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. Admittedly the anabolic properties of this substance are still mild in comparison to many stronger compounds, but it is still a reliable builder. Its efficacy as an anabolic could even be comparable to Dianabol, however Winstrol does not carry with it 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.
Structurally stanozolol is not capable of converting into estrogen. Likewise an antiestrogen is not necessary when using this steroid, gynecomastia not being a concern even among sensitive individuals. Since estrogen is also the culprit with water retention, instead of bulk Winstrol produces a lean, quality look to the physique with no fear of excess subcutaneous fluid retention. This makes it a favorable 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. In such disciplines one usually does not want to carry around excess water weight, and may therefore find the raw muscle-growth brought about by Winstrol quite favorable over the lower quality mass gains of more estrogenic agents.
As mentioned Winstrol is prepared in two distinct forms, as an oral tablet and an injectable solution. Although they are chemically identical, the injectable usually allows the user to take much higher dose of the steroid. This is of course because the injectables are much more cost effective, and therefore usually the preferred form of administration. You may find big differences in the appearance of one injectable product to another however. In particular there are big discrepancies in the size of the steroid particles used to manufacture the various stanozolol suspensions. For example, the European human use product Zambon uses a fine powder, capable of being comfortably injected through a 25-27 gauge needle. The Australian veterinary product Stanazolic is even better, so refined that it can pass easily through an ultra-fine 29 gauge insulin needle. Many other veterinary products on the other hand use steroid in a much larger particle size, such as Winstrol-V in the U.S., Stanosus from Australia (report Anabolic-ST is a little better) and Stanol-V from Mexico. In many instances jams and difficulty injecting have been noticed when trying to administer these products, even when using a large 22-gauge needle. But there are both advantages and disadvantages to each type of product. On the one hand the large particle size would form a longer acting deposit (depot) while the steroid dissolves, giving us the option of fewer injections. A larger shot every three to four days would likely be sufficient to keep blood levels within limits, which is a favorable schedule for a water-based product. On the other hand we are forced to use a standard size oil needle (21-22 gauge) for the injection, uncomfortable for regular administration. Products made with a finer substance do not allow for as slow acting a depot and therefore are usually injected every other day to keep blood levels steady. But shots can be given with a much more comfortable sized needle, opening up many new injection sites. Although you can jam a big "oil pipe" into your shoulder, it is really not the place for it.
For men the usual dosage of Winstrol is 25-50 mg per day with the injectable. It is often combined with other steroids depending on the desired result. For bulking purposes, a stronger androgen like testosterone, Dianabol or Anadrol 50 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 contest and dieting phases we could alternately combine Winstrol 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 otherwise addition compounds like Primobolan, Deca-Durabolin or Equipoise when wishing to stack this steroid. Here we should see good results and fewer side effects than is to be expected with standard androgen therapies.
Women will take somewhere in the range for Winstrol of 5-10 mg daily. Although female athletes usually find stanozolol very tolerable, the injectable is usually off limits. They risk androgenic buildup, as a regular 50 mg injection will provide much too high a dosage. Here the tablets are the general preference. It is obviously much easier to divide up pills than it is to break up a 1 cc ampule into multiple injections. Those who absolutely must experiment with the injectable would be most comfortable dividing each 50 mg ampule into at least two separate injections. At this point the dosage will adjusted by the number of days separating each shot. 25 mg every third or fourth day should be a comfortable amount for most. More ambitious (and risk taking) females would take 25 mg every second day, although this is not recommended. Although this compound is only moderately androgenic, the risk of virilization symptoms should remain a concern.
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, the possibility of liver damage cannot be excluded with the injectable however. 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 amplified when adding 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). It is also of note 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.
