Prohormones, HCG, and PCT: Advanced Natty Plus Strategies

The Support Stack That Nobody Understands

Most people have no clue what they’re actually taking when it comes to prohormones, HCG, and PCT protocols. They’re either afraid of everything or they’re throwing kitchen sink protocols at problems that don’t exist. After watching Connor Murphy double his testosterone in 10 days using the right compounds, then seeing him maintain those levels through subsequent experiments, I can tell you definitively: the bodybuilding world has been doing support compounds wrong for decades.

Here’s what actually works, what doesn’t suppress, and why most PCT protocols are complete garbage that actually make you worse off than when you started.

The Last Legal Prohormone Standing: 3-AD

Let me be clear about something: real prohormones are essentially extinct. When Congress passed the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act, they killed off everything worth taking except for a few compounds that slip through the cracks. The only true prohormone that’s still legal and actually works is 3-AD (androst-5-en-3β,17β-diol).

3-AD converts directly to testosterone through a single enzymatic step. It’s not some bullshit “testosterone booster” that maybe increases your levels by 15%. This compound can genuinely move the needle, especially if you’re starting from suboptimal levels like Connor was at 356 ng/dL.

The conversion rate isn’t spectacular compared to old-school prohormones like 1-AD or M1T, but it’s consistent and predictable. More importantly, it doesn’t come with the liver toxicity or harsh suppression profile of methylated compounds. You can run 3-AD for extended periods without destroying your health markers.

4-Andro: The Testosterone Precursor

4-Androstenediol (4-andro) is another legal option that actually converts to testosterone, though it requires two enzymatic conversions instead of one. The conversion pathway goes: 4-andro → androstenedione → testosterone. This makes it less efficient than 3-AD, but it’s still legitimate.

The problem with 4-andro is that it also converts to estrogen at a higher rate than 3-AD. This means you’ll need to pay closer attention to estrogen management if you’re running higher doses. For the Natty Plus protocol, we typically keep 4-andro doses moderate and stack it with natural aromatase inhibitors.

Both 3-AD and 4-andro fall into what Connor and I call the “2-3 range” on the naturalness spectrum. They’re not completely natural, but they’re not synthetic hormones either. They’re precursors that your body converts into hormones it already makes.

DHEA: The Misunderstood Powerhouse

Here’s where people get confused: DHEA is banned by WADA, so athletes think it must be this powerful anabolic compound. The truth is more nuanced. DHEA is the most abundant steroid hormone in your body, and it serves as a precursor to both testosterone and estrogen.

In Connor’s experiment where he doubled his testosterone in 10 days using Enhanced Labs’ Black Ox, the primary driver was the DHEA content. He was taking double the recommended dose (16 capsules instead of 8), which delivered approximately 200mg of DHEA daily.

The beauty of DHEA is that it’s self-regulating to some degree. Your body converts it based on need and enzyme availability. If you have adequate testosterone but low DHEA, supplementation will primarily restore the DHEA pool without massively spiking testosterone. But if you’re like Connor was—sitting at a pathetic 356 ng/dL—DHEA supplementation can dramatically increase testosterone production.

The key is understanding that DHEA works best when you’re deficient. It’s not going to take someone with 800 ng/dL testosterone and push them to 1200. But it will reliably bring someone from 350 to 700, which is exactly what we documented in Connor’s bloodwork.

Connor’s Prohormone Megadose Experiment

Most people take prohormones like they’re afraid of them. Connor took the opposite approach. When we formulated his protocol, he insisted on double doses of everything to see maximum response. The results speak for themselves:

Starting testosterone: 356 ng/dL (January 24th)

10 days later: 717 ng/dL (February 11th)

Percentage increase: 101% (literally doubled)

But here’s the part that really impressed me: his estradiol went from 17.9 to 36.9 pg/mL. It doubled proportionally with testosterone, which means the compounds maintained a healthy T:E ratio. This is crucial because most synthetic testosterone boosting leads to disproportionate estrogen spikes.

The protocol wasn’t just DHEA. The Enhanced Labs Black Ox contains a comprehensive blend including zinc, magnesium, vitamin D3, and several adaptogens that support the entire hormonal axis. The Blue Ox added additional testosterone-supporting compounds like Tribulus and Ashwagandha.

