Anyone who is considering using anabolic and androgenic steroids (AAS) should learn as much as possible about Post Cycle Therapy (PCT). Even if you’re planning to use Prohormones or SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators), we still recommend you to learn about PCT.
The point is that you need to learn about PCT protocols whenever you plan to use suppressive compounds. Those that lower natural testosterone production. Considering the huge importance of a Post Cycle Therapy protocol, chances are – you already heard about it. If you still have some questions about PCT plans – we’re going to offer all the information you need in this Post Cycle Therapy guide.
We all know that the awesome physiques of professional bodybuilders and numerous other athletes and models are the result of spending hours in the gym and eating lots of calories. Nonetheless, we also know that lots of people resort to Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), such as androgenic and anabolic steroids, for achieving the “dream body image”.
If you decided to start transforming your body and you’re set on the use of anabolic steroids (or whatever other suppressing PEDs), then we share this information that you actually need. It would be helpful in staying safe as well as reducing the risks and side effects. Would be greatly helpful in preserving the gains you’ve made during the cycle.
Remember that using suppressive compounds (especially powerful ones like anabolic steroids) would suppress the natural ability of your body to produce testosterone. In addition, it would have an overall negative effect on your hormonal balance. To mitigate the hormonal imbalances, Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is your best bet. You’ll find a handful of information about PCT plans answering your questions.
Why Do I Need Post Cycle Therapy?
When you start administering specific PEDs, your body stops producing testosterone on its own. That’s because it receives some signals that there’s an excess of testosterone. That’s especially true when you run anabolic hormones (AKA steroids) because they are a form of exogenous testosterone.
You can’t run testosterone non-stop. At least for bodybuilding purposes. While they are highly effective, they are coming with many different side effects. That’s why you can only use them in “cycles”. It helps enhance physique and performance but then you need to get off the steroids to avoid the side effects. That’s by allowing some time for your body to recover from the steroids. It helps the body recover its natural ability to produce testosterone. It also recovers other organs as well.
The only exception is when you’re on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) or blast and cruise. If your body can’t produce normal levels of testosterone naturally, you need to use testosterone for the rest of your life. Or if you don’t rely anymore on your body’s ability to produce testosterone and start cruising. It’s basically the same TRT. You use a low dosage of Testosterone simply for health purposes. This is the only scenario when you wouldn’t need Post Cycle Therapy.
- So, when you get off steroids, the body can’t produce natural testosterone normally. It’s because the natural hormonal balance is thrown off. The Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonadal Axis (HPTA) system is imbalanced due to the flood of synthetic hormones you had during the cycle.
When you stop the use of steroids, the body starts recovering on its own, but it may take many months until it does so.
That’s when the Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is so effective.
What Happens After Cycle?
Post Cycle Therapy is going to help recover the damage done to your hormonal balance (HPTA), boost your natural testosterone production, lower estrogen levels and greatly reduce the overall recovery time.
After a cycle, the user doesn’t receive exogenous testosterone and the body takes months until it fully recovers the ability to produce normal levels of testosterone. Plus, there’s a high chance of too high estrogen levels flowing in the body. As a result of low testosterone and high estrogen levels, the steroid user may experience:
- Overall ill health
- Muscle and strength loss
- Decreased libido and sexual performance
- Erectile dysfunction
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Water retention
- Low energy
- Fat gain
- Many others
In order to deal with these issues, you need Post Cycle Therapy.
This is a protocol usually consisting of at least one Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM). That’s commonly Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) or Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate). But most common PCT plans are with both SERMs. Usually, steroid users add natural compounds/ supplements/ vitamins/ minerals, etc. to their PCT plans too. Sometimes, they may add other compounds, it all depends on various factors, on your own needs, etc.
Anyway, at least one SERM is important because that’s what really helps speed up the recovery and production of natural testosterone levels.
So, a Post Cycle Therapy greatly helps lower the side effects and restore the overall hormonal balance of the user.
In the end, if you don’t plan to use a PCT protocol after a steroid cycle (or a cycle with whatever other suppressive compound) you are very likely to experience the symptoms mentioned above. It’s going to take much longer for your body to recover, produce testosterone at normal levels and recover hormonal balance (HPTA).
When Should I Start Post Cycle Therapy?
You need to start the Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) when all suppressing steroids are out of your body. That’s why, considering the half-lives of anabolic steroids (or Prohormones or SARMs) isn’t only important for determining the administration time, but also for determining when to start PCT.
