Testosterone cypionate is an injectable prescription medication formulated to treat a condition known as ‘hypogonadism’ (where the body doesn’t create enough testosterone). As a compound that can effectively kickstart your testosterone production, it’s little wonder testosterone cypionate has become a huge hit in the bodybuilding community.
Testosterone cypionate is a popular esterified variant of testosterone along with testosterone enanthate (Test E). Let’s look in detail at what exactly testosterone cypionate is, how it differs from testosterone enanthate, how bodybuilders use it and what can be used as a natural alternative if you decide you’d rather avoid using it.
What is testosterone cypionate?
As we touched on above, testosterone cypionate is a prescription medication that bodybuilders tend to self-inject. It’s often prescribed by doctors for men who cannot physically produce enough testosterone, but in recent times, it’s become popular with bodybuilders who believe they may be suffering from low testosterone levels.
Low testosterone hosts a variety of nasty symptoms including weight gain, loss of muscle mass, depression, erectile dysfunction, and gyno-based side effects such as man boobs – none of which are very appealing to a guy hoping to get ripped.
Test C is classified as an androgen; a term used for hormones that fuel male-focused traits such as a deep voice, body hair and of course, muscle mass. Anabolic steroids are another example of an androgenic supplement. Steroids are an androgen-promoting compound; this is why it’s so common for women to develop body hair and a deeper voice when using steroids. On the flip side, the androgenic effects in men result in hair loss (from too much DHT) and organ inflammation.
History of testosterone cypionate So where did it all start for test cypionate? Well, back in 1951, testosterone cypionate was introduced into the medical community as a prescription drug under the name of ‘Depo-Testosterone’. Kind of catchy, right? Since the 50s, cypionate has been known by several other brand names including ‘Depovirin’, ‘Durandro’, and ‘Duratest’.
Unlike the test cyp of today, the original Depo-Testosterone was used for more than just curing low testosterone production issues. Doctors were also prescribing it for the following:
- Low bone density (weak and fragile bones)
- Osteoporosis
- Muscular atrophy
- Severe menstrual bleeding
As a proven compound for testosterone, you can see how it might become problematic if women and kids start taking it. That’s why, a couple decades later, the FDA restricted the use of cypionate for only cases of hypogonadism and andropause (severely low levels of testosterone).
During the same time another testosterone-focused drug, nearly identical to Test C, made its way into the market – testosterone enanthate. Cypionate is often compared to enanthate (Test E). While both induce higher testosterone levels, the question is often asked: “Is one better than the other?”.
Test E vs test C A simple internet search will show just how often Test C is compared to Test E. But is there a significant difference between these two testosterone boosters? In short, no. Despite being almost interchangeable as an effective way for bodybuilders to get more testosterone, the debate still rages on bodybuilding forums comparing the miniscule difference between Test C vs Test E.
There’s only one real difference that’s been proven: the chemical makeup. As far as the chemical structure of both compounds goes, in particular, the carbon ester chain, testosterone enanthate is one shy of test cypionate.
Test E has an ester chain, or chemical composition, made up of 7-carbons while Test C has 8-carbons. Does this matter that much? Not really. The only real difference between cypionate and enanthate is that the former is said to break down and assimilate at a slower rate, giving it a longer half-life.
Everything else you hear about the differences between these two is usually found on forums with men and women making different accusations against both Test C and Test E. The most popular examples include bloating caused by cypionate and irritated injection sites caused by enanthate. These examples and several others are more an issue of individual response to a supplement (especially if it’s being abused), than effectiveness.
Testosterone cypionate dosage and cycling Curious about trying testosterone cyp to increase your t-levels and in turn your gains? You’ll need to have the proper numbers for a safe and effective testosterone cypionate cycle.
The standard testosterone cypionate dosage for beginners is 400 to 500 mg for a 12-week cycle. You’ll be injecting testosterone cypionate three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). For those who’ve used testosterone cypionate in the past, the dosage can be increased to 600 or 700 mg; again, this is for a 12-week cycle. The only time you would use less, for example, a testosterone cypionate 200mg dose, would be when you’re stacking it with other anabolic compounds such as Winstrol and Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
Just for your information, the half life of testosterone cypionate is 12 days, compared to 10 or 11 days for testosterone enanthate. So really, not a huge difference at all.
Buying testosterone cypionate injections online
Since testosterone cypionate is an FDA-regulated medication, you’re going to need a prescription to get hold of it legally. If you’re searching for ways to maximize your muscle mass, chances are you don’t really have low testosterone issues, and therefore don’t qualify for that all-important doctor’s prescription. With that said, testosterone cypionate injections are available online.
You can buy testosterone cypionate online from a number of websites; however, many are outsourcing the product from different countries. Without a prescription, the price tag can be incredibly steep and even more worryingly, the products may not be safe, or even genuine. Depending on where you buy testosterone cypionate, the typical testosterone cypionate price for a 200mg vial can range from $50 to $150.
Keep in mind that a dose for a beginner is 400 to 500 mg and you’ll need that amount three times per week for 12 weeks. Best case scenario, you’ll be paying $1,200 for a full cycle. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.
A natural alternative to testosterone cypionate You could spend a ridiculous amount of money on getting hold of testosterone cypionate, and it may not even be the real deal. Even if it is, you run the risk of getting caught with it. And you could enjoy short-lived benefits that need to be backed up by other anabolics, liver therapy or a PCT.
Then again, you could try a natural alternative.
Testo-Max is one such safe, natural alternative. There’s no need for testosterone injections or an insane price tag with this supplement. Its ingredients are scientifically formulated to mimic the effects of testosterone cypionate in a much more gentle, natural way.
Bodybuilders of all ages are skipping test c in favour of Testo-Max. Look at it for yourself to see how it could benefit you right here.
