All bodybuilders aim to have better looking physiques. More often than not, discipline and hard work is never enough. Supplements are essential for a bodybuilder to see what you want to see in the mirror. Nobody can deny that. Now, let’s have a closer look at one of the most popular supplements in the bodybuilding circle – clenbuterol.
Though clenbuterol is popularly known to help those who seriously want to achieve their weight loss goals faster, it has been originally intended to treat people with asthma. In this blog post, you will understand why taking clen or clenbuterol became such a hype in the bodybuilding circle.
What is clenbuterol?
A few decades ago, only people with asthma were taking clenbuterol. Clenbuterol was first invented to treat asthma. This was a very effective medication for relieving asthma. It opens up the airways, allowing the patient to breathe better. Those who used clenbuterol whenever they have asthma attacks were generally reported to inhale oxygen faster, and avoided passing out.
As the years passed by, medical researchers discovered that clenbuterol was also a potent thermogenic due to its capacity to stimulate beta-2 receptors. This allowed those who took the medication to experience faster weight loss. This was the beginning of clenbuterol’s popularity in the weight loss community, and eventually into the bodybuilding circle.
However, too much intake of clenbuterol has a negative impact on the central nervous system. It causes the heart rate to increase because more epinephrine is released in the body. As the metabolism gets faster, the heart rate also rises significantly.
Why do fitness enthusiasts, athletes and bodybuilders take clenbuterol?
Of course, there are different reasons why physically active people take clenbuterol. Athletes usually take it because it has been known to be a performance enhancer, allowing them to have that spike in their agility when they do sports. For bodybuilders and gym goers, clenbuterol is mostly used for shedding purposes. Clenbuterol for weight loss became a fad for a good reason – you really burn fat much faster.
So, is clenbuterol a steroid?
The most popular misconception surrounding clenbuterol is that it is a steroid. However, it is not a steroid. It has a similar effect to some other popular shedding steroids, but as mentioned earlier, this is a medicine. What gives clenbuterol a very strong fat burning effect is its thermogenic capacity. So, it is more of a stimulant for weight loss, and it definitely is not a steroid.
What are the different forms of clenbuterol?
There are different kinds of clenbuterol that’s available in the market and can be bought over the counter. The most popular though are the syrup, tablet, and injectable clen. Please take note that excessive intake of this drug will result to irreversible side effects.
Using clenbuterol for weight loss
This is probably the most exciting part of this post. The best forms of taking clen for weight loss are the tablet and syrup. The safest method of taking clen for weight loss or shedding purposes is between 60 to 100 mcg (0.06 to 0.10 mg), once a day. It should only be this low to prevent any unwanted negative effects of clenbuterol on your body.
It is also generally safe to take clenbuterol without any other steroid if your main purpose for taking clenbuterol is weight loss and fat reduction. This is safe, even without consulting any medical professionals.
Maximum dose for clenbuterol
For men, the maximum dose is 140 mcg. For women, the maximum dose is 120 mcg. Again, please be mindful of going to a health professional before you plan on taking clenbuterol as a “weight loss / shedding” supplement. You’ll probably experience quite horrible side effects if you take a high dosage of clen. These side effects can be as light as headaches and as serious as extreme palpitations.
Most medical professionals advise taking clen only for 16 weeks each year. So it will definitely be best to maximize this window of taking clen by consulting a fitness coach too.
How potent is the weight loss effect of clenbuterol?
Let me reiterate that clenbuterol was originally formulated to treat asthma. It is definitely wrong to think of it as a magical supplement to achieve your weight loss goals in a month or two. Planning is the key before you begin using clenbuterol for weight loss. Eating processed and other unhealthy food will not help at all. For those who changed their eating habits and stuck to a regular exercise routine while taking clen, they experienced losing 2-3 lbs on the first week.
Is the weight loss permanent?
It is highly possible for you to experience a permanent weight loss after your 16 week intake of clenbuterol. This is only, take note, only going to be possible if you still exercise regularly and have a healthy diet.
How fast will you see weight loss with clenbuterol?
As mentioned earlier, those who planned their clenbuterol weight loss journey carefully will experience weight loss on the first week. For some, it might be visible on the 3rd week. The stimulant effects of clen usually begins a few hours after you first take the drug.
Clenbuterol cycle for beginners
Let’s say you got convinced with clenbuterol and want to begin the 16-week cycle, your daily recommended dose will depend on your gender. For men, starting at 40 mcg is ideal, while women have to begin at 20 mcg. This dose is considered the safest when you are on your first week of taking clen.
For best results, take clen in the morning or afternoon if you will work out on that day. Many have reported that taking clenbuterol made them sleepless so it is best never to take clenbuterol after dinner.
Other types of clenbuterol cycles
- Conservative clenbuterol cycle
You will have to begin at 20 mcg and keep that dosage for the first 2 weeks. This will allow your body to fully adapt to the internal changes after you take clenbuterol. Then you can increase your dosage on the 3rd week. The conservative cycle usually lasts for only 10 weeks. Your clenbuterol dose on the 10th week should be at 100 mcg or 120 mcg.
2. The burst clenbuterol cycle
This is a more aggressive approach as compared to the conservative cycle discussed earlier. Beginners are definitely going to have a pretty difficult time if they choose the burst clen cycle. This involves taking a larger clen dosage for the first 2 weeks, at least 40 mcg to 50 mcg. Then you will have to take a lower dosage for 2 weeks after the initial hyped up state. The burst cycle lasts for 12 weeks.
