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.