Winstrol Cycle

By: Juice

Last updated:

SteroidCycle.org is intended for informational purposes only and does not take the place of professional medical advice.

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is a very popular steroid that, unlike a lot of anabolic steroids, is mainly used to improve physique, athletic performance and strength rather than for bulking.

Winstrol (Stanozolol) Cycle
Winstrol (Stanozolol) Cycle

This makes Winstrol a top choice as a highly effective cutting anabolic steroid capable of fast results that create a hard look within just days, making it a favorite amongst competitive and professional users. Additionally, Stanozolol is one of the very few anabolic steroids that can be used by females with a lower risk of side effects at minimal doses.

Author’s Note: The following guide is based on my personal experience and does NOT promote the illegal use of steroids (PEDs).

What is Winstrol?

Winstrol is the most popular and well known brand name of the androgen and anabolic steroid Stanozolol. It is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which makes Winstrol similar to testosterone.

Importantly, Winstrol is considered to have a more powerful anabolic to androgenic effect compared with testosterone. In the body, up to 10% of testosterone is naturally converted to DHT.

Stanozolol (Winstrol) Structure
Stanozolol (Winstrol) Structure

Winstrol (Stanozolol) is available in both oral and injectable forms. As to be expected, each of these Winstrol applications come with different half lives:

  • Winstrol oral half life: 9 hours
  • Winstrol injection half life: 24 hours

There is no difference between the strengths of oral and injectable Winstrol. 5mg of either type is the same amount – what does differ is how quickly they are absorbed and used up by the body which is reflected in their half lives listed above.

Winstrol Depot (Injectable Winstrol)

Winstrol Depot is the name given to the injectable form of Winstrol. Although most anabolic steroid users choose to take Winstrol in tablet form, there are some benefits to the injection.

  • Most of all, unlike oral steroids, Winstrol Depot injectable does not come with the same level of hepatotoxicity (liver damage) because orals must pass through the liver first where it is metabolized.
  • This chemical substance puts a big strain on the liver, so by using an intramuscular Winstrol injection you reduce the risk of liver toxicity and damage.
  • Another benefit of Winstrol Depot is its longer half life, so you don’t need to administer the steroid as often as the tablet form.

The downside of injecting Winstrol is that it is a water based suspension and is known as a rather painful injection that requires a larger than normal needle gauge because of the micro crystal form of the active ingredient.

If you’re not a fan of injecting then that alone might be enough to have you looking at Winstrol oral instead regardless of some of these benefits of Winstrol Depot.

Oral Winstrol

Despite its negative effect on the liver, oral Winstrol is often the first choice particularly for those steroid users who are new to cycle Winstrol in order to avoid the painful injections.

Stanozolol tablets are mostly available in 10mg and 50mg strengths so is easily administered for any level of user including if you’re just starting out on a low dose or are female, to steroid users wanting the maximum dosage of Winstrol which might reach up to two tablets per day for a total of 100mg.

Winstrol Benefits

Winstrol is a unique steroid with a fairly specialist range of effects and benefits that will appeal to people who know exactly what they’re trying to achieve. Consider some of these top benefits of Winstrol before you consider whether this is the steroid that suits you:

  • Perfect for cutting cycle and fat loss. Winstrol will help you cut fat while preserving your existing lean muscle.
  • Achieve greater strength without bulking up. Expect noticeable gains in speed, power, stamina and endurance as well.
  • Winstrol’s diuretic effect gives your body a hard and lean look, often within mere days of starting a cycle. The lack of water retention is one of the core reasons Winstrol is incredibly popular as a body sculpting and competitive substance.
  • Increased vascularity as a result of a more ripped, hard and lean body.

There are countless benefits to using Winstrol so it’s not surprising that this steroid appeals to so many people. Winstrol:

  • Is an excellent cutting steroid
  • Boosts strength, agility and power so your performance and results skyrocket
  • Increases muscle hardness without water retention so it’s known as a dry steroid
  • Does not convert to estrogen so you miss out on other nasty side effects that other steroids cause
  • Causes moderate but not huge gains in muscle, so it’s perfect for toning without bulking
  • Helps reduce body fat percentage without losing your hard earned muscle gains without water retention.
  • Is one of the few suitable steroids for women
  • Very suitable and effective for stacking with a large range of other steroids
  • Gives you a choice of both oral and injectable administration
  • Has relatively moderate side effects when used sensibly compared with other steroids
  • Dosage is simple between both oral and injectable so no need to convert quantities

It goes without saying that to experience the best that Winstrol can deliver during a cutting phase, you should already be doing everything you can when it comes to diet and exercise to get lean and trim.

