Cytomel is a different type of compound as it is not an anabolic steroid, nor a SARM or any other class of substance commonly used by bodybuilders or athletes. It is a synthetic form of a thyroid hormone called T3, or triiodothyronine, which is produced naturally in the body. The synthetic form is known as Liothyronine Sodium, with Cytomel being the brand name.
Cytomel T3 cycle
This synthetic T3 is very similar to the original triiodothyronine hormone, but not exactly the same. Small variations in chemical structure gave Cytomel a high rate of oral absorption and an increased level of potency.
What is T3 (Cytomel)?
Cytomel (T3) is used as a prescription drug to treat the common health problem of hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid gland is unable to produce enough thyroid hormone for the normal functioning of the body’s metabolism.
As metabolism is largely controlled by thyroid hormone, hypothyroidism causes a slow metabolism and leads to weight gain, fatigue, and a host of other health issues.
It is the metabolic effects that have made Cytomel attractive to athletes and bodybuilders. Above all, the potential for accelerated fat loss by increasing the metabolic rate. Only when used with a low calorie diet, combined with an appropriate exercise regimen, will Cytomel have fat loss benefits.
Cytomel should not be seen as a miracle drug for weight loss, but rather as an aid to potentially optimize the functioning of the metabolism.
Another similar hormone is T4, but T3 is considered much more potent. It is available both as a pharmaceutical and on the black market. It most commonly comes in tablet form, although an injectable is also available, but is not common or recommended. To legally obtain Cytomel through a pharmacy, you need a prescription.
Cytomel is currently not listed as a banned substance in professional sports, but its lack of performance-enhancing effects is unlikely to make it a drug that appeals to athletes for performance enhancement.
T3 Benefits (Cytomel Effects)
As you might expect, the primary benefits of Cytomel relate to its relationship to metabolism as the thyroid hormone. Regulating metabolism is what this thyroid hormone does in the body and when it is not working as it should, a person can have great difficulty losing weight and often find themselves gaining weight without explanation.
This tells us that Cytomel T3 offers positive benefits for promoting an efficient metabolism that works optimally for fat loss, and this is the main reason you will choose to use this drug. Let’s look at the specific benefits of T3:
fat loss
This is certainly the main and probably the only benefit of interest to those who use Cytomel. Its only other purpose is to treat hypothyroidism, so if you use it for any other reason it will be to encourage fat loss.
By replicating the natural T3 hormone, the metabolic rate is improved.However, this does not directly lead to noticeable weight loss, you need to diet and exercise to take advantage of your metabolism which is now working more efficiently. The body will be able to burn more fat and burn it faster. If the diet is in a calorie deficit, this fat burning will be noticeably faster than with a diet without Cytomel.
Cytomel has great benefits for fat loss, but there is a catch: it has no direct anabolic activity and it is very likely that you will also lose lean muscle mass while supplementing with Cytomel. As the higher metabolic rate continues, the body needs more energy to burn and it will not have a preference for burning fat, therefore many users report muscle loss.
This is a major issue for bodybuilders and athletes who do not want to lose muscle tissue. To avoid this problem, the majority of Cytomel users will want to add an anabolic steroid alongside Cytomel to act as a protective anabolic compound to help retain muscle.
Cytomel assay (T3)
Many may make the mistake of thinking that you need to dramatically increase the dose of Cytomel to improve performance over a standard dose range when used to treat hypothyroidism, but this is not the case. As long as you don’t have hypothyroidism, using the medically recommended dose will still be beneficial. 25mcg per day is a standard starting dose for medical use of Cytomel.
Cytomel (T3) Dosage for Fat Loss
Fat loss is the only reason to use Cytomel outside of medical use and your dose for fat loss can either remain stable throughout a 6-12 week cycle or gradually increase then decrease throughout. Either way, it’s wise to start low at 25 mcg per day. A dose of 50mcg to 75mcg per day is more than enough for the vast majority of users. In rare cases, advanced users may consider increasing this dose to 100 mcg per day, but the increased risk of more serious side effects should not be underestimated at such a dose.
Cytomel Dosage for Women (T3)
Women are not known to require a different dosage level of Cytomel than men. Women can safely use T3 at 25 mcg daily and see noticeable results. Since overall body mass is the only difference between men and women when it comes to T3 use, women are unlikely to want to exceed 75 mcg per day as the maximum dose and few will see the benefit of increasing the dose above this level, 50 mcg per day being sufficient for most users.
How to take Cytomel (T3)?
The maximum duration of continuous use of Cytomel should not exceed 10 weeks. Most users will find that even 6-8 weeks gives good results, while others have extended the cycle to 10 weeks or even 12 weeks. However, this carries the risk of the thyroid becoming more dependent on this external source of hormones as well as serious side effects, and is not recommended.
