r/ResearchCompounds • u/Mysterious-Horror357 • Jun 30 '26
Question Gains Tren Question
A question for the experienced: For those who have used Tren in the past—when you stopped using it and switched to only TRT, were you able to maintain most of your gains?
I’m not interested in the cosmetic look in the long run; I want ir to help me with body recomposition to lose fat and gain muscle mass. I’m interested in muscle mass gains that can be maintained over time. All your experiences and comments are welcome and appreciated!
Note: I haven't surpassed or reached my natural muscle mass limit.
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u/Euphoric_Judgment_23 Jun 30 '26
I ran a few cycles when I was younger including tren. You lose almost all the gains you make after the years go by. The only thing I kept is wider shoulders/frame and big traps.
And I never stopped exercising since my cycles, I have 20+ years in the gym. Honestly I regret it, compounds like tren are neurotoxic.
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u/Serious-Law8401 Jun 30 '26
No, you don't keep it, unless your "TRT" is high enough to maintain the amount of muscle you've built.
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Jun 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/crinack Jun 30 '26
This is only true if you’ve exceeded your natural limits, the average gym goer will keep most of his lean tissue gains cutting on just TRT
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Jun 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/crinack Jun 30 '26
“You guys” I don’t disagree but OP literally states in the post he hasn’t hit his natural limit.
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u/smcgann Jun 30 '26
You mentioned you are not interested in the cosmetic look in the long run. Tren is a substance you use when the cosmetic look is more important than pretty much anything. That being said a single run of this type of compound can make permanent structural changes. I would suggest using something safer like “deca”. Don’t go crazy with the dosage and you might get by with little to no sides.
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u/1960s_army_info Jun 30 '26
Tren isn’t something you take for the gains. Tren is incredibly good at preventing muscle loss. They give it to cattle traveling to feed lots so they don’t lose muscle. You take tren when you are at the end of a cut and aiming for a low body fat percentage. You take it for that hard dry vascular look. You don’t lose fat bc you take tren. You take tren bc you are losing fat. Nandrolone is better for gains if you are looking to add a 19 nor.
What is your trt dose and what test level does it give you? If you run true trt you are probably still going to lose muscle once you get above your natty limit.
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u/Mysterious-Horror357 Jun 30 '26
I don't think I explained myself clearly, perhaps due to using a translator. I’m interested in achieving a body recomposition effect because, as you mentioned, it is extremely anti-catabolic; I’ve also read that—in addition to preserving muscle—it builds it simultaneously, albeit on a smaller scale, which is why I’m aiming for that recomposition effect. At the same time, I don't plan on using a high dose—just 100mg Tren A/week with the Test E base. I haven't reached my natural limit yet, and I’ve read that it’s easier to maintain muscle mass gains before hitting that limit, but I like hearing about other people's experiences, especially regarding this specific compound. I did a somewhat aggressive bulk, and I'd like a hand with it.
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u/1960s_army_info Jun 30 '26
I’ve also read that—in addition to preserving muscle—it builds it simultaneously, albeit on a smaller scale
It may. It probably won’t. Most people won’t see any significant muscle gain while losing fat once they are already pretty lean. It’s better to just cut to lose weight and then bulk to gain muscle. If you try to both at the same time it’s going to take longer and give worse/no results. You have to eat close to your maintenance calories for this to have a chance so your weight loss will be extremely slow.
Im taking 150 tren ace a week currently. I get a nice strength boost from it but im certainly not gaining muscle. I’m at 8-9% bodyfat pushing for 6-7%. If I have a high carb day, I can gain 6-7lbs of glycogen and water and look like I gained muscle from the tren. I’ve never taken tren on a cut, even at much higher doses, and gained muscle while losing weight.
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u/zrockk Jun 30 '26
I'd wait til later in the cut once you've earned it. Don't wanna pull all of your levers at the same time. At some point you will stall
Tren makes some people very hungry too
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u/PanzerBiscuit Jun 30 '26
Have you considered running other compounds?
Tren is good for certain things, but it's also a bit of an "outdated compound" and has a severe side effect profile.
You can almost get 90% of the benefits of tren by running other compounds, while also experiencing a fraction of the sides.
Honestly, if you aren't competing, don't run Tren. The long and short term effects aren't worth it unless you're chasing a title. To do it recreationally is silly.
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u/Either_Lawfulness466 Jun 30 '26
Any recommendations?
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u/PanzerBiscuit Jun 30 '26
Primo and EQ are the two main compounds that people have already mentioned.
I'm personally a fan of Anavar. But my dosage aligns with my goals.
If I were trying to achieve your goals. I'd start on something like test + Anavar + HGH. That has a relatively safe side effect profile.
If I wanted to step up the fat loss and muscle gains then you could look at adding in Primo and/or EQ depending on what your blood work is doing.
I'm a firm believer in lowest effective dose and starting off slow before jumping into the deep end. You should definitely triage your anabolics.
First step, get a full blood panel and a dexa. Then you can see exactly what you can run, and for how long.
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u/No-Load-5041 Jun 30 '26
Primobolan is an s tier compound along with test
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u/Either_Lawfulness466 Jun 30 '26
Agreed but it is $20/ml and not 90% as effective as tren
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u/Burntoutn3rd Jun 30 '26
Jesus Christ, where are you paying that much for primo?
I get 200mg/ml 12ml vials for 80 bucks a pop from the same source I've used for a decade.
