Advanced PCT
No cycle is complete without Advanced PCT
Post cycle therapy designed to restore the delicate hormonal balance and prevent muscle loss after any hormonal anabolic cycle.
FACT: You
hormones are completely out of balance during and after any anabolic
cycle, and in many cases your body is no longer producing normal levels
of its own natural testosterone potentially leading to losses in muscle
and libido.
This
imbalance is actually a good thing while on cycle, as it indicates the
cycle is probably working to promote muscle gain! But after the cycle,
the lack of natural testosterone production is one of the biggest
reasons people lose their hard earned gains and may have a difficult
time promptly recovering their libido. Advanced PCT is designed for one
purpose, to get your testosterone back to normal and natural production
as quickly yet gently as possible.
The
common post cycle advice is to jack up natural testosterone levels by
squashing estrogen production/conversion. This fails to recognize that
hormone levels are in a very dynamic balance, regulated by complex
mechanisms(1), and that every change in hormone
status has an inverse and sometimes drastic reaction. Advanced PCT was
designed by looking at the complete picture of the body’s reaction at
the end of a hormonal muscle building cycle to create a product that
greatly assists the body in returning to its self-regulating, delicate
hormonal balance to minimize muscle loss and estrogen related side
effects.
When
you take any externally supplied hormone, it will cause a positive
imbalance of your body’s natural hormones while on cycle and a negative
imbalance when transitioning off cycle. To understand how important
and absolutely necessary PCT is to any hormonal cycle we need to
briefly understand what happens in the body while on cycle. The
purpose in taking any pro-hormone, steroid, or hormone is to cause
protein synthesis by directly activating androgen receptors.
Testosterone is the natural key to unlocking these powerful receptors,
but other synthetic or naturally occurring compounds have been found to
do this quite successfully, such as 3-AD.
Most work by either directly converting to testosterone or are
chemically very similar to testosterone in structure, which means they
also participate in the body’s natural self regulation of testosterone
production(2).
Self regulation? Yes, the body produces various hormones (testosterone activators)(3),
that cause testosterone to be secreted, while at the same time the
testosterone itself stops or slows the production of these hormones(4).
The end result is a perfect balance of testosterone levels. So when we
introduce an external testosterone or testosterone equivalent, those
activators stop producing for awhile, thus significantly reducing
natural testosterone secretion(5). So in reality,
when you quit your cycle, what your body immediately needs is to
quickly start producing these testosterone activators more than
anything because they control the release of testosterone. They are the
gate keepers! But, this is only part of the equation.
Hormone
levels want to be in a precise balance, which includes the testosterone
/estrogen balance. Many pro-hormones claim that their products cannot
aromatize, thus leading you to a conclusion that you do not need to
worry about estrogen. However, the body wants to be in balance and when
the testosterone levels skyrocket while on-cycle you must recognize
that your body reacts to create balance by increasing natural estrogen
production(6). Excess estrogen can interrupt the production of testosterone and cause unwanted effects in healthy males(7).
Again the key is balance and your body needs some estrogen. Many
commonly used post cycle products work by completely eradicating
estrogen from the body. This is far from supporting the delicate
balance in the body. Choose a product that will get you back to normal,
safely and quickly. Choose a product that focuses on the whole picture
to avoid other negative reactions. Choose Anabolic Xtreme Advanced PCT.
Cordyceps Extract -
This powerful extract has been demonstrated to increase LH which is one
of the testosterone activators that is directly related to secretion of
testosterone from the testes(8). It has
traditionally been used for the enhancement on sexual performance in
China for many centuries, which means that your libido gets a boost as
well. Our extract is one of a kind and very potent, containing almost
three times more active constituents than the widely used (7% active)
commercial extract!
L-Histadine –
To compliment the increase of LH production from the Cordyceps, this
compound acts to increase the responsiveness of the Leydig cells which
use the LH to produce testosterone. These two components work together
to jumpstart the Testosterone Feedback Loop back into production and
finding your body’s delicate balance. L-Histadine is a direct
precursor to histamine(9) which is an important
component in the production of the testosterone activators and has been
shown to increase the responsiveness of Leydig cells. (*note -
anti-histamines, commonly used for seasonal allergy and illness, lower
testosterone levels by an inverse mechanism and should be avoided
during PCT when possible.)
Grape Seed Extract –
The first of a two-pronged approach to controlling estrogen. Grape
seeds contain Procyanidin Dimmers which act to slow the mechanism of
the conversion process10 of androgens to estrogen (aromatization).
Control, not eradication of estrogen, is important when coming off a
cycle and this grape seed extract will slow the process down to normal
levels. The grape seed extract works synergistically with the
6-Bromodione to normalize estrogen levels. The extract that we use is
very potent and contains not less than 95% PCO content! Grape Seed is
also a fantastic anti-oxidant, almost 30x more effective than vitamin C.
