Testosterone Enanthate in bodybuilding: Overview
Testosterone Enanthate is one of the most popular anabolic steroids in bodybuilding. Everyone has heard of the hormone testosterone, and this long-acting ester has gained a great reputation in bodybuilding for gaining muscle mass. It is regular in pro-bodybuilder cycles like Ronnie Coleman steroid cycles.
In the male body, testosterone is the main anabolic hormone. At the same time, in traditional medicine, testosterone-containing drugs are often also used in the treatment of children and women. Among athletes, testosterone esters like Enanthate, Cypionate, Propionate, and Sustanon 250, along with Nandrolone and Methandienone, are the most popular anabolic steroids. Despite the large number of anabolics released today, when it comes to a bulking cycle, Testosterone Enanthate is still the best drug to get the maximum possible effect even for beginners. A Test E cycle for beginners is considered better than a Test Cyp or a Sustanon beginner cycle, due to controlling hormone levels and fluid retention.
The steroid has a long action of two to three weeks, meaning its half-life is roughly a week. For this reason, to maintain a high and smooth anabolic background, it is only necessary to inject Testosterone Enanthate once every seven days.
Testosterone Enanthate effects
The high popularity of Testosterone Enanthate is primarily due to its powerful anabolic and androgenic properties. This allows athletes to quickly gain muscle mass and increase physical performance. The high rate of weight gain is primarily associated with the ability of this anabolic steroid to retain fluid in the body, which leads to retention of electrolyte balance. This same feature of the steroid leads to a sharp increase in strength. It should also be noted that testosterone can have a positive effect on the joints, which is again associated with fluid retention. All of this makes Testosterone Enanthate an excellent choice for weightlifters and representatives of the power triathlon, performing in high weight categories.
For bodybuilding, excess fluid in the body is a medal with two sides. Of course, thanks to Testosterone Enanthate, it can help to quickly gain muscle mass, but at the same time the appearance of muscles with a lot of fluid does not look the best. What can be seen during the most prestigious bodybuilding competition is the result of painstaking work. But, during the off-season, professional bodybuilders look completely different.
Test E side effects in bodybuilding
Most of the side effects of testosterone can be attributed to strong aromatization. This process is necessary when gaining mass, but within significantly smaller limits. Very often, due to the high rate of transformation into estradiol, the athlete increases not only muscle mass, but also fat. We should also mention gynecomastia, which is also very likely when using testosterone esters, including Enanthate.
Although in fairness it should be said that all these negative aspects of the use of Testosterone Enanthate primarily depend on the predisposition of the body. Some bodybuilders even when using 1000 mg of the drug do not experience these problems, and others, in turn, at 100 mg can already experience pain in the nipple area (the first symptom of gynecomastia).
Proper Testosterone Enanthate dosage during a cycle
Specific Testosterone Enanthate dosages will depend on the users experience with taking steroids, the individual characteristics of their body and the goal of the cycle. Generally, a Testosterone Enanthate dose of 250-500mg each week of the cycle is advised for beginners.
For intermediate steroid users, the dosage of Testosterone Enanthate can be increased up to 750mg per week if the user tolerates the steroid well and it is necessary for gaining results in a bulking cycle.
Advanced steroid users may increase the Test E dosage up to 1000mg per week if they have a high tolerance to the steroid. This is typically true for experienced bodybuilders with a large body weight.
Guide on Testosterone Enanthate cycles
There are a few rules to running a Testosterone Enanthate cycle in order to gain the most benefits and the least side effects. Here are some tips that may help you to run an effective cycle with Testosterone Enanthate:
- Testosterone Enanthate is typically sold in a concentration of 250mg/ml, so each injection for beginners will involve injecting 1-2ml of the solution intramuscularly (into the muscle.)
- The Test E cycle length should be from at least 8 weeks and up to about 12 weeks to gain the maximum number of results.
