But what if formeron or something similar is used in conjunction to Clomid, wouldn't that help to keep the estrogen on the lower end?
EPISTANE CYCLE
Popular anabolic designer steroid(s) Havoc and Epistane were simultaneously brought to market by Recomp Performance Nutrition and Innovative Body Enhancement respectively in 2007. Epistane and Havoc have remained one of the most popular compounds available on the market due to it’s reputation as a dry compound that produces lean body mass and gains that are relatively easy to maintain post cycle, with minimal to moderate sides depending on the user. Both Havoc (2a,3a-epithio-17a-methyl-5a-androstan-17b-ol) and Epistane (2a,3a-epithio-17a-methyl-etioallocholan-17b-ol) are essentially identical, are interchangeable and will produce similar/identical gains, throughout this article we will refer to them as Epi-Havoc. It is not recommended that users without prior designer steroid or pro-hormone experience select Epi-Havoc as their first cycle, users should have at least one cycle under their belt prior to going with an Epistane or Havoc cycle.
Another documented benefit in *some* users is it’s ability to reduce existing cases of gynecomastia (or male breast tissue), this is due to it’s noted effect of depleting estrogen cells which can cause apoptosis in breast tissue (effectively reducing gyno), more on this later.
Maintaining Health
Both Epistane and Havoc are both oral based designer steroids that are processed by the liver, as such they’re methylated compounds thus put additional strain on our bodies liver. Like many other compounds on the market Epi-Havoc can have a negative impact on blood pressure, lipid values, cholesterol levels and will put stress on the bodies endocrine system, there is also additional side effects (discussed shortly) that can also present themselves, however in most cases they’re typically minor and a slight inconvenience. Luckily through proper planning and supplementation we can help our bodies protect our livers, lipid values, cholesterol levels and help control adverse blood pressure effects, these are all well documented side effects in just about every compound on the market, therefore supplement companies have been making “all-in-one” cycle protection products that work to prevent these side effects or reduce their magnitude. Therefore ANYONE running Epistane or Havoc, is required to supplement with one of the following products throughout the entire duration of the cycle.
Anabolic Innovations – Cycle Support (Powder)
Anabolic Innovations – Life Support (Capsules)
Competitive Edge Labs – Cycle Assist (Capsules)
Either of the three are suitable choices, cost should be the deciding factor or whether you prefer capsules or powder. A general rule of thumb is to pre-load either of the products two weeks prior to beginning your cycle and continue to use throughout the entire cycle from start to finish, buy accordingly so you have enough on hand. These products will assist your body with maintaining healthy blood pressure, prostate health, liver function and lipid profile by utilizing popular herbs such as Hawthorn Berry (BP), NAC (liver), Milk Thistle (liver), Saw Palmetto (prostate) among others. Please follow the manufactures recommended dosage (as per bottle) as it’s the dosage known to work best.
For Epistane/Havoc cycles we also recommend running Himalaya LiverCare (Liv.52) as it will provide strong liver protection in conjunction with one of the products listed above, additionally Himalaya LiverCare is a steal at under $20, for an Epi-Havoc cycle 1-2 capsules per day will suffice. LiverCare (Liv.52) should be started one week before cycle and continued throughout the entire duration (however can be stopped the first day of PCT for Epistane/Havoc cycles).
Dosing
For first time Epi-Havoc users it’s recommended to begin with 30mg and then slowly work it up to 40mg which is considered to be Epi-Havocs “sweet spot”. More experienced users with more advanced past pro-hormone or designer steroid usage can experiment with dosages to around 60mg, however the added benefit may be negligible compared to the added sides/risk at high dosages.
The majority of users typically begin to experience the effects of Epi-Havoc within 10 to 20 days, depending on the user,the most common Epi-Havoc cycles are typically 4-5 weeks in length, however users with more advanced experience can run cycles in upwards of 6 weeks. Many consider 5 weeks to be the ideal length for an Epistane or Havoc cycle, however 4 weeks will certainly suffice for many. It is not recommended to run Epi-Havoc any longer than 6 weeks, as a methylated compound, significant strain is placed on the liver and over extended cycles can cause possible negative health side effects.
Epi-Havoc have an average half life and should have it’s dosages split, ideally with one dosage in the morning, one after lunch and one around dinner time. On workout days it’s advisable to take a dosage roughly one hour prior to starting your lifting session, it’s also advisable to avoid taking a dosage close to bed time as it can alter sleep patterns.
It’s also been stipulated that Epistane and Havoc both have a very short shelf life, it’s been said that Epi-Havoc will begin to loose it’s potency after six months of storage, therefore users buying in advance should plan accordingly, storing in a vacuum sealed apparatus may also extend shelf life.
Common Side Effects
The occurrence rate of side effects while using Epi-Havoc would be from mild to moderate, however they’re completely user unique, some users may not experience any side effects, while other users will experience a combination of sides. It should be noted that the majority of these side effects are simply of inconvenience more so than a possible health affecting issue and for the most part can be resolved through simple supplementation, take sometime to read our article on combating side effects.
Decreased Libido/Sexual Function
Patterned Acne
Hair Thinning/Shedding (Especially those prone to hair loss)
Increased hair growth
Puffy / Sensitive Nipples
Sore/Aching Joints
Back Pumps (Dull pain in back after/during workouts)
Increased aggression, head aches, lethargy and various other sides can happen however aren’t terribly common.
It should be noted that due to Epistane/Havocs estrogen regulation, sore/aching joints is typically very common and we recommend users supplement from the get-go to avoid this, please read our combating side effects article for supplement suggestions for this.
