Category: Health

Clomid is one of the best antiestrogens in bodybuilding

Application of Clomid in bodybuilding

Both Amateurs and professional athletes often use Clomid. Similarly, athletes often use a variety of other chemicals, such as anabolic steroids, HCG, tamoxifen, thyroid hormones, etc. Unlike other anabolic steroids or hormones, Clomid does not reduce testosterone levels. On the contrary, causing a surge of LH, the drug increases the level of testosterone.

Almost all anabolic steroids have both androgenic and anabolic properties. In some cases, anabolic steroids contribute to the formation of estrogens. With the help of an enzyme, aromatases are also converted into the female sex hormone, estrogen. Estrogen contributes to the development of gynecomastia in bodybuilders.

Although bodybuilders like to show off their bodies, it is unlikely that any of them will want to flaunt their effeminate Breasts. Therefore, Clomid is used to block the development of gynecomastia. By blocking estrogen receptors, it prevents the development of gynecomastia caused by anabolic steroids.

When Clomid blocks estrogen receptors in the brain, the hypothalamus causes a surge of LH and FSH – releasing hormones, which leads to an increase in sex hormone synthesis. LH and FSH also affect the testicles, causing further testosterone synthesis. Testosterone gives the athlete an extra boost. Some bodybuilders take Clomid only to get an anabolic effect. Others use it in combination with other steroids and growth hormone.

Clomid dosage for bodybuilders

Clomid is taken only once a day. Experts in the field of bodybuilding advise taking it alone or in combination with low-activity anabolic steroids. Most bodybuilders take anabolic steroids for a few months and then switch to Clomid. The tool provides a surge of testosterone.

The exact time when you should start taking the drug is unknown. But there is a recommendation to start taking Clomid on the 7-10 day after the end of taking steroid medications.

How do experienced athletes take Clomid

Many athletes and bodybuilders take Clomid, but use different doses. There are no medical recommendations for taking this drug for those who are engaged in bodybuilding. But the dosage was established experimentally. Most bodybuilders take Clomiphene for two weeks at 50-100 mg per day. Some bodybuilders recommend increasing the dose to 100 mg per day.

Do not take Clomid for more than three weeks. This cycle was established by bodybuilders of the past. Since doctors do not recommend taking Clomid for bodybuilders, it is very difficult to get medical advice on taking this drug. In any case, if there are doubts about taking clomid, you can consult with specialists in the treatment of infertility: after all, they know the effect of This drug better than anyone.

It is not known exactly how long you can take Clomid. There is no data on long-term treatment with this drug. There is only a General recommendation not to take Clomid for long courses.

Clomid: Side effect

If you take Clomid for a short period of time and adhere to the specified doses, it is quite safe. Most adverse reactions caused by Clomid are temporary and disappear after discontinuation of its use.

The main side effects include:

  • flushes of blood to the face
  • abdominal discomfort
  • nausea, vomiting
  • chest pain
  • headaches
  • abnormal vaginal bleeding
  • General fatigue
  • hair loss

Visual impairment

Since Clomid affects the brain, there is a danger of its serious side effects. By blocking estrogen-dependent receptors in the hypothalamus, Clomid thereby causes the hypothalamus to release stimulating factors or hormones that force the pituitary gland to release gonadotropins. The pituitary gland is a small pea-sized gland located on top of the optic nerves. With hyperstimulation of the pituitary gland, it increases in size.

pituitary gland and clomid

This leads to compression of the nerves of the eye. Many reports mention poor vision in those patients who have taken Clomid for a long time. There are various visual disturbances:

  • circles before the eyes
  • partial vision loss
  • image blurring or blurring
  • flashes

This usually occurs after a long period of use, although some patients have experienced such symptoms after 7 to 10 days of using the drug. Very often, such phenomena occurred suddenly, which is very dangerous for those who are driving a car or operating mechanisms. In most cases, these changes in vision disappeared after discontinuation of the drug. In case of such violations, you should immediately stop taking the medication and it is strongly recommended to contact an ophthalmologist.

