Nolvadex or Arimidex?

[SallyAnne]

I have heard of women using one or the other as a anti-e for contest prep. Which is better?

[PJ BRAUN]

That depends on how much you like being a women. One is far stronger and works from a much different perspective!

[SallyAnne]

Explain, please.

[Sistersteel]

I have heard of women using one or the other as a anti-e for contest prep. Which is better?

Ms SallyAnne
Adex is not an anti E. It is an aromataze inhibitor. AIs decrease estrogen production in the body and prevent aromatization if you are running an aromatizing AAS. Nolvadex does not affect the body's natural estrogen production. It simply keeps it from binding to the receptors.

[SallyAnne]

In 2007, my trainer had me on Adex. Dave Palumbo told me to switch to Nolva because Adex was useless. I switched and was happy with the results. Is Adex an option for ladies? I guess I need to understand how they work better so that I can ask more intelligent questions. lol

Could you give me a 101 course on anti E's and aromataze inhibitors?

[SallyAnne]

I received an anonymous message about adex and nolva:

Nolvadex binds to existing estrogen and prevents it from binding with receptors. Its mild, but it really does the trick and its virtualy side effect free because you are still producing estrogen.

Arimidex on the other hand, shuts the bodies production of estrogen down completely, so you are simply left with an androgen based system. Not good for women because this is when strong virilization symptoms and masculine side effects kick in.

Arimidex is better for a male athlete who is consuming such a high level of androgens athat some have to convert into estrogen.

[NubianBeauty]

Ms SallyAnne
Adex is not an anti E. It is an aromataze inhibitor. AIs decrease estrogen production in the body and prevent aromatization if you are running an aromatizing AAS. Nolvadex does not affect the body's natural estrogen production. It simply keeps it from binding to the receptors.

Ditto! AI= Arimidex, Femara, Aromasin is also an aromatase inactivator (all name brands... not actual chem name) SERMS=Nolvadex, Evista. I prefer a combo of dex and nolva.

[NubianBeauty]

Sally I disagree with that explanation.

[SallyAnne]

OK - explain why.

[sassy69]

In women, you have to look at the sources of estrogen production. The primary one is the ovaries, with secondary coming from androgens produced by the adrenals, which convert to estrogen. A 3rd source could be aromatizing AAS like Test Prop, deca, etc.

In the body, an AI like arimidex is used to operate on androgens that convert (aromatize) to estrogen. So places this would happen naturally would be the adrenals and artificially from injected androgens (e.g. AAS).

So that's why guys would use Adex for any steroid that aromatizes to reduce the amount of resulting estrogen. But we also note that too much AI and their muscle growth is limited a bit because some estrogen is still needed to grow. For women, Adex would be useful if they are on an aromatizing steroid, or are post-menopausal when the predominant source of estrogen is that converted from adrenal-created androgens.

This is also supported by the breast cancer research that recommends Nolvadex as the protocol for pre-menopausal women and adex for post-menopausal. And for pre-menopausal women using Nolvadex, to switch over to Adex after 2 yrs on Nolva. The implied assumption is that after 2 yrs on Nolva, you've been pushed into early menopause and can now be treated like a post-menoapausal patient.

[NubianBeauty]

OK - explain why.

Was getting to it Had a phone call... a booty call! Leaving in a few.

Again SERMs (Selective estrogen receptor modulator) selectively inhibit or stimulate estrogen-like action in the body... most are either an agonist or antagonist but Nolva is both. It is active (agonist) in the bone, muscle, liver, uterus (yes can cause cancer), ovaries . It blocks E to the breast (it's intended purpose) by binding to the receptor w/o activating it.

Arimidex does not block E production in women because it does not have ANY effect on the ovaries. It is an inhibitor which prevents aromatization of androgens to E.... so stops the conversion when women are on AAS (Test) and in women who are post-meno since androgens (produce by adrenal glands) convert to E.

The reason I prefer to use both is because the sides kind of counterbalance any negative effects while still yielding the benefits.

[Sistersteel]

Great posts by sass and my girl NB. Right on ladies.

For the record. I do not run any aromatizing compounds anymore, I keep my prolactin in check with dostinex, I stick to progesterone based androgens that do not aromatize ...I'll throw in an adex/nolva combo to the mix with an oral and that is all I need to look better than I ever have in my life. Simple stupid.

[SallyAnne]

What dosage would you recommend? Does it depend on the cycle?


....and how long is a safe amount of time to run them?

[Sistersteel]

What dosage would you recommend? Does it depend on the cycle?


....and how long is a safe amount of time to run them?

SallyAnne
See the thing about dosages is they will vary significantly from one person to the next. Its not so much the dosages of the drugs as much as it is the synergistic effect achieved through the right combination. How you combine your drugs is far more important than how high you run them.

However, If you think about it, In any cycle, the dosages women use are entirely dependent on how much a woman is willing to put up with in terms of sides. "Safety" is placed on the back burner once we start stacking androgen upon androgen, especially if there is no rhyme or reason to the cocktail.

Typically, short estered compounds produce results in 8-10 weeks, whereas long esters produce results in 14-16 weeks. When you stack compounds, short esters are the way to go in case you need to bail on a cycle for whatever reason. And as you know, you should take as much time off as you've spent on..yada yada yada.

But how many of us really follow that protocol? Very few women will admit to the truth but, honesty is one of my biggest virtues, and if we are to support each other, we cannot be holding back answers for selfish reasons. Dishonest advice is a big reason there are fifty million opinions out there pertaining to women and not a single reliable source I would ever bet my health upon.

So the truth is that personally, I do not come off completely, ever. I run a bridge or a maintenance compound depending on what I am prepping for throughout the course of a season. Remember, I am not a competitive bodybuilder, so I do not have an "in" or an "offseason" persay the way most of you ladies do. I am always in season. I compete on 2 different circuits, train fulltime and make a living off the way I look.

I will run bloodwork regularly and so far, besides the increased hair growth and irregular periods, I am healthy as a horse. But, I am also aware of the fact that I cannot do this forever. I have plans of retiring from the industry in a few years and a carreer change plan is already in effect.

I will cycle certain compounds off and on. Receptors get saturated so time off is needed to clear them out or you are just spinning your wheels. I am actually very happy with the way I've been doing things. I love the way I look, I am strong as an ox, I have not been sick, had a fever or the flu in years. Everyone around me could be bedridden and I am right as rain. The only problem I have is bad tendonitis, which besides being a pain in the ass, is very manageable.

Just hope my honesty benefits my sisters.

SS

[tammyp]

anyone price arimidex? holy smokes!