Testosterone Cypionate vs Enanthate: The Definitive Guide

What is the difference between testosterone cypionate and enanthate?

Very little, where it counts. Both are prescription testosterone joined to a small chemical tail and dissolved in oil, injected into a muscle every week or every few weeks; the body clips the tail off and releases ordinary testosterone. The real differences are in the vial: the oil, the preservative, the strength, where each is sold and what it costs. [1], [7], [8]

The names describe the tails. Cypionate (cyclopentylpropionate) is an 8-carbon tail with 5 of its carbons in a ring; enanthate (heptanoate) is a straight 7-carbon chain. The tails change the weight of the molecule, not the hormone it releases: 100 mg of cypionate carries about 70 mg of testosterone and 100 mg of enanthate about 72 mg, a difference of about 3%. [1], [7], [2], [9]

Testosterone itself lasts only 10 to 100 minutes in the blood. The multi-day figures quoted for both esters describe how slowly the oil depot in the muscle releases it. [1]

This guide is about prescribed testosterone replacement therapy for men, not non-prescribed "cycles" (TRT vs steroids).

Testosterone cypionate vs enanthate at a glance

Status and prices were checked in September 2026. Doses are label and guideline figures for context, not a plan.

[1], [17], [3], [18], [7], [2], [9], [19], [6], [5], [4], [20], [8], [21], [22], [23], [24], [10], [11]

What is the real difference?

On blood levels, dose and risks, the evidence shows no meaningful difference. The differences that matter in practice are product details: oil, strength, container, country and cost.

Do they give different blood levels?

No difference was found in the only study that compared them directly. In a 1980 randomized crossover study, 6 healthy men aged 20 to 29 each received one injection of 200 mg of cypionate and, separately, 194 mg of enanthate, amounts that carry the same 140 mg of testosterone. Blood levels were identical: about three times the starting level within 1–2 days (about 1,350 ng/dL, or 46.8 nmol/L, at 24 hours) and back to the starting level (about 500 ng/dL, or 17.3 nmol/L) by day 10. [3], [4], [5]

That study is small and old: one injection each, in young men with normal testosterone, with 1980 blood tests. In men with hypogonadism, each ester has only been studied on its own, with different men, doses and lab methods, so those studies cannot be compared side by side. In 11 such men, testosterone peaked between days 2 and 5 after 200 mg of cypionate and was back to baseline by days 13–14; in 23 men on enanthate, 200 mg every 2 weeks and 300 mg every 3 weeks appeared to work best. [28], [29]

Which one lasts longer?

Neither, as far as the evidence goes. Cypionate's reputation for lasting longer comes from comparing numbers that were never measured the same way. [1], [7]

[1], [7], [30], [9], [31], [32], [6], [33], [20], [34]

Cypionate figures vary too, from about 8 days on the US label to 4.05 days in a 2018 model. [1], [34] Both are short-acting esters that guidelines dose on the same schedules. [30], [8]

Doserly

Half-life figures for each ester, by source

Each figure measures something different, so they cannot be lined up as a contest.

Cypionate

US label (Depo-Testosterone)

About 8 days. After injection into a muscle.

EAU guideline 2026

8 days. Figure in its product table.

2018 model (Bi et al.)

Median 4.05 days (model). Model: 31 men, 100–500 mg weekly, abuse study.

Enanthate

UK product information

2–3 days. Testosterone in the blood.

Polish product information

2–3 days. Testosterone in the blood.

Swedish product information

About 4.2 days. Apparent: 200 mg, men with hypogonadism.

EAU guideline 2026

4–5 days. Figure in its product table.

French product information

About 4.5 days. Release from the injection site.

2015 study (Kaminetsky et al.)

About 7.2 days. Apparent: 200 mg every 2 weeks, 10 men.

German product information

8 days. After injection.

US labels

Not stated. No half-life given.

Only direct comparison (6 healthy men, 1980): identical blood levels at equal testosterone content.

What is actually in each vial?

