In some circles of bodybuilding, the thought of neglecting post-cycle therapy would be unheard of. You wrap up your cycle, and you immediately jump to a second mini-cycle of a post-cycle therapy drug to help to bridge the gap between “juiced” and “clean”. This is thought to be imperative, but is that just clever marketing on the part of companies that happen to manufacture and sell post-cycle therapy drugs? Of course there is going to be some level of hormone fluctuation following a cycle, but can’t the body recover on its own, given enough time?
Your choice may depend upon your life goals at the moment. If you are planning to start a family after your cycle, then a post-cycle therapy drug to help boost your sperm count may be your best bet. You’ll regain your natural production, but it may take months until your sperm cells are produced at a level needed for conception. Clomid or HCG are best for this purpose, if you decide to go that route.
The timing for the PCT, should you choose to use it, is critical. Calculate the active life of the longest-lasting ester of your drug stack. If the active life is one week, then exactly seven days after your last injection (and down to the hour!) you will want to start your oral post-cycle therapy plan. You’ll only be using it for a few weeks, so the strain upon your organs won’t be of a major concern. If you have been using oral steroids, you should discontinue their use with about a month remaining in the cycle. At this point, you should opt for injectables only, for the last four weeks of your cycle. This will give your liver and kidneys a rest leading up to the crucial PCT period, based upon oral drugs.
The weaker the steroid cycle you run, the less likely are you going to be to actually need drugs beyond your normal 10 to 14 week cycle. Obviously, common sense should reign supreme. When in doubt, look at the size of your cycle to make your decision. If you’re running 600 or more mg of testosterone per week, then you are probably going to want to use post-cycle therapy. If you’re using a minimal 200 mg (almost a testosterone hormone replacement therapy cycle), or a smaller compound such as Anavar or Winstrol, then you may want to take your chances. If you notice mood swings, Gynecomastia, or other negative side effects resulting from elevated estrogen levels, you should certainly jump to a PCT drug quickly. If you spend a few weeks feeling weaker, but your sexual desire and performance is normal, skip the PCT altogether.
Alternatively, you can skip the choice between using and not using PCT by simply using a highly reduced level of post-cycle therapy drugs. A half-dose of HCG or Nolvadex for two weeks might be all the boost your body needs. Talk to others who use similar cycles to your own, and determine which works best for you!
