Enclomiphene for Muscle Growth: Does It Work?

Your lifts have plateaued for months. You're eating enough protein to feed a small village, sleeping 8 hours, and following every training protocol you can find online. Yet that guy who started lifting after you is already bigger and stronger.

You've probably considered testosterone therapy. Half the guys at your gym are on it. But the idea of shutting down your natural production and committing to lifelong injections doesn't sit right with you. You want gains, not dependency.

What if there was a way to unlock your body's natural testosterone production without the permanent commitment? That's where enclomiphene comes in.

What Actually Happens When You Take Enclomiphene

Enclomiphene takes a completely different approach than direct testosterone replacement. Instead of adding synthetic hormones to your system, it works with your body's existing hormone production pathways.

It's a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that blocks estrogen receptors in your hypothalamus. Your brain interprets this as, "We need more hormones," and responds by increasing production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These hormones then signal your testicles to ramp up natural testosterone production.

The key difference? Your body stays in the driver's seat. You're optimizing your natural production rather than replacing it, which means you maintain your body's own hormone rhythms and feedback mechanisms.

The Real Talk on Muscle Gains

Enclomiphene isn't going to transform you into a mass monster, Mr. Olympia competitor overnight.

What the research shows is more modest but sustainable gains. In one 12-week study on medication that contains enclomiphene, men with low testosterone gained approximately 5 pounds of lean mass. Not earth-shattering, but meaningful progress that comes without the baggage of synthetic hormones.

Your best results will come if you're starting with genuinely low testosterone levels. If your T is already in the normal range, you'll likely notice improvements in energy, motivation, and recovery more than dramatic physique changes.

Think of enclomiphene as upgrading your fuel. Stop cheaping out on 87... you were made for 93. You're not getting a bigger engine, but you're helping your existing system run the way it was designed to perform.

Why Not Just Jump on TRT?

TRT definitely works for muscle building. Studies show men on testosterone replacement can gain 7+ pounds of lean mass in just 10 weeks, even without exercise. The gains are faster and more dramatic than what you'll see with enclomiphene.

But TRT is a different commitment altogether. Once you start, your natural production shuts down, which means you're dependent on ongoing treatment. For some men, this is exactly what they need, especially if they have clinically low testosterone that isn't responding to other approaches.

Enclomiphene offers a different path: it works with your body's existing systems to optimize natural production. This means you maintain your body's own hormone rhythms and production capacity.

The choice often comes down to your current testosterone levels, your long-term goals, and how you want to approach optimization. Some men prefer the more dramatic results of TRT, while others value maintaining their natural production.

What About Regular Clomid?

You might have heard about guys using Clomid (clomiphene citrate) for similar purposes. While Clomid contains enclomiphene, it also includes zuclomiphene, which acts as an estrogen agonist and causes the notorious "Clomid crazies."

Studies show that 41% of men on Clomid experience depression and 45% deal with mood swings. Some guys become so emotionally unstable they can't function at work. Enclomiphene eliminates these issues by removing the problematic zuclomiphene component.

The Bottom Line

Enclomiphene works best as part of a comprehensive approach to optimizing your physique and performance. It's not magic, but it can be the missing piece that helps your training and diet finally deliver the results you're working for.

You won't gain 15+ pounds of muscle like you might with more aggressive approaches, but you also won't need to commit to ongoing dependency or deal with natural production shutdown.

For men looking to optimize their natural hormone production while maintaining flexibility in their approach, enclomiphene represents a smart option between accepting suboptimal testosterone levels and committing to ongoing hormone replacement.

Getting Started

Enclomiphene requires a prescription, which means working with a physician who understands hormone optimization. The Maximus Enclomiphene Protocol provides comprehensive medical oversight, including:

• Physician consultation and evaluation
• At-home lab testing to establish baseline levels
• Customized enclomiphene dosing if you qualify
• Ongoing monitoring and adjustments
• Community support from other men on similar journeys

The goal isn't just to prescribe medication but to optimize your entire hormonal profile for better performance, body composition, and quality of life.

Ready to find out if enclomiphene could be the missing piece in your training and physique

goals? The first step is understanding where your testosterone levels currently stand.

​​Reviewed by:

Gabriel Alizaidy, MD, MS

Starling Krentz, MS

----

Disclaimer: The contents of this article, including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other information, is for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition. You should consult a licensed healthcare professional before starting any health protocol and seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of something you have read on this site. Maximus does not recommend, endorse, or make any representation about the efficacy, appropriateness, or suitability of any specific test, products, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, healthcare providers or other information contained herein. Maximus is not responsible for, nor will they bear any liability for, the content provided herein or any actions or outcomes resulting from or related to its use.

----

References

1. Soares, A. H., Horie, N. C., Chiang, L. A. P., Caramelli, B., Matheus, M. G., Campos, A. H., Marti, L. C., Rocha, F. A., Mancini, M. C., Costa, E. M. F., & Cercato, C. (2018). Effects of clomiphene citrate on male obesity-associated hypogonadism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. International journal of obesity (2005), 42(5), 953–963. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0105-2
2. Bhasin, S., Storer, T. W., Berman, N., Callegari, C., Clevenger, B., Phillips, J., Bunnell, T., Tricker, R., Shirazi, A., & Casaburi, R. (1996). The effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on muscle size and strength in normal men. New England Journal of Medicine, 335(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199607043350101
3. Celano, C. M., Freudenreich, O., Fernandez-Robles, C., Stern, T. A., Caro, M. A., & Huffman, J. C. (2011). Depressogenic effects of medications: a review. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 13(1), 109–125. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.1/ccelano
4. Aussedat, M., Jean-Louis, J., Djahangirian, O., & Brochet, M. S. (2017). Clomiphene for the Treatment of Male Infertility: A Case Report of Mood Change and a Literature Overview. Current drug safety, 12(3), 208–215. https://doi.org/10.2174/1574886312666170616092036