Testosterone Enanthate vs Cypionate

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Testosterone Enanthate vs Cypionate What's the Difference?

When it comes to choosing synthetic testosterone some of the information we find can be confusing if not misleading.

There are several different kinds of testosterone produced, however, the two most common are testosterone enanthate and cypionate.

Most men know that in order to stay healthy they need testosterone, and if you lift and want to gain muscle you need it even more. Testosterone is responsible for a man's sex drive and overall function, even women produce tiny amounts of testosterone.

Besides being popular among bodybuilders testosterone has been used to treat a variety of health conditions in men. Testosterone cypionate and enanthate are two well known synthetic testosterone esters that are almost identical.

Differences at a Glance:

Testosterone enanthate is suspended in sesame oil cypionate in cottonseed oil
Testosterone enanthate has a half-life of 7 days while cypionate has a half-life of 10-12 days.
Testosterone enanthate has a 7-carbon ester chain while cypionate has an 8-carbon ester chain.
Since testosterone enanthate has only a 7-carbon ester and a 1 carbon atom it delivers more testosterone per gram than cypionate.
Testosterone enanthate comes in 10ml/250mg vs cypionate which comes im 10ml/200mg vials.
Testosterone cypionate is common in the U.S while enanthate is common in Europe
Cypionate injections are less painful than enanthate injections

Testosterone Enanthate

Testosterone enanthate ¹comes in a sesame oil base and is one of the oldest and most used anabolic steroids of all time.

Synthetic testosterone was first produced in the 1930s, the first batches of testosterone (Testosterone suspension) had no esters attached.

In 1937 the first ester controlled (time release) testosterone was introduced by Schering, this would allow a slow and steady release of testosterone that would last up to a week.

In the 1950s a bigger ester in enanthate was released which would slow down the release even more. This would make testosterone enanthate the steroid that would dominate the market for decades to come.

Testosterone enanthate is synthetic testosterone that is perfect for all levels of use. It can be used in the treatment of low testosterone in older men and it is a favorite among bodybuilders and athletes for its ability to help gain muscle and increase athletic performance.

If you suffer from low testosterone taking small doses of this steroid will help boost testosterone levels, it is often prescribed by doctors in the treatment of low testosterone (TRT) or hypogonadism in men.

Bodybuilders use testosterone to increase strength and gain muscle, it can be used during both bulking and cutting cycles.

During a bulking phase, it speeds up nutrient absorption and protein synthesis, for cutting it helps prevent muscle loss when cutting back on calories.

Dose

For testosterone replacement therapy a dose of 100-200mg, every 7-12 days are standard. Some doctors have been known to prescribe higher doses of 200-400mg every 2-3 weeks, obviously, this depends on the severity of the testosterone deficiency.

The dosage used for anabolic purposes are much higher, an effective dose for bodybuilders will range between 400-500mg per week, however, doses in the 600-1000mg range are well tolerated, anything above 1000mg may have side effects.

High doses of testosterone may causes symptoms of aromatization

Testosterone Cypionate

Testosterone cypionate ² is almost identical to enanthate, the differences being that it is slower acting, so the half-life is longer (10-12) days. Cypionate has a cottonseed oil base making it a less painful injection that the enanthate.

Both Testosterone cypionate and enanthate offer the same benefits:

Increase nitrogen retention
Boost IGF-1 levels
Promote recovery in damaged muscle cells
Can change the appearance and cells of muscle fibers
Increase red blood cell count
Prevent glucocorticoid buildup

Similarities between enanthate and cypionate

Both are synthetic versions of testosterone
They are administered by injection into the muscle
They are both androgenic testosterone esters
Both are slow acting

Why bodybuilders use synthetic testosterone

Bodybuilders will use testosterone cypionate or enanthate to help increase performance and gain muscle. Both versions can be stacked with other anabolic steroids such as Trenbolone, Deca, Winstrol, and Anavar.

Improve performance

Lifting weights stimulates muscle fibers, this breaks down ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) into ADP (Adenosine diphosphate) This is responsible for increasing energy and reducing muscle fatigue. Problem is this process is much slower on its own. Testosterone speeds up the process and replenishes ADP at a faster rate.

Clearly, a well-planned cycle is important in order to get the most benefit from these steroids.

Like most steroids testosterone can aromatize (convert testosterone into estrogen) this can lead to certain side effects like gynecomastia, water retention, and high blood pressure.

A lot of guys will try and counteract the side effects by taking some kind of SERMS such as Nolvadex or Tamoxifen.

Neither cypionate or enanthate will strain the liver (they are not hepatoxic)

Buying testosterone

Both testosterone esters are readily available from your health care provider. If you feel you have low testosterone, you should speak with your doctor. He or she will likely do some blood work to verify your testosterone levels and based on your results will arrange a proper treatment regimen.

Bodybuilders, on the other hand, are looking for higher doses, their main purpose is to gain muscle and increase strength.

In the United states cypionate is more common and is the main synthetic testosterone prescribed by doctors. In Europe, the enanthate seems to be more common.

There are dozens of underground labs and online pharmacies that sell both testosterone enanthate and cypionate however buyers should be aware that there are lots of counterfeit brands of testosterone sold.

Always choose human-grade testosterone and ensure you buy from a reputable online source.

If you can find a brand name testosterone that should always be your first choice, if you buy online or from an underground lab you should always verify your source to avoid getting ripped off or even worse risk receiving a counterfeit or underdosed product.