Nolvadex, Clomid and HCG in Post Cycle Therapy

Most anabolic steroids, especially the androgen's, cause inhibition of the body's own testosterone production. When a bodybuilder comes off a steroid cycle, natural testosterone production is zero and the levels of the steroids taken in the blood are diminishing. This leaves the ratios of catabolic : anabolic hormones in the blood high, hence the body is in a state of catabolism, and, as a result, much of the muscle tissue that was gained on the cycle is now going to be lost.

Clomid stimulates the hypothalamus to, in turn stimulant the anterior pituitary gland (aka hypophysis) to release gonadotrophic hormones. The gonadotrophic hormones are follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH - aka interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)). FSH stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone, and LH stimulates them to secrete more testosterone. This feedback mechanism is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-testes axis (HPTA), and results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production and blood levels rise, to, in part, compensate for the diminishing levels of exogenous steroids. This is vital to minimize post cycle muscle losses. Not all steroids do cause shut down of the feedback mechanism. Everyone is different and you must also take into account how long you have been using a certain steroid and at what dose in order to determine if you need Clomid or not.

Clomid also works as an anti-oestrogen. As it's a weak synthetic oestrogen, it binds to oestrogen receptors on cells blocking them to oestrogen in the blood. This minimizes the negative effects like gynecomastia and water retention that may be a result of oestrogen that has aromatised from testosterone.

It's effect as an anti-oestrogen are quite weak though, and it should not be relied upon if you are going to be using androgenic steroids that aromatise at a rapid rate, or if you are pre-disposed to gynecomastia. Arimidex and Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) are far more effective anti-oestrogens.

Clomid does not, as is often thought, stimulate the release of natural testosterone, but rather works at reducing the oestrogenic inhibition caused by the steroid cycle. It does this in a similar manner to the way it and Nolvadex block oestrogen receptors in nipples to combat gyno development, i.e. by blocking the oestrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary thus reducing the inhibition from the elevated oestrogen. This allows LH levels to return to normal, or even above normal levels, and in turn, natural testosterone levels to also normalize.

When we use anabolic steroids, the level of androgen's in the body rises causing the androgen receptors to become more highly activated, and through the HPTA, a signal tells our testes to stop producing testosterone. During a cycle the body has far higher than normal levels of androgen's and as long as this level is high enough, Clomid will not help to keep natural testosterone production up. It will be almost all but completely shut off, in theory.

Some heavy androgen users, however, do advocate a small burst of Clomid mid-cycle, though it must be hard for them to say if it really of any benefit, due to the amount of gear they are using. Therefore, the only purpose of Clomid during a cycle is as an anti-estrogen.

When To Take Clomid:
The correct time to commence Clomid depends on the type and cycle of steroids you have been using. Different steroids have different half-lifes (indicates the time a substance diminishes in blood), and Clomid administration should be taken accordingly.

As we have seen above, Clomid taken when androgen levels in our blood are still high will be a waste. It is crucial to wait for androgen levels to fall before implementing our Clomid therapy. However, if taken too late we could possibly lose gains.

How to take Nolvadex for PCT:
As an alternative to Clomid, which has been reported to have led to unwanted side effects such as visual disturbances in some users, Nolvadex can be employed. Nolvadex is a trade name for the drug Tamoxifen. Like Clomid, the half life of Nolvadex is relatively long enabling the user to implement a single daily dosing schedule. Administration would start as per the timescales outlined above and the duration would be identical to that of Clomid.

Typically, for a moderate-heavy cycle, the following dosages would be used:
Day 1 - 100mg
Following 10 days - 60mg
Following 10 days - 40mg

Occasionally, heavier cycles containing perhaps Nandrolone (Deca) or Trenbolone which by definition are particularly suppressive of the HPTA, may require a slightly longer therapy. Likewise, more modest/shorter cycles may require lower dosages, perhaps dropping each by 20mg per day.

Some users like to use both Clomid and Nolvadex in their PCT in an attempt to cover all angles. An example of the dosages involved might be:

Day 1 - Clomid 200mg + Nolvadex 40mg
Following 10 days - Clomid 50mg + Nolvadex 20mg
Following 10 days - Clomid 50mg or Nolvadex 20mg

Of course, the examples provided are not set in stone and may be adjusted depending on the factors outlined above and individual variances.

How using HCG:
HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin and is not a steroid, but a natural peptide hormone which develops in the placenta of pregnant women during pregnancy to controls the mother's hormones. (Incidentally, this is the reason you may hear of people testing for growth hormone (HGH) with a pregnancy testing kit.

