What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is also the MAIN hormone in a male’s body.  In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted  by the testes of males and by the ovaries of females, while a tiny amounts is also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the main male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. Testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues which are the testis and prostate . Testosterone also promotes secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass and hair growth, sexual behavior, development of the male genitals, increased glands, and sperm production and maturation. The adult human male body produces about ten times more testosterone than an adult human female body, but females are more sensitive to the testosterone. The brain and the bones are two important tissues in humans where the main effect of testosterone is carried out by way of aromatization to estradiol. Testosterone in the bones allows estradiol to accelerate maturation of the cartilage into bone, leading to closure of the epiphyses and end of growth. This in short explains why when young girls reach menarche, their growth sort of stunts.  Estradiol serves as the most important feedback signal to the hypothalamus which triggers LH production.  Testosterone is derived from cholesterol which is why people who suffer from cholesterol issues usually have low testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that is triggered through the HPTA(hypothalamus).  When the HPGA Axis is stimulated, the hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which on reaching the anterior pituitary, binds to the gonadotrophs and stimulates the release of both the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulatinghormone (FSH) into the bloodstream. In the testes, testosterone is produced by the Leydig cells. The male generative glands additionally contain Sertoli cells which require testosterone for spermatogenesis. Like most hormones, testosterone is supplied to target tissues in the blood where much of it is transported bound to a specific plasma protein gondal called the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). In males, LH binds to Leydig cells, stimulating production of the principal Leydig cell hormone, testosterone. Testosterone is secreted to the plasma and also carried to Sertoli cells by androgen binding protein (ABP). In Sertoli cells the 4 double bond of testosterone is reduced, producing dihydrotestosterone. A little more than 5% of testosterone is reduced to 5a-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the cytochrome through the enzyme 5a reductase. The conversion of testosterone to DHT leads to more sebaceous glands which in turn leads to oily skin and acne. Less than 1% of testosterone is converted into estradiol by aromatase; also known as the CYP19A1 enzyme. Going back to the Sertoli Cells, in these cells it is regulated by FSH, again acting through a cAMP- and PKA-regulatory pathway. In addition, FSH stimulates Sertoli cells to secrete androgen-binding protein (ABP), which transports testosterone and DHT from Leydig cells to sites of spermatogenesis. There testosterone acts to stimulate protein synthesis and sperm development. Aromatase activity is also found in granulosa cells, but in these cells the activity is stimulated by FSH. Typically, the thecal cell androgens produced in response to LH distribute to granulosa cells, whereas granulosa cell aromatase converts these androgens to estrogens. As granulosa cells mature they develop capable large numbers of LH receptors in the plasma membrane and become increasingly receptive to LH, increasing the amount of estrogen created from these cells. If not controlled it could lead to problems such as suppressed testosterone or gynecomastia due to the excess E2 levels.   In a real short simplified expression; more SHBG leads to more Estrogen which leads to eventual negative effects. Testosterone biosynthesis involves the cleavage of the sidechain of cholesterol by CYP11A, a mitochondrial cytochrome P450 oxidase with the loss of six carbon atoms to become pregnenolone. Next, two additional carbon atoms are removed by the CYP17A enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum to give up a variety of carbon 19 steroide. In addition, the 3-hydroxyl group is oxidized by 3-β-HSD to produce androstenedione. In the final step, the C-17 keto attached group androstenedione is reduced by 17-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase to give way to testosterone. (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 37, No. 1 148-151
doi:10.1210/jcem-37-1-148)

Benefits of Test on cycle ((brain boost, libido boost, more glycogen retention, great sense of well being,

