I read this recent article on another forum which was written by an EXTREMELY exp. AS consultant/user. I would really love to here ppl's opinion on this...
"Anti-Estrogens
The issue I wanted to raise however is another entirely, not directed at the benefits of estrogen, but rather the downside to using anti-estrogens, especially aromatase inhibitors. First of all, the immediate estrogenic risk is exaggerated to a great extent. A normal person will not experience gyno in doses of 750 mg of testosterone per week or less.
So in most cases, people start taking aromatase inhibitors simply as a matter of precaution, not because they need them. This is a behavioural pattern I want to warn against. It has come to my attention that people using aromatase inhibitors often experience MORE problems after use then before. People coming off a cycle, and at a time when estrogen levels are extremely low even, they begin developing gyno.
Or people who did not get gyno before, suddenly developing gyno when using a lower dose of product. Something I found quite odd. In the first case, I simply attributed it to there not being as much androgen, but that would hardly be the case in the second event. So I did some digging, and it appears that you are, in most cases, shooting yourself in the foot with the use of aromatase inhibitors.
First of all, estrogen increases are not linear. Its not because you have a given amount of estrogen with the use of 500 mg of testosterone, that that means you will automatically have 50% more estrogen if you use 750 mg. Studies show that high estrogen levels will downregulate aromatase so less estrogen is formed. And secondly, it appears that low estrogen levels may upregulate the estrogen receptor, making you more sensitive to estrogenic effects when estrogen levels increase again.
So whilst not needing estrogen control (except in very high doses) you are paying for an expensive and unneeded product, that only perpetuates the need of this same product, as it makes you more prone to estrogen related problems.
Mind you, that does not mean there is no need for estrogen control at all. But I would advise against the use of aromatase inhibitors and in favour of selective estrogen receptor modulators (like Clomid and Nolvadex). There is no way around these anyway, as they play a key role in post-cycle recovery, but also they do not lower estrogen levels and they still exhibit some activity at a number of receptors so they will not affect aromatase or the estrogen receptor to the same extent."
On the contrary. I would also caution against unneeded estrogen control without the care of a physician who can check if your estrogen levels are still high enough to be within physiological range at least.