Prelude

Phera Plex was originally introduced by Designer Supplements in late 2005, at the point of it’s release it was one of the first designer steroid/pro-hormone products on the market after the 2004 pro-hormone ban.  While Phera Plex is no longer produced and hasn’t been for quite sometime now, there are various well known clones that offer identical results to the original, it still remains quite a popular compound in the hardcore community as it’s one of the strongest compounds available on the over-the-counter market.  Phera Plex and it’s various clones are great bulkers but the gains tend to be wet (water weight) but still remains popular due it’s ability to pack on weight relatively quickly.

Below is a listing of several Phera Plex clones, keep in mind, due to the recent FDA activity that some of these may be hard to find, in general anything made by Competitive Edge Labs is a good choice, so when searching for the right clone, we recommend starting with P-Plex.

1. Competitive Edge Labs – P-Plex
2. Chaparral Labs – Pheravol-V
3. iForce Nutrition – Phera Flex
4. Genetic Edge – Phera
5. Kilo Sports – Phera Mass

Since Phera Plex is no longer available, we will be using Competitive Edge Labs P-Plex as our reference for this guide, however their identical and both contain the same compound (17a-Methyl-etioallocholan-2-ene-17b-ol).

Maintaining Health

P-Plex is an oral based designer steroid that’s processed by the liver, P-Plex is also a methylated compound and thus puts additional strain on our bodies liver.  It’s been well documented that P-Plex is one of the harshest compounds available on the market it will negatively impact blood pressure, lipid values, cholesterol levels and will put stress on the bodies endocrine system, there is also additional side effects (discussed shortly) that can also present themselves, however in most cases they’re typically minor and a slight inconvenience.

However with proper planning and preventative supplementation we can assist our bodies with protecting our livers, lipid values, cholesterol levels and help control adverse blood pressure effects, this may seem like a daunting task finding supplements to tackle all of these concerns, however luckily several supplement companies have been making “all-in-one” cycle protection products that work to address many of these potential side effects and subsequently an “all-in-one” product will be the basis for our on cycle support.  Therefore ANYONE running P-Plex, is required to supplement with one of the following products throughout the entire duration of the cycle.

1. Anabolic Innovations – Cycle Support (Powder)
2. Anabolic Innovations – Life Support (Capsules)
3. Competitive Edge Labs – Cycle Assist (Capsules)

Either of the three are suitable choices, cost should be the deciding factor or whether you prefer capsules or powder.  A general rule of thumb is to pre-load either of the products two weeks prior to beginning your cycle and continue to use throughout the entire cycle from start to finish, buy accordingly so you have enough on hand.   These products will assist your body with maintaining healthy blood pressure, prostate health, liver function and lipid profile by utilizing popular herbs such as Hawthorn Berry (BP), NAC (liver), Milk Thistle (liver), Saw Palmetto (prostate) among others.  Please follow the manufactures recommended dosage (as per bottle) as it’s the dosage known to work best.

Where as with many cycles, one of the products above would be sufficient on it’s own for cycle protection, however for P-Plex it’s recommended to take the route “better safe than sorry” and provide our bodies with additional protection by supplementing with the following.

1. Himalaya LiverCare (Liv.52) – Will provide strong liver protection in conjunction with an the “all-in-one” products, very affordable at under $20 for a bottle.  For P-Plex cycles 3 capsules per day is recommended, use throughout the duration of the “on” period, can use in PCT as well.
2. NOW Grape Seed Antioxidant – Grape Seeds have shown in many studies to provide benefits in regards to blood pressure, cholesterol levels and lipid values by limiting lipid oxidation.  For P-Plex cycle, 3 capsules per day is recommended, use throughout the duration of the “on” period, should use in PCT as well.  Under $10.
3. Supplement Direct Taurine – Taurine is a free form amino acid that’s well known for reducing painful muscle pumps or even cramps, which are quite common on Phera Plex cycles, we recommend using 3-4 grams, 20-30 minutes prior to workout, also adding a 1-2 grams to your intra-workout drink is also advisable..

For more information on combating other common on-cycle sides please read our article combating cycle sides.

