Low dose cycles--Truth and myth.

StoneColdNTO

Administrator
Originally posted by BASK8KACE.

If you've read some of my posts on other boards, you probably already have seen that I advocate suggesting low doses for beginners & nbsp;. Why jump into 600mg per week of test as a first or second cycle when it is highly likely you will get great gains using 200-300mg (in initial cycles)?

I keep seeing people write that 200mg of testosterone per week does nothing more than shut down a man's natural test production and bring him near "normal levels"--this is not quite correct (part of the statement is correct part of it is not). This incorrect statement has endured probably because someone wrote down thier idea/theory of what happens in the body, it sounded good, and other people repeated it. But, it is not correct. Yes, 200mg of a long lasting ester of testosterone will shut down natural test production, BUT the amount of 200mg of a long lasting ester of testosterone is more than twice the "normal levels" of test in the body of a healthy non-steroid using male. Therefore, 200mg of a long lasting ester of testosterone per week is far more than enough to grow on.

(I explain more below)


I was paranoid about side effects of testosterone on a normally functioning body, so I had my blood levels checked while on 200-250mg per week. The results of the tests indicated that the amount of testosterone in my blood was more than twice the high end of the normal range (The normal free testosterone range is 50.0-210.0 pg/ml*. My levels were found to be near 550 pg/ml). I also talked to my doctor and UPJOHN nurses a lot about using testosterone at these doses. Here's a brief bit of what I've learned from my doctor, the UPJOHN nursing staff (UPJOHN was the original manufacturer of Depo-testosterone a.k.a Testosterone Cypionate.  The rights of Depo-testosterone was sold to PFIZER which now produces it under the name PHARMACIA), and professional medical documents:

*--NOTE: pg/ml is the correct unit notation.

Using a long acting ester testosterone (CYP and ENAN) does not mimic the normally functioning male body's circadian rhythm (daily rise and fall of testosterone). Testosterone, in a normally functioning body, does not explode up to high levels then gradually fall over a 1-2 week period as it does when injecting a testosterone such as CYP or ENAN. On the contrary, the body produces a small amount each day which is far below 200mg (It's around 10mg). That small amount is concentrated at the beginning of the day and then falls low by the end of the day. This process repeats itself every day and by the end of two weeks, a normally functioning body produces approximately 140mg of testosterone (appx. 70mg per week).

The use of long acting esters are in theory supposed to slowly release the testosterone over a two week period, but this is not quite what happens. To keep it simple, the delay of the esters actually allows large amounts of testosterone to build up--especially if you are taking 200mg every week as opposed to once every two weeks (biweekly) which is what the dose is supposed to be. (I'm simplifying here). Remember the "normally functioning" male produces only (appx.) 70mg per week (=140mg per two weeks). The dose doctors are recommended to perscribe is 200mg every 2 weeks (biweekly), but they tend to give 200mg every week.

So, it is fallacious reasoning to compare the TOTAL amount of testosterone produced in daily spurts in a normally functioning body over a 2 week period to the same amount of testosterone injected in one shot at the beginning of a week and reshot every week (before the previous week's dose is used up). The latter case (injections once per week) results in an overlap and build up of dose which causes the levels of testosterone to be HIGHER than normal. (Remember the shots should actually be 200mg every TWO weeks--not every week). These excess levels of testosterone are sufficient to build lean body mass faster than the "normally functioning" male.

In other words: addding up what the average male body produces per week then comparing that to the amount that is shot every week is like comparing apples to oranges. There is a whole diferent set of advantageous reactions happening in the body when it is given a full
2-week load (200mg) at the beginning of a week as opposed to getting naturally occuring, small, daily spurts of appx 10mg over the same period of time (2 weeks).

This is why a low dose cycle can yeild REASONABLE gains. Understand, I'm not talking mega-huge-fast gains. I'm talking noticably-faster-than-normal gains, which when coupled with a strict diet, sufficient rest and an excellent bodybuilding work ethic, can yeild large, solid gains (especially early in a person's cycle experience).
 
good read but....

? wouldent size and body weight have somert to do with how much mg's you need each week
 
Thanks good post.

The best strategy for me has always been a gradual increase in strength and mass for the following reasons. Usually doing this produces good quality gains sudden increases in size are often temporary and sudden loss of mass post cycle can have psychological effects/negative attitude to training etc. But most important is that it reduces the serious risk of debilitating injury. For example steroids will develop muscle but has little sometimes negative affect in strengthening support structures for joints etc. Trust me if you are passionate about bodybuilding you do not want a long-term/debilitating injury.
 
good post, i am a first timer and i am using 200 ew of test, on week 4 now and have good gains so far
 
I think people have got so caught up in high dosing (I run into this on the internet more than anywhere else) that people seem to think 200 or 300mg a week is what an Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) patient would normally would be using, which would not be typical at all. When I run into people in "real life," a cycle would normally consist of one compound at 1, 1.5 or sometimes 2cc a week if they can afford crazy street pricing (even WORSE right now than it was a few years ago).

The only guys I met who were running two compounds or more were serious enough that they were already sporting over 20" arms, and one of my buddies who is over the 20" mark runs a collective 400-500mg of two items per week, collective meaning total drugs used weekly.

So we end up with a lot of guys on the internet running second cycles of 750mg who are still 185 pounds, saying 250mg a week is HRT. YMMV folks.
 
It's an old tread but here is my statement on the topic.With low dose one certainly can i will achieve strong results if he nailed his diet ,training ethic ,etc.Also if he has some good genetic predisposition the results will be even greater.However for anything more and by more i mean competitive bodybuilding there is no way that the low dosage protocol can be of any use.Here in Europe guys i know who are competiting and have started gear in their 14-15 now ot 20 are using dosage as high as 1gram test a day!!!
 
Nice one boss..
My testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is 200 test e bi weekly...125 a week has me at 1360 ish..or 30 percent over the normal on my doc s scale...with 1000 being the top end..
 
sorry i dont by into it. 200-250 is a great place to stay and cruise. but for a production of new growth. i MYSELF need to run higher.
i'm not in this ti mimic mt natty production i'm in this to increase it 5x normal production.
so if normal production is 70-100 i'll be 5x as high for my growth.
 
This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for on a thread I posted yesterday." Mr Humdiddly,Cyto and all the Pros."

Thanks you StoneColdNTO
 
anything less than 300mg a week is a waste.

ouch lol. well keep in mind he is talking about a first cycle... my first cycle is soon. i rather not experiment on myself :p maybe run 300 first 3 weeks then bump it up and let you know my results.

even if it means i will gains a couple less pounds... i can live with that because i can see a few more cycles in the future and will have time for all that. just my logic though
 
300mg a week will yield decent results-at the top of the forum their is a study that was done. "300-600mg"

it says in the study doses lower than 300mg did not produce enough results to record.
 
300mg a week will yield decent results-at the top of the forum their is a study that was done. "300-600mg"

it says in the study doses lower than 300mg did not produce enough results to record.

and this were done on first time users? im preety sure he is only referring to first timers. i did take a look and one thing that bothers me about it is that i find it hard to imagine the test being accurate. there are so many variables.. i mean each person not only reacts differently to test but has different work ethics and so on.
not saying you are wrong in any way. i know that you know wat ur talking about jus i wudnt say its the craziest idea either.
 
their diets were standardized. i would have to assume its pretty accurate. keep in mind it was 60 guys so that should cover the variables you mentioned
 
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