Stanozolol Side Effects
The majority of individuals researching and educating themselves about anabolic steroids in general, or specific anabolic steroids such as Winstrol, will often be concerned about the associated side effects.
Winstrol has a wide range of potential side effects, many of which are very common with all anabolic steroids.
It is very important for all readers to understand that just because every side effect is listed does not mean that every side effect is bound to occur, so it is important to understand why it is known as a potential side effect.
The fear that many people have of a particular side effect (or side effects in general) is usually caused by ignorance and a general lack of education on the subject.
Properly informed, unbiased education is the key to eliminating fear of the unknown and replacing fear with confidence.
What is essential to understand is what a potential side effect is, what causes it, the conditions under which it occurs, and the frequency and intensity of these potential side effects.
Winstrol side effects are no exception, and increasing understanding and knowledge is the key to overcoming fear of the unknown.
Estrogenic side effects of stanozolol
Winstrol side effects do not include measurable estrogenic or estrogen-related side effects.
As a DHT derivative, Winstrol does not interact with the aromatase enzyme (the enzyme that converts androgens to estrogen) and is not an estrogen itself.
Therefore, you do not need an anti-estrogen or aromatase inhibitor when using Winstrol, and you should not experience common estrogen-related side effects from Winstrol.
Estrogen-related side effects include water retention and abdominal bloating, increased blood pressure (due to water retention), increased likelihood of fat retention/gain, and gynecomastia.
Androgenic side effects of Winstrol
Although Winstrol has a much weaker androgenic strength than testosterone, the possibility of androgenic side effects from Winstrol cannot be ignored.
The androgenic effects of Winstrol can still be seen in many users, especially those who are more sensitive to androgenic side effects than the average population.
Remember that Winstrol does not interact with 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that reduces testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a much more potent androgenic hormone.
Since Winstrol cannot interact with this enzyme, it is already DHT in its natural state (albeit altered) and cannot be converted into a more potent androgen.
Therefore, in general, measurable androgenic side effects from Winstrol are what you should expect during any Winstrol cycle because it does not convert to a more potent androgen.
It is also a result of this that 5-alpha reductase inhibitors such as finasteride do not reduce the androgenic effects of Winstrol because they cannot interact with 5-alpha reductase.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors like finasteride only prevent the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which Winstrol is unable to do.
Androgenic side effects include increased sebum secretion (oily skin), increased acne breakouts (associated with increased sebum secretion), increased body and facial hair growth, and an increased risk of developing male pattern baldness (MPB) in individuals who have the genetic traits necessary to develop the condition.
HPTA and Endogenous Testosterone Production Side Effects
All anabolic steroids have the ability to suppress and/or block the body's natural endogenous testosterone production, and Winstrol side effects are no exception to this well-established rule.
In particular, Winstrol has been proven to be a very potent suppressor of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPTA).
Various clinical studies have shown a 55% plunge in plasma testosterone levels when healthy male subjects were given 10mg daily for 14 days[1].
It is therefore very clear that the claim that Winstrol is a 'mild' compound in the HPTA (a common one among those involved in the anabolic steroid culture) should be dismissed as misinformation.
It is highly recommended that all Winstrol users follow a proper Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) protocol, which should always include the use of an anabolic steroid to boost testosterone production ancillary compound such as Nolvadex and/or HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) for an average of 4-6 weeks after the end of a cycle of anabolic steroids, regardless of how 'mild' its effects on HPTA are claimed to be.
Failure to do so may result in permanent damage to the HPTA, which may prevent adequate levels of testosterone from being produced for the rest of one's life, and if left untreated, may ultimately require medical intervention in the form of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Hepatotoxicity side effects
Hepatotoxicity is a concern with Winstrol, and is definitely on the list of Winstrol side effects.
This particular property and Winstrol side effects have been covered multiple times throughout this profile.
It is well known that Winstrol is a C17-alpha alkylated compound, which causes varying degrees of hepatotoxicity in the body.
Both the injectable and oral formulations have this chemical modification, and both formulations have the exact same chemical makeup.
In particular, Winstrol is known to be much less hepatotoxic than other C17-alpha alkylated anabolic steroids such as Dianabol or Anadrol.
