Testosterone

The evolution of bodybuilding as a sport has a lot to do with the evolution of anabolic androgenic steroids.

If you look back into the 1930s, professional bodybuilders of those days looked like the rank amateurs and average gym rats of today.

But once the first injectable version of exogenous testosterone was discovered in 1935, everything changed overnight.

Testosterone, the granddaddy of anabolics would eventually pave the way for more powerful hormonal derivatives in the years to come.

But even after 90 years or so since its discovery, it still continues to be the most widely used anabolic steroid ever.

And definitely should be the first steroid that you use if you are a beginner looking to do AAS.

Here’s a brief guide into the Big-T.

What is exogenous Testosterone?

Exogenous Testosterone is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring male androgenic hormone and is used for treating conditions like hypogonadism (low test), as well as for performance enhancement by bodybuilders and athletes.

It is also called the ‘male hormone’, as in its natural form (endogenous), it is associated with some of the most critical body functions in men. That includes development of sexual organs, male characteristics, bone strength and muscle mass.

That’s not all.

Testosterone improves cognitive function and a general sense of wellbeing in men suffering from hypogonadism or low test.

Men beyond the age of 40 who find that depleting hormones affect the quality of life use TRT (Testosterone replacement therapy) to replace and replenish their testosterone levels.

Almost instantly, their body looks younger, muscles become harder, they lose fat, the quality of the skin improves.

Test changes everything.

While it is mainly used in the injectable form, it is also available in transdermal patches and gels that are easier to use than pinning.

What are the effects of Testosterone?

We briefly mentioned the effects of testosterone in a TRT setting.

The effects are entirely different in a performance enhancement setting though.

Lean muscle mass:

Testosterone amplifies the rate at which your body recovers and subsequently builds new muscle tissue. Most users who struggle to gain up to 5 lbs. of lean muscle in a year will be able to gain much more in a 12-week cycle of testosterone.

Strength:

Exogenous testosterone will make you stronger, faster and more efficient in everything that you do. Be it sports or lifting in the gym, you will be a more enhanced version of yourself.

Anti-catabolic:

When you perform a vigorous exercise, especially HIIT, your body automatically increases the secretion of glucocorticoid hormones like Cortisol. While normal levels of these hormones are important for our health, these hormones are catabolic in nature and will cause muscle loss. Testosterone suppresses the levels of these hormones keeping your body primed for growth at all times. This can also have a positive effect on lipolysis.

What are the different esters of Testosterone?

First time users researching about Testosterone may come across various terms affixed to the hormone and often used in abbreviations like Test-E, Test-Cyp or Test-P.

What’s the difference? Is one version more potent than the other?

Not really. It’s all just testosterone with different release times, absorption rates and clearance rates.

The abbreviations at the end of the name are Esters, carbon chains that are attached to the hormone to control its rate of release.

Short esters kick-in sooner but require more frequent pinning. Longer ones take time to kick-in. But you don’t need to pin as frequently.

For example, Testosterone Enanthate or Test-E which is one of the most commonly used base steroids, has the Enanthate Ester attached to the testosterone molecule. The enanthate ester with its eight carbon atoms releases testosterone over a period of 10-15 days consistently in the body.

Test-A or Testosterone Acetate is a faster acting ester that kicks-in a lot sooner.

Here are some of the commonly used esters of Testosterone.

Testosterone Suspension:

This is the testosterone hormone without any ester attached to it. Acts fast and is available in an aqueous solution. Notorious for causing Post Injection Pain or PIP.

Testosterone Propionate:

The original form of exogenous testosterone that was discovered 90 years ago. Once again, is a fast acting ester with a short half-life. May make you more vascular as compared to other forms of test.

Testosterone Enanthate/Cypionate:

Test-E and Test-Cyp are very similar forms of test. They have a half-life of up to 15 days. And due to the slow, sustained action, is normally recommended for beginner steroid cycles.  

Sustanon-250/Omnadren:

Sustanon 250 is a blend of all of the above mentioned esters in different proportions. You have 30mg Test-P which is a fast acting ester, 60mg of Test Phenylpropionate, which once again is a fast acting one,60mg of Testosterone Isocaproate and 100mg of Decanoate, both slow acting esters. Sustanon-250 is more commonly used for TRT than performance enhancement.

What are the side effects of using exogenous testosterone?

A normal, healthy, human body is perfectly designed to strike a balance between different hormones for our optimum health.

However, when you take exogenous testosterone in any form, this balance is suddenly disrupted, which confuses the body.

It tries to take remedial action by activating a series of events which causes unpleasant side effects.

Testicular atrophy:

It can be quite scary when your gonads start to shrink all of a sudden. But with the sudden surplus of testosterone flowing through the system, there is no need for the body to produce endogenous test. So it shuts down the testosterone production and your testes shrink, often to the size of peas. Thankfully, a PCT will restore it to its original size and also kick start the natural production of testosterone.

Estrogenic sides:

Testosterone aromatizes via the 5-alpha reductase enzyme into Estrogen. And a sudden spike in Estrogen levels can cause some nasty side effects. The most notorious of them all is bitch tits in men. A layer of fat behind the nipples which give them the appearance of female breasts. Gyno can be prevented by using Aromatase inhibitors and SERMS. But if you already got gyno, then the only way to treat it is via surgery.   

Androgenic sides:

The surplus testosterone will also get broken down into DHT, another potent androgen which causes side effects like an enlarged prostate, acne and hair loss in men susceptible to male pattern baldness.

Water retention/High BP:

Testosterone will also increase the amount of water retained by your body, which subsequently can increase blood pressure.

Closing thoughts

What makes Testosterone the safest bet for newbie users is that they can almost control every single side effect easily. Right from the use of PCT drugs to ancillaries during cycle, they can plan and execute everything to the T.

Therefore, there will be no unexpected surprises on your first cycle.

Finally, we hope that this article helps you understand more about test and helps you make an informed decision about TRT or your first steroid cycle.