PCT drugs are essential for your health after completing an anabolic steroids cycle. In the WebMD-roids, we have many post-cycle medicines for sale. But first, there are things you must understand about post-cycle therapy. After that, you can pick the right treatment for your needs.
What Is Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)?
Post-cycle therapy (PCT) is a drug regimen that anabolic steroid users undergo to restore natural testosterone production levels. A steroid cycle can mess with your innate hormonal system. If no action is taken, this condition can last for weeks, leading to many undesirable side effects.
PCT involves taking various prescription medicines that may or may not be easily available to you. Thus, it’s important to understand how these drugs work, the ideal dosage, and the length of time to run your PCT routine.
Post-cycle treatment is a critical undertaking. It’s an action that deserves as much deliberation and planning as the steroid cycle itself. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an athlete, bodybuilder, boxer, swimmer, wrestler, or runner. Prioritizing your PCT as any other aspect of your bodybuilding protocol will enhance your results and boost your well-being.
What Is PCT in Bodybuilding?
Some young athletes wonder what is PCT. It’s the treatment routine you follow after you’re through with a run of anabolic steroids.
Some anabolic steroids can give you that ripped, chiseled physique if used correctly. Nevertheless, they may also disrupt other aspects of your physical health. That is particularly true for your normal testosterone (main male sex hormone and androgen) levels.
Following the best PCT cycle after steroids helps restore your body systems to balance. While your testosterone can still return to normal levels without any intervention, the process can be quite slow. PCT gets testosterone production back on track faster and helps reduce common withdrawal symptoms from your anabolic steroid use.
Why Do Athletes Need Post-Cycle Therapy?
Athletes need post-cycle therapy to minimize or control the side effects of using anabolic steroids. As mentioned, when you stop using steroids, testosterone will start to increase naturally. However, it could take forever before the hormone production reaches the ideal levels! During that time, you may experience many unwanted symptoms, such as:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Low libido
- Trouble sleeping
- Anxiety
- Increased irritability
- Acne
- Appetite loss
As mentioned, a PCT helps ensure that natural testosterone levels return to normalcy. Thus, its importance can’t be stressed enough. In addition to restoring usual hormonal production, we can center PCT on the following:
- Maintaining muscle gains
- Gettings your body’s natural systems back on track after steroid use
You can think of post-cycle therapy as an after-cycle detox. It will assist your body in starting to work correctly again without the influence of steroids. Ultimately, you want to come out of your steroid cycle without losing significant muscle gains and with a fully functioning hormonal system.
When Should You Start PCT After a Steroid Cycle?
When to start PCT after the cycle depends on how long the steroids you’ve been using take to completely exit the body. As a rule of thumb, waiting for at least one week before beginning your PCT is advisable.
Suppose you were on slow-release steroids (e.g., Nandrolone decanoate). In that case, you should wait several weeks after administering the last injection. That is to allow the body to be entirely free of artificial endocrine.
Once you are free of synthetic hormones, you can start your PCT. Under the guidance of a qualified physician, post-cycle therapy can help reduce estrogen levels and restore hormonal balance in your body.
Does Exist the Best Post-Cycle Therapy?
The best post-cycle therapy includes carefully chosen categories of medicines. Many expert bodybuilders have used these medicines and have proven that they produce desirable results. They primarily help keep undesirable side effects at bay until you’ve fully recovered from the effects of steroids. Additionally, they will maintain your muscle gains.
The best PCT drugs are as follows, in order of importance:
- Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs)
- Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs)
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)
We’ll discuss these drugs in detail in the subsequent sections. Please continue reading.
How Long Does PCT Last?
Post-cycle treatment typically lasts four to six weeks. The exact time depends on individual circumstances. The circumstances include the type of drugs, the dosage taken, and for how long. Sometimes, you may be required to extend your PCT by several weeks.
SERMs Usage in PCT
SERMs (selective estrogen receptor modulators) are estrogen-like anabolic compounds that bind to estrogen receptors. Based on the target tissue, they can serve as estrogen agonists or antagonists. Also, based on several studies, SERMs are potential treatments for various illnesses, including sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, and muscle wasting.