One obvious benefit of Testosterone is increases in muscle mass. Here is a study I came across: Seven hypogonadal men, 19-47 yr of age, after at least a 12-week washout from previous androgen therapy, were treated for 10 weeks with testosterone enanthate (100 mg/week) by im injections. Body weight, fat-free mass measured by underwater weighing and deuterated water dilution, and muscle size measured by magnetic resonance imaging were assessed before and after treatment. Energy and protein intake were standardized at 35 Cal/kg.day and 1.5 g/kg.day, respectively. Body weight increased significantly from 79.2 +/- 5.6 to 83.7 +/- 5.7 kg after 10 weeks of testosterone replacement therapy (weight gain, 4.5 +/- 0.6 kg; P = 0.0064). Fat-free mass, measured by underwater weighing, increased from 56.0 +/- 2.5 to 60.9 +/- 2.2 kg (change, +5.0 +/- 0.7 kg; P = 0.0004), but percent fat did not significantly change. Similar increases in fat-free mass were observed with the deuterated water method. The cross-sectional area of the triceps arm muscle increased from 2421 +/- 317 to 2721 +/- 239 mm2 (P = 0.045), and that of the quadriceps leg muscle increased from 7173 +/- 464 to 7720 +/- 454 mm2 (P = 0.0427), measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Muscle strength, assessed by one repetition maximum of weight-lifting exercises increased significantly after testosterone treatment. L-[1-13C]Leucine turnover, leucine oxidation, and nonoxidative disappearance of leucine did not significantly change after 10 weeks of treatment. There was no significant change in hemoglobin, hematocrit, creatinine, and transaminase levels. Replacement doses of testosterone increase fat-free mass and muscle size and strength in hypogonadal men. Whether androgen replacement in wasting states characterized by low testosterone levels will have similar anabolic effects remains to be studied. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997 Feb;82(2):407-13.)

According to another study I came across Testosterone boosts muscle function and IGF-1 production.  welve older men (> or =60 yr) with serum total testosterone concentrations <17 nmol/l (480 ng/dl) were randomly assigned in double-blind manner to receive either placebo (n = 5) or testosterone enanthate (TE; n = 7) injections. Weekly intramuscular injections were given for the 1st mo to establish increased blood testosterone concentrations at 1 mo and then changed to biweekly injections until the 6-mo time point. TE doses were adjusted to maintain nadir serum testosterone concentrations between 17 and 28 nmol/l. Lean body mass (LBM), muscle volume, prostate size, and urinary flow were measured at baseline and at 6 mo. Protein expression of androgen receptor (AR) and insulin-like growth factor I, along with muscle strength and muscle protein metabolism, were measured at baseline and at 1 and 6 mo of treatment. Hematological parameters were followed monthly throughout the study. Older men receiving testosterone increased total and leg LBM, muscle volume, and leg and arm muscle strength after 6 mo. LBM accretion resulted from an increase in muscle protein net balance, due to a decrease in muscle protein breakdown. TE treatment increased expression of AR protein at 1 mo, but expression returned to pre-TE treatment levels by 6 mo. IGF-I protein expression increased at 1 mo and remained increased throughout TE administration. The researchers conclude that physiological and near-physiological increases of testosterone in older men will increase muscle protein anabolism and muscle strength. (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Mar;282(3):E601-7.)

Testosterone even acts like creatine according to another study I cam e across:

