Anastrozole (aka Arimidex) Dosage
Arimidex and its specific uses and characteristics have been explained previously.
Arimidex is used by the medical community in various ways for the treatment of different diseases, with postmenopausal breast cancer in women being the primary established indication for Arimidex therapy.
However, the situation for athletes or bodybuilders using anabolic steroids is slightly different, and what every anabolic steroid user is most curious about is the proper Arimidex dosage for estrogen control, how to utilize the Arimidex dosage, and the various manners in which the Arimidex dosage can be used.
First, it must be understood that Arimidex is an Aromatase Inhibitor and is applied in various ways in terms of estrogen control.
As an Aromatase Inhibitor, it possesses the ability to literally control all potential estrogenic side effects that an anabolic steroid user wishes to avoid or eliminate.
The standard protocol (or general rule) for all Aromatase Inhibitor use should be:
The use of Aromatase Inhibitors should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
If Aromatase Inhibitors must be used, they should be used only when absolutely necessary and at the lowest possible dose for the purpose of controlling estrogen, not eliminating it.
This is extremely important and must be remembered by all readers reviewing the use of Aromatase Inhibitors.
The important fact is that Aromatase Inhibitors, whether the three primary AIs (Arimidex, Aromasin, Letrozole) or any others, will negatively impact the body if used during unnecessary times or if the Arimidex dosage is excessively high.
It must be remembered that the reason for using Aromatase Inhibitors is always for the purpose of controlling estrogen, not eliminating it, because completely reducing all estrogen levels in the body can and will have harmful effects on the human body.
This will be discussed in detail in the side effects section of this profile, but generally, it explains that these compounds (Aromatase Inhibitors) deprive the body of a very important hormone (estrogen) that is crucial for various essential bodily functions at normal physiological levels.
Medical Arimidex Dosage
In the medical community, Arimidex is primarily utilized as an adjunct medication for the treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer in women, where estrogen is the primary culprit and aggravating factor.
The Arimidex dosage prescribed in such cases is 1mg daily, indefinitely, until the progression of the breast cancer halts.
Arimidex Dosage During Anabolic Steroid Use
Arimidex, in particular, cannot be classified into the three user tiers (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) as is commonly described and listed in general profiles for other compounds and drugs.
This is due to the fact that Arimidex is not used specifically for performance enhancement purposes, but rather as an ancillary drug used to prevent or mitigate various estrogen-related side effects when using aromatizable anabolic steroids.
In some cases, Arimidex can also be used to increase endogenous testosterone secretion in males, and this compound can be used as an ancillary drug during the PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) phase following the conclusion of an anabolic steroid cycle, but its use for this purpose alone is not common and is unlikely to yield noticeable performance-enhancing effects.
Purpose of Estrogen Control During Cycle: Arimidex can be used effectively during a cycle involving aromatizable androgens (anabolic steroids that have an affinity for binding with the aromatase enzyme and being aromatized into estrogen) to lower circulating estrogen levels in the body.
The Arimidex dosage for this purpose is very broad, and how much Arimidex is needed and how often depends heavily on the individual’s sensitivity to the Aromatase Inhibitor used and the rate of aromatization of the anabolic steroids used.
Therefore, the general dosage of Arimidex is 0.5mg to 1mg per day.
There is a lot of leeway in this area, as each individual must slowly adjust the dosage based on how their body responds.
For many anabolic steroid users, 0.5mg daily is too much, and in fact, the recommended dosage is often 0.5mg of Arimidex every other day.
This Arimidex dosage can be easily adjusted if the user feels it is not sufficiently effective or if estrogen levels are dropping too much.
It must always be remembered that the purpose of using an Aromatase Inhibitor is to control estrogen levels, bringing them back to normal physiological levels, not to completely reduce or eliminate estrogen levels, which would cause problems for the body.
Arimidex Dosage for Females
Female anabolic steroid users rarely need to worry about rising estrogen levels, but in the case of competitive bodybuilders who need to eliminate estrogen-related water retention that causes unwanted bloating, they may need to use an Aromatase Inhibitor like Arimidex.
