Q: “How do I use Proviron (mesterolone) during steroid cycles, during PCT (post-cycle therapy), and between cycles?”
A: Proviron has no use for anabolic or recovery purposes. It does not aid in building muscle and does not aid in recovering LH production or testosterone production.
It’s an odd fact that it doesn’t aid in building muscle. It’s the only compound I know of which activates the androgen receptor yet is valueless in this regard. The reason probably is metabolic deactivation in muscle tissue.
What’s not odd is that it’s valueless for helping recovery of natural LH or of testosterone production. No anabolic steroid is able to provide assistance in these regards: instead their effect is generally inhibitory.
There’s disagreement as to whether Proviron simply doesn’t help recover natural hormone levels or whether it actually impedes recovery.
Its effect on LH is difficult to determine because any effect it may have on LH is at most moderate, but LH levels always vary greatly from moment-to-moment. So, if a measurement is a little lower when Proviron is used, is it because Proviron lowered LH, or because the blood draw happened to be at a trough value between blood peaks?
This is quite difficult to determine. One study about 40 or more years ago detected an inhibitory effect on LH levels from 50 mg Proviron per day. The reduction was statistically significant, but levels still averaged in the normal range. On the other hand, a number of scientific studies since have been unable to detect effect of Proviron on LH to statistical significance.
While that probably sounds like a contradiction, not detecting effect to statistical significance is different from detecting that there is no effect.
Unfortunately, authors typically write that there “was” no effect rather than put the matter accurately.
It’s fair to say from the total body of scientific evidence that any inhibitory effect of Proviron on LH production is at most modest. When fully recovered from a cycle, any inhibitory effect from occasional use is of no importance.
During PCT however, I’ve found that Proviron use makes a noticeable adverse difference on recovery, and I recommend against its use.
Proviron formerly had some use during cycles as a weak anti-estrogen, but today, using an anti-aromatase is a much better approach.
Where Proviron can provide a use is in the feeling of having good androgen levels, and in enhancing erectile performance in some instances. In terms of physical appearance, sometimes it can enhance apparent hardness or vascularity. I’ve never known anyone to use it for a photo shoot, but if I ever did one myself and had Proviron on hand, I’d use it.
It’s fine to use Proviron occasionally between cycles, if enjoying its use for any reason. There’s no exact needed dose, but for example 50 mg is a typical dose to take occasionally. There’s no harm to taking amount such as 100 or 150 mg, but there’s not necessarily further benefit from the larger dose. I would limit use to not more than a fraction of the time.
About the author
Bill Roberts is an internationally-recognized expert on anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). He received a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and completed the educational and research requirements for a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at a major American university.
Bill entered the nutritional supplement industry prior to completing his doctoral thesis but his education was invaluable so far as being able to design/improve nutritional supplement compounds, since it was in the field of designing drug molecules and secondarily some work in transdermal delivery.
His education was not specifically "geared" toward anabolic steroids other than expertise with pharmacological principles having broad applications. This has allowed Bill to provide unique insight into the field of anabolic pharmacology with knowledge of points which he would not have known otherwise.
bigrobbie says
Thanks for sharing that Bill. I think a good many younger AAS users don’t use it properly.
Thanks as always Bill:
Bigrobbie
Alan says
Sir,
I’m planning my sec cycle, my previous cycle I didn’t do a pct.
It is abt 8mths since my last cycle,
I was wondering would it be fine to go straight into my next cycle, or would I still need to do a pct protocol this late after my cycle?
Appreciate ur advice!