Clomid is a popularly referred brand name for the drug Clomiphene or Clomifene. It is a selected estrogen receptor modulator which is known to increase the production of gonadotropins.  For this reason, it is commonly prescribed to women for improving their fertility. Clomiphene citrate is the main ingredient in this estrogen which stimulates the process of ovulation in women, thereby acting as a fertility aid. Chemically it is recognized as a 2-(4-(2-chloro-1,2-diphenylethenyl-phenoxy)-N,N-diethyl-ethanamine. Clomid is also popularly marketed as Serophene and Milophene.

Clomid intake is also common amongst athletes and bodybuilders as it restores the body’s natural testosterone levels that may have been affected by use of harsh and aromatizable steroids and also avoids the occurrence of gynecomastia in post cycle therapy. This steroid is highly effective and also an inexpensive compound. It is for this reason that it is so widely sought by bodybuilders and sportsmen all over the world.

Clomid is ideally a synthetic estrogen which possesses both agonist as well as antagonist properties. Chemically its structure and action is very similar to Nolvadex. However, when ingested in the body, Clomid minimizes the effect of natural estrogen in the body. Clinically it is believed to reduce the negative feedback of estrogen on the hypothalamus, enhancing the release of FSH and LSH. It is because of this mechanism that testosterone production in men is restored. This proves to be highly beneficial for athletes when they administer it at end of their steroid cycle because during the cycle, their endogenous testosterones are usually depressed. Once the anabolic effect from the body is removed, it is important to bring the level of endogenous testosterones back to normal as inability to do so might cause what is called a post-steroid crash.  In a steroid crash, a major loss in the size and the strength of the newly acquired muscle takes place. This is because in the absence of testosterone, the catabolic cortisol hormone becomes dominant. Administration of Clomid at this point, helps avoiding this crash.

For women, the best time to use it is around the contest time when the adjustment of estrogen levels is required. Women should intake this steroid only under the supervision of a physician as excessive intake may increase fat loss as well as muscularity. In some cases, it might cause troubled effects such as poor vision. However, this may take place only when dosages become exceedingly high.

For men, the best dosage is 50 to 100 mg per day. Its administration brings testosterone production to normal levels within the period of 4 to 6 weeks. The regime followed by professionals is 100 mg from day 1 to 11 and 50 mg from days 12 to 21. The restoration of testosterone levels is however, gradual. To achieve an immediate effect, Clomid is often ingested with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) for the first two weeks after the anabolic steroid intake is discontinued. This combined intake also aids in restoring the normal ability of the testicles’ responsiveness to endogenous LH. After HCG’s administration along with Clomid is stopped, the user may continue to take Clomid for a certain period. It must be mentioned here that the use of HCG should not exceed more than 2-3 weeks as it may it may initiate the negative feedback inhibition on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Also Clomid intake in injectable form has an effect more long lasting in an ancillary drug program. It is also observed that if HCG and Clomid are taken periodically in a steroid cycle, the natural testosterone level can be prevented from reducing. Usage of strong androgens should be avoided for a prolonged period of time. Some bodybuilders take these drugs alternatively, sometimes even after long intervals for the fear of losing their effectiveness if taken together.

Another drug that is widely used in combination with Clomid is Proviron. Proviron is an oral DHT which considerably lowers the aromatase activity in the body, thereby raising the estrogen to androgen ratio. Clomid’s association with Proviron has been proved to be extremely effective. However, it can also be combined with certain specific inhibitors such as Aromasin, Femara, and Arimidex.

A factor that makes Clomid such a popular drug is that it is very safe. Bodybuilders reporting its side effects (after excessive intake) have been very few.  Some common ones include nausea, dizziness, headaches, and hot flushes. Hence over-dose is strictly not recommended. This popular estrogen is widely available in the market under a vast range of brand names. Its popular forms are tablets and injectables.

Tags: anabolic steroid, arimidex, Aromasin, clomid, Clomiphene citrate, Estrogen, Femara, HCG, post cycle therapy, Proviron, steroid cycle, steroids, testosterone

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A steroid hormone, known as Progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone, which gets released during the metabolism of progesterone (the female sex hormone) can minimize brain’s response to stress.

