Ostarine is usually labeled as a mild beginner SARM which many people interpret as a sign that you don’t need to do PCT for it.
That is not always the case, as there are people out there who get suppressed on really low amounts of SARMs simply because their body works in such a fashion.
Contrary to popular belief, Ostarine is suppressive of your Testosterone levels, but in most cases, a PCT will not be needed and you will recover naturally within a month.
This article will only briefly touch upon Ostarine, so if you want to know more about it, please check out my article on Ostarine.
PCT, Short Summary
When an exogenous source of Testosterone is introduced into the body, it reacts by stopping the production of Testosterone in your testes as there is plenty of it present.
The body always strives to maintain a proper balance of hormones, also known as homeostasis, and that’s why it reacts in such a way.
When endogenous production of Testosterone is stopped, your estrogen and progesterone levels rise.
Everything is good so long you’re taking the SARM or steroid in question, but once you stop, your body is left with excess estrogen and not enough Testosterone to mediate it.
This can lead to the appearance of a catabolic state, where you start losing your hard-earned muscle, gain fat, libido and energy levels drop significantly and you can even experience depression.
Gynecomastia is also a concern, but not as common as the items listed above.
Estrogen and Testosterone are not the only two hormones affected by this process, SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) and cortisol also experience a spike.
We all know that cortisol is bad for us, as it not only destroys our muscles but also affects our health in a negative way.
SHBG binds to Testosterone, transporting it and turning it into an inactive state.
That’s basically what happens once your cycle ends, and that’s why people came up with PCT to help alleviate the symptoms above.
PCT helps your body reach homeostasis much faster, as it restores the disbalance created in your HPA axis, which in return starts producing Testosterone again.
The Danger Of PCT
PCT is not without its poison, as SERMs – the compounds used for PCT – have side effects of their own.
The most common side effects of SERMs are as follows:
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Brain Fog
- Depression
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Mood Swings
- Chest Pain
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Hot Flashes
While you may not experience all of these side effects at once, some of them will be present and might interfere with your day-to-day life.
You should only take PCT when it is absolutely necessary, otherwise, you’re subjecting your body to unnecessary torture.
In the case of Ostarine, if your source is legit and if you stick to recommended dosages and cycle lengths, it is highly unlikely that you’ll need PCT for it.
Mind you, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be suppressed, just that the suppression itself won’t warrant the use of PCT.
What Is Ostarine, Short Summary
Ostarine, also known as MK-2866 and Enobosarm belongs to a class of drugs called selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs).
These drugs supposedly only affect the androgen receptors in your body, without influencing the inner workings of our other organs.
Ostarine has been proven to work and athletes in professional sports are forbidden to use it since it provides an unfair advantage.
The main benefits of Ostarine are:
- Increased Lean Muscle Mass
- Improved Lipid Profile
- Improved Bone Strength
- Increased Fat Loss
In one eight-week cycle with Ostarine, people usually lose up to 3 to 5% of their total body fat and they gain around five pounds of lean muscle mass. Your diet and exercise routines have to be on-point for these results to really happen.
Opposed to what is thought, Ostarine does have some side effects, the obvious one being Testosterone suppression, but it also has some other drawbacks such as:
- Headaches
- Hair Shedding
- Disturbed Sleep Pattern
- Liver Toxicity
As we can see, there is a balance to everything. Now that we have explored PCT and Ostarine, it’s time to answer the burning question of this article.
Does Ostarine Need A PCT
It’s impossible to answer this question without me having a look at your blood test. What is also important to consider is your cycle length, dosage taken, sex and previous experience with SARMs.
Generally speaking, you will not need to do PCT for Ostarine, but you will still feel the Testosterone suppression.
Your best bet is to stop questioning whether you need PCT or not and head over to the hospital and get a blood test done.
What do the studies say
Many people like to point to human trials made with Ostarine, claiming that they didn’t need to use PCT, so why should bodybuilders have to?
The truth is, these studies were mostly done in dosages ranging from 0,1mgs to 3mgs a day, which is a pittance compared to the dosages bodybuilders imbue.
I’ve heard of cases where people were taking up to 50mgs of Ostarine a day, not that I recommend it.
That’s why most studies don’t even mention Testosterone suppression or PCT, as the dosages were too low to really have such an effect on the body.
How To Know If You Need A PCT
The only surefire way of knowing whether you need PCT for Ostarine or not is to take a blood test and gouge your Testosterone levels, SHBG, FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone).
If these four hormones are only partially impaired and if you don’t feel the side effects of suppression that much, you don’t have to do PCT.
But if any of these four hormones are out of whack, you should seriously consider doing a PCT cycle, even if you feel fine.
Moods can change in a heartbeat during suppression and I’ve personally seen bodybuilders go from being fine to feeling terrible in just a day.
No PCT Ostarine Cycle Examples
I will show you some cycles with Ostarine that make it very likely that you won’t need PCT for them. I’ve tested them out myself, on my own body, and the results have been satisfactory.
You can do three types of cycles with Ostarine, those being:
- Bulking Cycle
- Cutting & Fat Burning Cycle
- Body Recomposition Cycle
A cycle usually lasts for eight weeks and that should be the maximum amount of time you use any SARM out there, even if they are as mild as Ostarine.
Some people take it for ten or twelve weeks, but they are only doing their body a disservice and dangerously increasing their chances of experiencing a Testosterone shutdown.
With that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the three cycles above.
Bulking Cycle
While Ostarine is usually not taken during a bulk, in rare instances, it can be used to potentiate muscle gain and burn fat even as you gain weight.
Your dosage should be 15mgs a day used for eight weeks in total. Women should take half of that dosage if they’re after a bulk with Ostarine.
Cutting & Fat Burning Cycle
During a cut with Ostarine, you’ll be able to preserve most of your muscle mass while still losing fat. You don’t need more than 10mgs of Ostarine per day for the job, and women will accomplish similar results with just 5mgs a day.
Body Recomposition Cycle
When you body recomp, your goal is to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. While this might be a bit difficult to accomplish, Ostarine helps you with that task.
You should take 20mgs of Ostarine per day for eight weeks. Females are advised to only take 10mgs a day.
How To Do A PCT For Ostarine
Two compounds spring to mind when it comes to doing a PCT for Ostarine, those being Nolvadex and Clomid. The latter might be a bit too strong for Ostarine, so I recommend you do your PCT with Nolvadex.
do your PCT with Nolvadex.
Since Clomid is stronger than Nolvadex, it also has more side effects, that’s why we’re opting for Nolvadex in this case.
PCT For Ostarine Under 25mg A Day
Here is a table exemplifying what a PCT for Ostarine should look like if you’ve taken under 25mgs a day:
It’s very unlikely that you’ll need PCT for Ostarine under 25mgs a day, but still, if your blood test looks bad, don’t be shy to do a PCT protocol.
At the end of the day, only you can determine whether you really need PCT or not.
PCT For Ostarine Over 25mg A Day
The table below will show you what to do if you’ve consumed more than 25mgs of Ostarine per day:
It’s very likely that you’ll feel quite suppressed if you’re imbuing more than 25mgs of Ostarine per day. I would personally never consume so much, but if you have to, please follow the numbers in the table accordingly and do a four-week PCT with Nolvadex.
Conclusion
It’s pretty hard to write an article advising people whether they should take PCT for Ostarine or not.
The reason behind that is because each body is different and we all experience suppression in our own subjective way.
The best thing to do is to take a blood test before, during and after your cycle with Ostarine. That’s the most surefire way of gauging whether you need PCT.
Remember to not extend your cycle beyond eight weeks and to try and keep doses below 25mgs a day, for your own sake.
