Taking steroids helps you gain muscle mass quickly. However, everything comes at a price: after completing the course, athletes must make enormous efforts to restore their body. A particularly acute problem is a decrease in the intensity of testosterone production. In this case, the so-called antiestrogens come to the rescue, the most effective of which is Clomid.
Why should you take antiestrogens?
Antiestrogens are widely used by athletes who use androgenic-anabolic steroids to increase the effectiveness of training. The benefits of antiestrogens are difficult to overestimate, because after a course of steroids, the endocrine glands reduce the production of testosterone. This happens for a simple reason: if the hormone enters the body from the outside, the need for its production disappears. As a result of this, the pituitary-hypothalamus-ovarian arc becomes less and less active. And the longer an athlete takes steroids, the less testosterone is produced. It is important that the rate of decrease in the activity of one’s own glands depends on the intake of prolactin, extradiol and progesterone into the body. If the level of one of these hormones exceeds a certain value, the activity of the endocrine glands will be inhibited even more. Therefore, it is important to monitor hormone levels, get tested on time and always have extradiol and prolactin inhibitors at your disposal.
The less active the “pituitary-hypothalamus-ovarian” arc has become, the more effort will have to be spent in order to “wake it up”. Naturally, you need to return testosterone levels to normal values as quickly as possible: not only your appearance, but also the effectiveness of your training depends on this. In order for testosterone levels to return to normal as soon as possible, it is recommended to take antiestrogens: clomiphene citrate, tamoxifen citrate and torymifene citrate. Unfortunately, recovery with tamoxifen is better off: it is considered the dirtiest and you can expect quite unpredictable side effects from taking it. The most effective drug, which is recommended by many athletes, is clomiphene citrate, otherwise called Clomid. Of course, it is quite expensive, but the quality and results fully justify the high cost.
Additional recommendations for recovery from anabolic steroids
During the period of post-course therapy, it is necessary to bring your lifestyle as close as possible to the classical scheme of healing the body:
- Eat properly. Avoid fast food, trans fats, smoked foods, fried foods, soda, alcohol, and fatty meats. Add fermented milk products, fish, whole grain porridge, fresh herbs, cottage cheese, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds to your diet. Pay special attention to foods containing zinc, vitamins E, D, and group B.
- Get a good night's sleep. At least 9 hours. Foods that contain magnesium will help normalize sleep: bananas, fatty fish, brown rice, cashew nuts, spinach, figs, avocado, oatmeal, red beans. Evening walks in the fresh air are also effective, as they promote a good night's rest.
- Reduce physical activity, which needs to be reduced in quantity and duration. It is optimal to reduce the number of classes in the gym to 2-3 per week, lasting no more than 30-40 minutes. Then the loads should be increased taking into account how you feel, gradually returning to your usual level. The emphasis should be on basic exercises; the Ful-Badi system is best suited.
- Walk a lot. Long walks in nature help to activate blood flow, psychological relaxation, and deep sleep. But it is recommended to exclude aerobics.
If undesirable consequences occur in the form of increased blood pressure, loss of strength, increased levels of “bad” cholesterol, etc., it is necessary to act in accordance with the symptoms.
If you need help with maintaining a steroid cycle or recovering from it, contact the Health Coach: ICQ – 199-606-115, Telegram – @trenerzdorovya
How does Clomid work?
Many athletes, after a course of taking steroids, try to restore testosterone levels using dietary supplements, herbal infusions and other dubious means. This should not be done: after the course, the body remains in a hormonal hole, when the level of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones is almost zero. Namely, the intensity of testosterone secretion depends on these hormones.
Clomid affects the production of FSH and LH. In addition, it binds to estrogen receptors. Therefore, even if a high level of estrogen is detected in the athlete’s blood, there is no need to be afraid: the hormone will be in an inactive form.
In the first days of taking Clomid, LH and FSH levels quickly reach a maximum, while testosterone levels increase. In just a couple of weeks, testosterone levels return to the level that was observed before the course of steroids. However, the duration of taking the drug depends on the individual characteristics of the athlete’s body: for some, two weeks is enough, for others it takes several months.
Post-cycle therapy: medications
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that is extracted from the urea of pregnant women, since this is where it gets from the placenta, which synthesizes it. In its action, it is similar to luteinizing hormone, that is, human chorionic gonadotropin stimulates the testicles to produce testosterone, which is necessary to ensure that the testicles do not atrophy. Chorionic gonadotropin should be taken 2-3 weeks before the end of the “course” on “short” esters, or immediately after its end if “long” esters were used. The bottom line is that “short” drugs are quickly eliminated from the body, and long ones last up to 2-3 weeks, respectively, if we are trying to restore the hormonal arc, then we need to completely “get off” all drugs that affect the body by the time the steroids are removed from the body. to any component of the hormonal arc. You can buy gonadotropin at a pharmacy; it is recommended to take approximately 1000 units per day until the effect of the steroids wears off.