It is wise to reduce your dose during the last week so that the thyroid gland has time to adjust and you do not suddenly become hypothyroid after stopping Cytomel. The ideal dosage for the last week is 25 mcg per day.The dosage can be taken once a day and ideally is taken at a similar time each day so that you maintain a constant supply of the hormone.
Usual T3 cycles
Using Cytomel alone in a cycle is very simple. If you are using for the first time, it is strongly advised to start at the lowest dose and then increase the dose as the cycle progresses, followed by decreasing to a low dose towards the end of the cycle.
This allows you to assess your reaction to T3, including side effects. By lowering the dose for the latter part of the cycle, the body can adjust to normal thyroid hormone function without the drug. This is not absolutely critical and most people can happily cycle Cytomel at the chosen higher dose for the full duration, with an abrupt end.
However, for your first cycle, it is recommended to use this pyramid strategy. An example of a Cytomel-only beginner cycle follows:
- Week 1-2: 25 mcg daily
- Week 3-7: 37.5-75 mcg daily increased by 12.5-25 mcg each time
- Week 8-10: Reduce dose to 25 mcg
This cycle can be run for a shorter period of just 8 weeks with dosages adjusted accordingly. Regardless of your daily dose, you can take the entire dose in one administration each day as there is no need to divide the dose.
If you are an anabolic steroid user, you will get the most out of Cytomel because you can combat its potential effects on muscle loss by taking a powerful anabolic compound that will help maintain or build muscle while using Cytomel. to burn fat.
A Cytomel dose of 50 mcg and above increases the metabolic rate to a point where muscle loss is likely, and it is here that a steroid compound included in the cycle provides excellent benefits. The inclusion of a simple testosterone steroid is often enough to provide anabolic protection when using Cytomel, but many users will want to add stronger anabolic agents. An example cycle is as follows:
- Cytomel (T3): 75 mcg to 100 mcg daily (first 8 weeks only)
- Testosterone Enanthate: 300mg per week (12 weeks)
- Trenbolone Enanthate: 400mg per week (12 weeks)
The cycle above allows Cytomel to work for 8 weeks, while the steroids are able to work for a full 12 weeks to both protect and build muscle. Note that it is assumed that only advanced users will combine steroids with Cytomel, so a gradual increase and decrease in the Cytomel pyramid is not necessary in these cycles as this strategy is more applicable to beginners.
Cytomel results, what can I expect?
If you are an experienced steroid user and have decided to give Cytomel a try, you should know that it obviously will not give you steroid-like results or work the same as anabolic steroids.
If you add Cytomel to a steroid stack, you should notice additional benefits beyond those experienced with your steroid compounds. Importantly, it will mean not losing valuable muscle tissue, which is one of the big risks of using Cytomel at higher doses.
When it comes to Cytomel results, it’s really going to be about getting out exactly what you put in. And that means your results will be highly dependent on your exercise and diet regimen.Cytomel itself will not directly burn fat, but you will find it easier to burn fat because your metabolic rate will increase.
The better your diet, including calorie control, the faster and more effectively you will lose fat with Cytomel. You will need to train regularly and do lots of cardio work to get the most out of your increased metabolism due to the activity of Cytomel which provides a constant source of thyroid hormones.
The amount of fat you lose on a Cytomel cycle will also depend on your current body condition. There simply isn’t a standard set of results, but you can be sure to see a positive result if you put in the effort.
When you use Cytomel with steroids the results reach a whole new level and depending on the compounds you include you will not only see fat loss but also the maintenance of existing muscle rather than any muscle loss, increased energy and of strength, and the potential for muscle gains if your workouts support this outcome.
Your results with Cytomel will be what you make of them, but there is no doubt that this drug has the definite potential to make fat burning more efficient.
Cytomel Side Effects
Higher doses of Cytomel will increase the risk of side effects, as well as the risk of more serious side effects which can become extremely dangerous. At moderate doses this is considered a relatively safe drug, but of course it is not designed for performance enhancement purposes so the actual safety and risks at performance doses are not fully known.
Because it is a hormone, it will have different effects on each individual.The most commonly reported non-serious side effects include headache, decreased heat tolerance, changes in heart rate, increased sweating, anxiety, changes in bowel function, and menstruation and difficulty sleeping.
Lethargy or fatigue and weakness are sometimes reported, with a potential for more extreme fatigue in some people, especially if higher doses or used or if Cytomel is used for too long without a break in between. Cytomel can cause a reduction in ATP which results in fatigue and lethargy as well as decreased muscle performance. This can be a serious problem for bodybuilders and athletes and is the main reason most will want to use an anabolic steroid with Cytomel.
