Disclaimer: The following article is for educational purposes only and NOT to promote the use of illegal steroids. If you have any questions or concerns, Dr. Touliatos is currently available for consultations.
Winstrol (Stanozolol) is one of the most potent cutting steroids available to bodybuilders. It promotes lean muscle tissue, whilst simultaneously burning fat and enhancing muscle definition.
Vascularity and striations can also become more pronounced due to Winstrol’s diuretic qualities, reducing extracellular water retention and thus drying out the muscles. This makes Winstrol particularly advantageous pre-contest, where water and fat loss are a priority.
Winstrol is also used by athletes for superior muscular power and endurance, due to it increasing strength and muscle mass without excessive weight gain; whilst enhancing cardiovascular performance through erythrocytosis (increased red blood cells).
Below are several Winstrol before and after photos, giving potential users a better understanding of the effects this steroid has on body composition.
Winstrol Before and After
Zac Efron’s before and after transformation is a perfect example of how a user’s body changes after a cycle of Winstrol.
Body fat decreases, whilst muscle hypertrophy increases; as well as muscle definition and vascularity.
From a typical cycle of Winstrol, users can expect to gain approximately 10-15lbs of lean muscle, with a significant reduction in body fat. The scales may not be a reliable tool to track progress, due to simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss occurring.
Thus, taking before and after pictures can give users more insight, concerning results.
Also take note of how ‘dry’ Zac’s physique is, due to Winstrol flushing out extracellular water retention. This dry look is however only temporary, with normal fluid levels returning post-cycle.
However, Winstrol’s results in terms of fat loss/muscle gain are permanent — assuming the user continues lifting weights with the same frequency and intensity.
Thus, the only incidence where Winstrol results can be lost is if a user stops training or begins to overeat post-cycle. However, should someone cease training, muscle memory can restore their previous muscle size once they return to lifting weights. This is possible through permanent changes to myonuclei from Winstrol, giving it a long-term/permanent effect.
One potentially negative with Winstrol is reduced intracellular water retention (inside the muscle cell), which can sometimes cause a flat look to the muscles. However, this is somewhat insignificant when taking into account the extra muscle size gained.
Winstrol Cycle For Men
The above cycle is tailored for intermediate steroid users. Because Winstrol is considered a toxic steroid, it is not suitable for beginners.
However, if novices are adamant about taking Winstrol, a cycle of 8-10mg/day for 6 weeks, is likely to prevent excessive side effects.
Winstrol can also be stacked with other steroids, such as Anadrol, Testosterone or Trenbolone for further results — however such stacks will significantly exacerbate side effects.
Winstrol Cycle for Women
Women who want to use anabolic steroids for cosmetic purposes generally will avoid Winstrol, as it has a tendency to cause masculinization in moderate dosages.
However, competitive female bodybuilders regularly take Winstrol in an attempt to look more ripped than their rivals (happily risking virilization side effects).
The above Winstrol cycle is tailored for women wanting to avoid masculinization side effects, hence a very small dosage of 5mg/day.
Women that want further gains, at the expense of risking their femininity, can take dosages as high as 15-20mg/day. In this instance, it is only a matter of time until the voice deepens, the clitoris enlarges and breasts shrink.
Winstrol Side Effects
High Blood Pressure
Winstrol is among the least cardiovascular-friendly steroids, significantly increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and reducing high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This is due to Winstrol failing to aromatize, as well as stimulating hepatic lipase in the liver — an enzyme that has a detrimental effect on blood lipids.
Consequently, the risk of arteriolosclerosis and myocardial infarction will increase on Winstrol, and thus users should take maximum precautions to minimize such damage. Regular checkups pre, during and post-cycle are advised, as well as adding regular cardiovascular exercise to training splits; in a bid to reduce blood pressure (whilst also stimulating further fat loss).
Research has shown that a small dose of Winstrol, being 6mg/day for 6 weeks, was enough for HDL levels to fall by 33% and LDL levels to increase by 29% (1). Considering bodybuilders can take 4x more than this dose demonstrates the level of cardiac toxicity with Winstrol.
Liver Toxicity
Winstrol is a c-17 alpha-alkylated steroid and thus passes through the liver before entering the bloodstream. By significantly increasing the workload of the liver, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzymes rise, indicating stress and damage to the organ.
Although liver markers can rise notably on-cycle, for many users this isn’t overly problematic, as they typically fall back into a normal range post-cycle.
However, users with compromised liver function, or those planning on drinking alcohol or taking hepatotoxic medications in conjunction with Winstrol — are at most risk of liver injury.
Bodybuilders commonly supplement with TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) to reduce hepatic strain. 500mg/day is advised to minimize inflammation and damage (2), which should be taken for the duration of the cycle.
Testosterone Suppression
Winstrol has a transient effect on testosterone levels, initially spiking and then dropping post-cycle. Thus, users will experience low testosterone for several weeks or months following Winstrol use.
The amount of time it takes for endogenous testosterone to recover will depend on the person’s level of steroid use, whether they take lengthy breaks from cycles, dosages and if they run a PCT (post cycle therapy).
How Long Does it Take to See Results From Winstrol?
How long it takes to see results depends on the type of Winstrol being administered. Oral Winstrol is fast-acting, with a half-life of approximately 9 hours. Thus, noticeable results can be observed in the first week of a cycle.
However, injectable Winstrol is slow-acting, with a half-life of approximately 24 hours. Therefore, users will need to be more patient for injectable Winstrol to kick in,
Whether using oral or injectable Winstrol, the results by the end of the cycle will be virtually identical — as it’s the same compound.
Summary
Winstrol’s effectiveness is undeniable, based on users’ results/before and after pictures. It is among the most potent cutting steroids on the market, for those looking to reduce subcutaneous body fat — whilst simultaneously adding lean muscle.
However, Winstrol’s side effects are also considered harsh, especially on the heart and liver. Thus, users need to take maximum precautions should they take this steroid.