Mood change

Another serious side effect is a change in mood. Many reports indicate that women who have taken Clomid for a long time develop a variety of behavioral problems. This can be a deep depression, irritability, anxiety or aggression. There were also cases of paranoia, anxiety, and insomnia.

Despite such unpleasant complications in some people, studies conducted in many clinics claim that this occurs in only 1% of women who have taken Clomid. There is no data on how many bodybuilders experience these side effects.

Determination of the drug level in the blood

Clomiphene can be easily purchased by anyone. However, all sports organizations prohibit its use in professional sports. The drug is easily detected in the urine for at least 5 to 12 days after its use. Tests for Clomiphene are very well developed, and some laboratories even measure the levels of testosterone and estrogens, their metabolites,and determine the percentage. With certain indicators, the use of Clomiphene is suspected.

Clomid in bodybuilding: what you need, instructions for use and side effects

Clomid in bodybuilding is one of the most common pharmacological drugs in the first-aid kit of bodybuilders on steroids. In this article, we will talk about what clomid is, how the infertility drug for women got into bodybuilding, give instructions for use on the course of steroids and after it (on the PCT), and also compare what is better tamoxifen or clomid.

What is clomid (clomiphene citrate)?

Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is a powerful antiestrogen, very similar in its action to tamoxifen (tamoxifen citrate).

Clomid became very popular in the 1970s in medicine as a drug for the treatment of infertility in women and today it is still one of its main applications.

In bodybuilding, clomid is used by athletes on a course of anabolic steroids to eliminate side effects associated with the partial conversion of steroids to estrogen (female sex hormone), as well as to stimulate internal testosterone production after a course of steroids (on PCT), which is suppressed when taking steroids.

The application of clomid

Use in medicine for infertility

When taking clomiphene citrate, the levels of gonadotropin hormones in the blood increase.

Gonadotropins are a number of hormones (follicle-stimulating, luteinizing) that play an important role in regulating the function of the sexual glands. These hormones control the levels of testosterone and estrogen in the blood, which are known to determine the development and functioning of the male and female genitals.

When the level of gonadotropins in a woman’s body increases, the egg is released (ovulation occurs) and that is why the chance of getting pregnant increases.

The use of clomid in bodybuilding on the course of steroids

Clomid has strong anti-estrogenic properties that can be useful in medicine and bodybuilding for athletes using steroids. The fact is that testosterone and some steroids derived from testosterone are partially converted into estrogens.

Clomid in bodybuilding

An increased level of estrogen leads to the development of gynecomastia (female breast growth) and excessive fluid retention in the body – both effects are undesirable in bodybuilding.

Excess fluid increases blood pressure and hides muscle relief. That is why professional bodybuilders take diuretics to remove it from the subcutaneous layers while drying the body.

What clomid does: when it is taken on a course of steroids, it blocks the estrogen receptors in the body, preventing its action. Therefore, it can be useful for fighting gynecomastia, since women’s Breasts grow under the influence of estrogen. How effective is it for this purpose?

According to information from the site steroid.com, whose creators sell sports pharmacology and apparently have a good understanding of how it works:

For serious steroid users (those who take steroids regularly and in high doses), clomid is not effective enough to protect against the side effects of steroids associated with estrogen. They will need to take aromatase inhibitors, which inhibit the synthesis of estrogen. They are the most effective means to combat gynecomastia and water retention when taking steroids.

As for fluid retention in the body: clomid can interfere with it to some extent, but it is not very effective for this, since it does not reduce the level of estrogen in the blood, but only “turns off” the estrogen receptors.

However, it should be understood that in most cases, water retention in the body is more a matter of nutrition than pharmacology. An excess of carbohydrates in the diet, for example, contributes to the retention of fluid in the body, which is further enhanced by the presence of anabolic steroids in the system.

