Clenbuterol Do's & Dont's and everything in between





  • Also Known As: Clenbuterol, Dilaterol, Spiropent, Ventipulmin
  • Used For: Cutting
  • Method of Ingestion: Oral
  • Half Life: 26 Hours

About Clen

Clen is most commonly found in the form of a hydrochloride salt known as Clenbuterol Hydrochloride. It is used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator to make breathing easier. It is now more commonly used as a fat burner amongst athletes and bodybuilders because of its thermogenic properties. It has an intense anti-catabolic effect and causes an increase in aerobic capacity, central nervous system stimulation, oxygen transportation and blood pressure. It also increases fat metabolisation as well as increasing the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Specifically Clen stimulates the beta 2 receptors of the body. This stimulation enhances the metabolic rate, by increasing body heat as the mitochondria of the cells produce and release more heat. As a result your fat cells are stimulated from the extra heat, the breakdown of triglycerides in enhanced and fat loss is more likely to occur. Clenbuterol also increases the production of catabolic hormone secretion (epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine) which further stimulate thermogenesis or the conversion of fat and calories into heat.
Note: Clen is not an anabolic steroid and works on the sympathomimetic nervous system. As such it can be used on cycle, during PCT and off cycle as it effects a different part of the body. However be wary of compounding side effects.
How To Use

Clen is no magic pill, and this point cannot be stressed enough. If you are not lean already then proper diet and cardio are still your best option and I will address why when we get to the side effects. In addition you still need to have a good diet and plenty of exercise for Clen to work. It’s a thermogenic so it will improve on changes you are making but will not be able to generate fat loss on its own. For the most part it is often used successfully for the final stages of fat loss, generally the most stubborn fat that seems nearly impossible to remove. There are 2 common methods for use:
2 Week Pyramid
The theory behind this method is to find the correct dosage for the individual as everyone can react quite differently. Start at a low dose and increase until you find the maximum you can handle then stop after 2 weeks and take 2 weeks off. The other reason this is popular is that the receptors become less sensitive to the clen and increased dosage is needed for full thermogenic effect. The cycle can be repeated a number of times but I personally don’t recommend more than 3. Here is an example cycle:
Men (Women)
Day 1: 20mcg
Day 2: 40mcg
Day 3: 60mcg
Day 4: 80mcg
Day 5: 100mcg (80mcg)
Day 6: 120mcg (80mcg)
Day 7: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 8: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 9: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 10: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 11: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 12: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 13: 140mcg (80mcg)
Day 14: 140mcg (80mcg)
2 Weeks Off.
Continuous Use
This is also a pyramid cycle but over a much longer time frame. The advantage being the much lower doses of clen necessary to be taken, this proves beneficial for those who experience bad sides. An example cycle is:
Weeks 1-2: 20mcg daily
Weeks 3-4: 40mcg daily
Weeks 5-6: 60mcg daily
Weeks 7-8: 80mcg daily
Note: These figures are guides only, the reason you start small is to see how sensitive you are to the clen. Find out what is a good level for you and don’t go any higher then that.
Side Effects

  • Nervousness
  • Cramps
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • High Blood Pressure

The most common side effects relate to the stimulant nature of Clen. Feeling wired, jittery or nervous will be experienced by most users of clen. Thankfully these subside as you become more accustomed to the drug so expect worse sides at the beginning of a cycle.
Less common effects are nausea, headaches and. Lowering the dosage is the easiest way to combat these if they become too uncomfortable to bear. For the cramps taking Taurine with the clen can help as taurine levels have been shown to be depleted during a clen cycle.
Insomnia or difficulty sleeping can also occur due to the stimulant nature of the drug. As Clen has a half-life of 26 hours this can be difficult to avoid, although taking Clen in the morning is helpful for a lot of people. Again reducing your dose can also be beneficial.
Your blood pressure will rise (which helps with fat loss) but for standard dosages it won’t be an issue unless you have a pre-existing medical condition. Cardiac hypertrophy, trembling, irregular heartbeat and panic are also possible with Clen, but these severe side effects seem only to occur in people using very high dosages for far too long.
Note: From these side effects you can see that the heart and brain are the 2 most effected parts of the body. If you are carrying too much fat these sides are enhanced greatly and your body is likely under stress in these parts already. Essentially the reasons you want to lose weight (in terms of health) are most effected by using Clen, so it is suitable only for people in good shape (and good health) to begin with.
PCT

Clen does not require a PCT in any traditional sense. You basically go on Clen and get off again. I would recommend that your off cycle matches your on cycle so if you cycle for 6 weeks, don’t use again for another 6 weeks. Having said that there is a couple of products people use in conjunction with their Clen:
Benadryl – In theory this up regulates the beta-2 receptors as they become accustom to the clen and the fat loss effects are reduced. This allows you to run longer and more effective Clen cycles. However the evidence on this is very mixed as are the reviews. Personally I would stick with a 2 week cycle where it is not needed.
Taurine – A number of studies have shown that a Clen cycle depletes your Taurine levels which are important in the metabolisation of fats. A simple taurine supplement on cycle can help here.
FAQ

Is Clen a steroid?
No Clen is not an anabolic steroid and has a completely different set of side effects and strategies for use.
Does Clen have an Anabolic Effect and does it help keep your gains during PCT?
Short answer is no. Clenbuterol has also been noted for having a strong anabolic effect; however, things are not quite like they appear. Due to the potential anabolic effect, this has caused many to use the compound in hopes of gaining lean tissue. Commonly, many steroid users have used it as an anabolic protective agent during their post cycle therapy (PCT). There is, however, a problem with this type of use; it doesn’t work. Studies have shown that Clenbuterol has the ability to promote anabolic activity in animals. There have been several studies that have shown the anabolic activity of rats to increase when Clen is administered. However, there is no data that supports such anabolic activity provided when used by human beings. In fact, it has generally been proven useless in this regard as it pertains to human beings.
What Forms does Clen come in?
Clen comes in oral form only. Most commonly as a tablet or an oral liquid.
Are there any precautions I should take?
Getting a blood pressure monitor is not a bad idea. It will let you know exactly how you are travelling with the Clen, rather than relying on guess work alone. They are fairly cheap and available at any decent chemist.
Does Clen show up on a drug test?
Only if the governing body is looking for it. So unless your a preofessional athlete you won’t have any issues.
Is it as dangerous as everyone says?

Clen has a pretty bad reputation in the bodybuilding industry, partly because the sides are so intense (if not exactly dangerous). You really feel Clen much more than most anabolic steroids and this intensity has turned a lot of people off. Ironically it is this very intensity that burns the fat. The other reason it has a bad reputation is the misuse and lack of understanding of the drug. So many people mistake it for a steroid and use it incorrectly as a result. Also there seems to be a prevalence of overdosing as people try to speed up results. For proper moderate use its very safe although with sides but its powerful enough to be dangerous if used incorrectly.