In the fitness arena, SERMs are considered an ideal option in post-cycle therapy because they help restore hormone balance. SERMs reduce estrogen in breast tissue. That has the effect of mitigating one of the most distressing side effects of anabolic steroids – gynecomastia.
Other benefits include the following:
- Stimulating testosterone production
- Restoring the body’s natural hormone function
- It may help in keeping cholesterol low
Different types of SERMs exist. But when it comes to PCT, the names you’ll most commonly find are as follows:
Toremifene
Toremifene (Fareston) is in a class of drugs referred to as nonsteroidal antiestrogens. This medicine works by blocking estrogen activity in the breast. Studies have shown that Toremifene administration causes a significant boost in testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). Toremifene also encourages increased sperm densities and percentage motility. The recommended dosage to stimulate testosterone function is 120 mg daily. This PCT cycle should run for at least 4 weeks and up to 6 weeks.
Nolvadex
Nolvadex, commonly known as Tamoxifen, is famous for stopping estrogen binding to receptors, particularly in breast tissue. For this reason, it was mainly formulated to treat breast cancer.
In post-cycle therapy, Nolvadex is critical in reducing the symptoms of gynecomastia.
The main benefits of Nolvadex PCT include:
- Restoring natural hormonal production
- Helps in preventing gynecomastia
- Provides both pro-testosterone and anti-estrogenic benefits
- It can help keep cholesterol levels at bay
Clomid
Clomid (Clomiphene) helps to improve fertility in women by stimulating the pituitary gland to increase luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. It also increases follicle-stimulating hormone, which stimulates testosterone production in men.
The main benefits of using Clomid in post-cycle therapy include:
- Restoring natural testosterone production
- Can block estrogen
- Positively impacts cholesterol levels
Which Is Better: Clomid or Nolvadex?
Some fitness enthusiasts consider Clomid stronger than Nolvadex. Others consider using them both. However, there’s little point in combining these two medicines for PCT. Instead, it’s recommended to choose one based on the types of steroids you’ve been using. Nolvadex offers a reduced risk of severe side effects compared to Clomid. In addition, it can suffice for basic to moderate cycles. However, with a heavier, stacked, or longer cycle, the added strength of Clomid might come in handy to get you back to normal hormone function. At the same time, Clomid will be critical in mitigating the more severe drop in natural testosterone and rise in estrogen.
Aromatase Inhibitors Usage in PCT
Like SERMs, AIs are another class of drugs used to manage the effects of estrogen. However, unlike SERMs, which work by blocking estrogen in tissue cells, Aromatase Inhibitors lessen the amount of estrogen circulating in the body by inhibiting the conversion of androgens into estrogen. That eventually leads to lower estrogen levels and higher testosterone levels.
Other benefits of Aromatase Inhibitors as PCT medicines include:
- Prevent or minimize symptoms of Gynecomastia
- Mitigate estrogenic effects of HCG
Some of the popular aromatase inhibitors include:
Arimidex
Arimidex is an estrogen-reducing breast cancer treatment drug. Its ability to lower the levels of existing estrogen and stop the formation of more estrogen appeals to bodybuilders. As a PCT drug, Arimidex offers the following benefits:
- Stops more estrogen formation
- Reduces existing estrogen levels
- Helps mitigate the symptoms of Gynecomastia
- Prevents water retention
- Restore natural testosterone production levels
- Helps prevent acne
Arimistane
Arimistane is another Aromatase inhibitor used to stop testosterone from converting to estrogen. Thus, it prevents the estrogenic side effects of anabolic steroid use. It’s also one drug to consider if you want the best PCT cycle to keep gains. Some of its benefits are:
- Restores testosterone to normal levels
- Helps retain muscle gains
- Decreases estrogen levels over a short period
- Used to prevent gynecomastia
- Has a positive effect on cortisol
Letrozole
Letrozole was initially developed to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women. That is because of its powerful estrogen-blocking ability. It lowers overall estrogen levels by blocking the aromatase enzyme
Letrozole’s main benefits in PCT include the following:
- Combats a broader range of estrogenic side effects as a result of steroid use – Gynecomastia and water retention.
- Helps prevent high blood pressure
PCT for Testosterone
Many opinions, recommendations, and examples exist regarding the best PCT protocol for testosterone. However, all of them differ depending on the type, duration, and strength of the steroid cycle. Your ideal PCT may also depend on which medications you can access.
