Nolvadex

If you are passionate about bodybuilding but face issues like gynecomastia, then there is one answer for you.

Nolvadex has been in the limelight for quite some time. Bodybuilders and powerlifters that develop water retention and gynecomastia with steroids use Nalvodex as a preventive therapy. But the risks associated with its use scare most people away. Our OnlineSteroidsCanada article will shed some light on how bodybuilders can benefit from Nolvadex, its dosages, and common side effects. 

 

What Is Nolvadex?

Nolvadex is a famous brand name for Tamoxifen Citrate. It is one of the Selective Estrogen Modulators (SERM). SERMs are the drugs that help control the effects of estrogen. So, athletes can avoid “man boobs,” retain gains and increase their testosterone levels. Nolvadex is an anabolic steroid that promotes muscle growth without developing gynecomastia in males.  

Many people refer to Nolvadex as an anti-estrogen steroid. But it is both an agonist and antagonist, meaning it works like estrogen in specific parts of the body while as an anti-estrogen in other parts of the body.  

It is a standard treatment for breast cancer patients. It blocks the estrogen hormone from binding to breast tissue, meaning cancer will not feed on the hormone that a cancer patient needs to survive.

 

What Will Nolvadex Do To Improve My Body?

If you use steroids, you already know these drugs cause enlarged breasts. However, unlike these drugs, It controls estrogen levels and does not cause huge breasts. In addition, it has no direct effect on muscle building or fat burning. Nolvadex is thereby a preventive measure for bodybuilders against the abnormal enlargement of the male breast.

Moreover, it can impact a person’s overall level of serum testosterone. It maintains the correct balance between estrogen and testosterone, essential for muscle building. 

Tamoxifen was first used in bodybuilding in the late 1980s when it was discovered as a helpful product that can deal with gynecomastia issues. It benefits the bodybuilders and athletes by:

• Maintaining muscle gains
• Boosting testosterone levels
• Helping burn fat (by keeping shallow estrogen levels)
• Nolvadex shows an increase in the production of hormones; follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in a male body. Both are crucial to an enhanced athlete or bodybuilder.

 

Recommended Nolvadex Dosage?

Nolvadex is an oral steroid with a half-life relatively longer than other anti-estrogens. 

Nolvadex dosage depends on the effects that the user wants. Higher doses result in more substantial effects, but you should determine the ideal amount for yourself. Start with the lower doses and gradually increase the quantity to prevent overdosing. 

The recommended dosage is 20-40 mg per day.

 

For Post Cycle Therapy

Nolvadex is typically taken at 40mg per day for the first two weeks of a PCT and then reduced to 20mg daily for the final two weeks.

If no aromatase inhibitors are included in the cycle, you should start Nolvadex from the second week of the cycle. If you are using a steroid cycle that is quite powerful then, a 40 mg Nolvadex dosage within the first 4-3 weeks of PCT is beneficial, followed by a 20 mg dose during 2-3 weeks, ending in 10 mg.

 

Common Stacks:

Nolvadex is a great steroid to take, combined with other drugs for PCT and alone. It helps normalize estrogen levels and prevent gyno, a nightmare for male bodybuilders. Athletes and bodybuilders often combine it with other steroids. It helps in the recovery cycle where treating gynecomastia is the aim.

• You can use it with Dianabol to keep side effects such as gynecomastia away. 
• You may see Nolvadex in post-cycle therapy with other AI (aromatase inhibitors) such as Arimidex, Aromasin, and Arimistane). In such a combination, it speeds up recovery while the AI knocks any estrogen formation down and keeps estrogen circulating throughout the body.

 

What To Expect From Nolvadex?

Nolvadex helps prevent estrogen build-up, but that does not mean that estrogen formation is wholly stopped, especially with the steroids that cause Gynecomastia and water retention. It is associated with a host of adverse effects.

Some of the side effects of Nolvadex are:

• Hot flashes
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Numbness
• Rash
• Decreased white blood cell count
• Endometrial changes
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Vaginal itching, bleeding, discharge, discomfort 
• Weight loss
• Constipation
• Pain or swelling in the legs
• Dizziness
• Absent, missed, or irregular periods
• Troubled breathing
• Decrease in the amount of urine
• Headache
• Hair loss or thinning of the hair
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Liver damage 
• Cataracts 
• Blood Clots 
• Low libido 
• Mood swings 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When is the best time to take Nolvadex?

There is no such best time to take this drug. The supplement can be taken in the morning, night, before, during, or after meals.  

Why do people take Nolvadex?

For people with severe Gynecomastia that is causing substantial tenderness or embarrassment, a short course of Nolvadex or Raloxifene (brand name: Evista) may prove beneficial. These drugs block the effects of female hormones (estrogen) in the body and can reduce the size of the breasts.

Does Nolvadex affect testosterone levels?

Nolvadex increases testosterone production in the body. It helps to maintain normal testosterone levels and muscle gains. 

How long does it take Nolvadex to show its effects?

If you take it to treat Gynecomastia, it takes up to 6 months. It reduces the breast volume in Gynecomastia, but it cannot eliminate all of the breast tissue. 

Does Tamoxifen cause hair loss?

Loss or thinning of scalp hair is uncommon but a side effect of Tamoxifen. In addition, your hair may become frizzy, brittle, and fall off. This side effect may appear within two to three weeks after treatment starts. The hair loss can include all body hair; pubic, underarm, legs/arms, eyelashes, and nose hairs.

 

References

Clemons, M., Danson, S., & Howell, A. (2002). Tamoxifen (“Nolvadex”): a review. Cancer Treatment Reviews, 28(4), 165–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-7372(02)00036-1

Evans-Brown, M., Kimergård, A., McVeigh, J., Chandler, M., & Brandt, S. D. (2014). Is the breast cancer drug tamoxifen being sold as a bodybuilding dietary supplement? BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 348. https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJ.G1476

Wibowo, E., Pollock, P. A., Hollis, N., & Wassersug, R. J. (2016). Tamoxifen in men: a review of adverse events. Andrology, 4(5), 776–788. https://doi.org/10.1111/ANDR.12197