Testosterone propionate: properties, dosages, and administration schemes

Author: Vasiliy Roldugin - coach and Master of Sports in Powerlifting.
2014-03-22

Important! We do not advocate for the use of steroids and other potent substances. All information is provided so that those who still decide to take them can do so with minimal health risks.

Natural testosterone has a half-life of about ten minutes in the human body. This means that within an hour, practically nothing remains of the initially administered amount.

When injected into the muscle, the complete breakdown time of natural testosterone increases to 10 hours, which is also insufficient for achieving serious results.

During research aimed at creating a preparation that works like testosterone but with a longer-lasting effect on the body, derivatives of this hormone were developed.

Today, these substances belong to the class of androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS), having various names, release forms, and durations of action in the human body.

Yet, many AAS users remain interested in those preparations whose active ingredient is the good old testosterone. First and foremost, these are the most well-known Testosterone enanthate, Testosterone cypionate, Testosterone propionate, Sustanon - 250, Omnadren - 250, and the less popular Andropen.

We will definitely discuss each of them in more detail, but I would like to start with testosterone propionate, which is available in injection form.

Distinctive Features

Personally, I believe that testosterone propionate is a preparation that often gets unjustly overlooked by AAS users. Yet, it is specifically designed for gaining strength and mass!

1. Testosterone propionate excellently stabilizes androgen receptors, accelerating protein synthesis in the user's body. This indicates its quite strong androgenic effect.

2. At the same time, propionate favorably differs from other testosterone preparations in that its use allows one to avoid significant water retention in the body.

3. Another distinctive feature of propionate lies in its pharmacokinetics. It begins to act almost immediately after entering the body, increasing appetite and positively affecting the CNS. As a result, we experience increased strength indicators and reduced recovery time after training loads.

4. Despite all the advantages of propionate, its downside is the short duration of action on the user's body—only 1-2 days. This implies rather frequent injections. However, I believe that with reasonable use, this downside can be turned into an advantage.

How, When, How Much?

I would like to clarify that in this article we will discuss the possibilities of using testosterone propionate as the sole substance consumed by a user on the first "cycle".

This cautious introduction to androgenic-anabolic steroids will help to maximize the benefits of their use in the future and maintain a balance between "benefit-harm." In this regard, we previously looked at methandrostenolone, and now we will discuss testosterone propionate.

Yes, I believe that propionate is quite suitable for solo use under the following schemes: "strength" and "strength and mass." The dosage in the tables is presented in mg of active substance.

The scheme for taking testosterone propionate aimed primarily at strength development

The scheme for taking testosterone propionate aimed at increasing body weight and strength.

If you look closely at the first table, you will notice that propionate injections are administered every third day. This scheme allows for timely "draining" of the water that, albeit in relatively small amounts, this preparation retains. And primarily maintain the growth of strength indicators. That is why this scheme is more suitable for powerlifting enthusiasts.

The scheme presented in the second table allows for not only gains in strength indicators but also in body weight, and it will be more interesting for novice bodybuilders.

This happens because frequent injections maintain a relatively high constant concentration of testosterone propionate in the blood.

There is also another option for taking testosterone propionate that is more suitable for competing athletes. Its essence involves a single injection of about 300 mg of the preparation approximately one to two hours before the competition. Such a sharp "burst" of testosterone allows the athlete to feel a significant surge of strength and confidence during the event. Additionally, this method can help "trick" doping control. I don't know how relevant this is for athletes in FPR, but to my knowledge, several AWPC athletes have successfully passed doping tests after performing such a manipulation before competitions.

Side Effects

Like any other AAS, testosterone propionate has side effects characteristic of substances in this class:

• Liver issues;
• Acne;
• Increased blood pressure;
• Gynecomastia;
• Gastrointestinal disorders;
• Excessive aggression;
• Excessive water retention;
• Significant suppression of natural testosterone production.

However, since the weekly dose of propionate usually does not exceed 400 mg, these effects are not as pronounced. Moreover, when using propionate "solo," they are unlikely to affect you.

This "mildness of effect" makes the drug quite interesting for women, as they can generally avoid androgen-related side effects when using it. This is especially true if they inject every 5-7 days at a dosage of 25 - 50 mg with a total cycle duration of no more than 8 - 10 weeks.

After Stopping

Of course, the results gained after stopping testosterone propionate will not be fully retained; however, the loss of mass and strength will not be as significant as that experienced after stopping the same methandienone. Especially if you trained hard and approached nutrition organization sensibly during the "cycle." Additionally, a gradual exit from the "cycle" will always help you retain your gains. And, of course, you should change your training program and focus on recovery.

Regarding post-cycle therapy, I do not think that anything more than hepatoprotectors will be needed after using testosterone propionate "solo." Even then, only as a preventive measure.

Conclusions

Thus, testosterone propionate is a quite "soft" preparation, suitable for use by both men and women. Its applications are in powerlifting, bodybuilding, and weightlifting. It can not only provide an increase in strength indicators but also significantly increase muscle mass, most of which will be retained after its discontinuation.