Clomid (Clomiphene) PCT 101: The Bodybuilder's Guide

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If you fail to plan, you plan to fail, and that phrase could not be more accurate than when it comes to post-cycle therapy (PCT) for steroid users. Your steroid cycle itself is just one half of the equation! What you do AFTER your cycle is going to make or break your results as well as your physical and mental health.

I am, of course, talking about restoring your normal testosterone function after you’ve stopped using suppressive anabolic steroids. And there’s perhaps no other more well-known PCT drug than the SERM called Clomid (Clomiphene citrate).

Clomid is not the only choice we have for PCT or on-cycle use, and that’s why you must know how Clomiphene works, its pros and cons, and how it compares to some of the other PCT options we have. Ready to discover everything you need to know about Clomid?

Let’s dive in!

What is Clomid?

Clomid is a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM).

It is not a steroid, but it’s one of the leading ancillary compounds utilized by anabolic steroid users, thanks to its excellent functionality in supporting testosterone function restoration after using AAS. But as we’ll find, Clomid has some negatives that can make you question whether this is the best SERM for you to use.

History and Overview

Clomiphene Citrate, more commonly known by its main brand name, Clomid, was initially designed as a medical treatment for female infertility back in the 1970s. Nowadays, there’s more medical interest in Clomid as a treatment for males suffering from hypogonadism and infertility.

Clomid has shown potential as an alternative to conventional testosterone replacement therapy for men. Studies have shown clearly that even low doses of Clomid are effective at stimulating testosterone production in men without any serious adverse effects^[1].

As steroid users, this is precisely what we are looking for in the process of post-cycle therapy. As a result, Clomid has enjoyed widespread use among anabolic steroid users for many years.

Mechanism of Action

Clomid is actually a combination of two compounds. It is made up of:

62% Enclomiphene
38% Zuclomiphene

Zuclomiphene acts as an estrogen antagonist (estrogen blocker) as well as a partial agonist of the estrogen receptor, while Enclomiphene is fully anti-estrogenic. But ultimately, as a SERM, Clomid is tissue-selective and cell-selective in its actions.

In the case of Clomid, we have a drug that acts as an anti-estrogen in the breast tissue (hence its use as a gynecomastia prevention on-cycle for steroid users) while acting as an estrogen in the bones and potentially strengthening the bones by increasing bone mineral density. While it has been thought for some time that Clomid decreases bone mineral density, some studies show that (at the very least) Clomid can reduce the loss of bone minerals^[2].

But of most interest to us is Clomid’s mechanisms of increasing your concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). LH controls your testosterone production, and FSH and LH together stimulate and maintain your production of sperm cells.

As a result of using testosterone-suppressive anabolic steroids, Clomid’s mechanisms of action provide the critical stimulation of hormonal function that you need to return your testosterone production back to its normal state for both your health and reproductive benefits.

Effects of Clomid (Benefits) for Men

The benefits you want to get from Clomid will depend on what stage you’re using it:

On-cycle Clomid use is for helping protect against gynecomastia and water retention.
Post-cycle Clomid use (PCT) stimulates and restores your endogenous testosterone function.

These are, therefore, the two primary benefits of interest to us as steroid users.

Testosterone Production

Clomid has clearly shown in numerous studies that it is very effective at stimulating the production of testosterone, increasing testosterone levels and concentration of sperm^[3].

Over a 4 to 6-week PCT, Clomid will provide all the testosterone stimulation you require after you’ve had your endogenous testosterone production suppressed by anabolic steroids.

Prevention of Gynecomastia and Water Retention

While Clomid may have some benefit on cycle for treating gyno, it is far from the most effective drug at doing so and will rarely be used for this purpose.

As Clomid won’t be lowering your overall estrogen levels, it will not be as effective at preventing either gyno or water retention while using aromatizing steroids (hence why AI drugs are preferred for this purpose).

Decreased Cholesterol

Clomid can potentially lower your cholesterol levels. This would be a very advantageous benefit as we’re often using steroids that have a terrible impact on our cholesterol.

But the jury is still out on just how effective Clomiphene is on cholesterol in humans. It’s been found to decrease cholesterol in rats^[4]. Still, some studies, like one on a group of hypogonadal men who had low HDL levels, have found no significant changes to cholesterol levels^[5].

We can, however, feel confident that Clomid is not going to worsen the impacts on your cholesterol in addition to any adverse effects from steroid use.

What is PCT (Post Cycle Therapy)?

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is the stage at which most steroid users will want to use Clomid. PCT is the process after your steroid cycle, where you focus on restoring your normal testosterone functioning.

Why would you need to do that?

Taking exogenous anabolic steroids tells your testes that you have enough testosterone circulating, so production can be reduced drastically or shut down altogether (depending on the suppressive power of the steroid(s) you’re using).

So when you STOP taking the AAS, your body suddenly has no source of testosterone. Most of the time (with the exception of some AAS), the process of testosterone restoration will happen naturally but slowly.

That period of time when your test production is ramping up again is when you need to fill the gap to prevent debilitating symptoms. And that’s where your post-cycle therapy comes into it.

