drtbear1967

Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Getting a post cycle therapy (PCT) going primarily involves helping the body resume its production of ideal testosterone levels. The amount of testosterone in the body normally plunges after cycling with anabolic steroids and not having a proper PCT can lead to serious health issues sooner or later, not mentioning losing the gains that you’ve worked really hard for. And when proper PCT is concerned, getting your hands on Nolvadex should be a priority in your checklist.

What is Nolvadex?

Nolvadex is the generic name of Tamoxifen Citrate, a type of drug that is classified as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and originally formulated as treatment for some types of breast cancer in both men and women. It basically disrupts the action of estrogen in the body, which can easily go off the charts after anabolic steroid use. Other SERM drugs used in post cycle therapy are Torem-fareston and Clomid.
Unlike aromatase inhibitors that can totally stop the body’s estrogenic activity, a SERM drug like Nolvadex only suppresses the production of excessive amounts of estrogen so it won’t set off adverse effects, but will still leave enough for the body to use in its synthesis of proteins and metabolic function.
What Does Nolvadex Do?

You can think of Nolvadex as a regulator drug that helps control the amount of estrogen produced in the body so it won’t trigger negative effects in the long run. Estrogen levels usually skyrocket after cycling with anabolic steroids and can cause gyno or abnormal swelling of the breasts in men as well as promote excess water retention, which will definitely ruin the bodybuilding goals that you’ve spent hours and hours at the gym to achieve.
Uncontrolled estrogen surges can also increase your risks of developing health problems like prostate disease, stroke, cardiovascular issues and loss of bone mineral density, which makes you more vulnerable to fractures, if not corrected in the soonest time.


Let’s have a quick rundown on the key effects that Nolvadex can set off in the body when used for PCT:


Unlike its aromatase inhibitor (AI) counterparts such as Arimadex and Aromasin that basically stave off any estrogen-like side effects in the body that are triggered by having a significant imbalance in testosterone, Nolvadex helps bring back hormonal levels to normal in a slightly different way.
Now while Nolvadex still disrupts the function of aromatase enzymes and keeps them from setting off the excessive production and release of estrogen, it doesn’t interfere with the activity of the luteinizing hormone (LH) in any way. At its simplest, the LH is in charge of directing the gonads to churn out testosterone.


Since Nolvadex works without any LH interference, using it for PCT purposes not only helps realign the body’s ideal balance of hormones after cycling with anabolic steroids and prohormones, but also keeps testicular shrinkage at bay in the process.
Is Taking Nolvadex Important During Post Cycle Therapy?

If you’re planning to make your post cycle therapy as successful as possible, taking Nolvadex should be one of your main PCT concerns. This is because Nolvadex plays a key role during the same by helping the body realign its normal testosterone levels after anabolic steroid use without totally stopping estrogenic activity in the system.


This simply means that although Nolvadex helps regulate the production of estrogen hormones so they won’t trigger any negative effects, this SERM drug also sets aside enough of them to keep the body functioning up to par.


Unlike aromatase inhibitors, which work best when taken during a cycle, most bodybuilders who have used Nolvadex for PCT recommend taking it while coming off a cycle with prohormones and anabolic steroids to maximize the results that you will be getting while at it.


Nolvadex is highly recommended to be on your PCT checklist if you’re planning to cycle with steroids like Dianabol and Anadrol-50.
What are the Benefits of Taking Nolvadex During Post Cycle Therapy?

When you’re loading up on anabolic steroids, the body is conditioned to put off its production of androgens or male hormones, particularly testosterone. To offset this lack of androgens, the body boosts its production of estrogen.


Interestingly, this sudden spike in estrogen levels promotes a more than usual release of glycoproteins called sex hormone-binding globulins or SHGB’s. As their name implies, SHGB’s bind to free sex hormones in the system and transform them into estrogen, dipping testosterone levels even more. If this isn’t fixed properly, the body eventually experiences a hormonal imbalance.


Another effect of plummeting testosterone levels is a surge of stress hormones called cortisol. When cortisol levels accelerate, they set off a process called catabolism in which key muscle builders consisting of lipids and protein substrates are broken down faster than normal, leading to the loss of muscle bulk or mass.



Nolvadex prevents these negative effects from taking place by regulating the production of estrogen in the body before they can deal out serious damage, especially to the bodybuilding gains that you’ve spent considerable time pumping iron for.
How Do You Use Nolvadex?

Simply getting your hands on Nolvadex and loading up on it after cycling with anabolic steroids isn’t going to cut it. There’s even a big chance that you’ll put yourself at risk to even more problems in the process. Just going ahead and using uncontrolled doses of Nolvadex can be already counter-productive to your PCT.


If you’re looking to integrate Nolvadex in your PCT anytime soon, here’s a quick guide that you can check out:


Start of Usage


You should immediately start using Nolvadex right after you cycle with orally-ingested anabolic steroids. If you used short-acting water-based injectables or esters in your cycle, it is recommended that you load up on Nolvadex 4 to 7 days after your very last injection. When it comes to long-acting injectables, using Nolvadex 10 to 14 days after your last injection is advised.

Dosage


An ideal Nolvadex PCT run ideally lasts for about 4 weeks for a healthy adult male. A “basic” Nolvadex PCT run should look something like this if you’ve just finished a regular or mild cycle:
Week 1
20 milligrams daily
Week 2
20 milligrams daily
Week 3
10 milligrams daily
Week 4
10 milligrams daily

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For highly suppressive or stronger steroids, your Nolvadex PCT run should be as follows. Some bodybuilders suggest stacking Nolvadex with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) if you go for this run to maximize your recovery and lowering your chances of experiencing unwanted side effects:

Week 1
30 milligrams daily
Week 2
20 milligrams daily
Week 3
20 milligrams daily
Week 4
10 milligrams daily

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Does Nolvadex Have Any Side Effects?


Since using Nolvadex is basically an artificial way of inducing your body to regulate its estrogen levels, chances are you’re going to experience a few side effects while at it. Bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who have already used Nolvadex in their PCT reported experiencing the following side effects when they were loading up on this SERM:

  • Hot flashes
  • Infrequent bouts of vomiting
  • Mild nausea
  • Loss of sexual interest/erectile dysfunction
  • Headache
  • Tingling of the skin
  • Leg cramps
  • Hair thinning
 
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