After you finish a cycle of steroids, prohormones, or some SARMs, you are going to notice that the natural ability of the body to produce hormones reduces. That’s why it is so important to prepare a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) protocol that can help your body restore the ability to produce hormones naturally. Mostly, we’re talking about testosterone. All steroids, prohormones, and some SARMs come with the ability to suppress the body’s natural testosterone production. That’s a common side effect that you need to be aware of and be prepared to deal with. That’s why PCT is your best ally.
PCT has various other purposes too. It helps keep your hormone production normal and helps the body produce its own hormone naturally. By doing so, you’re going to avoid the nasty symptoms of low testosterone. A man may experience many symptoms due to low testosterone (hypogonadism). Muscle and strength loss, fat gain, low libido, depression, and low mood are just some examples among many others.
That’s why, if you’re new to Post Cycle Therapy and anabolic steroid cycles you need to know that a PCT plan is actually extremely important.
In this article, you’re going to find much more helpful information about PCT plans. You are going to learn what product you can choose for a Post Cycle Therapy, what it does, and what you need to look for. It’s essential to run a proper PCT protocol as it can help you recover faster and more efficiently.
What is Post Cycle Therapy Exactly?
Post Cycle Therapy (shortly – PCT) is a treatment protocol. It’s a period after you discontinue the use of any suppressive compounds (steroids, prohormones, and/or SARMs) for helping restore the body’s natural hormonal balance.
The PCT plan is going to help users’ bodies recover faster. It also helps them stay away from nasty adverse effects that anabolic steroids have on the hormonal system, causing imbalances and suppressing the natural production of testosterone.
Post Cycle Therapy plans are usually made of various different compounds and substances. Which one exactly depends on the specific cycle you’ve been on and what you’re aiming to “heal”. Anyway, some common substances that people use during PCT are testosterone boosters, liver detoxifiers, minerals and vitamins, and definitely estrogen blockers.
These compounds are inhibiting or promoting certain functions in the body, most of them are hormonal. Thus, they help the body’s natural balance, they help recover and they help maintain gains made during the cycle. Moreover, it’s also a form of preparation for the next cycle too.
- When taking a Post Cycle Therapy, you’re going to notice a difference in how you feel. Your mood, energy levels, and overall stamina increase as the normal hormone levels recover.
- On the other hand, if you attempt to discontinue a cycle with suppressive compounds without a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) then you’re working towards everything you’ve tried to reach during a cycle. Moreover, you’re putting your health at risk too.
Because of low levels of testosterone and overall hormonal imbalance, you’re likely to experience nasty symptoms and side effects.
The body has the ability to recover back on its own, without a PCT plan. However, the process is taking MUCH longer and you’ll suffer from different issues. And you can’t run another cycle until your body fully recovers either.
Different Post Cycle Therapy Protocols
There are different Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plans but almost all of them contain at least one SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) such as Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) or Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate).
If you’ve been using anabolic steroids then you’re sure to need at least one of them. Those who run harsher steroid cycles often need Clomid and Nolvadex stacked together for the PCT plan. In fact, clomiphene with tamoxifen together is by far the most common plan among steroid users.
There are other options by supplement companies. You may often hear about “Rebirth” from different sources. You should know that this is a NATURAL product with different natural compounds in it. Using it alone isn’t going to be effective. That’s just aggressive marketing. You can add it during a Clomid and/or Nolvadex Post Cycle Therapy plan, but you can’t use it alone. Nonetheless, you can go through a very effective clomiphene citrate and/or tamoxifen citrate PCT plan alone without this natural supplement. Its purpose is to “boost” the recovery. But it’s overall very mild.
SERMs
So, what you actually need for an effective PCT plan are SERMs. As mentioned, either Nolvadex (tamoxifen), or Clomid (clomiphene), but most commonly – both of them are stacked. SERMs are estrogen blockers. However, do not confuse them with Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs). They do not lower estrogen levels. They block the effects of estrogen in only specific (selective) tissues. Plus, they also have the ability to “enhance” the effects of estrogen in other tissues. Because of this, SERMs are effective for various health conditions such as treating breast cancer, treating/preventing gynecomastia, inducing ovulation in women and others.