Taking clomid on a course of steroids allows you to avoid side effects associated with increased estrogen levels (gynecomastia), but it is ineffective in fighting fluid retention in the body.

Application in bodybuilding after a course of steroids on PCT

Most often clomid in bodybuilding is used by athletes after a course of steroids on PCT – Post Cycle Therapy – therapy after a course of steroids). What for?

To speed up the recovery of natural testosterone production, which is almost completely suppressed while taking anabolics. The degree of suppression depends significantly on the type of steroids and the dose. That is why almost all courses of steroids include exogenous testosterone, but they are not limited to one. This is done in order to protect against the effects of low testosterone.

After stopping taking steroids, the natural synthesis of testosterone begins to gradually recover, but full recovery takes quite a long time: from a few months to a year. PCT was developed specifically to speed up the process of restoring natural testosterone production with the help of pharmacology. The most popular PCT courses usually include clomid and tamoxifen, as well as the peptide hormone – chorionic gonadotropin. Tamoxifen is a b analog of clomid for its antiestrogenic properties.

What does clomid do: it stimulates the release of gonadotropins, which in turn stimulates the natural production of testosterone. What will happen if you do not do PCT after the course and do not take clomid? At the very least, you will have to deal with the symptoms of low testosterone for a long time. Recommend: How to boost testosterone in natural ways: 7 natural testosterone boosters. It is important to keep in mind that with low testosterone, the level of the catabolic hormone cortisol increases, which makes it easier to gain fat mass and actively begins to destroy muscle.

PCT is recommended if the use of steroids is stopped for more than 8 weeks. If the break between courses (bridge) is less than 8 weeks or small doses of exogenous testosterone are administered during it, as is customary for hardcore athletes, but the PCT can not be done.

Clomiphene citrate is taken after a course of steroids on PCT to speed up the recovery of natural testosterone levels.

How effective is clomid for restoring testosterone? Scientific research

Scientific research confirms that clomiphene citrate is indeed effective in increasing testosterone levels. Taking clomiphene for 2 weeks by men aged 18-55 years led to an increase in testosterone levels of about 2 times in most of them, but some participants after 2 weeks and a month there was a sharp paradoxical decrease in testosterone for scientists. A study on 125 men with low testosterone (less than 400 ng/DL) and reduced sexual desire who took clomid for 3 months showed that the level of testosterone increased approximately twice (from 309 ng/DL to 642 ng/DL). There were no changes in the level of cholesterol in the blood, and no side effects were noted by any of the participants.

And here, scientists have studied the long-term effect of taking clomid in men with low testosterone levels. At the beginning, the average testosterone level was 228 ng / DL. After one year of use – 612 ng/DL, after two years 562 ng/DL, after three years 582 ng / DL. Significantly increased bone density. No side effects were observed. Clomid significantly improves sexual function in men with hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction.

Scientific studies confirm the effectiveness of clomid in increasing testosterone levels by an average of 2 times both with short-term administration (for 2 weeks) and with long-term (for several years).

Side effects of clomid in bodybuilding

Clomid is considered one of the most well-tolerated antiestrogens in sports pharmacology and does not lead to serious side effects in either men or women. This is confirmed by scientific research. However, some side effects are possible.

Women who take clomiphene citrate for infertility treatment note at least one of the following side effects: irritability, mood swings, depression, water retention in the body. And here are other possible side effects:

  • headache;
  • nausea;
  • tides (a sharp increase in temperature);
  • uterine bleeding;
  • discomfort in the chest;
  • eye problem;
  • acne (pimples).

When using clomid, vision may be impaired in the form of blurring and blurring. This is stated on the same website of the sports pharmacology store steroids.com 1. it is also recommended That in this case “stop using it and then vision will be restored… in most cases. There are several cases where this did not happen, most likely because clomid was taken for a very long time in very high doses.”

Infertile marriage is a problem?

