The anabolic capacity of testosterone
Protein assimilation index: 100
Male effect index: 100
Estrogenic effect: medium
There is no need to explain this too much. The capacity of all drugs is evaluated based on testosterone, so the various levels of testosterone are all based on 100.
Negative effects of testosterone
Causes retention of water, sodium, calcium and phosphorus.
It is converted into estradiol under the action of aromatase in the body. High doses of estradiol can cause breast development, acne, low libido, depression, fat gain and other effects.
High doses of testosterone act on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, and negative feedback inhibits the secretion of GnRH and LH, causing the autologous testicles to stop working, resulting in temporary infertility and testicular atrophy. Long-term suppression of the gonadal axis may cause the gonadal axis to be unable to resume work.
Testosterone administration route
Testosterone can be taken orally. After oral absorption, it first passes through the liver, and most of it is broken down into less active substances. Therefore, testosterone is usually administered in the form of oily preparations and injected intramuscularly. The ester chains that are usually bound to testosterone include propionic acid, enanthic acid, undecanoic acid, cyclohexanoic acid, etc. These ester chains are combined with testosterone to make injections to exert different effects. Testosterone bound to ester chains is hydrolyzed in the body to remove the ester chains to exert its effects. After entering the blood, most of the testosterone is bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and the rest can be bound to other binding globulins. Only about 2% exists in a free state, and only free testosterone has biological activity. Testosterone in a bound state and a free state can be converted into each other. Testosterone can be converted into more active dihydrotestosterone under the action of 5-α reductase in certain target cells to exert its effects. It can also be converted into estradiol under the action of aromatase. (By the way, adding an alkyl group to the 17th carbon of testosterone and anabolic steroids similar to testosterone can prevent the drug from being destroyed by the liver and change its activity. The well-known Dianabol – dehydromethyltestosterone, is an example of this.)
Common dosage forms of testosterone
Common dosage forms on the market include testosterone propionate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone cypionate, testosterone cyclohexanoate, testosterone undecanoate, mixed testosterone (Satlon), and suspended testosterone (pure testosterone).
Commonly used are testosterone propionate, testosterone enanthate and suspended testosterone, of which testosterone propionate and suspended testosterone are short-acting, and testosterone enanthate is long-acting.
The longer the ester chain, the slower the compound is absorbed, the longer the half-life, the longer it stays in the body, and the less frequent injections can be given. At the same time, it is easier to convert to female. (I will explain in detail in the pharmacokinetics issue)
Testosterone is essential in any plan to get in shape. Because artificially modified steroids can play anabolic and androgenic effects, and even the anabolic effect is mostly higher than testosterone. However, since their endogenous sources are almost non-existent or very rare, they cannot guarantee perfect binding with our own body receptors and play a role. At the same time, it cannot be guaranteed that non-natural anabolic steroids can replace testosterone in the body to play a role that has not yet been fully studied. Therefore, testosterone is essential in any plan, pay attention to any plan!
Common doses of testosterone
The common dose of testosterone enanthate is 600mg/week, injected 2-3 times a week.
The common dose of testosterone propionate is 400mg/week, injected every other day.
The dose is determined according to the stage and purpose of the plan.
(Note here that the active ingredients contained in different ester chain drugs are different. In terms of testosterone, every 100mg of testosterone enanthate has about 72mg of active ingredients, while the propionate version is about 84mg.)