I’ve read various studies that healthy young males produce 6-10mg of T per day.
Simple math then shows it to be 42-70mg per week. If a male is injecting, say 50mg of Test Cyp twice weekly, wouldn’t that put the man in a well above-average range? Or is there a difference in natural T and pharmacy T esters?
Thanks
There is a difference between the two. Injected testosterone is not released immediately and depending on the ester usually peaks around 48 hours after injection (different esters have different half lifes). Many experience unnatural peaks and valleys while using exogenous T. Also the rate at which one metabolizes the drug will effect how much of it is absorbed. As a side note Sub Q versus IM can also yield different levels. I have read some barely at 500 trough injecting 50mg 2x weekly and also I have seen some pushing 1000+ng/dl at trough on the same protocol. Too many variables eg: genetic, metabolism, e2, SHBG
Remember some of that T is bound to the ester and not available for immediate use.
Everyone metabolizes the test differently.
Another question is where would you feel the best, and have the best health outcomes? Maybe the human body can handle being 2-3X average levels and not have poor outcomes? It seems that if you are going to go though shutdown, that at least for me I want the confidence, well being, muscle, and sports performance that comes with being above average (as long as we don’t have evidence that this will do harm to me, along with pretty good supporting evidence that being above average is healthier than being low).
The bound vs unbound argument shouldn’t matter long term with regular injections. It should all ultimately get used unless there’s some reason it doesn’t that I’m not aware of.
Sure, it takes time, but eventually you’re metabolizing part of the most recent injection + part of the one before that + a piece of the one before that etc. It’s still 100mg/week total in the end.
So, why do we need so much more than is made naturally to feel normal? I’ve wondered this too.
Most do well with trough levels in the 700-1100 ng/dL total and 150-200pg/mL free ranges.
As to everyone being different I incidentally recently discovered that I peak at 41 hours. The standard is commonly considered to be 36.
This is an interesting question. I’ve read, but can’t find the link, that due to the cypionate ester, there is only 68% of actual active testosterone available in the solution.
If this is the case, it makes sense a doctor will start someone on 100mg a week. Taking ester into account, that would equate to 9.7mg per day (68/7).
I’m not really sure if that’s accurate, but seems logical to me… But it still doesn’t explain why we need more to feel good? Maybe me only need what would biologically be made to function, but maybe it’s like every other drug, recreational or prescription that does something to make us feel “good”… There is a threshold our bodies cross where it’s euphoric…We get it with a certain dose of testosterone and chase it until we have it all the time.
Who knows really, but I can tell when my shot starts working, I feel awesome. I often think that there is no way people around me feel as good as I do when things are working.
Dont forget the difference in molecular weight since you inject eg T cypionate.
Eg
41mg T cypionate corresponds to 29mg T
82mg T cypionate corresponds to 58mg T
Interesting.
So that isn’t factored into the concentration?
Ie 1ml of 200mg/ml Test C is actually only ~160mg of actual testosterone? I was wondering about that.
No 200mg cyp is more like 140mg unesterified test. Prop is more like 160mg. I was gonna respond to your post above but @johann77 beat me to it.
Thank you all for the great responses! I learn new things all the time on this site. I love this forum and the brotherhood it fosters.
Cheers and wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!