Anti-estrogen drugs - they should be taken a week before the end of gonadotropin intake. Antiestrogens are divided into aromatase inhibitors and estrogen receptor blockers, respectively, you can continue to take letrazole: 1 week on a “course” of half a tablet every 2 days and, in fact, on post-cycle therapy 3 weeks, half a tablet every four days. If you want to use estrogen receptor blockers, then tamoxifen or clomiphene are suitable for you.
Clomiphene should be taken 100 mg per day, 50 in the morning and the same amount in the evening; You can use the loading, taking the drug at a double dose on the first day in 4 doses. Tamoxifen 20 mg per day, if necessary increased to 40 mg, sometimes a load of 80 mg is used during the first day. Clomiphene stimulates luteinizing hormone more strongly, but is a weaker anti-estrogen and does not increase the sensitivity of luteinizing hormone receptors. This is why tamoxifen is better, but it also increases the number of progesterene receptors, so you can’t always take it. For example, if an athlete used progestogen drugs like anapalone or nandrolone, then tamoxifen is contraindicated. This is why it is best to use letrazole.
Proviron is a drug that blocks aromatization, SHBG and increases libido, because of the latter it is taken during PCT, but this is pointless, since it does not solve the cause of the problem, Litrazole does this. Proviron can be used during a “cycle”, when an athlete uses a long “course” of anabolic steroids, or uses a “cycle” for cutting.
Liver and cholesterol are something that is usually not included in post-cycle therapy, but you need to pay attention to this, be sure to get tested and, if the indicators are unsatisfactory, take action. To normalize the ratio of “bad” and “good” cholesterol, take OMEGA-3. With the liver, everything is more complicated, be sure to consult a doctor, but we can recommend the use of Karsil and Legalon. They take 10 tablets a day, but you should only take one drug because they essentially give the same effect.
Supplements are various sports nutrition products and vitamins that can help avoid catabolism, these include BCAA, arginine, testosterone boosters, zinc, vitamin E, silene and other drugs that reduce catabolism. The use of these supplements can be started at any time; they simply play a supporting role during post-cycle therapy.
Conclusion: when taking androgenic anabolic steroids, the athlete should take human chorionic gonadotropin 2-3 weeks before the end of the “course” on “short” esters and immediately after the end of the “course” on “long” esters. A week before the end of taking human chorionic gonadotropin, it is recommended to start taking letrazole and take it for 4 weeks, 1 week while the steroids are still working and another 3 weeks, in fact, during post-cycle therapy. A week after you have finished taking all medications that stimulate any segment of the hormonal arc, you can be tested again. If, God forbid, the hormonal arc has not been restored, then, most likely, you will need another anti-estrogen drug, but this is a special case that needs to be considered separately, be sure to consult a doctor!
PCT training
A very important aspect of post-cycle therapy is the training program, which should be “preventative” in nature, that is, the athlete should train less, with lighter weights and in a smaller volume. No formative exercises or exercises for small muscle groups should be used! It is best to train with basic exercises, and the training should last 30-40 minutes, and the rest between approaches should be increased to 2 minutes. In total, you can perform 10-15 approaches per workout, so for PCT the most acceptable option is a three-day split, when the athlete trains his legs on one day, his back on another, and his chest on the third. It is recommended to perform no more than three exercises per workout, all exercises are basic, repetition range 6-10, approaches no more than 5.
Sports pharmacology
How to take Clomid on PCT after a cycle
Dosages of Clomid depend on the course of steroids completed. The more drugs taken and the higher their dosages, the longer it will take to bring the body back to normal.
In general, the reception scheme looks like this:
- after a very difficult course – 3*150, 12*100, 15*50, 15*25;
- after a hard course – 15*100, 15*50, 15*25;
- after the intermediate course – 30*50, 15*25;
- after a light course -15*50, 15*25, 15*25 (once every 2 days)
- after a very easy course - 15*50, 15*25.
The first number represents the number of days the drug should be taken. The second number following the asterisk is the recommended dosage of the drug. For example, 15*100/15*50 would mean that Clomid should be taken for 15 days at 100 mg, and then another 15 days at 50 mg.
Testosterone propionate instructions
The drug is used mainly in 2 ways:
- force;
- mass and strength.
