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-   -   Stupid People's Guide To PCT (https://www.bodybuilding.net/anabolics/stupid-peoples-guide-pct-9617.html)

Frontline 03-31-2008 03:41 PM

Stupid People's Guide To PCT
 

The first thing we need to understand is what is going on with our bodies when we're taking anabolic steroids:

Exogeneous anabolic hormones (or derivatives of anabolic hormones) are being brought into your system. This causes the body to take a number of responsive actions. The first and foremost (as you already know) is increased muscle mass. Unfortunately, other things are also going on that aren't so great http://anabolicminds.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif

When an enzyme or hormone is brought exogeneously into the system, chemical balances shift around to attain a certain equilibrium. This is a chemical concept known as Le Chatelier's Principle of Chemical Equilibria. In a nutshell, your body will increase production of estrogen, cortisol, and other hormones in response to heightened testosterone levels, while simultaneously slowering (or completely stopping) natural production of testosterone. Biologist call this negative feedback.......biology sucks doesn't it?

Le Chatelier's Principle for the scientifically impaired:
Let's pretend A and B react to make C (can't get much simpler than that).

A + B --------> C

So we have a mixture containing A, B, and C. According to LeChatlier's principle, if we add more C to the mixture, the amounts of A and B will increase. If we remove some of the C from the mixture, A and B will decrease. And if we were to add A, B, or a combination of the two, C will increase. Still with me here? Good.


What's going on when we come off a cycle:
Ok, so while we're on the cycle, are natural test production is going down to compensate for the exogeneous test intake, and our production of other steroid hormones (i.e. Estrogen, Cortisol, etc.) is going up to compensate for the heightened test levels. When we come off a cycle, we cease intake of exogeneous testosterone. In other words, we have very low test levels, and very high cortisol and estrogen levels: it's the EXACT OPPOSITE of what we had while starting our cycle.

REMEMBER Le Chatelier's Principle because this is where it gets really important. When we have an excess of one hormone, the others will start shifting around, to attain a certain equilibrium. Ok, I'm gonna say it (and bold it) again because it's just that important. When we have an excess of one hormone, the others will start shifting around, to attain a certain equilibrium. It is a very common misconception that we want to eradicate estrogen http://anabolicminds.com/forum/image...27-04/nono.gif. High estrogen levels play an integral part in Post Cycle therapy. That's right, you want to welcome high estrogen with open freaking arms, but there's a trick to it. And that trick is the almighty SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator).

SERM's: the foundation of post cycle therapy:

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators are (and damn well should be) the foundation for any proper post-cycle therapy plan. A post cycle therapy plan without them, isn't a post cycle therapy plan: it's a bunch of crap you decided to take after doing a cycle. The purpose of a SERM is to block the negative effects estrogen, while your hormone levels go back to equilibrium.

SERM's are prescription drugs, and are NOT SOLD IN SUPPLEMENT STORES. In fact, there are only 3 ways ( can think of) in which you can obtain a SERM:

1) Through a Doctor's Prescription.
2) Through the Black Market (a.k.a. illegally)
3) As a research chemicals intended for use in lab rats.


The Different SERM's:

Tamoxifen (Nolvadex):
Reputation: Most popular SERM for PCT
Pros: Cheap. Effective for gyno prevention.
Cons: Heptatoxicity. Studies have shown it to lower IGF levels (I don't feel like citing, but it's about 20% decrease...IMO no biggie).
Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 40/40/20/20
Note: Tamoxifen Citrate is less potent, and should be dosed at an extra 30%.

Clomiphene Citrate (clomid):
Reputation: Second most popular. Usually taken the first week or so to speed up Testosterone recovery with Tamoxifen being taken the whole therapy.
Pros: Better than Tamoxifen for HTPA regernation. Less heptatoxicity. Does not lower IGF.
Cons: Less effective against gyno. Can cause emotional issues. May Cause blurred vision. Hot Flashes.
Popular Dosage (for a 4-week cycle): 100-200mg/100mg/50mg/50mg

Toremifene:
Reputation: Very popular on this board http://anabolicminds.com/forum/image...7-04/think.gif
Pros: Much less toxic.
Con's: $$$$$expensive$$$$$
Popular Dosages (for a 4-week cycle): 120-240mg/120mg/60mg/30mg