What shocked Connor was how quickly he felt the effects. Within 72 hours, his energy was noticeably higher. By day 7, his gym performance had improved significantly. The bloodwork just confirmed what his body was already telling him.

HCG: The Testicular Preservation Protocol

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) might be the most misunderstood compound in the enhancement world. People either worship it as a miracle PCT drug or dismiss it as unnecessary. Both perspectives miss the point entirely.

HCG mimics luteinizing hormone (LH), which signals your testicles to produce testosterone. When you take exogenous testosterone or suppressive compounds, your natural LH production shuts down, your balls shrink, and fertility plummets. HCG prevents this by maintaining testicular function throughout your cycle.

But here’s what nobody tells you: HCG is not a PCT compound. It’s a during-cycle compound. Running HCG during PCT is actually counterproductive because it continues to suppress your natural LH production.

The proper HCG protocol for someone running actual suppressive compounds:

• Dosage: 250-500 IU every 3-4 days
• Timing: Throughout the entire cycle
• Duration: Stop HCG 3-4 days before starting actual PCT drugs

For Natty Plus protocols, HCG becomes irrelevant because properly formulated natural compounds don’t suppress your LH production significantly. This is one of the key advantages of the approach Connor and I developed.

When HCG Actually Makes Sense

I only recommend HCG in three scenarios:

1. During testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) – If you’re on doctor-prescribed TRT, adding small doses of HCG maintains testicular function and fertility.

2. During actual steroid cycles – If you’re running testosterone, trenbolone, or other suppressive compounds, HCG prevents complete testicular shutdown.

3. Post-cycle to jumpstart recovery – A short burst of HCG immediately after stopping steroids can help kickstart natural production before running selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

What I don’t recommend is the common practice of running HCG for months during PCT. This just prolongs suppression and delays real recovery.

Why PCT is Generally Terrible Advice

Post Cycle Therapy has become this sacred ritual in bodybuilding, but most PCT protocols are based on outdated information and cause more problems than they solve. The standard PCT approach goes like this: run Clomid and Nolvadex for 4-6 weeks after stopping steroids to “restart” natural testosterone production.

Here’s why this approach is flawed:

SERMs don’t fix the underlying problem. Clomid and Nolvadex block estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus, which tricks your brain into thinking estrogen is low. This increases GnRH release, which increases LH and FSH, which should increase testosterone production. But if your testicles are atrophied from months of shutdown, they can’t respond properly to the LH signal.

SERMs have their own side effects. Clomid is notorious for causing emotional instability, visual disturbances, and cognitive fog. Nolvadex is generally better tolerated but still causes fatigue and mood swings in many users.

The timing is usually wrong. Most people start PCT too early, before the exogenous hormones have cleared their system. This creates a situation where you’re trying to restart natural production while still being suppressed by lingering synthetic hormones.

Recovery takes longer than most PCT protocols account for. Full hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis recovery can take 6-12 months after a significant cycle. Running SERMs for 6 weeks doesn’t address this timeline.

The Natty Plus Alternative to PCT

This is where the Natty Plus philosophy becomes powerful. Instead of using compounds that require PCT, we focus on compounds that either don’t suppress natural production or actually enhance it.

Connor’s testosterone levels remained elevated even after running AC-262 (a SARM) at 30mg daily. This suggests that the Natty Plus base protocol—the combination of natural testosterone boosters, DHEA, and supporting compounds—actually protected against suppression. This is a textbook application of the Tony Huge Laws of Biochemistry Physics: using precursor compounds to support endogenous pathways prevents the receptor downregulation and feedback shutdown caused by exogenous hormones.

The compounds in Enhanced Labs’ Black Ox and Blue Ox work synergistically to support natural hormone production rather than replacing it. When Connor cycles off these compounds for 5-7 days monthly, he doesn’t crash. His testosterone levels remain stable because his natural production was never shut down.

This approach eliminates the need for PCT entirely because there’s nothing to recover from. You’re enhancing natural function rather than replacing it.

When PCT IS Actually Needed

Despite my criticism of most PCT protocols, there are situations where proper post-cycle therapy becomes necessary. If you’ve been running actual anabolic steroids—testosterone, trenbolone, deca, whatever—you will need some form of recovery protocol.

