@CharlesKin31892 'half-natty non-HPTA-suppressive' PED cycle: Enclo + MK-677 + Cardarine + 3-AD + AC-262
Ultimate non HPTA suppresive half natty PED cycle: Enclo 25mg/day, Mk677 25mg/day, Cardarine 20mg/day, 3-AD 50-75mg/day, Ac262 10mg/day. Optional: Reta 2-5mg/week HCG or HMG 200mcg or 75mcg 2x a week. (AI on hand) Gains + natural test and fertility protected.
A thoughtfully-constructed but high-risk gray-market PED protocol. Author discloses doses and understands HPTA mechanics. Enclo + HCG/HMG do real work and the body-recomp mechanism is real. But three concerns drag the score. Cardarine has a dose-dependent carcinogenicity signal that led GSK to abandon clinical development. 3-AD is a designer-steroid prohormone with hepatic concerns. The 'non-HPTA-suppressive' framing is contradicted by including HCG/HMG and an aromatase inhibitor 'on hand' as defaults.
| Goal | Score | Grade | Weight | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longevity | — | Not targeted | — | Sustained MK-677-driven IGF-1 elevation and androgenic stimulation pull against longevity per the GH/IGF-1 aging literature. Cardarine's cancer signal is the opposite of a longevity contribution. |
| Cognition | — | Not targeted | — | No ingredient with a primary cognitive mechanism. |
| Sleep & recovery | 65 | D | 15% | MK-677 has real effects on sleep architecture (some users report deeper SWS, others report water-retention-driven discomfort and increased appetite that disrupts sleep). Mixed signal at this dose. |
| Energy & metabolism | 60 | D- | 20% | Cardarine has claimed metabolic effects (PPARδ agonism, lipid/glucose effects) but the carcinogenicity signal compromises the calculus. MK-677 affects metabolism and Reta is real if accessible. |
| Body recomposition | 70 | C- | 65% | Real body-recomp mechanism across multiple ingredients (3-AD androgenic, AC-262 SARM, MK-677 GH/IGF-1, Enclo raises endogenous T). Held off C+ by sourcing concerns and the experimental status of AC-262 + 3-AD. |
Ingredients (7)
Enclomiphene
Enclomiphene on peptidelist.org ↗
- Dose
- 25mg/day · daily
- Mechanism
- SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator) that blocks hypothalamic estrogen receptors, increasing GnRH pulse frequency and amplitude, raising LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone production while preserving fertility.
- Take
- 25mg/day is at the upper end of typical off-label use (12.5-25mg). In this stack the role is HPG-axis maintenance during co-administration of androgenic compounds, which is mechanistically sound. Standard rescue/preservation protocol when running SARMs or prohormones. Off-label use; on-label uses are male hypogonadism and fertility.
MK-677 (Ibutamoren)
MK-677 (Ibutamoren) on peptidelist.org ↗
- Dose
- 25mg/day · daily
- Mechanism
- Orally bioavailable ghrelin receptor agonist. Stimulates pituitary GH release, elevating IGF-1. Was investigated by Merck for sarcopenia and frailty; failed clinical development due to side-effect profile and abandoned.
- Take
- 25mg/day is the standard enthusiast dose. Real and substantial GH/IGF-1 elevation. The trade-offs are well-documented: water retention, joint pain or stiffness, increased appetite, and impaired glucose tolerance with sustained use. MK-677 at this dose for months at a time meaningfully shifts insulin sensitivity. Bloodwork (IGF-1, fasting glucose, HbA1c) is non-optional.
Cardarine (GW-501516)
- Dose
- 20mg/day · daily
- Mechanism
- PPARδ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta) agonist. Originally investigated for dyslipidemia. Marketed in PED circles as an 'endurance enhancer' based on rodent studies showing increased fat oxidation and exercise capacity.
- Take
- 20mg/day is within typical enthusiast use, but that's the wrong frame. GSK abandoned Cardarine's clinical development after preclinical rat carcinogenicity studies showed dose-dependent increased rates of multiple cancer types (uterine, bladder, liver, others). The 20mg/day dose used in PED circles exceeds the doses that were dropped in the human trials. Carcinogenicity signals from rat work don't always translate to humans, but they don't go away either, and there's no human safety data at sustained recreational doses to clear it. This is the highest-risk single ingredient in the protocol.
3-AD
- Dose
- 50-75mg/day · daily
- Mechanism
- DHEA-pathway prohormone metabolite (androstanediol) marketed as a designer steroid. Provides androgenic activity with claimed reduced aromatization and HPTA suppression. Mechanism support is mostly anecdotal and vendor-marketing-driven.
- Take
- 3-AD is a designer-steroid prohormone (3α- or 3β-androstanediol depending on isomer) sold as a supplement, not a prescription. Marketed as 'non-aromatizing' and 'non-suppressive,' both of which are partially true but oversold. It is androgenic and will provide some HPG-axis negative feedback at sustained use. Hepatic concerns exist for prohormone-class compounds at this dose range. Vendor quality varies enormously. 50-75mg/day is on the high end of enthusiast protocols.
AC-262 (AC-262,536)
- Dose
- 10mg/day · daily
- Mechanism
- Selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) with preclinical evidence for tissue-selective anabolic activity. Investigational; no human clinical trials published.
