This faq was written by BigAndy69 who can most commonly can be reached at the
Elitefitness forums. This faq is referrenced for most questions regarding
clen so I decided to post it for any of you who maybe interested in general information regarding the topic.
What is Clenbuterol?
Clenbuterol is a beta-2 agonist and is used in many countries as a broncodilator for the treatment of asthma. Because of it's long half life, clenbuterol is not FDA approved for medical use. It is a central nervous system stimulant and acts like adrenaline. It shares many of the same side effects as other CNS stimulants like ephedrine. Contrary to popular belief, Clenbuterol has a half life of 35 hours and not 48 hours.
Dosing and Cycling
Clenbuterol comes in 20mcg tablets, although it is also available in syrup, pump and injectable form. It's also available as a powder in some areas. Doses are very dependent on how well the user responds to the side effects, but somewhere in the range of 4-8 tablets per day for men and 2-4 tablets a day for women is most common. Clenbuterol loses its thermogenic effects after around 8 weeks when body temperature drops back to normal. Its anabolic/anti-catabolic properties fade away at around the 18 day mark. Taking the long half life into consideration, the most effective way of cycling
clen is 2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off for no more than 12 weeks. Ephedrine or Yohimbine can be used in the off weeks.
Clenbuterol vs Ephedrine vs DNP
Ephedrine will raise metabolic levels by about 2-3 percent and 200mg of DNP
raises metabolic levels by about 30 percent. Clenbuterol raises metabolic levels about 10 percent and it can raise body temperature several degrees.
DNP is by far the most effective fat burner but many people will never use it
because of the risks associated with it. It also offers no anti-catabolic
benefit. Although it does have anti-catabolic effect, ephedrine's short
half-life prevents it from being all that effective.
As far as side effects, Clenbuterol's are certainly milder than DNP's, and some would even say milder than an ECA stack. There is no ECA-style crash on Clenbuterol and many users find it easier on the prostate and sex drive. This may in part be due to the fact that
Clen is generally used for only 2 weeks at a time.
Side effects
NAUSEA
NERVOUSNESS
DIZZINESS
DROWSINESS
DRY MOUTH
FACIAL FLUSHING
HEADACHE
HEARTBURN
INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE
INCREASED SWEATING
INSOMNIA
LIGHTHEADEDNESS
MUSCLE CRAMPS
TREMORS
VOMITING
CHEST PAIN
The most significant side effects are muscle cramps, nervousness, headaches, and increased blood pressure.
Muscle cramps can be avoided by drinking 1.5-2 gallons of water and consuming bananas and oranges or supplementing with potassium tablets at 200-400mg a day taken before bed on an empty stomach. Taurine at 3-5grams is a necessity in minimizing cramps.
Headaches can easily be avoided with Tylenol Extra Strength taking at the first signs of a headache.
Common Uses
Post-Cycle Therapy:
Clen is used post cycle to aid in recovery. It allows the
user to continue eating large amounts of food, without worrying about adding body fat. It also helps the user maintain more of his strength as well as his intensity in the gym. Diet: Roughly the same as on cycle.
Fat loss: The most popular use for
Clen, it also increases muscle hardness,
vascularity, strength and size on a caloric deficit. For the most significant
fat loss,
Clen can be stacked with T3. Diet: A high protein(1.5g per lb of
bodyweight), moderate carb(0.5g to 1g per lb of bodyweight), low fat diet(0.25g per lb of bodyweight) seems to work best with
Clen.
Alternative to Steroids: Clenbuterol has mild steroid-like properties and can be used by non-AS using bodybuilder to increase LBM as well as strength and muscle hardness. Diet: A moderate carb, high protein, moderate fat diet work well.
Stimulant/Performance Enhancement: It can be used as a stimulant, but an ECA stack may be a better choice because of it's much shorter half-life.
Diet: To take full advantage of the stimulatory effects of
Clen, carbohydrates must be included in the diet. Ketogenic diets do not work well in this case.
Precautions: Is
Clen for you?
The same precautions that apply to Ephedrine must be applied to
Clen, although some people find ECA stacks are harsher than
Clen. It should not be stacked with other CNS stimulants such as Ephedrine and Yohimbine. These combinationsare unnecessary and potentially dangerous. Caffeine can be used in moderation before a workout for an extra quick. burst of energy.
A word on Ketotifen
Ketotifen is safe antihistamine used extensively some European countries to
treat asthma and allergies. It can up regulate beta-2-receptors that
Clen down regulates. Basically, it allows users to extend their use of
Clen for 6-8 weeks at a time. 2-3mg a day is ideal, 10mg as found in "superclen" can make users extremely drowsy. It also increases the effectiveness of
Clen so doses must be adjusted accordingly. The downfall of this drug is its ability to induce extreme hunger is some people, which is not a desirable state to be in when dieting.
Cycling Clenbuterol
Most users that report bad side effects and discontinue use are those who use high doses right at the start of the cycle. The worst side effects occur within the first 3-4 days of use.
A first time user should not exceed 40mcg the first day. Increase by one tab
until the side effects are not tolerable.
Example of a first cycle:
Day1: 20mcg
Day2: 40mcg
Day3: 60mcg
Day4: 80mcg
Day5: 80mcg(Note: Increase the dose only when the side effects are tolerable)
Day6-Day12: 100mcg
Day13: 80 mcg (Tapering is not necessary, but it helps some users get back to normal gradually)
Day14: 60 mcgs
Day15: off
Day16: off
Day 17: ECA/ NYC stack
Example of a second cycle:
Day1: 60mcg
Day2: 80mcg
Day3: 80mcg
Day4: 100mcg
Day5: 100mcg
Day6-Day12: 120mcg
Day13: 100 mcg
Day14: 80 mcgs
Day15: off
Day16: off
Day 17: ECA/ NYC stack
What else do I need to know?
Taurine MUST be used with
Clen at 3-5g daily. Clenbuterol depletes taurine
levels in the liver which stops the conversion of T4 to T3 in the liver.
Taurine allows the user to avoid the dreaded rebound effect and painful muscle cramps. It's a must with
Clen.
Clenbuterol should not be taken too close to a workout. It can interfere with
your breathing and complete ruin your workout. When doing cardio, it's
advisable to stay at a consistent pace and avoid HIIT style routines.
Do not take
Clen Past 4pm and drink plenty of water; 1.5-2 gallons a day.
Clenbuterol Faq
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