Testosterone Propionate is a commonly manufactured injectable form of the primary male androgen hormone testosterone. The added ester to the testosterone – “propionate” is only responding for slowing down the rate in which the testosterone is released from the injection site (otherwise, without an added ester – the testosterone is going to dissipate too quickly as soon as it would be injected), however it only does so for a few days, compared to other esters which can slow down the release rate much more, up to some weeks.

All in all, testosterone propionate is a much faster acting testosterone comparing with some other testosterone esters out there like for example cypionate or especially enanthate and for this reason, this product is requiring a much more frequent dosing schedule than the other 2 forms of testosterone. By the most accounts testosterone propionate is an older and also a cruder type of injectable testosterone, made obsolete by the slower acting and also more comfortable esters that have been developed after it.

But even so, there are still some of those people who are not bothered by the frequent injection schedule and they find that testosterone propionate is very acceptable and there are even those people who love it over others because of the “more stable blood levels”. Anyway, as in terms of an injectable testosterone, is a very powerful mass building drug and so is very capable of producing some really rapid gains in the both muscle size and in the strength.

Below you would find information about Testosterone Propionate and answers to some important questions such as:

What is Testosterone Propionate?;

What is the difference between Testosterone Propionate, Enanthate and Cypionate?;

Testosterone Half Life and for how long it will stay in your system?;

as well as Testosterone Dosage/ Administration.

The testosterone products are extremely widely used and popular among bodybuilders and fitness communities. A lot of athletes are using it and thanks to its great results and benefits that it can offer, the product is considered one of the best gears out there. The chemical names of this substance: 4-androsten-3-one-17beta-ol, 17beta-hydroxy-a ndrost-4-en-3-one. This stuff is active in the body up to 2 days while the detection time is up to 3 weeks.

Estrogenic Side Effects of Testosterone Propionate

It is a very well known thing that testosterone is readily aromatized in the body to estradiol (estrogen). The aromatase (estrogen synthetase) enzyme is being responsible for that metabolism of the testosterone. With this being said, with the user administers Testosterone Propionate (or any other testosterone) high levels of estrogen would result. However, elevated estrogen levels can cause side effects like for example increased water retention (which can therefore lead to high blood pressure), gynecomastia as well as body fat gain.

While this might not become a problem for most men using moderate doses of testosterone, it might become an issue for more sensitive individuals. For this, they might need to use an anti estrogen which is usually enough to deal with the high estrogen related side effects. In case this is not enough, they might resort to Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) like for example Anastrazole which is recommended only to most sensitive people when high estrogen related side effects can’t be controlled with anti estrogens like tamoxifen citrate. That’s because generally, AIs are much more expensive and plus to that, they might have a negative impact on the Blood Lipids.

Keep in mind that that the estrogen related side effects would occur mostly depending on the dose that you administer. It’s an obvious fact that with higher doses (higher compared to the normal therapeutic doses) Testosterone Propionate is more likely going to require the combined use of an anti estrogen or aromatase inhibitor as the higher the dose gets, the higher the chances of getting side effects would be.

Because of the fact that water retention as well as loss of muscle definition are common side effects with the higher doses of testosterone, this drug is most commonly considered to be a bad choice for dieting or during the cutting phases of training as people tend to lose the water retention and keep muscle definition during this period.

However, that’s quite a mistake that lots of people are doing and that’s because the product can be great for cutting cycles as well, the main difference is that the dosage should be much lower, it can be stacked with an cutting agent plus an AI would keep you away from estrogenic side effects which are bothersome during the cutting phase.

But this product, on the other hand, is extremely helpful for bulking phases, especially since it has a moderate estrogenicity which can help, compared to other steroids that do not have it and that’s because the added water retention is going to help and support the muscle size and raw strength and is also going to support the growing of a stronger anabolic environment.

Androgenic Side Effects of Testosterone Propionate

It is a very well known fact that the elevated levels of testosterone are very likely to produce some androgenic side effects (which is obvious taking in consideration that testosterone is the primary androgen hormone) and most commonly, such side effects are including: oily skin, acne as well as body and facial hair growth.

Due to the androgenic negative effects, those men that are having a genetic predisposition for hair loss (androgenic alopecia) also may notice that they are having accelerated male pattern balding by using the testosterone (regardless of the ester). It is generally not recommended for a man predisposed with this condition to use testosterone in case that’s a problem for the individual. This side effect will not affect those men that are not predisposed to male pattern hair loss.

