Many bodybuilders take anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and strength. While anabolic steroids provide these benefits, they also come with their fair share of side effects. The most dangerous of those adverse effects is the decrease in the production of testosterone.
The longer you take anabolic steroids and the higher the dose, the greater the reduction in testosterone production and the higher the increase in the level of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). This hormonal imbalance can lead to unintended consequences.
Men with more female hormones than male hormones in their body may develop gynecomastia or ‘man boobs’. They might also experience water retention. Anyone using anabolic androgenic steroids must thus take an anti-estrogen to redress the hormonal imbalance.
That’s what Clomid (Clomiphene) is. No matter the type of steroid you might be using and regardless of how long you’re on the steroid cycle, Clomid post cycle therapy will ensure your body’s hormonal balance remains intact. Read on to know more.
What Is Clomid?
Clomid, like Raloxifene, is an anti-estrogen. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it as a treatment for women who cannot get pregnant. However, while doctors can only prescribe this drug to females, various males buy this drug too to treat their infertility. [R]
In the case of bodybuilding, Clomid helps athletes avoid the severe side effects of steroid use. This drug prevents anabolic steroids from converting male hormones into various female hormones. That’s perhaps the reason why Clomid can help users get rid of ‘man boobs’. [R]
Clomid also triggers the formation of testosterone in the body. Various studies have shown that this drug can increase endogenous testosterone levels in men, too. Clomid post cycle therapy offers such encouraging results that it’s now touted as an alternative to testosterone replacement therapy. [R]
All in all, Clomid triggers the formation of testosterone and prevents its conversion into estrogen in men. This helps bodybuilders using it keep the gains (increase in muscle mass, reduction in body fat, improvement in body shape) they’ve worked so hard to achieve in the gym.
Overview of Benefits and Effects
Before we turn our attention to what the researchers have to say about it, let’s have a quick overview of the benefits and side effects Clomid post cycle therapy has to offer.
Benefits
- Increases Testosterone Production
- Cures Gynecomastia or ‘Man Boobs’
- Increases Muscle Mass
- Raises Sperm Count
- Improves Mood and Libido
Side Effects
- Might Decrease Bone Density
- Causes Weight Gain During PCT
- Might Cause Abdominal Pain
Keep in mind that almost all of Clomid’s severe side effects are the result of higher doses. So you’d be just fine if you stick to the dosage guidelines.
How Does Clomid Work?
Clomid works by blocking the estrogen receptors on the pituitary gland. This prevents the interaction of the female sex hormone with the pituitary gland. If allowed to happen, this interaction would have reduced the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
Both these hormones stimulate your testicles to make testosterone. LH and FSH production will thus boost testosterone levels in your body. Together with the reduction in estrogen, this will translate to a higher testosterone/estrogen ratio. [R]
Clomid could increase your sperm count, too. Various studies have shown that low-dose treatment with this drug improved sperm count in men experiencing low testosterone symptoms. This means you can count on Clomid to boost your sex drive/libido, too. [R]
Keep in mind that Clomid PCT comes in handy for harsh prohormone or steroid cycles. The sort of which consist of multiple orals and/or injectables and cause severe testosterone suppression. Such cycles need an effective post cycle therapy to boost natural testosterone production.
What Is Clomid Used For?
Bodybuilders use Clomid to boost natural testosterone production being suppressed by anabolic steroid or prohormone cycle. This post cycle therapy supplement also blocks estrogen receptors in the body, helping bodybuilders suffering from ‘man boobs’ get rid of them.
Clomid also helps prevent water retention. It’s one of the most dreaded side effects of steroid use. If left unattended, it can cause some severe health implications. Excess water retention can disfigure your physique and might also contribute to high blood pressure. [R]
Bodybuilders also use Clomid for performance gains. Research has shown that users combining this anti-estrogen with strong weight lifting experience an increase in muscle mass. They also benefit from a reduction in body fat and an overall improvement in their physique. [R]
All in all, Clomid PCT kills two birds with one stone. It helps prevent some of the most serious side effects of anabolic steroid cycle, including water retention and gynecomastia. And it lets you keep all the gains – increase in muscle mass, reduction in body fat – you’ve worked so hard to achieve in the gym.
