What is Clomid?

Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is an oral medication that has been used to treat infertility in women since the 1970s. Basically, it stimulates ovulation by producing a higher level of gonadotropins, increasing the chances of pregnancy. Clomid is prescribed to women with medical conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which suppresses natural ovulation.

Not just for fertility, but Clomid is also used for bodybuilding. Most bodybuilders use anabolic steroids that have certain side effects. Clomiphene is used to get rid of those side effects and stimulates the testosterone levels in their body. But before getting into that, let's discuss how exactly Clomid works for women.

How does Clomid Work in Women?

Clomid blocks the estrogen receptors in your body which makes your body think that your estrogen levels are lower than they actually are, resulting in an increased secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) by the pituitary gland. The job of FSH is to stimulate the development of follicles in the ovaries, which will each produce one egg. Whereas, LH is responsible for the release of those eggs. This process is known as ovulation.

DOSAGE of Clomid

Firstly, your doctor will examine you for any conditions that could prevent you from safely using Clomid. They are 50 mg tablets, usually prescribed at the 4-5th day of your menstrual cycle, and are used for about 5-10 days. Avoid using it more or less than what your doctor has prescribed. Typically, Clomid is not consumed for more than 3 treatment cycles. If you don’t start to ovulate by then, you should move towards more intensive fertility treatments.

Clomid in Bodybuilding – During a Steroid Cycle

More often than not, athletes use anabolic steroids in order to promote muscle building. While they help in protein synthesis, increasing your muscle mass, there are some side effects of it. These steroids convert into estrogen- the “female” sex hormone. Increased levels of estrogen may lead to the development of female breast growth (gynecomastia), which is undesirable in bodybuilding.

Clomid has anti-estrogenic properties, therefore when taken on a steroid cycle stops the function of estrogen. This helps fight the side effects regarding the increased estrogen levels during a steroid cycle.

Clomid in Bodybuilding- During a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

PCT is a procedure started right after your steroid cycle ends, to get your natural hormonal levels back to normal. During the steroid cycle, high levels of synthetic testosterone are entering your body. A higher than usual level is detected by the body, so it stops the production of normal testosterone. When your steroid cycle ends, the testosterone levels in your body suddenly crash and become extremely low.

What PCT does is act as a catalyst to speed up the production of normal testosterone in your body. Without PCT, getting your hormonal levels back on track could take many months or even a whole year. Now, this is where Clomid comes into play. As I have mentioned before, Clomid blocks the estrogen receptors which stimulates the levels of FSH and LH. In men, an increased level of LH translates to more testosterone production. Thus, using Clomid raises testosterone levels by a significant amount, bringing your hormonal levels back to normal.

DOSAGE

A PCT cycle usually lasts for around 3-4 weeks. A dose of 25-50 mg tablet must be used regularly for the duration. It is advised not to go above a 50mg dose as it can be proved dangerous if taken excessively.

Note: Clomid is a prescription-only drug and should always be used under the care of a  certified doctor.

Does it actually work?

Scientific research shows that using Clomid is indeed effective for improving testosterone levels, treating hormonal imbalances. As per studies, men between the ages of 18-55, used Clomid regularly and results show a 2x increase in their testosterone levels. In some participants, it took around 3-4 weeks to reach the same result, with no side effects reported. Even the long-term use of Clomid over several years did not result in any apparent side effects. Blood- cholesterol levels remained normal, and no weight loss/ gain was observed. This proves that clomiphene does work without any significant harm.

Side effects

Even though there were almost no negative impacts reported by the users, there are still some side effects that one could experience during the use of clomiphene.

●     Blurred vision

●     Nausea

●     Headache

●     Uterine bleeding

●     Irritably

●     Mood swings

Note: Women using clomiphene may experience at least one of the above-mentioned side effects.