- Nonetheless, bodybuilders and steroid users run SERMs, mostly, for Post Cycle Therapy protocols. They are very effective in boosting the natural testosterone production and overall help offset the hormonal imbalances.
They are chemical compounds (unlike natural supplements) that actually work because of how they work. I’m not going to get to the boring chemical part but the point is – SERMs block estrogen at the pituitary gland. The glad doesn’t receive signals of estrogen and starts the process of producing more testosterone. This way, the body is “forced” to produce more testosterone on its own, naturally.
Before we talk about each SERM and their ability to help with Post Cycle Therapy needs – you should first do some research about each of them. We’re going to share examples of PCT plans with each one.
Nolvadex PCT
Nolvadex is the most popular brand name for the chemical Tamoxifen Citrate. This is a very common drug for Post Cycle Therapy protocols. It’s a SERM, hence, an estrogen blocker. Millions of steroid users have proven Nolvadex a highly effective product for restoring the body’s natural balance of hormones. Usually, after it gets “damaged” by the use of anabolic steroids or other suppressive chemicals.
The body stops producing natural testosterone on its own because it receives signals that there’s an excess of testosterone in the body. There is also going to be an increase in estrogen levels too. This becomes a huge problem after the cycle of steroids discontinues.
So well, Tamoxifen is going to inhibit the estrogen activity at the pituitary gland and this would help your body produce testosterone naturally. Moreover, Nolvadex binds to estrogen receptors in the breast tissues. Therefore, it’s helpful in preventing and even reversing gynecomastia in men (enlargement of breast tissues) and hormonal positive breast cancer in women. Because of its ability to help with gynecomastia, some people also add Nolvadex during the cycle of steroids to offset this issue.
However, it’s important to understand that Tamoxifen won’t lower estrogen levels. Thus, if you get other high estrogen levels except for gyno, Nolvadex won’t help. That’s why Tamoxifen is popular for Post Cycle Therapy and Aromatase Inhibitors (that lowers total estrogen) are popular during the cycle and control estrogen symptoms.
Nolvadex Side Effects
Nausea, headaches, stomach upset, tenderness in breasts, and fatigue. These are some of the most common ones. Although other side effects are possible – they are unlikely to occur. Usually, the side effects of Nolvadex disappear within the first week of using it. If they don’t, they disappear a few days after you discontinue the use.
Standard Nolvadex Post Cycle Therapy
Nolvadex PCT lasts anywhere between 2-8 weeks. Most commonly 4 weeks. Nolvadex dosage during PCT is anywhere between 40 mg per day (the first weeks of starting the PCT plan) and 20 mg per day (the last weeks of ending the PCT). Standard Nolvadex PCT is 40/40/20/20 mg/day/week.
Clomid PCT
Clomid is the most popular brand name for the chemical Clomiphene Citrate. It is another extremely popular drug for Post Cycle Therapy protocols. It’s also a SERM, so is an estrogen blocker. Same as Nolvadex – lots of people use it for PCT plans and prove it highly effective. Exactly like Tamoxifen, Clomifene does a great job in blocking estrogen from reaching the pituitary gland. This starts a process that helps your body recover its natural ability to produce testosterone (the pituitary gland produces more LH and FSH and they produce more testosterone).
Initially, scientists developed this drug to help stimulate ovulation. And they did it as Clomid is still prescribed to women who have difficulty ovulating.
However, Clomiphene has a much weaker ability to bind to estrogen receptors in breast tissues. That’s why this compound is not very effective at treating and preventing gynecomastia. Therefore, Clomid remains highly popular and effective specifically for PCT plans.