It is important to remember that medically, Arimidex is approved for use only in postmenopausal women and not in premenopausal women, whose hormone levels are very different.
Medical data indicates that Arimidex is much more effective in females than in males (average estrogen reduction of 80% vs. 50%), so a dosage of 0.5mg daily is sufficient, and in fact, it is often too much, in which case the individual may feel the need to adjust to 0.5mg every other day or 0.5mg every two days.
Arimidex Dosage for Increasing Endogenous Testosterone Secretion and PCT (Post Cycle Therapy)
Arimidex has been shown to increase endogenous testosterone levels in males.
This is achieved through the negative feedback loop of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis (HPTA), as excessive estrogen in males has been found to and can suppress the production of endogenous testosterone, leading to hypogonadism[1].
Specifically, numerous studies have demonstrated Arimidex’s efficacy in increasing testosterone levels through estrogen reduction.
One study concluded that after administering 0.5mg and 1mg of Arimidex to 12 men for 10 weeks, among various hormonal changes resulting from Arimidex administration, serum testosterone levels increased by 58%[2].
This study also noted increases in LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone), two key gonadotropins that signal the testes to begin testosterone production.
Based on the data provided, one can easily conclude that Arimidex should be effectively added to the necessary testosterone boost for several weeks after discontinuing anabolic steroid use.
There is one problem with adding Arimidex to a PCT program that includes the use of SERMs like Nolvadex and Clomid, which are known to be absolutely essential components of a PCT program.
The problem is that Arimidex and Nolvadex directly counteract each other.
One study found that when Arimidex and Nolvadex are used together, Nolvadex reduces the plasma concentration of Arimidex (and Letrozole, another commonly used Aromatase Inhibitor)[3].
The conclusion is that using Arimidex and Nolvadex together is a very bad idea.
Therefore, the use of Arimidex as a PCT component is very limited when used alongside Nolvadex.
It might be more beneficial to use it alongside HCG instead, but this presents the problem of the absence of the essential SERM component for the purpose of stimulating endogenous testosterone.
Therefore, a better Aromatase Inhibitor for PCT instead of Arimidex could be Aromasin (Exemestane), because unlike Arimidex, Aromasin has been proven by research findings not to have its effects negated by Nolvadex.[4]
Proper Arimidex Dosage and Timing of Administration
There are no special considerations for the timing of Arimidex administration; it can be taken at any time of day (morning, evening, before meals, with meals, after meals).
The half-life of Arimidex is approximately 48 hours[5], but it should be noted that it takes one week (7 days) for Arimidex plasma concentrations to reach optimal peak levels.
Expected Effects and Results from Taking Arimidex
Arimidex significantly reduces an individual’s estrogen levels, and Arimidex users must be cautious not to let their estrogen levels drop so sharply that they cannot be considered healthy.
As estrogen levels decrease, the physique may appear tighter and more ‘shredded’ due to the loss of water retention provided by estrogen.
This results in little to no subcutaneous water, making the muscles appear more prominent.
One exception to the issue of completely eliminating estrogen is for competitive bodybuilders on the day of competition, who need to eliminate almost all water retention.
In such situations, an Aromatase Inhibitor like Arimidex can be used at high doses until just a few days before the competition, for the reason of the physique changes mentioned above.
Near-total reduction of estrogen should not be maintained for more than 48 hours for health reasons.
Medical References
[1] “The Dangers of Excessive Estrogen in Aging Men”. Faloon, William. Life Extension Magazine, November 2008.
[2] Estrogen suppression in males: metabolic effects. Mauras N; O’Brien KO; Klein KO; Hayes V. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000 Jul;85(7):2370-7 (ISSN: 0021-972X)
[3] Comparative clinical pharmacology and pharmacokinetic interactions of aromatase inhibitors. Boeddinghaus IM, Dowsett M. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2001 Dec;79(1-5):85-91.
[4] Inhibitory effects of the combination of the aromatase inhibitor exemestane and tamoxifen on DMBA-induced mammary tumors in rats.
[5] Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of the newer generation aromatase inhibitors. Buzdar AU. 2003 Jan;9(1 Pt 2):468S-72S.
