Post-cycle therapy for performance and image enhancing drug users: A qualitative investigation

Abstract

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic forms of the hormone testosterone and their non-medical use is related to increased muscle size, muscle mass, and strength. A primary concern regarding exogenous AAS use is its potential to suppress endogenous (natural) testosterone production. In response, some users seek out substances to use post-cycle to mitigate problems associated with the resumption of endogenous testosterone production. This study sought to understand issues related to post-cycle therapy (PCT) among a sample of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIED) users in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants (n = 24 male) who reported the u..