Winstrol Depot (Stanozolol)

Winstrol Depot (stanozolol injectable) is an anabolic steroid with interesting properties. It generally is not used as the foundation of an anabolic steroid cycle, and is not necessary for most cycles. Still, however, it has benefits in certain situations.

Winstrol Depot and Liver Toxicity​

Winstrol differs from nearly all other injectables in being 17-alkylated, a property more typically associated with oral anabolic steroids. This results in liver toxicity not usually associated with injectables. Further, in terms of liver toxicity Winstrol may be more potent (have more effect per milligram) than most other alkylated steroids: for this reason I prefer for the injected amount to be limited to 50 mg/day, and period of use to be limited to 6 – 8 weeks.

Winstrol Depot and Joints and Tendons​

Additionally, Winstrol may be more prone than other anabolic steroids to increasing tendon brittleness. I am not so concerned about this as to consider it a reason to never use Winstrol at all, but it is reason to limit the total weeks of use per year. I don’t have any firm guideline on that, but for example I consider six weeks of use twice per year a reasonable amount.

Further, Winstrol use sometimes leads to joint pain during a cycle.

Benefits of Winstrol Depot​

So where is Winstrol of particular benefit? Most typically, I look to Winstrol where an athlete’s needs are for strength or speed with mass increase is unimportant or actually undesirable. Another situation is for physique enhancement if a “hardening” effect is desired but the user does not wish to use trenbolone.

Winstrol is a suitable choice for simpler purposes as well. For example, though not ordinarily used for mass gain it can provide significant mass advantages to a 500 mg/week body-recomp testosterone cycle, while not increasing estrogen or requiring use of an aromatase inhibitor. It will also increase fat loss effect compared to a steroid cycle using that amount of testosterone alone.

Winstrol Depot Half-Life​

Winstrol differs from other injectable anabolic steroids in being an aqueous suspension of fine particles of steroid, instead of being an oil solution of an esterified compound. For this reason, it has unusual pharmacokinetics which do not follow the classic half-life pattern. Instead, there is a sustained effect which slowly tapers. The duration of action is probably at least a week. Individual particles of stanozolol may remain at the injection site for extended periods of time, however, which can cause drug test failure.

Winstrol Depot and Women​

While no anabolic steroid is completely safe for women, stanozolol is a particularly unsuitable choice. First, even oral Winstrol is very problematic for women. Doses as low as 2 mg/day have caused side effects of virilization (though most women can tolerate somewhat more than this) but low dose use offers no remarkable anabolic benefit compared to other steroids. The injectable is an even worse choice for women because of its slow clearance.

Winstrol Depot Side Effects​

Stanozolol does not aromatize (convert to estrogen) or undergo metabolism by the 5-alpha reducatase enzyme (5AR.) It does not convert to DHT. However, like all anabolic steroids nonetheless it has adverse side effect on the hair for those with the genetics for male pattern baldness.

Winstrol Summary​

To summarize, Winstrol Depot is a specialty anabolic steroid which usually does not need to be added to an anabolic steroid cycle for either athletic or bodybuilding purposes. It can add to mass gains but more usually is used for cutting, hardening, or increasing speed or strength without necessarily increasing muscle mass. Adverse side effects particular to Winstrol and different from other injectable anabolic steroids include liver toxicity, occasional joint problems, and possibly tendon brittleness.

Author
Bill Roberts