In case there’s someone who is concerned about this side effect but would still need to use a steroid, Nandrolone Decanoate is a much safer alternative in terms of keeping you away from the worsening of the male pattern hair loss condition. Women are nearly always recommended to stay away from Testosterone Propionate or any other form of testosterone and that’s because they are warned of the potential virilizing effects of the anabolic/ androgenic steroids and that’s especially some strong androgens like for example testosterone. The usual virilizing side effects includes: menstrual irregularities, facial hair growth, a deepening of the voice, changes in the skin texture as well as clitoral enlargement.

In addition to that, in the androgen responsive target tissues like for example prostate, skin and scalp, the high relative androgenicity of the testosterone is very dependent on its reduction to the dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The 5 alpha reductase enzyme is being responsible for that metabolism of testosterone.

With this being said, it is important to know that using alongside with testosterone a product like dutasteride or finasteride which are 5 alpha reductase inhibitors are going to interefere with the site specific potentiation of testosterone action and this is going to lower the tendency of testosterone drugs to offer androgenic side effects. It is also very important to remember that both the anabolic as well as the androgenic effects are being mediated via the cytosolic androgen receptor. The full separation of testosterone’s anabolic and androgenic properties is impossible and that even with the full 5 alpha reductase inhibition.

Hepatotoxicity Side Effects of Testosterone Propionate

As it has been discovered, testosterone is having absolutely no hepatotoxic effects and for this reason, liver toxicity is very unlikely to happen while administering Testosterone Propionate. There’s a study out there  which has examined the potential for hepatotoxicity with high doses of testosterone by administering 400 mg of this hormone per day (which means it has been administered a total of 2,800 mg per week) to a group of male subjects. The steroid has been given orally so in this way higher peak concentrations would be reached in hepatic tissues compared to the intramuscular injections.

This hormone has been given every day for a total of 20 days and even so, it has produced barely any changes (nothing significant) to liver enzyme values including alanine – amino – transferase, bilirubin, serum albumin as well as alkaline phosphatases.

With all of this being said, even the most sensitive individuals, hepatotoxicity should not be a problem. Keep in mind that testosterone alone doesn’t give any liver toxicity, however if this product is being taken alongside a product that might stress the liver – Testosterone Propionate definitely won’t be helpful in such a case. Liver enzymes should be regularly checked in such a situation.

Cardiovascular Side Effects of Testosterone Propionate

Any anabolic/ androgenic steroid also can have some negative adverse effects on the serum cholesterol too. This is the reason why those men already having cholesterol issues before using the steroid should avoid it otherwise the cholesterol issues are going to get even worse.

However, if you’re healthy enough to use testosterone (by not having cholesterol issues), use it alongside a healthy lifestyle and cholesterol friendly manner because the damaging effects on serum cholesterol includes the potency to reduce the HDL (good) cholesterol numbers and in the same time to increase the LDL (bad) cholesterol numbers. When these numbers change for the worse, it could change the HDL to LDL balance into a way that would be much more favorable for an arteriosclerosis condition to appear and generally having cholesterol issues.

If you’re thinking about using a steroid remember that the relative impact on an anabolic or androgenic steroid on the serum lipids is depending on a few different factors, some of them are: the dose you are using (the smaller the safer), the route of administration (either is oral or injectable – orals are always worse here), on the level of resistance to hepatic metabolism as well as on the type of the steroid (either is aromatizable or non aromatizable).

But in the end, in case you have some cholesterol issues, is not recommended to use any steroids at all. Keep in mind that anabolic/ androgenic steroids can also have a negative impact on the blood pressure and on the triglycerides, they may reduce endothelial relaxation, they may help with left ventricular hypertrophy and all of this can increase the risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease as well as myocardial infarction.

Talking about testosterone itself about the cardiovascular impact, it has been noticed that it tends to have a much less adverse effect on cardiovascular risk factors compared to many other synthetic steroids available out there. It has been found out in the studies that this is due in parts to testosterone’s openness to metabolism by the liver and this is allowing it to have less effect on the hepatic management of cholesterol.

The aromatization of the testosterone to the estradiol (estrogen) is also helping here to avoid the adverse effects of androgens on the serum lipids as those steroids that are non aromatizable are known to be much worse for the cholesterol than aromatizable steroids like Testosterone (regardless of the ester).

There’s a study which was done where 280 mg of testosterone ester (enanthate) per week has been given and it had only a slight but definitely nothing statistically significant effect on the HDL cholesterol after keeping this protocol for 12 weeks, however when it has been taken the same way but with an added aromatase inhibitor then a really strong decrease has been noticed (a decrease of 25%). Those studies that are using 300 mg of testosterone ester (enanthate) per week for a total of 20 weeks without an aromatase inhibitor has shown a decrease of only 13% in the HDL cholesterol.