But even then, the standard approach needs modification. Here’s what actually works:

The Improved PCT Protocol

Phase 1: HCG Kickstart (Days 1-10)

• HCG: 1000 IU every other day
• AI (if needed): 0.25mg Arimidex every 3 days
• Goal: Jumpstart testicular function

Phase 2: SERM Protocol (Days 11-50)

• Nolvadex: 40mg daily for 2 weeks, then 20mg daily for 4 weeks
• Or Clomid: 50mg daily for 6 weeks (if you tolerate it well)
• Goal: Maintain elevated LH/FSH while testicles recover

Phase 3: Natural Support (Days 51+)

• Transition to Enhanced Labs Black Ox and Blue Ox
• Add vitamin D, zinc, magnesium
• Monitor bloodwork monthly
• Goal: Support long-term natural production

The key difference in this approach is the proper sequencing and the transition to natural support compounds rather than just stopping everything and hoping for the best.

The Compound Breakdown: What Actually Works

After years of experimentation and thousands of bloodwork panels, here’s what actually moves the needle for hormone optimization:

Tier 1: The Foundation

• Vitamin D3: 5,000-10,000 IU daily. Deficiency kills testosterone production.
• Zinc: 15-30mg daily. Essential for testosterone synthesis.
• Magnesium: 400-600mg daily. Required for hundreds of enzymatic reactions.
• DHEA: 50-200mg daily depending on blood levels and age.

Tier 2: The Enhancers

• 3-AD: 100-300mg daily in divided doses.
• 4-Andro: 100-200mg daily, watch estrogen levels.
• Ashwagandha: 600mg daily of standardized extract.
• Tribulus: 750-1500mg daily, cycle 5 days on, 2 days off.

Tier 3: The Specialists

• HCG: 250-500 IU every 3-4 days (only if needed).
• AI: Only if estradiol is above 50 pg/mL and causing symptoms.
• SERMs: Only for actual PCT situations.

Bloodwork: The Ultimate Truth Teller

Everything I’ve discussed here is backed by bloodwork. Connor’s results weren’t anecdotal—we documented every step with comprehensive lab testing. This is how you optimize properly.

Essential markers to track:

• Total testosterone
• Free testosterone
• Estradiol (sensitive assay)
• DHEA-S
• LH and FSH
• SHBG
• Complete metabolic panel
• Lipid panel
• Complete blood count

Test every 6-8 weeks when starting a new protocol, then quarterly once you’re dialed in. This data tells you exactly what’s working and what isn’t.

Interesting Perspectives

The conventional view of PCT is being challenged from several angles. Some biohackers are exploring the use of very low-dose HCG (as low as 50-100 IU) not for testicular preservation, but as a chronic metabolic and neuroendocrine optimizer, theorizing it may support leptin sensitivity and mitochondrial function beyond just LH mimicry. Others are questioning the necessity of SERMs altogether for mild cycles, proposing that a robust “Natty Plus” foundation of DHEA, pregnenolone, and adaptogens may facilitate a more physiological recovery by supporting the entire steroidogenesis pathway rather than just manipulating a single feedback loop. There’s also emerging, albeit preliminary, interest in peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500 for post-cycle recovery, not for hormones directly, but for accelerating the healing of the connective tissue and vascular stress that often accompanies aggressive cycles. These perspectives highlight a shift from a reactive, suppressive-compound-focused PCT model to a proactive, systems-support approach to hormonal health.

The Practical Takeaway

Stop thinking in terms of “natural” versus “unnatural.” Start thinking in terms of “suppressive” versus “supportive.” The compounds in the Natty Plus protocol support your natural hormone production rather than replacing it. This eliminates the need for PCT while delivering results that rival mild steroid cycles.

Connor doubled his testosterone in 10 days using legal, available compounds. He maintained those levels through subsequent experiments. He gained 20 pounds of mostly lean mass in the first few months. All without suppression, without PCT, without the health risks of traditional steroids.

The Enhanced Labs Black Ox and Blue Ox aren’t magic bullets—they’re carefully formulated combinations of compounds that work synergistically to optimize your natural hormone production. Combined with proper training, nutrition, and recovery, they can deliver results that most people think require a prescription.

This is the future of enhancement: maximum results with minimum risk. Stop being afraid of everything and stop abusing compounds that shut you down. Find the middle ground where you can actually sustain your gains long-term while maintaining your health.