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Post Cycle Therapy 101
By: Dylan Gemelli
The most important part of any cycle of anabolic steroids or prohormones is the concept of POST CYCLE THERAPY (PCT). It is imperative to run a thorough PCT to not only ensure health and longevity, but recovery and sustainability of your hard earned gains. Too often, the concept of PCT is misunderstood and neglected. This can lead to severe short and long term damage and is the biggest problem that I have seen with steroid use.
Post Cycle Therapy Defined:
Post cycle therapy is a process that involves specific compounds, nutrition, and often pharmaceutical drugs to help regulate hormonal levels, control levels of estrogen, and get your body back to normal after a cycle of anabolics.
If you do not have a complete post cycle therapy planned and in place, there are several side effects that you have a high probability of encountering. These include but are not limited to: suppression of natural testosterone, gynecomastia, loss of sex drive, shrunken testicles, loss of energy, unwanted weight gain, loss of gains made, high levels of toxicity, raised blood pressure, cholesterol problems, damaged liver and the list only goes on.
This article will provide and understanding and guide to what a complete post cycle therapy should include that will ensure a full recovery and the sustainability of gains made.
What is the purpose of Post Cycle Therapy?
1) Kickstart your HPTA production
2) Prevent Catabolism
3) Prevent Fat-Gains
4) Prevent Strength loss
5) Balance Hormone levels
6) Reduce Side-effects
1) Starting-up your HPTA: Use of a SERM (preferably both) Clomid and Nolvadex. This will help kickstart your HPTA production and lead you to the road of recovery.
2) Prevent Catabolism + 4) Prevent Strength loss: The use of a powerful SARM Ostarine (MK-2866) to lower cortisol levels and increase your IGF-1 levels.
3) Prevent Fat-Gains: The use of an aromatase inhibitor will prevent unwanted water retention from increased estrogen. Implementing GW-501516 will help to melt fat as well as drastically increasing endurance. Your performance enhancement will reach all time high levels, thus allowing for maximum output resulting in maximum gains.
5) Balancing Hormone levels: To prevent estrogen levels from increasing and IGF from decreasing, add Aromasin. Natural Herbs such as tribulus terrestris and fadogia agrestis can help to increase tesiticular size naturally from shrinkage that may have been encountered on cycle. They both carry natural testosterone boosting characteristics as well.
6) Decrease Side-Effects: To make sure your kidneys, organs and liver are not damaged during your PCT, continue using on cycle supports through pct. Examples would be: Hawthorne Berry and COQ10 for blood pressure protection, milk thistle and TUDCA for liver support etc. Eliminating toxicity during PCT is integral for a strong recovery.
Post Cycle Therapy 101
An effective post cycle therapy includes the following:
1. A SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator)
2. An Aromatase Inhibitor (AI)
3. Other Optional PCT Supplements: This may include pharmaceuticals, SARMS testosterone boosters, and other natural or herbal supplements.
Each one has a very special role in your PCT and are all very important in assuring a successful cycle and long lasting gains.
SERMS
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) Compounds that bind with estrogen receptors and exhibit estrogen action in some tissues and anti-estrogen action in other tissues. The ideal SERM would deliver all the benefits of estrogen without the adverse effects. ex: Clomiphene Citrate (Marketed as Clomid or Serophene). Tamoxifen (Marketed as Nolvadex).
Clomid stimulates the hypophysis to release more gonadotropin so that a faster and higher release of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone occurs. This results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production. Clomid is a synthetic estrogen and also works as an anti-estrogen. Clomid is a weak synthetic allowing it to bind to the estrogen receptor and not cause any problems. In conjunction, the increase in estrogen from steroid use is blocke from attaching to the estrogen receptor.
Nolvadex is similar to Clomid for several reasons. It behaves in the same manner in all tissues and is a mixed estrgoen agonist/antagonist of the same type as clomid. The two molecules are also very similar in structure. Nolvadex DOES NOT reduce estrogen levels as many believe. It blocks estrogen from estrogen receptors and in the tissues where it is an agonist, it causes the receptor to do nothing.
