Testosterone Propionate is regarded as a fairly popular and common anabolic steroid, as but to a far lesser extent than most other esterified variants of Testosterone. This is because of the previously mentioned aspect of inconvenience concerning Testosterone Propionate doses and dosing schedules, which will be further explained in more detail. Testosterone in any of its forms serves as an absolutely essential anabolic steroid that should be utilized in literally every single cycle, and there are no exceptions to this rule. Testosterone Propionate in particular is less commonly used as a first-time anabolic steroid by brand new beginners to the world of anabolic steroids. This is because of its short-acting nature with its short half-life necessitating frequent Testosterone Propionate doses (every other day injections at the very least), which presents a far greater degree of inconvenience for beginners, as the majority of newcomers might not enjoy such an inconvenient administration schedule. Therefore, Testosterone Enanthate and Testosterone Cypionate are far more popular and common choices among beginners, which only require two injections, administered every week.
It has been mentioned in the introduction that Testosterone itself possesses a moderate level of Estrogenic activity due to its moderate level of interaction with the aromatase enzyme. This should always be considered when Testosterone Propionate dosages are taken into account, as the level of aromatization and therefore Estrogenic activity will always be dose-dependent whereby Testosterone Propionate doses that are high enough for the purpose of physique and performance enhancement will always be high enough to promote notable amounts of aromatization. The higher the dose of an aromatizable androgen (such as Testosterone) that is used, increasing rates of aromatization will result. At the very least, moderate amounts of an aromatase inhibitor is always advised on a cycle involving bodybuilding doses of Testosterone, but this will be covered in greater detail in the side effects section of this profile.
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An extremely important point must be made clear to the reader before the example cycles are listed is the fact that Testosterone should at all times be considered the base compound of any and all anabolic steroid cycles. It should also be the very first and only compound utilized in a first-time beginner cycle, and the various reasons are as follows:
1. Testosterone’s secured spot in every single anabolic steroid cycle is absolutely necessary every single time. For the duration of anabolic steroid cycles, endogenous natural production of Testosterone will always become suppressed and/or completely shut down due to the use of exogenous androgens. The use of some form of exogenous Testosterone is always a necessity in order to maintain normal physiological functions that are governed by Testosterone in the absence of proper endogenous Testosterone levels.
2. Testosterone is the only anabolic steroid that without a doubt can be used on its own, and it frequently is used solitarily by many athletes and bodybuilders. The reason for the ability of solitary use is related to the first point made above.
3. Testosterone is one of the most versatile anabolic steroids in terms of its dosing schemes and its manner of use in cycles. It acts as an excellent bulking and strength agent, an excellent mass building compound, and can also be utilized effectively for cutting cycles and fat loss phases.
Medical Testosterone Propionate Dosages
Within medicine, Testosterone Propionate is primarily utilized for the treatment of androgen deficiency in adult males (hypogonadism or andropause).The original prescription guidelines stated that Testosterone Propionate doses for such a condition are that of 25mg 2 – 3 times weekly. Modern prescription guidelines and the range at 25 – 50mg administered every other day or every two days for a total of 2 – 3 times weekly.
Testosterone Propionate is also utilized, though rarely, as an adjunct therapy for female breast cancer patients, and because this is such a rare application, the prescription guidelines for such a use have never been set in stone. However, one study conducted over the course of 16 months from October 1946 – January 1948 had 12 breast cancer patients utilize Testosterone Propionate at a dose of 150mg weekly (50mg administered every other day)[1]. This particular dose would be considered far too high for females, but under the conditions it was deemed necessary.
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Testosterone Propionate Dosages
For the purpose of physique and performance enhancement, Testosterone Propionate doses are very similar to the total cumulative weekly doses of every single Testosterone preparation. The difference with Testosterone Propionate doses is that it must be administered more frequently. Beginner Testosterone Propionate doses are normally in the range of 300 – 500mg weekly, especially for a very first anabolic steroid cycle (this would usually equate to 75 – 125mg every other day). Even the lowest end of the range, 300mg, will provide some dramatic improvements in physique and strength provided that the beginner’s nutrition and training is properly adjusted and strict. Intermediate Testosterone Propionate doses will generally land within the range of 500 – 700mg weekly (translating to 125 – 175mg every other day), with no requirements of venturing any higher than 500mg most of the time. Some intermediate users have been known to venture slightly higher, but this should never usually be necessary if, once again, the individual’s nutrition and training components are properly structured. Advanced Testosterone Propionate doses do not usually rise higher than the intermediate doses, but are known to venture as high as 700 – 1,000mg weekly or more (these doses translate to 175 – 250mg weekly). However, it is very important to remember the emphasis on nutrition and training as the key drivers as to which direction the individual carries their goals to. The other very important emphasis is also the point that higher doses and excessively high doses are not the definition of an advanced anabolic steroid user of any type. Remember that increased Testosterone Propionate doses will always correlate with an increase in aromatization and increases in the severity of side effects.