- Take
- AC-262 is an investigational SARM with essentially zero human data. All published research is preclinical (rat castrate model, ER characterization). Selectivity claims (anabolic to muscle, lower androgenic activity in prostate) are based on animal models and don't necessarily translate. Doses and protocols in PED circles are entirely community-derived. 10mg/day is in the typical enthusiast range, but 'typical' here means 'what people on Reddit say,' not 'evidence-supported.'
Retatrutide (optional)
Retatrutide (optional) on peptidelist.org ↗
- Dose
- 2-5mg/week (optional) · weekly
- Mechanism
- GLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple-receptor agonist. Eli Lilly trial drug. Phase 2 data exceeded tirzepatide and semaglutide on bodyweight outcomes.
- Take
- Listed as optional. 2-5mg/week is below the 8-12mg/week titration in Phase 2 trials but consistent with enthusiast 'low-dose' protocols. As always, retatrutide isn't legitimately available for self-administration; anything sold under the name on the research-peptide market is gray-market trial diversion or unverifiable counterfeit synthesis.
HCG
- Dose
- 200mcg or 75mcg, 2x/week · twice weekly
- Mechanism
- HCG mimics LH at testicular Leydig cell receptors, stimulating endogenous testosterone production and maintaining testicular volume. HMG provides FSH-dominant activity, primarily used for fertility restoration.
- Take
- Listed as optional but functionally important if the rest of the stack is suppressing HPG axis. Author writes doses in mcg, which is unusual: HCG and HMG are typically dosed in IU (HCG 250-500 IU 2-3x/week is standard PCT/cruise pattern). The mcg-to-IU conversion is potency-dependent and the dose ambiguity matters. The 'AI on hand' note (aromatase inhibitor available) suggests the author expects E2 management may be needed at higher androgenic loads.
Risks & interactions
- Cardarine carcinogenicity signal at sustained recreational dosescritical
GSK abandoned Cardarine's clinical development after preclinical rat studies showed dose-dependent increased rates of multiple cancer types (uterine, bladder, liver, thyroid, and others). The 20mg/day dose used in PED circles exceeds the doses that were dropped in the abandoned trials. There is no human safety data at sustained recreational doses to clear the signal. Including Cardarine in a wellness or PED protocol is the riskiest single decision in this stack.
- 3-AD designer-steroid sourcing and hepatic concernshigh
Sold as a supplement rather than a prescription, 3-AD is a prohormone-class compound with no FDA oversight on production. Vendor purity, identity, and concentration vary enormously. Hepatic concerns exist for the prohormone class at sustained doses; the 50-75mg/day range is on the high end and needs liver enzyme monitoring at minimum.
- AC-262 has essentially zero human datahigh
All published AC-262 research is preclinical (animal models). No human clinical trials. Doses and protocols are entirely community-derived from Reddit and PED forum culture. The selectivity claims (tissue-selective anabolic effects with reduced androgenic activity) come from rat castrate models and don't necessarily translate to humans, especially at sustained recreational doses.
- MK-677 metabolic side effects with sustained usehigh
Sustained 25mg/day MK-677 reliably increases water retention, appetite, joint discomfort, and over time impairs glucose tolerance. Merck abandoned its clinical development largely on the side-effect profile. Long-term sustained use without monitoring (IGF-1, fasting glucose, HbA1c) is the standard misuse pattern.
- 'Non-HPTA-suppressive' framing is overclaimmedium
The Cardarine, MK-677, and Enclo components don't meaningfully suppress HPG axis, but 3-AD and AC-262 are androgenic and provide some negative feedback. The author's protocol includes HCG/HMG and an aromatase inhibitor on hand, both of which only make sense if the protocol IS expected to be partially suppressive. The framing oversells the 'non-suppressive' angle relative to what the listed protections imply.
- Retatrutide sourcing applies if the optional component is runmedium
Phase 3 trial-stage drug, no legitimate civilian supply chain. Anything sold as 'retatrutide' on the research-peptide market is gray-market trial diversion or unverifiable counterfeit synthesis. Standard concern; flagged here because the optional inclusion would compound the existing sourcing risks for AC-262 and 3-AD.
- HCG/HMG dose ambiguity (mcg vs IU)low
HCG and HMG are conventionally dosed in IU, not mcg. The mcg notation in the post is unusual and the conversion is potency-dependent (HCG ~9000 IU/mg). Worth clarifying before replication.
Cardarine's dose-dependent carcinogenicity signal in GSK's preclinical work led the company to abandon development for safety reasons, not lack of efficacy. The 20mg/day dose used in PED circles exceeds the clinical doses that were dropped, and there's no human safety data at sustained recreational doses to clear it. The rest of the protocol works without Cardarine. Its 'endurance enhancer' role is the most replaceable component (cardio or MOTS-c hits the same outcome with cleaner risk). Highest-leverage edit available.
Estimated cost
Enclomiphene via compounding pharmacy or telehealth $50-100/mo. MK-677 from research-vendor or supplement-vendor $60-120/mo. Cardarine from research vendor $60-100/mo. 3-AD from supplement vendor $60-100/mo. AC-262 from research vendor $80-150/mo (less common, higher prices). HCG/HMG $50-150/mo if run. Retatrutide $300-1500/mo if sourceable, with the standard caveat that it isn't legitimately available.