The oil follows the product and the country, not the ester. US and Canadian cypionate comes in cottonseed oil with benzyl benzoate (which helps the hormone dissolve) and benzyl alcohol as a preservative. US and Canadian enanthate vials use sesame oil with chlorobutanol. In the UK, Australia, France, Germany and Sweden, enanthate comes in castor oil with benzyl benzoate; Poland's uses peanut oil, and Spain's cypionate uses olive oil. [1], [21], [3], [7], [26], [9], [19], [6], [20], [32], [31], [18]

• Allergies. Labels rule out use with an allergy to the product; Xyosted names sesame oil, and the Polish label names peanut and soy. Among US products, only Xyosted has no preservative. The single-use ampoules and syringes sold in the UK, Australia, France, Germany and Sweden list none either, though they do contain benzyl benzoate. No study shows that products without a preservative are better tolerated. [1], [7], [2], [31], [9], [19]
• Reactions and pain. Proven reactions to one ingredient are single case reports (benzyl benzoate, castor oil), both with undecanoate injections. No study compares pain or lumps between the esters or the oils; of 551 weekly castor-oil enanthate injections in 26 men, 70.6% caused no complaint and 29.4% minor pain or bleeding. [35], [36], [37]
• Crystals. Both US labels say crystals can form in the cold and redissolve with warming; no source compares the two. [1], [7]

Two branded products stand apart: Azmiro, cypionate 200 mg/mL in a single-dose vial or a prefilled syringe given by a health professional, and Xyosted, enanthate in a weekly autoinjector for the abdomen. One line of label wording also differs: the US enanthate label says injections more often than every 2 weeks are rarely indicated, and the cypionate label does not, although guidelines now give weekly schedules for both. [17], [2], [7], [1], [8]

Can a pharmacy swap one for the other?

No. FDA treats different esters of the same hormone as different active ingredients ("pharmaceutical alternatives"), not rated as equivalent. Even for one ester, FDA rates oil injections as interchangeable only when the ester, the strength and the oil are all identical, and the Azmiro label says injectable testosterone products are not substitutable milligram for milligram. [11], [17]

This is a pharmacy rule, not evidence that they work differently: a switch needs a new prescription.

Which is cheaper?

Checked September 2026. In the United States, cypionate is usually cheaper, but the container matters as much as the ester. Pharmacies paid on average $3.58 per mL for 10 mL vials of generic cypionate 200 mg/mL, $11.39 per mL for 1 mL cypionate vials and $14.48 per mL for 5 mL vials of generic enanthate. What you pay depends on the pharmacy and insurance. Cypionate is also far more used: Medicare Part D paid for 1,118,253 generic cypionate prescriptions in 2024 (an average of $37.01 each before rebates) against 10,421 for generic enanthate (about $76 each). [10], [38], [39]

Where is each one sold?

Checked September 2026. A licence shows that a product is authorised, not that it is in stock.

[40], [41], [42], [22], [43], [23], [18], [24]

France markets enanthate as Androtardyl and a generic (about €6 an ampoule, 65% reimbursed), and enanthate product information also exists in Germany, Sweden and Poland, where current marketing was not confirmed. In the UK, six licence holders have notified the regulator since 2021 that they intend to import cypionate as an unlicensed medicine. See TRT in the UK and TRT in Europe. [6], [44], [20], [32], [31], [43]

Which suits which situation, according to guidelines?

No guideline prefers one ester over the other. They are named together, with the same doses and the same blood-test timing. This section describes what guidelines and labels say; it is not a personal plan.

[8], [45], [27], [30], [46], [47], [48]

In practice, the choice follows the situation rather than the ester:

• Where you live decides what is licensed: only enanthate in the UK and Australia, only cypionate in Spain. [22], [23], [24]
• An allergy to an oil or preservative points to a different product, which may or may not be a different ester. [7], [2]
• A weekly self-injected device exists only for enanthate (Xyosted). [2]
• Cost favors generic cypionate in most US pharmacies. [10]
• Trying to conceive rules out both (TRT and fertility). [49]

Can both be injected subcutaneously?

In studies, yes, although US vial labels say muscle only. In 63 transgender men on weekly subcutaneous cypionate or enanthate (pooled), all reached the normal male range, and all 22 who had used muscle injections before preferred the new route. In 234 men with hypogonadism, hematocrit and estradiol were lower on a weekly subcutaneous enanthate autoinjector than on weekly intramuscular cypionate, but the ester, route and device all differed, so it cannot show that either ester is better. See how to inject testosterone. [1], [50], [51]

When do guidelines check testosterone on either ester?

The same way for both, although guidelines disagree with each other. The Endocrine Society measures midway between injections and adjusts above 600 or below 350 ng/dL (about 21 or 12 nmol/L); the AUA checks no earlier than after 3–4 injections; the UK Society for Endocrinology uses the trough level, just before the next dose; and the Xyosted label uses a trough 7 days after a dose, after 6 weeks. See TRT blood work. [8], [45], [27], [2]

Switching between cypionate and enanthate

Switches usually happen for practical reasons: a shortage, an insurance change, a move abroad or a pharmacy supplying a different product.

