Oral Winstrol
(Stanozolol)
In the world of anabolic androgenic steroids Stanozolol is one of the most popular of all time; you know it best by its most famous trade name Winstrol. Winstrol is one of the few steroids that holds equal popularity in just about every performance enhancing circle and as such carries with it a host of roles in-which it can play. Developed by Sterling-Winthrop Laboratories, Winstrol is an FDA approved medication that is commonly used in treatments of anemia and severe edema and is even used in some cases as part of a total Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) plan; although HRT purposes are a little rare. As this steroid does have a few valid medical purposes it is by and large performance enhancing where it is most commonly found and while youll find it in the arena of competitive bodybuilding this is perhaps not the most common place.
Winstrol is one of the most popular steroids among avid gym rats, individuals who are simply trying to build a better looking body; one that is lean yet more muscular, not necessarily huge but simply more appealing. While gym rats make up a large portion of the Stanozolol population Winstrol is also very common in performance athletics including football and baseball and even in track & field; in-fact, it is track & field that is largely responsible for a lot of its popularity. While Winstrol is not well-suited for large buildups in mass as you can already see it has a purpose in many places and as you will shortly see it provides a good bit of versatility.
Winstrol
A Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derivative Winstrol is an esterless DHT 17-Alpha-Alkylated (17-aa) oral anabolic steroid. The Stanozolol hormone is also available in an injectable form known as Winstrol Depot but it is the oral tablet we are concerned with here. As a DHT anabolic steroid Winstrol does not aromatize which is a very welcomed attribute and further means any muscle tissue gained, while low will be pure lean tissue. As is by its nature, Winny as it is most commonly known is highly anabolic, more so than many steroids but possesses very little to almost no androgenic nature. Through its anabolic power the Stanozolol hormone greatly increases nitrogen retention and dramatically enhances protein synthesis; key components to the performance game.
While those are important factors there is another trait that is far more interesting and one that may hold greater importance when we think of performance enhancement and it is a trait shared with another DHT anabolic steroid Proviron. Like Proviron, Winstrol greatly lowers SHBG and the first question might be why is this important? As SHBG lowers, more testosterone is made available; your free testosterone levels increase. Further, the lower SHBG is the more freely other anabolic steroids you are taking are allowed to be, they are not as restricted and remain active at a higher level of efficiency. Of course this would assume youre supplementing with other anabolic steroids in conjunction with your Winstrol and as youll later see this should be your preference.
Like most oral anabolic steroids Winstrol is a 17-aa form, meaning it has been altered at the 17th carbon position. It is this restructuring that allows the hormone to perform; it allows it to survive ingestion; without the 17-aa structural change the hormone would be largely destroyed. For example, oral Primobolan is not a 17-aa steroid and for this reason it is far weaker than Primobolan Depot; so much so youd need insane amounts to equal the strength of a low dose of the depot form. As a 17-aa steroid Winstrol is able to survive the first pass through the liver where it would otherwise be destroyed but unfortunately this alteration is also very hepatic; in-fact, Winstrol is one of the most hepatic steroids anyone will ever use. Those who supplement with Winstrol will find their liver values increase quite substantially when Stanozolol is in play but all hope is not lost as we will see later on.
As is also common with most oral anabolic steroids Winstrol has a very short half-life. The half-life of this steroid is approximately a mere 9 hours and thats not very long by any stretch. Because the half-life of Winstrol is so short frequent administration is necessary; oral Winstrol should necessarily be ingested on a daily basis and for those who have smaller milligram tablets available we highly recommend splitting the dose into two equal doses per day for maximum efficiency.
The Benefits of Winstrol:
When anabolic androgenic steroids are often discussed it is very common for them to be discussed in-terms of either cutting or bulking and many times this is truly inaccurate. While most all anabolic androgenic steroids serve a primary role apt to one purpose most have secondary qualities that are well-suited for the other and in some cases, such as with Testosterone and Trenbolone you have anabolic steroids well-suited for any cycle in a primary way. Winstrol is however a bit of an exception, as it really has no place in a bulking cycle and is a much more efficient steroid during the dieting phase. However, it is in enhancing athletic performance that provides the greatest benefits of all and while it can be a good contest bodybuilding steroid actual performance is where it holds its greatest value.
