Testosterone propionate cycle and side effects

Because it has a short-acting ester, testosterone propionate is quickly absorbed by the body after application, which requires a higher frequency of use — usually injections every other day, or even daily.

When used for aesthetic purposes or to improve performance, doses can vary considerably.

The most common reports involve amounts between 200 to 500 mg per week with cycles lasting between 8 to 12 weeks.

This dosage and duration range is usually sufficient to provide significant gains in lean mass, strength and improvements in muscle density, especially when combined with training and diets appropriate to the desired goal (whether it is gaining muscle mass or losing fat).

Another advantage of propionate is that, because it leaves the body more quickly, it allows for more precise control of side effects; if something goes wrong, simply stop using it and the hormone will leave the body more quickly.

However, its higher frequency of application may be uncomfortable for some users, in addition to increasing the risk of local irritation at the application site, a common effect with this ester.

Like other forms of testosterone, the use of propionate can cause a number of side effects, especially when used in dosages that raise hormone levels above the natural range, as is expected when using anabolic steroids outside of a clinical context.

With that out of the way, among the most common side effects of testosterone propionate are:

It is important to note that side effects do not vary significantly between different types of testosterone, as they all release the same active hormone into the body.

What changes, in practice, is the speed at which this hormone is released and the frequency of application required.

Next, we will understand how testosterone can cause each of these unwanted effects in the body.