Stanozolol, commonly sold under the name Winstrol, is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone. Stanozolol is not esterified unlike most injectable steroids and is available in an oral tablet form or aqueous suspension.

One of the biggest advantages of this performance enhancing drug (also known as Winny) is that it has a high oral bioavailability because of a C17 α-alkylation that allows it to survive first-pass liver metabolism when ingested. If that was not all, Winstrol can be used by both men and women as its anabolic effects predominate over the androgenic effects offered by it, though masculinization and virilization can be common for some users. Medically, the anabolic steroid is used in treating health conditions such as anemia and hereditary angioedaema. It is even indicated for improving muscle growth, production of red blood cells, stimulating the appetite or debilitated or weakened individuals, and increasing bone density.

The chemical name of Winstrol is 17-methyl-2′ H -5(alpha)-androst-2-eno [3, 2- c ]pyrazol-17(beta)-ol and its molecular weight is 328.497 g/mol at the base. The molecular formula of Stanozolol is C22H36N2O and it has an active life of nearly eight to nine days. Oral Winstrol can be detected over a period of three weeks while injectable Stanozolol can be detected over a period of eight to nine weeks.

Sportsmen, especially bodybuilders, stack Winstrol generally with testosterone-based steroids as it leads to dramatic increases in body strength and muscle mass without resulting in excess body weight and fat gain while promoting the levels of vascularity and muscle definition. Furthermore, use of this synthetic anabolic steroid is not associated with excess water retention and many sportsmen even admire the diuretic effects of Winstrol on the body. If that was not all, Winny also helps sportsmen, especially those into weight lifting and body building, to preserve lean body mass while metabolizing adipose. Use of this steroid, for a period of six to eight weeks, is associated with dramatic improvements in terms of protein synthesis, nitrogen storage, muscle function, body strength, muscle dimension, and efficiency besides revitalizing prostaglandin E2, fibroblasts, and DNA features.

The recommended dosage of Winstrol (Stanozolol) is 50-100 mg per day (oral form) and 25-50 mg per day (injectable form) for men and 2.5-10 mg per day (oral form) and 2.5-5.0 mg per day (injectable form) for females. Most sportsmen stack it with Dianabol, Halotestin, Testosterone Propionate, Testosterone enanthate, Anadrol, and Primobolan during a steroid cycle of six to eight weeks though some advanced sportsmen even increase duration of the cycle to ten to twelve weeks.

Use of this performance enhancing drug should not be initiated before a qualified medical practitioner has approved its use for legal (medical) purposes after carefully evaluating all medical reports and history. Moreover, this drug should only be purchased from a legal steroid store dealing in legal anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs so that one can always be assured of its quality. Abuse of Winstrol or purchase and use of low-grade Winny can lead to side effects such as changes in libido, habituation, excitation, insomnia, hirsutism, increased frequency of erections, male pattern baldness, decreased glucose tolerance, liver dysfunction, clitoral enlargement, and irregular menstruation.

Stanozolol should not be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, or those having an existing allergy to Winstrol or any of its ingredients. It should also not be used by those suffering from health complications such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart attack, stroke, and multiple myeloma unless otherwise specifically recommended by the practitioner.

In order to maintain its shelf life and efficacy, Stanozolol should be stored at a controlled room temperature of 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) with excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) and must be protected against heat, moisture, direct light, pets, children, and unauthorized use.

In the world of professional sports, Stanozolol has been used by many sportsmen in amateur and professional events. One of the most famous associations of this performance enhancing drug dates back to the 1988 Seoul Olympics when Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meter sprint after testing positive for Winstrol after winning the final. At the 1997 World Championships in Athletics, Olimpiada Ivanova was stripped of her silver medal in the 10 kilometer walk and banned for two years after testing positive for Stanozolol. Shot putter Vita Pavlysh was stripped of her gold medal at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships after testing positive for this drug and was later stripped of her 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships title in Budapest, Hungary five years later for the same reason and banned from athletics for life. A Ukrainian heptathlete, Liudmyla Blonska, also tested positive for Stanozolol traces after he finished thirteenth at the 2002 European Championships in Athletics and was handed over a ban of two years in June 2003.