oxandrolone, Testosterone propionate, Primobolan, and HGH.

Winstrol Depot, however, is not only especially suited during prepa-ration for a competition but also in a gaining phase. Since it does not cause water retention rapid weight gains with Winstrol Depot are very rare. However, a solid muscle gain and an over proportionally strong strength increase occur, usually remaining after use of the compound is discontinued. Bodybuilders who want to build up strength and mass often combine Winstrol Depot with Dianabol, Anadrol 50, Testosterone, or Deca-Durabolin. With a stack of 100 mg Anadrol 50/day, 50 mg Winstrol Depot/day, and 400 mg Deca-Durabolin/week the user slowly gets into the dosage range of am-bitious competing athletes. Older athletes and steroid novices can achieve good progress with either Winstrol Depot/Deca-Durabolin or Winstrol Depot/Primobolan Depot. They use quite a harmless stack which normally does not lead to noticeable side effects. This leaves steroid novices with enough room for the "harder" stuff which they do not yet need in this phase. Winstrol Depot is mainly an anabolic steroid with a moderate, androgenic effect which, however, can especially manifest itself in women dosing 50 mg/week and in men dosing higher quantities. Problems in female athletes usually occur when a quantity of 50 mg is injected twice weekly. The effect of Winstrol Depot decreases considerably after a few days and thus an injection at least twice weekly is justified. However, an undesired accumulation of androgens in the female organism can occur, re-sulting in masculinization symptoms - Some deep female voices cer-tainly originated with the intake of Winstrol Depot. However, a dose of 50 mg Winstrol Depot every second day in ambitious female athletes is the rule rather than the exception. Other non-androgenic side effects can occur in men as well as in women, manifesting them-selves in headaches, cramps, changes in the HDL and LDL values, and in rare cases, in high blood pressure. Possible liver damage can be estimated as very low when Winstrol is injected; however, in large doses an elevation in the liver values is possible. Since Winstrol Depot is dissolved in water the injections are usually more uncom-fortable or more painful than is the case with oily solutions.

Although there are many fakes of the injectable Winstrol, the origi-nal "Winny " as it is lovingly called by its users, is easily recognized based on its unusual form of administration. At a first glance the content of the ampule is only a milky, white, watery solution which, however, has distinct characteristics. Original "Winny " is recognized because the substance separates from the watery injection fluid when the ampule is not shaken for some time. When the ampule is left flat in its ampule box or, for example, stands upright on a table, the substance accumulates as a distinctly visible white layer on the lower side of the glass and can only be mixed with the watery fluid if shaken several times or rolled forward and backward. An ampule containing I ml of suspension and its 50 mg dissolved stanozolol should normally separate a white layer in the size of almost a thumb-nail. The athlete thus can easily determine whether his injectable Winstrol is actually stanozolol or is rather under closed. Do not buy ampules or glass vials which contain more than I ml of suspension since an original injectable Winstrol is only available in one-millili-ter glass ampules.

When injected daily Winstrol Depot can become a very expensive compound. It also has the disadvantage that, because of the fre-quent injections, the already-mentioned scar tissue will develop in the gluteal region (buttocks) which leads many athletes to inject Winstrol in their shoulders, arms, legs or even calves. Although this was originally intended as an expedient, injecting Winstrol Depot into certain muscles has become increasingly popular since athletes have noticed that this leads to an accelerated growth of the affected muscle. An American pro bodybuilder who is known for his cross striated, horseshoe- shaped triceps owes this in considerable part to his regular "triceps Winstrol-Depot injections." A confusion with the also often used Esiclene is excluded. Athletes who want to avoid daily injections usually take 2-3ml Winstrol Depot twice a week. in the U.S. injectable stanozolol is manufactured only for veterinary medicine. It is distributed under the name Winstrol V by Winthrop and Upjohn.

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