Androgens stimulate myogenesis, but we do not know what cell types within human skeletal muscle express the androgen receptor (AR) protein and are the target of androgen action. Because testosterone promotes the commitment of pluripotent, mesenchymal cells into myogenic lineage, they hypothesized that AR would be expressed in mesenchymal precursor cells in the skeletal muscle. AR expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining, confocal immunofluorescence, and immunoelectron microscopy in sections of vastus lateralis from healthy men before and after treatment with a supraphysiological dose of testosterone enanthate. Satellite cell cultures from human skeletal muscle were also tested for AR expression. AR protein was expressed predominantly in satellite cells, identified by their location outside sarcolemma and inside basal lamina, and by CD34 and C-met staining. Many myonuclei in muscle fibers also demonstrated AR immunostaining. Additionally, CD34+ stem cells in the interstitium, fibroblasts, and mast cells expressed AR immunoreactivity. AR expression was also observed in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed aggregation of immunogold particles in nucleoli of satellite cells and myonuclei; testosterone treatment increased nucleolar AR density. In enriched cultures of human satellite cells, more than 95% of cells stained for CD34 and C-met, confirming their identity as satellite cells, and expressed AR protein. AR mRNA and protein expression in satellite cell cultures was confirmed by RT-PCR, reverse transcription and real-time PCR, sequencing of RT-PCR product, and Western blot analysis. Incubation of satellite cell cultures with supraphysiological testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations (100 nm testosterone and 30 nm dihydrotestosterone) modestly increased AR protein levels. Researchers conclude that AR is expressed in several cell types in human skeletal muscle, including satellite cells, fibroblasts, CD34+ precursor cells, vascular endothelial, smooth muscle cells, and mast cells. Satellite cells are the predominant site of AR expression. These observations support the hypothesis that androgens increase muscle mass in part by acting on several cell types to regulate the differentiation of mesenchymal precursor cells in the skeletal muscle.

Testosterone also boosts glycogen according this other article I came upon: The purpose of the current study was to show that testosterone and estradiol act differentially on skeletal muscles from different regions, differentially with reference to glycogen metabolism. To study this hypothesis, healthy mature male Wistar rats (90-120 days of age, weighing about 180-200 g) were castrated (a bilateral orchidectomy was performed to test the significance of skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism in the absence of testosterone). One group of castrated rats was supplemented with testosterone (100 microg/100 g body weight, i.m., for 30 days from day 31 postcastration onwards). To test whether estradiol has any effect on male skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism 17beta-estradiol (5 microg/100 g body weight, i.m., for 30 days from day 31 postcastration onwards) was administered to orchidectomized rats. To test whether these sex steroids have any differential effect on skeletal muscles from different regions, skeletal muscles from the temporal region (temporalis), muscle of mastication (masseter), forearm muscle (triceps and biceps), thigh muscle (vastus lateralis and gracilis), and calf muscle (gastrocnemius and soleus) were considered. Castration enhanced blood glucose levels and decreased glycogen stores in skeletal muscle from head, jaw, forearm, thigh, and leg regions. This was accompanied by diminished activity of glycogen synthetase and enhanced activity of muscle phosphorylase. Following testosterone supplementation to castrated rats, a normal pattern of all these parameters was maintained. Estradiol administration to castrated rats did not bring about any significant alteration in any of the parameters. The data obtained suggest a stimulatory effect of testosterone on skeletal muscle glycogenesis and an inhibitory effect on glycogenolysis. Estradiol did not play any significant role in the skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism of male rats. (Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1999 Apr;77(4):300-4.)

Testosterone also boosts brain/neuron function leading to more spatial learning and motor skills. Testosterone also boosts red blood cell count along EPO levels. Testosterone will promote more energy, motivation and controlled aggression.  Obviously libido and sense of well being will be elevated due to the correlation of testosterone to dopamine. Dopamine as mentioned before in my articles, is the main reason you feel good and feel the need to spread your seed.HAHAHAHA