World statistics gives the figure of prevalence of 10-15%, but I think in our country things are different and the reason is not that our women or men more and more sick, no, it’s not, and that not all women and some doctors along with them, unable to distinguish normal from pathology and problems sometimes just imaginary, not real.

I conditionally divided these women into 2 groups.

The first group is those unfortunate people who do not know the physiological norms of their body, who after 1-2 months of unsuccessful attempts run in horror to the doctor for help, because it should not be the same.

Everyone in the movies watched how after 1 time Rosalina got pregnant, and she also had a whole 2 months of attempts and nothing came out. Panic, horror, confusion.

infertile marriage

Then there may be several scenarios for the development of events, depending on which doctor will get such a woman. Either they will start looking for some far-fetched problems, such as hidden infections, or they will calm her down, explain that this is normal and she will calmly continue trying to conceive.

The second group is those women who really have a real problem. But it’s not all that simple, because some of these women get to those doctors who in the 21st century, in the age of information, lead their patients on the wrong path, misinforming and telling nonsense like that the cause of infertility is HPV or increased D-dimer, mutations in the folate cycle genes, of course, ureaplasm, high homocysteine, herpes virus, cervical erosion, cytomegalovirus, multifolycular ovaries on ultrasound, low progesterone. The list goes on indefinitely. The absurd scheme of examination and the same absurd treatment regimens. Sometimes these things take years.

I am not a reproductologist, I do not perform insemination, IVF, OR other methods of assisted reproductive technologies. I never say that by coming to me, you will definitely solve your problem.

Unfortunately, sometimes this is not the case, but every obstetrician — gynecologist should be able to examine a infertile couple according to the standards, without prescribing meaningless and useless examinations, without intimidating, and simply in essence explaining the problem and possible ways to solve it. But today is not about doctors, but about infertility.

So, first, the infertile couple are those couples who, after 1 year of regular sexual life without contraception, did not get the desired pregnancy.

According to statistics, only 30% of absolutely healthy married couples get pregnant in 3 months, 70% — in 6-7 and 80-90% – in a year.

The second point, what is regular sexual contact? This is regular vaginal sex once every 1-2-3 days without taking any contraceptives.

Couples who should not wait for a whole year, but go to the doctor after 6 months of unsuccessful attempts. This:

  • Women over 35 years of age;
  • Women over 35 years of age, but who have gynecological diseases (endometriosis, past infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhea).

The causes of infertile marriages

  • Ovulation disorders (there is no exit of the egg from the follicle).
  • Reduced ovarian reserve. A rapid decrease in the number of own follicles occurs after 35 years, plus the quality of the oocytes themselves decreases. Here, the main reason may be age, as well as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and genetics. So don’t delay your pregnancy.
  • Violation of the patency of the fallopian tubes, adhesions of the pelvic organs (chlamydia, gonorrhea,endometriosis, surgery. Any operation is always a risk of occurrence of the adhesive process).
  • Endometriosis
  • Leiomyoma of the uterus. The relationship between the presence of submucous uterine myoma (when the nodes are located in the uterine cavity) and infertility has been proved. Elimination of submucous nodes increases the chances of pregnancy.
  • Lifestyle – Smoking, alcohol, stress, hot baths and saunas for men, drugs, etc.

In 10-15% of cases, the cause of infertility remains unknown.

What is not the cause of infertility

If we talk about pregnancy very briefly and banal, then in order for it to occur, ovulation in the ovaries (the output of an egg from a Mature follicle), the uterus, the patency of the fallopian tubes and a sperm that is able to fertilize the egg.

The main reason is the violation of ovulation

The most important and I would say the key point is the conversation with the doctor. Here the entire life history is clarified (starting from birth, menstruation, family history, etc.), all concomitant diseases, risk factors, and only then, the main path of examination of a woman is determined, it can be different. But we will talk about the standards that apply to most women.

