First Cycle Critique Request and Discussion: T-Only 500mg/wk × 20wk Blast + Cruise w/ Comprehensive Protocol

[Octavian]

Hello everyone.
I've spent a few hundred hours researching the optimal first cycle. I had AI completely exhaust virtually every avenue for research (VERY tightly monitored and controlled - it was a force multiplier, not the researcher. AI/LLMs are still virtually useless for large-scale research like this on their own.) and this is what I've finally created.

I'm not blind to the fact that what's available on PubMed/elsewhere is pretty sparse in regards to AAS. I normally don't request assistance or review of my work, but realize that you all hold invaluable firsthand experience and knowledge regarding the actual application of this, so I humbly present it for the community's review and scrutiny with the hopes that any suboptimal or potentially dangerous parts of the cycle can be discussed from a logical/mechanistic standpoint.

Thank you in advance for any time spent on this thread!

T-only 500 mg/wk × 20 weeks blast, followed by a (up to) ~200 mg/wk cruise (6 months) before the second blast, depending on biomarker/subjective recovery.

Pre-cycle (12 weeks before blast):
- Topical dutasteride 0.05% daily to scalp
- Minoxidil 5% BID to scalp
- Ketoconazole 2% shampoo 3x/wk
- Microneedling 1x/wk 1-1.5mm
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d starts 3 weeks before blast Day 1

Blast (20 weeks):
- Testosterone cypionate 500 mg/wk daily SC
- Anastrozole 0.25 mg every 3rd day (target E2 30-45 pg/mL)
- hCG 250 IU SC every other day
- Pregnenolone 50 mg/d oral
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d
- Raloxifene 60 mg/d
- Cabergoline 0.25 mg PRN (trigger-based only, not routine)
- Hair stack continues from pre-cycle

Cruise (~6 months, biomarker-gated):
- Testosterone cypionate ~200 mg/wk daily SC
- Anastrozole STOP (E2 recheck at cruise week 4)
- hCG 250 IU SC every other day (unchanged)
- Pregnenolone 50 mg/d (option 100 mg/d first 4-8 weeks)
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d continues
- Raloxifene 60 mg/d continues (minimum 3-6 months post-blast)
- Hair stack continues
- Nebivolol reassessed (may not need at cruise T)
- Citrus bergamot suspended

Non-OTC compounds running throughout (blast + cruise):
- Telmisartan 40 mg/d
- Nebivolol 2.5 mg/d
- Rosuvastatin 5-10 mg/d
- Ezetimibe 10 mg/d
- Finerenone 20 mg/d

Research compounds running throughout:
- Bromantane 200 mg/d
- NA-Semax 600 mcg/d intranasal
- NA-Selank 600 mcg/d intranasal
- Dihexa daily (20mg)
- Aniracetam 1500 mg/d

OTC supplements — CV support:
- Hawthorn 480 mg/d
- CocoaVia 250 mg flavanols/d
- Curcumin BCM-95 800 mg/d
- Sulforaphane 30 mg/d
- Nattokinase 2000-5000 FU/d
- Citrus bergamot 1000 mg/d (blast only)
- Aged garlic 900 mg/d
- CoQ10 200 mg/d
- Omega-3 2g/d EPA+DHA
- NAC 900 mg/d
- L-Citrulline 4.5g/d
- Psyllium husk 5-10g/d
- Vitamin K2 MK-7 100 mcg/d

OTC supplements — Cognitive:
- Alpha-GPC 300 mg/d
- Citicoline 500 mg/d
- L-Tyrosine 1000 mg/d
- L-Theanine 400 mg/d
- Rhodiola 500 mg/d
- Phosphatidylserine 250 mg/d
- Lion's Mane 500 mg/d
- Shilajit 500 mg/d
- Creatine 5g/d
- ALCAR 500 mg/d
- Uridine 300 mg/d
- P5P 50 mg/d
- PQQ 20 mg/d
- Vinpocetine 30 mg/d
- Selenium 200 mcg/d

OTC supplements — Sleep:
- Melatonin 500 mcg
- L-Tryptophan 750 mg
- Magnesium taurate 300 mg elemental
- Taurine 2-3g
- Ashwagandha KSM-66 300 mg
- Apigenin 50 mg
- Glycine 3g
- Oleamide 200 mg

OTC supplements — Foundational:
- Vitamin D3 5000 IU/d
- Vitamin C 1000 mg/d
- Zinc 15 mg + Copper 1 mg/d
- Collagen peptides 15g + Vit C 50 mg

Training:
- Blast: PPL x2 (6 days/wk), 22-25 sets/muscle/wk, 1-2 RIR
- Cruise: U/L x2 (4 days/wk), ~60-67% blast volume, 2-3 RIR

Nutrition:
- Chicken thigh, white rice, Black Beans, Spinach, Sweet Potato. Meal prepped weekly with target calories +~500 TDEE.