Unless you cruise on a testosterone steroid between cycles OR commit to long-term TRT, you must do PCT to avoid low testosterone AND low (or no) estrogen symptoms.

And the good news?

Established PCT drugs work very well at recovering your natural testosterone function within four to six weeks of ending your AAS cycle.

NOTE: PCT is for male AAS users only. Females do not have to undertake any post-cycle therapy after stopping a steroid cycle.

Clomid for PCT

Clomid is one of the two most popular SERMs used for the purpose of PCT. The other is Nolvadex.

Steroid users have been taking advantage of Clomid’s effects for decades in PCT protocols, and the fact that it’s still a staple in PCT today tells us that it does what it needs to do and does it well most of the time.

Doses

As a medical treatment for female infertility, a dosage of 50mg is typically prescribed, sometimes extending to 100mg daily. But these are for short periods: generally for 5-day cycles with a break between 30 days until the treatment is successful.

For the treatment of males with hypogonadism and infertility, which is an off-label use of Clomid, the doses given are typically 25mg or 50mg per day^[6]. As you will see, these are nearly identical dosages that we take of Clomid for both PCT and on-cycle use.

They are doses that have been shown in numerous studies to be proven safe with no known severe adverse side effects (however, some side effects ARE still possible at these doses, so check out my side effects section below).

Clomid Dosage On-cycle

Using Clomid on cycle to protect against estrogenic effects is not likely to be strong and effective enough for most steroid users. Clomid doesn’t excel at on-cycle estrogenic protection; an AI is typically used for that purpose.

If you prefer a SERM on-cycle, I would go with Nolvadex over Clomid. However, if Clomid is your on-cycle choice, a 50mg/day dose for the entire cycle is adequate.

If this dose isn’t effective against preventing gyno, then I don’t advise that you increase the dose to 100mg or beyond; 50mg of Clomid on-cycle is the maximum recommended dose, and if that doesn’t work, then your best course of action is to consider a different drug.

Clomid Dosage for PCT

PCT dosages are very well established after many years of use throughout the bodybuilding community. Typically, a dose of 50mg per day for 4 to 6 weeks will restore normal testosterone function.

I know of guys who will choose to run Clomid at a higher dose for the first 1 to 2 weeks – 100mg/day to kick things off faster. This high dose can induce more severe side effects, so proceed with caution and be aware that doses as low as 25mg daily in studies have effectively restored endogenous testosterone production.

Dosing Schedule, Half-life, and PCT Length

Clomid’s half-life is about five days. However, regardless of the half-life of Clomiphene, when we use it for PCT purposes, it will always be taken on a daily basis. When used on-cycle, you’ll also need a daily dose of Clomid.

For PCT use, Clomid is a short-term use drug, and the standard PCT length will almost always be between 4 and 6 weeks.

Proper Administration and Timing

Precisely when to start your Clomid PCT depends entirely upon which steroids or other PEDs you’ve used and what their half-life is.

Only once the anabolic steroids (or SARMs) have cleared your system enough to stop having suppressive effects is it worth starting your Clomid PCT – otherwise, it won’t be able to restore your endogenous testosterone.

In the case of commonly used steroids like Testosterone Cypionate, you would want to start Clomid 2 weeks after your last injection. If you’re using fast-acting oral steroids, then Clomid PCT can be started 1 to 2 days after your final dose.

Clomid vs. Other PCT Options

We’re fortunate to have quite a few options now for PCT.

What you choose to run in your PCT cycle (and for how long) is going to depend on which drugs you have access to, what steroids you’ve done, how long, and whether you’re sensitive to any particular side effects from either of these PCT and on-cycle drugs.

It makes sense to compare Clomid against the other standard options: Nolvadex, HCG, and Letrozole.

Clomid vs. Nolvadex

The age-old argument about whether Clomid or Nolvadex is superior for PCT continues today.

Ultimately, most of us will try both at different times to compare the results and any side effects. Your preference might be Clomid, and mine could be Nolvadex – but that does not mean one is better than the other. These are two similar drugs; many users will combine them both for PCT to cover all bases.

If you’re taking one or the other, you’ll need to take a higher dose of Clomid compared to Nolvadex to get the job done properly. This can make Nolvadex cheaper to use simply because you’re using less of it. Many (but not all) users find that Nolvadex is milder in its side effect profile than Clomid.

Most users will find Clomid is the better of the two at restarting the HPTA and stimulating and boosting testosterone. At the same time, Nolvadex is often the best choice for gyno control or prevention.

Clomid vs. HCG

Clomid will often be combined with HCG (along with Nolvadex) for PCT, but what are the main differences between Clomid and HCG?

HCG is a peptide hormone, not a SERM like Clomid. It’s very useful for on-cycle support to keep the testes functioning when you’re using very suppressive AAS. But unlike Clomid, HCG is suppressive, and you can’t use HCG alone for PCT.

If you take higher doses, HCG can also cause steroid-like side effects of androgenic and estrogenic types. This is not an issue we face with Clomid.

