Testosterone Cypionate Muscle Gains (Is It Safe Or Risky)

You can gain muscle mass in about 12 weeks with Testosterone Cypionate injections and other similar anabolic steroids [1].

A lot of that will depend on the dosage, current T-levels, diet, and also the amount of physical training.

One common thing I heard bodybuilders talk about is that the effects of Testosterone Cypionate also limit how much of it can be transformed into estrogen.

However, having spoken to a doctor about this, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support this.

In fact, there are many studies that suggest that men going through hormone replacement therapy should also be taking estrogen blockers [2].

You’ll sometimes see it under different brand names, and those typically include Deposteron and Androlic. But they all come in liquid form that is usually injected into the buttocks.

And while it does have positive effects on muscles, libido, and fertility, there are many other body functions that could be negatively influenced.

The body will react to a Testosterone Cypionate injection within a couple of days.

And because it’s chemically almost identical to natural testosterone, it will quickly bind to different receptors around the body.

One common reaction is that it will act as a messenger signal for muscles to increase muscle building and repair activities.

Essentially, it will stimulate protein synthesis [3].

It’s why bodybuilders resort to taking such drugs to gain lean muscle mass faster than they could naturally achieve, but there’s a hefty price the body has to pay for those benefits.

More on that shortly.

One interesting fact that I found about Testosterone Cypionate has to do with its synthetic structure. It’s classed as a testosterone ester, and esterification makes it last longer in the human body before it's broken down [4].

For medical patients, this can significantly reduce the effects of sudden spikes during treatment cycles, and it can make it easier for doctors to manage the Testosterone Cypionate dosage.

“Testosterone levels decline naturally in men as they age over decades. But certain conditions can also lead to an abnormally low level.”

- Matthew Hoffman, MD at WebMD.com

Testosterone Cypionate has several other benefits that doctors take advantage of in treating patients.

In young boys, it can be used to treat delayed puberty, and in adult men, it can help treat the effects of hypogonadism, like reduced bone density and muscle growth [5].

Rebalancing testosterone in men can also help with reducing body fat, as there is a direct link between sex hormones and the way the body stores fat.

Low T-levels have even been shown to be a significant contributing factor in obesity [6].

But all those benefits come with significant risks attached.

Let’s take a closer look.

Yes, Testosterone Cypionate is banned in sports, and it’s a class III controlled substance.

This means it’s illegal to own and take it without a prescription, and you can test positive for performance enhancers in a drug test [8].

I have heard some athletes mention that it’s less likely to cause a positive test result because it doesn’t cause sudden spikes.

But there’s no evidence that this is actually the case, and my doctor mentioned that modern tests are highly sensitive to these synthetic drugs.

That means for bodybuilding, Testosterone Cypionate is a high-risk drug for health reasons as well as being caught through a random drug test.

But the temptation of increased muscle tissue still seems to catch many athletes out.

Are There Better Ways To Boost Testosterone levels?

Yes, there are better and much safer ways to boost testosterone levels than taking Testosterone Cypionate injections, primarily natural testosterone-boosting supplements.

While there are many good reasons to go through hormone therapy, this should only ever happen after consulting a doctor.

Anyone looking for the performance and muscle impacts of higher T-levels should consider natural T-boosters. 

These use a combination of proven testosterone-boosting herbs, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids to trigger a natural response in the body.

What they don’t do is provide the same sudden boost you get from a hormone injection.

But consistently taking a supplement can raise your T-levels enough after about two months to provide significant improvements.

And they generally have very limited or no adverse effects.