Using a SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) will help to kickstart your natural testosterone production and control the effects of estrogen rebound so you avoid gynecomastia and/or the estrogen rebound effect. A SERM provides the ability to maintain gains and boost your testosterone levels.
These are often pharmaceutical grade and are a MUST in any post cycle. I often see people trying to leave a SERM out or in the hopes of avoiding use however that is a large mistake and will ensure a much more difficult recovery. Health and longevity are more important than any other aspect and an extensive PCT ensures this concept.
Remember, increased testosterone = increased estrogen levels.
Keep that in mind when planning your PCT so you’ll stay balanced not only throughout your cycle but post cycle as well.
How should you dose your SERMS for maximum effectiveness?
This will vary, depending on the harshness of the cycle. If you are taking more than two prohormones at a time, you will want a stronger dose of a SERM compared to a milder cycle or if you are taking a non methylated prohormone.
Below is an example guideline for a normal cycle, followed by an example for a stronger cycle:
Regular/mild cycles:
Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 20mg / day
Week 2 : 20mg / day
Week 3 : 10mg / day
Week 4 : 10 mg / day Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 50mg / day
Week 2 : 25 mg / day
Week 3 : 25mg / day
Week 4 : 25mg / day
Stronger/Harsher cycles:
Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 40mg / day
Week 2 : 40mg / day
Week 3 : 20mg / day
Week 4 : 20 mg / day Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 50 mg / day
Week 2 : 50 mg / day
Week 3 : 25 mg / day
Week 4 : 25mg / day
As you can see, a SERM depending on the strength of your cycle will be stronger to combat the effects of hormonal levels and then are slowly decreased over 4 weeks. You will typically take a SERM four weeks but on a lengthier cycle (over 16 weeks) additional time of use may be necessary.
#2: Aromatase Inhibitors
AI’s (or Aromatase Inhibitors) are the 2nd piece to the post cycle therapy puzzle and basically block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen via the Aromatase enzyme.
AI’s are often used during the cycle itself but can also be added to the end of a cycle to help eliminate and decrease estrogen levels.
AI’s are important to help you increase gains while on cycle, and to maintain normal, balanced hormonal levels.
Aromasin (Exemestane) is the best option for on cycle and post cycle use. Aromasin has the ability to increase free Testosterone and IGF (Insulin Growth Factor) levels in the body. Due to this, aromasin is also very useful during PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) regimes when one is trying to restore natural Testosterone production levels in order to avoid a post cycle "crash". Since one of the main goals of PCT is getting estrogen under control, the very last thing you want is a large spike in estrogen right at the end. Aromasin prevents this from occurring, keeping estrogen under control, preventing rebound and getting you on the right track to a full and efficient recovery...
So if both AIs and SERMs deal with estrogen, why do I need both and what’s the difference?
AI’s help to eliminate the conversion of estrogen at the source during cycle, helping to eliminate bloat and increasing gains. SERMS are for damage control at the end of a cycle, to help prevent the estrogenic effects such as gyno and loss of gains as well as increase testosterone production naturally.
Since you can’t block estrogen forever, combining an AI to help eliminate increases in estrogen with a SERM will assure you end your cycle looking better than ever with little side effects and lots of muscle mass.
#3: Cycle Support & Other PCT Products
Post cycle therapy does not end with just SERMS and AIs. You also need a variety of other products to keep organs healthy, control blood pressure, cholesterol and maintain testosterone production in more natural ways.
SERMS and AIs often have a variety of side effects including emotional episodes, vision problems and loss of libido.
I suggest continuing post cycle with alternative products that will help you to control estrogen, keep your test levels high, and protect you from many of the side effects you may experience while on a cycle of prohormones.
As I touched on above, certain SARMS and natural products have a significant place in your road to recovery as well.
