How Often Should Testosterone Enanthate Be Injected?
Testosterone enanthate is an ester of the naturally-occurring steroid hormone testosterone. In the body, it is directly involved in the production of semen. As an androgen, it also stimulates muscle growth and increases bone density. It is used for a number of medical purposes, including hormone replacement therapy. Users must inject it directly into the muscle tissue. Typical dosages vary, and individuals must take care to avoid a number of injection site complications.
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The facts
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Testosterone enanthate is a single-ester molecule attached to the steroid hormone testosterone. The attached ester molecule allows it to be suspended in oil for injection purposes. Also, the ester-molecule prevents rapid breakdown of testosterone by the liver, allowing testosterone enanthate to stay active in the blood for several weeks. When suspended in oil, testosterone enanthate is either clear or a pale yellow in color.
Medical uses
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The body's natural production of testosterone begins to decline after age 25, and dips by about 2 percent each year. Many men who suffer from the effects of this decline, including a reduced libido, decline in bone density and skeletal muscle mass, seek testosterone replacement therapy to reverse the effects of this natural degenerative process and to improve the quality of their lives. Also, doctors have prescribed testosterone enanthate to some HIV-positive patients to alleviate the muscle wasting effects of AIDS. Testosterone enanthate may also be prescribed to treat delayed-onset puberty in adolescents. Another medical use is to treat a variety of pituitary or hypothalamic injuries that may result from tumors, trauma or radiation, that would affect the body's natural production of testosterone.
The amount injected for hormone replacement therapy varies by individuals. A typical dosage is 50 mg to 400 mg every two to four weeks.
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Where to inject
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You must inject testosterone enanthate intramuscularly. Because it is an oil-based injection, the needle size is larger and you can only safely inject it into the larger muscles of the buttocks and thigh (see photos). That leaves only four injection sites for you to use on a regular basis, one on each thigh and one on each buttock.
Avoiding injection problems
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Scar tissue can build up in frequently used injection sites. This condition can result in pain and irritation when injecting. To avoid these complications, rotate the injection sites each time you administer a dosage of testosterone enanthate. You can also massage the muscle or apply a hot compress before injecting.
Another injection site problem is the formation of infections or abscesses under the skin around the injection site. To prevent this, make sure to sterilize the needle and the injection site with isopropyl alcohol before and after injection. Also, place a band-aid and antibacterial gel on the injection site afterward.
Follow-up
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The administration of exogenous (non-bodily produced) testosterone has been shown to dampen the body's natural production of testosterone. Therefore, when you stop injecting testosterone enanthate, you will need to restart your body's natural production to restore hormones to your age-appropriate level. Your doctor may prescribe an injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin to accelerate this process. Also, your doctor may monitor your blood serum levels of testosterone and leutinizing hormone for 30 days to make sure that your body has begun producing its own testosterone again.
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