The scientists found evidence suggesting that the human brain’s response to a peptide hormone that plays an important role in the stress response in animals, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), gets reduced by progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone.

From News-medical.net:

In the study, Emory researchers Donna Toufexis, PhD, Michael Davis, PhD and Carrie Davis, BS, and Alexis Hammond, BS, of Spelman College, compared how female rats with different levels of the sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, reacted to loud noises after injections of CRF into the brain’s lateral ventricles. CRF injections usually increase the “acoustic startle response” in this test used to gauge stress and anxiety, a phenomenon called CRF-enhanced startle.

In the first experiment, the scientists compared acoustic startle responses after CRF injection in an estrogen-only group, an estrogen-plus-progesterone group and a control group that did not receive any sex hormones. All the rats lacked ovaries and the ability to produce sex hormones naturally. Acoustic startle response was unaffected in the estrogen-only group and the control group. In the estrogen-plus-progesterone group, however, CRF-enhanced startle was significantly lower than in the other groups.

The finding was disclosed by scientists at Emory University School of Medicine, the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and Atlanta’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience.

Tags: Estrogen, progesterone, steroid

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Progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone, a steroid hormone released during the metabolism of progesterone (the female sex hormone) has the ability to reduce response of the brain to stress.

This finding was disclosed by scientists at Emory University School of Medicine, the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and Atlanta’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience.

From News-medical.net:

In the study, Emory researchers Donna Toufexis, PhD, Michael Davis, PhD and Carrie Davis, BS, and Alexis Hammond, BS, of Spelman College, compared how female rats with different levels of the sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, reacted to loud noises after injections of CRF into the brain’s lateral ventricles. CRF injections usually increase the “acoustic startle response” in this test used to gauge stress and anxiety, a phenomenon called CRF-enhanced startle.

In the first experiment, the scientists compared acoustic startle responses after CRF injection in an estrogen-only group, an estrogen-plus-progesterone group and a control group that did not receive any sex hormones. All the rats lacked ovaries and the ability to produce sex hormones naturally. Acoustic startle response was unaffected in the estrogen-only group and the control group. In the estrogen-plus-progesterone group, however, CRF-enhanced startle was significantly lower than in the other groups.

Evidence was found by the scientists in context to the fact that response of brain to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a peptide hormone that plays an important role in the stress response in animals, was reduced by progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone.

Tags: Estrogen, progesterone, steroid

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According to new bench research from the Mayo Clinic, female sex hormones could work with beta-agonists in minimizing airway constriction.

Lead student researcher, Elizabeth A. Townsend, of the Mayo Clinic Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, said that it will be of interest to ascertain whether sex steroids such as estrogen and progesterone play a role in modulation of airway tone.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Townsend and colleagues then asked whether estrogens could produce bronchodilation, and might the combination of commonly used bronchodilators (beta-2 agonists) and estrogens be used to produce even greater bronchodilation? In laboratory studies using human airway smooth muscle cells, they found that combined treatment with estradiol and the beta-agonist, isoproterenol (which non-selectively activates both beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors), had a synergistic effect on decreasing intracellular calcium and force more than either estradiol or isoproterenol alone. They also found that these effects may involve a common signaling pathway.

“These novel data suggest that estradiol has bronchodilatory properties, and may potentiate beta-2-agonist effects,” said Ms. Townsend. “The finding that estrogens interact synergistically with beta-adrenoceptor signaling (perhaps using common pathways) to facilitate bronchodilation was exciting, and lends itself to further studies on interactions between sex steroids and beta-2-agonists.” But she and her team also cautioned that there is still considerable research necessary to fully understand the association between sex steroids and factors that contribute to asthma, before the information can be used clinically in patients to relieve asthma symptoms.

The findings are being presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.

Tags: Estrogen, estrogens, progesterone, sex steroids, steroids

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There is a possible interlinking between genetic variations and the increased risk for severe premenstrual depression, according to findings disclosed by scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the National Institute of Mental Health.