3. The aggressive cycle
This is the most preferred approach of bodybuilders and gym goers. This cycle has been said to be the best cycle for weight loss, but it is not something that beginners can do. This method requires taking a lower dose of 20 mcg for women and 40 mcg for men for the first 2 weeks. Then you’ll take twice that amount for the 3rd and 4th week. After the first month, you need to rest for 2 weeks. Then you have to repeat this until you finish the full 12 week of the cycle.
Most recommended clenbuterol cycle for women
The 8-week clenbuterol cycle is the most ideal clenbuterol cycle for women. It can also be extended to 10 weeks. There should be a solid plan before you begin the cycle. It is best to create a meal plan with minimal calories and niacin rich foods such as lean meat, nuts, beans, legumes, whole wheat products, fish and potatoes. For the first 2 weeks, the dosage should be at 15 to 20 mcg and this has to be gradually increased. However, it is advisable not to exceed 100 mcg on the last 2 weeks of the cycle.
Is PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) necessary after a clenbuterol cycle?
Yes, it is. Running a PCT is quite essential not only after your clenbuterol cycle, but after taking all cycles that involves anabolic steroids. When you are taking clenbuterol, the health of your cardiovascular system is the primary concern. So taking supplements that can decrease your blood pressure during the PCT is extremely beneficial.
Most common benefits of taking clenbuterol for weight loss:
- Develop leaner muscles
Aside from weight loss, clenbuterol also aids in building leaner muscles. It naturally occurs during the weight loss process because your body will have lesser water retention, resulting to the development of more lean muscles.
2. No masculinization effects for women
Women are generally concerned that when they take steroids, they will have deeper voices and eventually develop the terrible looking facial hair. However, with clenbuterol, women can relax since clenbuterol is a medication for asthma with potent weight loss effects. Again, clen is not a steroid.
3. Suppression of appetite
Generally, those who go on any weight loss programs find it challenging to eat less. With clenbuterol, that won’t be an issue. One of the most noticeable effects of clenbuterol, even during the first 10 days is that you won’t really feel the urge to eat more. As a result, you can stick to your diet plan and you can choose not to have any cheat days while you are on your clenbuterol cycle.
4. Faster recovery after an intense workout
Most gym goers and even bodybuilders find that their energy levels are different after an intense workout. However, with clenbuterol, your muscles won’t feel that sore.
5. Elevated weight loss process
As mentioned earlier, your raised metabolism will definitely help you burn fat faster. One experimental research had 2 controlled groups. The first group was given clenbuterol and the second group didn’t have clenbuterol. Both groups had the same diet and exercise plan. The group that had clenbuterol lost 2-3 more kilograms after the experiment was done.
Side effects of clenbuterol
1. Insomnia
This is the most common complaint that comes with taking clenbuterol. To avoid this unwanted effect, never take clenbuterol after dinner. Take it in the morning or afternoon.
2. Muscle cramps
This is more common to women than men, especially when they are on their periods. When you take clenbuterol, you will have an lesser amounts of taurine and potassium. You pee more taurine and potassium. This always results to spasms and muscle cramps. So it’s best to eat more foods with these minerals. Better yet, take supplements with potassium and taurine content.
3. Severe headaches
This is generally associated with the lack of sleep that you might experience when you are on clenbuterol. There are times that it can lead to very painful migraines. So drink more water because everyone on clenbuterol generally experience losing a higher amount of water in the body.
4. Palpitations or even a heart attack
This is the worst and most unwanted side-effect that results from unsupervised intake of clenbuterol. There is only one way to prevent this, and that is to let a physician guide you while you take clenbuterol. Taking less caffeine won’t help that much to prevent palpitations.
Is it safe to purchase Chinese clenbuterol?
Since clenbuterol can cause heart attacks, many countries have banned clenbuterol for bodybuilding and weight loss purposes. If you don’t have a prescription from a licensed physicians, it is literally impossible to purchase clenbuterol. In China, however, it is easy to purchase clenbuterol. The problem with the clenbuterol from China is that they have very low quality, and could possibly do more harm than good.
How will I avoid buying fake clen pills?
Aside from the fake Chinese clen pills, there are so many other fake products from other parts of Asia, Mexico and South Africa. If you plan to make an online purchase for clen pills, the safest option is to buy clenbuterol from Crazybulk. As we all know, Crazybulk is the most reliable source of over the counter supplements for fitness enthusiasts, athletes and bodybuilders.
It can be a daunting task to spot a fake clenbuterol product, since their bottles list down the same ingredients as the original clenbuterol, but they really have harmful contaminants in their products.
Final thoughts on clenbuterol
Though clenbuterol was originally manufactured for asthma patients, it cannot be denied that it is quite potent for those who wish to lose weight faster. The best thing is that while you are on your clenbuterol weight loss cycle, you will have increased energy levels. This often leads to a hype. Therefore, it is best to allow a medical professional, a physician, at the most to thoroughly guide you before you begin taking clenbuterol.
Just in case you have already taken clenbuterol without the supervision of medical professionals, it is never too late to let them intervene for you to be properly guided. The last thing you want is to experience the side-effects mentioned earlier. Stay safe, we only have one body and life!