Stanozolol, sold under the name Winstrol, was developed by Winthrop Laboratories in 1962. It is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone, and has been approved by the FDA for human use.

Unlike most injectable anabolic steroids, Stanozolol is not esterified and is sold as an aqueous suspension. The drug has a large oral bioavailability, due to a C₁₇ α-alkylation which allows the hormone to survive first pass liver metabolism when ingested. Because of this, Stanozolol is also sold in tablet form

Stanozolol has been used on both animal and human patients for a number of conditions. In humans, it has been demonstrated to be successful in treating anaemia and hereditary angioedema. Veterinarians may prescribe the drug to improve muscle growth, red blood cell production, increase bone density and stimulate the appetite of debilitated or weakened animals.

Stanozolol is one of the Anabolic steroids commonly used as an ergogenic aid and is banned from use in sports competition under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Publicised abuse cases

• Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meter dash at the 1988 Summer Olympics when he controversially tested positive for this drug after winning the final.
• Vita Pavlysh was stripped of her gold medal in shot put at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships after she had tested positive for Stanozolol. 5 years later at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, she won the title again only to fail the drug test for the same reason. She was again stripped of her title and banned from athletics for life.
• Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days from Major League Baseball on August 1, 2005, after testing positive for steroids. According to a published report in the New York Times, stanozolol was the steroid detected in Palmeiro's system. This came not long after he testified before a United States Senate subcommittee on steroid usage in baseball, and he denied ever using steroids.
• Barry Bonds is accused of using Stanozolol in Game of Shadows, a book by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams that documents the abuse of various steroids by Bonds since 1998. The accusations were first aired on 7 March 2006 by Sports Illustrated, which published excerpts from the book.
• Tim Sylvia, the former and current UFC Heavyweight Champion tested positive for Stanozolol after a championship bout in 2003. He was stripped of his title, and given a six month suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Comission.

Use in bodybuilding

Used illegally in bodybuilding, typically "stacked" with other testosterone-based anabolic steroids. Stanozolol is liked by many due to the fact it causes strength increases without excess weight-gain, promotes increases in vascularity, and will not convert to estrogen. It also does not cause excess water retention, and even sometimes is thought to have a diuretic effect on the body.

Stanozolol is commonly used by athletes and bodybuilders alike to lose fat while retaining lean body mass. It is usually used in a cutting cycle, to help preserve lean body mass while metabolizing adipose, although it has not been proven conclusively that it has any special fat-burning properties.

It is presented most commonly as a 50 mg/mL injection or a 50 mg tablet. However, recently 100 mg/mL versions have become available. A common dosage can be 25-100 mg/day, with optimal results usually seen at 50 mg/day. It is reduced to micrometer particles in aqueous suspension and does not have a typical elimination half-life. Authentic Stanozol can easily be seen, because it will separate in its container if left undisturbed for a number of hours (the micronized crystal will fall to the bottom, and the water suspension will rise to the top). It has a white, milky colour.

It should be taken no more than 48 hours apart, with some users preferring to inject every day, or even twice a day, to maintain serum levels.

The drug has been known to cause masculinising side-effects in women with doses as low as 2 mg per day, and liver damage has been known to occur with extended usage of larger doses.

External links

• In Depth Winstrol Profile
• Stanozolol (Winstrol) Profile
• Toxicology monograph on Stanozolol
• Winstrol (Stanozolol) Information
• Winstrol (Stanozolol) Profile

Stanozolol