Studies have shown that when subjects were administered 12 mg of Winstrol daily for a total of 27 weeks, there were no noticeable changes in liver enzyme levels in each subject's blood samples (serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase were all monitored)[2].
While this provides a very good indicator and a lot of insight into the effects of Winstrol administration on the liver, the caveat here is that the doses used in the studies mentioned are much lower than those used by individuals for athletic performance and physique enhancement purposes, which are often two to seven times (and sometimes more) the amount administered in the studies.
Therefore, it is important to remember that hepatotoxicity increases in proportion to the increase in dose, so hepatotoxicity is still a significant concern if individuals are taking higher doses or for longer periods of time.
The hepatotoxicity of the injectable form of Winstrol has also been investigated in studies that have demonstrated significant hepatotoxicity in healthy individuals [3].
Therefore, even if the injectable form does not first pass through the liver, the potential hepatotoxicity of the injectable Winstrol formulation is of equal concern due to the fact that there is no difference in the chemical structure of the two formulations.
The difference between the two formulations in terms of hepatotoxicity should be such that the oral formulation would exhibit greater hepatotoxicity than the injectable.
However, the injectable formulation still represents a noteworthy amount.
In general, Winstrol has been found to be less hepatotoxic than other oral anabolic steroids at the same dosage.
Therefore, it is recommended to limit the use of oral Winstrol to no more than 6-8 weeks and injectable Winstrol to no more than 10 weeks.
It is also highly recommended to supplement with proven liver support and supplements such as TUDCA/UDCA while using oral anabolic steroids.
Cardiovascular Side Effects
Negative cardiovascular risks, side effects, and cholesterol changes are known side effects shared by all anabolic steroids, and these are considered adverse effects.
Negative cardiovascular side effects from anabolic steroid use include a decrease in HDL, the good cholesterol, and an increase in LDL, the bad cholesterol.
The result of these changes is an increased risk of atherosclerosis, and the degree to which these changes are exacerbated is generally dose dependent (higher doses increase the negative changes and risk).
Other factors that influence these negative cholesterol changes include duration of use and route of administration.
In terms of route of administration, oral anabolic steroids are known to have a much worse negative effect on cholesterol compared to injectable anabolic steroids.
This is because the liver acts as the body's cholesterol processing center, and the increased liver toxicity associated with anabolic steroids exacerbates the negative changes in cholesterol.
Winstrol in particular is known to cause significant negative cholesterol changes in humans, as demonstrated in some clinical studies.
Orally administered at 6 mg daily for 6 weeks, Winstrol decreased HDL by 33% and increased LDL by 29% (all subjects were healthy men who exercised regularly) [4].
The injectable formulation of Winstrol has also been proven to cause negative changes in cholesterol levels.
When 12 healthy subjects were given a single 50 mg dose of Winstrol injectable, there was a significant decrease in HDL with an increase in LDL (these negative cholesterol changes were maintained for 4 weeks after administration, then returned to normal levels) [5].
Winstrol References
[1] Changes in hormone levels in normal men treated with the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Small M, Beastall GH, Semple CG, Cowan RA, Forbes CD, Clin Endocrinol (Ocf). 1984 July 21(1):49-55
[2] Effects of 6 months of oral anabolic steroids on body mass and respiratory muscle in malnourished COPD patients. Ivone Martins Ferreira, leda Verreschi et al. CHEST 114 (1) July 19-28, 1998.
[3] Androgen/anabolic steroid-induced toxic hepatitis. Stimac D, Milic, S Dintijana RD, Kovac D, Ristic S. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2002 Oct 35(4):350-2.
[4] Contrasting effects of testosterone and stanozolol on serum lipoprotein levels. Thompson TD, Cullinane EM, Sady SP, Chenevert C, Saritelli AL, Sady MA, Herbert PN. JAMA. JAMA. 1989 Feb 24;261(8):1165-8.
[5] Effects of intramuscular stanozolol on fibrinolysis and blood lipids. Small M, McArdie BM, Lowe GD, Forbes CD, Prentice CR, Thromb Res. Oct 1, 1982;28(1):27-36.