The table below specifically outlines dosages to achieve both goals:
If you carefully study the first dosage regimen to improve strength performance, then injections should be done after 2 days on the third. This will allow you to get rid of water, which, although slightly, is capable of retaining this drug, which will help maintain the strength result. It is scheme No. 1 that is best suited for powerlifting.
The second regimen will allow you to improve not only strength indicators, but also advance in gaining muscle mass. This occurs due to the more frequent use of injections and, as a result, maintaining a high percentage of testosterone in the blood. Therefore, scheme No. 2 is more suitable for bodybuilding.
There is another method using a course of testosterone propinate, which is used before competitions. It is necessary to inject 300 mg 1-2 hours before the start of the competition. drug, which will cause a sharp improvement in strength and self-confidence.
There have been cases when doping control was deceived in this way, although this is a risky way to achieve high awards, but it has the right to life.
Steroids in professional sports
Today, without them, it is impossible to win in professional sports, since a “natural” is not a rival to a “chemist”. The need to use anabolic steroids in bodybuilding comes to everyone who wants not just to pump up muscles, but to achieve stunning results. Although many beginners are sure from the very beginning that they will pump up the body naturally, without chemicals.
Over time, any athlete finds himself at a dead end, because there are no visible training results. Then the question arises about choosing an anabolic steroid. The most commonly used drugs are testosterone.
In general, everything is based on testosterone. Its compounds are designed to enhance the effects of the hormone itself. For example, in propionate, propionic acid enhances the effect of testosterone several times. It is its application that proves effective in achieving goals.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is of great importance for restoring hormonal balance after a course of testosterone. The functioning of the endocrine system can be hindered by:
- drinking alcohol, smoking and other bad habits;
- unbalanced, irrational nutrition;
- sedentary lifestyle.
Drinking alcohol suppresses the activity of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, disrupts testosterone metabolism and damages spermatogenic cells. Smoking also leads to a decrease in the production of sex hormones; in addition, in heavy smokers, the motility and fertilizing ability of sperm are reduced.
Proper nutrition improves metabolic processes, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the hormonal system and sperm production. To increase spermatogenesis, it is necessary to consume a large amount of foods containing protein. The diet should include:
- chicken and turkey meat;
- beef and rabbit meat;
- sea fish;
- other seafood.
Also, after a course of testosterone, systematic physical activity is necessary; it must be dosed so as not to cause overwork. In addition to strength training, cycling, swimming and walking are also helpful.
Side effects
The antiestrogenic effect of Tamoxifen is one of the main causes of adverse reactions in the body.
Advice: when taking the drug, adhere to the recommended dosage, do not violate the course duration indicated by your medical specialist.
If these conditions are violated, the athlete may soon notice changes in health, which usually include a slight increase in temperature, dizziness or rash. Swelling of the limbs and severe pain in the joints, temporary constipation are possible. Cases of decreased libido, increased fatigue and drowsiness, leading to attacks of depression and depression, have been recorded.
The following disorders of the central nervous system are also noted, affecting a significant deterioration of vision:
- cataract, i.e. clouding of the lens (complete or partial);
- retinopathy, i.e. non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eyeball;
- keratopathy, i.e. corneal lesions associated with changes in the transparency of the eye;
- retrobulbar neuritis, i.e. inflammation of the optic nerve.
There may be disruptions in the digestive system, which manifest themselves through the following symptoms:
- nausea and dry mouth;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- decreased appetite, in difficult cases leading to anorexia;
- hepatitis and liver infiltration.
For existing liver diseases, taking Tamoxifen can only aggravate the situation and lead to complete damage to the organ.
Analogs
N.V. Organon, Netherlands
Price from 9700 to 10500 rubles
Puregon is used in medical practice as a recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone. Treatment with Puregon is prescribed to women in case of infertility, problems with the ovaries and other disorders in the female genital area. Puregon injections are also used for men with spermatogenesis deficiency.
Pros:
- Good efficiency
- Convenient use.
Minuses:
- A lot of negative symptoms
- There are contraindications
- Very high cost.
Bayer, Germany
Price 550-720 rubles
Proginova is a hormonal medication, an analogue of the female ovarian hormone, including estrogens and extradiol valerate. Proginova is recommended for use when estrogen levels are low, during pregnancy planning, during menopause, etc. It is available in the form of tablets. Clostilbegit and Proginova are very similar in their action, therefore, which drug should be preferred is decided by the attending physician.
Pros:
- Restores hormonal balance
- Wide range of influence.
Minuses:
- There are a number of contraindications
- You must strictly adhere to the scheme.
