Yeah, they work - but with their use comes their own intrinsic toxicity.
Its just not necessary to use a SERM for every cycle because different compounds produce a varying level of serum gonadotropin suppression. Take something like MENT and you'll obviously want to use a SERM because of how profoundly it shuts you down, but something like 11-oxo? It just isnt worth the stress to your body to use one when you're barely suppressed coming off.
The old mantra "better safe than sorry" is a good one, but a little common sense should dictate when erring to the side of caution is really just being a hypochondriac.
In all clinical settings anyway the HPTA typically spontaneously corrects itself, PCT is just an expedited process.
I get there is some toxicity issues and side effects that come along with SERM use. But if your smart where you buy, how you dose, and the rest of your PCT you can keep these things limited to as much as possible. But the fact that SERM use has shown its quick and effective at restoring your bodies HPTA you have a better chance at keeping your gains this way in my opinion. Your test production will come back with some nattytestbooster but at what cost is all i'm saying. There is no proven OTC method that has shown to work over and over again like a SERM.
Yes you could go by the fact SD, Boladrol and other harsh compounds need SERMS and other PH's like 11-oxo and such don't need it. But even then most people run Andro Series for 8 weeks to see the gains and i don't think OTC PCT is necessarily going to work. Cause you suppressed yourself for a good amount of time so why not get things going as soon as possible. Plus lots of people run SD at 4 weeks just cause its only 4 weeks doesn't mean you shouldn't look into things like hCG and SERM use.
I get better safe than sorry could be a bit paranoid or presumed as a hypochondriac but with all the "Help i think i have gyno" threads there are if the person would of done due diligence instead of listening to some person preaching how great OTC PCT is and got a SERM he wouldn't be in that mess. Even if you just had it on hand.