PCT is a period of drug treatment that is the result of steroid use over a long period of time. Post Cycle Therapy is also one of the most troublesome topics or issues for many people taking steroids, the problem being largely due to ignorance.
When you should start your PCT? What drugs to use, how long and what to expect, these are common questions and we will try to answer them.
What is the main purpose of the PCT?
By using anabolic steroids, we can suppress our natural testosterone production. Testosterone is the main male hormone, essential for our well-being and proper functioning.
Testosterone is produced in the testicles. Testosterone is affected by the pituitary gland, which releases two hormones: luteinizing (LH) and foliculotropic hormone (FHS); they give the signal for the testes to start producing testosterone. When we take anabolic steroids, the signal which is secretion by pituitary gland for the production of LH and FSH is reduced, and therefore our body produces less testosterone. If we are on a testosterone cycle, suppression has no consequences for us, because we still provide our body with what it needs from an external source. However, when the use of steroids comes to an end, we have a suppressed signal problem that needs to be regulated. This is the purpose of PCT – to stimulate the natural production of testosterone.
It is often said that if we take any anabolic steroid, our body does not produce testosterone, but it is not entirely true. All anabolic steroids will inhibit the natural production of testosterone, but the rate of attenuation of testosterone production depends on the steroid. SAA such as Nandrolone (DECA) will result in 100% suppression of natural testosterone production after a single dose of 100 mg of testosterone. However, a steroid such as Oxandrolone (Anavar) will not cause full attenuation. With milder steroids such as Anavar, the amount of attenuation will depend on dose, duration of use and genetics.
PCT – what can you expect?
The biggest problem with most PCT plans is dosage.
Most PCT plans last 4-6 weeks and many men expect everything to go back to normal after this period, but these 4-6 weeks are sometimes not enough. PCT does not work this way. Many men also expect all of their gains such as weight or strength gain to be maintained after PCT if the PCT plan was right and appropriate. And still, PCT does not work this way.
A good PCT plan will help protect and maintain some of our gains, but if a high hormone influx is no longer as it was on a cycle, without this support system you will lose some of your gains. A good way to keep what we have gained from the cycle is to pay attention to the food. Nutrients is such a let’s say a permanent support system. For this reason it is not uncommon for some people to start consuming extra calories during PCT to protect their profits – in simplified terms they replace the nutrients for the hormones that have been taken away. This may help you to maintain your weight, but this is not always a good idea. Weight is just weight and if it is not muscle mass then it is rather useless.
The main purpose of PCT is to stimulate the natural production of testosterone. Some gains can be lost during this time, but this is not the end of the world. Remember that in some time you can use steroids again. During this period we should focus on recovering the hormones by continuing to train and nourish properly, so that we can protect the profits of the cycle without exposing ourselves to excess body fat. This is really the only logical long-term solution.
What will happened when you don’t do PCT, or start another cycle too soon?
If you’re a hardcore steroid guy, which means you’re on a cycle more than without AAS, running a PCT can be very difficult. For example, a person completes a cycle, implements a PCT and then jumps back into the cycle just after or shortly after the PCT. This is a very harsh and terrible practice for our body. You close your natural testosterone production by stimulating it through PCT and then turn it back off. You then have to set your body to an infinite roller coaster for your hormones, unfortunately this way it will wreak havoc on your body.
For such a person, a low dose of testosterone, in therapeutic levels, in between cycles, works better. This is not the approach of the majority of men, rather the bridges should be decided by the advanced. Most people who use steroids for some time will make a break after PCT for some time if their health is important to them. Another time we run out of PCT, we can expect a very low level of testosterone in the patient. Low testosterone levels – the patient has the natural ability to produce enough testosterone on his own, because he needs an appropriate supplementation for testosterone production.
PCT drugs
There are many drugs that can be used for PCT theoretically, but only two that should be primary: Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and Clomiphene (Clomid). Both Nolvadex and Clomid are of a group of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). As with all SERM ‘Nolva’ and Clomid stimulates the release of LH and FSH, thereby increasing the natural production of testosterone. For most PCT only two drugs will be needed. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is only sometimes used in the PCT phase.
In testosterone supplementation, especially nowadays, many people use low doses of HCG in their steroid cycles, normally 250-350iu several times a week. HCG imitates LH and therefore actually maintains testosterone producing testosterones even if steroids are present. However, it does not induce the actual production of LH.
Using HCG on a cycle ?
By taking HCG it is a fact that after the cycle the recovery of natural testosterone production is easier (theoretically). HCG is also used in the cycle to prevent or at least minimize testicular atrophy that occurs due to the use of steroids.
If hCG is used in the cycle, there is no need to use it after the cycle. However, some people do not use HCG during the cycle for a variety of reasons. Although not widely used, HCG can increase estradiol concentrations significantly in some men, even with the use of an aromatase inhibitor (AI). AI are regularly used to combat estrogen problems during the cycle.
AI are sometimes used in PCTs because of their ability to stimulate LH and FSH. Part of the PCT plan is to enable the body to normalize its hormone management and to maintain an adequate level of estrogen. Estrogen is extremely important for building muscle, sexual health, mental health and many other areas of life.
When to start PCT ?
Time is a very important factor when it comes to PCT. If you use all the base steroids short esters such as testosterone propionate, trenbolone acetate, etc. then PCT should start 3-4 days after the last injection. However, if you use any long esters such as cypionate testosterone, NANDROLONE etc. you will want to wait at least 14 days before starting PCT. If you are using NANDROLONE it is a good idea to wait 21 days before starting PCT.
If HCG is used as part of a PCT plan (generally not recommended if used in a cycle), if all the base steroids used are short esters, use of HCG will start about 3 days after the last injection and lasts for 10 days of treatment. If any long HCG esters are used, they will start about 10 days after the last injection and last for 10 days of treatment.
In any case, SERM should be used immediately after the end of HCG use. SERM plan both Nolvadex and Clomid stimulates LH and FSH, but Nolvadex does more for LH and for FSH Clomid. A PCT plan generally covers both the SERM. A 4-6 week treatment is sufficient. A good plan is e.g: 100 mg Clomid per day for two weeks with Nolvadex 40 mg per day for two weeks, then descend at 50 mg Clomid per day for two weeks and 20 mg Nolvadex per day for two weeks. An extra two weeks of Nolvadex on 20 mg per day, can be added if necessary.
Week 1-2: Clomid 100 mg daily Week 1-2: Nolvadex 40 mg daily Week 3-4: Clomid 50 mg daily Week 3-4: Nolvadex 20 mg daily (optional) Week 5-6: Nolvadex 20 mg daily .
When to start the next cycle?
For optimal health, the general principle to follow is that the cycle time should be equal to your free time.
If your cycle lasted 10 weeks and your PCT treatment lasted 4 weeks, you will have to wait 14 weeks for the next cycle.