Winsol Review: Formula, Safety, Effectiveness, Pros and Cons

Updated on November 23, 2023

Steroid use has been a popular method in helping bodybuilders gain desired results for decades. The reason for this is because, despite the negative side effects that come with them, they produce real results.

Even with the ban on steroids that made them illegal, athletes and bodybuilders still scramble to get their hands on these drugs. With the way they enhance performance and boost energy temporarily, it’s not hard to see why. 

However, steroids were banned for a good reason, and anyone thinking about turning to steroid use to help with their bodybuilding goals should think otherwise.

In this article, we will be discussing the anabolic steroid known as Winstrol and why it is best to be avoided. 

We will also give some information on a safe and legal alternative that works in the same way but comes without all the nasty side effects you can witness by taking Winstrol.

winsol_1

Winstrol: Overview

Winstrol is the common name for the steroid containing the active substance stanozolol. Also known as “winny,” it is highly sought out by athletes because it claims to have less severe side effects than other steroids on the market, while still producing excellent results. 

The appeal comes due to how it does not raise estrogen levels, makes muscles stronger overall, and increases power and endurance.

It was first patented in the United States in 1962 by Winthrob Laboratories by modifying the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) molecules in the body. 

By doing this, those taking Winstrol would witness stronger muscle-building effects without dealing with the long list of side effects that come with masculinity in the testosterone hormone.

At first, the drug was used to treat an array of medical conditions ranging from osteoporosis to muscle loss. 

As the years went by, the FDA continued to watch this drug until the negative side effects were too numerous to ignore, and the drug was made illegal. Today, it is only available legally by prescription for a small number of rare conditions.

Despite being made illegal, it is still sought out by bodybuilders worldwide because of how it can rapidly help with cutting. 

There is no lie that Winstrol definitely has some benefits to the body, especially when it comes to working out. It helps to grow the body’s muscle strength and increases energy levels for intense workouts.

Bodybuilders love how it can do this without the adverse side effects that other steroids come with mostly because Winstrol does not enhance estrogen levels. 

Users of Winstrol rather than similar steroids have a lower risk of water retention and gynecomastia (better known as “man boobs”).

The truth is that Winstrol does still come with a long list of side effects that make this drug not as worth taking as what some may tell you. Is getting that cut and lean body at a rapid pace really worth dealing with bad skin, sleep problems, and nausea? 

That’s not even all of the adverse effects you’d be dealing with taking this drug, but that in itself should be enough when there are safer alternatives available that come without them. 

Why Is Winstrol Used?

Today, Winstrol is prescribed for only a small number of medically diagnosed health conditions. The most common of these conditions are hereditary angioedema, which is a disorder that causes severe swelling in the limbs, face, intestinal tract, and airway. 

It can happen without reason and can be fatal to those suffering from it when witnessing an airway attack. Those prescribed with Winstrol are instructed to take 2mg oral tablets three times a day.

Winstrol is also legally prescribed to help with conditions like severe anemia, where it can help a severely ill patient rebuild lost strength. 

But you can be assured, Winstrol is not lightly prescribed. Though this steroid can help in certain instances, the side effects can be far too dangerous in the end.

READ MORE: 5 Best SARMs for Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

When it comes to the world of athletics, athletes use this drug for its strength and energy enhancements. It is useful in all fields, from sports to bodybuilding. 

For bodybuilders, this means your workouts can go on for longer, and you can gain extraordinary results in a short period of time.

This steroid is also more appealing to women than it is for stronger steroids due to the reason it has a lesser chance of winding up with masculine traits. It does not mean these side effects are not at all possible, but they are not as likely or strong due to the lower androgenic levels found within it.

Winsol small CTA

Legal Vs. Illegal Use Dosage

If you are prescribed Winstrol for one of the few medical problems it is prescribed for, you will find the dosages are rather low. 

Such as it is with hereditary angioedema, the max taken a day is 6mg, and over time that dosage is lowered to only 2mg a day to avoid the side effects that come with it.

On the other hand, if you are taking Winstrol for the purpose of boosting your bodybuilding regime, you will find yourself taking at least four times that initial amount. And that is just for beginners.

When beginning to take Winstrol, it is recommended to take 25mg of the oral tablets a day. Professionals and those that have been using this steroid for longer take 50mg, or even 75mg, a day. For those that use the injections instead, the amount jumps up to about 100mg a day.

The only good thing about this is this steroid is taken in 4 to 6-week cycles before a resting period is recommended. The resting period is for resting your body after the intense exercise routine you would be going through during your time taking Winstrol.

What Are the Side Effects of Winstrol?

In this section, we are going to look at a variety of side effects from using Winstrol, both good and bad. 

We will start with the good to give a better insight as to why bodybuilders still decide to use this steroid.

