We can all agree that having a deficiency of testosterone affects both men’s well-being that leads to several dysfunctions. Luckily, there are prescription medications that can help men who have low testosterone. Testosterone cypionate, also known as Depo-Testosterone injection, is one of those medications. 

In this article, we will tell you how low testosterone affects your body and what testosterone cypionate can do for you.

What Is Testosterone Cypionate?

Testosterone cypionate is a medication used in the treatment of testosterone deficiency in men and in teenage boys with delayed puberty. 

This medication is an intramuscular injection and belongs to the anabolic steroid family. testosterone cypionate is also known as Depovirin, Depo Testosterone and testosterone cyclopentyl-propionate.

What Is the Structure of Test Cypionate?

Testosterone cypionate is an eight-carbon sterol ester, which means it’s derived from 3-cyclopentyl propionic and testosterone. Its molecular formula is C22-H40-O3. This means it’s a synthetic derivative of testosterone. 

How To Take Testosterone Cypionate

Since testosterone cypionate comes in liquid form it’s injected into the buttock muscle every one to four weeks as prescribed by your doctor.

You must not inject it into the veins. You should always take the prescribed dosage because misuse can lead to severe side effects, such as stroke, chest pain, breathing problems and allergic reactions.

Testosterone Cypionate Injection

There is testosterone cypionate Injection 100 mg/ml and testosterone cypionate Injection 200 mg/ml. Depending on your doctor’s advice of how often you need to take it, it’ll cost you approximately $30 to $120 per month. The FDA  has approved this medication [1]. It is labeled as controlled substance classification Schedule III [2].

The injection consists of:

• Testosterone cypionate          
• Benzyl benzoate
• Cottonseed oil
• Benzyl alcohol (as preservative)

Testosterone Cypionate 200 mg

This is the most-common dose given to adult men every two weeks, for a total of400 mg per month. 

Testosterone Cypionate 100 mg

The 100 mg dosage is for teenage boys who have delayed puberty and who don’t create enough testosterone hormone.

Summary

In short, testosterone cypionate is a medication for treating testosterone deficiency in adult men and teenagers and in some cases in women. It comes in liquid form in dosages ranging from 100mg to 200mg per vial.

What Does Testosterone Cypionate Do to Your Body?

Testosterone cypionate stimulates your body to make more testosterone [3]. It sends signals to the hippocampus to start production of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This hormone then starts to produce the follicle-stimulating hormone and the luteinizing hormone, which are responsible for functional production of hormones in testicles and ovaries.

How Long Does Testosterone Cypionate Take To Kick In?

It usually takes three to six weeks for testosterone cypionate to start working depending on the individual. In some cases, it delivers results earlier than expected. 

How Often Should You Inject Testosterone Cypionate?

It is usually injected every two to four weeks. Doctors will prescribe how often you should take the injection after they run tests, which will show your testosterone percentage, your general medical condition, and how you might respond to treatments. 

How Much Does Testosterone Cypionate Raise Testosterone?

Tests have shown that testosterone cypionate raises testosterone up to 400% within 24 hours after injecting it. The increased testosterone level remains for three to five days, and then it slowly falls [4].

Summary

Testosterone cypionate stimulates your body to produce more testosterone. A doctor prescribes the needed dosage and how often you should take it after tests.

What Is Low Testosterone? 

Low testosterone, or Male Primary Hypogonadism, is a condition in which the testicles don’t produce enough testosterone, a male sex hormone. Besides the main effect on sexual and reproductive function, low testosterone affects your whole body, such as:

• Muscle mass
• Joint pain
• Levels of red blood cells (erythrocytes)
• Bone growth
• Male pattern baldness

What Is the Normal Range of Testosterone Levels in Men? 

The established normal range of testosterone levels is between 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). To check the level of testosterone, you should take a sex hormone binding globulin blood test. As men get older, testosterone levels decrease, but that’s a normal part of aging. 

What Are the Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men?

There are several crucial symptoms of testosterone deficiency in men, the most prevalent being low sex desire

• Male sex organ dysfunction
• Decreased urinary excretion
• Decreased libido
• Fatigue 
• Depressed mood
• Irritability
• Lack of concentration 
• Problems remembering
• Loss of muscular strength
• Low sense of well-being
• Other hormonal imbalances (pituitary follicle stimulating hormone, pituitary luteinizing hormone) [5]

Another important thing to note is that high testosterone levels can also occur. High testosterone means that the body creates too many testosterone hormones, which leads to aggressive and unpleasant behavior, and even excessive sexual stimulation.