An increase in body temperature is an expected side effect of Cytomel, as metabolism relies on body heat (thermogenesis). In fact, if an increase in temperature is not noted, the drug may not work as expected. The metabolic increase brought about by Cytomel will naturally raise the body’s core temperature and this can be measured and compared to both before you start your cycle and then twice daily during the cycle.
The high temperature should never be significant and is usually around one degree. Anything above a steady two degree rise in body temperature indicates that your dose should be lowered or the drug should be stopped altogether.
More serious side effects that pose a risk when you take high doses or use Cytomel for long periods of time include:
- Chest pain
- Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone)
- Heart failure
To avoid the risk of these side effects, never exceed a dose of 125 mcg for more than a very short time, but ideally such a dosage should be completely avoided and is rarely even necessary to obtain the benefits of Cytomel. The quality of your Cytomel cycle in terms of diet and exercise will outweigh taking a higher dosage and the higher associated risks.
Hypothyroidism
Cytomel is designed to treat hypothyroidism, and new users may wonder if using the hormone in higher doses and then stopping it will cause the body to depend on an external source of T3, causing natural T3 production to slow or stop. thyroid hormone. .
There’s some debate about how big the risk is or if it’s even possible. Since Cytomel was designed for medicinal purposes rather than performance enhancement, the studies are only based on medical use of the drug in people with hypothyroidism who should not stop the drug suddenly. However, if you have a healthy thyroid, there is no specific evidence that it is dangerous to stop taking T3. In healthy individuals, the thyroid gland will continue to function normally to produce thyroid hormone once Cytomel is discontinued.
Common questions and answers about Cytomel (T3)
What is Cytomel T3 used for?
Cytomel is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones to control metabolism. This leads to weight gain and other health problems. Athletes and bodybuilders use Cytomel to promote fat loss by providing the body with an additional source of thyroid hormones to boost metabolic rate.
How long does it take for T3 Cytomel to work?
When you start noticing the effects of Cytomel can vary wildly from individual to individual. For some it may take a few weeks, while others will start seeing benefits in just a few days. People with hypothyroidism who use T3 as medication usually take about 6 weeks to start feeling better. For performance-enhancing users where doses are often higher and use is limited to about 8 weeks at a time, you can speed up results by sticking to a calorie-controlled diet and regular cardiovascular and other exercise-related exercise. fat loss.
What are the side effects of taking T3?
The possible side effects of Cytomel range from nothing, to mild, to very serious, but only in rare cases and when high doses are taken for a long time. Some people may experience headaches and fatigue, sweating and anxiety, trouble sleeping, irregular heartbeats, and in more severe cases, a risk of heart failure or developing T3 addiction. external with the thyroid gland unable to return to normal afterwards this can be avoided by limiting the dosage to reasonable levels and only using Cytomel for up to three months at a time.
Does T3 make you lose weight?
The effects of hypothyroidism are weight gain due to decreased levels of thyroid hormone which helps regulate metabolism. By taking T3, your body receives the hormone level it needs to get the metabolism working properly again.Cytomel does not directly lead to weight loss, but with the presence of the hormone you are much more likely to lose weight by exercising regularly and following a balanced diet, as the metabolism should now be doing its job properly.
Does Cytomel give you energy?
Lack of energy and general tiredness and tiredness are a universal symptom of hypothyroidism, which Cytomel is designed to treat. Theoretically, this should then lead to an increase in energy once the thyroid hormone is elevated to normal levels. For healthy people who already have normal thyroid hormone levels but are using Cytomel for performance enhancement, there is no evidence that it will boost your energy.
Can I take Cytomel at night?
Cytomel is not a fast-acting drug, so the timing of when you take it isn’t as critical as some of the very short-acting anabolic steroids you might be used to. Studies show that up to 95% of Cytomel is absorbed by the body within 4 hours of taking it, and the drug’s biological half-life is approximately 2.5 days. When used for medical purposes, it is generally advised to take the daily dose in the morning, and it should be taken at around the same time every day for consistency.
Why do bodybuilders use Cytomel?
Bodybuilders and athletes wishing to lose weight take Cytomel to speed up metabolism so fat burning becomes faster, easier and more efficient. Metabolic rate increases as thermogenesis (increased body heat) takes place. This causes fats, proteins and carbohydrates to be converted into energy faster.
My Conclusion and Recommendation
Cytomel provides a direct source of thyroid hormone, which is essential for regulating metabolism. Cytomel itself does not directly cause weight loss. But when there are enough thyroid hormones, the metabolism works at an optimal level, which leads to more efficient use of energy sources, which then leads to fat loss if the diet is calorie sufficient and if regular cardiovascular exercise is undertaken.