What is Testosterone Cypionate?
Testosterone cypionate or ‘Test C’ is a mid to slow-acting ester of injectable testosterone. Similarly to Test E it was designed to provide a steady release of testosterone into the bloodstream once injected into muscle tissue.
After injection test levels rise over two weeks, the half-life of test c is stated at around 14 days. Therefore athletes will often inject it every 5 – 7 days to keep a steady supply of testosterone in their body.
Testosterone Cypionate is often one of a few ‘go-to’ steroids for bodybuilders and athletes. It is proven time and time again as a reliable and effective muscle builder. New users can often expect to see significant gains in muscle mass and strength on cycle. For more experienced users the effects can be less exaggerated, however, still substantial.
You will often find throughout the UK and Europe Test E is the more popular choice, whereas throughout the US most users will use Test C. They are pretty much identical in their chemical structure and the way they work.
Androgenic Rating: 100
Anabolic Rating: 100
Testosterone C
Test C is often supplied in vials of 200mg. Depending on the country of origin, you can also find it in 50mg/ml, 100mg/ml, 125mg/ml and 200mg/ml dissolved in a carrier oil.
Often used in HRT/TRT, testosterone cypionate can be found in pharmaceutical grade and also manufactured by many underground labs.
Testosterone Cypionate Price
Prices for test c can vary depending on where you purchase it. If you have a prescription, the cost can vary.
An average price range for purchasing from an underground lab can be from £25 per 10ml vial up to £40.
Testosterone Cypionate Cycles
For many bodybuilders and athletes, testosterone is often the ‘base’ of the cycle. For a beginner, the most used and recommended steroid cycle is injectable testosterone injected once or twice weekly for around 12 weeks.
When running a cycle 400mg – 600mg per week is recommended and will increase muscle mass and strength.
Testosterone is quite versatile in the fact that it can be run as a ‘bulking compound’ and a ‘cutting compound’. Testosterone is a very effective androgenic steroid and often is ran on its own, successfully.
However, testosterone can be ‘stacked’ with other steroids for a more synergistic effect.
E.g. A historically proven and effective mass building cycle is 500mg of testosterone and 400mg of Deca (Nandrolone Decanoate).
One of the greatest lean mass and strength cycles to be run is trenbolone enanthate and testosterone.
Beginner Testosterone Cypionate Cycle
Weeks 1 – 12
- Monday 1 x 250mg injection
- Thursday 1 x 250mg injection
- AI (Aromatise inhibitor)
- Weeks 12 – 14
- PCT
More experienced Testosterone Cypionate Cycle
Weeks 1 – 12
- Monday 1 x 375mg injection
- Thursday 1 x 375mg injection
- AI (Aromatise inhibitor)
- Weeks 1 – 12.
- PCT
Advanced Testosterone Cypionate Cycle
Weeks 1 – 12
- Monday 1 x 500mg injection
- Thursday 1 x 500mg injection
- AI (Aromatise inhibitor)
- Weeks 12 – 14
- PCT
How To Inject Testosterone Cypionate
For a step by step guide on how to safely inject testosterone please see this article ‘How to inject steroids safely’.
What Are The Side Effects of Testosterone Cypionate
Any drug can have side effects and steroids are no different. Side effects of testosterone can come in various forms and are usually more prevalent for people who run continued length cycles or use more substantial doses.
Side effects from steroids can affect the cardiovascular system, estrogenic and androgenic. When using anabolic/androgenic steroids, it is essential to understand the risks associated with the use and also how to minimise the chances of them occurring.
It is important to note that not everyone will experience side effects from steroids. It is essential to know and understand the risk associated with them, though.
We can break down the side effects of steroids into the following subjects;
- Estrogenic side effects
- Androgenic side effects
- Cardiovascular side effects
- Hepatoxicity
- Natural testosterone shutdown
Androgenic Side Effects
Testosterone is the male sex hormone. An androgen which is responsible for what makes men, men. High levels of testosterone in the body can often result in more androgenic based side effects including; oily skin, acne, increase in body and facial hair growth.
If you have baldness in your family using testosterone can often increase the rate at which you may lose hair and an increase in male pattern baldness.
Testosterone can also have an impact on the prostate gland. Users have reported prostate enlargement while on cycle. This can go down once steroid use has been stopped.