Clomid Side Effects
Feeling emotional, nausea, stomach upset, fatigue, and dizziness. These are common side effects. Other side effects are possible too, but that’s very unlikely. The body gets used to the product and you are likely to see them fading away after a few days of use. If they don’t, side effects disappear after discontinuing the use of Clomiphene.
Standard Clomid Post Cycle Therapy
Clomid PCT plan lasts anywhere between 2 and 8 weeks. By far the most common one is 4 weeks. Rarely does someone need more or less than 4 weeks. The most common dosages of Clomid during PCT range between 100 mg and 25 mg. Use a higher dosage at the beginning of PCT and lower it towards the end of PCT. Some people find it enough to start at 50 mg/day. But there are cases when people start at huge dosages such as 150-200 mg per day and then gradually lowering it. Standard Clomid PCT is 4 weeks with 50/50/25/25 mg/day/week.
Clomid and Nolvadex PCT
Most people find that a combination of both Clomid and Nolvadex during the PCT is going to work best. They work in complementary ways. Moreover, most people find that it’s safer to start both at lower doses rather than just one in a higher dosage.
As usual, PCT plans with both last anywhere between 2 and 8 weeks. But most commonly = 4 weeks. Dosages are similar to what was mentioned above. Example of a common Post Cycle Therapy plan:
First 2 weeks of PCT Nolvadex 40 mg per day and Clomid 50 mg per day. For the last 2 weeks of PCT Nolvadex 20 mg per day and Clomid 25 mg per day. Total PCT plan = 4 weeks.
For How Long To Run Post Cycle Therapy Exactly?
The answer to this question depends on many different factors, that’s why we can’t offer an exact answer without knowing various factors first.
First off, it depends on the dosage of steroids you used, the type as well as the length. But it also comes down to individual response. Some people naturally recover faster than others. So they find that shorter PCT plans work out for them very well. On the other hand, other people need longer cycles.
The exact length depends on how wrecked up your hormonal balance is, how potent your PCT plan is, and your genetics.
Consider these factors when deciding how “harsh” your Post Cycle Therapy should be:
Type of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) during cycle
The stronger a compound is – the worse would be the suppression rate. That’s why some specific SARMs are barely suppressive, while there are some anabolic steroids that can completely shut you down really fast. All steroids suppress you, but some do it to a greater extent. The stronger PED – the harsher PCT.
Dosage of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) during cycle
Obviously, it depends on the dosage too. If you were cycling on high doses of suppressive compounds, it’s obvious that you’re going to need an overall harsher PCT plan (longer and/or with higher PCT medication dosages).
Length of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) during cycle
Lastly, it’s obvious that if you had short cycles, the suppression rate is not as high as if you had long cycles. For example, the 4 weeks PCT plan is generally enough for people who used testosterone for 10-12 weeks. Those who had barely suppressed their testosterone levels with SARMs for only 4-8 weeks might find that 2-3 weeks of PCT is enough. Nonetheless, if you cycled with powerful steroids for around 16 weeks, you might require 6-8 weeks of PCT.
Other Supplements for PCT
In fact, most of the supplements should be added while you’re on a cycle. If you haven’t and you start to go for a PCT – it’s a great idea to start adding them. That’s because the supplements would help to minimize a little bit the amount of damage done to your body and organs by PEDs and help you recover faster too.
You may add all of them or only a few of them. You may add them to help recover faster. Many people add them both during Post Cycle Therapy and during their cycle.
I recommend you add the following supplements/ natural compounds/ vitamins/ minerals:
Mainly For Liver and Kidney Health
- Liver protecting supplements. It can be Milk Thistle, NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine), and/or TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid). They are especially important if you have a cycle with products that can damage your liver. They are all helpful as they help protect the liver from damage, improve liver function and reduce inflammation, protect the liver from toxins and overall support liver health.
- Saw Palmetto Extract. Research suggests that this natural herb may help increase testosterone levels, reduce inflammation, and improve liver as well as prostate health.
