Testosterone
Testosterone is THE male hormone. Testicles are mostly responsible for its production. This important hormone is responsible for the development of all males physical characteristics, such as strength, muscle mass, fat distribution, endurance, hair and sex drive. German scientists synthesized it in 1935 to cure depression. Nowadays physicians prescribe it to treat cases of abnormally low Testosterone. As the level of Testosterone in the body gradually decreases after the age of 30, in some cases it may reach very low levels, therefore negatively affecting various aspects of a man’s life. Testosterone replacement therapy is quite common in ageing males and usually prescribed by regular injections typically given by a doctor. The hormone is also available in oral form and as a gel, but these are far less common than the injectable form.
What is Testosterone used for in bodybuilding
Testosterone, in all his forms (Cypionate, Enanthate, Propionate, Phenylpropionate, Isocaproate, Caproate, Decanoate, Undecanoate, Mix) is the most used anabolic steroid (together with Methandienone). Its benefits are amazing when combined with serious training and dieting. Bodybuilders use the Enanthate version. This hormone is highly versatile and bodybuilders use it for both bulking and cutting, alone or stacked with other steroids. It also increases strength, endurance, and muscle size. And especially the amount of calcium released in cells, which results in a boost to the power of the muscle. Many bodybuilders also use it to burn fat and speed up recovery. Testosterone Enanthate is very common for first-time users of anabolic steroids, as it requires only two injections per week, usually on Monday and Thursday of every week.
Testosterone side effects
The most common side effects of using Testosterone for prolonged periods are acne, pain or swelling of the injection site, and gynecomastia. As with all steroids, injecting this hormone results in a gradual reduction of the body’s natural production. A Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is necessary to counterbalance the effects of all kinds of Testosterone cycles.
What is the difference between Testosterone Enathate, Cypionate, Enathate?
As the Testosterone hormone is a man-made hormone, therefore researchers modified its basic formula by adding an ester. An ester is an addition to the chain structure of the hormone to increase its half-life. There are a number of different esters of testosterone. Each one is a molecular chain composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. The main difference between the different esters is how many carbon and hydrogen atoms make up the chain. For example, the Propionate ester is 3 molecules of Carbon, 6 of Hydrogen and 2 of Oxygen, while the Cypionate is composed of 8, 14 and 2. Adding esters improves the solubility of Testosterone in oil. As pure Testosterone has a very short half-life, if users inject it without any ester attached, the body would absorb it too fast. This will require multiple injections throughout the day. Adding an ester means being able to control the half-life of the hormone and make it user-friendly. The most used are Enanthate, Cypionate and Enanthate.
Testosterone Cypionate
Testosterone Cypionate is a fat-soluble, slow-acting, long ester. It is dissolved in cotton-seed oil and has a half-life of 8-9 days. Which means it require injecting it only once a week.
Testosterone Enanthate
Testosterone Enanthate is almost identical to Cypionate. These two hormones are interchangeable. Testosterone Enanthate dissolves in sesame oil and has also a half-life of 8-9 days.
Testosterone Propionate
Testosterone Propionate is a short-acting ester that has a half-life of just 3-4 days. Therefore it requires injections twice or thrice a week to maintain stable levels. Athletes often use Testosterone Propionate with popular blend such as Sustanon. Testosterone Propionate also has the bad reputation of being the most painful injection of all Testosterone esters. This is due to its melting temperature of 120 C, while the other esters melting point is normal body temperature of 36 C.