What Is Testosterone Enanthate?
Also known as testosterone heptanoate, Testosterone Enanthate is an anabolic and androgenic steroid (AAS) that can be used to treat low testosterone levels. On the contrary, it is suitable for Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), as this injection can help to replenish natural testosterone levels and ensure your body doesn’t suffer from its absence.
One thing about testosterone is that it plays a key role within many normal bodily functions. From growth and development in your muscles, bones and genitals, to encouraging sexual development during puberty; should your levels fall too low, each of these areas will be affected.
The Science
As a schedule III drug, Testosterone Enanthate presents an interesting picture. You see, on the one hand, its anabolic properties can help you to build up lean muscle mass and experience improved bone density. Whilst, on the other, its androgenic benefits can enhance male sex characteristics. So combined, they can offer you the ultimate combo at becoming competition ready.
But here is the thing…
Testosterone Enanthate is only available by prescription and has been classed as a prohibited substance by the WADA. This means it cannot be used for competitions – unless you fancy getting kicked out – and cannot be bought online for general use. You can only harness it if you are found to have a testosterone deficiency.
NOTE: Testosterone Enanthate is known under many guises. To date, it has been branded as Androfil, Andropository, Cernos, Delatestryl, Depandro, Durathate, Everone, Sustrone, Testanon, Testanova, Testrin, Tesostroval, Testoviron and Testro (Yikes!).
What is Testosterone Enanthate used for?
Handsome muscular man doing push-up
As a synthetic derivative of testosterone AND a testosterone pro-drug; it should come as no surprise that Testosterone Enanthate is capable of helping men with hypogonadism.
By stimulating your body and encouraging it to produce more testosterone in your testes, it can potentially help you to overcome testosterone deficiency (that can arise as a consequence of age, radiation treatment and diseases in your pituitary gland) and prevent andropause (drops in vigor and sexual desire), fatigue and falls in libido.
Yet this is not all it can do…
As well as being used in TRT, it can be used for hormone therapy in transgender men; can ease menopausal symptoms, and can help manage metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women (where the cancer has spread).
A bonus to all of these is its potential use to encourage lean muscle mass growth and strength. True, it is not designed – nor is it available – for bodybuilders. However, in theory, it could be integrated into a bulking cycle.
Testosterone Enanthate Side effects
We won’t lie and say this injection doesn’t cause side effects because that would be stupid (and that isn’t what we are about). The truth is, Testosterone Enanthate can trigger many common side effects due to the impact it has on your hormone balance. Take a look at the following. It has been known to cause them all:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches
- Anxiety and depression
- Skin color changes
- Increased/decreased sexual desire
- Breast swelling in men – yep you read it right – man boobs. This crops up as a result of excess testosterone becoming converted into estrogen
- Numbness/tingling
- Oily skin
- Acne
- Hair loss
- Weight gain
- Irritation at injection sites – Testosterone Enanthate dosages are usually injected into your butt, where you’re likely to experience pain, redness and even swelling around the injection zone.
In women, it can trigger the following Testosterone Enanthate side effects (due to the increased presence of testosterone in the body):
- Changes to the menstrual cycle
- Male pattern hair growth – yep, this is a nasty one as it can trigger hair growth on your chin and chest
- Male pattern baldness – again, not a pretty one unless you like the idea of developing bald patches, which we imagine you don’t
- Deepening of voice/hoarseness
- Enlarged clitoris
NOTE: some of the androgenic effects in women i.e. clitoral enlargement and voice drops are irreversible once they develop. Yep – IRREVERSIBLE. So unless your intention is to become a man (and we are saying this with all due seriousness), then we suggest women avoid using Testosterone Enanthate as it is not worth the lasting damage.
Are these all you have to worry about?
Sadly they aren’t. All of the above are just the most basic and common side effects you can expect. Worryingly, Testosterone Enanthate has also got the potential to cause even more serious problems, which you’ll need to tell your doctor about immediately if they happen.
Here’s what you need to watch out for:
- Mental/mood changes – anxiety, aggression, depression, etc.
- Difficulty sleeping/insomnia
- Snoring
- Increased urination/problems weeing
- Signs of liver disease i.e. persistent abdominal pain, nausea, unusual tiredness, yellowing of your skin and eyes and dark urine. THIS is a serious one, and one you need to react to quickly if it occurs.
- Swelling of your hands, ankles and feet
- Unusual tiredness or sweating
- Confusion
- Sudden dizziness/fainting/headaches/vision changes
- Pain/swelling/warmth in your groin/calf
- Trouble speaking
- Weakness on one side of your body
- Shortness of breath
- Fast/irregular heartbeat
- Decreased sperm production/fertility
- Too frequent/prolonged erections – in rare cases it can trigger painful/prolonged erections that last over 4 hours (now you might be thinking – is that such a bad thing as you can repeatedly perform in the bedroom? But the truth is – it’s far from fun or satisfying. Honestly? It’s downright uncomfortable).
