Winstrol is a brand name for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Stanozolol is used in the medical treatment of both humans -- for conditions such as anemia -- and livestock. It is also heavily used in the athletic and bodybuilding communities as an illegal performance-enhancing substance. It is often favored for the treatment of women, due to the fact that its anabolic effects are strong relative to its androgenic -- or masculinizing -- effects.
Cardiovascular Side Effects
Prolonged use of Winstrol can have undesirable effects on your cardiovascular system. The most common of these are increases in blood pressure and levels of bad cholesterol, especially among those with pre-existing tendencies toward these conditions. Less common is the onset of cardiovascular disease, particularly coronary artery disease, especially among those with pre-existing risk factors. For these reasons, if you're using Winstrol, it is extremely important to schedule regular bloodwork and consultations with a physician.
Sex-Specific Side Effects
Although Winstrol has lower androgenic effects than many other steroids, sex-specific side effects are still numerous and widespread among long-term users. Because Winstrol converts to the enzyme aromatase during its metabolism in the body, the compound can lead to development of breast tissue in males, a condition known as gynecomastia. Further, it can cause sexual dysfunction and temporary or permanent infertility, due to testicular atrophy, which occurs due to the drug's suppression of natural testosterone levels. For men who are predisposed to hereditary baldness, Winstrol can accelerate this process through the conversion of testosterone to dihyrotestosterone.
In women, Winstrol can cause physical virilization in a variety of respects, including increases in body hair, enlargement of the sexual organs and even deepening of the voice. Winstrol should never be taken during pregnancy, as it can lead to a variety of complications.
Psychiatric Side Effects
Because there is limited long-term data of the effects of steroid use, the psychiatric effects are largely unclear. A study published in Volume 19, Issue 7 of the medical journal "CNS Drugs" concluded that large-scale use of compounds such as Winstrol can lead to "significant psychiatric symptoms including aggression and violence, mania, and less frequently psychosis and suicide," and further that "long-term steroid abusers may develop symptoms of dependence and withdrawal on discontinuation" of use. There is, however, no evidence that these effects are likely to occur as a result of doctor-supervised medical treatment.
Teen-Specific Side Effects
Use of compounds such as Winstrol during teenage years can lead to a variety of undesirable effects, including stunted growth, accelerated skeletal maturation and premature sexual development. Because of these considerations, these compounds are rarely, if ever, used in the treatment of teenagers.
References
- "Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport"; F. Grace, et al.; 2003 Blood pressure and rate pressure product response in males using high-dose anabolic androgenic steroids;
- "Annual Review of Medicine"; Estrogens and the human male; R. Marcus; 1976
- "CNS Drugs"; Behavioural manifestations of anabolic steroid use; A. Trenton; 2005
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