Nolvadex Dosage
Nolvadex is probably the most popular anti-estrogen due to the fact that it was the first anti-estrogen developed almost 50 years ago, and the fact that it is very effective at blocking the action of estrogen in targeted tissues such as breast tissue (and the hypothalamus).
Because Nolvadex has been around for so long, there is literally an almost infinite amount of clinical data in the form of easily accessible studies (too many to list here), which has allowed Nolvadex to stand tall as a tried and true drug.
Since Nolvadex is a very potent SERM to begin with, the dosage itself doesn't have to be overly high for the compound to do its job in the body.
In one study, 10 adolescents who developed pubertal gynecomastia were given 20 to 40 mg of Nolvadex for 2 to 12 months and found that most of the subjects completely eliminated their gynecomastia, with only two retaining a small amount of adipose tissue development [1].
The two individuals who retained a small amount of gynecomastia were likely individuals who had developed gynecomastia beyond the reversible stage, which is indeed possible.
Even at the standard dose range of Nolvadex, it is very clear that Nolvadex is a very potent estrogen blocking compound in breast tissue.
Nolvadex can be beneficial in anabolic steroid use for athletes and bodybuilders who do not want a decrease in estrogen levels and instead want to block the effects of estrogen in certain tissues.
It is a well-known fact that estrogen plays a key role in proper bone strength, immune system function, central nervous system function, and perhaps one of the most important functions, the positive regulation of cholesterol levels.
For athletes and bodybuilders in particular, estrogen is also crucial for proper muscle growth.
For this reason, lowering estrogen levels with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) may be unnecessary if estrogen is not completely necessary.
Therefore, the logical choice is to use a SERM.
Nolvadex doses, when used properly, are extremely beneficial in that they also increase endogenous production of LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), two important gonadotropins that signal the testes to start producing testosterone.
We will cover this in more detail shortly when we describe its use during PCT.
Before we get into the details, an important caution to the reader is in order:
The use of SERMs or anti-estrogens should only be used when absolutely necessary, and should be discontinued as soon as the requirement for their use (such as gynecomastia or lack of androgen production) disappears.
Medical Nolvadex Doses
As previously discussed in the introduction to this profile, Nolvadex (tamoxifen) is currently used in the medical community for the treatment of six different breast cancer indications.
- Treatment of estrogen-driven and estrogen-promoted breast cancer in women during the period following surgery and/or radiation therapy.
- Treatment of breast cancer in women whose cancer has persisted in only one (contralateral) breast despite surgery and/or radiation therapy
- Treatment of breast cancer in women whose cancer has spread or developed into the milk ducts of the breast (known as ductal carcinoma in situ - DCIS)
- Preventive measures in women who do not have breast cancer but are known to be at high risk due to genetic factors.
The commonly prescribed Nolvadex dosage for these conditions is a standard dose of 10 to 20 mg twice daily (preferably in the morning and evening).
Nolvadex dosage during anabolic steroid use
Notably, Nolvadex cannot be categorized into three user tiers (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) as is commonly described and listed in general profiles for other compounds and drugs.
This is due to the fact that Nolvadex is not specifically used for performance enhancement purposes, but rather as an ancillary drug used to prevent or mitigate various estrogen-related side effects when aromatizing anabolic steroids are used.
In many cases, Nolvadex can be used to increase endogenous testosterone secretion in men, and the compound can be used as an ancillary drug during the post cycle therapy (PCT) phase at the end of an anabolic steroid cycle, but its use alone for this purpose is uncommon and is unlikely to produce any noticeable performance enhancing effects.
For gynecomastia prevention/reduction during a cycle: Nolvadex is commonly used to prevent the development of gynecomastia during an anabolic steroid cycle using aromatizing anabolic steroids, or as a blocking medication shortly after the onset of gynecomastia.
For both conditions, the Nolvadex dosage is the same, ranging from 10 to 30 mg daily during an anabolic steroid cycle, but the most common standard is 20 mg daily.
It is important to note that using Nolvadex in higher doses than 20 to 40 mg daily will not result in faster or greater relief of gynecomastia as is commonly believed.
Increasing your Nolvadex dose beyond the aforementioned levels will only result in wasting excess Nolvadex.
It is very important to clarify to the reader that the use of Nolvadex can negatively impact performance, muscle and strength gains during an anabolic steroid cycle.
This is because Nolvadex has been proven to reduce the body's serum levels of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), which is known to be a very important mediator of muscle growth responsible for increased nitrogen retention, protein synthesis, and new muscle cell growth (proliferation).
In one particular study, breast cancer patients taking 20 to 30 mg per day of Nolvadex experienced a 31% decrease in plasma IGF-1 levels (14.8 nanomoles at baseline and 10.2 nanomoles post-dose) [2].
Furthermore, a later study demonstrated a significant reduction in IGF-1 with Nolvadex use, this time when subjects were given testosterone alone without Nolvadex.
The same procedure was then completed with the difference that Nolvadex was included.
These studies are much more applicable to anabolic steroid users than the study on breast cancer patients.