- Chest, jaw and left arm pain – this is a serious one too, so please speak to your doc immediately if you experience it.
Let’s not forget the misuse/abuse of this injection – which happens more often than you think. You see, in your quest to boost testosterone, replenish your levels and pack on the muscle; it can be easy to fall into the trap of taking too much.
After all, what is the harm of adding a little extra to your dose? Well, to be honest – a lot.
Abuse Testosterone Enanthate and you run the risk of heart and liver disease, stroke, mental/mood problems, addictive behavior, improper bone growth, and withdrawal symptoms i.e. depression, irritability and tiredness (when you stop). And these side effects last not just a few days, but weeks and months. Thanks, but no thanks.
Something to remember: Testosterone Enanthate is a medication prescribed by doctors. They will have prescribed it because they believe the benefits of this injection are far greater than the risks. Similarly, they will have carefully determined the correct Testosterone Enanthate dosage for you, meaning, all of the above is unlikely to happen IF you behave and follow their recommended plan.
In all honesty, these side effects will only crop up if you use it excessively and in high dosages (as this will heighten its androgenic effects). Behave, and you can minimize the risk.
Precautions and Interactions
We wish the above was all you needed to worry about. But given that Testosterone Enanthate can be used as an alternative to TRT, you need to be aware of the following precautions:
- Tell your doctor/pharmacist immediately if you’re allergic to testosterone or have any other allergies i.e. sesame oil.
- Tell your doctor – before using Testosterone Enanthate – if your medical history comprises of any of the following: cancer (breast or prostate), blood clots, heart disease, stroke, liver or kidney problems, high cholesterol or blood pressure (increasing your risk of heart or blood vessel problems), enlarged prostate, sleep apnea or diabetes (it can potentially lower your blood sugar so you need to check it regularly to stay safe).
- Older individuals may be more sensitive to certain side effects e.g. prostate/liver problems and swelling of the arms and legs.
- It should not be used if you’re pregnant, as it may harm your unborn baby. Stop immediately if you suspect you’re pregnant. Similarly, don’t use if you’re breastfeeding as it may pass into your milk and harm your baby.
- In terms of Interactions, you should always consult your doctor first and disclose all of the medications you’re using to prevent side effects. Similarly, you shouldn’t start, stop or change your dosage without their approval first.
Medicines we know it definitely interacts with are: blood thinners, diabetes medication and corticosteroids (need to be used with caution, especially if you’ve got heart, liver or kidney disease as it may cause fluid retention and increase your risk of congestive heart failure). It may also interfere with laboratory tests e.g. thyroid tests, and cause false results.
NOTE: Testosterone Enanthate should NOT be used under any circumstances in the following situations – untreated prostate and breast cancer and in pregnant women.
Testosterone Enanthate Dosage
The funny thing about Testosterone Enanthate cycles is that the recommended dosage is different for everyone. Unlike a lot of testosterone boosters, the amount you inject will depend on your age, sex and diagnosis; your response to treatment; your current testosterone blood levels, and if you experience any adverse effects.
Typically though, a normal Testosterone Enanthate cycle consists of getting an injection in your butt (from your doctor) every 1-4 weeks. It is important that your doctor does it, as it should never be injected into a vein.
It is possible to administer it at home once you’ve learned all the preparation and usage instructions. With guidance, you’ll know how to spot particles and discoloration – in which case don’t use – and how to store it/discard of it safely.
NOTE: to avoid fluctuations in hormone levels, lower dosages are often prescribed and instructed to be administered over shorter intervals.
Here are some rough examples of the type of Testosterone Enanthate dosage you can expect:
- Male hypogonadism (Testosterone deficiency): 50-400mg administered every two to four weeks.
- Delayed male puberty: 5-200 mg every two to four weeks (for a 4-6 month duration).
- Metastatic breast cancer: a 200-400 mg injection every two to four weeks.
- Transgender hormone therapy: a 50-200mg shot per week or alternatively 100-200 mg every two weeks.
What about testosterone enanthate vs cypionate?
There are instances where Testosterone Enanthate is used interchangeably with Testosterone cypionate (a depo testosterone). This usually only happens in cases of hypogonadism, as it isn’t an approved treatment for delayed male puberty or transgender hormone therapy. Similarly, it is not approved in managing metastatic breast cancer.
What are natural alternatives to therapy with Testosterone Enanthate?
We’ll be honest with you – whilst Testosterone Enanthate results look promising; when it comes to bolstering natural testosterone levels, it is not your only option.
In fact, given its ridiculously long list of side effects, precautions and indications, we strongly recommend seeking out natural alternatives as these are generally a lot safer, and more importantly, accessible.