- There are compounds with very short half lives, such as Dianabol half-life of 3-6 hours. At the same time, there are anabolic steroids with very long half lives, such as a Testosterone Cypionate half-life of 10-12 days.
That’s why, if you had Testosterone Cypionate in your cycle, for example, then you need to wait about 2 weeks or so until you start the PCT plan. For most oral steroids/ SARMs/ Prohormones, you’re only going to need to wait a few days after the last dosage. Again – that’s because they have different speed rates at which they flush out of your system.
How Long Does PCT Last?
From the moment that your body is completely free of suppressing compounds, the Post Cycle Therapy protocol starts and it usually lasts anywhere between 2 to 8 weeks. The most common PCT plan length is 4 weeks. However, the exact length that you’re going to need depends on various factors. It can be very different from one person to another.
Mainly it depends on the type of drugs you took during the cycle, the dosage you administered, and for how long you’ve been running them. For example, a short cycle with low dosages of mild SARMs is definitely not going to require the same PCT length as a long cycle with high doses of potent anabolic steroids.
It also comes down to genetics and personal tolerance. Some people naturally recover faster than others.
Anyway, a common PCT plan is 4 weeks for a steroid user, using testosterone, for example for a common 10-12 cycle length in common dosages.
Do I Need to Continue Training and Dieting During PCT?
YES! Definitely! It’s actually extremely important. Training and dieting help recover your body and help avoid muscle and strength loss as well as fat gain.
However, you should not be overtraining. The body requires time to recover itself and overtraining might be detrimental in terms of recovery. Yet, you shouldn’t stop completely. You don’t need to train too much or too little. Find the perfect balance.
The same thing goes for dieting. You shouldn’t be overeating, nor you should undereat – it would be detrimental to your goals and body recovery. Continue eating clean and decrease the calories if you’ve been on a bulking diet or increase them if you’ve been on a cutting diet. Find the balance around the maintenance calories with an overall clean diet.
Best Post Cycle Therapy
We can’t offer the best Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan simply because there isn’t one. Everyone is different, having different cycles and responses to PCT drugs.
- So, the dosages of PCT drugs, PCT length, and what kind of PCT meds you need in the first place greatly varies on individual circumstances.
You need to find the “best PCT” for yourself, based on those factors. Again, it’s all about finding the right balance. Don’t overdo it and don’t underdo it.
There are some Over-The-Counter (PCT) products that claim to be great for PCT plans. They are usually OTC testosterone boosters and estrogen blockers. They are actually effective, but only when stacked with actual effective PCT medications. On their own, they are not powerful enough for steroid users. We do not have the OTC medications on our site as you can find them in your nearest supplements shop or in all major online marketplaces.
What Do I Need For PCT?
What you actually need that is going to help with your Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) even when used alone are chemicals that usually require a prescription to obtain (exactly like anabolic steroids). You can find them for sale on Iron-Daddy.to.
The most popular and widely used compounds for PCT plans (especially for steroid users) are:
Clomiphene Citrate (popular brand – Clomid)
Tamoxifen Citrate (popular brand – Nolvadex)
Both Clomid and Nolvadex (clomiphene and tamoxifen) are SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators). Please, do not confuse them with SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) as they are completely different compounds. Both block the estrogen from reaching the pituitary gland and this is going to help your body start producing testosterone naturally much faster. It’s because the pituitary gland starts producing more FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone).
Other Things For PCT
Additionally, some people add:
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) – for increasing testicle size. It directly stimulates FSH and LH. Most commonly used during the cycle.
- Accutane – for preventing or treating oily skin and acne. People can add it both during PCT and during the cycle.
- Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs). Arimidex (Anastrozole) and Aromasin (Exemestane) are most popular. Only sometimes used during PCT to lower total estrogen levels. Commonly steroid users add them during the cycle to control estrogen.
- Cabaser. Very rarely someone need it during the PCT plan. This compound lowers prolactin which is commonly a problem only during the cycle with specific anabolic steroids.
- Propecia. Again, it’s a compound that most people add during the cycle, but sometimes for PCT. It helps prevent / treat male pattern alopecia as it reduces DHT levels.
- Natural supplements/ vitamins/ minerals/ OTC compounds. All of these things are welcome both during PCT and cycle. They are not strong enough on their own, but they can help with recovery, damage prevention, and benefits boost. Some examples: different OTC compounds meant for PCT plans, vitamin D, Zinc, fenugreek extract, Milk Thistle, NAC, TUDCA, saw palmetto extract, ashwagandha, magnesium, CoQ10, and many others.