Then, when the dosage has been higher – 600 mg per week, then the reduction has reached 21%. There are other steroids out there which are offering a lot much less negative effects than these. The negative impact of the aromatase inhibitors taken with testosterone must be taken in consideration before one would decide to add it to the testosterone therapy. In case you already notice cholesterol issues while being on testosterone alone, it is strongly recommended to avoid adding the aromatase inhibitor to your plan.

Because of the positive effects of the estrogen on the serum lipids, tamoxifen citrate or clomiphene citrate are being much more preferred to aromatase inhibitors for those people who are being worried about the cardiovascular health and that’s because they are giving a partial estrogenic effect in the liver. This is allowing them to improve the lipid profiles as well as to offset some of the negative effects of the androgens either.

With the doses that are as high as 600 mg or less of testosterone per week, the impact on the lipid profile, although is still noticeable, it is definitely not dramatic and that’s why, in most cases, an anti estrogen (for cardio protective reasons) is most likely unnecessary. Even though there are people who might still need it, usually – more sensitive individuals.

In addition to that, doses of 600 mg per week or less than this also have failed to give any statistically significant changes in the LDL/ VLDL cholesterol, in the C reactive protein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B/C-III as well as insulin sensitivity, all of which is indicating a pretty weak impact on the cardiovascular risk factors, although they still shouldn’t be excluded. When the steroid is being used in moderate doses, the injectable testosterone esters are most commonly thought to be the safest of all the anabolic/ androgenic steroids out there.

In order to help to reduce the cardiovascular strain, it is strongly recommended to follow a cardiovascular healthy lifestyle. This includes a cholesterol friendly diet as well as to keep an active cardiovascular exercise program. Usually, this is not a problem for those searching for steroids for physique and performance enhancing reasons as they are often training a lot but except for exercise program, a cholesterol friendly diet is exactly as important.

Here includes: minimize (or completely exclude if possible) the intake of saturated fats, cholesterol as well as simple carbohydrates. In the same time, it is important to supplement with omega fatty acids (4 grams of Fish Oils per day at least would be good) as well as to add a natural cholesterol/ antioxidant forums to your diet, a good example is Lipid Stabil but you could also add anything else that has comparable ingredients to this product.

Keep in mind that both the cardiovascular exercise program as well as the diet should be kept at all times during the active administration with Testosterone Propionate or any other steroid you’re on. This would greatly reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases and cholesterol issues. If you have any of these issues before starting using any steroids, it is recommended to avoid the administration of any of them.

Testosterone Suppression Side Effect of Testosterone Propionate

The use of Testosterone Propionate is going to suppress the natural testosterone production and this is going to happen regardless of what’s your tolerance to the steroid. This is not going to be a concern for the patient that has the low testosterone condition. That’s because, to begin with, that is a person that is no longer producing enough testosterone. As for the performance athlete, that might become a big problem but only after the use is discontinued. However, that’s absolutely no problem either and that’s because while the athlete is on cycle with the exogenous testosterone, he is also going to get enough testosterone for the body with all that it requires.

As soon as the use of all the anabolic steroids are going to come to an end, the natural testosterone production is going to start once again. But is important to keep in mind that the normal levels are not going to return back overnight, usually this is requiring some time, most commonly from one to 4 months, but it can be up to a year. For this reason, the body is not going to get enough testosterone (you discontinue the use and the natural testosterone production is suppressed). In this situation is recommended to have a Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) plan as this is going to offer a faster and better recovery.

Testosterone Propionate General Side Effects

Very often, testosterone propionate is thought to be as a quite painful injection. That’s mainly because of the very short carbon chain of the propionic acid ester and this can be often irritating to the tissues at the injection site. This is not a problem for less sensitive individuals but those who are more sensitive decide to stay away from this compound completely because of the steroid’s ester.

Their bodies are having a negative reaction with a pronounced soreness as well as a low grade fever that sometimes can last for a few days after every injection. But is also the fact that even a mild soreness that is being experienced by most of the users using Testosterone Propionate can be quite problematic for them as is uncomfortable and that’s especially when taking in consideration that the product is being administered quite sometimes every week for a number of consecutive weeks.

Testosterone Propionate Administration For Men

When this product is taken in medical/ therapeutic environment mostly for treating androgen insufficiency in men, the early prescribing guidelines are recommending a dosage of 25 mg of testosterone propionate offered 2 or 3 times a week. The modern product literature is usually recommending a dosage of anywhere between 25 mg to 50 mg given 2 to 3 times a week for the exact same purpose.

