Post cycle therapy, or PCT, is a protocol you follow after (or “post”) completing a cycle of anabolic steroids, a type of performance-enhancing drug (PED). While some PEDs can offer benefits such as muscle growth, they may also wreak havoc on other aspects of your physical health — especially your testosterone levels. When you take anabolic steroids, the drugs provide a heavy dose of testosterone. As a result, when you finish your cycle, your body experiences a sudden drop in testosterone (Pereira, 2019).

While your body will naturally restart testosterone production, it can take months to years to return to normal hormonal levels (McBride, 2016; AlShareef, 2022). In the meantime, you may experience the effects of low testosterone, like decreased energy and libido, reduced muscle mass, and depression. Post cycle therapy can help speed this process up, safely giving your body a boost as it increases testosterone production (Pereira, 2019; Delu, 2020).

Some researchers acknowledge that the efficacy of PCT is still unproven, as are many of the practices surrounding steroid use (de Ronde, 2020).

When you stop using anabolic steroids, estrogen levels rise while testosterone lowers, as your body recalibrates its hormone levels. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like Clomid can counteract this effect by regulating estrogen levels and enabling testosterone to rise (Mbi Feh, 2022). Clomid (clomiphene) also promotes the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which help raise testosterone levels (Dadhich, 2017).

Clomid comes in a 50 mg oral tablet. Common side effects of clomiphene for men include (Mbi Feh, 2022; DailyMed, 2022):

• Blurred vision or blind spots

• Breast pain or tenderness

• Dizziness

• Flushing or hot flashes

• Gynecomastia (enlarged male breast tissue)

• Headache

• Hypertriglyceridemia (high triglycerides)

• Mood swings

• Nausea

• Pelvic pain

• Testicular tumor

• Upset stomach

• Vomiting

Clomid is a prescription drug that can have serious side effects if not used as directed. However, studies have found that even with long-term use, Clomid safely and effectively treats hypogonadism in men with few side effects (Krzastek, 2019).

Other options for normalizing hormones after anabolic steroid use include testosterone boosters, PCT supplements, Nolvadex (tamoxifen), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Some PCT protocols can be purchased over-the-counter as supplements, and may be taken for a period of weeks. Others, like Clomid and Nolvadex (tamoxifen), are prescription drugs that are FDA-approved for other conditions, but may be used off-label for PCT.

Clomid and Nolvadex are both SERMs. As estrogen blockers, SERMs increase levels of testosterone and can offset some of the negative effects men experience after a steroid cycle, such as gynecomastia (Farrar, 2022; de Ronde, 2020). In fact, some men will use clomiphene and tamoxifen together during PCT (Bonnecaze, 2021).

Nolvadex (tamoxifen) is primarily prescribed to treat breast cancer in women and men, but it may be used off-label for various conditions, including infertility, gynecomastia, and several cancers (Farrar, 2022).

The best time to start a PCT protocol depends on your personal medical history, the length of your anabolic steroid cycle, and the dosage you were taking. It is best to consult a healthcare professional for guidance. Also, while SERMs like Clomid and Nolvadex do not appear to have serious negative side effects on male sexual function, their safety and long-term effects as a PCT protocol are still unknown (de Ronde, 2020). In some men, normal erectile function and libido may not return after steroid use, even when testosterone levels return to normal (Kanayama, 2015).

Regardless of which PCT protocol you use, you can make post cycle therapy more comfortable and successful by focusing on your rest, nutrition, and training. Eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and maintain a healthy workout routine to help your body recalibrate more easily.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD PCT

How does a Post Cycle Therapy formula help you keep your hard-earned gains? By restoring hormonal balance quickly, which begins by bringing your natural testosterone production back to normal as well as combatting excess estrogen, thereby blocking any estrogen-related side effects. Additionally, a good PCT should support the overall health of your liver as well as inhibit levels of cortisol, the destructive anti-catabolic hormone.

THE COMPLETE PCT

Where can you get a complete PCT formula that covers all of these requirements? There’s no other choice than Post Gear by Rich Piana 5% Nutrition! No one knows hardcore better than 5%! Post Gear has everything you need for the most effective post cycle therapy program possible – testosterone support, estrogen inhibitors, liver support, and cortisol regulation. That means you stay healthy and bring your hormones back into balance so you can keep your gains!