Different forms of Testosterone Injections

Test Prop

Testosterone propionate has probably the second shortest half life of all testosterone esters. With a 4.5 day half-life, it will not produce water retention to the degree of other testosterone forms such as Testosterone-Enanthate; which is a very desirable quality for many as it means the chances for blood pressure spikes are lower. After the use of Testosterone propionate the effects start showing in a snap. In a short period of time, an athlete/ bodybuilder will feel more aggressive and stronger. The individual will start to experience an increase in appetite; along with improved recovery time from post training. For those who have issues with injections, this is definitely not the steroid for you since injections are frequently expected. You will need to administer Testosterone propionate at a minimum of every 3 days but most choose to inject Test prop every other day for max results. There are some veterans that will even inject prop daily. The longer the ester bond attached to the testosterone is, the longer the actual steroid is active within your body, but the less actual test you will in turn have within the body. This is because, for every 100mgs of testosterone cypionate you inject, approximately only 69.90mgs of it is truly testosterone; the rest is the cypionate ester, which must be removed through bodily processes. On the other hand, with the propionate ester you will get 83.72mgs of pure Testosterone. The advantage to longer esters is that they need to be injected less frequently. The disadvantage to long estered steroid hormones is that they contain less of the actual steroid as just explained. Testosterone Propionate is usually the preffered form of testosterone when it comes to cutting cycles as it does not hold nowhere near as much water as other forms of testosterone, leaving you with a more toned look as opposed to a bloated and unattractive appeal. Women also prefer this form of testosterone as they can minimize side effects while on. Remember, Test prop’s effects begin to really drop the second day after injecting, so in my honest humble opinion, never go longer than 24 hours aka eod without injecting your prop for maximum gains. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1986 Dec;63(6):1361-4.) The side effects of Testosterone propionate are much easier to control than many other forms of testosterone since one can control the flow of the hormone to a more efficient degree due to the short half-life. To make sure you have the maximum benefits of using Testosterone propionate, inject a little amount of this steroid into your system at any one time. Women can experience virilization with this form of testosterone just like any other form of testosterone, so caution is warranted when cycling prop. In case you are not sure what that means, it means the women’s voice will deepen, her clitoris will enlarge, and she will start to develop hair in the wrong places HAHAHAHHAHA.

Test Cyp

Testosterone cypionate, is testosterone with the cypionate ester bond attached to it; which is a slow-acting long ester added to it. Test cyp. Is a time released duration of testosterone thereby reducing the frequency of injections for hormone therapy patients permitting for monthly shots. A big reason; why, bodybuilders and athletes choose to run it with their cycles as no one wants to have to continuously inject themselves for what ever the reason may be. Like all forms of the androgen testosterone, this form of testosterone will provide great overall gains, increased sense of well being, and a steady libido, whereas test prop would give a surge of libido due its potent quick delivery.

Sustanon 250

Sustanon was developed by the pharmaceutical company Organon as a means of ideal Hormone Replacement Therapy treatment because it was thought at the time that these different esters would be able to provide a constant flow of Testosterone over a month’s time. Sustanon is a blend of four different estered testosterones which include: testosterone propionate  at 30 mg, testosterone propionate at 60 mg, testosterone isocaproate  at 60mg, and testosterone decanoate at 100 mg.  During the 80’s through 90’s this was the choice form of testosterone, everyone who was on wanted to include Sus 250 in their cycle. The main advantage to this form of testosterone, according to the Organon, is that it can be injected once a month, and the different esters would provide different timed releases over that month, and the patient would really only need to visit the doctor once a month for their Testosterone replacement therapy. For athletes or bodybuilders who are injecting 1000mg plus throughout the month, Sus 250 will make no true differences in delivery or benefits. I will say this, there are some people I know that had the most strength gains while on this form of testosterone than any other form, in theory I can only speculate that some of the remaining forms of testosterone with newer levels of testosterone engage to make androgenic attributes stronger.

Testosterone PhenylPropionate

When compared to other forms of testosterone phenyl propionate does not have a lot of popularity among most chemical athletes. Athletes ALWAYS want quick results from their anabolic androgenic steroids, and testosterone phenyl propionate is not able to give them the quick results they are expecting. Testosterone phenyl propionate has the shortest duration of all testosterone esters and this is the reason it has been called ineffective by many. With a 1-2 days duration within the body, it prevents water retention in the muscles of the body; a very desirable effect at that. After the use of testosterone phenyl propionate the effects start showing in a snap. In this little time, an athlete will feel more aggressive and stronger just as Test Prop. He will have an increased appetite; and so forth just as with Test Prop. However because of its terribly short half life it will HAVE to be injected daily, and for some that is just not going to happen. LMAO! Alternatively, you can inject it every two days if taken with other steroids like winstrol (oral) and Dianabol. The primary advantage of this stuff is that foreign underground manufacturers are not afraid to dose it at 200 mg per ml, unlike other short esters like propionate in which 100 mg per ml is the standard dosage.