Emergency exit PCT on hand from Day 1: Enclomiphene, extra hCG, anastrozole, tongkat ali, DHEA, extra ashwagandha.

Monitoring Plan:

Wk 0 (baseline, before blast):
- Total T, free T, E2, LH, FSH, SHBG, prolactin
- TSH, free T3, free T4
- CBC with differential (includes HCT)
- CMP (kidney, liver, electrolytes, glucose)
- Lipid panel (TC/LDL/HDL/TG/ApoB)
- Fasting insulin (for HOMA-IR with fasting glucose from CMP)
- Ferritin + iron panel (TIBC, transferrin saturation)
- LFTs (ALT/AST/GGT)
- Body comp (bioimpedance + tape measurements + standardized photos + daily scale)
- Hair baseline photos
- Home BP + resting HR baseline
- Start daily subjective log (mood, libido, sleep, energy)

Wk 2:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #1)

Wk 4:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #2)
- Lipid panel
- HCT + ferritin
- LFTs

Wk 8:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #3)
- Lipid panel
- HCT + ferritin
- LFTs
- Prolactin only if symptoms present (not routine)
- Hair comparison photos

Wk 12 (mandatory minimum decision point):
- HCT + ferritin

End of cycle (Wk 20):
- Full panel repeat (hormones, CBC, CMP, lipids, LFTs, glucose/insulin)
- Body comp (bioimpedance + tape + photos + scale)
- Self-administered questionnaires for data collection: IIEF-5 (erectile function) + PHQ-9 (mood screen)

Post-cycle Wk 2 (early cruise):
- Lipid panel
- LFTs

Post-cycle Wk 6 (cruise steady-state):
- Full panel (hormones at cruise dose, CBC, lipids, thyroid, LFTs, glucose)

Post-cycle Mo 3:
- Body comp only (bioimpedance + tape + photos + scale)

Continuous (no lab cost):
- Home BP: daily
- Hair photos: daily
- Daily subjective log (mood/libido/sleep/energy)
- PHQ-9 + YMRS mood questionnaires.

 

[Sul.Lifts]

No need for hcg on cycle its pointless. A lot of support stuff but doesn't hurt. I would implement things when needed and save yourself some money and stress.

 

[Pepty]

Hey, welcome!
On the AI I’d be cautious about starting them preemptively.
In general, those make more sense as symptom- or lab-guided tools rather than automatic baseline meds, because overcorrecting estradiol or prolactin can create its own problems...
I would start the cycle and do some bloodwork after 4 weeks, or before if any high E2 symptoms raise.
Don't know how many times per week you want to pin, but also increasing the pinning frequency can help with E2.

 

[Mobster]

Thre's little to no information on your age and condition here. There's ZERO explanation as to why as long as 20 weeks nor why you need to cruise after.

All and I mean ALL is 'the cycle'. Which is like thinking a perfect saddle on a racing bike will make an amateur who peddles to the shops and back winner of the tour de France

And hair photos daily? That's gotta be an AI 'idea'.

 

[Noah Wixx]

I feel this is compound overkill imo

 

[thebull321]

Hello everyone.
I've spent a few hundred hours researching the optimal first cycle. I had AI completely exhaust virtually every avenue for research (VERY tightly monitored and controlled - it was a force multiplier, not the researcher. AI/LLMs are still virtually useless for large-scale research like this on their own.) and this is what I've finally created.

I'm not blind to the fact that what's available on PubMed/elsewhere is pretty sparse in regards to AAS. I normally don't request assistance or review of my work, but realize that you all hold invaluable firsthand experience and knowledge regarding the actual application of this, so I humbly present it for the community's review and scrutiny with the hopes that any suboptimal or potentially dangerous parts of the cycle can be discussed from a logical/mechanistic standpoint.

Thank you in advance for any time spent on this thread!

T-only 500 mg/wk × 20 weeks blast, followed by a (up to) ~200 mg/wk cruise (6 months) before the second blast, depending on biomarker/subjective recovery.

