PCT / HCG / HMG - Post Cycle Therapy

Post cycle therapy is not optional. Every suppressive compound, anabolic steroids, SARMs, prohormones shuts down the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis to some degree. Your body stops producing its own testosterone because exogenous androgens have made the signal from your pituitary redundant. When the cycle ends and those androgens clear, the axis doesn’t automatically restart on its own timeline it needs to be actively stimulated back into function. That’s what PCT is for.

A poorly planned PCT or no PCT at all means weeks to months of low testosterone, elevated estrogen relative to androgens, loss of cycle gains, suppressed libido, mood disruption, and potential long term impact on natural hormonal function. A well executed PCT using the right compounds at the right doses shortens that window dramatically and protects everything you built during your cycle.

True North Performance carries the complete PCT toolkit: Nolvadex, Clomid, HCG, and HMG, every compound independently tested by Janoshik or Testides before listing. PCT is exactly the wrong category to cut corners on sourcing.

Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) Canada

Nolvadex is the most widely used SERM for post cycle therapy. The compound most athletes reach for first and the benchmark against which every other PCT option is measured. It works by blocking estrogen receptors at the pituitary level, which removes the negative feedback signal suppressing LH and FSH production. The result is a rapid increase in gonadotropin output, which stimulates the testes to resume natural testosterone production.

Standard Nolvadex PCT protocol: 40mg per day for two weeks, followed by 20mg per day for two further weeks. For standard cycles, testosterone based, 12–16 weeks, this four week protocol is sufficient for most users. For longer or more suppressive cycles, Nolvadex is commonly combined with Clomid for a more aggressive recovery.

Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) Canada

Clomid is the second primary SERM used in PCT. Like Nolvadex, it blocks estrogen receptors at the pituitary to stimulate LH and FSH release but it has a stronger FSH stimulus than Nolvadex, making it particularly useful in protocols where spermatogenesis recovery is a concern alongside testosterone restoration. Clomid also has some direct testicular effects that complement the pituitary stimulus.

The two compounds are often combined in more aggressive PCT protocols, Nolvadex handling the primary LH stimulus with Clomid adding FSH support. Standard Clomid PCT doses run 50mg per day for the first two weeks, dropping to 25mg per day for weeks three and four. Side effects could be visual disturbances and mood disruption but are dose dependent and more common with Clomid than Nolvadex, which is why Nolvadex is typically the first choice for standard cycles and Clomid is added when extra recovery support is needed.

HCG | The PCT Bridge

HCG mimics LH at the testicular level, directly stimulating testosterone production and maintaining testicular size and function during suppressive cycles. The most important thing to understand about HCG in PCT is the timing; HCG is most effective when run during the cycle or as a bridge immediately before starting SERM based PCT, not simultaneously with SERMs.

Running HCG during the cycle with about 250–500 IU twice weekly keeps the testes active and responsive throughout suppression, so that when PCT begins, they’re primed to respond to the LH and FSH stimulus from your SERM rather than starting from a dormant baseline. For longer or more suppressive cycles anything involving Nandrolone Decanoate, long ester testosterone at high doses, or extended durations incorporating HCG on cycle is strongly recommended.

For users who didn’t run HCG during their cycle, a two week HCG bridge at 500–1000 IU every other day after the cycle ends and before SERM PCT begins restores testicular responsiveness and makes subsequent SERM based recovery significantly more effective.

HMG | FSH Support for Comprehensive Recovery

HMG (Human Menopausal Gonadotropin) contains both LH and FSH activity, making it more comprehensive than HCG alone for protocols where spermatogenesis recovery is a specific priority. While Clomid stimulates FSH release indirectly via the pituitary, HMG provides direct FSH stimulus, the same approach used in clinical fertility medicine for cases of significant gonadotropin deficiency.

In practice, HMG is used in conjunction with HCG for more aggressive recovery protocols typically in users who have run multiple long cycles, have documented suppression on bloodwork, or have fertility concerns that standard SERM based PCT hasn’t adequately addressed.

Building Your PCT Protocol

The right PCT depends on what you ran and for how long. A standard 12 week testosterone only cycle needs a straightforward four week Nolvadex protocol. A longer cycle involving Nandrolone Decanoate, which has a significantly longer half-life and clears slowly needs a longer wait before PCT starts, HCG during or bridging the cycle, and potentially Clomid combined with Nolvadex for the SERM phase. A cycle involving multiple suppressive compounds over extended periods may warrant adding HMG alongside HCG and a full combined SERM protocol.

Bloodwork before, during, and after your cycle is the most reliable way to know where you stand and whether your PCT worked. Total testosterone, free testosterone, LH, FSH, and estradiol at minimum, ideally with a full blood panel to monitor overall health markers throughout.