Raloxifene:
Reputation: Very effective against gyno
Pros: Strong protection against gyno. Less toxic than Tamoxifen.
Con's: Cost Restricting. Can cause abnormal blood clotting in the eyes, lunges, and legs. May also cause hot flashes trouble breathing, and blurred vision.
Popular Dosages: (for a 4-week cycle): 120-240mg/120mg/60mg/30mg


Moving down the PCT Hierarchy: Cortisol Control

Excess cortisol can be damaging to your newly found muscle mass. Because of this, it is a good idea to use something to block or lower the excessive cortisol levels. Always start high, and taper your way down. Here's what we have to work with:

B-Androstenetriol (b-triol): This is one of the better cortisol suppressors. It has a terrible oral bioavailability, and should be taken transdermally. Dosages range from 25-50mg every 12 hours.

Methyl B-Androstenetriol (mb-triol): This is an enhanced version of b-triol designed for oral use. Because it is not an androgenic steroid, there is minimal heptatoxicity associated with it's alkylation. Found in the following products: Retain (by Anabolic Xtreme), Restore (by ALRI), Thyrogen-X (by ALRI)

7-Hydroxy-DHEA: Another potent cortisol suppressor with great oral bioavailability. Found in the following products: Lean Xtreme (by Designer Supplements), Reduce XT (by SNS)

7-oxo-DHEA (7-keto-DHEA): Still a decent contender, this has a terrible oral availability and an even worse half life (2 hours). This is best taken transdermally, where such effects can by bypassed.

Cissus: Unlike the above, the components of Cissus do not suppress Cortisol, but rather block cortisol receptors (better than Nandrolone or Dianabol according to some studies). Dosages vary significantly (pending extracts). SuperCissus by USPLabs is a high quality Cissus product.

Branched Chain Amino Acids: These should be a staple to begin with, but are a great anti-catabolic that mitigates the muscle-wasting effects of cortisol.

At the bottom of the PCT hierarchy there's AI's, Test Booster's, and other 'natural' anabolics
Way too many different things going on in here to go into too much detail. Just a word of caution (and this is my personal opinion), but if you're post cycle plan starts to look like a constitutional ammendment: you're over-doing it. And the worst part is if something goes wrong, you won't have a damn clue what caused it.

Honorable mentions of this part of the hierarchy:
Jungle Warfare (by ALRI)
MassFX (by Anabolic Xtreme)
Hyperdrol (by Anabolic Xtreme)
Ecdysterone/Turkesterone
Creatine Monohydrate

(Give Credit Where Credit Is Due, Originally Taken From Neoborn's Thread at AM)

Ross86 03-31-2008 08:16 PM

Good post...I've seen this before on AM. There are a couple of others that are more detailed, but I suppose that's because they're specific to different types of gear. This should solve some people's questions.

Frontline 04-01-2008 11:03 AM

I decided to post this because I am sick of seeing people asking about cycle feedback then asking "What is PCT?"

Scary....:261:

This should be enough to get people started and then they can look into specific PCT recommendations.

gsxrclub80 04-01-2008 11:21 AM

This is a very good post. Could you possibly add more about the actual steroid cycle. What else do you taking during the cycle along with the steroids? What are the main types people use and side effects, etc? How often do they take? Also, I constantly read about fix and flax oil. Why are people taking that stuff and is it part of PCT or the actual cycle?

powell 05-28-2009 03:23 AM

Please HELP
 
so when i start my dianabol cycle for four weeks. and it is finished is that when i start to take my nolvadex and how much should i be talking of the nolvadex a day. thank you for any information you can give me guys!!!!!!!!!!:WEIGHT~13:

mad matt 06-29-2010 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryder (Post 86748)
What additional manage you taking throughout the cycle along with the steroids? What are the major kinds persons use and edge consequences, etc? How often manage they take?

I would love to help but have no idea what your trying to say??

Try and repeat the question in a more understandable way..

mr-b 12-06-2010 10:24 AM

a little help please
 
apologies for hi-jacking thread :crazy:

does anyone know where i can get rohm labs pct caps ??

i've used them before and found them very good but cant seem to get my hands on them at the minute and i'm nearing the end of a cousre this week so any help woild be appreciated .

cheers

Tmno 07-24-2011 01:40 AM

i appreciate this kind of post, very informative, thanks..

JerzyJant 05-14-2012 06:02 PM

good info

aawebdev 07-10-2012 11:22 PM

This is really the awesome post. I have been looking everywhere for the information about it but i want more information . Thanks a lot for this post.


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