It sounds like there’s a derby here, a conflict of some sort, a drama, but nah. Not really. Testosterone Enanthate vs Testosterone Cypionate is a made up choice. Practically, when it comes to steroid cycles and mass growth, there is no difference.
How come there’s no practical difference when there are clearly at least 5 distinctive features, you ask? Let us break it down.
Testosterone, no Esters
First of all, let’s get raw. And we mean RAW as in pure, unadulterated Testosterone.
That’s what Testosterone Suspension is all about: no additives, no filters. Inject it, and BOOM, you’ve got immediate Testosterone in your system.
Sounds great, right? But hold on: it’s too fast. You’ll need to inject it frequently, multiple times a day.
The half-life for non-esterified Testosterone is just 4,5 hours. In that time, it leaves your system completely.
This is why you need esters like Enanthate and Cypionate. These bad boys are like the slow-release version of Testosterone, each prolonging the release to up to 10-11 days.
In simple terms, they’ve got a little tail called an ester that makes the Testosterone take its time getting into your system. No need to jab yourself every day. The esters make sure you’ve got a steady stream of Testosterone flowing.
Ester vs Suspension is like choosing between a drag race and a road trip. One’s fast and furious; the other is steady and controlled.
Why Do You Need Testosterone Enanthate or Cypionate?
This is why:
This is a graph from Steroid Plotter, showing Testosterone levels in your blood over a span of 12 weeks with daily injections of Testosterone Suspension with no esters.
See those points where it reaches zero? This is where you feel like shit dropping to your baseline.
And those points where it goes to its peak? This is where you feel like a God.
This whole rollercoaster, DAILY, throws your body in the beautiful world of side effects:
- Mental sides — from mood swings and depression to roid rage;
- Fatigue — zero motivation to do anything, let alone work out;
- Lethargy and sleep issues — from sleepy in the day to extra-active at night;
And most importantly: no gains, unless you work out in that exact short Testosterone activity window.
You want those T levels in your blood to be steadily elevated. This is where you get gains, strength, mass, the right mindset and motivation: steadily high exogenous Testosterone levels.
Like these, with the same 12-week ED cycle, but with Testosterone Enanthate:
See them never going down between injections and staying high throughout the whole cycle? This is what you want to grow your muscles.
“But come on, nobody likes pinning, what if I inject Testosterone every 3 days instead of every day?”
it’s not like you would actually say it, but this example is even better.
This is the graph for same 12 weeks, same Test Susp, but E3D:
The roller coaster gets wilder, so you feel, in the words of Katy Perry, “like a plastic bag drifting through the wind” even longer.
Same E3D cycle with Test E? A completely different picture:
Same consistency in elevated blood Testosterone. Good cycle, with supposedly nice progress by the end of the 3rd month, if you work out regularly and eat in a surplus.
By the way, this is what a graph with absolutely the same variables looks like for Testosterone Cypionate:
Can you spot the difference?
Testosterone Enanthate — the Details
Now to Test E part of the Testosterone Enanthate vs Testosterone Cypionate “debate”. What is Test E?
Enanthate is that red part of the molecule structure in this pic. A tail on the body of a male sex hormone. In order to use the Testosterone molecule, your body needs to get rid of that tail first. It takes time, and the process should happen to each and every single molecule, the same way.
Think of it as security at a nightclub entrance. The whole crowd is happy to rush in, but the line moves slowly, because everyone has to talk to this guy first.
The “talk” takes about 10,5 days (on average), and this is the release time for Testosterone Enanthate.
Test E works perfectly well as a Test Base for oral anabolic steroids, but it’s a pretty good bulker, TRT agent, and everything else at the same time as well. It’s a basic Test ester, flexible enough to take on any job.
Testosterone Cypionate — the Details
Now, what is Test C? It’s just a different ester in the same class, with a slightly different “ester tail” structure (marked in red).
In the same metaphor, it’s that security guy’s twin brother, working in the same shift. Nearly identical, though he has a couple of distinctive features.
When it comes to practice with anabolic steroids or Testosterone replacement, though, the two are almost indistinguishable. Testosterone Enanthate vs Testosterone Cypionate is not a real thing.
OK, one takes about a day longer to withdraw completely, and might be 0,5% stronger, but that’s not something you’ll notice.
Cypionate is also capable of being a TRT compound, a base for orals, stand-alone bulker, and so on. The list of uses is word-to-word the same here as it is with Test E.
The Differences of Test E vs Test C
Now, what’s the point of having two nearly identical compounds in the same class of anabolic steroids?
Because they’re NEARLY identical, but not completely identical.
This is a short breakdown of the differences:
Chemical Structure:
- Enanthate: 7-carbon ester chain.
- Cypionate: 8-carbon ester chain.
Half-Life:
- Enanthate: Approximately 4-5 days.
- Cypionate: Slightly longer, 5-7 days.
Release Time:
- Enanthate: Slightly faster due to the shorter ester chain.
- Cypionate: Slightly slower release time.
Water Retention:
- Enanthate: Sometimes considered to cause slightly less water retention.
- Cypionate: May cause slightly more water retention.
Availability:
- Enanthate: More common in Europe and other countries outside the U.S.
- Cypionate: More commonly prescribed in the United States.
Price:
- Enanthate: Can vary but generally similar in price to Cypionate.
- Cypionate: Similar in price to Enanthate.
Oil Carrier:
- Enanthate: Often carried in sesame oil.
- Cypionate: Often carried in cottonseed oil.
Note that these differences are quite minor. We’ll still take a closer look, but you may’ve already noticed where this is going.
Chemical Structure
Test enanthate? It has a 7-carbon ester chain. Test cypionate? An 8-carbon ester chain.
That’s one carbon difference, for those who don’t want to do the math.