Benefits of Using Clomid
Clomid helps increase testosterone and reduce estrogen in men. This selective estrogen receptor modulator also helps bring about an increase in muscle mass, reduction in body fat percentage and an overall improvement in your physique.
What’s more, Clomid can help with male infertility, too. It can increase the chances of a male getting his female partner pregnant by increasing FSH and LH production. Both these hormones, in turn, lead to better sperm production, potentially boosting male fertility.
Here are the major benefits of using Clomid:
1) Increases Testosterone Production
Various studies have shown that Clomid stimulates the body to produce testosterone. A 4-6 weeks study on males with an average age of 39 years showed Clomid increasing the testosterone level from 247.6 +/- 39.8 ng/dL to 610.0 +/- 178.6 ng/dL. [R]
Whether or not you’re on a steroid cycle, the previous paragraph presents excellent news. Testosterone is responsible for an increase in fat-free muscle mass, decrease in fat mass and increase in muscle size and strength. All these are benefits that you can expect to have while taking Clomid.
2) Cures Gynecomastia or ‘Man Boobs’
Gynecomastia is one of the most common male breast disorders. Health experts estimate that between 50 and 65 percent of boys and men experience ‘male boobs’ worldwide. This health condition is caused when your body’s estrogen levels are higher than testosterone levels. [R]
Clomid cures gynecomastia by a) preventing the formation of more estrogens than your body already has and b) stimulating the production of testosterone. Both these processes – increase in testosterone levels, and decrease in estrogen production – helps Clomid users get rid of man boobs. [R]
3) Increases Muscle Mass
Gaining muscle mass is super hard. You need to have adequate levels of testosterone in your body to stimulate muscle mass growth. Your body also needs to have adequate protein to help your muscles repair themselves after withstanding the stresses of weight training. That’s where the bad news ends.
The good news is that Clomid helps increase muscle mass. Health experts tell us Clomid helps increase muscle mass by boosting your testosterone levels. That’s not all. By raising your body’s testosterone production, Clomid helps you retain muscle mass, too, preventing muscular atrophy. [R]
4) Raises Sperm Count
Male fertility affects almost 7% of the men’s population worldwide. While there are many reasons behind this health condition, one of the most common is low sperm count. Medical experts estimate that of all the men who are infertile, as much as 15 per cent have a complete lack of sperm. [R]
Clomid offers a ray of hope to men with low sperm count. A 1999 study at a Texas Fertility center found that male participants experienced an improvement in sperm quality and fertility after taking 25 mg/day Clomid for a period of 3 months, a finding corroborated by reputed health publications. [R] [R]
5) Improves Mood and Libido
Start with mood. Advances in the field of medical health have made us aware that mood swings and depression are some of the various symptoms of low testosterone. Based on this, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a drug like Clomid (that raises testosterone) improves your mood. [R]
Next comes sexual drive or libido. One can draw a straight line between one’s testosterone levels and their sexual drive. Males with higher testosterone levels experience a higher libido and, therefore, are much better performers in beds than their counterparts suffering from low T.
Clomid PCT Guidelines
In this section, we’re going to talk about how much Clomid you should take for PCT. Remember that Clomid PCT is for users who are coming off a harsh steroid or testosterone cycle. One that involved a lot of pills and tablets that suppressed your testosterone levels by quite a few degrees.
In case you feel that your cycle wasn’t harsh, it’s recommended you opt for Nolvadex PCT. Nolvadex is much milder than Clomid and won’t expose you to serious side effects at higher doses. Plus, just like Clomid, Nolvadex has been approved by the FDA to treat other health conditions.
Best Clomid Dosage
Keep in mind that there aren’t any guidelines for Clomid PCT dosage. That’s because this drug wasn’t intended – or approved – for post cycle therapy in the first place. Instead, the FDA has approved this drug to promote ovulation in females. So there aren’t any Clomid for bodybuilding dose instructions.