Typical Results
Results will vary based upon the dosage, experience, diet and many other factors, in general Epistane and Havoc both provide excellent lean body mass gains and in many cases a reduction in body fat, as a compound it makes for a great cutter or recomp (gain muscle, lose fat simultaneously), it can also be used as part of a bulking diet, however isn’t as common. Below assumes you’re running a 5 week cycle and are on a clean diet, above maintenance. Those cutting may experience lower strength and size gains, but will be able to retain muscle while quickly losing fat.
When used in a bulking diet, gains can range from 10-15+lbs on a 5 week cycle at 40mg.
When used in a recomp diet, gains can range from 7-10lbs on a 5 week cycle at 40mg, while also possibly reducing body fat 1-3%.
When used in a cutting diet, gains can range from 4-6lbs on a 5 week cycle at 40mg, while also possibly reducing body fat 2-4%.
It should be noted that the effectiveness of this compound seems to vary greatly by user, some users don’t respond to havoc or epistane, the ratio of non-responders on Epi-Havoc compared to other compounds is significantly higher. The ‘gain’ ranges above are considered normal, however some users have reported gains in upwards of 20lbs and some users may not experience many noticeable gains at all.
Post Cycle Therapy
Possibly the most important item on the menu is post cycle therapy, when taking a foreign substance (Epistane/Havoc) that creates testosterone your body begins to shut down it’s normal production, when you stop taking a pro-hormone or steroid compound your body needs a way to jump start it’s own natural production again, while limiting endocrine system stress, this is why we need post cycle therapy. It’s not just as simple as that however, when coming off of a compound your body goes through a very stressful phase as your hormones are out of balance, failure to mitigate these imbalances can result in a unique set of side effects not related to the Epi-Havoc compound. Below is just a *few* of the noted side effects of an improper post cycle therapy regiment, it should also be noted that the occurrence of side effects in the post cycle stage is more common than the “on-cycle” phase, however a properly planned post cycle therapy regiment can mitigate these risks.
Gynecomastia (or Man Boobs)
Anxiety/Depression (Can range mild to severe)
Body Aches/Pains (Can range mild to severe)
Impotence and other sexual function side effects.
Loss of gains made on cycle.
As you can see, these are side affects we definitely want to avoid at all costs, so let’s start discussing a proper Epistane/Havoc PCT (Post Cycle Therapy).
Post Cycle General: You should begin your PCT regiment immediately after your pro-hormmone or designer steroid cycle, it should begin the day after your last dosage of Epi-Havoc. PCT regiments are tpyically 4-6 weeks depending on the type of compound being used, user and type of PCT. As noted in the previous section under “Maintaining Health”, you should continue to use Life Support, Cycle Assist or Cycle Support throughout your entire cycle, INCLUDING your PCT regiment.
Boost Natural Testosterone Production.
Regulate Estrogen.
Restore HPTA function.
Reducing SHBG.
Control Cortisol Effects.
Over The Counter: An OTC (Over The Counter) post cycle therapy regiment is simply that, a PCT that consists with strictly over the counter products that can be bought at major supplement outlets such as BodyBuilding.com or stores such as Vitamin shoppe or GNC. The following is just an example PCT, you can interchange other similar products if you have a preference.
Competitive Edge Labs – PCT Assist. An ALL purpose PCT product that will help boost testosterone production, help balance hormones and assist with estrogen regulation.
iForce Nutrition – Reversitol. An effective Estrogen Regulator and Testosterone Booster.
Driven Sports – Lean Xtreme. One of the most popular and proven products that control the effects of Cortisol.
When using an over the counter PCT for this compound, it’s recommended to run a 6-week PCT regiment, assuming you were using the products above, here is how you would schedule your PCT.
Week 1 PCT Assist, Lean Xtreme. | Week 1-5 PCT Assist, Reversitol, Lean Xtreme | Week 5-6 Reversitol
For PCT Assist & Lean Xtreme, follow the manufacturers recommended dosage. The first two weeks of Reversitol should be ran at 3 capsules per day, the following two weeks 2 capsules per day and the final week one capsule per day. It should be noted that for Epistane/Havoc it’s heavily recommended to go with a Research Drug based PCT.
Research Drugs: The MOST effective PCT regiment is one that includes a prescription/research drug, however some users prefer not to go this route, you may be asking why would someone go another route if this is the most proven and effective PCT method. There’s various reasons but one to point out is that these drugs aren’t technically available without a prescription, these are also very powerful drugs that can also have their own side effects, notice that I say they aren’t “technically” available that’s because they can be purchased online at research drug sites, I won’t provide you with any links, if you chose to go this route googling for these sites will won’t take you long. 1. Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate). Comes in Liquid or Pill form.
3. Optional (But recommended): Driven Sports Lean Xtreme It’s recommended that Users with deep pockets can also add in a natural testosterone booster such as S.A.N. MyoTEST, in the event you go this route, it would be best to run a test booster starting week two through week six. Below is an example PCT when using a research drug (such as Nolvadex aka Tamoxifen Citrate, as we are in this case). Week 1-2 Nolvadex 20mg, Lean Xtreme (3 caps) | Week 2-4 Nolvadex 10mg, Lean Xtreme (3 caps)
Example Cycle
Cycle Example
This is an example cycle from start to finish to give you an idea how it should look, assumes you’re going with a prescription drug for PCT. From start to finish our properly designed cycle will take approximately 11 weeks total.
Week 1-2: Pre-load Cycle Support, Cycle Assist or Life Support @ Bottle Recommended dosages.
Week 2-3: Cycle/Life Support | Havoc / Epistane 30mg
Week 3-7: Cycle/Life Support | Havoc / Epistane 40mg
Week 7-9: Cycle/Life Support | Nolvadex 20mg | Lean Xtreme.
Week 9-11: Cycle/Life Support | Nolvadex 10mg | Lean Xtreme