Dosing

P-Plex is quite a strong compound therefore it’s generally best to start with a lower dosage, asses tolerance and slowly increase it to the desired range.  For first time P-Plex users generally 20mg is sufficient and should be an ideal first cycle dosage, P-Plex cycles are typically 3-4 weeks in length with 4 weeks being the most common, typically after 4 weeks the gains begin to slow and side effects increase thus cycles longer than 4 weeks aren’t common or recommended.  Below are two common dosing protocols.

P-Plex dosing for new P-Plex users:  Week1:  10mg / per day | Week 2-3:  20mg / per day | Week 4: 20-30mg

P-Plex dosing for experienced P-Plex users:  Week1:  20mg / per day | Week 2-4:  30-40mg / per day

If going with a 3-week cycle instead of a 4-week cycle, don’t use a lower first week dosage, keep it the same the entire way through the cycle (example week 1-3:  20mg/20mg/20mg per day).  Advanced users with past P-Plex experience can experiment with dosages to around 50mg, however the added benefit may be negligible compared to the added sides at high dosages, generally most see the 30mg daily dosage the ’sweet spot’ but for some it can be 20mg or 40mg even. In general start slow the higher the dosage the higher the risk for side effects, find the best dosage for your body with the least amount of sides and keep it there for the best results.

Phera Plex and it’s clones work relatively quickly, therefore many users typically begin to experience the effects of P-Plex in 5-10 days, however depends on the user. P-Plex has quite a long half life (around 12 hours) therefore dosages should be broken into two or three periods of the day, if going with two daily dosages split them by 12 hours apart, if going with three daily dosages, split them by 8 hours apart, for best results aim to take one dosage about an hour prior to working out.

P-Plex degrades over time, so if you’re storing a ’stash’ take this into consideration, the shelf life is said to be around one to two years in ideal storage conditions.

Common Side Effects

The occurrence of side effects while using P-Plex can be quite common, in most cases the side effects are mild and very manageable, however in some cases can be a bit harsher, keep in mind that side effects are user unique, some users may not experience any side effects, while others will experience a combination of side effects. Most of these side effects are simply an inconvenience and can often be resolved through simple herbal/natural over the counter supplements, take sometime to read our article on combating side effects.

• Decreased Libido/Sexual Function
• Lethargy / Fatigue
• Puffy / Sensitive Nipples
• Back/Calve Pumps/Cramps
• Acne (Facial/Body)
• Hair Loss/Thinning/Shedding
• Prostate Pain / Discomfort
• Decreased / Increased Appetite
• Increased aggression, head aches, flushing and various other sides can happen as well.

It has also been reported that Phera Plex/P-Plex and additional clones can potentially enlarge the heart, however there’s insufficient scientific evidence at this time to thoroughly support this claim as only tests on rats has been performed, but at least take this into consideration.

Typical Results

Results will vary based upon the dosage, experience, diet and many other factors, in general P-Plex will provide exceptional body mass gains, excellent strength gains and endurance in the gym. Since P-Plex is a wet compound it works best when used in a Bulk as the gains are often wet which is undesirable for those cutting.

• When used in a bulking diet, gains can range from 12-20lbs on a 4 week cycle at 20-30mg.

Gains are based on a lot of factors, but most importantly, keep your calorie intake very high throughout the cycle to maximize gains.

Post Cycle Therapy

Possibly the most important item on the menu is post cycle therapy, when taking a foreign substance (Phera Phlex) that creates testosterone your body begins to shut down it’s normal production, when you stop taking a pro-hormone or steroid compound your body needs a way to jump start it’s own natural production again, while limiting endocrine system stress, this is why we need post cycle therapy.  It’s not just as simple as that however, when coming off of a compound your body goes through a very stressful phase as your hormones are out of balance, failure to mitigate these imbalances can result in a unique set of side effects not related to the P-Plex compound.  Below is just a *few* of the noted side effects of an improper post cycle therapy regiment, it should also be noted that the occurrence of side effects in the post cycle stage is more common than the “on-cycle” phase, however a properly planned post cycle therapy regiment can mitigate these risks.

