Testosterone Esters


Cypionate
Cypionate is a very popular testosterone ester, widely available in America. Cypionate is claimed to provide much more of a kick than something like Enanthate, although it does appear to produce a slightly higher level of water retention. Which is interesting because both Cypionate and Enanthate are actually very similar chemically, both providing a long acting and slow release over a period of around two weeks. Cypionate is in fact one carbon atom heavier than Enanthate. If you recall, a steroid compound includes the weight of the ester within its total mg weighting, and so of course Enanthate, being lighter, actually contains more steroid molecule and is actually chemically that little bit more potent. This slight weight difference would only cause there to be a small few milligrams different per shot of cypionate over enanthate, and so would hardly be noticeable at all.


Enanthate
The Enanthate ester is very similar in make up to the Cypionate ester - with both being long acting oil based injectable depots. Once administered, as with Cypionate, serum concentrations of this hormone will rise for several days and then remain elevated markedly for a period of around two weeks. For this drug to be completely exhausted from action in your system may take a complete period of upto three weeks.


Isocaproate
This steroid ester also releases the hormone into circulation over a period of around two weeks.


Decanoate
Decanoate is a popular ester that finds itself into the very popular drug Sustanon. Decanoate actually releases the testosterone hormone into circulation over a period of four weeks, making it a very long lasting, slow releasing oil based injectable depot.


Proprionate
The added proprionate ester to the parent testosterone molecule will make this oil based injectable depot slow enough to release the steroid from the injection site over a period of a few days. This particular ester has been shown to be a little irritating to certain users, causing an itching and possible soreness at the injection site, and even the possibility of a low grade fever after administration.


Phenylproprionate
Phenylproprionate is very similar in action to the proprionate ester, releasing testosterone into circulation over a period of two to four days.


Micro-Crystal Water Suspension
Although this is not a true oil based ester, the testosterone suspension of modern day, over the 1940s solution, deserves proper credit. Now this compound is indeed a testosterone suspended in a micro crystal water suspension and will require frequent dosing, however the release is over 2 -3 days as opposed to just a matter of hours.


Summary


We have had a brief and straight forward look at some of the most important enzymatic process taking place upon the anabolic and androgenic steroids that are used in bodybuilding and athletics. As you will have read above, enzymes are of course essential to and necessary in the process of activating esterified steroids, as the drug compound remains entirely inactive while the ester group remains present. We have also briefly covered the primary and most popular esters used in the manufacture and administration of anabolic steroids. It is also true that enzymes are required to be present to deactivate steroids, cause them to become more water soluble and thus much easier to excrete. Both Aromatase enzyme and 5alpha-reductase convert testosterone into other active compounds which have different activities within the body. Those being that of the female sex hormone estrogen in the case of aromatase and that of DHT, a most potent androgen, in the case of 5AR. You have also discovered here that 3bHSD can also convert an active compound, DHT, to androstanediol, which, while is still not active at the actual androgen receptor site, is of some relevance to the development of male pattern baldness. These are some of the side effects which do concern some bodybuilders and athletes wishing to use anabolic steroids.


It is highly recommended that those drugs that are highly aromatizable with a C19 group, such as testosterone and Dianabol etc, then you should be seriously thinking of your ancillary drug use before you embark on any steroid cycle. What I mean by this, is that you should be prepared and have to hand anti-aromatase drugs, in order to use when administering any steroidal drug that easily converts due to the effects of the aromatase enzyme. When using testosterone, do not forget also to use a 5AR inhibitor, especially for those individuals particularly concerned about the prostate. Should any Type 1 5AR inhibitors become available, it would be of great use in limiting the side effects of testosterone use, whereby it normally would accelerate acne inducing and male-pattern baldness traits, an inhibitor would suppress this.