Winstrol® is a popular brand name for the synthetic anabolic steroid stanozolol, first patented in the United States by Sterling back in 1962 (U.S. Patent #3,030,358).The compound itself 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. Despite this design however, there are many injectable versions of this steroid produced.
Structurally stanozolol is not capable of converting into estrogen. Likewise an anti-estrogen 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 Mexican 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., and Anabolic-ST from Australia and 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 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
sites. Although you can jam a big “oil pipe” into your shoulder, that is really not the place for it.
For men, the usual dosage of Winstrol® is 15-25mg per day for the tablets and 25-50mg per day with the injectable (differences based solely on price and quantity). 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 by bodybuilders. Older, more sensitive individuals can otherwise add 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 of 5-1 Omg daily, or two and a half to five 2mg tablets. Although female athletes usually find stanozolol very tolerable, the injectable is usually off limits. They risk androgenic buildup, as a regular 50mg 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 1cc ampule into multiple injections. Those who absolutely must experiment with the injectable would be most comfortable dividing each 50mg ampule into at least two separate injections. At this point the dosage will adjusted by the number of days separating each shot. 25mg every third or fourth day should be a comfortable amount for most. More ambitious (and risk taking) females would take 25mg every second day, although this is not recommended. Although this compound is only moderately androgenic, the risk of virilization symptoms should remain a definite concern.
With the structural (cl 7-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 this 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 cl 7-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 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.
As discussed in the opening section of this book, the oral use of stanozolol can also have a profound impact on levels of SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin). Admittedly, this is 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 we could also add Proviron® (Imethyl-dihydrotestosterone), 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.
Winstrol is an extremely popular steroid, and the fact that it is found in abundance on the black market reflects this. It is also a popular target for counterfeit steroid manufacturers, so you need to be careful when shopping. If you know what to look for, you should be able to keep yourself safe. In going over the popular brands circulating right now, I can offer the following observations and advice.
Animal Power makes a pair of stanozolol products in Mexico, one oral and one injectable. The oral product is called Stan Tabs, and carries lOmg of steroid in a 100-count bottle.The injectable is called Stan 50, and contains 50mg/mL of steroid in a 10mL multi-dose vial. Both products are packaged for sale in individual boxes, and all components (boxes, vials, and bottles) will carry the company’s security hologram sticker. Although counterfeits of this line have not yet been a problem, be sure to still look for this hologram when shopping, as it should assure a safe purchase {see: Security Stickers).
Denkall’s Stanazolk is an excellent product, and highly recommended. It is found is four distinct forms, a number greater than any competing brand. You can find it as a 50mg/mL injectable, a lOOmg/mL injectable, a 10mg tablet, and a 6mg capsule. All forms are to be considered of excellent quality, and are photographed in this book. As mentioned above, they have one of the most refined injectables on the market. Just be sure to look for the Denkall hologram sticker on each bottle/vial, which should help assure you are purchasing the real thing. Note that fakes of the Denkall line with counterfeit holograms are in circulation (see: Security Stickers for more information).
Quality Vet produces a 50mg/mL and a 100mg/mL injectable called Stan QV. These products, and company, are also highly regarded. Again, look for the hologram sticker and you should be fine. This is definitely a recommended buy.
Nutri-Vet is now selling two Winstrol products in Mexico as well, both called Ultra Winny. The first is an oral product, which contain an incredible 50mg (not 5mg) tablet dose. Each bottle contains 100 tablets, which gives 5,000 mg of steroid in total, or the equivalent of 2,500 tablets of Spanish Zambon product! The injectable is an “oil-based suspension” containing 50mg/mL of steroid is a 20ml vial.This solution is reportedly thin enough to be used for local spot injections, very much as a water-based suspension might.
Anabolic-ST from SYD Group is also popular in Mexico. With this one, however, you need to use a large 21-gauge needle, as the particle size is not as refined as the European Zambon or Denkall Stanazolic products. Again, look for the hologram sticker to help assure legitimacy.
Stanol-V byTtokkyo is no longer being made in Mexico, as the company is out of business. Any old product should be off the market now, so avoid anything with the Ttokkyo label.