6-Bromodione –
Excess estrogen is a huge problem post cycle which is ultimately
affected by the increase in aromatase enzymes that the body produces in
response to an increase in androgens while on cycle. Whether the
product that you took can convert to estrogen or not, this excess
aromatase will affect the natural testosterone production that we are
trying to jumpstart. Without controlling the excess aromatase, as your
natural testosterone production increases, it will be bombarded with
aromatase and convert to estrogen. 6-Bromodione binds to the aromatase
enzyme making it unable to convert androgens to estrogen. Advanced PCT
contains two separate forms (isomers) that work to control and
normalize estrogen and aromatase levels.
1) 6-alpha-Bromodione
is a fast acting competitive inhibitor of the aromatase enzyme. It
works by binding to the aromatase enzyme to prevent it from aromatizing
androgens. This is not a permanent binding and later acts to normalize
aromatase (and thus estrogen levels) as hormone production returns to
normal. It specifically targets aromatase and does not act as a central
anti-androgen like some other post cycle products can. This means that
your libido and mood will not be negatively affected.
2) 6-beta-Bromodione
works in a similar way but has an irreversible and permanent effect.
This works well to mediate the excess aromatase that was produced while
on cycle, while the alpha isomer works to normalize the natural levels.
The goal is again to transition into normal production levels for all
hormones affected by the anabolic cycle.
Every
ingredient was carefully researched, tested, and integrated in precise
ratios to create the new standard for post cycle therapy products.
Advanced PCT will propel your hormones back to healthy levels quickly,
allowing you to keep those hard earned gains and avoid the effects of
the body’s reaction to the end of an anabolic cycle. For additional
protection against other non-hormonal post cycle factors that can
affect muscle retention, see Anabolic Xtreme Retain2 and add it to your post cycle regimen.
General Precautions and Considerations
It is not uncommon for novice users to enjoy the benefits of an
anabolic cycle to the point that they don’t want to stop. It is very
important for you to give your body a chance to recover and return to
normal hormonal production before starting an additional cycle. As with
any product that affects hormone levels you want to give your body a
break and Advanced PCT is no exception. The product is designed to
assist your body in returning to normal hormonal balance. After that is
accomplished, typically four weeks, we recommend refraining from taking
any hormonal affecting products for at least one month.
References: (1)
This is known as the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis (HPTA). The
HPTA manages the relationship between the glands responsible for the
production of testosterone. (2)
The HPTA process causes hormones to reach a state of homeostasis which
is the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal
equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. (3)
Gonadatropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) directly affect the release of
Luetenizing Hormone (LH) which increases cholesterol desmolase activity
(an enzyme associated with the conversion of cholesterol to
pregnenolone), leading to testosterone synthesis secretion by Leydig
cells and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) which increases the
response of Leydig cells to LH by increasing the number of LH receptors
expressed on Leydig cells. (4) The
release of GnRH is regulated by testosterone levels in the body.
Because it indirectly affects the secretion of testosterone, there is a
self-regulating feedback loop. The introduction of external
androgens or synthetic testosterones can interrupt this loop, commonly
referred to as the Negative Feedback Loop. (5) The
male body responds to an increase in androgens (testosterone or
synthetic derivatives) by increasing the production of aromatase
enzymes, which convert androgens to estrogen. (6) Estrogen causes
changes in the activities of enzymes within the Leydig cells,
negatively impacting testosterone production and response to
gonadotropins. Excess Estrogen levels in males have been shown to cause
gynecomastia. (7) Cordyceps
significantly induces plasma testosterone levels by its stimulatory
effects on steroidogenesis in Leydig cells. Cordyceps enhances the
cAMP-PKA pathway to positively influence testicular steroidogenesis. (8) Histamine
affects various aspects of Leydig cell physiology, most importantly the
response to hCG, providing definite evidence that it plays a role as
direct modulator of Leydig cell function and steroid synthesis in the
testis. Small amounts of histamine can stimulate steroid production and
significantly increase the response to LH/hCG in Leydig cells of the
testis, while very large amounts appear to do the opposite in some
studies. (9) Procyanidin dimers
(also known as PCO's) have been shown to down-regulate two
transcription factors, cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein-1
(CREB-1) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). CREB-1 and GR are known to
up-regulate aromatase gene expression through promoters. Thus PCO’s
slow the mechanism of transcription.
Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Servings Per Container: 90 |
Amount Per Serving:
6-Bromoandrostenedione 25mg
Cordyceps sinensis concentrate (20% Polysaccarides) 450mg
L-Histidine HCL 100mg
Grape seed extract (95% Procyanidolic oligomers) 50mg | |