Bodybuilders work very hard for their bodies to look the way they do. However, this process is not always solely achieved in the gym, and more often than not individuals take additional substances, such as anabolic steroids, for a period of time also known as a cycle. It is important to do this in cycles so that your body does not build a tolerance for steroids, meaning that your body can no longer properly function without them. Prolonged use of steroids and built tolerance, often results in the reduced natural production of the male hormone testosterone.
As you may know, testosterone is highly important for both men and women, and a lack of it can cause issues with the reproductive systems, reduced sex drive or poor sexual performance, low mood or depression as well as loss of muscle mass. For this reason, it is important that after each cycle, you follow up with appropriate methods to restore your body’s natural production of hormones and achieve homeostasis. In this article, we will discuss the top seven supplements to use for post cycle therapy.
1. Testosterone Recovery Supplements
Making sure that your testosterone levels return to their natural state is one of the initial and most important parts of post cycle therapy. Considering that anabolic steroids have a significant impact on this hormone, it is vital that you begin by taking a supplement that can support you with this. Many athletes take one supplement that increases different hormone levels, however when it comes to the male hormone, it is important to take one that will solely focus on it. There is a wide variety of supplements available that can boost your testosterone levels. These include zinc, D-Aspartic Acid, and Epimedium. Evidently, everybody is different and people may react differently depending on the supplement. Make sure that you take the one that works for you.
2. Estrogen Blockers
Estrogen and Testosterone are both sex hormones that interact with each other. When Testosterone levels are significantly low, Estrogen levels tend to rise. High levels of this hormone are not ideal, as it can have serious impacts on your overall health and lead to severe health conditions. Some of the ingredients to take in supplements include Formestane, Bromo, and Chrysin, these will inhibit the production of estrogen. The experts behind Wilson Supplements suggest you should always add an estrogen blocker as part of your post cycle therapy at the same time as taking a testosterone booster. This combination will complement each other to ensure that your body returns to normal.
3. Progesterone Inhibition Supplements
Sometimes athletes undergoing post cycle therapy that take estrogen blockers, report no changes to the symptoms their bodies are experiencing. This is often because the issues they are faced with are being caused by Progesterone. Although this hormone is more abundant in the female, males also require certain amounts of it in order for their bodies to function appropriately. High levels of it can be problematic for both men and women, resulting in health problems such as sexual issues and irregular moods. For these reasons, inhibiting this hormone during your post cycle therapy is a smart decision. There are not as many supplements you can take to reduce Progesterone levels as you may find for estrogen. Some of the supplements you can take include a herb known as vitex agnus and mucuna pruriens. These names may not be familiar to you, but you will be able to easily find them in a health or fitness store.
4. Reducing Cortisol
Taking anabolic steroids makes muscles grow at a rapid rate and reduces the likelihood of muscle loss. All of these changes in your body and its function create a fluctuation of hormones, including the one known as the stress hormone –cortisol. The rapid increase in hormone often occurs around the time when the athlete stops taking anabolic steroids, meaning that testosterone levels are significantly lower than they should be normally. High levels of cortisol can be severe to both men and women, and it is therefore essential that this is a supplement during post cycle therapy. Taking Dehydroabietic Acid or Vitamin C are popular ways of resolving high levels of cortisol within the body.
5. Increased Libido and Mood
The effects of fluctuation in hormone levels will have a significant impact on the individual. These chemicals in the body play a significant role in contributing to our wellbeing, mental health, and behaviour. Undergoing cycle therapy may include diminished libido and low moods and even depressive state. Once you are no longer taking steroids, it is vital that you check how you feel in these areas, and do something to improve it. You do not want to develop a serious case of depression and if you are in a relationship, lack of or poor sexual activity can cause some issues as well. We have mentioned above that the hormones discussed will have a significant impact on mood and sex drive, but focusing on the supplements already discussed is not enough to solve this issue.
Dopamine should be the focus here as it can quickly improve the individual’s frame of mind and desire to have sexual intercourse. There are natural ways to boost dopamine, such as by eating chocolate or having an orgasm, but the amounts here are limited and so is the variety of supplements one can take for this issue. The one ingredient that has empirical research supporting its benefits, is 9-methyl-beta-carboline, which has various different health benefits.
6. Enhancing Workout Performance
Bodybuilders tend to lose a lot of muscle mass once they stop their cycle therapy. They quickly assume that this is due to not taking the steroids, however many of them also stop working out as effectively. It is important that you continue with your workout regimen if you want to keep your gains. Taking a supplement that will signal to your muscles the need to keep growing will help you maintain your muscle mass and reduce loss. You can start by consuming creatine after your workout or take a pre-workout for a boost of energy when you hit the weights.
7. Restoring Health
It is very likely that your health will be affected during cycle therapy, although this is not something athletes like to admit. Your body is undergoing massive changes and using increased amounts of energy to keep up with how much it is working and growing. Looking after your health remains an essential part of your cycle therapy, both during and after, so that you can keep healthy and so that your body is well enough to continue to grow and retain the muscles. There are many multi-vitamins you can take in order to improve your health overall. Taking a combination of vitamins and minerals is the best decision.
Taking steroids is a natural part of bodybuilding, in order to achieve the desired results. However, you must understand what this process entails and exactly how to deal with it afterward. Make sure that you take some of the supplements discussed above so that you can restore your body back to normal post cycle therapy.