SARMS And The New Post Cycle Therapy

Submitted by patrickius on Wed, 2011-06-29 21:59

SARMS S-4 is a revolutionary advancement in the field of muscle development through anabolic enhancement. Simply put, SARMS targets the androgen receptors in a “selective” manner (Hence the term Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators), zeroing in on the “good “ aspects while negating the bad(1). In this way, you get the benefits of enhanced androgenic effects – strength, increased muscle and heightened libido – without the negative side effects of traditional anabolic/androgenic steroids -- prostate enlargement(2), increased blood pressure, testicular atrophy, hair loss and elevated cholesterol(3)(4). And it does it all in an orally bio-available form that is not liver toxic. Sound interesting? It should. SARMS is changing the landscape of bobybuilding in a big way. And for those who already use steroids as a part of the process, SARMS has several interesting applications, most significantly, in the area of Post Cycle Therapy(5).

Part of this usage is another advantage that is especially appealing to those who use steroids on a regular basis. In controlled dosages, SARMS is relatively non-suppressive. This opens up considerable possibilities in regard to utilizing SARMS to enhance a typical steroid cycle, but more significantly, it becomes a tremendous tool in the area of PCT.

Coming off of steroids is the most complicated, and often confusing part of the process. The athlete wants to maintain gains, avoid the “crash” of reduced strength and muscle growth and yet, recover his natural hormonal balance. It’s a tricky balance of drugs, supplements and ultimately luck. Some fare better than others and many consider the down time inevitability. But with the advent of SARMS S-4, not only can the transition be made more tolerable, it is now possible to avoid the down sides of coming off of a steroid cycle(6). One can maintain the gains and even continue growing after the cessation of steroids.

The most logical method of PCT use would be to implement SARMS as a “taper” at the end of a cycle. In other words, once you stop using steroids, the body can obviously no longer support the muscle growth it achieved in an enhanced state. Natural testosterone is lower. And nitrogen retention is lessened. That’s where SARMS fits the bill. By using SARMS following the end of a cycle, the body can begin to recover yet still receive both the anabolic and androgen benefits. Muscles will still be able to absorb increased nitrogen from protein sources, thus increasing muscle tissue growth and the androgenic qualities will insure that strength is maintained(7). Recovery time will also be reduced. You can still work out hard without fear of overtraining and the increased workload will lead to further improvement. In short, this means no crash and no loss of gains. Essentially, you’re still “on” but you’re recovering. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close to it. Never before has anything like this been possible and the potential is amazing(8).

The only drawback of using SARMS (if it even be considered a drawback) is the fact that its androgenic ratio is closer to a mild steroid such as Primobolin than it is to testosterone. So by itself, one could not and should not expect tremendous gains in mass from it. Increasing the dosage beyond 50-100 mls a day is not recommended since at that point the risk/benefit ratio shifts unfavorably – not that the side effects are severe, but that’s where continued use could lead to suppression, and then you’re defeating the purpose of using it for PCT(9)

Another steroid with which SARMS can be compared is Proviron. The main similarity in regard to the physical result is a noticeable “hardness” and increased density to the muscles. Proviron is also only mildly suppressive and then, only in high dosages for extended duration, which is why it too is a popular add-on at the end of a cycle. Neither drug can aromatize and also work as an anti estrogen. (Another advantage in PCT). The main difference between Proviron and SARMS is that Proviron is DHT based making it especially hard on the hairline and prostate -- NOT what you want when trying to restore sex drive and stamina. SARMS has been shown to cause less prostate hypertrophy than all other steroids(10). In fact, in some studies SARMS has been shown to decrease prostate weight similar to the 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, Finesteride(11). How perfect is that?

Higher dosages have also been shown to lead to vision disturbances (much like with Clomid). Still, at 50mg - 100mg a day the results are impressive and virtually side effect free. A good way to incorporate SARMS into PCT is to begin using 50mls a day at the same time as you begin using other PCT ancillaries – depending on what drugs and supplements you prefer and/or found to be effective. You then can continue using SARMS and supplements which will allow the HPTA to begin functioning on its own without the help of other drugs such as HCG or Clomid(12). The added benefit would be continued strength and libido and an increased muscularity. Instead of being a time when you experience the loss of gains, it will become a time when the gains become solidified and you can look better than ever(13).

It won’t be long before the term PCT and SARMS are inexorably linked. The way PCT is conducted will be changed forever. In fact, it already is.

REFERENCES.

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