Do you need to change the dose when switching?

No label gives a rule for switching between the two esters. The evidence that the same milligram dose works is indirect but consistent: the same label ranges, the same guideline schedules and identical levels in the one direct comparison. The 3% difference in testosterone per milligram is small. The prescriber decides, and a blood test afterward shows how it went. [1], [7], [8], [3]

How many mL or units after a switch?

The milligram dose can stay the same while the volume changes, because the strength of the vial can change. This is where switching goes wrong. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units equal 1 mL:

[3], [1], [7], [9]

Keeping the old volume changes the dose: 0.5 mL from a 250 mg/mL ampoule is 125 mg, 25% more than 100 mg, and 0.4 mL from a 200 mg/mL vial is 80 mg. Check the mg/mL on the new label every time; Doserly's TRT dose calculator converts any dose and strength into mL and units. These are labeled and guideline doses for adult men; testosterone for women uses different products and far smaller doses (testosterone therapy for women).

Doserly

The same 100 mg is a different volume at each strength

mL = mg ÷ mg/mL. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL, so units measure volume, not testosterone.

100 mg/mL (Canadian cypionate)

100 mg ÷ 100 mg/mL = 1 mL = 100 units

200 mg/mL (most US vials of either ester)

100 mg ÷ 200 mg/mL = 0.5 mL = 50 units

250 mg/mL (UK, Australian, European enanthate)

100 mg ÷ 250 mg/mL = 0.4 mL = 40 units

Same volume, new strength

0.5 mL at 250 mg/mL = 125 mg (25% more than 100 mg).

0.4 mL at 200 mg/mL = 80 mg.

Arithmetic only; not a dosing instruction. Check the mg/mL on your label; the TRT dose calculator converts any dose and strength into mL and units.

When should blood be checked after a switch?

At the same point in the injection interval as before, so old and new results can be compared. No guideline gives a separate rule for a switch; the usual timing rules above apply (when guidelines check). [45], [2]

Can cypionate and enanthate be mixed?

No study or guideline has tested mixing the two esters in one syringe or vial. US labels do not mention it, and the UK, Swedish and French enanthate product information say the product must not be mixed with other medicines because no compatibility studies have been done. When one man asked about storing leftover enanthate from an ampoule in an emptied cypionate vial, replies raised the risk of contamination. To use up one product before starting another, ask the pharmacist or prescriber how to change over. [1], [7], [9], [32], [6], [52]

What if there is a shortage?

Checked September 2026. FDA's shortage database lists no testosterone shortage. Men in the UK and the US describe local enanthate supply problems in the past year. A UK pharmacy that could not supply enanthate quoted cypionate at more than double the price, and a US man who said cypionate gave him flu-like symptoms was told pharmacies near him could not get enanthate, while replies from other areas said they could still fill it. No regulator record confirming those shortages was found. [53], [54], [55]

What are the shared risks?

Both esters are the same hormone given the same way, so they share the same risks and rules. The details are in each medicine's guide (cypionate, enanthate).

Is one safer than the other?

No study shows that either ester is safer. For men with a confirmed diagnosis and regular monitoring, both have a long record as standard treatment, with the same labeled warnings: a rise in red blood cells, blood clots, higher blood pressure, fluid retention, breast enlargement, prostate effects and loss of fertility. Side-effect studies used one ester or pooled the two, as one clinic study did with men on "cypionate or enanthate" weekly. [1], [7], [56]

• Red blood cells. In a network meta-analysis (a study that combines many trials to compare treatments indirectly) of 29 randomized trials, cypionate and enanthate injections, analyzed together, raised hematocrit by about 4.0 percentage points more than placebo (gel 3.0). The difference between injections and gel was not statistically significant. See hematocrit on TRT. [57]
• Fertility. Both switch off sperm production: weekly 200 mg of enanthate left 157 of 271 healthy men with no sperm (azoospermia) in three consecutive samples, a cumulative rate of 65% by 6 months, in a World Health Organization trial, and cypionate 100 mg weekly impaired it too. See TRT and fertility. [58], [59]
• Estradiol. Some testosterone is converted into estradiol, which rises with it. No study compares the esters, and no guideline sets a routine estradiol target. See estrogen on TRT. [28], [45]
• Oil cough. Rarely, oil reaches the lungs as tiny droplets right after an injection (pulmonary oil microembolism), causing a sudden cough. By 2013, FDA had found 33 reports of severe oil reactions or severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) over 44 years, across all approved testosterone injections combined. [60]