In that study, testosterone alone at 250 mg per month increased plasma IGF-1 levels by 22%, but when Nolvadex was added to testosterone at 20 mg per day, the subjects' plasma IGF-1 levels decreased by 30% [3].
The conclusion is that Nolvadex has a detrimental effect on muscle growth by reducing plasma levels of important hormones (such as IGF-1 and human growth hormone) that are necessary for muscle growth.
Therefore, it is recommended that Nolvadex be administered only for as long as necessary for any reason (PCT or gynecomastia control/reduction).
While short term administration of Nolvadex will not have dramatic effects, long term administration can actually have a negative impact on muscle growth and athletic performance.
Female Nolvadex Dosage
Female anabolic steroid users should not have any requirements for Nolvadex use as breast tissue growth (gynecomastia) is not typically a problem among female athletes.
As discussed above, female breast cancer patients are the only other users of Nolvadex.
Nolvadex Dosage for Increased Endogenous Testosterone Secretion and Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)
The effects of Nolvadex dosage on endogenous testosterone production in men are well documented and quite profound.
This occurs through Nolvadex's estrogen antagonizing effects on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, resulting in a significant release of FSH and LH (the two hormones that signal the testes to begin or increase production and secretion of testosterone).
For this reason, Nolvadex and its close relative Clomid are considered absolutely essential ingredients in PCT programs aimed at hormonal recovery after an anabolic steroid cycle has ended.
In fact, Nolvadex has proven to be a much more effective compound than the more commonly used clomid, and bodybuilders and athletes are increasingly recognizing this fact.
While nearly all studies involving men have shown an increase in testosterone secretion after taking Nolvadex, there is one study that stands out in particular.
In this particular study, normal healthy men were given 20mg of Nolvadex daily for 10 days and saw a 150% increase in testosterone levels, which was equivalent to 150mg of Clomid[4].
The study also noted that clomid actually decreased luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), something that Nolvadex did not do in the aforementioned study and actually served to increase the body's sensitivity to LHRH.
When choosing between Nolvadex and Clomid for the purpose of testosterone stimulation, Nolvadex should be the preferred agent of the two.
Therefore, Nolvadex is an excellent choice not only for the purpose of stimulating endogenous testosterone secretion, but also for gynecomastia relief.
The standard dose for stimulating the release of PCT and GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone), LH, FSH, and ultimately testosterone is a simple Nolvadex dosage of 20 to 40 mg daily.
All studies involving Nolvadex doses to stimulate endogenous testosterone production have used only 20-40 mg of Nolvadex daily, and in fact, doubling the dose to 40 mg or more has been shown to have no significant difference in endogenous testosterone secretion.
The only reason many people use 40mg of Nolvadex daily for the first two weeks of a PCT program is to achieve optimal peak plasma levels more quickly so that HPTA can recover more quickly.
One final note of caution regarding the use of nolvadex during PCT is that using the aromatase inhibitors letrozole and arimidex with nolvadex can cause negative drug interactions where the two drugs directly cancel each other out.
This can occur when Arimidex and Nolvadex are used together or when Letrozole and Nolvadex are used together.
One study showed that when letrozole or arimidex is used with nolvadex, nolvadex decreases plasma concentrations of not only letrozole but also arimidex [5].
This problem is not seen with aromasin (Exemestane).
Therefore, if you wish to include the use of an aromatase inhibitor in your PCT protocol, aromasin (Exemestane) should be the only ideal AI to choose in combination with nolvadex.
Proper dosing and timing of Nolvadex
There are no special considerations regarding the administration of Nolvadex.
It can be taken before, during, or after meals.
It can also be taken in the morning or at night.
Because Nolvadex has a long half-life of 5-7 days, it is recommended that you take the full dose in one sitting rather than spreading it out over the course of the day (although there are some reports that the half-life has been extended to 14 days).
Expectations and Results of Taking Nolvadex
Nolvadex is an excellent solution to the problem of gynecomastia, either as a prevention or as a treatment for early onset gynecomastia.
It also acts as an impressive stimulator of endogenous testosterone production, making it ideal for proper hormonal recovery after an anabolic steroid cycle has ended.
Medical references
[1] Treatment of pubertal pronounced gynecomastia with tamoxifen. J Clin Endocrinol. 1987 Nov-Dec;199(6):389-91.
[2] Effects of tamoxifen, aminoglutethimide, and goserelin on human plasma IGF-I levels in breast cancer patients. Lien EA, Johannesen DC, Akbarg A, Löning PE. 1992 Mar;41(3-8):541-3.
[3] Activation of the somatotropic axis by testosterone in adult males: evidence for a role for aromatization. Weissberger AJ, Ho KK. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993 Jun;76(6):1407-12.
[4] Hormonal effects of the antiestrogen tamoxifen in normal and processor men. Vermeulen A, Comhaire F. Fertil Steril. 1978 Mar;29(3):320-7.
[5] Comparative clinical pharmacology and pharmacokinetic interactions of aromatase inhibitors. 2001 Dec;79(1-5):85-91, Boeddinghaus IM, Dowsett M. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol.