Pre-cycle (12 weeks before blast):
- Topical dutasteride 0.05% daily to scalp
- Minoxidil 5% BID to scalp
- Ketoconazole 2% shampoo 3x/wk
- Microneedling 1x/wk 1-1.5mm
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d starts 3 weeks before blast Day 1

Blast (20 weeks):
- Testosterone cypionate 500 mg/wk daily SC
- Anastrozole 0.25 mg every 3rd day (target E2 30-45 pg/mL)
- hCG 250 IU SC every other day
- Pregnenolone 50 mg/d oral
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d
- Raloxifene 60 mg/d
- Cabergoline 0.25 mg PRN (trigger-based only, not routine)
- Hair stack continues from pre-cycle

Cruise (~6 months, biomarker-gated):
- Testosterone cypionate ~200 mg/wk daily SC
- Anastrozole STOP (E2 recheck at cruise week 4)
- hCG 250 IU SC every other day (unchanged)
- Pregnenolone 50 mg/d (option 100 mg/d first 4-8 weeks)
- Tadalafil 5 mg/d continues
- Raloxifene 60 mg/d continues (minimum 3-6 months post-blast)
- Hair stack continues
- Nebivolol reassessed (may not need at cruise T)
- Citrus bergamot suspended

Non-OTC compounds running throughout (blast + cruise):
- Telmisartan 40 mg/d
- Nebivolol 2.5 mg/d
- Rosuvastatin 5-10 mg/d
- Ezetimibe 10 mg/d
- Finerenone 20 mg/d

Research compounds running throughout:
- Bromantane 200 mg/d
- NA-Semax 600 mcg/d intranasal
- NA-Selank 600 mcg/d intranasal
- Dihexa daily (20mg)
- Aniracetam 1500 mg/d

OTC supplements — CV support:
- Hawthorn 480 mg/d
- CocoaVia 250 mg flavanols/d
- Curcumin BCM-95 800 mg/d
- Sulforaphane 30 mg/d
- Nattokinase 2000-5000 FU/d
- Citrus bergamot 1000 mg/d (blast only)
- Aged garlic 900 mg/d
- CoQ10 200 mg/d
- Omega-3 2g/d EPA+DHA
- NAC 900 mg/d
- L-Citrulline 4.5g/d
- Psyllium husk 5-10g/d
- Vitamin K2 MK-7 100 mcg/d

OTC supplements — Cognitive:
- Alpha-GPC 300 mg/d
- Citicoline 500 mg/d
- L-Tyrosine 1000 mg/d
- L-Theanine 400 mg/d
- Rhodiola 500 mg/d
- Phosphatidylserine 250 mg/d
- Lion's Mane 500 mg/d
- Shilajit 500 mg/d
- Creatine 5g/d
- ALCAR 500 mg/d
- Uridine 300 mg/d
- P5P 50 mg/d
- PQQ 20 mg/d
- Vinpocetine 30 mg/d
- Selenium 200 mcg/d

OTC supplements — Sleep:
- Melatonin 500 mcg
- L-Tryptophan 750 mg
- Magnesium taurate 300 mg elemental
- Taurine 2-3g
- Ashwagandha KSM-66 300 mg
- Apigenin 50 mg
- Glycine 3g
- Oleamide 200 mg

OTC supplements — Foundational:
- Vitamin D3 5000 IU/d
- Vitamin C 1000 mg/d
- Zinc 15 mg + Copper 1 mg/d
- Collagen peptides 15g + Vit C 50 mg

Training:
- Blast: PPL x2 (6 days/wk), 22-25 sets/muscle/wk, 1-2 RIR
- Cruise: U/L x2 (4 days/wk), ~60-67% blast volume, 2-3 RIR

Nutrition:
- Chicken thigh, white rice, Black Beans, Spinach, Sweet Potato. Meal prepped weekly with target calories +~500 TDEE.

Emergency exit PCT on hand from Day 1: Enclomiphene, extra hCG, anastrozole, tongkat ali, DHEA, extra ashwagandha.