By implementing the SARM MK-2866 (Ostarine) in your post cycle, you can help to lower your cortisol levels, which are known to spike after completion of a cycle. This can became a major problem for many users and detrimental to recovery and keepability of gains. MK-2866 will also increase your IGF-1 levels which is a key component in the recovery process.
By adding GW-501516 to your post cycle, you will have the ability to melt unwanted fat, clean up your gains and drastically increase your endurance. You will also see an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL) which is key after running any type of steroid cycle. You will also allow yourself to perform at levels you could never obtain before, resulting in maximum output in the gym. Many users often struggle in the gym during post cycle therapy when completely off of steroid use, however, adding these two components of MK-2866 and GW-501516 not only enhances the recovery process but provides a far greater likelihood of sustainability of gains made.
Lastly, the addition of natural supplements to aid in ridding yourself of side effect problems that occurred while on cycle is key to recovery. Your body is filled with toxicity throughout a cycle and cleansing yourself of this toxicity is of the utmost importance during recovery. A user should be using cycle support on cycle to ensure protection however there will be a toxicity build up. To make sure your kidneys, organs and liver are not damaged during your PCT, continue using on cycle supports through pct. Examples would be: Hawthorne Berry and COQ10 for blood pressure protection, milk thistle and TUDCA for liver support etc. Eliminating toxicity during PCT is integral for a strong recovery.
Natural Herbs such as tribulus terrestris and fadogia agrestis can help to increase tesiticular size naturally from shrinkage that may have been encountered on cycle. They both carry natural testosterone boosting characteristics as well. This is an issue that needs to be addressed during post cycle therapy and these are the best methods to correct these problems safely. This is not necessarily a requirement but an option of extra insurance for your recovery. It can offer some benefit that is needed but the choice is yours on adding it.
This is the formula to an extensive, complete and PERFECT post cycle therapy. Follow this protocl to assure a strong recovery, enhanced gains and an overall healthier life.
By: Dylan Gemelli
By: Dylan Gemelli
The most important part of any cycle of anabolic steroids or prohormones is the concept of POST CYCLE THERAPY (PCT). It is imperative to run a thorough PCT to not only ensure health and longevity, but recovery and sustainability of your hard earned gains. Too often, the concept of PCT is misunderstood and neglected. This can lead to severe short and long term damage and is the biggest problem that I have seen with steroid use.
Post Cycle Therapy Defined:
Post cycle therapy is a process that involves specific compounds, nutrition, and often pharmaceutical drugs to help regulate hormonal levels, control levels of estrogen, and get your body back to normal after a cycle of anabolics.
If you do not have a complete post cycle therapy planned and in place, there are several side effects that you have a high probability of encountering. These include but are not limited to: suppression of natural testosterone, gynecomastia, loss of sex drive, shrunken testicles, loss of energy, unwanted weight gain, loss of gains made, high levels of toxicity, raised blood pressure, cholesterol problems, damaged liver and the list only goes on.
This article will provide and understanding and guide to what a complete post cycle therapy should include that will ensure a full recovery and the sustainability of gains made.
What is the purpose of Post Cycle Therapy?
1) Kickstart your HPTA production
2) Prevent Catabolism
3) Prevent Fat-Gains
4) Prevent Strength loss
5) Balance Hormone levels
6) Reduce Side-effects
1) Starting-up your HPTA: Use of a SERM (preferably both) Clomid and Nolvadex. This will help kickstart your HPTA production and lead you to the road of recovery.
2) Prevent Catabolism + 4) Prevent Strength loss: The use of a powerful SARM Ostarine (MK-2866) to lower cortisol levels and increase your IGF-1 levels.
3) Prevent Fat-Gains: The use of an aromatase inhibitor will prevent unwanted water retention from increased estrogen. Implementing GW-501516 will help to melt fat as well as drastically increasing endurance. Your performance enhancement will reach all time high levels, thus allowing for maximum output resulting in maximum gains.