Pills for conceiving a child

Every person has an instinct for procreation. But, unfortunately, not every married couple gets to conceive a baby the first time. And if the long-awaited pregnancy has not come, you will need a long-term treatment. Couples who are unable to conceive a child for 1 year are forced to consult a doctor to determine the cause of non-pregnancy and undergo the necessary treatment. But there is a question about what pills you need to drink to get pregnant.

Actions in case of non-pregnancy

It is worth knowing that non-pregnancy should alert You if you are trying to conceive a baby for more than 1 year. Your actions are simple – it is better to go to the doctor and pass the necessary tests.

Pills for conceiving a child

The same tests will be given to a woman who has previously had a miscarriage. The reasons for non-pregnancy can be an early abortion, made with the help of abortive drugs (medication), or an unsuccessful gynecological operation.

Tablets, which will be discussed below, we cannot accept or pick your own. In most cases, these are powerful hormonal drugs that should be used with great caution.

Hormone pills

The process of conception in a healthy body occurs as follows:

  • a woman has a regular menstrual cycle;
  • depending on the duration of the cycle, ovulation occurs about 12-15 days after menstruation;
  • ovulation, and therefore the possibility of getting pregnant, lasts up to 48 hours;
  • during ovulation the sperm fertilizes the egg;
  • after a few days, the fertilized egg should be firmly fixed in the uterus.

Accordingly, hormonal tablets are divided into 3 categories depending on the indications for use:

  • conception pills that cause ovulation. During their reception, the growth of follicles on the ovaries is stimulated;
  • pills that help you get pregnant and promote the work of the largest follicle. In other words, they “bring” the egg directly to the sperm;
  • the hormone progesterone prepares the uterus to attach the egg, thickening its walls. Also, this hormone will help during gestation, maintaining a safe environment.

Pills for pregnancy

Your doctor will advise you to take the pills only after passing the examination. The first check is the patency of the fallopian tubes, the presence of STDs. For men, too, tests are provided, because in 40 % of cases of non-pregnancy occurs due to low mobility or survivability of spermatozoa.

You should be prepared for the fact that after taking these drugs, you will not get pregnant immediately. Don’t worry, many women use hormone injections and take pills for several cycles.

Atypical Clomid uses: What else does it treat besides infertility?

Most often, doctors prescribe this medication to treat female infertility of almost any origin. It is really very effective if your goal is conception. However, let us talk about other, atypical Clomid uses. But first, let’s recall the main reasons to consult a doctor for a prescription for this antiestrogen. First of all, specialists prescribe this drug for the treatment of infertility in women of almost any age. It stimulates ovulation, and, if used correctly, quickly leads to a long-awaited pregnancy.

Prescription for amenorrhea and disease variations

We cannot say these are atypical Clomid uses. Actually, the absence of menstruation or too rare bleeding can lead to difficulties in conception.

Amenorrhea, or oligomenorrhea, manifests itself as infrequent and usually irregular menstrual bleeding. A woman may menstruate every 40 days or even less often, sometimes up to once a year. We have no idea how Joanne Rowling would call it.

Atypical Clomid uses

Young girls and older women, especially in the period before menopause, can complain about this disease. Most often, doctors diagnose one of two forms of oligomenorrhea – primary (due to congenital defects of the reproductive system, during puberty) and secondary (often due to stress or abortions, at an older age).

A disease can lead to infertility, but in itself causes a lot of trouble, too. For example, a woman may complain of weight gain, the appearance of “unnecessary” hair on the body, and severe acne. In any case, better consult a physician and pass necessary medical exams as soon as possible. Remind your doctor of atypical Clomid uses.

Use of the drug for Stein-Leventhal syndrome (polycystic ovary syndrome)

Doctors often prescribe this remedy for violation of ovarian function, or PCOS, or Stein-Leventhal syndrome. How to understand that you may be suffering from this syndrome?