The heart. The largest safety trial, TRAVERSE, tested a daily gel, not injections, in 5,204 men aged 45 to 80 with low testosterone and heart disease or high heart risk. Heart attack, stroke or heart death occurred in 182 of 2,596 men on testosterone (7.0%) and 190 of 2,602 on placebo (7.3%), a hazard ratio of 0.96 (about the same risk), which ruled out a large rise in risk. Atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) occurred in 3.5% vs 2.4%, acute kidney injury (a sudden drop in kidney function) in 2.3% vs 1.5% and pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs) in 0.9% vs 0.5%, all more common on testosterone. Fractures occurred in 91 of 2,601 men on testosterone (3.5%) and 64 of 2,603 on placebo (2.5%). Men used the gel for 21.7 months on average, and about 61% stopped early. [61], [17], [62]

Whether those results apply to injections, with their higher peaks, is not known. The US vial labels of both esters still say long-term heart-safety trials "have not been conducted", while the Azmiro and Xyosted labels carry the TRAVERSE results; neither ester has a boxed warning. See TRT and heart health. [1], [7], [17], [2], [63]

Who should be especially cautious?

The same people, whichever ester:

• Men who want children now or soon: guidelines advise against testosterone. [49]
• Men with prostate or breast cancer, a high hematocrit, heart, kidney or liver disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure or untreated severe sleep apnea. [1], [8]
• Anyone allergic to an ingredient, such as sesame, cottonseed, castor or peanut oil or a preservative: check the product's own label. [7], [2], [31]
• Women and teenagers: testosterone can harm an unborn baby, and use in teenagers is specialist care only. [1]
• Drug-tested athletes: both are banned at all times. [16]

Do they interact with other medicines differently?

No. The labels list the same interactions: testosterone can change the effect of blood thinners (oral anticoagulants), lower blood sugar and insulin needs, and add to fluid retention with corticosteroids. Bring a full list of everything you take to a pharmacist or doctor. [1], [17]

Are they legal, and are they allowed in sport?

Checked September 2026. Rules differ by country and change often.

• United States. Testosterone and its esters are Schedule III controlled substances; both are FDA-approved. Label changes FDA requested in June 2026, such as removing the "age-related" limitation, are not yet in the labels. [12], [64]
• Canada. Testosterone is a Schedule IV controlled substance. [13]
• United Kingdom. Testosterone is a Class C controlled drug. [14]
• Australia. Testosterone is a Schedule 4 (prescription-only) medicine with extra controls on possession. [15]
• European Union. Rules are national (which products are licensed where). [18], [24]
• Sport. Testosterone and its esters are on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list, banned in and out of competition, and the 2027 list keeps that. [16], [65]

A "research use only" label on a vial does not make it legal, tested or the same as a licensed product.

What do people report after switching?

Public forums are full of switch stories, and they point both ways. The accounts below come from public Reddit threads from the past year and are described without identifying anyone.

Do most people notice a difference?

Many say no. One man reported no difference over 12 weeks on enanthate after years on cypionate; another, using the same weekly dose of each, reported no change and steady blood results. When a clinic ran out of enanthate, several replies described no noticeable change, while others described changes in libido, pain or reactions. [66], [67], [68]

What about people who felt a difference?

A minority describe one, and in almost every account something else changed at the same time:

• Better on enanthate. One man moved from several cypionate schedules to 75 mg of enanthate weekly and described steadier weeks, better libido and blood pressure falling from 140/90 to 118/84; his dose and frequency had also changed. Another reported lower blood pressure and easier urination but did not say which cypionate product he had used. [69], [70]
• Better on cypionate. A man who felt his erections and trough results were worse on enanthate later wondered whether age and changes in exercise and diet explained it. After a shortage moved a UK man onto cypionate, he felt more stable but lost libido and morning erections; he had also lowered his dose before the switch. [71], [72]
• Blaming the ester for something else. One man blamed cypionate for poor sleep, then slept well again after stopping a bedtime injection of another product, without changing ester. [73]

What about pain, lumps and swelling?

These are the most common complaints after a switch, and several involve non-prescription products, higher strengths or daily subcutaneous injections. One man had painful lumps and felt unwell on a substitute enanthate vial from a different source; another's lumps after switching to cypionate eased when he injected a larger volume less often and deeper. A man who moved between cypionate in grapeseed oil, enanthate in sesame oil and cypionate in MCT oil, changing his dose too, could not tell which change mattered for his acne and lumps. Another, who reacted badly to products listing benzyl benzoate, could not easily get preservative-free Xyosted. [74], [75], [76], [77]

What practical problems come up?