What we have is anecdotal evidence from bodybuilders who have completed Clomid PCT. They suggest completing a four-week Clomid PCT. Start with 50 mg per day dosage and stick with it for the first two weeks. If you’re feeling better, half the dosage (25 mg per day) for the remaining two weeks.
Remember that this dosage might come in handy if you aren’t feeling suppressed. If you are coming off an aggressive SARM like RAD 140 (Testolone) and are experiencing various symptoms, you can increase the dosage to up to 150 mg per day or at least 100 mg per day for the first fortnight.
Make sure to drop to 50 mg per day for the next two weeks. Clomid is notorious for causing harsh side effects at higher doses. So you do not want to take a higher than necessary dosage. If you’ve any questions about its safety, it’s recommended that you consult your doctor.
Clomid PCT Protocol
Most bodybuilders start taking PCT supplements 1 – 2 weeks after a steroid cycle to boost their endogenous testosterone production. This approach doesn’t have many downsides except the fact that it might expose you to the adverse effects of Clomid post cycle therapy (discussed below).
Some athletes start using Clomid during a steroid or testosterone cycle. They do this so that the steroid cycle could combat the side effects of Clomid. The fact that no interactions have been found between Clomid and testosterone (or Clomid and steroids) means it’s safe to use both together. [R]
Here are the two most popular Clomid post cycle therapy protocols:
For when you’re coming off a light steroid or testosterone cycle
Feel like your sex drive is intact? Aren’t experiencing many mood swings or bouts of depression? That tells us that the steroid cycle you completed wasn’t harsh. Which is a good thing as it means that your testosterone levels aren’t suppressed by much
If you’ve just completed a light steroid cycle, the user-recommended guidelines is to take 50 mg Clomid every day for the first two weeks of the month-long cycle. Halve the dosage to 25 mg per day for the last two weeks of your post cycle therapy.
For when you’re coming off a harsh steroid or testosterone cycle
How to tell if your steroid cycle was harsh? Aggressive steroid cycles cause a lot of testosterone suppression, resulting in the appearance of many, if not all, low testosterone symptoms, including massive mood swings, depression, fatigue, low sex drive, among others.
If you’re coming off such an aggressive steroid cycle – or are still on one – the user-recommended Clomid PCT protocol is taking 100 – 150 mg Clomid per day for the first two weeks, before halving that dosage to 50 mg per day for the last two weeks of the four week PCT.
Side Effects of Using Clomid
Clomid is notorious for causing severe side effects at higher doses. Users not sticking to the recommended Clomid dosage might experience vision problems, stomach pain, rapid weight gain, rapid heart rate, and nausea. In the most severe cases, they might feel short of breath, too. [R]
However, as long as you’re sticking to the recommended dosage, most of the side effects will be mild. They should also be temporary and go away as soon as you finish your Clomid PCT. But if the adverse effects persist or you feel they’re getting worse, seek professional medical advice.
Here are other proven side effects of using Clomid:
1) May Reduce Bone Density
A 2014 study on men with low testosterone suggests that Clomid showed that Clomid decreased mineral bone density in more than a third of the study’s participants. This gives rise to the suspicion that long-term usage of Clomid might contribute to osteoporosis. [R]
2) Causes Weight Gain
Health experts tell us that weight gain might occur while taking Clomid, before adding that most of the accumulated pounds should be temporary. Weight gain comes from water retention and bloating, side effects of Clomid that will go away once you complete this drug’s cycle. [R]
3) Might Cause Abdominal Pain
Clomid is designed to stimulate male testes to produce and release more testosterone. This puts more pressure on the area in and around your abdomen, such as the pelvic area and reproductive tract. This, in turn, could contribute to abdominal pain or even stomach upset.
4) May Disturb Vision
Vision disturbance is one of the most often reported side effects of Clomid use. Both males and females taking this drug experience this symptom. However, unless you aren’t taking an extremely high dosage, this problem will go away on its own once your Clomid use ends.