  • You will see an increase in not only strength and endurance, but also in speed and agility. The steroid increases the body’s ability to carry more oxygen to the muscles by creating more red blood cells. What does this mean? It means longer lasting and intense workout.
  • Winstrol does help with the synthesis of proteins in muscle tissue blocks, and that will mean the output of massive muscle gains. This increased protein also powers up the body’s metabolism and reinforce muscle strength and mass. In the end, this means that the muscles won’t just look good, but they’ll be stronger too.
  • An inhibition of the stress hormone, cortisol, also means there is a mental health benefit to using Winstrol. Less stress means more motivation, and more motivation means better workouts, and more often.
  • Winstrol was designed with the thought of lowering the side effects of boosted testosterone and estrogen levels. Because of this, the balance on either side of these hormone levels is not thrown out of whack. 
  • The lack of water retention is a real benefit to using Winstrol as it is seen as a significant problem from using other steroids. Bodybuilders love this fact because it helps with the visual effects of being jacked. 
  • The fact that women can use this steroid with a lessened chance of masculinity effects draws a lot of the female bodybuilding population to it. Some women love the aspect of being able to get ripped without having added facial hair, shrunken boobs, and a deeper voice to go with it.

Overall, it is understandable why the populace of bodybuilding is drawn to this product. It works great, the results are fast, and it has less negative side effects than other anabolic steroids.

But that is just the thing. It still comes with harmful side effects. It is time that we take a look at these side effects and how they are detrimental to your body.

We will start by looking at the list of the less severe side effects you can face using Winstrol:

  • Severe acne that covers your shoulders, chest, and back
  • Skin color changes
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Mood swings
  • Joint pain
  • Chances still present of water retention.

The list goes on and on, each as unappealing as that last:

Liver Damage

One of the biggest risks, but also one of the most common ones, to using Winstrol is irreversible liver damage. Though injections are easier on your liver overall, it is still posing a danger to this vital organ within your body. 

No matter which way you take Winstrol, there’s a high chance it will go through your liver not once, but twice, and in doing this, it puts a serious strain on it.

Drops in Natural Testosterone Levels

When taking steroids, your testosterone levels drop significantly, which causes several problems in itself. 

The drop in these levels due to the steroid can take a lot longer to recover than it took to lose them, meaning several months. A loss in testosterone leads to shrinkage in the testicles and the development of effeminate features in men.

Unbalanced Cholesterol Levels

This may not seem like a severe side effect at the start but let us explain what this really means. 

Cholesterol balance is rather important, and your body needs it to be able to function properly, and without a correct balance, there’s a high risk of heart attacks, artery blockages, and strokes. 

This is a heightened risk while taking Winstrol, even if you have the best possible diet.

Virilization In Women

This has been mentioned previously in this article as being less likely than what could happen with the use of other steroids, but there’s an important two words there: less likely. 

The possibility is still there that this could happen, and it’s definitely one that needs to be taken seriously. Virilization includes the deepening of the voice, growth of facial hair, enlarged clitoris, and changes to the menstrual cycle.

The side effects that can be suffered by taking Winstrol are no joke, and they should each be weighed carefully when trying to decide if the steroid is worth the risks. 

True that some of these side effects will disappear once you are done with your steroid cycle, but there are plenty more that will not. Those are the side effects that are really dangerous for your health.

There’s more thing we’d like to go over with the dangers of Winstrol and the possible side effects it can pose. The fact is that Winstrol is no longer manufactured for human consumption in the United States of America, nor has it been since 2003. So, what does that mean precisely?

Unless you know exactly where your source comes from, in other words, if it comes from a pharmaceutical lab or not, you cannot be entirely sure what is going into your body. A lot of the Winstrol that is made and, on the streets, today comes from homemade labs.

In short, you are looking at the prospect of putting unknown, harmful toxins that could cause even more problems than previously thought into your body. 

Who knows what this could lead to, from multiple dangerous cancers to possibly even dangerous levels of substances to lead to heart attacks or strokes?

Winsol small CTA

How Does Winstrol Work?

Steroids work by activating androgen receptors that bind themselves to the androgenic hormones in the body, such as testosterone. 

These receptors are found in the skeletal and muscular tissues, thus sending signals directly to these places to send them into a series of substantial growth. 

By triggering the effects of these androgen receptors, the production of protein in the muscles is also kickstarted, and that is where getting the extra bulk in your muscles really comes from. 

Extra protein in your muscles and increased red blood cells to carry oxygen to them gives a massive boost in cutting those lean muscles.

But what exactly makes Winstrol different than other steroids? The answer comes in the anabolic to androgenic ratio.

Anabolic to Androgenic Ratio

We are going to take a minute to discuss what exactly this means. The anabolic to androgenic ratio is the amount of anabolic steroid against the amount of the androgenic substance within the dosage.

The anabolic in a steroid is where the “magic” comes from and all the appeal that comes with it. This is what promotes tissue growth, including that of the muscles. However, steroids also send signals to other cells in the body, and that is what starts the androgenic effects.

The androgenic effects are what are considered to be the undesirable side effects that come from steroid usage. It includes the prominence of male characteristics with extra hair growth, acne, and aggression. 