A general recommendation for the most ideal post-cycle therapy routine is as follows:
- In the first two weeks, take HCG – 1000 iu/E2D, Nolvadex – 40mg daily, and Aromasin – 25mg daily.
- Beginning at week three and continuing for 2-4 weeks: Nolvadex – 20mg daily.
After that, do a testosterone level test and repeat the PCT if the levels are still down. You can also follow the following protocol for both fertility and testosterone restoration:
- Start HCG two weeks before stopping the steroid cycle. HCG at 250 iu to 500 iu, 3 times a week.
- Begin Aromasin 6.25mg once a week with HCG.
- Stop HCG after 6 weeks of using it.
- Continue the Aromasin once a week and only stop when you stop the Clomid.
- Clomid PCT: 25mg to 50mg daily. Only start after 5 half-lives of the longest-acting steroid. Use this for 1 to 2 months.
Do a testosterone level test and repeat the PCT if the levels are still low.
HCG hormone can help prevent some of the more severe side effects of steroid use, such as shrinking of the testicles. It’s also famous for reversing potential infertility that can result from reduced sperm production. It’s medically used by men who have infertility and low testosterone levels.
The main benefits of using HCG include:
- Increases sperm production
- Restores and boosts natural testosterone levels
- Returns testicles to standard size and function
- Maintains muscle tissue gains
Pros and Cons of Post-Cycle Therapy
When an individual ceases to use anabolic steroids, they can expect to experience many physical and emotional changes. Post-cycle therapy helps in many ways to maintain your health. In other words, it offers a lot of advantages (pros). However, there are also a few disadvantages (cons) that you might need to be aware of.
PCT Pros
The following are some of the pros of undertaking PCT:
- Restore the standard testosterone level. PCT is critical to hastening the process of restoring a natural functioning hormonal system.
- Mitigation of side effects. By restoring testosterone levels to regular production, PCT helps keep steroid-use side effects at a minimum. These include gynecomastia, mood swings, and other distressing experiences.
- It helps with faster muscle recovery. One of the main benefits of post-cycle therapy is its ability to accelerate muscle recovery. By managing hormonal imbalance, PCT promotes a quick repair of damaged muscle tissues. That reduces downtime between intense training sessions, allowing bodybuilders to train more consistently and maximize their gains.
- Enhance training motivation. PCT can positively impact a person’s mental state and elevate their motivation levels during training. By restoring hormonal balance, an individual can minimize post-cycle mood swings and fatigue. That way, you can stay focused and driven toward your training goals.
- Maximum muscle retention. Throughout the post-cycle phase, maintaining muscle becomes the primary concern. PCT drugs aid in conserving muscle gains by preventing catabolism and lowering the risk of muscle loss. That ensures that your hard-earned gains during the cycle are sustained throughout the recovery.
PCT Cons
Commonly encountered disadvantages of PCT include:
- PCT drugs may not work immediately: As discussed, steroid use often disrupts or causes a reduction in normal testosterone production. In return, that affects various vital body processes, triggering many side effects. Thus, you may not feel at your best even with PCT, but it doesn’t stop these symptoms immediately. You can consider this the main disadvantage of PCT.
However, it would be best to realize these are temporary experiences. Further into the post-cycle therapy, you’ll start to feel better as your hormones begin to bounce back.
- Inaccessibility of the right PCT drugs: Another disadvantage of post-cycle treatment is the inability to determine the right kind of medicines and where to access them. Many will ask: “How can you find a good PCT?” Fortunately, after reading this guide, you’ve got the answer to the question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of are common questions.
PCT Safe for My Health?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.
What is Post-Cycle Therapy for Women?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.
What Other Drugs Could Be Used in PCT?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.
Should I Do PCT After Each Steroid Cycle?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.
Can I Use PCT Drugs During the Steroid Cycle?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.
How can you find a good PCT?
Yes! Based on research, PCT can help reduce symptoms after withdrawing from an anabolic steroid cycle. It’s also a critical process in restoring testosterone levels back on course. The medicines used during the post-cycle therapy protocol vary, depending on individual circumstances.