The psychiatric condition, which is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) affects approximately eight percent of women in their child-bearing years. This condition is characterized by severe anxiety and irritability during second half of the menstrual cycle.

From News-Medical.Net:

Compared to the control group, women with PMDD were significantly more likely to have the ESR1 gene variants, the study found.

“While these are preliminary findings that require replication in larger studies, we would argue that this may explain part of the variance among women in the susceptibility to developing this mood disorder,” Rubinow said. “Studies have shown that PMDD is characterized by abnormal sensitivity to reproductive steroids like estrogen. As a receptor for the hormone that can trigger the onset of PMDD symptoms, ESR1 has clear physiologic relevance for this disorder.”

The authors acknowledge that as with other complex genetic disorders, the contribution to PMDD of polymorphisms in a single gene may not be large. In addition, they also noted that the findings may be telling us more about the control group.

Dr. David R. Rubinow, the study’s senior author and the Meymandi distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at UNC School of Medicine, was of the view that this study could possibly help find out important clues about why some women experience mood swings while others do not.

Tags: Estrogen, menstrual cycle, PMDD, premenstrual depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, steroids

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Severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, tends to affect approximately eight percent of women in their child-bearing years. The disorder is characterized by anxiety and severe irritability during second half of the menstrual cycle.

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the National Institute of Mental Health have found that there could be a possible association between this disorder and specific genetic variations.

From News-Medical.Net:

Compared to the control group, women with PMDD were significantly more likely to have the ESR1 gene variants, the study found.

“While these are preliminary findings that require replication in larger studies, we would argue that this may explain part of the variance among women in the susceptibility to developing this mood disorder,” Rubinow said. “Studies have shown that PMDD is characterized by abnormal sensitivity to reproductive steroids like estrogen. As a receptor for the hormone that can trigger the onset of PMDD symptoms, ESR1 has clear physiologic relevance for this disorder.”

The authors acknowledge that as with other complex genetic disorders, the contribution to PMDD of polymorphisms in a single gene may not be large. In addition, they also noted that the findings may be telling us more about the control group.

It was remarked by Dr. David R. Rubinow, the study’s senior author and the Meymandi distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at UNC School of Medicine that this study offers implications as to why some women experience mood swings and what is the nature of this susceptibility.

Tags: Estrogen, menstrual cycle, PMDD, premenstrual depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, steroids

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According to researchers from Germany, concentrations of testosterone in men and estrogen in women could have a positive effect on the regenerative potential of cartilage tissue.

In a study, it was suggested that hormone replacement in the joint fluid of men and women could be beneficial to treat late stages of human osteoarthritis (OA) by regenerating damaged tissue.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Nicolai Miosge, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from the August University in Goettingen, Germany examined the regenerative potential of chondrogenic progenitor cells (CPCs) that are present in arthritic tissue during the late stages of OA. The research team speculated that these CPCs might be influenced by sex steroids, and therefore hormone replacement therapy directed to the joint fluid could be beneficial in restoring damaged tissue. Tissue samples from 372 patients who underwent total knee replacement were analyzed. The mean age was 71 years of age for men and 72 years for women, with women representing 64.25% of participants.

Estrogens are known to influence bone metabolism and researchers found that 17β-estradiol (E2), which increases calcium deposition in both sexes, was present in the joint fluid of study participants. CPCs positive for estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) as well as androgen receptors were present in the OA tissue as well. Both estrogen and testosterone influenced the expression of all 3 receptor genes and the CPCs by regulating gene expression.

Results of this evidence-based study appeared in an issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

Tags: cartilage, Estrogen, hormone replacement, osteoarthritis, steroids, testosterone

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In the wake of the recently released report by the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Council on Science and Public Health, Dr. Thomas T. Perls, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine has criticized the promotion and distribution of growth hormones that are used for purposes other than medical.

In an editorial appearing in the Future Medicine journal Aging Health, Dr. Perls applauded the courage shown by the AMA in its recently published assessment of risks and benefits of growth hormone, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone for anti-aging.