In these cases, it’s necessary to find ways on how to reduce testosterone levels. Fortunately, there are some foods that can help if you want to know how to reduce testosterone naturally. These include licorice root, certain nuts and mint. Studies have also shown a link between flaxseed and reducing testosterone levels.

Can Women Have Low Testosterone?

Yes, they can. There are numerous effects of low testosterone in women. Levels of testosterone in women usually decrease when they enter menopause. Anything less than 25 ng/dL in women under age 50 is marked as a low level of testosterone [6]. 

Summary

Testosterone deficiency is a condition that affects mostly sexual and reproductive function. Thus, the main symptoms are low sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. Women can also have a lower testosterone level, which usually happens in menopause.

Benefits of Testosterone Cypionate

Testosterone cypionate helps your body increase the level of testosterone. This has many benefits, such as:

• Libido (sexual desire) increases
• No erectile dysfunction
• Feeling more energized 
• More concentration 
• Better memory
• Male pattern hair growth

Summary     

Testosterone cypionate stimulates the creation of testosterone and brings your body back to normal function.

Testosterone Cypionate Side Effects

The side effects range from mild to severe and your course of action varies depending on how you’re feeling. You must ask for medical help immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

• Problems breathing
• Sudden dizziness, fainting and sweating
• Feeling weak
• Severe headaches
• Sudden problems with speech and/or sight
• Sudden pain in a particular part of a body
• Chest pain
• Allergic reaction

Some symptoms aren’t severe, but you should contact your doctor if they get worse. Those symptoms include:

• Headache
• Pain or redness in/around the injection site
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Acne
• Hair loss
• Oily skin
• Decreased/increased libido

• acute urethral obstruction

This is not a complete list of side effects. In case you get some other side effects, you should contact your doctor right away.

Summary

Usage of testosterone cypionate may cause some side effects, but those side effects are rare in normal usage. Side effects can range from light to serious. 

Testosterone Cypionate Warnings

If you have or have had any of the below conditions, your doctor may decide against prescribing you testosterone cypionate:

• Coronary artery disease
• Cardiovascular disorders
• Strokes
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Pituitary hypothalamic injury
• Liver disease
• High cholesterol 
• Sleep apnea
• Enlarged prostate/prostate cancer
• High blood pressure
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy 
• Fluid and electrolyte disturbances

There are a number of major health risks and adverse events that may arise when using testosterone cypionate injections. These include:

• Testosterone cypionate may lower your blood sugar
• It can increase cholesterol and cause heart and blood vessel diseases
• It can decrease the level of calcium and make you bed-ridden
• When taken in puberty, it may affect bones’ growth
• It can worsen problems with the liver and kidney

Summary

In short, although testosterone cypionate helps your body to increase the number of male hormones, you should be aware of the risks when taking testosterone cypionate. 

Testosterone Cypionate Drug Interactions

Testosterone cypionate interacts with other medications differently: consequences can range from mild to severe. The major interactions are with:

• Anisindione
• Berotralstat
• Carfilzomib
• Dicumarol
• Leflunomide
• Lomitapide
• Mipomersen
• Morphine
• Pazopanib
• Pexidartinib
• Teriflunomide
• Warfarin [7]

Ensure your doctor is aware of all medications and supplements you are taking, even if they’re non-prescription, over-the-counter herbal mixtures. 

Summary

Due to the risk of potentially dangerous interactions, you should make sure all of your doctors are aware that you have been prescribed testosterone cypionate, and any other medications and supplements you are taking.

Will Testosterone Cypionate Build Muscle?

Yes, it will, but it won’t turn you into a person with the strongest muscles. Since testosterone cypionate increases testosterone hormone levels, it stimulates muscle and bone growth and also causes the fat mass to decrease. 

To what extent muscles will grow depends on your genes. This is because testosterone cypionate increases protein synthesis, which is responsible for muscle growth. However, in order to get bigger muscles, you must follow a particular diet and do certain exercises. 

Summary

In short, testosterone cypionate will build muscle, but it depends on many factors, such as genes, diet, and lifestyle.