Take the following…
All of them are natural, legal and don’t require a doctor’s prescription. Instead, you can easily integrate them into your regime with minimal effort.
- Healthy weight – research suggests overweight men are more likely to suffer from low testosterone levels. Knowing this, it makes sense that losing weight can help to bring these levels back into the normal range.
- Exercise regularly – leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause testosterone levels to fall as your brain thinks you don’t need as much. Luckily, exercise in all forms can help to boost production and keep you fit. The key is to get your body moving and use your muscles. We suggest incorporating high-level intensity training, resistance training (this one is the most effective in the short and long term) and weightlifting into your workout as all of them can help to stimulate testosterone production.
In one study on obese men, it revealed that physical activity was better at increasing testosterone levels than losing weight.
- Sleep – easier said than done sometimes; however, getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night can help balance your hormones, including testosterone.
- During one study where participants only got 5 hours of sleep a night, they saw a 15% drop in testosterone levels. Whereas, in a separate long term study, those who only had 4 hours sleep a night were nearly borderline testosterone deficient.
- Vitamin D supplements – a 12 month 2011 study on 165 men revealed that supplementing with 3,300IUs of Vitamin D a day can help to increase testosterone levels by 25%. In fact, research suggests that Vitamin D is a natural testosterone booster. For this reason, try to get out in the sun more or take Vitamin D supplements.
- Zinc – our bodies don’t naturally store this mineral, so it is important that you consume it daily as zinc deficiency is often associated with hypogonadism. To boost your levels, you can try taking zinc supplements or adding it to your diet.
- Diet – what you eat can have a profound effect on your testosterone levels, so it is important that you pay attention to your calorie intake and dietary choices. For instance, constant dieting and overeating can disrupt your levels, whilst certain foods such as nuts and beans are known to be rich in D-aspartic acid, which according to a 2009 study can promote testosterone production.
We suggest eating plenty of protein (to assist with muscle gains and fat loss), carbs (which can help to optimize your testosterone levels during resistance training) and a balance of healthy fats.
- Minimize stress and cortisol levels – long term stress can elevate cortisol which in turn can lower your testosterone levels. Similarly, high cortisol levels can lead to overeating, weight gain and the storage of body fat around your organs. Each of these can negatively impact on your testosterone levels.
To alleviate stress – and keep your testosterone optimal – try to eat well, get more sleep, avoid stressful situations (where possible) and take steps to live a balanced and healthier lifestyle.
- Natural testosterone booster/mineral supplements – supplements rich in zinc and Vitamin B have been proven to increase sperm quality by 74% (according to one study) and raise testosterone levels in athletes (who were deficient in zinc).
TestoMax, for example, is a proven natural testosterone booster that has been formulated from boron, magnesium, Fenugreek, zinc, Vitamins D, B6 and F1 (to name a few) because of their unique ability to increase natural testosterone production. It doesn’t aim to mimic testosterone, but instead stimulates production in the testes so that you are then able to benefit from increased lean muscle mass, improved fat loss, quicker muscle recovery and maximized strength, endurance and stamina.
And TestoMax is not alone…
Search online and there are hundreds of proven mineral supplements that can help to naturally raise your testosterone levels.
Ashwagandha was found to increase testosterone levels in infertile men by 17% and their sperm counts by 167%. Whereas, in a separate study on healthy men, this testosterone booster increased their testosterone levels by 15%.
Ginger is another good one according to studies, as it can boost testosterone levels by 17%.
Conclusion
Testosterone Enanthate is a hard one to read as it is something you’d only typically get if you were diagnosed as testosterone deficient. It is not for general use. It is not something you can buy online. And it is not designed for muscle mass gains.
True, by raising your natural testosterone levels, it could, in theory, help you during a bulking and cutting cycle – as testosterone is essential for muscle growth and strengthening bones. But the fact still remains that this isn’t what it was created for. Similarly, whilst it could be used as part of TRT, Testosterone Enanthate has been banned by the WADA and is surrounded by negative side effects.
The length of the list is scary – even if most of them will only ever occur if you abuse Testosterone Enanthate or take too much for too long. The fact that they exist at all is enough to put the most sensible of people off, as there is a fine line between getting dosages right and getting them very wrong.
That is why, if you genuinely want to raise your testosterone levels and experience the added perk of bigger muscles and greater fat loss, we strongly recommend sticking to natural testosterone boosters such as TestoMax. In one neat, compact and legal package, you can safely boost natural testosterone production and do so free of any negative side effects.
Plus, you don’t have to visit a doctor in order to get it. Most natural testosterone boosters can be found online. So if you can find a reputable and reliable source – well, you can ensure that you NEVER have to experience testosterone deficiency ever again.