The benefits and positive effects of Winstrol need to be balanced against the negatives, including its high level of hepatotoxicity which is why most people use Winstrol sparingly and at times where it will be of maximum benefit – such as prior to competitions.

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How to Take Winstrol?

Being one of the few steroids available both in oral and injectable form, Winstrol gives you a choice between either form of administration. With a reputation as a rather painful injection, new users of Winstrol are likely to opt for the oral tablet which is a quick and easy dose.

Winstrol oral can be taken without food and many people take it twice a day due to its short half life. The injection can be dosed at once a day and is used intramuscularly in the most common steroid injection sites; usually the buttock, thigh or upper arm and rotating injection sites is a must with this steroid to avoid excess pain and irritation.

Winstrol Dosage

Your experience level and goals will greatly determine the dosage you’re going to be comfortable at. Most men will stick to anywhere from 40mg to 80mg daily for an oral dose. Because of liver toxicity issues, higher doses than this is only recommended to be done when injecting Winstrol.

Winstrol Depot (injectable) dosage up to 100mg once a day. A common strategy on a Winstrol cycle is to use your comfortable maximum dosage in the last week or two prior to a competition, and a lower dose earlier in the cycle.

Women that use Winstrol should stick to 5mg/day and carefully monitor side effects. More experienced female users of Winstrol who are aware of this steroid’s effect on the body are known to raise the dosage right up to 10mg or even 15mg, but this should be done with great caution and certainly not for new users.

Winstrol Cycles

A typical cycle for Winstrol runs for between 6 and 8 weeks. As with all oral steroids, the toxic effects on the liver make it unsuitable and potentially dangerous to take for longer than 8 weeks.

It’s not just the liver you have to worry about with a longer Winstrol cycle: the other reason not to exceed an 8 week cycle is because of Winstrol’s effect on cholesterol.

Sticking to a 6 week cycle strikes a balance between experiencing the benefits of this steroid while reducing the risk of serious adverse health effects. When you’re undertaking a longer stacked steroid cycle, taking Winstrol for the first six weeks then stopping it while continuing with other steroids is a popular option for advanced users.

Winstrol only Cycle

A cycle of Winstrol only is not a popular choice, not only due to the above mentioned joint issues that some people experience, but also because of the suppression of testosterone that will bring about a range of side effects not the least of which is likely to be low energy – something no athlete wants to experience.

Adding at least a testosterone steroid to the cycle will counter these negative effects. Women on the other hand can benefit from a Winstrol only cycle much more so than males.

Regardless of experience level, the maximum length of a Winstrol cycle is recommended to be no longer than 8 weeks because of the impacts on your cholesterol and liver. A 6-8 week Winstrol cycle is considered typical.

Beginner Winstrol Cycle

A beginner to Winstrol will almost certainly opt for the oral form. This beginner oral Winstrol cycle runs for 6 weeks at a dosage of between 20mg daily up to 50mg daily – although as a beginner you will want to closely monitor side effects and preferably start off at that lower dosage until you know how Winstrol affects your body both positively and negatively.

Beginners should not exceed a 6 week cycle because of the effects on the liver. To build more muscle on a Winstrol cycle and to negate the suppression of testosterone, stacking with a testosterone ester at 250-500mg per week is ideal for beginners.

  • Week 1-12 – 500mg/week Testosterone Enanthate, 0.5mg/eod Arimidex
  • Week 7-12 – 50mg/day Winstrol

or

  • Week 1-12 – 100mg/eod Testosterone Propionate, 0.5mg/eod Arimidex
  • Week 7-12 – 50mg/day Winstrol

*eod – every other day

Intermediate Winstrol Cycle

40mg to 80mg daily of oral Winstrol for a 6 week cycle is ideal for intermediate users. Again, monitoring effects as you go allows you to increase or decrease dosage throughout the cycle, keeping in mind that the positive benefits of using a much higher dosage are going to be outweighed by the negative impact to the liver.

Most intermediate users using Winstrol for cutting cycles and fat loss will stack it with a steroid like Trenbolone to achieve maximum fat loss while retaining lean muscle and accomplishing a hard, ripped and vascular appearance by the end of the cycle.