Alternatives For Raising Testosterone

There are other alternatives for how to increase testosterone if the treatment with testosterone cypionate isn’t suitable for you. They are:

• Testosterone replacement therapy 
• Testosterone gel (Testim and Androgel)
• Testosterone patches (Androderm)
• Testosterone capsules (Methyltestosterone and Android)
• Testosterone boosters (Testofen) [8]

Here are the non-medication alternatives for increasing levels of testosterone. They are:

• Testosterone herbal boosters, such as ginger, ashwagandha, horny goat weed 
• Dietary changes
• Lifestyle changes
• Varicocele repair (Surgery treatment of enlarged varicose veins, usually on the left testicle, that cause infertility) [9] 

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

There are medical alternatives for treating a deficiency of testosterone, all of them testosterone derivatives (testosterone esters), such as 

• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
• Off-label options that include aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole and letrozole 
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as clomiphene citrate’

Dietary Changes

Some studies have shown that men with obesity tend to have low levels of testosterone hormone [10]. Thus, doctors have suggested changing dietary habits in cases where testosterone levels aren’t too low. However, in combination with dietary modification, some patients also do appropriate exercises, such as weightlifting and HIIT exercises [11].

Lifestyle Changes

Too much stress and sleepless nights can decrease your testosterone hormone levels. A study as well as other randomized controlled trials have shown that men with sleeping disorders, such as sleep apnea, tend to also have testosterone deficiency [12]. 

Summary

In short, a deficiency of testosterone has alternative methods of treatment. Some herbal supplements can help with increasing testosterone. There is a definite relationship between exercise and testosterone levels which means that a change of lifestyle, dietary modification and exercising stimulate your body to produce testosterone.

FAQ

The most commonly asked questions about testosterone cypionate have been answered below. 

What Is Propionate Depo Testosterone?

Propionate Depo Testosterone, or Testoviron, is an anabolic and androgen medication used in treating deficiency of testosterone hormone in men and treating breast cancer in women. It was the first ester produced and used in these treatments. 

Does Testosterone Increase Your Risk for Heart Disease?

Yes, but only in cases of misuse of this medication. Besides heart disease, it can also cause severe medical conditions such as strokes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Who Can Use Testosterone Cypionate?

Individuals who have been prescribed testosterone cypionate for a legitimate medical issue. Doctors prescribe the correct dosage of testosterone cypionate to treat low testosterone  after blood tests.

Conclusion  

Testosterone deficiency in men causes certain damage that affect their well-being, from low sexual desire/libido to fatigue and lack of concentration. It is usually a symptom of a severe medical condition which leads to sexual and reproduction dysfunction and also affects muscle growth and bone density. 

Luckily, there are FDA-approved drugs called androgens that help. The most used is a testosterone cypionate known as depo testosterone injections, which are controlled intramuscular injections labeled as substance classification Schedule III . 

References

1. Ind, Pharmacia. Depo®-Testosterone Testosterone Cypionate Injection, USP CIII, Pfizer, 2018, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/085635s040lbl.pdf.
2. “DailyMed – Testosterone Cypionate Injection.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=736dbdfd-c90f-3a9b-e053-2a91aa0aea81.
3. “Testosterone.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Testosterone.
4. Online, DrugBank. “Testosterone Cypionate.” Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online, 2018, https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB13943.
5. Clinic, Cleveland. “Low Testosterone (Low T): Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15603-low-testosterone-male-hypogonadism.
6. “Important Announcement.” Sexual Medicine RSS, https://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/publications/testosterone-insufficiency-in-women-fact-or-fiction/.
7. “Testosterone Interactions Checker.” Drugs.com, https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/testosterone-index.html?filter=3.
8. “Testosterone Therapy Treatment Types, Uses & Risks.” Drugwatch.com, https://www.drugwatch.com/testosterone/.
9. “Varicocele Repair for Infertility.” Varicocele Repair for Infertility | Michigan Medicine, https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw202906.
10. Fui, Mark Ng Tang, et al. “Lowered Testosterone in Male Obesity: Mechanisms, Morbidity and Management.” Asian Journal of Andrology, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955331/.
11. E. P. Diamandis, MD. “Does Exercise Increase Testosterone Levels?: Imaware™.” RSS, Imaware™, 28 Jan. 2022, https://www.imaware.health/blog/does-exercise-increase-testosterone-levels.
12. Wittert, Gary. “The Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Testosterone in Men.” Asian Journal of Andrology, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3955336/.