Its action in the male body is like that of LH, stimulating the Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone even in the absence of endogenous LH. HCG is therefore used during longer or heavier steroid cycles to maintain testicular size and condition, or to bring atrophied (shrunken) testicles back up to their original condition in preparation for post-cycle Clomid therapy. This process is necessary because atrophied testicles produce reduced levels of natural testosterone, this situation should be rectified prior to post-cycle Clomid therapy.

HCG administration post-cycle is common practice among bodybuilders in the belief that it will aid the natural testosterone recovery, but this theory is unfounded and also counterproductive. The rapid rise in both testosterone, and thus oestrogen due to aromatisation, from the administration of HCG causes further inhibition of the HPTA (Hypothalamic/Pituitary/Testicular Axis - feedback loop discussed above); this actually worsens the recovery situation. HCG does not restore the natural testosterone production.

The typically observed dosing of 2000 to 5000IU every 4 to 5 days causes such an increase in oestrogen levels via aromatisation of the natural testosterone that this has been responsible for many cases of gynecomastia.

Smaller doses, more frequently during a cycle will give best overall results with least unwanted side effects. Somewhere between 500IU and 1000IU per day would be best over about a two-week period. These doses are sufficient to avoid/rectify testicular atrophy without increasing oestrogen levels too dramatically and risking gynecomastia. This dosing schedule also avoids the risk of permanently down-regulating the LH receptors in the testes.

It is important for the HCG administration to have been completed with 6 or 7 clear days before the onset of PCT in order to avoid inhibition of the Nolvadex and/or Clomid therapy. Also, a small daily dose (10-20mg) of Nolvadex would normally be used in conjunction with HCG in order to prevent oestrogenic symptoms caused by sudden increases in aromatisation. Clomid and/or Nolvadex are more effective than HCG post cycle, but some long-term users like to use HCG during a cycle, or to prepare the testes for Clomid and/or Nolvadex therapy.

Post Cycle Therapy with Anti Estrogen and Aromatase Inhibitor Femara (Letrozole)

Letrozole is primarily used to ward off any estrogenic side effects caused by a cycle of anabolic steroids. Letrozole has been show to have the capability of reducing the level of estrogen in users' bodies by up to 96-98%.
 Letrozole is a non steroidal selective third generation aromatse inhibitor. The structure and activity of this compound are very similar to that of Arimidex, and is prescribed for similar medical reasons. More specifically, United States prescribing guidelines for Letrozole recommend it to be used for the treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive or estrogen receptor unknown brest cancer. It is typically used as a second line of treatment after an estrogen receptor antagonist like tamoxifen has failed to elicit a desirable response, although it is sometimes initiated as the first course of therapy depending on the circumstances. Male bodybuilders and athletes find value in Letrozole for its ability to mitigate the estrogenic side effects associated with the use of aromatically anabolic/androgenic steroids, such as gynecomastia, fat buildup, and visible water retention. The U.S. FDA approved Letrozole for prescription sale in 1997, where it is sold by  the pharmaceutical company Novartis under the brand name of Femera.

In terms of how this drug  can be used to the benefit of bodybuilders and strength athletes, Letrozole is primarily used to ward off any estrogenic side effects caused by the administration of anabolic steroids. Letrozole has been show to have the capability of reducing the level of estrogen in users' bodies by up to 96-98%. This would seemingly be enough in itself to make the compound a desirable one with which steroid users would be interested in. However Letrozole also has been shown to increase the amount of lutenizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and sex hormone binding globulin in users. When you combine these attributes with the fact that it will help protect against gynecomastia, water retention and other estrogenic side effects Letrozole obviously can fulfill many users' needs.  There are some animal studies that have suggested that letrozole can help to reduce or even eliminate pre-existing gynecomastia as well. Of course there are some limits to this research as it has never been conducted using human subjects but it does demonstrate that there may be a mechanism by which this could occur. Anecdotally some users have reported that they have experienced a reduction in their own pre-existing gynecomastia, but of course these reports have their limits as they were not conducted with the scientific controls in place. Interestingly, it takes approximately 60 days to get a steady blood plasma level of Letrozole once administration of the drug begins. This may necessitate that a user begin using the compound prior to beginning their cycle if they wish for the effects to be at full strength once their cycle begins. This may also hinder the ability of the compound to respond quickly if a user begins administration of the drug to counteract some side effects that have appeared quickly.