Norvet’s Estano-Pet’s is another new stanozolol product in Mexico, delivering either 10mg or 25mg of steroid per tablet. Both forms come in 100 tablet bottles. I have not had a chance to see lab test results, but if they indeed are making a 25mg tablet, it will go over very well on the black market.
British Dispensary in Thailand just recently expanded its steroid line to include a stanozolol product. Their trade name for the drug is Azolol, and it contains 5mg of steroid in a 400 tablet bottle.The bottle itself looks very similar to that of Androlic, with dark plastic and a shiny chrome top. Be sure to look for the company’s holographic sticker when shopping.
The Thai export firm British Dragon has reworked its stanozolol offerings recently. They are now selling their stanaboi brand in two tablet strengths, 1 Omg and 50mg. Both versions are sold in foil-lined paper pouches of 100 tablets each. The tabs themselves are no longer pentagonal shaped, and are square with the letters “BD” formed into one side and the dosage (“10” or “50”) in the other. Note that BD oral products will carry a security hologram sticker to deter counterfeiting. This sticker has been copied before, however, so pay closer attention to the shape of the tablets and you should be fine. Be sure the pouches are also printed with the company logo on the back, and also open to include a small silica gel packet with the company logo on It.
The Stanol brand name was found in Thailand until recently. It was owned by the firm Body Research, who used it to market 5mg stanozolol tablets and a 50mg/mL injectable. The tablets were packed in bottles of 200 tablets each, and the injectable in the form of 1 mL glass ampules. Both products were highly regarded on the black market, until the Thai authorities raided their facilities a year ago, closing them down. Old stock may be left, but not for long.
Acdhon in Thailand makes Stanozodon, a relatively low dose today with the industry-old standard of only 2mg of steroid per tablet.The fact that it is packaged in bottles of 1,000 does make up for this, at least a little bit. This product is safe, but not extremely popular on the black market.
Xelox, an export company from the Philippines, sells a brand of stanozolol called Anazol. It comes in both an oral and injectable form.The injectable, Anazol Depot, carries 50mg/mL of steroid in a 5mL multi-dose vial. The formulation includes 5mg/mL of added lidocaine,to reduce injection discomfort. The oral comes as a 2mg tablet, with 100 coming per plastic bottle. Both forms of the drug will carry the Xelox security sticker to deter counterfeiting.
Winstrol®-V, the multi-dose injectable produced in America and Canada, is the stanozolol product duplicated most by counterfeiters. With tight controls you will likely not see the real thing anymore, so avoid all such products on the black market. If you want to risk it, at least make sure the steroid crystals separate deeply when the bottle is at rest.The particles in real Winstrol®-V are also too large to be drawn into the finer gauge needles (25-27 gauge should jam quickly).
Zambon Winstrol® tablets and injectable ampules are still produced in large quantities in Spain as well. In fact, this remains the most popular stanozolol injectable in Europe. Note that the packaging on this product has changed again, now coming in the form of reddish colored boxes (see: Picture Library). All boxes are also now protected with a holographic sticker, which carries the company logo embebbed into the image this counterfeiters have not yet duplicated these stickers, although it is probably a matter of time before one or two take a crack at it. Also note that the Italian Zambon products are no longer being made. Avoid all such items on the black market.
The Greek generic by Genepharm is also circulating, but not abundantly in the U.S. It does not appear to be a big target for counterfeiters as of yet, and can usually be trusted. Remember to look for a Greek drug ID sticker on the box to assure legitimacy.This will show a hidden mark under UV light, and provides a very reliable detection method.
Chinfield makes a 50mg/mL injectable stanozolol in Argentina called Nabolic Strong. This is the same firm that makes regular Nabolic, a very low dosed (2mg/mL) version of the same drug.This new product is now much more popular on the black market than the first, due to the more useable dosage. Note that Chinfield prints their logo on the inside of the vial carton, which offers somewhat of a simple security check (obviously one very easy to duplicate). Your box is definitely counterfeit if it is blank on the inside.