Winstrol (Stanozolol): Pharmacology, Side Effects, and Bloodwork Impact
WINSTROL (STANOZOLOL): THE HDL COST OF A DRY LOOK
Winstrol is the brand name of stanozolol, a DHT based steroid taken as a pill or as an injection, often called Winny. It is the cutting steroid with a dry reputation. In lab studies it is also one of the hardest steroids on HDL cholesterol.
This guide covers Winstrol results, Winstrol side effects and how a Winstrol cycle looks in practice. Study figures come from PubMed. Practice figures are marked as practice. Compare it with Anavar.
Winstrol in three numbers
Three numbers from the studies sum up this steroid: its effect on HDL, on LDL, and on the liver.
11 male weightlifters. Testosterone at 200 mg a week cut HDL only 9 percent (PMID 2915439).
LDL fell 16 percent on testosterone in the same crossover (PMID 2915439).
18 young men with stanozolol liver injury, mostly jaundice and itching (PMID 40040852).
Study figures come from PubMed abstracts. What athletes do in practice is not studied; where we describe it, we say so.
What this Winstrol guide covers
Winstrol side effects on HDL, LDL, liver, tendons and hormones, with the study behind each.
Results where people were actually measured.
The Winstrol cycle and stacks athletes report, next to studied doses.
Not coveredA protocol. Nothing here is a dose to take. Practice figures describe what people do, with personal and unstudied risk.
Buying or testing products. Products sold for sport are unregulated.
What Winstrol is
Stanozolol is a DHT based steroid with a methyl group at carbon 17. It is already 5 alpha reduced, so it does not become a stronger androgen in skin or scalp (PMID 36644692).
It comes as a tablet and as an injection. A single 50 mg intramuscular injection was studied in 12 healthy men (PMID 6891506).
Its medical use was small and long term: preventing swelling attacks in hereditary angioedema. Effective starting doses were 0.5 to 2 mg a day (PMID 17765757).
Like most synthetic steroids, it binds SHBG very weakly (PMID 36644692).
| Property | Winstrol (stanozolol) |
|---|---|
| Other names | Stanozolol, Winny |
| Forms | Oral tablet; intramuscular injection (PMID 6891506) |
| Parent hormone | DHT, methylated at carbon 17 (PMID 36644692) |
| Medical dose | 0.5 to 2 mg a day for hereditary angioedema (PMID 17765757) |
| Doses in studies | 6 to 12 mg a day orally; 50 mg once by injection (PMID 2915439, 9674442, 6891506) |
Winstrol side effects on HDL: the biggest one
HDL is where this steroid stands out. 11 male weightlifters took stanozolol 6 mg a day and, in another period, testosterone 200 mg a week. Each block lasted 6 weeks (PMID 2915439).
On stanozolol, HDL fell 33 percent and the protective HDL2 part fell 71 percent. On testosterone, HDL fell only 9 percent (PMID 2915439).
LDL rose 29 percent on stanozolol and fell 16 percent on testosterone. Apolipoprotein A1, the main HDL protein, fell 40 percent (PMID 2915439).
The cause is the liver enzyme hepatic lipase. In the same trial it rose 123 percent on stanozolol (PMID 2915439).
In two control men, just two weeks at 6 mg a day raised hepatic lipase 277 percent. HDL fell 49 percent and HDL2 90 percent (PMID 9284885).
The injection is not a way around it. One 50 mg shot lowered HDL and raised LDL in 12 healthy men (PMID 6891506).
One number moved the other way. Lp(a), a cholesterol particle linked to heart risk, fell about 65 percent in women on stanozolol (PMID 6236850).
Winstrol results: what was measured
Most questions are about results, and here the human data is thin. No trial we found tested stanozolol alone for muscle in healthy lifters.
The closest is a stack. 23 undernourished men with COPD got one 250 mg testosterone shot and 12 mg of stanozolol a day for 27 weeks, or placebo (PMID 9674442).
Weight rose 1.8 kg in 9 of 10 treated men while the placebo group lost 0.4 kg. Lean mass and arm and thigh size grew (PMID 9674442).
Exercise capacity did not change, and no clinical or lab side effects were reported in that trial (PMID 9674442).