Monitoring Plan:

Wk 0 (baseline, before blast):
- Total T, free T, E2, LH, FSH, SHBG, prolactin
- TSH, free T3, free T4
- CBC with differential (includes HCT)
- CMP (kidney, liver, electrolytes, glucose)
- Lipid panel (TC/LDL/HDL/TG/ApoB)
- Fasting insulin (for HOMA-IR with fasting glucose from CMP)
- Ferritin + iron panel (TIBC, transferrin saturation)
- LFTs (ALT/AST/GGT)
- Body comp (bioimpedance + tape measurements + standardized photos + daily scale)
- Hair baseline photos
- Home BP + resting HR baseline
- Start daily subjective log (mood, libido, sleep, energy)

Wk 2:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #1)

Wk 4:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #2)
- Lipid panel
- HCT + ferritin
- LFTs

Wk 8:
- LC/MS-MS sensitive estradiol (AI titration check #3)
- Lipid panel
- HCT + ferritin
- LFTs
- Prolactin only if symptoms present (not routine)
- Hair comparison photos

Wk 12 (mandatory minimum decision point):
- HCT + ferritin

End of cycle (Wk 20):
- Full panel repeat (hormones, CBC, CMP, lipids, LFTs, glucose/insulin)
- Body comp (bioimpedance + tape + photos + scale)
- Self-administered questionnaires for data collection: IIEF-5 (erectile function) + PHQ-9 (mood screen)

Post-cycle Wk 2 (early cruise):
- Lipid panel
- LFTs

Post-cycle Wk 6 (cruise steady-state):
- Full panel (hormones at cruise dose, CBC, lipids, thyroid, LFTs, glucose)

Post-cycle Mo 3:
- Body comp only (bioimpedance + tape + photos + scale)

Continuous (no lab cost):
- Home BP: daily
- Hair photos: daily
- Daily subjective log (mood/libido/sleep/energy)
- PHQ-9 + YMRS mood questionnaires.

disguisedalpha.com has 7.5% minoxidil/ 7.5% Ru-88041 for scalp applications, I know they aren't an approved source but none of the sources here have minox anyways. I find it works very good for hair.

I would drop raloxifene unless you have gyno, and swap anastrozole to find a ratio of primo, mast, or EQ that keeps your estrogen in range. AI is generally not needed, but I would keep aromasin on hand to prevent estrogen building while your primo/mast/EQ is loading in your system.

Go to 0 rir, why would you not go to failure? 1-3 rir is dumb.

I don't see a purpose for caber, your prolactin will not be raised off of test, at least not enough to need to use caber.

Nebivolol is pointless, unless your heart rate is like 100, which it shouldn't be unless your on Clen, or an idiot on DNP. If your heart rate is high enough to need nebivolol on testosterone, then I suggest doing cardio. Do cardio anyways, as it helps prevent LVH and will expand your heart wall chambers as well as your arterial walls.

I disagree with @Sul.Lifts , do HcG on cycle to keep your nuts working, I'm assuming your somewhere under 25 and want kids.

Probably swap semak + selank to adamax, it works better anyways.

 

[Noah Wixx]

disguisedalpha.com has 7.5% minoxidil/ 7.5% Ru-88041 for scalp applications, I know they aren't an approved source but none of the sources here have minox anyways. I find it works very good for hair.

I would drop raloxifene unless you have gyno, and swap anastrozole to find a ratio of primo, mast, or EQ that keeps your estrogen in range. AI is generally not needed, but I would keep aromasin on hand to prevent estrogen building while your primo/mast/EQ is loading in your system.

Go to 0 rir, why would you not go to failure? 1-3 rir is dumb.

I don't see a purpose for caber, your prolactin will not be raised off of test, at least not enough to need to use caber.

Nebivolol is pointless, unless your heart rate is like 100, which it shouldn't be unless your on Clen, or an idiot on DNP. If your heart rate is high enough to need nebivolol on testosterone, then I suggest doing cardio. Do cardio anyways, as it helps prevent LVH and will expand your heart wall chambers as well as your arterial walls.

I disagree with @Sul.Lifts , do HcG on cycle to keep your nuts working, I'm assuming your somewhere under 25 and want kids.

Probably swap semak + selank to adamax, it works better anyways.

The only time i personally insert hcg at a low dose 250IU eod so 1000IU a week is if i am running compounds that nuke my estrogen, so i deploy it for the purpose of keeping my estrogen in a healthy range so i dont nuke it into the ground.

 

[thebull321]

The only time i personally insert hcg at a low dose 250IU eod so 1000IU a week is if i am running compounds that nuke my estrogen, so i deploy it for the purpose of keeping my estrogen in a healthy range so i dont nuke it into the ground.