Estrogenic Side Effects
The aromatise enzyme can aromatise excess testosterone into estrogen. When on a cycle using large doses of testosterone can cause this to become more prevalent. Some people are more prone to testosterone being converted into estrogen.
Estrogen is the primary sex hormone for females. This can cause an abundance of unwanted side-effects in men.
Estrogenic side effects of testosterone can include water retention, an increase in body fat and gynecomastia. When using testosterone, athletes will often run either Nolvadex to stop estrogen binding to fat tissue or an Aromatize Inhibitor (ai) like Arimidex or Aromasin to reduce the amount of testosterone which gets synthesised.
It should be noted people with higher body fat have often been shown to suffer from estrogenic side-effects more so than people with lower body fat.
Cardiovascular Side Effects
Steroids can increase muscle mass as well as causing the user to hold more ‘water weight’. This additional weight is often built up in short spaces of time and can result in added strain being put on the heart and organs.
Testosterone can affect cholesterol levels by reducing HDL or ‘good cholesterol’ and increasing LDL ‘bad cholesterol’. This shift, over time, can result in the hardening of the artery walls and higher levels of fat in the bloodstream leading to strokes, or heart attacks if left unchecked and untreated.
The increase in muscle mass and water weight can also lead to higher blood pressure which can again, affect the heart and kidneys.
Using testosterone can also affect your blood ‘thickness’. Testosterone therapy increases red blood cell count and can lead to polycythemia which is the increase of haemoglobin and hematocrit.
Steroid users will often have multiple blood tests per year to check for danger markers. More often than not donating or letting blood every couple of months if enough to keep blood-related issues arising.
Testosterone Cypionate Effects On The Liver
Test e alone often has little to no effect on the liver, unless users are suffering from a pre-existing condition.
When taken in conservative doses, it is highly unlike to experience hepatoxic side effects caused by testosterone alone.
Natural Testosterone Shutdown
Using any form of steroid will lead to the suppression of your natural test production. This often returns after the cycle has stopped. In rare cases or when users have been on cycle for prolonged periods, people can be shut down permanently or suffer from low testosterone levels for many years.
PCT ancillaries such as HCG can help keep the testes stimulated and producing natural testosterone. It is usually taken as a part of a PCT (post cycle therapy).
Benefits of Testosterone Cypionate
- Great muscle and strength builder
- Readily available in pharma grade and UGL
- Affordable
- Great choice for beginners
- Less frequent injection frequency than test prop
FAQs on Testosterone Cypionate
What does testosterone cypionate do to your body?
Testosterone Cypionate is a synthetic version of your own natural testosterone. When you inject it into your body it increases your natural testosterone levels.
With this increase comes the pros and cons of having higher testosterone in the body. These can include an increase in muscle mass, strength and a greater sense of wellbeing.
How long does testosterone cypionate take to kick in?
Any form of steroid will ‘kick in’ right away. However, users will probably not feel anything until around weeks four. The reason being is that it takes around four weeks of continuous injections for testosterone levels to rise to a muscle-building level.
Users will likely notice an increase in pumps, a greater sense of wellbeing and a higher sex drive as some of the first signs the cycle is kicking in.
Does testosterone cypionate help build muscle?
It sure does! Testosterone helps the body to increase protein synthesis rate as well as stimulating growth hormone. It can also increase bone density, help you to recover from exercise quicker and also increase strength.
Testosterone is what makes men, well men.
Does testosterone make you hornier?
Oh, yes. One of the many favourable effects of increased testosterone is the stimulation in sexual desire. For many people using HRT or TRT levels of testosterone is enough to bring back morning wood and increasing sexual appetite.
Can you inject testosterone in your balls?
God, no! Steroids are only to be injected IM (intramuscular). There are many sites where you can inject steroids into the muscle, balls not being one of them. Glutes, shoulders and quads are all larger muscle where you can inject performance-enhancing drugs.
Conclusion
Testosterone Cypionate is a great choice of steroid for new and more experienced steroid users. With the versatility of being able to work as a cutting and bulking performance enhancer, it is no wonder it is often used as the base for many athletes.
It makes a great choice for a first steroid cycle. Keeping steady hormone levels is important to manage side effects. The half-life and release nature of test e mean that testosterone levels will steadily rise and fall over time without sudden jumps or drops.
If you’re looking for an effective mass and strength builder with little side effects then test c makes a great choice.