HCG shut down....what's the purpose then

[fishing trip]

Ok. I tried to get my test levels up by taking 300ius of HCG every other day with 20 mgs nolva. Well, if HCG shuts down your natural test .....then how is that supposed to help jump start my natural levels back to where they should be. After it was all said and done, my blood work demonstrated lower levels then prior to the HCG attempt.

I had been off gear for 1 yr with test levels at 310ng before I tried the HCG and NOlva to raise try and get my balls to produce more naturally. Any knowledge on this would be great.

thanks bros,
Justin

Also, while on TRT, what is the purpose of taking HCG? Is it to simply maintain testicular size?

 

[fishing trip]

Bump

 

[Megazoid]

Can't offer any advice/help on this was the protocol i was going to attempt myself to get my nut size back and maybe better test levels. Did you regain nut size?

 

[van-man]

Ok, you're confused. HCG shuts down LH production, which in turn causes T to fall once HCG is removed from the equation. If you're testes are not atrophied, then HCG is completely pointless with regard to boosting natural production. You have to stay on nolvadex and let the LH levels build on their own.
All you succeeded in doing by using HCG is shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Megazoid]

I think it's because HCG causes "spikes" in T and thus confuses the HPTA and causes shutdown. Wouldn't running nolva keep your E2 down low while doing the HCG though? How long would you need to stay on nolva to resume natural t levels back?

 

[van-man]

HCG alone is enough to suppress natural LH production down to zero; 500iu can accomplish this. Even while taking 20mg of nolvadex Ed, which you should still do if you are attempting to recover natural production as it will help protect the HPTA from elevated estrogen. It doesn't spike T anywhere near the level that it would take to do what you suggest. I am a healthy male and with 2 weeks of HCG at 500iu Ed my T levels only climb to the mid 500's. No, HCG, being a synthetic LH is way more potent than the natural stuff. That is why it is so good for recovering from testicular atrophy, its like nitrous for your balls. And just like nitros, you can't run elevated levels of it for long. Short, modest bursts work best if you are going to use it over an extended period of time.

With regard to nolvadex, remember that it is only a receptor blocker. It does nothing to affect circulating estrogen levels. Rather it protects important parts of the body from the dangerous effects of estrogen by denying it access to the cell.
As far as using nolva to recover natural function. A person, who is able to recover, should be prepared to run no less than 6 weeks and a max of 16 weeks. the longer you are suppressed the slower the recovery. When the pituitary hasn't been shut down for long it will bounce back almost immediately, but when its been slumbering for quite sometime it seems to be slow to restart. (This is based on observations of people I know who've been through the restart process) A buddy of mine that is restarting after 2yrs of TRT is only coming back at half the rate I do on PCT. But he is recovering nonetheless.