Do you need PCT when using SARMs?

POST CYCLE THERAPY & SARMS

The usage of SARMs has always been clouded with so many myths of do’s and don’ts. This can make it rather difficult to understand what is really needed from what is nothing but unfounded speculations. One aspect that is especially confusing is the post cycle therapy after using these supplements. The truth is that not all SARMs require PCT. Unfortunately, different people react differently to SARMs and hence you can never be too sure whether you are in the group of people who don’t need PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) or not. It’s for this reason that we normally recommend everyone to go through this therapy regardless of how gentle the cycle was. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry.

WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER PCT AFTER USING SARMS?

The answer is really simple. Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators are suppressive in nature. After using them for some time, these supplements will interfere with your hormonal levels and this can lead to some undesirable effects. One of the most common effects caused by extended use of SARMs is that it suppresses natural testosterone levels. Not all SARMs cause these effects though. Compounds such as Ostarine, for example, are popular due to their gentleness. With others, however, your testosterone levels can drop to seriously low levels which will lead to effects such as gynecomastia, fatigue, mood problems, and reduced sex drive among others. Through a four week or so period of PCT, you’ll be able to get your testosterone levels back to their norm before you jump into your next cycle.

Some people have been known to go through blood works after finishing their cycle to check their testosterone levels. Such individuals do so to determine whether their T-levels are within a good range to avoid going through PCT. While this tactic works, we would still like to recommend a PCT period because it helps in refreshing your entire endocrine system and not just your testosterone. It really doesn’t cost much and after all, it’ll be an additional measure to ensure that all your gains don’t go to waste. Additionally, your blood work may show that your t-levels are at a healthy point but this doesn’t mean that they will stay there. The thing with suppressive drugs is that once you are done using them, they leave your hormonal environment in a bit of a mess. This means that the slightest change can cause a drastic increase or decrease in hormones in no time. So, your t-levels may be decent at your time of testing but in a couple of days, they can go down and this will interfere with your physiological functions.

For female athletes using SARMs, PCT is completely different but in a good way. In women, testosterone levels are never required to be too high and hence during PCT, you won’t be struggling with too many concentrated drugs. In fact, some women go through cycles and take little breaks in between while recovering quite well without having to use any drugs. Not every woman is privileged with that and that’s why there are drugs which can help you to quickly get your body back on track. These drugs are usually mild and in most cases, two or three weeks is enough for a full recovery.

WHAT DOES THE POST CYCLE THERAPY PERIOD INVOLVE?

PCT is usually a very personal experience. There is no specific time or drug that you must use during this period. It all comes down to how well your body reacted to the SARMs, the type of SARM that you were using and the duration your cycle lasted among other factors.

The most used medications during PCT include Clomifene (Clomid) and Tamoxifen Citrate. Some users also take HCG and this does not just help with recovery post-cycle but can also be used while you are still taking the SARMs.

For male bodybuilders who are using Ostarine, Armistane is an ideal drug to take during this therapy. Ostarine doesn’t affect the endocrine system too much and hence 75mg taken daily for four weeks should be enough. Armistane works by stimulating your body to reduce the amount of estrogen in your system. When SARMs are suppressing your testosterone levels, the amount of estrogen becomes high in relative to T-levels. This can make your body to produce less luteinizing hormone and in doing so your testosterone levels are likely to go even lower. It leads to gynecomastia among other side effects. Armistane works like an aromatase inhibitor helping in lowering the amount of estrogen to safer levels. The good news about this drug is that it is legal and easily available over the counter. It is also normally powerful enough to be used alone. The downside, however, is that it doesn’t perform uniformly across everyone. To some people, it may be ineffective and hence you ought to look for something better.

For people who use high doses of SARMs for extended periods, or stack different SARMs within a single cycle, Armistane isn’t powerful enough for PCT. In this case, we normally recommend the use of Clomid and Nolvadex. These can be broken down into 50mg of Clomid and 40mg of Nolvadex taken daily in the first two weeks after your cycle followed by 25mg of Clomid and 20mg of Nolvadex taken daily in the two subsequent weeks.

For some individuals, classic selective estrogen receptor modulators usually get the job done without having to use other aggressive PCT drugs. Again, this is all dependent on specific cases. If you are lucky enough to utilize SERMs for your PCT successfully, then well and good if not, Clomid and Nolvadex are your best way to go.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON SARMS PCT

Just because you are using supplements such as SARMs doesn’t mean that safe results are guaranteed and that there is nothing that can get between you and your fitness goals. We are aware of cases where people experience hormonal suppression side effects for over six months all because they weren’t keen enough to go through PCT. To get your ideal results and maintain them you have to be smart and this means taking measures that are safe and effective. With the above information, we believe that you are now aware of what exactly you need to do during your PCT. We hope that you utilize this information to make all your SARM cycles and strenuous training count.