5) Causes Acne
If you experience acne after taking Clomid, it’s a sign that the drug is working. Acne are caused by sebum, a substance that testosterone helps produce in the body. Elevated testosterone levels increase the production of sebum, thereby causing acne. [R]
Where To Buy Clomid?
If you’re unsure where to buy Clomid, we recommend you purchase it from Pure Rawz.
All PureRawz’s products are made in the USA, lab-tested for purity and come with a 100% moneyback guarantee.
PureRawz further ups the ante by giving you the option to have any of their products tested at an HPLC licensed facility.
If the results came out negative, PureRawz will be liable to refund you every penny, including the total amount of the order, the shipping fee, and the cost of the HPLC test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much Clomid should I take on a steroid cycle?
If you’re on a light steroid cycle, start with 50 – 75 mg Clomid per day for the first 2 weeks, before halving that dosage for the last fortnight. If you’re on an aggressive steroid cycle, stick to a 100 – 150 mg dosage for the first two weeks, before wrapping up with a 50 mg daily dosage.
How long does it take Clomid to increase testosterone?
According to a study, Clomid takes at least 3 months to increase testosterone. Each participant in the study was administered 25 mg Clomid per day for 90 days. All of them were experiencing low testosterone symptoms at the study’s beginning. [R]
Why is Clomid Banned?
According to the US Anti-Doping Agency, Clomid is banned because it’s associated with various potential and serious side effects, including gastrointestinal discomfort, liver damage, and negative cardiovascular events. Though the USADA admits that long-term studies on these risks are yet to be carried out. [R]
Does Clomid help erectile dysfunction?
Health experts tell us that Clomid may help with erectile dysfunction, especially if it’s low testosterone is the cause of ED. That isn’t always the case, which is why it’s recommended that you consult with your doctor. They’d be in a better position to guide you. [R]
Summary
Clomid is one of the most popular post cycle therapy drugs out there. Many bodybuilders turn to it after experiencing endogenous testosterone production being suppressed by a harsh anabolic steroid cycle. They do so in the hope to boost their natural testosterone levels.
That is precisely what Clomid does. Originally developed as a female fertility drug, Clomid has shown that it can do more than what its manufacturer initially expected of it. So much so that, alongside Nolvadex, it’s currently the first choice of athletes coming off a steroid cycle.
There are various reasons as to why that is the case. In addition to restoring testosterone levels back to normal, Clomid can effectively reverse gynecomastia, increase muscle mass in athletes and improve mood as well as sexual drive among both males and females. And it can increase sperm count, too.
If you’ve liked what you read in our Clomid post cycle therapy guide, we recommend you buy it from Pure Rawz. This company is one of the very few that provides lab results with each and every one of its products. You can thus count on your Swiss Chems’ purchase to be safe and effective.
One Response
Clomid is definitely not anti-estrogenic. Maybe it is for some men, but this is not what my doctor told me and this is not what happened for me. The exact opposite. Clomid promotes estrogen, along with promoting testosterone. While I took clomid, both my test and estrogen shot through the roof. Doc said it was normal and put me on anti-estrogenic compounds.
For me, we couldn’t find the right dose of anti-estrogens. At a normal dose and my estrogen was still through the roof, in fact going up each time I visited. At a slightly higher dose my estrogen bottomed out so badly that my mood went to absolute shit, like nothing in the world mattered at all, I could have just burned it all down. This is all referring to the estrogen blockers, of which I tried two different types.
Also, clomid is not anti-man boob. On the contrary, it can cause them, which it did for me. Anything that greatly increases estrogens in the male body can also cause man-boobs to grow. So, if some men respond to clomid by decreasing estrogens, then maybe they also will not grow man-boobs, but anyone who responds the way I did would be growing them until they can get the estrogens under control.
I also started loosing my hair and eventually developed vision issues, so I’m off of clomid now. It’s quite possible my doc had me on too high a dose (25mg/day), but the problems were stacking up so I just came off.
When considering the potential for vision problems, high estrogen, man-boob promotion, PSA issues, red blood cell issues, and hair loss, I’d recommend no one get on clomid without seeing a doctor regularly to monitor all of the potential side effects.