Overview
The speaker discusses the importance of maintaining proper androgen and estrogen levels during SARMs and gear cycles, explaining the concepts of "test base" and "androgen base," emphasizing stable blood levels and the risks of neglecting estrogen conversion.
Understanding SARMs and Hormonal Suppression
- SARMs do not convert to estrogen or DHT, leading to natural testosterone suppression without estrogen replacement.
- Suppressed natural testosterone results in low or no estrogen, which is crucial for muscle gain and healthy bodily functions.
- Prolonged or high-dose SARMs cycles can lead to estrogen deficiency, stalling progress around week 7 due to lack of estrogen.
- Estrogen is necessary for optimal gains; blasting aromatase inhibitors year-round leads to poor muscle growth despite appearance improvements.
The Role of Test Base in SARMs Cycles
- “Test base” refers to adding a compound that can convert to estrogen to maintain normal estrogen levels during SARMs cycles.
- Common exogenous estrogen sources include testosterone, D-bol, or topical/cream forms of prohormones, not just traditional gear.
- For cycles longer than seven weeks or higher dosages, adding a test base or an exogenous estrogen source is strongly recommended.
Androgen Base Concepts and Blood Level Stability
- “Androgen base” means maintaining a steady level of androgens in the system, not just one with estrogen conversion.
- Compounds with short half-lives (3–6 hours) need frequent dosing to avoid sharp spikes and crashes in androgen levels.
- Stable androgen levels prevent issues like fluctuating libido, side effects, and inconsistent gains.
- Long half-life androgens (e.g., LGD 4033, testosterone) are preferable as a base to ensure consistency.
Cycle Planning and Research
- Proper cycle planning requires understanding the half-life of each compound and how to dose or combine them for stable blood levels.
- If using short half-life androgens, ensure a steady base is present to avoid hormonal crashes.
- When running SARMs, assess if dosage and duration will lead to suppressed estrogen and prepare to supplement accordingly.
Recommendations / Advice
- Research compound half-lives and plan dosing schedules for consistent androgen and estrogen levels.
- Add a form of exogenous estrogen if natural testosterone (and thus estrogen) will be suppressed.
- Use a stable androgen base to avoid peak/trough hormone swings and associated side effects.