It is not always necessary for Testosterone to be utilized in high bodybuilding doses as a primary anabolic in a cycle. Testosterone Propionate will frequently be stacked alongside other anabolic steroids in a given cycle. Because the individual would be utilizing other anabolic steroids simultaneously, it is not always necessary to run Testosterone at doses of 300mg, 500mg, 700mg, or more. In such a cycle, Testosterone can be relegated to a supportive role of providing TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) while other compounds are utilized as the primary muscle-building anabolics. This is the concept behind running Testosterone at TRT doses. The idea behind this concept is the utilization of Testosterone at what would be as close as possible to reflecting the body’s endogenously manufactured physiological dose. The purpose behind such a practice is for the maintenance of proper normal physiological functions that Testosterone governs and regulates in the body, and this is done during a period during which the user’s natural endogenous Testosterone production is shut down or suppressed as a result of the anabolic steroids utilized in a cycle. Proper Testosterone Propionate doses for the purpose of TRT are approximately 100mg weekly and no higher (this translates to 25mg every other day), seeing as though the human body manufactures approximately 50 – 70mg endogenously (depending on factors such as genetics, age, lifestyle habits, etc.). This also serves a dual function where by it will also eliminate or lower the rate of aromatization of Testosterone into Estrogen, negating the requirement for aromatase inhibitors in all but the most sensitive individuals.
Female Testosterone Propionate Dosage
Testosterone Propionate use among female anabolic steroid users is very rare, considering its strong androgenic rating in comparison to other anabolic steroids that may be weaker in this regard. Testosterone Propionate is used medically for the treatment of female breast cancer patients, and also for the treatment of female-to-male transgender transformations. It is not recommended for females for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement due to the strong tendency for the manifestation of virilization effects that can be very quick to manifest during use of strong androgens such as Testosterone, Trenbolone, etc. With this having been stated, there exists a small amount of female users that favor Testosterone Propionate due to the fact that blood plasma levels of Testosterone Propionate (due to the short ester) are much easier to maintain control over. This is usually the case when virilization symptoms become prominent, cessation of the compound will result in a fast clearance from the body in a matter of days due to the short half-life (rather than weeks as with the longer estered forms of Testosterone). Female Testosterone Propionate doses in this case would be found in the range of 25mg every 5 – 7 days for an average of 6 – 8 weeks (and often shorter).
Proper Administration and Timing of Testosterone Propionate Dosages
Testosterone Propionate possesses a half-life of 4.5 days due to the shorter Propionate ester in comparison to the longer estered variants of Testosterone. Testosterone Propionate doses require injections administered every other day at the very least, regardless of week days, so as to ensure stable blood levels. For example, if an individual’s intention is to administer 400mg weekly of Testosterone Propionate, it is advised to inject 100mg on Monday, 100mg on Wednesday, 100mg on Friday, 100mg on Sunday, 100mg on Tuesday, and so on and so forth.
It should be made aware that Testosterone Propionate is not highly favored among individuals not only because of the issue of frequent injections, but also because the majority of Testosterone Propionate is considered by many to be a very painful injection. This due in part because of the short-length chain of the Propionate ester, known to irritate the injection site, and also due in part because of the higher amounts of co-solvents (such as benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate) which are known for injection site irritation as well but are necessary in higher amounts in high-concentration anabolic steroid preparations. Some users can be very sensitive to these effects, and will avoid Testosterone Propionate at all costs, as reactions in those very sensitive can result in intense soreness at the injection site accompanied by a slight body fever that usually lasts for 2 – 4 days following the first few injections. The potential injection site irritation and soreness combined with the fact that Testosterone Propionate must be administered often, is the reason as to why it is not a highly favored Testosterone variant except among a small niche of users.
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Expectations and Results From Testosterone Enanthate Dosages
As Testosterone Propionate is, of course, Testosterone, it suffers from moderate aromatization which results in the Estrogenic side effects of bloating, water retention, elevated blood pressure (as a result of the bloating), and risks of gynecomastia. This soft and puffy look that bloating brings to the physique is generally undesirable for most users that wish to engage in cutting cycles or lean mass cycles. Therefore, Testosterone Propionate must be utilized with an aromatase inhibitor in order to disable the aromatase enzyme and eliminate the water retention effect of the Estrogen conversion, which should result in a harder looking physique without the soft puffiness. In doing so, Testosterone can successfully be utilized as a ‘hardening’ and cutting compound, as well as for lean mass gains. Some individuals prefer the water retention, convinced that it aids in protecting tissues and connective tissue from the stressors of heavy strength gains and heavy lifting, and therefore Testosterone is preferred as a bulking and strength gaining compound in this case. In any case, Testosterone is also an excellent compound for all-out bulking and strength gaining cycles, which is what its main use seems to be among bodybuilders and athletes. It is a very versatile compound that can provide the anabolic strength necessary for bulking phases.
