American
athletes have a long a fond relationship with Testosterone
cypionate. While Testosterone enanthate is manufactured widely
throughout the world, Testosterone cypionate seems to be almost exclusively
an American item. It is therefore not surprising that American
athletes particularly favor
Testosterone cypionate. But many
claim this is not just a matter of simple pride, often swearing
Testosterone cypionate to be a superior product, providing a bit more of a
"kick" than Testosterone enanthate. At the same time it is said to produce a
slightly higher level of water retention, but not enough for it
to be easily discerned. Of course when we look at the situation
objectively, we see these two steroids are really
interchangeable, and
Testosterone cypionate is not at all superior. Both are
long acting oil-based injectables, which will keep testosterone
levels sufficiently elevated for approximately two weeks.
Enanthate may be slightly better in terms of testosterone
release, as this ester is one carbon atom lighter than
testosterone cypionate
(remember the ester is calculated in the steroids total
milligram weight). The difference is so insignificant however
that no one can rightly claim it to be noticeable (we are maybe
talking a few milligrams per shot). Regardless,
Testosterone cypionate came
to be the most popular testosterone ester on the U.S. black
market for a very long time
.As with all
testosterone injectables, one can expect a considerable gain in
muscle mass and strength during a cycle. Since testosterone has
a notably high affinity for estrogen conversion, the mass gained
from this drug is likely to be accompanied by a discernible
level of water retention. The resulting loss of definition of
course makes
Testosterone cypionate a very poor choice for dieting or cutting
phases. The excess level of estrogen brought about by this drug
can also cause one to develop gynecomastia rather quickly.
Should the user notice an uncomfortable soreness, swelling or
lump under the nipple, an ancillary drug like Proviron and
or Nolvadex should probably be added. This will minimize
the effect of estrogen greatly, making testosterone
cypionate much more
tolerable to use. The powerful antiaromatase Arimidex
is yet a better choice, but the high price tag prevents
it from being more popularly used. Those who have a known
sensitivity to estrogen may find it more beneficial to use
ancillary drugs like Nolvadex and Proviron from the onset of testosterone
cypionate cycle, in order to
prevent estrogen related side effects before they become
apparent.
Since
cypionate is the primary male androgen, we should also expect
to see pronounced androgenic side effects with this drug. Much
intensity is related to the rate in which the body converts
testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This, as you know,
is the devious metabolite responsible for the high prominence of
androgenic side effects associated with
cypionate use. This
includes the development of oily skin, acne, body/facial hair
growth and male pattern balding. Those worried that they may
have a genetic predisposition toward male pattern baldness may
wish to avoid testosterone altogether. Others opt to add the
ancillary drug Propecia, which is a relatively new compound
that prevents the conversion of testosterone to
dihydrotestosterone (see: Proscar). This can greatly reduce the
chance for running into a hair loss problem, and will probably
lower the intensity of other androgenic side effects. Although
active in the body for much longer time, cypionate is injected
on a weekly basis. This should keep blood levels relatively
constant, although picky individuals may even prefer to inject
this drug twice weekly. At a dosage of 200mg to 800mg per week
of testosterone cypionate
we should certainly see dramatic results. It is interesting to
note that while a large number of other steroidal compounds have
been made available since testosterone injectables, they are
still considered to be the dominant bulking agents among
bodybuilders. There is little argument that these are among the
most powerful mass drugs. While large doses are generally
unnecessary, some bodybuilders have professed to using
excessively high dosages of this drug. This was much more common
before the 1990's, when cypionate vials were usually very cheap
and easy to find in the states. A "more is better" attitude is
easy to justify when paying only $20 for a 10cc vial (today the
typical price for a single injection). When taking dosages above
800-1000mg per week
of testosterone cypionate there is little doubt that water retention
will come to be the primary gain, far outweighing the new mass
accumulation. The practice of "megadosing" is therefore
inefficient, especially when we take into account the typical
high cost of steroids today.
It is also
important to remember that the use of an injectable testosterone
cypionate
will quickly suppress endogenous testosterone production. It may
therefore be good advice to use a testosterone stimulating drug
like HCG and/or Clomid, Nolvadex at the conclusion of a cycle.
This should help the user avoid a strong "crash" due to hormonal
imbalance, which can strip away much of the new muscle mass and
strength. This is no doubt the reason why many athletes claim to
be very disappointed with the final result of steroid use, as
there is often only a slight permanent gain if anabolics are
discontinued incorrectly. Of course we cannot expect to retain
every pound of new bodyweight after a cycle. This is especially
true whenever we are withdrawing a strong (aromatizing) androgen
like testosterone, as a considerable drop in weight (and
strength) is to be expected as retained water is excreted. This
should not be of much concern; instead the user should focus on
ancillary drug therapy so as to preserve the solid mass
underneath. Another way athletes have found to lessen the
"crash", is to first replace the testosterone with a milder
anabolic like decadurabolin. This steroid is administered
alone, at a typical dosage (200-400mg per week), for the
following month or two. In this "stepping down" procedure the
user is attempting to turn the watery bulk of a strong
testosterone into the more solid muscularity we see with
nandrolone preparations. In many instances this practice proves
to be very effective. Of course we must remember to still
administer ancillary drugs at the conclusion, as endogenous
testosterone production will not be rebounding during the Deca
therapy. Cypionate can still be found on the black market in
good volume. The U.S. generics such as Steris, Schein Geneva are
long gone, but have been replaced with several new products. One
of the most popular items to surface in the last two years is
the Ttokkyo generic from Mexico. First available in 100mg/ml
strength, and more recently 200mg/ml, this l0ml multi-dose
provides an inexpensive replacement for the U.S. generics of
yesterday. Seemingly in an effort to top Ttokkyo, Loeffler
recently released its Cypriotest UA product. This comes in a
dosage of 250 mg/ml, in a 10 ml vial. This is the highest dosage
of cypionate ever to be developed, and has been getting a lot of
attention in recent months as a result. Although not
manufactured there, the Australian product Testo LA has been a
popular import in Mexico lately as well. This boasts a dosage of
only 100 mg/ml in a similarly sized vial. Also located on the
black market are products that have been around for much longer,
including Testex from Spain (100mg/2m1, 250mg/2ml), Deposteron
(200mg/2ml) from Brazil, Miro Depo from Korea and Testosterona
Ultra (200mg/ml, 5ml amp and 20m1 multi-dose vials) from Uruguay