The maximum dosage that a user would want to use would be 2.5mgs per day. It has been shown in numerous studies that this dosage will eliminate nearly all of the estrogen in the body in nearly all individuals. Any dose that is higher than this would simply be unneeded. Despite the ability to increase the amount of lutenizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and sex hormone binding globulin in users Letrozole can be counterproductive if used during post-cycle therapy. This is due to the ability of the compound to drive estrogen levels too low during use. Once the compound is discontinued this can result in a "rebound effect" in estrogen levels with these becoming quite high, something that should be avoided during or after post-cycle therapy. Anastrozole could be seen as an alternative to Letrozole in this capacity as it seemingly does not have such a potent effect. The detrimental effect that Letrozole has on blood lipid levels is another reason why many will avoid it's use during post-cycle therapy.

The Benefits of Aromasin in bodybuilding

Aromasin is the trade name for Exemestane, a drug used to treat breast cancer in women. Similarly to arimidex, it is member of the aromatase inhibitor class of drugs. The drug was FDA approved in 1999 and has become very popular across the globe in post menopausal women. Aromasin is a suicidal aromatase inhibitor (AI), meaning it permanently disables the aromatase enzyme once it binds to it. In plain English, Aromasin will prevent the currently bound enzymes from rebounding, which is what separates this drug from Letrozole or Arimidex. When you use other AI’s, they temporarily stop estrogen from aromatizing, but when you stop taking them those same enzymes can rebound causing what is known as ‘estrogen rebound’. This explains why some anabolic steroid users experience gynecomastia (bitch tits) after cycle when using other AI’s. Studies on breast cancer patients have shown Aromasin reduced estrogen levels up to 85%. Certain anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) convert to estrogen in the body; all testosterone esters, Nandrolones, dianabol, and Boldenone are examples. If not controlled, the user runs the risk of developing several types of estrogen side effects such as gynecomastia (bitch tits), water retention, blood pressure and heart problems. There is a domino effect that can occur if estrogen gets out of control.  Just imagine carrying around two gallons of water all day.

The user may notice feeling rundown and tired, blood pressure will soar, and motivation will decrease. These side effects will defeat the purpose of running steroids in the first place. In addition, high estrogen levels, when coming off a cycle, will interfere with recovery of the bodies natural testosterone levels.

On the other hand, if you run a harsh AI, which eliminates too much estrogen, it can also have negative effects on libido, mood, and dry out the joints. Since Aromasin is a suicide aromatase inhibitor, you should work on controlling the dosage and tailoring it to your cycle. Don’t just use random dosages without looking at your whole steroid cycle. Very similar in many ways to other aromatase inhibitors, particularly Arimidex and Letrozole, Aromasin has some characteristics unique unto its own. Like all aromatase inhibitors Aromasin is useful to the steroid using athlete in the prevention of unwanted side-effects such as Gynecomastia and excess water retention. By its mode of action Aromasin inhibits the conversion of estrogen in the body; as many anabolic steroids convert to estrogen after administration due to the aromatase process, Aromasin actively inhibits this process. By its inhibiting nature the total amount of estrogen in the body is reduced and blocked from binding thereby preventing common associated adverse side-effects. While the aromatase inhibiting effect is its primary function and primary reason for using Aromasin it also carries with it other characteristics that may be of interest to the anabolic steroid user. Aromasin has been shown to greatly stimulate natural testosterone production by a slight androgenic nature. While other aromatase inhibitors can also increase total testosterone production Aromasin actively does so while increasing natural IGF 1 production as well, Arimidex and Letrozole cannot boast such a claim.

For the anabolic androgenic steroid using athlete the most important question is when is the best time to use Aromasin as it can be effectively used while on cycle for the prevention of estrogenic related side-effects as well as during post cycle therapy (PCT.) It can be used for both purposes but most will find PCT periods to be best served with SERMs and hCG and the use of aromatase inhibitors while on cycle to be the most efficient method of practice. If you are on the verge of using Aromasin immediately or after your anabolic steroid cycle, it is critical that you have good knowledge of the benefits of the drug, tips while using this drug and also the precautions you need to take while using this drug.