So, in short, the anabolic to androgenic ratio is how much of the steroid is put against the receptors that will cause unwanted side effects. All of the steroids in practice today have varying levels of each of these ratios in their attempts to find one that works just right, and Winstrol is no exception.

Winstrol has an incredible ratio of 320:30. This is the reason why the steroid can excel muscle growth in the way it does but have side effects that are not as severe as it’s fellow steroids. 

However, even though the ratio would signify, it should be stronger than other steroids with these lessened effects, it does not work that way and is not as powerful and effective as others. 

Why Is Winstrol Illegal?

The reasons why Winstrol is illegal should start and stop with its side effects and its detrimental effects on the human body. 

After all, its usage has been linked to a number of health problems when used consistently for long periods of time, and even after just one cycle for some people. There have even been some reports of death from those using the steroid.

However, it does not stop there. Even though it’s clear that the negative effects of taking this drug far outweigh the benefits, there are still many that choose to seek them out anyway. 

It could be because of a lack of care for their own health, an addiction to the substance within it, or the obsession to get jacked is more important than anything else. 

The reason doesn’t matter. The substance was made illegal to stop people from killing themselves with a substance that can tragically alter their lives for temporary physical gain. 

Another reason it was made illegal is that it gives an unfair advantage to those who use it. It goes for athletes as well as professional bodybuilders. 

When using Winstrol, the body is enhanced in power, speed, and agility. So, if you are playing a sport and are under the control of this steroid, in a way, it’s considered to be cheating.

Winstrol Alternative: Why Is It Recommended?

It’s a shame to have a product out there that can boost your weightlifting goals, but not be able to take it without facing legal action or medical risks. 

Thankfully, there is an alternative out there waiting for you to try it, and it is just as good as the steroid and all without the negative side effects that come with it.

The product is known as Winsol, and it is sold by a company called CrazyBulk on their official website. This supplement is made with all-natural ingredients and mimics the effects of Winstrol. The best part about all of this is the natural ingredients used within it makes this product completely side effect free.

How Does it Work?

All the ingredients in this product are carefully chosen by in-house nutritionists to ensure they get the job done. It’s designed to be used during cutting cycles to help athletes and bodybuilders retain lean and quality muscles and design the perfect body.

It works for both men and women who want the same enhanced strength and power they would get otherwise on Winstrol. 

Simply take 3 capsules a day with water about 45 minutes before you begin your workout. The recommended cycle for Winsol is for 2 months with a 1.5-week period in between. Be sure to use this supplement with a good diet and a steady exercise routine. 

Winsol small CTA

Ingredients

We mentioned how Winsol uses all-natural ingredients, but what exactly is in it? In this section, we’ll tell you exactly what is in each capsule and how they work to mimic the steroid Winstrol.

Acetyl L-Carnitine

This amino acid is popular in the use of bodybuilding supplements due to the fact It’s great in energy production. 

It works by conveying fatty acids to the mitochondria of cells and helps it to burn fat and power the body’s activities. There is 555mg of Acetyl L-Carnitine combined in 3 capsules (serving size).

Choline

This nutrient acts like an amino acid in the way that it promotes burning fat. There are different roles choline plays in the body, some of which can cause fatigue as the body depletes their levels during intense workouts. 

The choline in Winsol helps ensure this does not happen by keeping the levels up during these workouts. There is 300mg Choline combined in 3 capsules (serving size). 

Wild Yam

Wild yam is typically used in pain treatments due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It contains a compound that produces testosterone, helping in your bodybuilding endeavors and keeping your levels from dropping like what would happen with the steroids. 

This root is vital in helping recovery time and decreasing pain levels during your workout. There is 300mg Wild Yam combined in 3 capsules (serving size).

DMAE

This is an organic anti-inflammatory compound that has been used to treat mental and nervous conditions in the past. The main reason you find it in Winsol is it’s needed for choline to work properly in the body. 

Working together with choline, it supports endurance and energy production. There is 150mg DMAE combined in 3 capsules (serving size).

Safflower Oil

This oil is rich in linoleic acid, which controls cholesterol levels in the blood. By doing this, it helps to protect the heart. 

Additionally, linoleic acid is another anti-inflammatory and is important for enhancing your workouts and reducing joint pain. There is 126mg Safflower Oil combined in 3 capsules (serving size).

By taking a look at all of these ingredients and how they work together to recreate Winstrol’s effects, you can see where the claims come from that it really does work. And with all-natural ingredients and a lack of life-threatening side effects, what do you really have to lose?

winsol_1

Conclusion

Winstrol seems like it can be a miracle drug to the athlete that needs to get fit fast and keep that lean, strong physique, but in the end, it could literally take your life. 

This is said in multiple meanings from losing your career with a failed drug test to finding yourself in an early grave from a failed liver. 

These risks are not worth it when there are safer and legal alternatives on the market. It all boils down to one question: are you willing to risk career and health just to get fit? 

If the answer is no, but you still have the desire to get those results fast, then check out Winsol. It wouldn’t kill you to try.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.