  • Week 1-12 – 150mg/eod Testosterone Propionate, 0.5mg/eod Arimidex
  • Week 1-8 – 400mg/week Equipoise
  • Week 7-12 – 50mg/day Winstrol, 75mg/eod Trenbolone Acetate

*eod – every other day

Advanced Winstrol Cycle

A maximum dosage of 100mg/day is often considered by advanced users of Winstrol, particularly for an upcoming competition. In this case, an advanced Winstrol cycle may involve using 50mg/day for four weeks, increasing to 100mg/day for the final two weeks of this six to eight week cycle.

Advanced users will likely be using multiple other steroids in a stack, while at the very least including a testosterone steroid such as a long ester in the form of Testosterone Enanthate at up to 500mg per week and depending on overall goals, halting Winstrol at week 6 to 8 of the cycle, while continuing with testosterone and other steroids for the remaining duration.

  • Week 1-8 – 250mg/eod Testosterone Enanthate, 200mg/eod Equipoise
  • Week 9-16 – 200mg/eod Testosterone Propionate, 50mg/day Winstrol, 100mg/eod Trenbolone Acetate
  • Week 1-16 (optional) – 1mg/ed Arimidex, 4iu/ed HGH

*eod – every other day
*ed – every day

Winstrol vs. Alternatives

Winstrol is one of the most popular steroids ever, but have you really thought about what it could do to your health? I’m not a doctor, but I strongly suggest avoiding use of Winstrol. You might want to consider alternative (safer) options that can provide much of the same benefits, without the serious health risks.

This is why:

Winstrol carries some well known and pretty disturbing side effects. These side effects, coupled with the possible complications to your longer term health, make Winstrol a high-risk option no matter who you are. This is why I suggest checking out quality Winstrol alternatives.

There are many Winstrol replacements that offer the same and sometimes even stronger results than Winstrol itself. This is without any of the side effects that come with using Winstrol.

So with this in mind, if you want the absolute best Winstrol alternative you can buy today, you must check out Winsol.

Winsol is powerful enough to be able to replicate all the positive effects of Winstrol – just without the negative effects! This stuff is potent but it won’t harm your health like steroids. Winsol is also completely legal and easy to buy online from anywhere in the world.

These aren’t the only reasons I confidently recommend Winsol. The main reasons Winsol is the best alternative to Winstrol are…

It’s brilliant for cutting and retaining lean muscle while burning fat, but also boosts strength and performance.

Countless individuals are taking Winsol consistently and are raving about their results. With no side effects and Winstrol-like results, Winsol is the perfect replacement for your high risk Winstrol.

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Winstrol for Women

In low doses, Winstrol is usable by women while keeping most side effects under control. But even at these low dosages some women will still experience masculine physical traits forming, such as growth of body hair and a deepened voice, in which case Winstrol should be stopped immediately.

An appropriate dosage of Winstrol for women is 10mg every other day (every two days). While a 10mg daily dosage is possible, extra caution needs to be taken to keep on top of any virilization effects that may begin to show up.

Here is an example of a beginner/intermediate female Winstrol cycle:

  • Week 1-5 – 10mg/ed Winstrol
  • Week 7-12 – 10mg/ed Anavar
  • (Optional) Week 1-12 – 2iu/ed HGH

An advanced female Winstrol cycle:

  • Week 1-4 – 10mg/ed Anavar
  • Week 4-7 – 100mg/week Primobolan Depot
  • Week 8-12 – 10mg/ed Winstrol, 10mg/ed Anavar
  • (Optional) Week 1-12 – 2iu/ed HGH

*ed – every day

Winstrol Results

The area where Winstrol excels the most when it comes to results is in pure athletic performance. Power and speed receive remarkable boosts, as does overall strength to support all round performance enhancement.

This is what makes Winstrol so revered amongst track and field athletes in particular. Because Winstrol is not a bulking or weight gain hormone, it’s especially suited to those wanting to retain as lean physique as possible.

On a Winstrol cycle you should also notice increased tendon strength, and while not necessarily noticeable, Winstrol is known to positive benefit bone strength as well.

Winstrol is not a compound you will use for bulking up, or is it one that benefits as a standalone steroid due to the fact it’s not a powerful muscle gainer like so many other anabolic steroids out there.