- Hawthorn Berry Extract. This herb is popular due to its ability to protect kidneys from damage. It improves overall kidney function and health by reducing inflammation and protecting kidneys from toxins.
Mainly For Heart and Cardiovascular Health
- Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is a vitamin substance found in almost any cell in the human body. The vitamin is highly important for basic cellular functions. It helps protect the heart and the overall cardiovascular system.
- Magnesium. Magnesium is one of the most popular “heart protecting” chemical elements. But except for its overall amazing cardiovascular benefits, magnesium helps regulate lots of biochemical reactions in the body. That includes protein synthesis, blood pressure regulation, blood glucose, muscle and nerve control, and many others!
- Hibiscus Flower Extract. Hibiscus also helps regulate blood pressure and was proven effective in preventing heart attacks and strokes.
- Garlic Extract. Garlic is highly effective when it comes to heart and cardiovascular health. It regulates cholesterol, improves blood flow, and reduces blood pressure!
Natural Testosterone Boosters
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Ashwagandha
- Fenugreek
- And many others, some of which were already mentioned earlier
Conclusion
A Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan is a period following the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) such as anabolic and androgenic steroids (AAS), Prohormones or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).
- This protocol is meant to help users restore the natural hormonal balance, and testosterone production, stay away from side effects and health damages as well as maintain gains made during the cycle.
So, as you can see, the PCT plan is extremely important due to these reasons. If you think you can use anabolic steroids without a PCT plan afterward – you are going to regret it. Many people did, and you will too.
Post Cycle Therapy protocols are effective with Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) and/or Clomid (Clomiphene). There are different other natural supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc. that may help, but they are just optional for PCT plans. Unless Nolvadex and/or Clomid, that are highly important.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Post Cycle Therapy – PCT FAQ
Check some of the most commonly asked questions we receive about PCT plans. In case you can’t find your question answered here, fill up free cycle advice form and our professional bodybuilders will help you out.
When to Start Post Cycle Therapy?
To answer this question you need to take into consideration the half-lives of each suppressing compound that you’re using during the cycle. The PCT starts as soon as all suppressive PEDs are out of your system. For example, there are products with short half lives of only a few hours. On the other hand, there are those that have very long half-lives of many days and even weeks.
That’s why, if you stack them, consider the half life of the longest one. In most anabolic steroid cycles, the longest half-lives are that of injection testosterone (with few exceptions). Common ones are Testosterone Enanthate and Testosterone Cypionate. Usually, PCT starts 2 weeks after the last injection.
Do I Really Need Post Cycle Therapy?
Yes, running a PCT plan is extremely important after each cycle with anabolic steroids, prohormones, and some SARMs. You do not need a PCT plan only in case you do not use any PEDs that suppress the natural testosterone production. In all other cases – it’s essential to have one.
By not having a Post Cycle Therapy after using suppressive compounds your body is not going to recover successfully. It requires many months for testosterone and overall hormonal balance to recover. During this time, you risk losing all your gains, damaging your body, and experiencing nasty symptoms and side effects such as decreased libido, muscle and strength loss, fat gain, depression and low mood, and others.
Do I Still Need to Train During PCT?
Definitely! In fact, it’s extremely important to continue your training plan even during PCT if you want to maintain your gains. If you stop exercising completely, you have high risk of losing the gains made during the cycle, both muscles and strength.
You may, however, reduce the intensity of trainings in case you increase them during the cycle. But at least a moderate level of training is important during PCT.
Do I Still Need to Watch My Diet During PCT?
It’s actually essential for you to do it. Exactly as with training, it’s extremely important to continue having a proper diet even during PCT. You need to go for healthy and balanced meals. A good diet is going to help you maintain the gains and recover faster after the cycle, as well as help you prepare for the next cycle.
