
Testosterone is the primary
male sex hormone, and is largely
responsible for some of the physical and psychological development of
men. Testosterone promotes sex drive (as you may have suspected), as
well as both muscle gain and fat loss.
[1]
Testosterone
Cypionate is simply testosterone which has undergone
17beta-estrification, to allow for a steady release over the
course of about a week. Besides this difference (the ester), this form
of testosterone will do what all others do.
Testosterone is a highly anabolic and androgenic hormone, it has an
anabolic (muscle building) as well as anabolic rating of 100 each,
respectively. Testosterone exerts the majority of its effects by
promoting increased nitrogen retention in the muscle.
[1]
Testosterone is also known to increases levels of the growth factor
IGF-1
in both the muscle tissue as well as the liver.
[2]
Testosterone also increases the activity of satellite cells,
[3]
which
are cells that play an active role in repairing exercise-damaged
muscle. Testosterone exerts these effects primarily by genomic
mechanisms, meaning that it binds to the androgen receptor (AR) thus
initiating gene transcription. This stimulation of the AR promotes
various of the AR dependant mechanisms for both muscle gain and fat
loss
[4],
as well as reducing catabolic glucocorticoid hormones
[4],
and increasing red blood cell production
[5].
Testosterone may even aid
in protecting the heart against coronary disease.
[6]
Testosterone binds
to the AR on fat cells resulting in fat break-down and also prevents
new fat formation.
[7] All of
the preceding effects are why we, as
athletes or bodybuilders, use testosterone. Unfortunately, there is
also a down side to testosterone as well- no free rides here.
Testosterone
is metabolized in the body to the female hormone estrogen (via
aromatization) by the aromatize
enzyme.
This can lead to some unwanted and nasty side effects; breast tissue
growth in men (gynocomastia), some fat gain and even reducedfat
breakdown, testicular shrinkage and water retention which can increase
blood pressure. Testosterone is also a substrate for the
5alpha-reductase enzyme. Interaction with this enzyme converts the
testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone
(DHT), a
more androgenic form of the parent hormone, though a less anabolic one.
DHT has a high binding affinity to the tissues of the scalp and
prostate, resultingin hair loss in loss and making the prostate swell.
For one reason or another, it would appear that Testosterone Cypionate
causes more water retention than some of the shorter estered versions
of testosterone.
This has been my experience, as well as many others…therefore, we
usually reserve testosterone for use on a bulking cycle. Doses are
typically in the 400mg-600mg range, although 1-2 grams have been
reported as well. I have used the
high end of this, and found the side effects to be pretty intolerable.
Testosterone, regardless of the ester, is highly versatile and should
be considered the base of any (male users) cycle. Testosterone
Cypionate
is pretty widely available and cheap, and costs around $50- 75 for a
10cc bottle of it, dosed at 200-300mgs/ml.