Hormones are suppressed too. In the lifter trial, testosterone suppressed the pituitary hormones more strongly than stanozolol did (PMID 2915439).
| Study | Dose and time | Main finding |
|---|---|---|
| 11 weightlifters | 6 mg a day, 6 weeks | HDL −33%, LDL +29% (PMID 2915439) |
| 2 control men | 6 mg a day, 2 weeks | Hepatic lipase +277%, HDL −49% (PMID 9284885) |
| 12 healthy men | 50 mg injection once | HDL down, LDL up (PMID 6891506) |
| 23 men with COPD | 12 mg a day + testosterone, 27 weeks | Weight +1.8 kg, lean mass up (PMID 9674442) |
| 21 angioedema patients | 0.5 to 2 mg a day, 20 to 40 years | Side effects in 10; low HDL in 5 (PMID 17765757) |
Liver: how stanozolol injury looks
A Latin American registry followed 18 young men, aged 19 to 48, with stanozolol liver injury from 2013 to 2023. All used it for looks (PMID 40040852).
Symptoms started on average 55 days after starting. Jaundice and itching were the main signs (PMID 40040852).
The lab pattern was distinctive: very high bilirubin, only mild rises in ALT and AST, and near normal GGT. Ten of the 18 also used other substances (PMID 40040852).
Steroid liver injury is growing. In Spanish registry data it rose from under 1 percent of cases before 2010 to 8 percent in 2010 to 2013 (PMID 25394890).
Across real users in the HAARLEM cohort, the impact on liver and kidney function was distinct but limited (PMID 35938779).
At medical doses the picture is calmer. In 21 patients on 0.5 to 2 mg a day for 20 to 40 years, liver enzymes showed no persistent problems (PMID 17765757).
Joints and tendons
Achy joints are one of the most common complaints users describe. No human trial we found measured joint pain on stanozolol.
Animal data points at tendons. In rats, steroids made tendons stiffer: they absorbed less energy and failed with less stretch, though peak strength held (PMID 7778710).
In one rat study the changes reversed fully after the steroid was stopped (PMID 7778710).
In people, tendon ruptures in steroid users appear as case reports, such as a rupture of both quadriceps tendons (PMID 7551764). Case reports show it happens, not how often.
The Winstrol cycle: studied doses vs what athletes report
This section describes practice, not advice. Doses athletes report are not studied in healthy people. Using them is a personal, unstudied risk, and every body responds differently.
Studies used 6 to 12 mg a day orally, for 2 to 27 weeks, or one 50 mg injection (PMID 2915439, 9674442, 6891506). Medical use was 0.5 to 2 mg a day (PMID 17765757).
Users rarely take one drug. In 500 users, over 95 percent combined drugs (PMID 16679978). In the Anabolic 500 survey, the average was 11.1 agents (PMID 21923602).
No survey we checked reports stanozolol doses on their own. What follows is what athletes commonly report in practice, unverified by any study.
| Item | In studies | Athletes report (practice, unstudied) |
|---|---|---|
| Oral dose, men | 6 to 12 mg a day (PMID 2915439, 9674442) | Commonly 25 to 50 mg a day |
| Injection, men | 50 mg once (PMID 6891506) | Commonly 50 mg every day or two |
| Dose, women | 0.5 to 2 mg a day, medical (PMID 17765757) | Commonly 5 to 10 mg a day |
| Length | 2 to 27 weeks | Commonly 6 to 8 weeks, at the end of a cut |
| After the cycle | HDL recovery takes weeks (PMID 15155420) | Recovery plan, see PCT |
Note the gap. The common male practice dose is four to eight times the 6 mg that cut HDL by a third in 6 weeks (PMID 2915439).
Common Winstrol stacks athletes report
These are the combinations users describe most. Each compound links to its own guide. Only the first has human data.
| Stack | Why athletes use it | What the evidence says |
|---|---|---|
| Winstrol + testosterone | Testosterone base, stanozolol to dry out | Studied in COPD: +1.8 kg (PMID 9674442). Testosterone alone hit HDL far less (PMID 2915439) |
| Winstrol + Anavar | Two dry orals for a cut | No trial; two 17 methylated orals stack HDL and liver load (PMID 36644692) |
| Winstrol + Masteron | Hardness before a show | No trial; both DHT based |
| Winstrol + trenbolone | Aggressive cut | No trial; tren adds its own lipid and mood risks |
| Winstrol + Primobolan | Lean look, no estrogen | No trial; Primobolan is injectable |
Winstrol for women
Women users tend to run shorter cycles at lower doses and favor stanozolol and oxandrolone, a 2022 review notes (PMID 36644692).