Here are the main symptoms:

  • Irregular, rare menstruation or the complete absence of ovulation and, accordingly, menstrual bleeding.
  • Too heavy, or vice versa, or painful menstruation.
  • Diagnosed or suspected infertility.
  • An increased level of androgens in the blood, which is easy to notice not only by the hormone testing, but also by the signs of masculinization. Particularly, a woman can notice that the hair on the head falls out, and on the body, on the contrary, grows like in men. In addition, sometimes the voice changes, the clitoris enlargers, the skin condition worsens (acne, wrinkles, stretch marks). Moreover, often, sex drive increases dramatically. Also, mind the so-called male-pattern obesity, when fat concentrates in the abdomen.
  • Chronic pain in the lower abdomen or lower back.
  • Long periods with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (pain, swelling, sudden mood swings, irritability).
  • Multiple ovarian cysts, a noticeable increase in ovarian size, endometrium changes. A woman should pass a number of medical tests to identify these symptoms.
  • Changing parameters of blood tests. Without a visit to a specialist, a patient may never know about it. Therefore, we recommend paying attention to the symptoms mentioned above. If you suspect PCOS, better see a doctor and start treatment ASAP.

Other atypical Clomid uses – not only in women but also in men

Here we list the most amazing ways to successfully use the drug for the treatment of various diseases and for other purposes:

  • Galactorrhea or Chiari-Frommel syndrome (abnormal production of breast milk, not associated with feeding). You might be surprised, but this unpleasant condition happens both in women and in men. If the disease is not caused by cancer, a doctor may prescribe Clomid.
  • Oligospermia, or oligozoospermia, or just low sperm count, which most often leads to infertility in men. However, with proper treatment, a patient has great chances of recovery and becoming a dad.
  • The atypical Clomid uses include the fight against uterine bleeding. Please mind that in this case you cannot self-medicate. Consult a specialist and take pills under medical control.
  • In addition, bodybuilders and some other athletes love this medicine. Due to its properties, the substance eliminates the so-called “aromatization” – side effects from taking anabolic steroids. In other words, the drug corrects the level of estrogen in the male body, preventing “feminization”.

Clomid – instructions for use for women

Clomiphene citrate (clomid) is a synthetic non-steroidal drug that resembles estrogen in structure. It is widely used as an ovulatory stimulant. Having a similarity to estrogen, it can bind to estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus. This prevents the hypothalamus from detecting “real” estrogen, and the hypothalamus, in turn, causes the pituitary gland to secrete more gonadotropins, such as FSH and LH. FSH and LH stimulate the ovaries, the testes to produce more estrogen in women or testosterone in men.

This property of clomiphene is widely used in the treatment of women with premature loss of ovarian function and for the induction of ovulation. However, long-term use of this drug is not safe, as it increases the risk of ovarian cancer.

Pharmacology

Clomid is recommended for the treatment of women with ovarian dysfunction. Many women who fail to get pregnant have a disrupted ovulation process. Among patients with ovulation problems, there are patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and patients with unknown causes of amenorrhea. Clomid is prescribed only after a complete study of the menstrual cycle and determining the cause of the violation.

In the treatment of clomid, the time of reception is of great importance. To determine ovulation, the blood is examined and the body temperature is checked. If the fact of ovulation is established, start taking clomid. As a rule, clomid is prescribed on the fifth day of the cycle. Usually clomid is taken for 3-6 cycles. Long-term treatment with the drug is not recommended.

Mechanism of action of clomiphene

Clomid is a powerful medication. However, if the correct dosage and short treatment periods are observed, it can help with female infertility. Clomiphene is similar to estrogen. It interacts with estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and blocks these sites. In this case, the brain receives a signal about the insufficient amount of the hormone estrone in the body. This causes an increase in the level of gonadotropins, which increase ovarian stimulation for the production of estrogens. This leads to the synthesis of the hormone in both the adrenal glands and ovaries. Increasing the level of estrogen is important for the fertilization process.