Aromasin has an active life of about 24-40 hours. It has been used by athletes and bodybuilders both as an aromatose inhibitor on those harsh, aromatizable steroids. Aromasin works by inhibiting the production of estrogen in the body and initiating a restoration of natural hormone production. Aromasin is also potent enough to facilitate reversal of estrogen-induced negative reactions such as acne, oily skin and bloating within 3-5 weeks of usage. Aromasins also have the capability to greatly enhance the bioavailability of the anabolic steroids being used in the steroid cycles. Aromasin use in Post cycle therapy

As discussed Aromasin is an aromatose inhibtor which can reduce estrogen levels dramatically and enhance testosterone production. Aromasin however is not the most popular aromatose inhibitor in the market today as bodybuilders and athletes continue to prefer Arimidex and Letrozole over it. The reason is simple really, Aromasins came into the market much after the Arimidex or Letrozole so it has yet to receive the cult following the other two drugs command. Aromasin was introduced by a company called Pharmacia and Upjohn in the year 1999. Moreover, aromasins are not as widely availabe as Arimidex or Letrozole.  When there are the other  well accepted aromatose inhibitors in the market why should you consider Aromasin as your aromatose inhibitor of choice?  Letrozole and Arimidex can reduce estrogen levels up to 98% in the body which is more effective than the 85% of Aromasin. But a 98% reduction of estrogen can have complications for the user such as hindered muscle gain and a decrease in sex drive. Aromasin when taken in controlled dosages of 25mg per day leaves a sufficient amount of estrogen in the body and also promotes free development of insulin and testosterone in the body. Combining Aromasin with Nolvadex during post steroidal cycle therapy is potentially a better combination because of aromasin's capability of facilitating testosterone production which is considered vital in the post cycle therapy process.

Nolvadex is also known to greatly diminish the blood plasma levels of aromatose inhibitors like Letrozole or Arimidex, which means they are not bound to be as effective when used with nolvadex in the post cycle therapy. If you still go with these aromatose inhibitors you are wasting your money as Nolvadex has already reduced their effectiveness. Aromasin however remains unaffected by Nolvadex in this respect and should be considered as the aromatose inhibitor of choice. The reason Aromasin remains largely unaffected is because it is a type-I aromatose inhibitor meaning that once it has completed its job of deactivating the aromatase enzyme, you would not need it anymore. However, other aromatose inhibitors like Letrozole need to be present in the body for long periods of time which allows Nolvadex to intervene and alter their pharmacokinetics resulting in them losing their effectiveness.

Also, during Post cycle theraphy, Aaromasin cut down the production of Sex hormone Binding Globulin(SHBG) by at least 20% in males. SHBG is a notorious enzyme which attaches itself to testosterone and is known to render it useless for the purpose of body building. Other aromatose inhibitors do not have the potential to reduce SHBG.

The recommended and optimum usage of Aromasin is about a single dose of 50mg per day. After meals though, taking a single dose of 25mg can be potent enough to reduce the estrogen levels in the body by a dramatic 70-80% within 24 hours of consumption. Aromasin is not suitable for pregnant women and those who are lactating, children, those allergic to Aromasin or its other components, those being treated for prostrate of testicular cancer, high blood pressure patients and those having a history of stroke occurrence or liver damage etc.

Turinabol in bodybuilding

Oral Turinabol is actually a version of Methandrostenolone with extra chlorine atom in the fourth position. Hence the official name of Turinabol is  4-chloro-alpha-Dihydromethyltestosteron. This upgrade has made the drug practically non-aromatized. Even more, Turinabol metabolites very quickly leave the body, making huge advantage against the threat of doping tests. Like the vast majority of oral AAS oral Turinabol is 17-alpha alkylated, thus is potentially harmful to the liver. However, negative impact on the liver was not reported even after prolonged use. Oral Turinabol sufficiently resembles Methandrostenolone not only on the structure of the molecule but the action of both drugs is also very similar. Turinabol produces less gains, but this is “quality”, lean mass and also it produces less side effects. Despite Turinabol does not aromatize and is quite mild drug, prolonged usage may cause the suppression of secretion of endogenous testosterone but at much lesser extent comparing to Methandrostenolone (Dianabol) and it’s easily rejuvenated.

The difference between oral and injectable Turinabol is like with most of other steroids. Oral is easier to take but in theory it may be harmful to the liver, so one can sustain higher dosages of injectable version. Furthermore, injectable is slightly more detected. But, in general, this is a matter of personal preferences.