- To prevent estrogenic side effects and solidify the gains received from the cycle, it advised to take an aromatase inhibitor (AI) during the Testosterone Enanthate cycle. Effective AIs include Arimidex, Aromasin, Letrozole or Proviron.
- A Testosterone Enanthate cycle is not recommended for women since the androgenic effects of the steroid are strong and will likely cause masculinizing effects to the female body.
- PCT is vital after every single Testosterone Enanthate cycle to restore hormone production in the body and maintain gains from the cycle.
Combined Cycle of Testosterone Enanthate with Other Steroids
Testosterone Enanthate is an extremely versatile steroid when it comes to other steroids it can be stacked with. There are multiple combinations with Test E that can be beneficial for any type of cycle, including cycles aimed bulking, cutting and lean mass.
The most popular bulking cycle with Testosterone Enanthate is a cycle stack with Methandienone (Dianabol) and Nandrolone Decanoate (Deca Durabolin). This cycle generally lasts 12 weeks and is well-known the produce great results in muscle mass.
This cycle uses Dianabol at 40mg daily for the first 4 weeks as a kick-starter to initiate effects from the first weeks of the cycle. Testosterone Enanthate is taken as the base steroid for the full length of the 12-week cycle, typically at a dosage of 500mg per week. Deca Durabolin is taken alongside Testosterone Enanthate for the full 12 weeks at a dosage of 200mg weekly. Arimidex and Dostinex are recommended to be used during the cycle for side effect prevention.
Testosterone Enanthate can even be used in a cutting cycle, which is much less common but still possible. To run a Test E cutting cycle, you need to combine it with powerful drying steroids such as Winstrol or Masteron. Find Winstrol use instructions or Masteron dosage instructions during a Testosterone cycle here.
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How to Properly Cycle Testosterone Enanthate and PCT?
Testosterone Enanthate has powerful anabolic and androgenic effects, so it’s crucial to take it responsibly to avoid running into several unwanted side effects. To stay clear of side effects during the Testosterone Enanthate cycle, there are some rules that you can follow.
Firstly, to prevent side effects related to aromatization, an aromatase inhibitor (AI) such as Arimidex should be taken twice weekly from the second week of the Testosterone Enanthate cycle and continued until the cycle in complete. This will block the aromatization process and stop side effects such as water retention, fat retention and gynecomastia from occurring. Alternatively, you should at least have an AI ready in case symptoms of gynecomastia appear during the cycle. In this case, Arimidex can be used daily until the symptoms disappear.
Testosterone Enanthate will also suppress the natural production of the hormone by the body, therefore, post-cycle therapy (PCT) is necessary to restore this process after the cycle. PCT should be started 2 weeks after the end of the Testosterone Enanthate cycle and last for 4 weeks. The most effective PCT drugs for restoring testosterone production and preserving gains from the cycle are Nolvadex and Clomid. If Nolvadex is used for PCT, then it should be taken daily at a dosage of 40mg. Clomid can be taken in a dosage of 50mg per day. Many bodybuilders will use one or the other, but some may use both Nolvadex and Clomid together to enhance the restoration process.
Benefits of Test E
Here we have summarized the main benefits of Testosterone Enanthate in bodybuilding:
- Test E is a powerful anabolic androgenic steroid, but still well-tolerated by most men and side effects are easily controlled.
- It also has high versatility which makes it a great steroid for any purpose.
- It can provide an impressive increase in muscle mass during bulking cycles.
- For cutting, Test E can reduce body fat and prevent the breakdown of muscle during calorie deficits.
- The Test E benefits for athletic performance include improved strength, endurance, and recovery times.
- The health benefits of the steroid will involve improving sexual and mental health during the cycle.
Testosterone Enanthate Results and Reviews
According to several Testosterone Enanthate reviews, the guaranteed results from taking this steroid are an increase in muscle mass, increased strength, and more energy to train harder and longer in the gym. It is said to be the ultimate performance booster even when used in a solo cycle but can be easily stacked with other steroids to provide outstanding gains in bodybuilding.
