Yes, PPC (Post Cycle Therapy) is essential for any type of anabolic cycle, as it is what will help the body recover from the cycle by making your hormonal axis jump back into place more quickly.
And Oxandrolone (anavar) is no different!
Among the substances most commonly used with oxandrolone TPC is tamoxifen, clomiphene citrate and HCG.
Women, however, do not need to do CPT, but even so, their axis (in smaller amounts) is relatively altered. Therefore, it is necessary to see how things are going through clinical examinations, including preventing and/or reversing infertility (which can also occur in men).
Post cycle therapy
Post cycle therapy (PCT) is perhaps the most important aspect of anabolic steroid use. The concept of PCT did not exist until the late 1980s and early 1990s, since until that time the mechanism of action of anabolic steroids on the body was not completely clear. It was during this period that doctors, scientists and users of anabolic steroids only began to learn about the pharmacodynamics of this group of drugs and their effect on the endocrine system. Even then, it became clear that the exogenous administration of anabolic steroids triggers a cycle of negative feedback from the HGGO (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis), leading to the suppression and / or cessation of the production of endogenous Testosterone. Unfortunately, in the early periods of use of this group of drugs (between the 1950s and 1990s), there was limited access to any drugs or information on how to reduce this effect.
Today, the level of scientific and medical knowledge has grown significantly compared to the days of the “golden era” of bodybuilding and the active use of steroid drugs in athletics. Numerous developments of drugs that provide hormonal recovery after the use of steroids have significantly improved the safety of steroid therapy and reduced the severity of endocrine disorders associated with it. Knowing how to properly and effectively restore HHGO and hormonal systems of the body with the help of post-cycle therapy (PCT), you can complete the course of anabolic steroids, retaining almost all of the gain in muscle mass. This increases the chances of increasing efficiency to 90% or more, while maintaining the normal function of the endocrine system and HHGO.
After using exogenous anabolic steroids, most users experience a so-called “hormonal failure” – a state of the body in which the production of key hormones necessary to maintain the formed muscle mass is either suppressed or turned off. The key hormones in question are LH (Luteinizing Hormone), FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and Testosterone. LH and FSH, known as gonadotropins, are hormones that cause the gonads (testicles) to begin or increase the production and secretion of Testosterone. With a decrease in the amount of these hormones, the hormonal balance will be disturbed, and the testosterone level in the body will become low, and estrogen levels will increase in most cases (which is determined by many factors), while Cortisol (a steroid hormone that breaks down muscle tissue) will be at normal levels. With low Testosterone levels and normal (or high) Cortisol levels, the latter becomes a threat to the muscle gain that was achieved during the recent cycle of anabolic steroids (Testosterone should suppress and neutralize the catabolic effects of Cortisol on muscle tissue). In addition, the content of SHBG, a globulin that binds sex hormones, including Testosterone, increases, making it inactive and blocking its effects. The level of this protein increases within a few weeks after the course in response to the excess of physiological levels of androgens.
Over time, the human body usually corrects this hormonal imbalance and restores endogenous Testosterone levels, but studies have shown that without the use of Testosterone stimulants, the process takes 1-4 months. This time is enough to cause damage to the body and completely or partially lose the acquired muscle mass. Therefore, when using anabolic steroids, you need to take care of a quick hormonal recovery with the help of a correctly similar regimen for taking drugs that stimulate the production of Testosterone. In addition, with spontaneous repair, the likelihood of long-term endocrine damage to the HHGO is very high, as a result of which anabolic steroid-induced hypogonadism (inability to produce normal amounts of Testosterone for the rest of life) can develop. Therefore, it is essential to use proper multi-drug post-cycle therapy to not only restore normal HHGO function as quickly as possible, but also to avoid any possible irreversible damage, which is much more important than maintaining newly gained muscle mass.
What is the best post-cycle therapy protocol to use?
There are many different types of PCT protocols that have been developed over the years. Such an abundance of opinions can cause confusion for a person who first encountered this issue. This article will present the best and most effective post-cycle therapy protocol backed by solid scientific evidence and logical reasoning. It also describes various myths about PCT and clarifies which of the PCT protocols are no longer relevant due to recent more advanced developments, as well as better scientific understanding of the mechanisms of action of post-cycle therapy. At the moment, there are still outdated and correspondingly ineffective PCT protocols still being used by anabolic steroid users who unknowingly endanger not only themselves, but also other people who can observe this person, learn from him and adopt his ideas.
Lack of proper understanding of what exactly is going on in the endocrine system during these critical weeks, as well as not knowing which remedies to use, what each drug does, and how to use it correctly, can lead to serious problems.