Nolvadex Side Effects
Nolvadex is very well tolerated by many people, especially men.
Nolvadex side effects in athletes and bodybuilders using male anabolic steroids are very rarely reported.
Most of the side effects associated with Nolvadex are found in female breast cancer patients, and most of the listed potential side effects are either not seen in men or are much more pronounced in women than in men.
This is because there are significant differences in the endocrine physiology of men and women, which causes the estrogen antagonist/agonist properties of Nolvadex to affect women very differently than men.
Because women naturally have higher levels of estrogen required for proper female physiologic function, the effects of Nolvadex side effects are much more widespread and pronounced than in men.
Nolvadex side effects in female breast cancer patients include hot flashes, vaginal itching, upset stomach, headaches, dizziness, bone and joint pain, and swelling.
Less common side effects in female breast cancer patients include changes in cholesterol, changes in white blood cell count, changes in platelet count, skin rash, endometrial changes, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism.
Most of the Nolvadex side effects listed above are not typically seen in male users, which make up almost all anabolic steroid users who use Nolvadex for any reason.
The myth that Nolvadex increases progesterone receptor sensitivity
It makes sense to address and dispel this commonly known myth in the Nolvadex side effects portion of this profile.
For a long time, there was a misconception in the anabolic steroid use community that Nolvadex upregulates progesterone receptors by binding to and activating progesterone receptors in breast tissue, thus increasing the likelihood of gynecomastia during the use of progestogenic 19-nor compounds (such as nandrolone and trenbolone, as well as the progestins themselves).
Subsequently, many people in the anabolic steroid use community have incorrectly or misleadingly advised people to avoid using Nolvadex while using nandrolone or trenbolone even if they develop gynecomastia.
Unfortunately, people did not investigate the origins of this myth and misconception, so they probably did not notice the error in their understanding.
It is well known and thoroughly covered in this profile that Nolvadex is a mixed estrogen receptor agonist/antagonist.
This is also true for the progesterone receptor.
Various studies have shown that Nolvadex can and does upregulate progesterone receptors in various tissues throughout the body, such as the endometrium (uterus) in women.
This is a commonly known and well-documented effect of Nolvadex on women.
This is because the endometrium is naturally very sensitive to estrogen, so the same thing happens when any substance that acts as an estrogen, such as Nolvadex, acts on that tissue.
This is the first part of the confusion about certain myths about Nolvadex side effects.
The second part of the misconception and myth is the fact that in breast tissue, Nolvadex acts as an estrogen antagonist, blocking estrogen receptors from binding to estrogen.
At this point, this should be common knowledge.
Progesterone receptors are actually upregulated in response to estrogen.
So when estrogen receptors in breast tissue are effectively blocked by Nolvadex, progesterone receptors are consequently downregulated.
The problem here is that this doesn't happen in cancer patients, but it does happen in healthy, normal people.
Thus, the origin of this myth stems from one particular study that demonstrated that Nolvadex causes upregulation of progesterone receptors in breast tissue from breast cancer patients [1].
The problem with this myth lies in the interpretation of the study.
In the aforementioned study, the subjects who experienced progesterone receptor upregulation were breast cancer patients, not healthy normal people (and not even male subjects).
The interaction of hormones and their receptors is significantly different in healthy individuals and breast cancer patients.
Cancer can cause abnormalities in the body that cause the body to begin to exhibit very strange behaviors and processes that are different (and sometimes the opposite) of normal human functioning, and this is a prime example.
If you develop gynecomastia as a result of progestogenic 19-nor use (such as Deca Durabolin or Tren), it is perfectly fine and in fact recommended to use Nolvadex to alleviate the condition.
Medical references
[1] Aromatase inhibitors: cellular and molecular effects. Miller WR, Anderson TJ, White S, Larionov A, Murray J, Evans D, Krause A, Dixon JM. 2005 May;95(1-5):83-9.
