 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
09/17/09
A recent high-profile drug test failure in professional baseball had a lot of journalists scratching their heads wondering “Just what in the world is HCG?” Early reports mocked the drug as a female fertility drug, but wiser scribes knew the actual purpose of this drug was to either mask or help recover from an actual steroid cycle. Let’s learn more about HCG, and see how it relates to bodybuilding in particular.
When you engage in a standard steroid cycle, your blood levels of testosterone are sky high. This isn’t due to anything you produce naturally. In fact, your natural T production levels are going to be floored. The artificial hormones you inject will be raising your blood levels to an insanely high point. This will lead to new muscle gains and increases in your strength. However, as time passes, it will be time to end the cycle and return to being a mortal once again. When this happens, your blood levels of testosterone will crash very suddenly – unless you use a drug like HCG to help cushion the fall and to encourage your body to begin its own testosterone production once again! When you begin HCG, you will know it’s time, because your testicles will have shrunk to about half of their previous size. You will be 8 to 12 weeks into a cycle, and the positive effects of the gear will have started to subside. You’ll probably know it’s time for a break. Since quitting cold turkey isn’t an option, HCG steps in as a good choice.
HCG administration can be a bit complex. You’ll only be taking a total of four shots, spaced out over a period of about 20 days. Start your first shot of 3000 IU a few days after your last injection. Wait five days for your blood levels to begin to normalize (after a brief drop), and inject another 3000 IU. Your levels will be low, but your body will start to realize it needs to produce its own testosterone now. Five days later, inject a smaller half-dose of 1500 IU, with your canal dose of 1500 IU just five days after that. It’s not rocket science, and it’s not all that glamorous either. In the end, however, it is a very necessary and mature method for dealing with testosterone level letdowns.
If your cycle was less than 8 weeks, which is never advisable, you may not be in need of HCG (or any other PCT for that matter). If you used only a small amount of weekly testosterone injection, steered clear of Nandrolone, or just used Anavar and/or Winstrol, then you may find there isn’t a great need for PCT. If you did run a heavier cycle, the need will become very apparent, and very soon. HCG is very cheap. Your entire cycle will cost you less than $30 in most cases. A note of warning exists. If you wish to start a family after your cycle, HCG might not suffice, despite its abilities as a fertility drug. Give it a go, but then visit a doctor if your sexual function (or testicular size) has not yet returned in three months.
