Testosterone enanthate is an oil
based injectable steroid, designed to release testosterone slowly
from the injection site (depot). Once administered, serum
concentrations of this hormone will rise for several days, and
remain markedly elevated for approximately two weeks. It may
actually take three weeks for the action of this drug to fully
diminish. For medical purposes this is the most widely prescribed
testosterone, used regularly to treat cases of hypogonadism and
other disorders related to androgen deficiency. Since patients
generally do not self administer such injections, a long acting
steroid like this is a very welcome item. Therapy is clearly more
comfortable in comparison to an ester like propionate, which
requires a much more frequent dosage schedule. This product has also
been researched as a possible male birth control options9. Regular
injections will efficiently lower sperm production, a state that
will be reversible when the drug is removed. With the current stigma
surrounding steroids however, it is unlikely that such an idea would
actually become an adopted practice.
Testosterone is a powerful hormone with notably prominent side
effects. Much of which stem from the fact that testosterone exhibits
a high tendency to convert into estrogen. Related side effects may
therefore become a problem during a cycle. For starters, water
retention can become quite noticeable. This can produce a clear loss
of muscle definition, as subcutaneous fluids begin to build. The
storage of excess body fat may further reduce the visibility of
muscle features, another common problem with aromatizing steroids.
The excess estrogen level during/after your cycle also has the
potential to lead up to gynecomastia. Adding an ancillary drug like
Nolvadex and/or
Proviron is therefore advisable to
those with a known sensitivity to this side effect. As discussed
throughout this book, the antiaromatase
Arimidex is a much better choice.
The expense of this drug unfortunately stops its use from becoming a
widespread practice however. It is believed that the use of an
anti-estrogen can slightly lower the anabolic effect of most
androgen cycles (estrogen and water weight are often thought to
facilitate strength and muscle gain), so one might want to see if
such drugs are actually necessary before committing to use. A little
puffiness under the nipple is a sign that gynecomastia is
developing. If this is left to further develop into pronounced
swelling, soreness and the growth of small lumps under the nipples,
some form of action should be taken immediately to treat it
(obviously quitting the drug or adding ancillaries).
Being a testosterone product, all the standard androgenic side
effects are also to be expected. Oily skin, acne, aggressiveness,
facial/body hair growth and male pattern baldness are all possible.
Older or more sensitive individuals might therefore choose to avoid
testosterone products, and look toward milder anabolics like
Deca Durabolin or
Equipoise which produce fewer side
effects. Others may opt to add the drug Proscar/Propecia, which will
minimize the conversion of testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
With blood levels of this metabolite notably reduced, the impact of
related side effects should also be reduced. With strong bulking
drugs however, the user will generally expect to incur strong side
effects and will often just tolerate them. Most athletes really do
not find the testosterones all that uncomfortable (especially in the
face of the end result), as can be seen with the great popularity of
such compounds.
Although this particular ester is active for a much longer duration,
most athletes prefer to inject it on a weekly basis in order to keep
blood levels more uniform. The usual dosage would be in the range of
250mg-750mg (200mg800mg U.S. strength). This level is quite
sufficient, and should provide the user a rapid gain of strength and
body weight. Above this level estrogenic side effects will no doubt
become much more pronounced, outweighing any new muscle that is
possibly gained. Those looking for greater bulk would be better
served by adding an oral like
Anadrol 50 or
Dianabol, combinations which prove
to be nothing less than dramatic. If the athlete wishes to use a
testosterone yet retain a level of quality and definition to the
physique, an injectable anabolic like DecaDurabolin or
Equipoise may prove to be a better
choice. Here we can use a lower dosage of enanthate, so as to gain
an acceptable amount of muscle but keep the buildup of estrogen to a
minimum. Of course the excess estrogen that is associated with
testosterone makes it a bulking only drug, producing too much water
(and fat) retention for use near contest time.
With the proper administration of ancillary drugs, much of the new
muscle mass can be retained for a long time after the steroid cycle
has been stopped. Those who rely solely on a fancy tapering-off
schedule to accomplish this are likely to be disappointed. Although
a common practice, this is really not an effective way to restore
the hormonal balance.
On the black market, enanthate is probably the most commonly found
ester of testosterone available. Currently the most popular products
include the 200mg/ml Mexican generics from the veterinary firms
Brovel and Tornel. Both come packaged in 10 ml vials, and offer
excellent value for the amount of steroid included. Loeffler has
offered a striking new product recently, a 250mg/ml enanthate in a
similarly sized vial. Although not the highest dose of this steroid
ever produced, it is certainly the only legitimate product
containing 250m1 to be found in a container of this size.
Primoteston from Mexico, Testoviron from Schering in Spain and the
French product Testosterone Heptylate Theramex also circulate inside
the U.S. as well. Heptylate is not a unique ester of testosterone as
described by other writers, as in fact it is simply another word for
enanthate. Occasionally amps from other regions surface as well,
which is to be expected with this ester as it is more widely
produced than any other. The actually number of enanthate products
made would be difficult to catalog here, and any comprehensive list
would be almost impossible to keep current. The typical US black
market price for a single 250mg ampule regardless of manufacturer is
usually around $10-15.
