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So you’re ready for some powerful gear, Tren or Deca? Here’s a little reminder before you start your cycle: those compounds, like all 19-nor’s, can dramatically raise your prolactin levels. And it’s not something you can just ignore.
What are 19-nor’s?
Starting with the basics. 19-nor’s are a class of steroids that are based not on Testosterone, but on 19-nortestosterone (Nandrolone). They’re low on androgenic side effects and are extremely anabolic (that’s why we take them in the first place — those are powerful bulkers).
The list of most common and popular 19-nor’s includes:
- Deca Durabolin (Nandrolone Decanoate);
- NPP (Nandrolone Phenylpropionate);
- Trenbolone Acetate (Fina);
- Trenbolone Enanthate;
- Trestolone (MENT).
Yes, all the most powerful steroids out there are 19-nor’s, with rare exceptions (like Superdrol). And they ALL raise prolactin.
What is Prolactin?
In short, prolactin is the hormone responsible for lactation and the development of mammary glands in women. Apart from breast milk, it’s responsible for about 300 more functions in the body. While having SOME prolactin is OK, high levels of it are in now way a good thing for you as a male bodybuilder. High prolactin means:
- Gynecomastia (man boobs);
- Lactation (leaky nips, with small quantities of literal breast milk);
- More body fat (prolactin levels define the amount of fat tissue you have);
- Low or non-existent libido;
- Erectile dysfunction;
- Male pattern baldness.
High prolactin is something you 100% want to avoid. But what should you do if high prolactin is an inevitable side effect of the most powerful bulkers on the market?
Many Ways to Counter High Prolactin
You have multiple options for prolactin control. To avoid the side effects mentioned above, you can use:
- Vitamin B6;
- Pramipexole (aka Prami);
- Bromocriptine;
- Cabergoline.
Here they are one by one, and what you should know about them.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is considered the weakest part of the list, it’s more of a supplement to help you lower the prolactin levels, not eliminate it completely. You can run it alongside any of the other options, but it’s not quite effective as a stand-alone substance.
Also, you need to pay attention to the label: not all versions of B6 are effective, you need the P-5-P one (Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate).
Pramipexole (aka Prami or Mirapex)
It’s a dopamine agonist, and a powerful one, quite effective in lowering prolactin and preventing lactation. However, it’s also one of the weirdest drugs out there in terms of side effects.
- You get the wildest dreams on it at night;
- You fall asleep like a baby, in a moment;
- You get twice as vivid orgasms in comparison with natural sensations.
Interesting? Yes, but only if you take it right.
If you don’t:
- You will wake up in the middle of the night for no reason, forget about proper rest;
- You will get nausea and dizziness;
- And you will get extreme hot flashes throughout the day that can last for hours.
In addition, Pramipexole is literally addictive, more so than cigarettes, as some athletes say. And you get crazy withdrawal syndrome if you just stop taking it.
You need to gradually raise the dose over the course of a few weeks to get to your sweet spot (it’s a recommendation we provide for all compounds, but Pramipexole is a bit different, you just can’t start at a high dose and expect it to work — it will mess up your whole life if you try, tampering up slowly is the only option).
And you need to hop off just as slowly, knowing that no matter how cautious you are, you’ll still get notable withdrawal syndrome.
It’s quite dangerous, unusual in terms of side effects, hard to dose right, addictive, and on top of all that — it’s just not as effective in lowering your prolactin as some other options.
Bromocriptine
Bromocriptine is the old-school option. it’s been popular in the Golden era, it’s been the compound of choice for lowering prolactin for decades, but today — it’s just not the best option.
The benefits of Bromocriptine make it clear, why it was a compound of choice for so many athletes:
- Almost dirt-cheap;
- Easily available;
- Effective antiprogestin.
However, the compound also has side effects. And some find them too much to handle:
- Occasionally blurred vision;
- Appetite issues (imagine maintaining a high-protein surplus diet that you absolutely need on Tren or Deca cycle while you don’t want to eat at all);
- Brain fog (inability to focus on anything);
- Lightheadedness and dizziness;
- Heartburns;
- Difficulty speaking (it’s hard to formulate a correct thing to say, not just pronounce it).
If it doesn’t sound weird to you — here’s another one, rare, but anecdotally — a possible side effect of Bromocriptine: Literal visual hallucinations.
Yes, you’re seeing things that are not there. The effect is strictly individual, but anecdotally — it’s mostly “movements” in peripheral vision, shadows, random color bursts and “flashes” of non-existent objects.
Of course, none of the side effects are guaranteed, and all are dose-dependent, but the risk is still there.
Don’t really want to choose between hallucinations, sleepless nights and lactating? That’s why today Cabergoline is the most popular alternative to all of the options above.
Cabergoline for Prolactin Decrease
Cabergoline is a dopamine receptor agonist. It works by binding to dopamine receptors in the pituitary gland, which are responsible for regulating the production and release of prolactin.
Why Dopamine? Simply because it plays a key role in the regulation of the endocrine system, including the production of prolactin. When dopamine binds to its receptors in the pituitary gland, it inhibits the production and release of prolactin. The levels go down, the risk of gyno — goes away, and your nipples stop leaking. Even on high doses of Tren.
The side effects?
Mostly mild:
- Headaches;
- More sweating;
- Occasionally swollen arms and legs;
- Dizziness;
- Hot flashes.
Note that not everyone gets the side effects, most athletes tolerate Cabergoline well. But even if those were guaranteed — still:
- No addiction;
- No hallucinations;
- No disturbed sleep;
- No mental issues.
And as a nice bonus — those twice-as-vivid orgasms as you get with Prami are still there.
How to Take Cabergoline on Cycle
There’s also no building-up or coming off, dosing Cabergoline is pretty simple:
- On cycle, as a control measure, proactively with Deca or Tren — take from 0.25mg to 0.5mg every three days;
- If you missed the proactive part and see your nipples getting bigger, occasionally leaking, getting more sensitive — raise the dose to 1 or 1.5mg every 5 days.
Simple as that. Sure, some athletes will be happy with 0.25mg dose, some may need to take it a bit higher, but it’s a guaranteed effect, if you buy high-quality Cabergoline.
Conclusion
Being ready for a hardcore cycle with massive gains, like those that Deca and Tren provide, doesn’t mean being “ready” to enjoy the growth and see your muscles getting bigger week by week. It means knowing and being able to effectively counter all the side effects that come as a price for those gains. With Caber, luckily, it’s not that hard.
