ComparisonAugust 6, 2026 · 2 min read

Winstrol, Anavar or Dianabol: Oral Androgens Compared

Research compounds for laboratory use only · not medical advice

Mechanism, molecular weight, half-life and research uses of stanozolol, oxandrolone and methandrostenolone — the three oral reference standards in the catalog.

If you are researching oral androgens, these three are the usual starting points. All are 17α-alkylated so they survive first-pass metabolism — which is also why their half-lives are measured in hours, not days. Beyond that, they are quite different molecules.

Side by side

Property Winstrol Anavar Dianabol
Compound Stanozolol Oxandrolone Methandrostenolone
Molecular weight ≈ 328 g/mol ≈ 306 g/mol ≈ 300 g/mol
Est. half-life ≈ 9 h ≈ 9–12 h ≈ 3–5 h
Vial / form 10 mg tablets 10 mg tablets 10 mg tablets
CAS 10418-03-8 53-39-4 72-63-9

What each is referenced for

Winstrol (stanozolol) is the 17α-alkylated pyrazole derivative, commonly seen in SHBG-binding research and nitrogen-retention models. Its molecular weight is higher than the other two, which shows up if you convert mass to molar amounts.

Anavar (oxandrolone) is referenced for its high anabolic-to-androgenic ratio — it’s the compound people cite when a protocol wants to minimize androgenic side effects while keeping protein-synthesis research going. The half-life estimate sits around 9–12 hours.

Dianabol (methandrostenolone) is the classic benchmark. Its short 3–5 hour half-life makes it the fastest-clearing of the three, and it’s widely used as a reference standard in analytical chemistry and receptor binding work.

Formulation math

Published clinical programs for these compounds ran on divided daily dosing, consistent with half-lives measured in hours — the literature context, recorded here so assay designs can reference it. Our tablets ship as 10 mg precision units with batch HPLC at label claim; there is no reconstitution step for orals — but the molecular weight calculator is useful when a research method calls for molar concentrations, and the dilution calculator covers the ethanol-oil solubility work.

Practical notes

Tablets are stored at room temperature and are ethanol/oil soluble. We’ve had researchers ask whether orals can be micronized for solution work — some protocols do dissolve them in ethanol for dosing accuracy, which is exactly where the dilution math comes in. Check the solubility line on each product page: Winstrol, Anavar, Dianabol.

For laboratory research use only. Not medical advice.

Last updated September 9, 2026

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What do all three orals have in common?

All three are 17α-alkylated oral androgens with short half-lives measured in hours, and all are supplied as 10 mg precision-dosed tablets in the catalog.

Which has the shortest half-life?

Stanozolol (Winstrol) is commonly referenced at about 9 hours, oxandrolone (Anavar) around 9–12 hours, and methandrostenolone (Dianabol) about 3–5 hours.

Why do orals need daily dosing?

17α-alkylation lets the molecule survive oral administration, but it also shortens the half-life to hours — which is why oral protocols dose daily or split the tablet.