In bodybuilding Turinabol can be called a rookie. Not surprising – in the past “pharmacological king” in Eastern Europe used to be relatively cheap Methandrostenolone (Dianabol). All Turinabol smuggled from Eastern Germany was captured by light athletics coaches. Western Europe and USA even did not know that such product exists, at least no bodybuilders reported they ever used it. At-first Turinabol notably raises power. Secondly, as has been said, oral turinabol quickly leaves the body and not found in the urine within 6-8 days after end of usage. We have not heard about any positive doping tests for Turinabol. However, it may be because such tests are simply not being made nowadays. A positive feature of the drug can be considered as giving hardness to the muscles without any significant accumulation of water. Experience shows that using of Turinabol is almost mandatory in contest preparation stacks. Also it copes with the task of protection of muscle mass against destruction after bulking cycles.

Turanabol is mostly used to build  lean body mass and strength without water retention, which often occurs with Dianabol and testosterone. The results with Turanabol straightly depends on the daily dosage, which normally varies between 20 to 100 mg. Athletes below 90 kgs experience no side effects at 20 mg daily and more heavy athletes easily adopt 40 – 50 mg daily.

When administered 50 mg / ED it significantly increases dry muscle mass, strength, and all of this without water retention, which can cause serious side effects due to estrogen activity. Because of these characteristics, Turanabol is very effective product for power lifters. In order to increase the results at the end of the course it is recommended to combine this drug with Parabolan (200 mg every week) or with Stanozolol (150 mg every week). This is very good pre-competition combo as well. The above combination allows us to construct a relief and build muscle without any additional fat-burners and guaranteed against side effects such as gynecomastia and excessive estrogen.

In light athletics dosage is following: body weight in pounds divided by 10. For bodybuilders dosage is: body weight in kilograms divided by 1.5-2 (normally it’s 1.5 times more than your daily Dianabol dosage).

The Benefits of Anavar

Anavar was developed to manage conditions of muscle wasting and quick weight loss, as is a common reason for inception with any anabolic steroid. Developed in 1964, by Searle Laboratories to treat such conditions, Searle is no longer in existence as it was bought and absorbed into Pfizer in 2003.  As you can see Searle developed some very significant products over the years and its development of Anavar is no exception because with its inception one of the safest anabolic steroids for both men and women would hit the shelves.

Comprised of Oxandrolone, Anavar as it is commonly known is a Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) anabolic steroid with almost no androgenic qualities and peaceful anabolic properties. An oral steroid, Anavar is like most oral steroids a C17alpha-alkylated medication (17-aa) signification it has been altered at the 17th carbon position to allow it to survive ingestion by surviving the first pass through the liver; without the 17-aa alteration the steroid would be destroyed before it ever entered the blood stream. By this alteration the steroid is allowed to survive and enter the blood stream where it becomes active and the benefits are received. As you may grasp the 17-aa procedure can be toxic to the liver, for this reason many individuals will avoid oral anabolic steroids but as it pertains to Anavar we must build an exception. Unlike most 17-aa medications Anavar appears to be very mild on the liver, so mild that most who use it experience little to no elevation in liver enzymes.

As a very mild anabolic steroid Anavar is not well-suited for bulking cycles or gaining phases; you will not produce a vast amount of lean muscle tissue through its use when speaking of execution enhancing purposes; however, what is produced will be solid muscle tissue. The greatest benefits associated with this particular steroid lie within muscle preservation and metabolic activity. This simply means Anavar has the ability to not only aid in reducing corpse-fat but preserving muscle tissue while on a calorie restricted diet; further, the more muscle tissue we have the greater our metabolic activity will be thereby increasing the rate in-which corpse-fat is utilized for energy. Because Anavar is apt for fat reduction and muscle preservation it is commonly used by build athletes during their competition preparation, as well as by common gym rats who simply want to look leaner and tighter at the beach.

The Side-Effects of Anavar:
Most anabolic steroids carry with them the possibility of many adverse side-effects. It is significant to keep in mind these side-effects are only possible, they are by no means guaranteed or assured and are largely avoidable when used responsibly. However, negative side-effects can occur when steroids are abused and even in some who are sensitive even though they use responsibly they may fall prey to negative outcomes; the same can be said of Aspirin. While many anabolic steroids carry vast possible negative side-effects such as estrogenic related due to aromatization, Anavar does not possess these traits. Anavar does not aromatize making common side-effects such as Gynecomastia little to no concern; Further, as most steroids are very suppressive to normal testosterone production Anavar is very peaceful in this regard, so peaceful that one could take Anavar and still make some natural testosterone. However, some suppression will still exist and the extent will largely be portion dependent.