Mode of Action:

The drug is technically an estrogen agonist/antagonist, which competitively binds to estrogen receptors in various target tissues. It is, however, important to understand that Nolvadex does not prevent testosterone and its synthetic derivatives, so called anabolic steroids, from converting into estrogens but only fights with them in a sort of "competition" for the estrogen receptors and prevents the downstream signaling pathways initiated by estrogen.

Therapeutic uses of Nolvadex:

Being an estrogen antagonist, Nolvadex has a range of documented therapeutic uses:

? Gynecomastia prevention: Nolvadex prevents gynecomastia (excessive development of the breasts in males) by competitively binding to the estrogen receptors the breast tissue and preventing estrogen associated breast development.

? Breast Carcinoma: Nolvadex has been utilized successfully as a preventive medicine by people with an extremely high susceptibility for breast cancer, for instance, people with family history of breast cancers. However, it is important to realize that breast cancers may or may not be estrogen associated and as they are multi-factorial, such preventive measures may or may not be successful and should only be taken after appropriate diagnosis and due prognosis by a registered physician.

Burning Fat, is it? It's a common misconception that Nolvadex helps in the burning of fat which has lead to its gross misuse by some wanna-be-beauty-peagents. Nolvadex has no direct fat-burning effect; however, its anti-estrogenic effect contributes to keeping the estrogen to the minimal possible levels.

Use in Athletics:

Nolvadex is one of the most popular anti-estrogen drugs used by athletes today. It is also widely manufactured, and easy to obtain.

Side Effects of Nolvadex:

? The side effects of Nolvadex are usually low in the recommended dosage regimen of up to 30 mg/day. However, in rare cases nausea, vomiting, hot flashes, numbness, and blurred vision can occur. It may also lead to blurred vision, easy bruising/bleeding, mood fluctuations, swollen foot, unusual tiredness, and some signs of infection may also occur.

? A loss of sexual ability/interest may occur in men while in women, irregular menstrual cycles can occur which may manifest themselves in weaker menstrual bleedings or even complete missing of a period.

A word of caution:

This drug should not be used with anastrozole and/or letrozole because of the chances of potentially fatal drug-drug interactions.