I do that with either HcG or DBol as well, though I would still keep it in during the cycle as I am 23 and want my fertility when I'm older. Assuming OP is also very young.

 

[Noah Wixx]

I do that with either HcG or DBol as well, though I would still keep it in during the cycle as I am 23 and want my fertility when I'm older. Assuming OP is also very young.

The reason i dont run dbol and i know it is super common, if i already have my cycle planned out i dont want to add another steroid into the mix, so i opp for hcg just to keep my compound use down, absolutely an option and i know some guys love it for that reason, i am doing my cycle a bit differently this time around and have npp in for 10 weeks on the back half of 14 weeks its test prop and mast prop, mast i love but historically tanks my estrogen lol, so adding a small amount of hcg in with the prop just as a fail safe. I always have AI on hand incase as well for a control point i dont really ever deploy it unless everything else fails.

 

[thebull321]

The reason i dont run dbol and i know it is super common, if i already have my cycle planned out i dont want to add another steroid into the mix, so i opp for hcg just to keep my compound use down, absolutely an option and i know some guys love it for that reason, i am doing my cycle a bit differently this time around and have npp in for 10 weeks on the back half of 14 weeks its test prop and mast prop, mast i love but historically tanks my estrogen lol, so adding a small amount of hcg in with the prop just as a fail safe. I always have AI on hand incase as well for a control point i dont really ever deploy it unless everything else fails.

Fair enough, I hate DBol but if estrogen is crashed, DBol works quickly in time for you to regain some estrogen while you figure out the ratio.

 

[Sul.Lifts]

disguisedalpha.com has 7.5% minoxidil/ 7.5% Ru-88041 for scalp applications, I know they aren't an approved source but none of the sources here have minox anyways. I find it works very good for hair.

I would drop raloxifene unless you have gyno, and swap anastrozole to find a ratio of primo, mast, or EQ that keeps your estrogen in range. AI is generally not needed, but I would keep aromasin on hand to prevent estrogen building while your primo/mast/EQ is loading in your system.

Go to 0 rir, why would you not go to failure? 1-3 rir is dumb.

I don't see a purpose for caber, your prolactin will not be raised off of test, at least not enough to need to use caber.

Nebivolol is pointless, unless your heart rate is like 100, which it shouldn't be unless your on Clen, or an idiot on DNP. If your heart rate is high enough to need nebivolol on testosterone, then I suggest doing cardio. Do cardio anyways, as it helps prevent LVH and will expand your heart wall chambers as well as your arterial walls.

I disagree with @Sul.Lifts , do HcG on cycle to keep your nuts working, I'm assuming your somewhere under 25 and want kids.

Probably swap semak + selank to adamax, it works better anyways.

Hcg has a purpose for sure but on blast its gonna raise e2 and his receptors will desensitize over time its more useful to use during a health phase then on blast imo.

 

[thebull321]

Hcg has a purpose for sure but on blast its gonna raise e2 and his receptors will desensitize over time its more useful to use during a health phase then on blast imo.

Fair enough. 3:2 test to primo has me in a good range even on Hcg but it is different for everyone. Shameless plug check out my new log and give critiques please

 

[Noah Wixx]

Fair enough, I hate DBol but if estrogen is crashed, DBol works quickly in time for you to regain some estrogen while you figure out the ratio.

Thats a factual statement i cant argue that point at all or debate that, im not doing anything crazy 450 test e and 260 npp a week for 10 weeks, var at 30-40mg week 5-10, weeks 8-12 hcg and 10-14 mast prop test prop and GW to finish it out.

 

[stevesmi]

20 weeks even if you are staying on is a lot of pressure on your organs. i always encourage 12-14 weeks max blasting.. even 10-12 weeks is more ideal. but ultimately it is up to you

 

[Mobster]

The estrogen crashing is, based off of the plan as suggested, unlikely if only cos of the bloods being monitored.

And, again as I've suggested and discussed elsewhere, E2 management is conditional. By way of example if you start any cycle in relatively decent condition and stay there throughout. Ditto not managing E2 via yet more steroids etc etc

 

[Mobster]

On PubMed and AI's etc

1) PMed - we can use it and similar to look at (for example) peptide research., dosing, effects, sides etc. We've VERY little direct and specific info from there due to the moral and ethical issues behind PED use vs medical use

2) AI - it uses info guys like us posted. From the 1990's til now and even now we still see some f**ked up 'thoughts'. And that's where it draws it's data from. SOME parts will be useful but we MUST double check that