• Concentration mix-ups. One man switched to a vial of a different strength, kept drawing the same volume and took about 500 mg a week instead of 200 mg for about two weeks; replies pointed to the dose rather than the ester for the changes he felt. During a shortage, another was offered enanthate, apparently with instructions to use half his usual amount, and was unsure what dose that meant. [78], [79]
• Pharmacy substitutions. One man found at refill that his pharmacy had supplied cypionate instead of the enanthate he had used for 3 months, with no change from his doctor. [80]
• Cost and supply. A UK man whose pharmacy could not supply enanthate was quoted more than double the price for cypionate. When insurance stopped covering Xyosted, a US man moved to cypionate vials and found the first injection painless. [54], [81]

How can you judge a switch story?

Ask: Were both products prescribed and from a pharmacy? What were the strengths (mg/mL) and the dose in mg, not just mL? Did the schedule, route, needle or oil change too? Was blood drawn at the same point in the interval before and after? What else started or stopped around the same time? These selected discussions show what people experience; they are not a survey of all users or evidence that one ester works better.

Common questions about cypionate vs enanthate

Is testosterone cypionate better than enanthate?

No study shows that either is better. The only direct comparison found identical blood levels at equal testosterone content, and guidelines give them the same doses. The practical choice is usually the product that is available, affordable and tolerated where you live, with the dose set by your prescriber. [3], [8], [10] See what guidelines say.

Is one more painful, or more likely to cause lumps?

No study has compared them. Pain reports after a switch often involve a change of oil, strength, source or route at the same time. If a new product hurts more or leaves lumps, tell your prescriber. [37], [82] See what is in each vial.

Does one cause more estrogen, acne or water retention?

No study has compared the esters on estradiol, acne or fluid retention. Estradiol rises with the testosterone level from either one, so the dose and the size of the peak matter more than the ester. [28], [45] See estrogen on TRT.

Why can't I get cypionate in the UK or Australia?

No cypionate product holds a licence in either country, so prescribers there use licensed enanthate, Sustanon 250 (a mix of four other esters), long-acting undecanoate or gels. UK patients can get cypionate only as an imported unlicensed medicine. [22], [23], [27], [43] See where each is sold.

Is Xyosted enanthate, and is Azmiro cypionate?

Yes. Xyosted is enanthate in a weekly subcutaneous autoinjector for the abdomen, starting at 75 mg. Azmiro is cypionate 200 mg/mL for intramuscular injection, including a prefilled syringe given by a health professional. Depo-Testosterone is cypionate. [2], [17], [1] See the enanthate and cypionate guides.

My pharmacy switched my ester without asking. Is that allowed?

FDA does not rate the two esters as equivalent, so a US pharmacist cannot treat one as a generic version of the other; a change needs the prescriber's approval. Check the strength on the new label before your next dose. [11], [80] See can a pharmacy swap one for the other.

Glossary

Plain explanations of the medical, product and research terms used in this guide. Underlined terms in the text link here.

Ampoule

A sealed glass container holding one dose, opened by snapping the neck. UK and European enanthate comes in 1 mL ampoules of 250 mg.

Autoinjector

A prefilled, single-use device that delivers a fixed dose when pressed against the skin. Xyosted is a weekly testosterone enanthate autoinjector.

Azoospermia

No sperm at all in a semen sample.

Carrier oil (vehicle)

The oil a testosterone ester is dissolved in, such as cottonseed, sesame, castor or peanut oil. It depends on the product and country, not on the ester.

Concentration (strength)

How much medicine is in each milliliter, written as mg/mL. The same dose is a smaller volume at a higher concentration: 100 mg is 0.5 mL at 200 mg/mL and 0.4 mL at 250 mg/mL.

Controlled substance

A medicine whose prescribing and possession are restricted by law because it can be misused. Testosterone is Schedule III in the US, Schedule IV in Canada and Class C in the UK.

Controlled trial

A study that compares people who receive a treatment with a similar group who do not, often receiving a placebo instead. Randomly assigning people to each group makes the comparison fairer.

Crossover study

A study in which each person receives both treatments, one after the other, so each person is compared with themselves.

Depot

A pool of medicine left in the body, such as oil in a muscle, that releases the drug slowly over days or weeks.

Dose (amount each time)

The amount given on one occasion. A protocol lists both the dose and how often it is given.

