Best Post Cycle Therapies

Post-Cycle Therapy is a course of supplements that a person takes after completing anabolic steroid use for achieving weight training or bodybuilding goals. Anabolic steroids include androgens (= hormones that regulate male characteristics), estrogens and progestogens. When taking steroids, your body gets the message that it already has enough hormones, and stops producing them naturally. Just stopping taking steroids can “undo” all of the gains that you have achieved--as well as high blood pressure, decreased libido and impotence, acne, and much more. Also, anabolic steroids can break down into estrogen--which can cause the growth of breast tissue in men, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, and other hormonal imbalances. You have to rely on dietary supplements, termed “post-cycle therapies”, to get your endocrine system back to properly producing hormones again--a process that can take anywhere from 1-1.5 months. And it’s important to do this carefully, to avoid unwanted side effects. 

So, a Post-Cycle Therapy is certainly a necessity after anabolic steroid use--but it’s also important to be informed as to what is best for you, and what will be effective. We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a post-cycle therapy. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of post-cycle therapy,

• See useful tips about that type of post-cycle therapy,

• Read reviews of different post-cycle therapies, and what customers are saying, 

• Select the right brand of post-cycle therapy, and 

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (=SERMs): SERMs are a class of medication which suppresses estrogen and increases sperm count and motility. Examples of SERMs that are used in Post-Cycle Therapies include Clomid and Nolvadex. There are also Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (=SARMs), that behave similarly to anabolic steroids but can be taken orally in small amounts. This is a type of PCT that can be used until the body once again gets used to producing necessary hormones itself. SARMs boost muscle and bone growth, without the decrease in libido that steroids may cause.

PCT Power's 3-in-1 PCT Formula

• Aromatase inhibitor: Aromatase is an enzyme that breaks testosterone into estrogen. An aromatase inhibitor will block this enzyme, and prevent the buildup of estrogen in the body. When a person stops taking steroids, the body’s aromatase will start to break down the body’s testosterone, risking losing all the gains of the steroids cycle. So there are Post Cycle Therapies that will include Aromatase inhibitors, to help you preserve your gains in size and musculature. A PCT product that uses an aromatase inhibitor is the PCT Power 3-in-1 PCT Supplement in its “Estrocontrol Blend”.

• Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ( =HCG): Using anabolic steroids for an extended period of time can cause the body to stop producing testosterone and testicular atrophy. HCG mimics other hormones, to induce the body to produce testosterone itself. So, there are Post-Cycle Therapies that include HCG, to ensure that the body produces its own testosterone. 

• Natural Post-Cycle Therapies: There are also natural compounds that try to achieve what hormonal PCTs accomplish. For example, Vitamin E and zinc are also aromatase inhibitors, so they can also be used to prevent estrogen buildup. InnerCues Natural PCT contains natural compounds that will inhibit estrogen buildup, induce testosterone production, and remove antioxidants from the body, to ensure that the liver recovers properly.

InnerCues Natural PCT Dietary Supplement

• Limitations on some PCTs: Crazy Bulk makes a Post-Cycle Therapy capsule which they recommend only if you were taking all-natural steroid alternatives and natural supplements. Their product is meant to maintain the muscle gain that you have achieved. But they don’t recommend taking their PCT after real anabolic steroids. 

• Nutrition capsules for PCT: Some PCTs are not so much to inhibit estrogen and enhance testosterone, as much as just serve as a vitamin supplement. This is important to cleanse the blood of free radicals, and protect the kidneys and liver from any toxins that have accumulated. That is the purpose of the Cycle Support Nutrition Protection Capsules by Iron Labs Nutrition. It contains Vitamin C, B6, Zinc, Pantothenic Acid, and more. Other products use natural plants, such as Saw Palmetto and Fenugreek, which assist prostate health and hormone balance.

• Doing a hormone profile test: The correct PCT treatment will depend greatly on a person’s hormone profile at present, as well as the recommended dosage. It’s advisable to do a hormone profile test--which is simply a blood test that notes the levels of the body’s hormones. 

• Treating gynecomastia: Gynecomastia is the growth of breast tissue in males. Men that are inclined to gynecomastia are called “gyno prone”. As we mentioned, it comes as a result of excess estrogen, which in turn comes from the breakdown of the male hormones in anabolic steroids. The PCT that is right for a particular person will depend greatly on how important it is to inhibit estrogen, so as to avoid these unwanted side effects when stopping a course of steroids.

• Avoiding muscle loss: Steroid use while exercising will allow you to do more of what you already do: more running, more lifting, etc. But, once you stop, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll lose muscle mass. The body must funnel a lot of its nutrition and energy to maintain muscle. There is a certain “genetic potential”, which is the highest muscle mass that you can achieve by just diet and exercise. Anabolic steroids will allow you to achieve and even surpass your genetic potential. Once you stop steroid use, you’ll drop down to your genetic potential of muscle mass. The steroids allowed you to gain in three months what would take years to gain naturally. Doing a proper PCT will help you maintain testosterone levels, and retain strength and muscle mass.

• Use of D-Aspartic Acid (=DAA): One popular compound is D-Aspartic Acid, or DAA. It is an inexpensive testosterone booster. But it also raises estrogen levels--so it’s recommended to pair it with an aromatase inhibitor, to block the estrogen. The Finaflex Revolution Test Stack Natural Test Booster relies on DAA for testosterone support.

• Treat acne: Steroid use--and stopping steroids abruptly--may cause your skin to break out with acne.  The Pride Nutrition E-Block Estrogen Blocker has both an Aromatase Inhibitor and Di-Indolylmethane, which is used to lower estrogen levels, and a PCT supplement. This will treat cystic acne, whiteheads, and blackheads--besides helping you maintain muscle tone and regain hormonal balance.

Iron Labs Nutrition was established in 2009 as manufacturers of sports supplements. Their headquarters is in Poole, England. They make pre-workout supplements, metabolism support products, steroid cycle supports, and more.

InnerCues makes supplements for weight management, overall fitness, anti-aging products, and products focusing on men’s or women’s health. They are located in Newport Beach, California.

Pride Nutrition, founded in 2003, makes health supplements from natural ingredients. They have products for muscle building, healthy joints and skin, weight loss, endurance, estrogen blockers, detox products, and much more.

Finaflex was founded in 2008, as specialists in sports nutrition supplements. They also make protein foods and powders, supplements for pre-workout, weight loss and weight gain products, and products for maintaining general health.