Test Decanoate

Testosterone decanoate, is probably best known as one of the ingredients in Sustanon. Also known as Neotest 250 is testosterone with the decanoate ester, a slow-acting long ester bond attached to it. The Neotest 250 brand was developed in an oil solution form for intramuscular injection, and packaged in a 10 ml multi-dose vial containing 250 mg per ml of testosterone decanoate. The individual drug Neotest 250 is no longer available through manufacturer, and no other independent testosterone decanoate products are known to be in distrubution. At present, the decanoate version of testosterone can only be found within testosterone blends like Sus 250.

Cousin of Sus 250 aka Omnadren 250

Omnadren 250 is a combination of the 4 separate forms of testosterone esters just as Sus 250. Most commonly, people will correlate Omnadren 250 with its cousin Sustanon 250, since they are both a blend of 4 testosterone esters. The only difference between the two lies in the last and most concentrated- ester. While Omnadren contains the caproate ester, Sustanon contains the decanoate ester in the same concentration amount. Really, except for price, theres no real notable difference nor  benefits.  Financnially speaking,  youre going to be paying as much for Omnadren as you would for Sustanon 250. So it really does not matter which one you use per your cycle but rather which you can obtain through your source, pretty much it’s like comparing Test Cyp To Test E.

The small concentrations of the shorter acting esters like propionate and phenylpropionate are rendered practically useless when Omnadren is injected once or twice per week. Furthermore, when injecting only a few times per week the peaks and valleys of concentration in the blood are not desirable. We want our blood concentration of the drugs to be as high as they can be relative to dose to produce maximum results. Obviously, this is not the case when fast acting esters are introduced and subsequently dissolute before another injection is given. As the longest ester in Omnadren (caproate) is slightly faster acting than the longest ester in Sustanon (decanoate), users will notice an increase in their testosterone levels sooner with Omnadren than with Sustanon. This has a few consequences which we shall examine now. First of all, since testosterone aromatizes into estradiol, a buildup of this female hormone will occur more rapidly which could lead to the onset of gyno. With the estrogen increase follows the inevitability of increased water retention. This is significant for 3 reasons: First, the users strength will increase. Secondly, the user’s size will increase, and finally, definition in the muscles will begin to dissipate. As a clear observation, Omnadren is clearly used more so for bulking than cutting.

Test Ethanate

Testosterone Ethanate is the European version of Testosterone Cypionate and by far the most worldwide used form of testosterone, especially recreational usage. Remember most TRT patients will receive either the androgel or Test cyp.  Another problem about the administration of Testosterone Enanthate is the fact that this form of testosterone aromatazes in estradiol very quickly. Many aspects of course depend from person to person because in most cases the reactions are correlated with the fact that these individuals are predisposed to them. There are athletes that even at a dose of 100mg/day or even more aren’t affected by the feminization process, they don’t stock fats and retain only an insignificant quantity of water.  Usual dosing for Test E. is usually 250-1000mg, but some hardcore vets will go up to Dan Duchaine’s crazy advice of 2000mgs.

