TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE BASICS: Testosterone propionate, after Testosterone cypionate and enanthate, is the third injectable testosterone ester that needs to be described in detail. This makes sense because, unlike cypionate and enanthate, both of which are widely used and well spread in Europe, propionate is little noticed by most athletes. The reader will now certainly pose the question of why the characteristics of an apparently rarely used substance are described in detail. At a first glance this might seem a little unusual but when looking at this substance more closely, there are several reasons that become clear. Testosterone propionate is used on so few occasions in weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding not because it is ineffective. On the contrary, most do not know about propionate and its application potential. One acts according to the mottos "what you don't know won't hurt you" and "if others don't use, it can't be any good". We do not want to go this far and call propionate the most effective testosterone ester, however, in certain applications it is superior to enanthate, cypionate, and also undecanoate because it has characteristics which the common testosterones do not have.

HOW TO USE TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE: The main difference between propionate, cypionate, and enanthate is the respective duration of effect. In contrast to the long acting enanthate and cypionate depot steroids, propionate has a distinctly lower duration of effect. Testosterone proprionate has duration of effect of 1 to 2 days. An eye catching difference, however, is that the athlete "draws" distinctly less water with propionate and visibly lower water retention occurs. Since propionate is quickly effective, often after only one or two days, the athlete experiences an increase of his training energy, a better pump, an increased appetite, and a slight strength gain.

TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE DOSAGE: As an initial dose most athletes prefer a 50-100 mg injection. This offers two options: first, because of the rapid initial effect of the propionate ester one can initiate a several weeks long steroid treatment with Testosterone enanthate. Those who cannot wait until the depot steroids become effective inject 250 mg of Testosterone enanthate and 50 mg of Testosterone propionate at the beginning of the treatment. After two days, when the effect of the propionates decreases, another 50 mg ampule is injected. Two days after that, the elevated testosterone level caused by the propionate begins to decrease. By that time, the effect of the enanthates in the body would be present; no further propionate injections would be necessary. Thus the athlete rapidly reaches and maintains a high testosterone level for a long time due to the depot testo. This, for example, is important for athletes who with Anadrol  over the six-week treatment have gained several pounds and would now like to switch to testosterone. Since Anadrol begins its "breakdown" shortly after use of the compound is discontinued, a fast and elevated testosterone level is desirable.

The second option is to take propionate during the entire period of intake. This, however, requires a periodic injection every second day. Best results can be obtained with 50-100 mg per day or every second day. The athlete, as already mentioned, will experience visibly lower water retention than with the depot testosterones so that propionate is well liked by bodybuilders who easily draw water with enanthate. A good stack for gaining muscle mass would be, for example, 100 mg Testosterone propionate every 2 days, 50 mg Winstrol Depot every 2 days, and 30 mg Dianabol/day. Propionate is mainly used in the preparation for a competition and used by female athletes. And in this phase, dieting is often combined with, testosterone to maintain muscle mass and muscle density at their maximum. Propionate has always proven effective in this regard since it fulfills these requirements while lowering possible water retention. This water retention can be tempered by using Nolvadex and Proviron. A combination of 100 mg Testosterone propionate every 2 days, 50 mg Winstrol Depot/day help achieve this goal and are suitable for building up "quality muscles."

Women especially like propionate since, when applied properly, androgenic caused side effects can be avoided more easily. The trick is to increase the time intervals between the various injections so that the testosterone level can fall again and so there is an accumulation of androgens in the female organism. Women therefore take propionate only every 5-7 days and obtain remarkable results with it. The androgenic effect included in the propionate allows better regeneration without virilization symptoms for hard training women. The dosage is usually 25-50 mg/injection. Higher dosages and more frequent intervals of intake would certainly show even better results but are not recommended for women. The duration of intake should not exceed 8-10 weeks and can be supplemented by taking mild and mostly anabolic steroids such as, for example Primobolan, in order to promote the synthesis of protein. Men who do not fear the intake of testosterone or the possible side effects should go ahead and give propionate a try. The side effects of propionate are usually less frequent and are less pronounced. The reason is that the weekly dose of propionate is usually much lower than with depot testosterones. A daily injection of 50 mg amounts to a weekly dose of 350 mg while several depot injections easily launch the milligram content of testosterone into the four-figure range. When compared with enanthate and cypionate, propionate is also a "milder" substance and thus better tolerated in the body. Those who are convinced that they need daily testosterone injections should consider taking propionate. The key to success with propionate lies in the regular intake of relatively small quantities (50-100 mg every 1-2 days).

Although the side effects of propionate are similar to the ones of enanthate and cypionate these, as already mentioned, occur less frequently. However, if there is a predisposition and very high dosages are taken, the known androgenic linked side effects such as acne vulgaris, accelerated hair loss, and increased growth of body hair and deep voice can occur. An increased libido is common both in men and women with the use of propionate. Despite the high conversion rate of propionate into estrogen gynecomastia is less common than with other testosterones. The same is true for possible water retention since the retention of electrolytes and water is less pronounced. The administration of testosterone stimulating compounds such as HCG and Clomid can, however, also be advised with propionate use since it has a strong influence on the hypothalamohypophysial testicular axis, suppressing the endogenous hormone production. The toxic influence on the liver is minimal so that a liver damage is unlikely. What athletes dislike most about propionate are the frequent injections that are necessary.