HCG will always have to be used with a SERM like Clomid for PCT, so it should never be considered a standalone PCT compound; however, it can play a powerful role if used before you start your main SERM PCT. In those cases, you’d run a course of HCG, then start up your regular four or 6-week Clomid PCT.

Clomid vs. Letrozole

Letrozole works very differently from Clomid because it is an aromatase inhibitor rather than a SERM.

Clomid specifically targets estrogen receptors, while Letrozole will reduce total estrogen levels, which can cause severe side effects in men if you’re not careful.

AIs like Letrozole are a better on-cycle option for controlling estrogenic side effects like gyno and water retention. Using Letrozole solely for PCT can result in crashed estrogen, so I prefer Clomid as the PCT option and Letrozole as the on-cycle estrogen mitigation compound.

Clomid Side Effects in Men

You’ve probably thought endlessly about the side effects of the anabolic steroids you’re using or planning to use, but how much thought have you given to the potential side effects of your PCT drugs? One thing is certain about Clomid: most of the side effects are highly individual dependent.

What does this mean for you? You may get zero side effects or suffer from all the side effects listed below:

Anxiety and depression
Visual problems
Decreased IGF-1
Night sweats – Hot flashes and night sweats affect only a minority of users on Clomid.
Headaches and acne can also potentially develop when you use Clomid.

Generally, low-dose Clomid use can be side effects free, but at 50mg or more, you may see some or all of the following adverse effects:

Anxiety and Depression

This is the most often complained about side effect of Clomid. Some Clomid users who’ve never suffered depression, anxiety, or other mental issues find that their mood decreases, and in severe cases, this will impact daily life.

Clomid users who develop serious depressive thoughts will often stop using Clomiphene and switch to Nolvadex.

Visual Problems

Eye floaters, double vision, light sensitivity, and blurred vision are relatively uncommon but worrying side effects. The vast majority of people will find this issue disappears once you stop using Clomid.

Decreased IGF-1

We don’t want this anabolic hormone to decrease, but Clomid can potentially do that. This can limit or reduce your lean muscle gains. One study found a 41% decrease in IGF-1 levels after three months of Clomid use^[7].

Where to Buy Clomid?

Clomid is typically an easy compound to get your hands on, no matter where you live in the world. Dealing with Clomid is not like dealing with anabolic steroids, which can be highly illegal in many countries, including the US.

Your main concern with Clomid will be where to obtain a pharmaceutical-grade product to ensure the best results for you.

Availability of Clomid

Clomid is sold under dozens of pharmaceutical brand names all over the world. Its availability is widespread and generally very easy to come by.

Buying Clomid on the black market is one method of getting pharmaceutical grade without a prescription – but beware of counterfeit or fake products.

While fakes or bunk products are not widespread for this low-cost drug, they do exist and can result in either a lack of expected effects or the introduction of unexpected side effects.

Research chemical labs are increasingly selling SERMs, including Clomid in liquid form. This is a (currently) legal way of buying Clomid, and reputable research chemical suppliers will provide high-quality Clomiphene that is as good as genuine pharmaceutical products.

Take note that if you do get your Clomiphene from a research lab supplier in liquid form, you’ll need to calculate the equivalent dosage according to the concentration of Clomiphene per ml of liquid.

Is Clomid Legal?

If you have a legitimate doctor’s prescription, then Clomid is legal to buy and use worldwide.

In the US, there is no FDA approval for the use of Clomid for treating hypogonadism, but it is used off-label (in other words, for purposes it was not initially intended for).

Using Clomid off-label under a doctor’s guidance for hypogonadism is legal, and gaining a prescription via this method allows legal use of Clomid.

If you don’t have a genuine medical need for Clomid, then you need to look at black market suppliers or chemical research labs, which often sell SERMs like Clomid within a legal gray area for research purposes only.

Typical Pricing

Clomid is not an expensive drug to buy, no matter where you get it from. Many online pharmacies stock Clomiphene Citrate and make it simple to buy online.

Despite this, you should always be cautious about researching WHO you’re buying your Clomid from and whether the online pharmacy or other supplier is legit and reputable.

50mg tablets in a bottle of 30 tablets can be found anywhere from about $1.15 per tablet up to over $4 per tablet, depending on the supplier.

50mg is the most commonly sold strength, but 25mg and 100mg are also available; however, these concentrations tend to cost more as they are manufactured in smaller quantities than 50mg pills.

Final Thoughts

There’s no arguing that Clomid is an effective PCT option. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t have remained as popular as it still is today after decades of use.

Is it the perfect PCT drug?

No. I wouldn’t call Clomid close to perfect, especially if you’re unlucky enough to suffer from some of the more debilitating mental or visual side effects. But if you can get through a Clomid PCT without the sides bothering you, then you’ll find it does the job just fine.

The main complaint about Clomid is that it does cause more side effects than other SERMs for most people and may not always be the best choice when we have alternative options like Nolvadex and Enclomiphene available.

Related:

— Furious Joe

Clomid (Clomiphene) PCT 101: The Bodybuilder’s Guide