Test Suspension

Testosterone Suspension is water base form of testosterone that was developed and used for decades by many chemical athletes. It is actually the first anabolic androgenic steroid used for performance and muscle enhancement. For the purpose of building mass, Testosterone Suspension has never been surpassed since it was first developed in the 1930’s. Many underground labs also suspend this product in propylene glycol or oil as well resulting in a very painful injection compared to its original water base. It has no ester bond attached to it; as a result no ester is calculated into the weight. This is extremely beneficial to the user since 100mg of testosterone suspension will yield 100mg of pure testosterone unlike the other esterfied testosterones such as testosterone enanthate which only yields 72mg of actual testosterone per 100mg of total weight. Testosterone suspension considerably raises the storing of glycogen in the muscle cells and because it is dissolved in water it becomes effective immediately. Also making it different from other esterfied hormones is that it only keeps sustained and elevated testosterone levels for 2-3 days due to its short half life. This forces the individual to inject on a daily basis, with better results coming from twice-three time a day use due to its short active-life with the effective dose ranging from 350-1000mg per week or 50-140mg per day. One should practice site rotation and should practice injecting in the same spot only once per week at most to avoid muscle bruising. It should be noted that test suspension is usually a very painful shot, so it is often cut with something else, such as B-12, or other anabolic androgenic steroids. And yes, you can mix a water based steroid with an oil based steroid in the same syringe to try to dampen the pain of the injeciton. Again I repeat if you are not a fan of injections, then this form of Testosterone is NOT for you BWHAH AHAHAAHA!

Test CHP

Testosterone CHP, is a French made Testosterone preparation. See, this form of testosterone comes in 296mgs, 148mgs, and 37mgs ampules, of one milliliter each. Why the akward dosing? Well, actually, its much less strange than you think. . See those amps provide a very sensible 200mgs, 100mgs, and 25mgs respectively with this particular ester, combined with testosterone, at those available doses. As we all know, esters delay the release of a hormone, and Test-CHP has 9 carbons, which hints that it is a long acting ester comparable cypionate, (8 carbons) or decanoate, (10 carbons) with an active life of about 13.5 days. Obviously, this is a very long acting version of testosterone, and anecdotally, the longer esters, tend to produce more water retention. This stuff would be good for bulking, therefore, and not really for cutting.

TestoVirion

Testoviron is a blend of two foms of testosterone. Usually testosterone with the propionate ester bond attached, and testosterone with the Enanthate ester bond attached. Intesting but contradicting, Schering, who produces this product, also has a pure testosterone Enanthate product of the same name. “Frontloading” is employed with products like this one, since it contains both testosterone propionate, and Enanthate. This is where double or triple the intended dose for the cycle is injected for the first two weeks, and the propionate ester gives a very quick rise in blood plasma levels of testosterone, and then the Enanthate ester is relied on for a more even blood level in the ensuing weeks. The reasoning behind this is presumably to get the blood levels of the drug up quickly in the hopes of seeing results more quickly, and then have the blood levels even out and stay constant.

Of all testosterones available on the market today, blended ester products like this one are the most unjustifiably expensive. This is both because they are in high demand, as well as more rare than single estered products. You can only find Testoviron overseas at 135mg per ml. Expect to pay up to $5-7 for an amp of this stuff, and if your source is asking for more, don’t bother as the price is not worth the bite. When the price of other forms of testosterone is so low, there is no justification purchasing a blended product for any more than you would purchase a single estered testosterone.

Balco’s “Cream”

The Cream is the slang name given by Victor Conte to a transdermal designer steroid, containing testosterone and epitestosterone, designed by BALCO to avoid detection on drug tests. While testosterone is certainly an anabolic steroid, epitestosterone is simply an inactive epimer of the parent steroid hormone. The reason the latter would be included in the cream along with testosterone is to beat doping tests based on the testosterone:epitestosterone ratio.  It’s pretty much a ploy to keep using other stronger substances without getting caught. Now of course it is detectable thanks to WADA LOL.