The point of supplements and natural OTC compounds is to help increase your metabolism, protect organs such as your liver/ kidneys, avoid cardiovascular strain, heart issues, negative impact on cholesterol, and so on and so forth. They won’t be as effective as steroids during the cycle and won’t be as effective as SERMs during PCT. But they are welcome in both cycles.
Clomid PCT
Clomid is going to block the estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. This helps release Luteinizing Hormones (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH). Therefore, they start producing testosterone.
Clomid (Clomiphene) dosage ranges between 25 mg and 100 mg/day. Rarely, but still, some steroid users choose to start their PCT plans with even higher doses of Clomid like 150-200 mg/day. Dosages of clomiphene citrate are highest at the start of PCT and then gradually decrease towards the end.
- Common PCT plan with Clomid: 100 mg/day for the first 2 weeks and then 50 mg/day for the last 2 weeks (4 weeks plan). Or it could be 50/50/25/25 mg per day/ per week. These are just examples. 5 week Clomid PCT plan example: 100/50/50/25/25. Or 100/50/50/50/25. And so on and so forth.
This product can cause side effects. Yet, the chances of negative symptoms of not running a PCT plan altogether are much higher compared to the chances of Clomiphene side effects. Feeling emotional, nausea, fatigue, stomach issues, and depression are some examples.
Nolvadex PCT
Nolvadex is also blocking the estrogen receptors at the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Thus, it also helps produce more LH and FSH. Moreover, Tamoxifen blocks the estrogen from reaching estrogen receptors in breast tissues. As a result, it prevents and treats estrogen positive breast cancer in women and gynecomastia in men. That’s why, sometimes, men use it during the cycle. Nonetheless, it won’t be helpful for other high estrogen symptoms. That’s why Aromatase Inhibitors (AI) are better during the cycle, while Nolvadex is great for PCT plans.
Nolvadex (tamoxifen) dosage ranges between 20 mg and 40 mg/day for Post Cycle Therapy. Exactly as with Clomid, dosages of tamoxifen are highest at the start of PCT and then gradually decrease towards the end.
- Common PCT plan with Nolvadex: 40 mg/day for the first 2 weeks and then 50 mg/day for the last 2 weeks (4 weeks PCT plan). But as with Clomid, that’s just an example and you can adjust dosages as you need. Such as 40/40/40/20 mg per day/ per week. Or 40/20/20/20 mg per day/ per week. Can adjust Nolvadex PCT plan length too. Milder plans can go with 2-3 weeks like 20/20/20 mg a day /per week. Or harsher plans may go with 40 mg/day for 3-5 weeks then reduce to 20 mg/day for a few more weeks.
As with Clomid, Nolvadex side effects chances are lower and milder compared to side effects chances of stopping a steroid cycle without a PCT plan. Some examples of Tamoxifen side effects are nausea, libido fluctuations, hot flashes, headaches, and others.
Clomid and Nolvadex PCT Plan
This is perhaps the most popular Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) Protocol when both of these SERMs stack together. That’s because Nolvadex and Clomid work in synergy together. Most people say that it’s better to run both these compounds together rather than just one. Moreover, using both in lower doses rather than just one in higher doses would decrease the risks of side effects.
That’s why it is a good idea to start with these compounds as a PCT plan but in lower doses. This way, you avoid their own side effects and the side effects of low testosterone and high estrogen after stopping the cycle.
One example of Nolvadex and Clomid PCT plan:
Week 1-2: Nolvadex 40 mg a day and Clomid 50 mg a day. Week 3-4: Nolvadex 20 mg a day and Clomid 25 mg a day. Remember that this is just an example. You can always adjust dosages and PCT length according to your own needs.
Post Cycle Therapy Conclusion
It’s essential to run a Post Cycle Therapy after each cycle with suppressive compounds, especially with anabolic steroids. It’s also essential to find your own “sweet” balance when it comes to PCT length, PCT meds you run, their dosages, diet and workout plan, and so on and so forth.
Generally, the best PCT medications are Nolvadex and Clomid. But as I said, there are other compounds you may add. PCT is there to help you recover the damage done to your body and maintain gains. As well as to remain overall healthy.
You can find the best quality ancillaries including anabolic steroids for sale directly at Iron-Daddy.to. We offer anything you need for a PCT plan and for a cycle. With the exception of OTC compounds that you can find almost anywhere else online. It’s harder to buy prescription drugs such as Nolvadex and Clomid as well as anabolic steroids. At least, for good quality and for low prices. But with Iron-Daddy.to you can leave all your worries behind.