Ester

A chemical tail joined to testosterone that makes it dissolve in oil and release slowly after injection. The body removes the tail to free testosterone. Cypionate, enanthate and undecanoate are esters.

Estradiol

The main form of estrogen. In men it is made mostly from testosterone, so it rises when testosterone rises.

Half-life

The time it takes for the level of a substance in the blood to fall by half. For testosterone esters, quoted figures mostly reflect slow release from the oil depot, and they vary with how they were measured.

Hazard ratio

A number that compares how often an event happens in one group and another over time. A ratio of 1.0 means the same risk in both groups; below 1.0 means a lower risk and above 1.0 a higher one. TRAVERSE's 0.96 for heart attack, stroke or heart death means about the same risk on testosterone and on placebo.

Hematocrit

The share of the blood made up of red blood cells. Testosterone raises it, and most guidelines act when it reaches about 54%.

Hypogonadism

Low testosterone caused by a problem in the testicles or in the brain and pituitary signals that control them, confirmed with symptoms and repeated morning blood tests.

Intramuscular (IM)

Injected into a muscle. US cypionate and enanthate vials are labeled for deep injection into the buttock muscle.

Meta-analysis

A study that pools the results of many earlier trials. A network meta-analysis also compares treatments that were never tested head to head, by linking trials that share a comparison such as placebo.

Mid-interval level

A blood test taken halfway between two injections, such as day 7 of a 2-week schedule. Several guidelines use it to judge the dose.

Multi-dose vial

A vial meant for several doses, with a preservative. US cypionate comes in 10 mL and US enanthate in 5 mL multi-dose vials.

NADAC

The National Average Drug Acquisition Cost: the average price US pharmacies pay for a medicine, published weekly by the US government. It is not what a patient pays.

Pharmaceutical alternative

FDA's term for products with the same active part but a different salt or ester, such as cypionate and enanthate. They are not rated as interchangeable at the pharmacy.

Pharmacokinetics

How the body absorbs, moves, breaks down and removes a substance.

Placebo

A dummy treatment with no active ingredient, used as a comparison in studies.

Pulmonary oil microembolism (POME)

Tiny droplets of injected oil reaching the lungs, causing a sudden cough or shortness of breath soon after an injection. It is rare with either ester.

Preservative

An ingredient that stops germs from growing in a multi-dose vial, such as benzyl alcohol (US cypionate) or chlorobutanol (US enanthate vials). Xyosted and the single-use enanthate ampoules and syringes sold in the UK, Australia, France, Germany and Sweden list none.

Subcutaneous (SC)

Injected into the fatty layer just under the skin. Xyosted is labeled for it; US vials of both esters are labeled for muscle only, but a UK guideline accepts weekly subcutaneous doses.

Syringe units

Markings on an insulin syringe that measure volume. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units equal 1 mL, so 0.5 mL is 50 units.

Trough level

The lowest level of a drug in the blood, measured just before the next dose. Some UK guidelines and the Xyosted label judge injections by it.

TRT (testosterone replacement therapy)

Prescribed testosterone, by injection, gel or other forms, for men with low testosterone.

WADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency, which publishes the list of substances banned in sport. Testosterone is banned at all times.

Weekly total

All the amounts given in one week, added together. For example, 50 mg twice a week is a 100 mg weekly total, and 200 mg every 2 weeks averages 100 mg a week.

How this guide was researched

This guide is built from a thorough review of the sources cited throughout it: product labels from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and five European countries, clinical guidelines, FDA and other regulatory records, government price data and published studies. We also reviewed public online forums where men describe switching between the two esters.

The guide cites 82 sources, including 18 product labels and product information documents, 8 clinical guidelines and 16 studies and reports in people, plus 20 public community threads. Each type of source answers a different question. Labels and regulators show what is approved and what is in each product. Guidelines show how clinicians are told to use them. Studies show what was measured. Personal accounts show what individual people experienced. Every numbered citation links to its entry below, labeled by source type.

How this guide was made

Research and drafting were AI-assisted. Every cited source was checked against the original, and the guide was reviewed and edited by Doserly before publication. It has not had an independent clinical review, and Doserly does not currently have medical reviewers. Doserly makes a medication and health-tracking app and runs Doserly Academy, both of which are promoted in this guide. Read our editorial policy for how guides are researched, updated and corrected.

This guide is for educational purposes. It summarizes what the reviewed sources report so the research is easier to understand; it is not medical advice. For a deeper dive, or to check any point for yourself, go straight to the cited sources.

Explore the sources