Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) 20mg – EU Pharma Nolvadex

Description

The chemical compound and generic name of Nolvadex is Tamoxifen Citrate. It is available in tablet form and in dosages of 10mg or 20mg per tablet. This is prescription only medication that cannot be bought over the counter.

Since Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) was originally created as a breast cancer treatment drug, as we would expect it plays a powerful role in reducing the estrogen levels that allow cancer to progress in the breast area.

It does this by binding to estrogen receptors in that part of the body, so that the estrogen is unable to bind thereby reducing or eliminating the effect of estrogen on breast tissue – and it just so happens that this exact effect is what men using steroids are looking for to prevent the growth of breast tissue as a result of increased estrogen activity when using anabolic steroids.

Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) doesn’t directly reduce estrogen levels in the body. Instead, it binds to specific estrogen receptors so that the estrogen itself cannot bind and therefore, the estrogen can’t act as it otherwise would. While this works very well in the breast area, Nolvadex can be an estrogen agonist in other parts of the body which means it can act as estrogen, and this primarily effects the liver.

But before you become concerned about estrogen activity: this form is considered a positive because there’s a benefit for cholesterol when some estrogenic activity in the liver is occurring, and with some steroids having a negative effect on cholesterol, this bonus effect of Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is welcomed by steroid users.

As a SERM, Nolvadex blocks estrogen very selectively at specific sites in the body. It is not a blocker of circulating estrogen throughout the entire body. Instead it only targets the breast tissue (where it was specifically formulated to do so for the purpose of fighting breast cancer) and here it targets receptors and physically blocks those receptors so estrogen cannot bind to them – and this is when the estrogen can’t act out its normal function in the case of either feeding breast cancer cells or for men using steroids, it stops the growth or enlargement of breast tissue so you don’t develop gynecomastia while on cycle.

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modules (SERMs) vs Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs)

The two classes of drugs that you will see bodybuilders and performance athletes who use anabolic steroids (AAS) continually talk about are SERMs and Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs).

Both are valued and used for their beneficial effects in reducing or preventing estrogen related side effects of steroids and to assist with restoring testosterone function as part of post cycle therapy.

But what is the difference between these two types of drugs, and which one really is the best to use to cover all your bases while you’re using steroids?

The big difference between SERMs and AIs is the way they act on the body and the way they affect estrogen.

AIs can reduce estrogen levels in the body. SERMs on the other hand are targeted to certain parts of the body and only bind to estrogen receptors rather than actively lowering serum estrogen levels.

This means that SERMs are effective in controlling a wider range of steroid induced estrogenic side effects, whereas SERMs like Nolvadex and Clomid are only effective at controlling gyno, because these drugs were developed to target breast tissue estrogen receptors.

AIs are useful for helping with water retention, while SERMs are not going to benefit you for that side effect. For these reasons, AIs such as Armidiex, Arimistane and Aromasin are often preferred by most bodybuilders, but SERMs certainly still have their place and are still used for specific purposes by steroid users.

For steroid users who are only concerned about gyno, then a SERM like Nolvadex can be all you need.

If you find that Nolvadex isn’t giving you the results you need, this is when guys will turn to AIs to really target a lowering of overall estrogen with the bonus that you’ll be able to better control all other estrogen side effects in addition to gyno.

As the name suggests, Aromatase Inhibitors literally inhibit aromatizing activity. So those steroids that do aromatize need to have these effects addressed otherwise you get out of control estrogen conversion and rising estrogen levels, and lower testosterone levels. When AIs work to inhibit aromatase, effects like gyno are reduced and testosterone levels rise.

While AIs might sound like a magic pill, there are downsides to them that you need to be aware of though, particularly that they can negatively impact on cholesterol levels when they are used alongside aromatizing steroids. This makes AIs not so appealing for on-cycle use as Nolvadex or other SERMs, and as I mentioned earlier, Nolvadex can potentially bring about positive impacts on cholesterol.

Dosage Instructions

20mg – 40mg / Day

Nolvadex Dosage During Anabolic Steroid Use

The primary, and for most of us the only reason to use Nolvadex during a steroid cycle is to protect against male breast tissue enlargement – a.k.a gynecomastia. Any anabolic-androgenic steroids you are taking which have aromatizing properties will need gyno to be addressed and Nolvadex provides a cheap, simple and safe way to do that.

It only takes a low dosage of 10mg to 20mg per day of Nolvadex to protect against gyno as it works to bind to receptors in the breast tissue so that estrogen can’t exert its effects here. If you find that the aromatizing effect of the steroids, you’re taking are too powerful for Nolvadex to be effective at this dosage then aromatase inhibitor drugs will likely be required instead.

Female Nolvadex Dosage

When females use Nolvadex for performance enhancement it is often used for just that: to enhance performance as a result of increased testosterone levels. This can make Nolvadex a viable alternative for women not wanting the more powerful effects of steroids that bring high risk of masculinization side effects.

Aside from performance enhancement, women can make use of Nolvadex to improve the physique with this drug bringing about a leaner and tighter physique without the associated risks of steroids. For all these effects, females require a very low dosage of Nolvadex with just 10mg per day being sufficient.