5) Balancing Hormone levels: To prevent estrogen levels from increasing and IGF from decreasing, add Aromasin. Natural Herbs such as tribulus terrestris and fadogia agrestis can help to increase tesiticular size naturally from shrinkage that may have been encountered on cycle. They both carry natural testosterone boosting characteristics as well.
6) Decrease Side-Effects: To make sure your kidneys, organs and liver are not damaged during your PCT, continue using on cycle supports through pct. Examples would be: Hawthorne Berry and COQ10 for blood pressure protection, milk thistle and TUDCA for liver support etc. Eliminating toxicity during PCT is integral for a strong recovery.
Post Cycle Therapy 101
An effective post cycle therapy includes the following:
1. A SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator)
2. An Aromatase Inhibitor (AI)
3. Other Optional PCT Supplements: This may include pharmaceuticals, SARMS testosterone boosters, and other natural or herbal supplements.
Each one has a very special role in your PCT and are all very important in assuring a successful cycle and long lasting gains.
SERMS
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) Compounds that bind with estrogen receptors and exhibit estrogen action in some tissues and anti-estrogen action in other tissues. The ideal SERM would deliver all the benefits of estrogen without the adverse effects. ex: Clomiphene Citrate (Marketed as Clomid or Serophene). Tamoxifen (Marketed as Nolvadex).
Clomid stimulates the hypophysis to release more gonadotropin so that a faster and higher release of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone occurs. This results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production. Clomid is a synthetic estrogen and also works as an anti-estrogen. Clomid is a weak synthetic allowing it to bind to the estrogen receptor and not cause any problems. In conjunction, the increase in estrogen from steroid use is blocke from attaching to the estrogen receptor.
Nolvadex is similar to Clomid for several reasons. It behaves in the same manner in all tissues and is a mixed estrgoen agonist/antagonist of the same type as clomid. The two molecules are also very similar in structure. Nolvadex DOES NOT reduce estrogen levels as many believe. It blocks estrogen from estrogen receptors and in the tissues where it is an agonist, it causes the receptor to do nothing.
Using a SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) will help to kickstart your natural testosterone production and control the effects of estrogen rebound so you avoid gynecomastia and/or the estrogen rebound effect. A SERM provides the ability to maintain gains and boost your testosterone levels.
These are often pharmaceutical grade and are a MUST in any post cycle. I often see people trying to leave a SERM out or in the hopes of avoiding use however that is a large mistake and will ensure a much more difficult recovery. Health and longevity are more important than any other aspect and an extensive PCT ensures this concept.
Remember, increased testosterone = increased estrogen levels.
Keep that in mind when planning your PCT so you’ll stay balanced not only throughout your cycle but post cycle as well.
How should you dose your SERMS for maximum effectiveness?
This will vary, depending on the harshness of the cycle. If you are taking more than two prohormones at a time, you will want a stronger dose of a SERM compared to a milder cycle or if you are taking a non methylated prohormone.
Below is an example guideline for a normal cycle, followed by an example for a stronger cycle:
Regular/mild cycles:
Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 20mg / day
Week 2 : 20mg / day
Week 3 : 10mg / day
Week 4 : 10 mg / day Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 50mg / day
Week 2 : 25 mg / day
Week 3 : 25mg / day
Week 4 : 25mg / day
Stronger/Harsher cycles:
Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 40mg / day
Week 2 : 40mg / day
Week 3 : 20mg / day
Week 4 : 20 mg / day Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) PCT
Week 1 : 50 mg / day
Week 2 : 50 mg / day
Week 3 : 25 mg / day
Week 4 : 25mg / day
As you can see, a SERM depending on the strength of your cycle will be stronger to combat the effects of hormonal levels and then are slowly decreased over 4 weeks. You will typically take a SERM four weeks but on a lengthier cycle (over 16 weeks) additional time of use may be necessary.