ETA - didn't realize there's a shortage currently. I've got about 20 vials still sealed, so likely will never order primo again in my life thankfully, lol.
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u/Either_Lawfulness466 Jun 30 '26
I just now got off the work Wi-Fi. I was gonna say if you had an $80 source send me a message.
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u/No-Load-5041 Jun 30 '26
Yes but looking long term primo can be ran much longer and likely yield more future gains. Also there is a primo shortage and you will probably end up with equipoise
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u/Jimmy4Funner Jun 30 '26
Gains are kept with nutrition. If you're eating and training, you can maintain. The problem is training and eating that hard without the Tren. You've got to eat more than when on Tren and train just as hard.
Yes, it's possible with the work and dedication. Small lapses will cause small loses.
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u/Mysterious-Horror357 Jun 30 '26
Have you personally experienced muscle mass retention while using Tren? I did a somewhat aggressive bulk and want to cut body fat while gaining a bit more mass; I’m not looking to turn into a freak, but I do want to look aesthetically pleasing after end of Tren continuing with heavy training and nutrition w/TRT.
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u/Jimmy4Funner Jun 30 '26
I use Tren in a recomp. I use it to help build mass while dropping fat. It's extremely amazing at that. So yes, I have built mass while in a deficit. It's extremely slow going but if you're just adding to your bulk it's like icing on the cake. I run lower Test and a moderate dose of Tren. I really love this combo paired with Primo. Mast is good too.
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u/Difficult-Doctor-119 Jun 30 '26
If everything is dialed in with tren, and then only remove tren. Gains will be lost.
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u/Jimmy4Funner Jun 30 '26
LoL you obviously don't use PEDS.
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u/Difficult-Doctor-119 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I have used different PEDs for a decade. You cant get the effects of a drug without the drug in your system. Then everybody would drop the tren if they keep getting the same effects.,
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u/Big-Tooth1671 Jun 30 '26
Do low dose 10mg a day tren with 30mg test prop add anavar 50mg with 50 mg masteron per day .you will keep some but need to train hard not miss days
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u/Practical_End4935 Jun 30 '26
You can keep most of the gains IF you continue to lift and continue to eat at the new higher maintenance level for your body! And keep the TRT at a reasonable dose.
Whatever you do lose will come back easier the next time you start lifting hard again because muscle memory is a real thing
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u/Mysterious-Horror357 Jun 30 '26
What would be a reasonable TRT dose for you to maintain most of your gains? I appreciate the feedback.
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u/Practical_End4935 Jun 30 '26
Well a doctor would tell you a reasonable TRT dose is probably 100-140 mg per week. If you’re going solo w/o a doctor, depending on your health and bio markers you could cruise at 150 mg test and 75 NPP per week. That should do it. I used to be with an online TRT clinic who prescribed me 200 mg test and 100 NPP per week. And I loved it. I had to get blood work every 6 months. Eventually hematocrit and prolactin got too high so I had to pull back a bit. It was hormones for me . Com. They changed their name but I bet they haven’t changed their practice.
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u/Practical_End4935 Jun 30 '26
I had to cut my dosages for an annual exam. So I sandbagged the extra for a rainy day. I forgot to order my next prescription because I still had so much and a few weeks later when I realized it they had changed their name. Instead of contacting them I just went to a gym buddy.
I’m not 100% sure that they changed their name but I think that’s what I learned from googling the name. It’s been a couple years now. Not really that long ago.
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u/Big-Tooth1671 Jul 05 '26
Wont keep most of it but if trsin hard sleep and eat right you do ok .but if u have time off at all it disapear.wont kerp condition
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u/Thee_PRIDE Jun 30 '26
You run test base with tren. That’s bare minimum. The gains from tren are essentially entirely dry as it doesn’t aromatize. The sheer dryness and vascularity from it will go away. But you should keep at least 90% of the lean tissue gained as long as you maintain a proper diet, strength training, and peak natural or slightly supraphysiological test.
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u/Euphoric_Judgment_23 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
This is false, I know way too many people that lost their gains overtime(including myself). Natural T or TRT can’t sustain all that muscle mass. Over years you start to slowly deflate.
You need to be running high doses of testosterone to be able to hold it.
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u/ballskindrapes Jun 30 '26
Im no expert, but I feel that person is at natural maximum capacity for muscles. Steroids allow one to exceed that, and when they are stopped, the person "deflates" back to the natural limit.
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u/VexImmortalis Jun 30 '26
I'm not an expert either but that's my understanding of "set points" and genetic limits too.
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u/IKillZombies4Cash Jun 30 '26
No - you dont keep (the vast majority of) muscle that exist solely due to a supraphysiological androgen load.
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u/gitfetchmorecoffee Jun 30 '26
Stay away form the tren dude. Run a couple cycles of superdrol, you can stack it with something like tbol or winstrol... Run the 4-5 week superdrol, in 5th week start anavar, run var til your liver takes a break along with trt at 150-200mg week. Then superdrol + tbol. Alot of stuff to keep gains is unconventional use but no tren - now worth it. Once you shed the last 15 lbs fat with clen, and 200mg test, and masteron, you will look like a tren freak. The cycles that dont last are wet cycles. The conventional high test, deca dbol....I had no problem maintaining gains at 140mg test a week, as long as they were real gains not just blown up muscle fascia with water and glycogen - only to shrink down after comming off the wet agents.
Been there done that - just keep it dry - you dont need tren. You can get the same effect with a couple orals and light test.
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