I hope this sheds some light on the differences between Clomid and HCG. It is designed to be easy to read for the starting point for beginning researchers.
Difference between HCG and Clomid.
Clomid:
Clomid is a synthetic estrogen. Its legal medical use is to be prescribed to woman to induce ovulation.
Why body builders use it after AS use:
Clomid stimulates the hypophysis to release more gonadotropin so that a faster and higher release of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone occurs. This results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production.
Ok, this is important. To make things simple, clomid triggers one thing to trigger another that leads to an increase in the bodies own testosterone production.
The most effective way to administer Clomid as post cycle therapy.
Clomid has a long half-life and as such there is no need to split up doses throughout the day. However, it is wise to split up the dosage on the first day of administering Clomid (300mgs on day 1. After the first day it should be used 100mgs for 10 days and then followed by 50mgs for 10 days. Sometimes its use can be longer than 21 days, but this is dependent on the length of AS use. Anywhere from 8-18 weeks and this rule of thumb should be adequate, given the degree of complexity of the cycle.
Day 1 300mg (split evenly throughout the day)
Day 2-11 100mg each day
Day 3-21 50mg each day
Common side effects when using Clomid:
During the use of clomid, some of the most common reported side effects are: emotional distress/instability, acne breakout, and blurred vision.
However, the acne breakout cannot be directly attributable to the clomid use. It may or not be a late reaction to the use of AS.
Blurred vision and emotional distress/instability does not occur in all subjects. I did not experience any of the three listed side effects. Just like use of AS, it depends on the individual and you must see how the body will react.
Not all Steroids shut down the HPTA.
So why use clomid? Everyone is different and as I said above, you need to take into account the duration and dosages you have been using a certain steroid in order to determine if you need clomid or not. In all honesty, it’s a cheap precautionary step, so why not take the step?
HCG:
A natural protein hormone that is developed in the placenta of a pregnant woman.
Its medical use is administered in women in inject-able form and allows for ovulation since it influences the last stages of the development of the ovum. In a man HCG stimulates production of androgenic hormones (testosterone).
Why body builders us HCG:
HCG causes a quick and significant increase of the endogenic plasma- testosterone level. HCG does stimulate endogenous testosterone production, and stimulates the testicles to produce testosterone. However, unfortunately, it does not help in reestablishing the normal hypothalamic/pituitary testicular axis. The hypothalamus and pituitary are still in a refractory state after prolonged steroid usage, and remain this way while HCG is being used. This is because the exogenous testosterone the body produces from the exogenous HCG still represses the endogenous luteinizing hormone production. Once the HCG is discontinued, the athlete must still go through a re-adjustment period.
Ok, this is important. To make things simple, HCG directly makes the body produce testosterone.
When to administer HCG?
There are two ways to administer HCG. During cycle or post cycle.
The benefit, and in my eyes the biggest benefit, of administering HCG during cycle is to prevent the atrophy of the testicles. Atrophy of the testicles can result from prolonged uses of heavy doses of anabolic steroids. During the administration of HCG during cycle, usually mid way, or at two-week intervals for several intervals in long run cycles, a subject will notice a surge of testosterone. These surges may result in significant strength and muscle gains during the intervals of administration.
Using HCG post cycle is tricky. Since we know the body will still enter a re-adjustment period afterwards, or a crash, it doesn’t seem like a good compound to use as therapy. It does have its place however. In certain cycles, usually long ran cycles at high doses using harsh compounds it can be administered after the cycles end but before the use of clomid.
Just a little piece of info: HCG should be injected intramuscularly. It can be injected, as some do, subq. Using an insulin needle this form of injection is much easier to measure out.
(addition by LuvMyRoids
Doses of HCG
Smaller doses, more frequently during a cycle will give best overall results with least unwanted side effects. Somewhere between 500iu and 1000iu per day would be best over about a two-week period. These doses are sufficient to avoid/rectify testicular atrophy without increasing estrogen levels too dramatically and risking gynecomastia. This dosing schedule also avoids the risk of permanently down-regulating the LH receptors in the testes.
Presentation and Administration of HCG
Synthetic HCG is often known as Pregnyl (generic name) and is available in 2500iu and 5000iu (not ideal for the above doses!). Administration of the compound is either by intra-muscular or subcutaneous injection. It comes as a powder which needs to be mixed with the sterile water. The powder is temperature-sensitive prior to mixing and should not be exposed to direct heat. After mixing, it should be kept refrigerated and used within a few weeks - though there are sterility issues which need to be considered after mixing.
(end addition)
Clomid V HCG.
We simplify our view on the two compounds to give a general comparison.
Clomid would be a compound that teaches or helps heal the body into a state of regularity. HCG would be a compound that acts like a crutch, from which you sill must learn to walk again.
Both are important compounds, but AS users must know when to use them, and how to use the.
Disclaimer-ish:
I want to note that what I have written here will be constantly revised and updated. What I have written is not law. It is a starting point for understanding the differences between Clomid and HCG.
I was a 20 year old college student when I wrote this.
May this be of some help to beginners.[COLOR=DarkOrange]
Doc