For the athlete supplementing with Winstrol he will see his strength go up, he will be faster and more explosive; the very raw nature of his pursuit will be enhanced and if youre a competitive athlete on any field theres not much more you could ask for beyond that. It is true, some lean tissue gain may occur but it will not be of a highly noticeable amount and if youre a tested athlete this is a good thing; after all, for the tested athlete the last thing he wants to do is to raise suspicion. Oral Winstrol also presents another advantage to the tested athlete in that its detection time is only three weeks long; meaning the individual could use all the Winstrol he wanted and as long as he discontinued use three weeks from his test hed pass. Of course if youre randomly tested this doesnt present an advantage but the strong majority of athletes have a pretty good idea of when their test will be; after all, professional athletes in baseball and football have been supplementing with Winstrol for years and years and a strong majority yet you dont see a strong majority failing the test; things that make you go hmmm?
While Winstrol is important on the field it also presents a fantastic benefit to the bodybuilder on stage and this translates to the gym rat at home as well. This is one of the few steroids that can truly harden a physique and give it a much dryer look. While it will have this affect it can also greatly enhance vascularity but you must understand you must already be lean for this to have any real noticeable effect. Winstrol will not make a fat physique hard, it will make it stronger but not harder; to receive the bodybuilding benefit you need to be in the single digit range as it pertains to body-fat.
The Side-Effects of Winstrol:
As mentioned Winstrol is one of the more hepatic steroids on the market, even the injectable version can be toxic to the liver but as stated there is hope. The liver is truly one of the more remarkable organs in the body as its healing and regeneration power is truly great. With that in mind responsible use can and will keep you healthy and responsible use will mean Winstrol is not taken for more than 6-8 weeks at a time and if youre really concerned it means you will also avoid other liver toxic activities while supplementing with Winstrol such as the consumption of alcohol. While liver enzyme values will rise when Winstrol is in play they will return to normal very shortly after use is discontinued as the liver will easily repair itself. So how toxic is Winstrol to the liver really; more so than most anabolic steroids but not nearly as toxic as daily alcohol consumption or even daily ingestion of many over the counter medicines.
While liver toxicity is the most common spoken of side-effect it is hardly the most serious when we consider the effect Winstrol can have on your cholesterol. Winstrol is notorious for increasing LDL cholesterol and decreasing HDL cholesterol even more dramatically. How much of an effect will be somewhat dose dependent but in truth individual sensitivity plays a much larger role. For this reason those who supplement with Winstrol are highly advised to eat a healthy cholesterol friendly diet, one that is rich in Omega Fatty Acids; fish oils and omega-3 eggs are two examples of fine choices.
If you recall we mentioned Testosterone should be part of your Winstrol cycle and the reason is Stanozolol absolutely suppresses natural testosterone production. No, it does not do so to the degree of many other anabolic steroids but it is enough to need some exogenous testosterone therapy. However, you should view this as good news; after all, testosterone is one of the most powerful anabolic hormones on earth and one of the most well-tolerated and with Winstrols ability to lower SHBG it will only be enhanced.
Winstrol & Women:
Anabolic steroids and women because of the nature in-which steroids are viewed this phrase almost has a dirty sounding way about it as it is often viewed very taboo. Lets be clear, women can absolutely supplement with anabolic steroids and they can do so both successfully and safely; however, they are far more limited in the choices they should make but of the choices Winstrol can be a very fine one. The biggest concern for any woman supplementing with anabolic steroids is virilization, meaning the onset of masculine like traits but as it pertains to Winstrol, like Anavar and Primobolan this steroid can be safely used as well without any masculine like traits popping up. Like most men women will need to stay in the 6 week range and their dose will remain very low as we will shortly see but while it can be safely done, depending on the womans sensitivity some virilization may still occur. If such symptoms start to show the solution is simple, discontinue use; its when women ignore the warnings that they get into trouble and its more often than not trouble easily avoidable.
Winstrol Cycles & Doses:
For the female athlete who supplements with Winstrol generally 10mg per day will be about all she ever needs and luckily for her Stanozolol tablets often come in 10mg tabs as well as 50mg tabs. 10mg should however be the beginning dose for most any woman but some women especially in physique sports may find a dose of 20mg to be need for short periods of time. While 20mg can be used safely you really need to ensure you can tolerate a lower dose without virilization before you bump it up. For women who desire more than 20mg per day, you should know symptoms of virilization are almost guaranteed so use with caution.
For the male athlete of any type 50mg per day is a solid standard dose and generally well-tolerated. Less can be used, some athletes may find 50mg every other day to be all they need but remember as the half-life is so short this will not be very efficient. While 50mg per day is about as much as most will ever need 100mg per day will be our maximal dose and generally reserved for the competitive bodybuilder towards the tail end of his contest cycle. It is very common for many bodybuilders to supplement with Winstrol for the final 8 weeks of a contest diet with the first 6 weeks being 50mg per day and the last 10-14 days being 100mg per day in-order to bring about the hardest look possible; when lean enough and coupled with Trenbolone you will find this stack to be almost unbeatable.