But as with training – you don’t need to be as strict in your diet. You may have a few more cheat meals, and may decrease the caloric intake (in case you were on a bulking cycle) and may increase the caloric intake (in case you were on a cutting cycle) to around the maintenance calories.
Will I Experience Side Effects During Post Cycle Therapy?
It’s important to understand that PCT protocols are actually helpful to decrease the chances of side effects appearing and help you stay away from nasty symptoms. At the same time, remember that PCT is a form of hormone therapy. That’s why there are chances you’re going to experience some side effects. They include the side effects from SERMs, mostly, such as: feeling emotional, low libido, fatigue, brain fog, and some others.
Side effects highly depend on the cycle harshness and your PCT plan harshness. The higher the dosage of Clomid and/or Nolvadex and the lower the amount of natural supplements/ vitamins/ minerals, etc. – the higher the chances of side effects. Nonetheless, as your testosterone levels increase and you decrease the dosage of PCT meds, the lower chances of side effects and the better you’re going to feel. Side effects usually disappear fairly quickly.
How Soon Will My Testosterone Increase?
It’s nearly impossible to answer this question exactly. That’s because there are just simply way too many factors to consider. Usually, you should stop the Post Cycle Therapy when testosterone levels are back to normal. But when exactly that’s going to happen depends on the cycle length, PEDs type and dosage, personal response (genetics), dosage of PCT meds, and so on and so forth.
Anyhow, most bodybuilders using anabolic steroids report that their testosterone levels go back to normal in the first month of the PCT plan. That’s when you may stop the PCT and simply continue with the natural compounds for a few more weeks to make sure your body fully recovers.
Do I Need a PCT After Using SARMs or Prohormones?
All prohormones suppress the natural testosterone production, so yes, if you had a Prohormones cycle – you’re sure to need a PCT. Not all SARMs are suppressing testosterone, that’s why you may not need a PCT with a few of them.
Moreover, there are some people who said they had cycled with those SARMs that do suppress testosterone and they had no need to PCT. Because they had no low testosterone symptoms. We believe that those are only some genetically gifted guys, who had very short SARMs cycles with very low dosages. Or are liars altogether.
I See You Have Other Compounds In Your “PCT” Category, Why?
We placed all the products under “PCT” so users would find their ancillaries easier. Ancillaries are products meant to lower the damage of anabolic steroids. There you may find:
- Proviron. It’s effective during the cycle to control estrogen and enhance the effectiveness of steroids.
- Accutane. This is an acne-dealing compound. You can add it during a cycle or during PCT to control oily skin or acne related issues caused by the use of steroids.
- Propecia. This compound is effective in reducing DHT levels. Some people use it during PCT, others during the cycle, or both. It deals with hair loss caused by anabolic steroids.
- Arimidex, Aromasin or Femara. These are Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs). They reduce total levels of estrogen by inhibiting aromatization. Therefore, they are popular to use during the cycle. However, if you notice some high estrogen related symptoms during Post Cycle Therapy, you may add some of them too to deal with them. The problem is that they may reduce estrogen too much and not really boost testosterone as SERMs do.
- HCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. People use it to increase testicular size in case they are shrinking during the cycle due to the use of anabolic steroids. Not everyone experiences testicular shrinkage though. Commonly, people add it in the last few weeks of the cycle. Might also try using it (sometimes with AIs) during the time you don’t use steroids before a PCT plan. That’s why it’s a part of PCT – they are meant to “recover damage”. Some people do add HCG during their PCT too. Yet, you may experience estrogen related issues. You try to avoid high estrogen during PCT.
- Cabergoline. Similar to Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) that lower estrogen, Cabergoline is lowering prolactin. A hormone that may spike due to the use of Nandrolones or Trenbolones.
Where to Buy Post Cycle Therapy Medications?
Check the list of PCT products on our website HGH.to. We have a lot of different Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) including their ancillaries. You can find both Clomid and Nolvadex of the best quality for the best prices. We do not offer natural compounds as you can find them in your nearest supplements store.