Even medical doses of 0.5 to 2 mg a day caused hirsutism, menstrual changes, acne and mood changes in some long term patients (PMID 17765757).
In 16 women users interviewed in Norway, voice deepening and clitoral enlargement were the hardest effects. The authors warn they can be irreversible (PMID 32736958).
Bloodwork that catches Winstrol side effects
Each measured effect has a lab marker. This is what moved in the studies above.
| Marker | What moved | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| HDL cholesterol | −33% in 6 weeks (PMID 2915439) | Lipid panel |
| LDL cholesterol | +29% in 6 weeks (PMID 2915439) | Lipid panel |
| Bilirubin | High in all 18 liver injury cases (PMID 40040852) | Liver markers |
| ALT, AST, GGT | Mild rise; GGT near normal (PMID 40040852) | Liver markers |
| Creatinine | Kidney injury in severe jaundice cases (PMID 25394890) | Kidney markers |
| LH, FSH | Suppressed, less than on testosterone (PMID 2915439) | Suppression |
7 proven facts about Winstrol
1. It cuts HDL hard. 33 percent in 6 weeks at 6 mg a day (PMID 2915439).
2. It raises LDL. 29 percent in the same trial (PMID 2915439).
3. The liver enzyme drives it. Hepatic lipase rose 123 to 277 percent (PMID 2915439, 9284885).
4. The shot is not safer for lipids. One 50 mg injection still lowered HDL (PMID 6891506).
5. Liver injury shows in bilirubin. GGT can stay near normal (PMID 40040852).
6. Symptoms take weeks. About 55 days on average (PMID 40040852).
7. Medical doses are tiny. 0.5 to 2 mg a day for angioedema (PMID 17765757).
Winstrol: frequently asked questions
Is Winstrol bad for cholesterol?
Yes, more than most steroids. At 6 mg a day for 6 weeks, HDL fell 33 percent and LDL rose 29 percent. Testosterone at 200 mg a week cut HDL only 9 percent (PMID 2915439).
Is the injectable form easier on lipids?
Not clearly. A single 50 mg injection lowered HDL and raised LDL in 12 healthy men (PMID 6891506).
Is Winstrol hard on the liver?
It can cause cholestatic liver injury. In 18 young men, symptoms began after about 55 days, with jaundice, itching and very high bilirubin (PMID 40040852).
Does Winstrol cause joint pain?
Users often report it, but no human trial measured it. In rats, steroids made tendons stiffer and less stretchy (PMID 7778710).
What dose of stanozolol do athletes use?
Studies used 6 to 12 mg a day. Men commonly report 25 to 50 mg and women 5 to 10 mg, for 6 to 8 weeks. That is practice, not studied, and a personal risk.
Does it lower testosterone?
Yes, it suppresses the pituitary hormones that drive testosterone, though less strongly than testosterone injections did in one trial (PMID 2915439).
Is stanozolol safe for women?
Not reliably. Even medical doses caused hirsutism, acne and menstrual changes (PMID 17765757), and women users describe voice changes that can be permanent (PMID 32736958).
Anavar or Winstrol: which is harder on HDL?
Both lower it. Stanozolol cut HDL 33 percent at 6 mg a day; oxandrolone cut it about 19 mg/dL at 20 mg a day. See our Anavar guide for the full comparison.
Sources and further reading
Every study figure on this page comes from one of the 16 papers below, checked against PubMed on 1 November 2026. Practice figures are marked as practice. Reference links are dofollow to support open science.
More from the steroids series
Four guides that sit closest to this one.
Final Educational Note
This article is educational and is not medical advice. It reports what trials, registries and user surveys say about stanozolol. Practice doses are described, not recommended, and carry personal, unstudied risk.
Yellow skin or eyes, itching, dark urine, sudden tendon pain or a deepening voice in women need a doctor. More guides sit on the steroids hub. Read more on the about page and in the full disclaimer.