However, when it comes to the dosage for the male athletes then is said that usually, the normal range for them is anywhere between 50 mg to 100 mg per injection and this protocol is given every second or at least third day. Being similar to some other esters of testosterone, the testosterone propionate is usually used at weekly cumulative dosage anywhere between 200 mg to 400 mg. It is not unheard of people using higher doses of that, however, it doesn’t really matter what ester of testosterone you use – the most common dosage is 200 mg to 400 mg range dose per week.

It is believed that this level is just enough for the most users to notice some amazing muscle gains as well as exceptional gains in strength too.

As for the performance enhancing athletes using Testosterone Propionate, 25 to 50 mg every other day is generally a solid dose for this compound in order to fight off with the suppression that might be caused by the use of some other anabolic steroids out there. This dosage also holds effective for the low testosterone patient that might need Testosterone Propionate or any other testosterone form.

Anyway, for getting a true anabolic benefit, the doses will usually be in the 100 mg per week every other day range. It is considered that this is a very safe dosage protocol as this dosage is easy to control and should be very well tolerated by the most adult men out there. Some higher doses also can be used (as they are generally indeed used by a lot of bodybuilders) as most men can well tolerate a dosage of 150 mg taken every other day. This dosage might prove be too high for some people, but generally, most men shouldn’t have issues at this dosage.

Also, a lot of men are going to be able to tolerate the dosage of 200 mg every other day as well, relatively easy. It is very important to always remember that the higher the dosage is the greater the chances are of having negative side effects and they are worse as the dosage is getting higher. The higher doses is going to require more caution and more effort into controlling the side effects, however it is more than possible to control them even at the 200 mg every other day dosage protocol.

Generally, it is not recommending the mega or over dosing which is a dosage above 1000 mg per week. Besides the fact that it might be unhealthy and barely tolerable by few men when taking such high doses, it is believed that there is little difference in terms of benefits. This is why, the practice of over or mega dosing is not recommended.

With this being said, doses of anywhere between 20 mg to 200 mg every other day is perfect in terms of side effects (keeping them low) and in terms of benefits (dosage should be depending on the purpose of using this steroid). In the end, it doesn’t really matter what is the purpose of using it, Testosterone Propionate is working very well with all anabolic steroids out there and that’s why it can be stacked with anything.

Testosterone Propionate should be stacked with different steroids depends on your personal needs. For example, off season bulking plans are very often going to include some compounds like Nandrolone Decanoate but there are others as well. In addition to that, during the cutting phase, Testosterone Propionate is working very well with Oxandrolone, with Trenbolone, Drostanolone, Methenolone as well as Stanozolol.

A lot of people make the mistake thinking that Testosterone Propionate or any other testosterone ester is good only during the bulking cycles, that’s definitely not true as is a great compound for burning fat, boosting metabolism and protecting muscles (lean tissue) during calorie insufficiency.

Testosterone Propionate Administration for Women

Testosterone Propionate is a steroid that’s very rarely used with women in clinical medicine and that’s for good reasons: there’s a high chance that a woman would get the virilizing side effects. There are much safer alternatives for women. For all these reasons, it is not being recommended to use this product for physique or performance enhancing reasons either. Women should search for other alternatives, or that’s what is being recommended.

However, when this product is applied in clinical medicine, it is very often used as a secondary medication during the inoperable breast cancer and that’s when some other therapies have failed to offer the desirable effect and suppression of ovarian function is being necessary.

But in case there are female bodybuilders who do insist on using testosterone itself, the best option would be to choose testosterone with propionate ester and that’s because the blood levels are much easier to control with this ester compared to the cypionate or especially enanthate with much slower release.

As soon as the virilization symptoms are going to be noticed, the hormone levels are going to decline in a matter of days after the drug is going to be stopped, instead of weeks as it would happen with testosterone cypionate or especially enanthate. The administration schedule is often much more conservative than the one for men. It includes a small injection (25 mg at the most but it is often recommended even lower dosage) given every 5 to 7 days although the substance remains active for shorter period of time and also the cycle duration should be limited to 6 or maximum 8 weeks, but preferred even less than that.

Why Buy Testosterone Propionate

By purchasing Testosterone Propionate you would be happy with the benefits it can bring to you in case you are a person who is searching for the fastest ester of testosterone hormone. Those people who are looking to get testosterone benefits and are searching for as stable blood levels as possible while dealing well with the possible irritation at the injection site then they won’t find anything better than Testosterone Propionate because Testosterone Cypionate or Enanthate are having much slower release esters which means they should inject the testosterone much less frequently.

There are 3 different Testosterone esters and they are all unique with their own advantages and disadvantages. Testosterone Propionate is the one with the slowest release of Testosterone hormone in the body. This is the main reason why in case there are female bodybuilders opting for testosterone itself (as generally is not recommended the use of this hormone for females) then Propionate ester is the best choice.