• Gynecomastia / Gyno (or Man Boobs)
• Anxiety/Depression (Can range mild to severe)
• Body Aches/Pains (Can range mild to severe)
• Impotence and other sexual function side effects.
• Loss of gains made on cycle.

As you can see, these are side affects we definitely want to avoid at all costs, so let’s start discussing a proper P-Plex PCT (Post Cycle Therapy).

Post Cycle General:  You should begin your PCT regiment immediately after your pro-hormone or designer steroid cycle, it should begin the day after your last dosage of P-Plex.  PCT regiments are typically 4-6 weeks depending on the type of compound being used, user and type of PCT.  As noted in the previous section under “Maintaining Health”, you should continue to use Life Support, Cycle Assist or Cycle Support throughout your entire cycle, INCLUDING your PCT regiment.

• Boost Natural Testosterone Production.
• Regulate Estrogen.
• Restore HPTA function.
• Reducing SHBG.
• Control Cortisol Effects.

Over The Counter:  An OTC (Over The Counter) post cycle therapy regiment is NOT an acceptable PCT for P-Plex, for P-Plex cycles a Research Drug is REQUIRED

Research Drugs:  The MOST effective PCT regiment is one that includes a prescription/research drug, however some users prefer not to go this route, you may be asking why would someone go another route if this is the most proven and effective PCT method.  There’s various reasons but one to point out is that these drugs aren’t technically available without a prescription, these are also very powerful drugs that can also have their own side effects, notice that I say they aren’t “technically” available that’s because they can be purchased online at research drug sites, I won’t provide you with any links, if you chose to go this route googling for these sites will won’t take you long.

1. Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate).  Comes in Liquid or Pill form.

2. Optional (But highly-recommended):  Competitive Edge Labs – P.C.T Assist

It’s recommended that Users with deep pockets can also add in a natural testosterone booster such as S.A.N. MyoTEST, in the event you go this route, it would be best to run a test booster starting week two through week six.  Below is an example PCT when using a research drug (such as Nolvadex aka Tamoxifen Citrate, as we are in this case).

Week 1 Nolvadex 30mg & P.C.T Assist (6 caps)| Week 2-3 Nolvadex 20mg & P.C.T Assist (6 caps) | Week 4 Nolvadex 10mg & P.C.T Assist (6 caps)

Example Cycle

This is an example cycle from start to finish to give you an idea how it should look, assumes you’re using Nolvadex.  From start to finish our properly designed cycle will take approximately 10 weeks total.

• Week 1-2:  Pre-load Cycle Support, Cycle Assist or Life Support @ Bottle Recommended dosages.
• Week 3:  Cycle/Life Support | P-Plex 10mg
• Week 4-5: Cycle/Life Support | P-Plex 20mg
• Week 6:  Cycle/Life Support | P-Plex 20-30mg
• Week 7:  Cycle/Life Support | Nolvadex 30mg | PCT Assist (6 Caps).
• Week 8-9:  Cycle/Life Support | Nolvadex 20mg | PCT Assist (6 Caps).
• Week 10:  Cycle/Life Support | Nolvadex 10mg | PCT Assist (6 Caps).

Supplements

It’s recommended that users supplement with a quality Multi-Vitamin and Fish Oil throughout the ENTIRE cycle, keep something on hand for your joints in the event you experience some discomfort Universal Animal Flex works wonders.  You should stop taking any other supplements on Cycle as well such as Creatine, NO, Test Boosters and so on, these should be saved for PCT in order to preserve strength.  It’s heavily recommended that during PCT, you add Creatine and a Cell Volumizer type of product.  Supplementing with Protein is highly recommended on cycle

Interactions

Users who are on anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication may experienced increased anxiety/depression while on cycle and during PCT.  It is HEAVILY advised not to drink alcoholic drinks while on Cycle & PCT, doing so will put significant strain on the liver and can result in a major health hazard.  Users should avoid using stimulants on cycle as blood pressure may elevate too high and possibly cause fainting.  In general, avoid starting any new medications while on cycle or just before, if you’re concerned about a possible interaction consult your doctor.  Users should also eat a clean diet on cycle.

Disclaimer

We are not doctors, therefore before starting any supplement or training regiment you should consult with your doctor.  The information being provided is simply personal opinion.