Winstrol (Stanozolol): Tablets, Joints and Cholesterol
Stanozolol is famous for the dry, hard look and infamous for what it does to cholesterol and joints. Here is the full picture.
SteroidsCanada.org editorial teamUpdated · 3 min read
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Stanozolol was developed in the early 1960s and sold as Winstrol. As a medicine it was used mainly for hereditary angioedema, a rare condition causing sudden swelling, because it raises levels of a protein that keeps the swelling in check. In sport it became famous for less innocent reasons, including several high-profile Olympic doping cases.
What stanozolol is
Stanozolol is derived from DHT with a ring structure fused onto it, and it carries the 17-alpha methyl group that lets it survive as a tablet. Being DHT-derived, it does not convert to estrogen, so there is little water retention.
The angioedema label used about 2 mg three times a day, then tapered to the lowest amount that worked. Many modern tablets are 10 to 50 mg each.
Why it is linked to a dry look
With no estrogen conversion and a tendency to lower sex hormone-binding globulin, stanozolol is associated with less water under the skin. On someone already lean, muscles look harder. On anyone else, very little changes visually.
The cholesterol problem
Stanozolol is one of the steroids most strongly linked to a fall in HDL, the protective cholesterol, along with a rise in LDL. Studies in the 1980s and 1990s documented HDL dropping by around half within weeks in some users. Combined with raised blood pressure, that shifts cardiovascular risk in the wrong direction quickly.
Other side effects
- Joint aches and a feeling of dryness in tendons
- Liver enzyme rises, and rarely cholestatic liver injury
- Hair thinning and acne in prone people
- Suppression of natural testosterone
- In women: voice deepening and body hair, possibly permanent
A short history
Stanozolol was developed by Winthrop Laboratories in 1962. Beyond hereditary angioedema, it was studied for anemia, blood vessel disorders and some skin conditions. In veterinary medicine it was given to horses and dogs. In sport, it became one of the most frequently detected steroids, including in the most famous Olympic disqualification of the 1980s. Tablets for human use were discontinued in North America, but it remains widely produced elsewhere.
Tablets and injections
Oral stanozolol
- Taken once or twice daily
- Passes through the liver first
- Fast changes in HDL
Injectable stanozolol
- A water-based suspension, not an oil
- Often painful at the injection site
- Still 17-alpha-alkylated; still strains the liver
Who should avoid stanozolol
- Anyone with low HDL, high LDL or a family history of early heart disease
- People with liver disease or raised liver enzymes
- Anyone with tendon or joint injuries, or training through joint pain
- Women, given the risk of permanent voice changes
- Men trying to conceive, and anyone under 21
Joints and tendons
Users frequently describe dry, cracking or aching joints on stanozolol. Whether that reflects low estrogen, changes in fluid around joints or direct effects on collagen is not settled. What is clear is that heavy lifting while joints ache is a risk for tendon injuries. Reducing load, warming up thoroughly and stopping if pain persists are sensible responses.
Interactions
Stanozolol is known to strengthen the effect of warfarin; the old label specifically warned about bleeding. It can also lower blood sugar in people taking insulin or diabetes tablets. Alcohol and high doses of acetaminophen add to liver strain.
After stopping
HDL usually begins to recover within weeks of stopping, though it can take longer after long or heavy use. Natural testosterone production also needs to restart. A lipid panel and testosterone test six to eight weeks later show where you stand.
Bloodwork
Lipid panel (HDL and LDL), liver enzymes and bilirubin, blood pressure, total testosterone and a complete blood count before starting and within a few weeks.
Legal status
Stanozolol is a Schedule IV substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Possession for personal use is not an offence under the Act; trafficking, importing and exporting without authorisation are. It is banned in sport.
See Zionova Winstrol and Genetix Pharma Winstrol for tablet strengths and the full risk section.
Products in this guide
Each product page carries the chemistry, label strength, risks and references.
Questions
Why does Winstrol make joints hurt?
The mechanism is not fully established. Users widely report dry, achy joints, and low estrogen and changes in connective tissue are the usual explanations.
Is injectable Winstrol safer for the liver?
Injectable stanozolol is still 17-alpha-alkylated and still passes through the liver. The difference is smaller than people assume.
Does Winstrol cause hair loss?
It can, in men prone to male-pattern baldness, because of its DHT-like activity.
What happened to Winstrol as a medicine?
Tablets for hereditary angioedema were discontinued in North America as newer treatments arrived.
Sources
General information, not medical advice. Written for adults in Canada. Anabolic steroids are Schedule IV under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Talk to a licensed healthcare provider and get bloodwork before using any compound.
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