Nolvadex Dosage for PCT and Increased Endogenous Testosterone Secretion

During PCT we use Nolvadex at higher dosages to stimulate the release of natural testosterone following severe suppression of normal function after during and after steroid use.

A cycle of 4 to 8 weeks is always advised for post cycle therapy, and often other compounds will be utilized alongside Nolvadex including an aromatase inhibitor and often Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG).

When it comes to Nolvadex dosage for post cycle therapy, whether you are undertaking either a 4- or 8-week cycle or something in between, the recommended dose for most men is 40mg per day for the first half of your PCT cycle, dropping this down to 20mg per day for the second half of PCT.

The timing of your post cycle therapy starting depends on the active life of your steroids: short ester steroids will need you to start PCT within just days of ending your steroid cycle, while long-acting steroids require you to wait up to two or three weeks before starting post cycle therapy with Nolvadex and other compounds.

Effect on Cycle

Nolvadex for Gynecomastia

In its function as an anti-estrogen breast cancer treatment drug, Nolvadex targets the breast tissue, and this means it’s highly useful for the prevention of dreaded gynecomastia in male anabolic steroid users. Because estrogen can cause cancer to progress in the breast area, when Nolvadex binds to estrogen receptors in this part of the body, it effectively halts the action of estrogen there.

This is exactly what we need to be also happening to stop gynecomastia occurring as an estrogen related negative effects of many AAS. Nolvadex has proven effective at this task which is why it is so popularly used alongside steroids and after a steroid cycle.

On cycle use of Nolvadex to protect against male breast enlargement is an established anabolic steroid user protocol. This drug works well for many people using it for this purpose, but not everyone will have the same positive results.

Using steroids which are powerfully aromatizing or being particularly sensitive to gyno can mean that Nolvadex won’t be enough to stop you experiencing gyno as a steroid side effect; in these cases, you might need to turn to aromatase inhibitor drugs instead.

While Nolvadex used on cycle is important for controlling gyno, it will not have a positive effect on testosterone when it’s up against the powerful testosterone suppressing effects of most steroids and it’s only during post cycle therapy that Nolvadex is utilized for the purpose of boosting testosterone function.

Nolvadex for Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

Nolvadex is very commonly used in post cycle therapy so that natural testosterone can be stimulated again after being suppressed by anabolic steroid use.

Nolvadex is known for its excellent ability to stimulate testosterone levels while blocking the effect of estrogen, enabling greater amounts of luteinizing hormone (LH) to be released by the pituitary gland.

This hormone is critical for testosterone production and it’s here that Nolvadex is so powerful in kickstarting your normal testosterone function again so you can avoid the symptoms of low T and enable the maintaining of your gains made on cycle.

Most users will require 4 weeks of Nolvadex for PCT, but longer or more powerful steroid cycles can often need to be followed up with 8 weeks of post cycle therapy combining Nolvadex with other drugs including aromatase inhibitors.

While it can be tempting for new users to make the mistake of increasing the dose of Nolvadex during post cycle therapy above the maximum recommended of 20mg daily, it’s well proven that there’s no benefit at all for your testosterone levels in doing this. That’s why an aromatase inhibitor and HCG are usually combined with Nolvadex during post cycle therapy to cover all bases.

Side Effects

As a breast cancer treating SERM for women, most of the side effects recorded for Nolvadex apply to its use in this area and in females. But, as it’s a long-standing drug used by male anabolic steroid users, enough anecdotal evidence and personal experience exists to pinpoint some of the side effects that tend to be more common amongst males when the drug is used for this purpose, while in other cases we can eliminate many of the side effects that are listed for Nolvadex for women using it to treat breast cancer.

Not only is the female body reacting different to the drug, but when it’s used as cancer medication it is a much longer-term use compared with guys using it to reduce estrogen side effects while on steroids or during post cycle therapy to restore testosterone function. Therefore, these long-term side effects can also be virtually eliminated as it relates to your use of Nolvadex.

So, what are some of the main possible long-term side-effects you should be on the lookout for when using Nolvadex either on-cycle or during post cycle therapy?

• Acne – While not particularly common in terms of how many people get it, out of all the potential side effects from Nolvadex acne is considered the most likely. This is because of the way that your testosterone will start increasing and acne is just a natural effect of rising testosterone levels in some men; not all guys are predisposed to acne and if you’re not, then you’re unlikely to experience this side effect. Those that do experience acne find that it is usually mild and goes away once the drug is stopped.
• Nausea or Cramping of the Abdomen – This is considered a very rare side effect that many men will never experience with Nolvadex, but the small possibility is there.

Side effects that are known to affect women using Nolvadex for cancer medication include impairment of cognitive function, hot flashes and even other types of cancer; but these are not known to be a risk factor at all for men using this drug for performance enhancing purposes.

The best way to reduce or basically eliminate your risk of long-term side effects when using Nolvadex is to keep the dosage at sensible levels. Since there is no benefit in consuming higher than established dosages when using Nolvadex for bodybuilding purposes, maintaining the correct dose is of the utmost benefit for both your results and your health.