Does this one carbon make a huge difference? Not really. But it’s still a difference, so now you know!
Half-Life
Half-life is how long it takes for half the stuff to get out of your system. Simple as that.
Now, Enanthate has a half-life of about 10,5 days.
But Test cypionate? It sticks around a bit longer with a 11-12 days half-life. It’s like that guest at the party who doesn’t know when to leave (but still leaves, like, 20 minutes after everyone else does).
If you’re looking for something that hangs around a bit longer, maybe cypionate’s your guy. But honestly? The difference is so small, and you will not inject then every 11 days or every 12 days:
You need to inject both Testosterone Enanthate and Testosterone Cypionate in smaller doses every 2-3 days to maintain a steady high level of them to get those gains.
And since you’re going to use them E3D, ok, if you’re on TRT and follow your doc’s advice — E7D, that 10,5 or 11 difference doesn’t matter anyway.
Release Time
Release time is how quickly that Testosterone gets into your system. Let’s break it down.
Test enanthate, with that 7-carbon ester chain we talked about, gets to work a bit faster. About the time it takes for your body to metabolize 1 carbon faster.
Test Cypionate, with its extra carbon in the chain, is a bit more challenging. It’s only a tiny bit slower, but hey, we’re getting deep here. After all, there SHOULD be a reason for all the countless forum threads with the same title as this article, right? (Spoiler: no).
Water Retention
Now, time to dive into something you might actually notice: water retention. It’s that puffy, bloated feeling you can get. Nobody likes it.
Test enanthate, as some saym causes less water retention. Test cypionate? Slightly more. Why though?
Because bloating is linked to release time in this aspect. Remember that 8-carbon ester chain in cypionate? It makes the release time a bit slower, and that tiny difference in the structure might affect how your body reacts. It’s subtle, but it could lead to a bit more water hanging around.
Again: it’s not the ester effect, it’s the difference that comes from Testosterone itself, defined by the ester tail’s ability to control Testosterone (slightly).
Is this something you’re going to notice big time? Probably not. But if you’re looking at yourself in the mirror, scrutinizing every detail, you might spot it.
So, if you’re worried about water retention, maybe lean towards enanthate. But remember, the difference is small, and factors like diet and training can have a much bigger impact.
Oil Carrier
Alright, now FINALLY we’re talking about something you might use practically – the oil carrier.
Oil carrier is the stuff that Testosterone is mixed with so you can inject it. Let’s break it down.
Test enanthate is USUALLY carried in sesame oil. Test cypionate? More often in cottonseed oil.
We capitalized USUALLY because there’s no law, requirement, recipe, regulation, or anything that would define the choice here. And after all, what regulations are we talking about with UGL (underground labs) anabolics?
It’s not just about sesame and cottonseed oil: other oils like grapeseed, soybean, and olive oil are sometimes used too, chosen because of a variety of factors:
Viscosity
Different oils have different thicknesses. Some are like water; some are more like syrup. You want an oil that’s smooth enough for easy injection but thick enough to slow the release of Testosterone.
Metabolization
Oils are broken down in the body differently. Some might be processed quicker, others slower. The choice of oil can subtly affect how the Testosterone is released into your system.
Compatibility with the Compound
This is where things get real technical. The specific structure of the ester, like enanthate or cypionate, might be more or less compatible with certain oils, in machinery used by certain manufacturers, or with raw materials available in a certain region. It’s a complex dance between molecules.
Historical and Manufacturing Preferences
Sometimes, it comes down to tradition, manufacturing processes, and cost. If a particular oil has been used successfully for a long time, why change it?
Allergies to Testosterone Oil Carriers
This is probably the ONLY situation when you can legitimately say “Man, I think I need to replace my Test E with Test C”: damn allergy.
Sure, those allergies are rare:
Sesame oil — 0,1% of the population;
Cottonseed oil — 1-6% of all people with allergy;
Grapeseed — barely any data is even available, aside from the fact that it’s rare;
Not much, but if you happen to belong to that 0,1%, it makes all the difference in the world: you can choose something you’re OK with or something that makes you suffer.
If you’ve got a known allergy to sesame or cottonseed oil, pay attention. Your choice between Enanthate and Cypionate might just be made for you. Oil carrier differences might seem small, but it’s the little things that add up.
Price: Enanthate vs. Cypionate — No Difference
Everyone’s got a budget, and when it comes to Test enanthate and Test cypionate, the price tag is something you’ve got to consider.
As of now, Testosterone Enanthate and Testosterone Cypionate price is around $80 CAD for a 10mL vial with 250mg/ml.
At least in Canada, at least as of summer of 2023.
No need to break the bank or scratch your head over which one’s going to cost you more. Same thing. Both enanthate and cypionate have similar manufacturing processes and raw material costs, so it makes sense that they’d be in the same league price-wise.
Availability
Test E and Test C are available pretty much worldwide, but there’s a twist. Enanthate is more common outside the U.S., while cypionate is the go-to in the States.
Ever wondered why? Just as any other difference that makes no sense at first sight:
REGULATIONS.
In these plains, the trend is set by the big guys, not UGLs. Made up bureaucratic concepts somehow affected a big manufacturer some decades ago, or resulted in some lawsuit, and now, after an uncontrollable chain reaction, the whole US (and Canadian as well) market is leaning towards Enanthate.
What changes does it make practically? In Canada, about none, we still have both.
The Conclusion on Testosterone Enanthate vs Testosterone Cypionate: Same Damn Thing
Sooo, practically:
- Same price;
- Same doses;
- Same cycles;
- Same efficiency;
- Same availability.
You can choose Test E or Test C based on a coin flip and you win in both cases (unless you have an allergy to a specific carrier oil).