#2: Aromatase Inhibitors
AI’s (or Aromatase Inhibitors) are the 2nd piece to the post cycle therapy puzzle and basically block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen via the Aromatase enzyme.
AI’s are often used during the cycle itself but can also be added to the end of a cycle to help eliminate and decrease estrogen levels.
AI’s are important to help you increase gains while on cycle, and to maintain normal, balanced hormonal levels.
Aromasin (Exemestane) is the best option for on cycle and post cycle use. Aromasin has the ability to increase free Testosterone and IGF (Insulin Growth Factor) levels in the body. Due to this, aromasin is also very useful during PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) regimes when one is trying to restore natural Testosterone production levels in order to avoid a post cycle "crash". Since one of the main goals of PCT is getting estrogen under control, the very last thing you want is a large spike in estrogen right at the end. Aromasin prevents this from occurring, keeping estrogen under control, preventing rebound and getting you on the right track to a full and efficient recovery...
So if both AIs and SERMs deal with estrogen, why do I need both and what’s the difference?
AI’s help to eliminate the conversion of estrogen at the source during cycle, helping to eliminate bloat and increasing gains. SERMS are for damage control at the end of a cycle, to help prevent the estrogenic effects such as gyno and loss of gains as well as increase testosterone production naturally.
Since you can’t block estrogen forever, combining an AI to help eliminate increases in estrogen with a SERM will assure you end your cycle looking better than ever with little side effects and lots of muscle mass.
#3: Cycle Support & Other PCT Products
Post cycle therapy does not end with just SERMS and AIs. You also need a variety of other products to keep organs healthy, control blood pressure, cholesterol and maintain testosterone production in more natural ways.
SERMS and AIs often have a variety of side effects including emotional episodes, vision problems and loss of libido.
I suggest continuing post cycle with alternative products that will help you to control estrogen, keep your test levels high, and protect you from many of the side effects you may experience while on a cycle of prohormones.
As I touched on above, certain SARMS and natural products have a significant place in your road to recovery as well.
By implementing the SARM MK-2866 (Ostarine) in your post cycle, you can help to lower your cortisol levels, which are known to spike after completion of a cycle. This can became a major problem for many users and detrimental to recovery and keepability of gains. MK-2866 will also increase your IGF-1 levels which is a key component in the recovery process.
By adding GW-501516 to your post cycle, you will have the ability to melt unwanted fat, clean up your gains and drastically increase your endurance. You will also see an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL) which is key after running any type of steroid cycle. You will also allow yourself to perform at levels you could never obtain before, resulting in maximum output in the gym. Many users often struggle in the gym during post cycle therapy when completely off of steroid use, however, adding these two components of MK-2866 and GW-501516 not only enhances the recovery process but provides a far greater likelihood of sustainability of gains made.
Lastly, the addition of natural supplements to aid in ridding yourself of side effect problems that occurred while on cycle is key to recovery. Your body is filled with toxicity throughout a cycle and cleansing yourself of this toxicity is of the utmost importance during recovery. A user should be using cycle support on cycle to ensure protection however there will be a toxicity build up. To make sure your kidneys, organs and liver are not damaged during your PCT, continue using on cycle supports through pct. Examples would be: Hawthorne Berry and COQ10 for blood pressure protection, milk thistle and TUDCA for liver support etc. Eliminating toxicity during PCT is integral for a strong recovery.
Natural Herbs such as tribulus terrestris and fadogia agrestis can help to increase tesiticular size naturally from shrinkage that may have been encountered on cycle. They both carry natural testosterone boosting characteristics as well. This is an issue that needs to be addressed during post cycle therapy and these are the best methods to correct these problems safely. This is not necessarily a requirement but an option of extra insurance for your recovery. It can offer some benefit that is needed but the choice is yours on adding it.
This is the formula to an extensive, complete and PERFECT post cycle therapy. Follow this protocl to assure a strong recovery, enhanced gains and an overall healthier life.
By: Dylan Gemelli