Testosterone Undecanoate

This testosterone ester has been developed and used clinically in many countries possessing the desired profile. Testosterone undecanoate, marketed under the brand name Aveed^®, Nebido^®, and others, has a decade plus worth of research and use in treating male hypogonadism. Being that it has 10 carbon tail rather than an 11 carbon tail, it’s more likely to slowly release within the muscle tissue cells. It is the preferred form of hormone replacement for many men’s health specialists, due to its pharmacokinetic properties. Test Undecanoate is capable of maintaining a steady concentration of testosterone for 12 weeks in most users, up to 14 weeks in some. To reach a steady state, a 4 ml depot of TU in castor oil is injected, with a follow-up injection six weeks later; from then on, testosterone concentration is typically maintained with a 4 ml depot injected every 12 weeks. For American AAS users, or men receiving testosterone therapy, this sounds like testosterone perfection, one shot every three months, rather than 12 or more. Unfortunately, the FDA is being uncharacteristically slow in approving TU, due to the rare report of shortness of breath that has occurred when the depot is improperly injected. Proper intramuscular injection technique requires that the plunger of the syringe be pulled back slightly to ensure that the drug is not being injected into a blood vessel, as this could allow the large globule to enter the bloodstream. If injected into a large vein, the globule could enter the pulmonary circulation (lungs) fairly intact, causing the sensation noted, until it is dispersed in the general circulation. Most AAS injections are limited to 2 ml or less. One issue with TU that may affect compliance is a greater frequency or severity of injection-related pain. Four ml may not seem like a large volume, a teaspoon has 5 ml. However, when injected into the glute, 4 ml of an oil-filled depot can feel like one is sitting on a golf ball. Recently, a study was performed measuring relative pain associated with a 4 ml Test Undecanoate injection, and how long the pain can last. This will likely be of interest to many men, as TU could quickly become the hormone replacement of choice in the U.S. when approved. Those considering high-volume injections of other AAS, or hoping to acquire TU for recreational purposes, will likely find this worthy of note as well. Certain AAS, particularly veterinary preparations, are administered in low concentrations. In the study, recently published in the Asian Journal of Andrology, Australian clinicians followed 125 hypogonadal men receiving TU, administered as a single 4 ml intramuscular injection every 12 weeks; 43 returned during the study period for a scheduled injection, and their data were included in the analysis. In reviewing these results, it is important to consider that the injections were provided in the clinic, by experienced nurses using proper injection protocol. The injections were provided slowly, over 3-5 minutes, through a 1½-inch, 21-gauge needle, the standard needle size used by doctors and bodybuilders for intramuscular injections. These results likely represent “best-case scenario” as a legitimate drug, properly injected, in a clinical setting by experienced practitioners. In the “real world,” the outcome is likely to be worse, with increased risk of other injection-related complications (ex. bleeding, infection, injecting into a vein, tissue damage, and scarring). The results indicated that the worst pain was immediately post-injection (58 percent), and resolved fairly quickly. In fact, none of the subjects reported that pain interfered with normal activities; in all cases, the pain resolved in three days or less.  The authors compared this to an earlier study examining pain associated with a 1 ml intramuscular injection of testosterone enanthate (TE). In this, most men did not experience reportable pain; only 29 percent noted any injection-related discomfort. The difference between the TE and TU experience is likely related to the volume of the injection (1 ml versus 4 ml). Two traits were noted that were associated with less pain were age and obesity. Older men reported less pain than their younger counterparts; this may be due to reduced pain sensitivity that occurs with aging, or they may just have more pain threshold capabilities. Obese men have a much thicker subdermal fat pad. In some men, this may be thicker than the length of the needle, causing the 4 ml depot to be dispersed among the less reactive fat tissue, as opposed to the deep sensitive muscle. Though this has been noted to be an issue, it appears drug delivery may be equally effective when injected as an oil depot into fat or muscle. Most normal-weight or lean men would not find the visible bulge from the injection comfortable or at tolerable. (Journal of Andrology, Vol. 23, No. 3, May/June 2002)  I don’t understand why over such little insignicant issues such as injection pain would the United States not allow such a wonderful form of Testosterone to hit the TRT market, seriously what a SHAME!  If few you think a few days of muscle soreness is a problem, then you need to man up. LOL