Using Winstrol to cut body fat and improve athletic performance is where you will see the greatest results and Winstrol is a firm favorite for these purposes without adding bulk as its use can essentially go unnoticed from a physical perspective.

Winstrol Post Cycle Therapy

Winstrol suppresses your normal production of testosterone, so one of the big goals of your PCT is to kickstart natural hormone function again, both to retain gains and body fat improvements you’ve made on your cycle, and for your overall health.

Starting PCT after a Winstrol cycle is recommended within about 12 hours of the end of the cycle due to the short half life of this steroid. However, because Winstrol is rarely taken as a standalone steroid, other steroid compounds you’re using in your cycle will likely determine when you’re going to begin PCT and which drugs you’re going to use since most other steroids are aromatizing and it is the effects of the other steroids, rather than Winstrol, that you will be aiming to reverse during your PCT cycle.

Nolvadex PCT is considered a good PCT choice for more mild steroid cycles. It helps restore your natural hormone activity and comes with minimal risk of side effects. A Nolvadex running for four weeks at a dosage of 40mg daily for the first two weeks, followed by 20mg daily for the final two weeks will have your natural testosterone and other hormones back on track and functioning as they were before your steroid cycle.

Winstrol Side Effects

As with all anabolic androgenic steroids, you can expect side effects to be a big focus of your use of Winstrol. On the positive side, this is a non-aromatizing steroid so you won’t have the worries of water retention and gyno.

But with suppression of your natural testosterone production, you can expect to see some predictable Winstrol side effects although it is considered one of the more mild compounds without the more extreme negative effects you’ll experience with other steroids such as Trenbolone.

  • Cholesterol – In addition to the testosterone related side effects, one of the more serious potential negative effects of Winstrol use is how it impacts on your cholesterol levels by way of increasing low-density lipoproteins (LDL – bad cholesterol) and decreasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL – good cholesterol). Cholesterol levels should be monitored during a Winstrol cycle especially if you are prone to cholesterol issues. High cholesterol can lead to cardio disease and stroke in extreme cases. Serious users of Winstrol will already be maintaining a trim and lean diet, but this is critical also to control negative impacts on cholesterol. Oily fish like salmon, plus avocado, almonds, legumes, oats, berries and garlic are all considered excellent cholesterol lowering foods.
  • Virilization (masculinization) – Although stanozolol has lower androgenic effects than many other steroids, virilization side effects are still possible and can include acne and baldness. Women are more likely to experience the development of masculine features with Winstrol, even at low doses, and this includes a lowering of the voice and development of body and facial hair.
  • Hepatotoxicity – Liver damage and changes to normal liver function are always a high risk with oral steroids as they must make a first pass through the liver. This is the big reason we limit Winstrol use to a maximum of 8 weeks (although 6 weeks is considered much safer) with at least the same amount of break time in between, allowing the liver to recover. Without recovery of the liver from the stress that Winstrol causes, liver failure can occur. Using a liver support product like N2Guard can go some way to protecting the liver during and after a Winstrol cycle.
  • Increased Urination – Winstrol has diuretic effects which is what makes it so powerful in shaping a lean, hard physique without water retention.
  • Joint Pain – The loss of fluids can bring about joint pain, making it important to consume enough water while you’re on this steroid. Obtaining a very lean physique can already cause joint discomfort, with Winstrol potentially adding to it in some people. One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate these joint issues is to use Winstrol alongside nandrolone steroids like Deca-Durabolin.
  • Suppression or shut down of HPTA (Hypothalamic Pituitary Testicular Axis) – HPTA controls essential hormone production including testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH). As with most anabolic steroids, Winstrol will cause normal hormonal function to become suppressed or even shut off completely, resulting in a crash of hormone function once you finish a cycle. Recovering natural testosterone production is a slow process taking months; which is why post cycle therapy (PCT) is critical so you can get normal hormonal function and testosterone levels elevated quicker.
  • Nausea and Vomiting – A less serious but certainly disruptive potential side effect of Winstrol use is gastrointestinal upset. This can largely be controlled through careful monitoring of dosage and the steroid’s individual effects on you.

All steroids can potentially be very dangerous to your health when over-used or abused. Winstrol, particularly the oral version, comes with known risks to the liver because it is hepatotoxic – in the most severe cases this can lead to liver failure. It’s for this reason that 8 weeks is the maximum recommended Winstrol cycle length, with 6 weeks being considered safer for inexperienced users.

