The truth is that if abuse steroids and do not follow a post cycle therapy, than you have big chances to lose almost everything you have achieved during several weeks of cycle. Contrary, those who are on their first or second cycle and have a competent post cycle therapy will experience few, or almost no lose after coming off.
It all depends on your approach to post cycle therapy. Knowing how steroids work, will help you to understand what you need to take during PCT for preserving muscle gains.
When you load up big amounts of synthetic testosterone, your body naturally try to reach a balance. In result, it increases the estrogen level. When the testosterone use drops down, and your body doesn’t produce natural testosterone yet, the high level of estrogen in your system may cause unwanted side effects like gynecomastia. To struggle with this, you to have to take estrogens. It may sounds strange but our body work in a very specific way. As big doses of testosterone increases estrogen level, the same way adding estrogen will boost your testosterone. You will have to take them within few weeks during the steroid cycle, and continue with it two, up to four weeks after the steroids cease. During one month the body is able to restore the own testosterone production. The smoothly is the transaction to own natural testosterone, the more benefits of steroid cycle are stored. Also, side effects are kept far away from you. For this purpose are largely used Clomid or Tamoxifen, which greatly push testicles to create own testosterone.
Another effect that occurs after taking anabolic steroids is the catabolic one. If during anabolic process muscle mass grow, than during catabolic phase muscle cells are depleted. Our body tend to keep a balance between these two stages. That’s why it releases some special receptors in muscles that take in cortisol, the chemical that trigger catabolic process. Steroids block these receptors, keeping the body in a continue anabolic process. Meanwhile, body try to defend against it and creates more and more receptors. And when the steroid cycle is finished, these receptors which are in an immense number start a strong catabolic process that may “eat” almost all your gains.
In order to minimize catabolic effect after a steroid cycle should be included in post cycle therapy cortisol suppressors. You can choose from a wide range of products, most common choices being B-Androstenetriol or 7-Hydroxy-DHEA.
The way you manage to keep under control estrogen and cortisol levels after coming off steroids directly depends how much pounds you lose. The better you do it, the more muscle muscle mass will be preserved.
Steroids are not given results alone. They accelerates muscle growth, but you have to train for this. The harder you work out, the bigger would be gains. When you go off steroids, a lot muscle stays. You should not expect to keep the same gains as in the peak of the cycle, since it will not be this way. Following an intense training program after finishing steroid cycle will help you to keep most of muscle you build up.
Also, there is a big difference in muscle savings between those being on their first or second cycle, and the others who cycle for years already. The more steroids you have been taking during the years, the less testosterone your body produces. This means that after going off steroids, the body needs more time to get testosterone level back up and during which it loses strength and muscles.
If you will do a search on forums regarding loses after getting of steroid cycle, you will see that most of bodybuilders who used chemical enhancers advice you do not waste you first chance with steroids. People agree that the most amazing results can be achieved during first cycle. That’s why is very important to choose the right steroid which will provide you with lean muscle mass, and less water retention. You are recommended to begin with test-based injectable mixed with Dianabol. A 6-8 weeks cycle followed by a post cycle therapy is enough to pack on impressive muscle gains. And what is more important, since your body’s own testosterone production will recover pretty fast, the losses will be almost unseizable. But they will be.
After all of this being said, it becomes clear that losing some size and strength after steroid cycle is normal and it happens with all bodybuilders. But in what extend depends on how you manage post cycle therapy, your experience with taking steroids and your future training. Using a steroid that cause more water retention than others anabolic, would means more loss when getting off steroids. Also, individual genetics future may influence the way you stock on muscle mass.
It is not true that all gains are lost once the steroid cycle is finished. You will have more pounds than the moment you have started to take steroids, but as much as on the peak moment of cycling. There is always some losses, and you have to be aware of this.
There is a psychological barrier every steroid user have to deal with. Keeping gaining muscle mass during weeks of cycling, and then losing up to 10 percentage of it can be something hard to accept. People refuse to see the net gains, and are sorry about lost strength and muscle mass. Most of them get addicted to steroids or overuse them. So, keep the sense of reality and carefully compare before steroid cycle and after gains and do not on extremes.
In short, be ready to lose 5%-10% of gains achieved during steroid cycle. And this with condition conditions that you will continue to work out hard, follow a rich diet and get enough sleep.