Andriol

Andriol is the oral version of the anabolic androgenic steroid testosterone undecanoate developed by the pharmaceutical company Organon. This testosterone preparation is encapsulated and sealed in an oil base in a 40 mg capsule taken orally. According to the makers of Andriol, the oil esterfied tablet bypasses the liver, preventing it from being decimated by the liver and from adding harmful stresses to the liver found in other forms of testosterone. It is also supposed to enter the body as a fat through the lymphatic system. Even at 240 mg per day, the results are mediocre at best with the exemption of the first hour where you get the surge of energy. Increasing the dose will not do much either which tells us that oral testosterone is limited and is a waste.  The advantage to using Andriol is its lack of side effects such as minimal estrogen conversion, mimimal to no blood pressure spikes, no water retention,

Androgel

Androgel is the more common and FDA approved testosterone treatment here in the US. Androgel is a topical testosterone cream or more aptly a Transdermal Testosterone. One of the primary forms of treatment of low-testosterone Androgel unlike many testosterone medications does not need to be injected but as a transdermal cream is applied directly to the skin. Beyond the form in-which it comes there are not too many differences between Androgel and typical injectable testosterone but differences do exist. In the end, by topical application or injection, either way you are receiving the same testosterone hormone but the most notable difference is in the efficiency rating.  When we use injectable testosterone much more of the hormone is made available to the body; while no injectable testosterone with the exemption of Testosterone Suspension provides a 100% absorption rating many are close; Androgel however can only report a 10% usable amount from each dosing therapy provided. To give understanding; one of the most common forms of testosterone used in hormone replacement therapy is that of Testosterone Propionate and injections of 50mg are the usual dosing protcols. For the Androgel users to receive the same amount of usable testosterone by application of this transdermal cream one would need to apply approximately 5 grams of the solution in-order to reach the same end.  ONE BIG REASON; why I told my doc that I MUST have injections over topical delivery.  When some transdermal testosterone preparations have been examined, they have shown that the plasma concentration of testosterone increased very rapidly, and reached the peak level within 3-6 hours of application of the experimental patch. This is comparable with some of the better oral products out there, let’s be real anybody would rather swallow a tablet over having to inject themselves constantly. This is the reason why so many orals have even become popular in the sports world in the first place, athletes are busy people who don’t have time to mess around. Basically, you can expect all of the benefits of injectable testosterone with the transdermals providing that you dose them the same, which on average most doctor’s will not leading to less significant improvements with the patch compared to the shots. An example would be Androderm, which is a patch containing 12.2mgs of testosterone, and androgel, which gives you about 10% of the total active testosterone. So if its 100mg per serving, you only are getting 10mgs, UMMM I think I will pass. The main problem with this method is that if the individual has a high amount of aromatizing enzymes within the body, the androstendione will convert to estradiol without even giving full accesss to testosterone. This is why you will see if you search that scientists realized that leaner men handle supraphsiological levels of androgens much better than over weight men. A good way of knowing that you have high aromatizing enzymes within your body is checking to see if you have a floppy chest, significant lower belly fat, significant tricep fat, fatty shoulders, round face, overly emotional, and thigh/lower body fat. Any of these may be a high indicator of elevated aromatase enzymes along with high estrogen levels.

Side effects to consider while on Testosteorne

Here is a list of sides that are commonly noted with the use of Testosterone: Acne; bitter or strange taste in mouth; change in sex drive; fatigue; gum or mouth irritation; gum pain; gum tenderness or swelling; hair loss; headache. Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); breast growth or pain; change in the size or shape of the testicles; dark urine or light-colored bowel movements; depression or mood changes; dizziness; gingivitis; interrupted breathing while sleeping; loss of appetite; nausea; painful or prolonged erection; stomach pain; swelling of the ankles or legs; urination problems; weight gain; yellowing of the skin or eyes. (drugs.com)

As you can see many of these forms of testosterone offer their own benefits whether it is for Testosterone Replacement Therapy or anabolic cycle. I really like Ronnie’s belief that you can never have too much testosterone. LONG LIVE TESTOSTERONE AND ALL IT’S FORMS!!!!!