Stanozolol

Stanozolol, commonly sold under the name Winstrol (oral) and Winstrol Depot (intra-muscular), was developed by Winthrop Laboratories in 1962. It is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone, and has been approved by the FDA for human use.

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Unlike most injectable anabolic steroids, Stanozolol is not esterified and is sold as an aqueous suspension, or in oral tablet form. The drug has a large oral bioavailability, due to a C₁₇ α-alkylation which allows the hormone to survive first pass liver metabolism when ingested. It is because of this that Stanozolol is also sold in tablet form.

Stanozolol is usually considered a safer choice for female bodybuilders in that it rewards a great amount of anabolism for a small androgenic effect, however virilization and masculinization are still very common, even at low doses.

Stanozolol has been used on both animal and human patients for a number of conditions. In humans, it has been demonstrated to be successful in treating anaemia and hereditary angioedema. Veterinarians may prescribe the drug to improve muscle growth, red blood cell production, increase bone density and stimulate the appetite of debilitated or weakened animals.

Stanozolol is one of the Anabolic steroids commonly used as an ergogenic aid and is banned from use in sports competition under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and many other sporting bodies.

Use in bodybuilding

Like other anabolic steroids, stanozolol is classified as a Schedule III controlled substance under federal regulation. In New York, the state legislature classifies anabolic steroids under DEA Schedule II.

Used illegally in bodybuilding, typically "stacked" with other testosterone-based anabolic steroids, Stanozolol is liked by many due to the fact it causes strength increases without excess weight-gain, promotes increases in vascularity, and will not convert to estrogen. It also does not cause excess water retention, and even sometimes is thought to have a diuretic effect on the body.

Stanozolol is commonly used by athletes and bodybuilders alike to lose fat while retaining lean body mass. It is usually used in a cutting cycle, to help preserve lean body mass while metabolizing adipose, although it has not been proven conclusively that it has any special fat-burning properties.

It is presented most commonly as a 50 mg/mL injection or a 5 mg tablet. However, recently 100 mg/mL versions have become available. A common dosage can be 25-100 mg/day, with optimal results usually seen at 50 mg/day. It is reduced to micrometer particles in aqueous suspension and does not have a typical elimination half-life. Authentic Stanozol can easily be seen, because it will separate in its container if left undisturbed for a number of hours (the micronized crystal will fall to the bottom, and the water suspension will rise to the top). It has a white, milky colour.

It should be taken no more than 48 hours apart, with some users preferring to inject every day, or even twice a day, to maintain serum levels.

An alternative to Stanzolol is Furazabol. Furazabol's effects are virtually identical to Stanzolol except that instead of having an extremely adverse effect on cholesterol values, Furazabol actually improves a person's blood lipid profile (at therapeutic doses, not performance enhancing ones).^{[citation needed]} Sold under the trade name Mitolan, Furazabol is a standard treatment in Japan for hyperlipemia.

Publicized abuse cases

• Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meter sprint at the 1988 Summer Olympics when he tested positive for this drug after winning the final.^[1]
• Olimpiada Ivanova was stripped of her silver medal in the 10 kilometer walk at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics after she had tested positive for Stanozolol, and she was banned for two years.^[2]
• Vita Pavlysh was stripped of her gold medal in shot put at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships after she had tested positive for Stanozolol. 5 years later at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, she won the title again only to fail the drug test for the same reason. She was again stripped of her title and banned from athletics for life.^[3]
• Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days from Major League Baseball on August 1, 2005, after testing positive for steroids.^[4] According to the published report in the New York Times, Stanozolol was the steroid detected in Palmeiro's system. This came not long after he testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on steroid usage in baseball, and he denied ever using steroids.
• Barry Bonds is accused of using Stanozolol in Game of Shadows, a book by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams that documents the purported use of various steroids by Bonds since 1998. The accusations were first aired on 7 March 2006 by Sports Illustrated, which published excerpts from the book.^{[citation needed]}
• Tim Sylvia, mixed martial artist, and the former UFC Heavyweight Champion tested positive for Stanozolol after a championship bout in 2003. He was stripped of his title, and given a six month suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.^{[citation needed]}
• Kimo Leopoldo, mixed martial artist, tested positive for Stanozolol before a match set on July 22nd 2006. The California State Athletic Commission barred Leopoldo from competing against Bas Rutten.^{[citation needed]}
• Halina Karnatsevich, marathon runner, tested positive for Stanozolol after the 2006 Grandma's Marathon. She was stripped of her 2006 title and suspended from competition for two years after testing positive for a banned substance.^{[citation needed]}
• Fernando Vargas, boxer, tested positive for Stanozolol during a post-fight mandatory drug screening after his defeat by rival Oscar De La Hoya. Vargas accepted full responsibility and was consequently fined $100,000 and suspended for nine months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
• Rey Mysterio, professional wrestler, was accused of obtaining stanozol on March 19, 2007, when Sports Illustrated posted on its website an article in its continuing series investigating a steroid and HGH ring used by a number of professional athletes in several sports. That article mentioned several current and former WWE wrestlers, including Mysterio who was alleged to have also obtained nandrolone.
• Salvador Carmona, footballer, tested positive for Stanozolol in 2005 and 2006. He was banned for life by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to repeated drug offences. Tribunal Arbitral du Sport.^[5]
• Phil Baroni, former UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship fighter, tested positive for Stanozolol following his June 22, 2007 fight against Frank Shamrock at Strikeforce: Judgment Day.^[6]
• K-1's 2007 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas finalist Zabit Samedov tested positive for Stanozolol following the August 11, 2007 event.^[7]
• John Hennigan (John Morrison in World Wrestling Entertainment) was caught with having used Stanozolol between June 2006 and February 2007 and was suspended for 30 days
• Roger Clemens was reported to have been injected with Stanozolol (Winstrol) by major league strength coach Brian McNamee during the 1998 baseball season.^[8]
• Wayne Gretzky has always denied the use of any anabolic steroid throughout his career.

References