Additional dangers of Winstrol misuse is in the area of cholesterol, where good cholesterol levels may reduce and bad levels rise – keeping track of your cholesterol while on Winstrol is recommended.

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Winstrol FAQs

What time of day should you take Winstrol?

There is no particular time of day that is considered best for taking Winstrol, and it will vary according to your training or performance schedule. With a half life of around 9 hours, oral Winstrol does not need to have the dosage split into multiple doses per day like some other steroids.

Can you build muscle with Winstrol?

Winstrol is a steroid that’s most powerful in the area of cutting and hardening up the muscles for a highly toned and trim physique, as well as to improve athletic performance; hence why Winstrol is so favored by track and field athletes.

While Winstrol can help contribute to muscle gain in men, it doesn’t excel in this area in the same way many other steroids do which is why it is not used as a bulking steroid.

Does Winstrol affect your mood?

The effect of any steroid, including Winstrol, is different between individuals. There are no black and white effects on mood and mental health when it comes to Winstrol use, but the fact that it suppresses natural testosterone production puts guys at a higher risk of low mood including lack of focus, irritability and even depression. As always, using a source of testosterone in your Winstrol cycle can help alleviate these problems.

Winstrol affects the body’s natural hormone function and as a result, is capable of effecting your mood and this is an area to pay close attention to when you’re using Winstrol so you can adjust your dosage accordingly.

Do you need PCT for a Winstrol only cycle?

Although a Winstrol only cycle is not a common choice for male users, PCT is absolutely still required if you do go this route. Because Winstrol suppresses or completely shuts down normal hormonal production, including testosterone, without PCT you will experience a heavy crash at the end of the cycle with very low or no testosterone and potentially high estrogen levels. A quality phase of Clomid PCT following a Winstrol cycle is therefore critical.

Is Winstrol illegal?

In some countries Winstrol is still medically prescribed to treat conditions involving swelling beneath the skin. Using or buying Winstrol without a prescription however is illegal in most countries.

In the US, Winstrol is a controlled substance and world sporting bodies have banned stanozolol along with other synthetic steroids for decades. When it comes to drug testing, a small single dose of as little as a 5mg tablet is detectable in the urine for up to 10 days.

Does stanozolol increase testosterone?

The use of Winstrol suppresses your natural testosterone production, and often shuts it down completely. Because stanozolol itself is similar to testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, it mimics some of the effects of these hormones so technically levels of similar hormones to testosterone are synthetically increased while using stanozolol based steroids like Winstrol.

This is not the same as true testosterone however, which is why adding an exogenous form of testosterone while on Winstrol is critical to ward of low testosterone side effects like low libido and other more serious health issues.

Is stanozolol a testosterone?

Stanozolol is a synthetic steroid that is similar to natural testosterone which has been derived from dihydrotestosterone. DHT is also an endogenous androgen sex steroid and it is produced naturally in the body via conversion of testosterone.

DHT is responsible for stimulating development of male characteristics. While similar to testosterone, stanozolol has been chemically modified and comes with the benefit of having a higher ratio of anabolic activity to androgenic activity compared to testosterone.

What’s best to stack Winstrol with?

Winstrol is best to be stacked with other steroids commonly used in cutting cycles. These include Oral Turinabol, Masteron, Anavar, Trenbolone and Proviron.

Here is one of my favorite stacks. It’s a 8 week cycle consisting of 30mg/day Winstrol (tabs), 30mg/day Anavar and 200mg/week Test Enanthate. If you don’t want to use needles then you can skip the test. Wait 2 weeks post cycle to begin PCT if using testosterone. For PCT use 50mg/day Clomid for 3 weeks and 0.5mg/day Arimidex alongside it.

Final Thoughts

Winstrol ensures you don’t lose your hard earned gains while shredding fat and getting ripped, whether for competition or for your own personal goals. It’s a well known steroid for its ability to boost fat loss while helping retain muscle, and will also help you recover faster.

I’m not going to deny that Winstrol works amazingly well. But you don’t just get the benefits with this steroid, you also have to deal with significant side effects. This is why hardly anyone would seriously consider using something like Winstrol.

About the Author
Juice Lewis, Author of SteroidCycle.org
Juice Lewis

Real-life Experience, not Theory

I don't claim to know everything; what I talk about here is something I've done. From anabolic steroids to HGH, to peptides, insulin, and supplements, I've done it at some point in my life, and I can relate.