From Sciencedaily.com:

There have always been nostrums and potions peddled for eternal youth. Most recently these have been what some entrepreneurs call “bio-identical” or “all-natural” hormones. What they mean by these terms varies from substances made from vegetables — such as soy or yams, which some claim have estrogen-like effects to, more commonly, drugs that are exactly the same as hormones prescribed by endocrinologists for specific diseases. Dr. Perls remarked: “The terms bio-identical or all-natural, particularly in the case of the drugs prescribed by endocrinologists, misleadingly convey a sense of safety to the gullible customer. Arsenic is all-natural to, and it even has some medical uses, but it is anything but safe.”

“The AMA’s review of the risks and benefits of these hormones in the setting of anti-aging and athletic enhancement is very important given its inclusion of the consensus and position statements of the key professional medical societies as well as the federal agencies that guard public health.” states Dr. Perls in the editorial.

Dr. Perls denounced the marketing of hormones, especially growth hormone and anabolic steroids, for the purpose of anti-aging.

Tags: anabolic steroids, Estrogen, growth hormones, steroids, testosterone

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Concentrations of the sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogen in women can have a positive effect on the regenerative potential of cartilage tissue as per German researchers.

It was suggested by the study that hormone replacement in the joint fluid of men and women can be advantageous for treating late stages of human osteoarthritis (OA) by regenerating damaged tissue.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Nicolai Miosge, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from the August University in Goettingen, Germany examined the regenerative potential of chondrogenic progenitor cells (CPCs) that are present in arthritic tissue during the late stages of OA. The research team speculated that these CPCs might be influenced by sex steroids, and therefore hormone replacement therapy directed to the joint fluid could be beneficial in restoring damaged tissue. Tissue samples from 372 patients who underwent total knee replacement were analyzed. The mean age was 71 years of age for men and 72 years for women, with women representing 64.25% of participants.

Estrogens are known to influence bone metabolism and researchers found that 17β-estradiol (E2), which increases calcium deposition in both sexes, was present in the joint fluid of study participants. CPCs positive for estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) as well as androgen receptors were present in the OA tissue as well. Both estrogen and testosterone influenced the expression of all 3 receptor genes and the CPCs by regulating gene expression.

Details of this evidence-based study appeared in an issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

Tags: cartilage, Estrogen, hormone replacement, osteoarthritis, steroids, testosterone

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A dietary supplement used by some athletes, Androstenedione, when administered in dosages of 300 milligram (mg) may increase the blood testosterone levels in healthy young men, according to a study. It was also disclosed that both 100 and 300 mg doses of this supplement can also promote estrogen level increases. The study, however, did not examined if androstenedione has long-term side effects or of it can aid muscle mass or strength gains.

The study was led by researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and reported in the Feb. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

From Sciencedaily.com:

The MGH-led study was designed only to test the claim that taking oral androstenedione supplements would raise testosterone levels. The research team — led by Benjamin Leder, MD, also of the MGH Endocrine Unit — enrolled 42 healthy men aged 20 to 40 with no previous history of taking androstenedione, steroids or any medication known to affect steroid levels. Participants were divided randomly into three groups: 15 received 100 mg daily doses of androstenedione, 14 received 300 mg doses of androstenedione, and 13 received no androstenedione. During the seven-day study, blood tests taken at frequent intervals after participants took the capsules measured levels of four hormones: androstenedione, testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol.

While the 100 mg doses had no significant effect on testosterone levels, the 300 mg doses increased testosterone levels by an average of 34 percent. In one-third of those taking the 300 mg doses, testosterone levels exceeded the normal range for men. Testosterone levels returned to normal within a day of androstenedione administration. Estrogen levels also increased in both the 100 and 300 mg groups: estrone increased 74 percent at 100 mg and 196 percent at 300 mg, and estradiol increased 42 percent at 100 mg and 128 percent at 300 mg.

Joel Finkelstein, MD, of the MGH Endocrine Unit, the report’s senior author, remarked that this is the first of its kind study to disclose that sufficient doses of Androstenedione can increase serum testosterone.

Tags: androstenedione, dietary supplement, Estrogen, muscle mass, steroids, supplement, testosterone

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