Are you curious about the peculiarities of subcutaneous testosterone injections? Read more to learn what they are and how they are administered.
For the last five decades, testosterone replacement therapy has been provided in the form of testosterone intramuscular injections. Intramuscular (IM) injections have been considered the primary type of administering the synthetic testosterone hormone that cures the lowered levels of the major sex hormone, eliminates low testosterone issues in men over 30, delays aging, and reduces other related health problems.
Although many drugs for treating low T or hypogonadism are available in the form of subcutaneous testosterone injection, you can also receive the therapy in the form of testosterone patches, pellets, topical gels, creams, oral or nasal testosterone, etc. Besides all these, subcutaneous testosterone injections are preferred by lots of medical professionals because there is no pain or swelling at the injection site after injecting the hormone.
Testosterone: subcutaneous or intramuscular?
Both subcutaneous and intramuscular methods of injecting testosterone are progressively used in the USA in men with low T. If you have read our article ‘Do Testosterone Injections hurt?’ you are probably familiar with the methods of administration and the pros and cons of both methods in detail.
Intramuscular injections are suitable for those patients who want to enjoy quicker recovery from low T levels. Pain and soreness on the injection sites have been reported in some of the patients who take intramuscular injections.
Subcutaneous testosterone injections are injected into the thighs, and glutes beneath the skin. Subcutaneous testosterone injections have significant benefits that include the absence of pain or soreness on the injection site and fewer doses required to achieve the normal testosterone level. In this technique, a small size needle is used which causes less pain and aching on the skin.
A preliminary study conducted by Daniel I. Spratt, et al, reported that testosterone subq. injections are safe, convenient, and well-tolerated alternatives to IM injections or other available options. The study was carried out on 63 patients who received low doses (50mg) of subcutaneous testosterone (cypionate or enanthate) on a weekly basis.
Al-Futaisi MD et. al., carried out a pilot study on “Subcutaneous administration of testosterone” in men with low T levels or hypogonadism at Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Canada. In this study, 22 patients were selected to self-administer low doses (20-25mg) of testosterone subcutaneous (enanthate) on a weekly basis using a 0.5ml insulin syringe from January 2002 to December 2002.
All patients showed 100% normal testosterone levels with maximum peaks and troughs. This was the first report which demonstrated the safe, cheap, less invasive type of administration.
The food and drug administration (FDA) has recently approved a new testosterone subq. injection Xyosted in the form of testosterone Enanthate. This medication is available in 100mg, 75mg, and 50mg dosages. The study reported that Xyosted has shown a normal level of testosterone in more than 50% of the patients in just six weeks.
Where to inject Testosterone Propionate?
A synthetic subcutaneous testosterone ester ‘Propionate’ was first discovered in 1935 and was used to relieve the abnormally low level of the male sex hormone testosterone. A synthetic blend of testosterone ester (propionate + enanthate) appeared in 1937 under the brand name Testoviron.
This unique blend of testosterone ester is an oil-based injectable providing the benefits like less pain and no swelling. Testosterone propionate is subcutaneously administered into the fatty layer of muscles, thighs, and gluts where it is slowly absorbed into the skin and later dissolved into the serum and binds with sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), resultantly increasing the levels of testosterone.
Testosterone propionate should be stored at an average temperature of 20°C to 25°C, away from direct heat, moisture, or sunlight. Don’t use expired, cracked, or leaked medicine. Don’t drain or spill propionate into the sink. Keep all injections and syringes out of the reach of children. Don’t heat or boil medicines as heating may cause crystallization and destroy the effectiveness of the product.
Can you inject testosterone into your stomach?
Self-administration of subcutaneous testosterone injections might be a startling experience for you if you are inexperienced in making injections. So, always inject your medicines with the help of a medical professional until you are confident enough.
Testosterone injections, either enanthate or propionate, can be injected into the stomach (right or left side of the abdomen). But if you have stomach problems, then you should avoid taking injections into this part of the body. Moreover, if your skin is bruised, or sensitive, or you’ve got inflammation near the abdomen, move on towards intramuscular (IM) injections. Don’t administer subcutaneous TRT injections on the scary skin or the sites where you have marks or tattoos.
Subcutaneous testosterone injection needle size
Choosing the right syringe and needle size is the key step in the treatment of testosterone replacement therapy. Take proper guidelines from your medical professional or nurse, including the syringe size, needle gauge, or needle lengths, if you want to self-administer your injections.
Typically, subcutaneous TRT injections are made into the fatty layer just beneath the skin tissues by using short and small needles from 0.5 to 0.625 inches. You should keep in mind that you should use just disposable syringes.
If you have any concerns regarding the injections, don’t hesitate to contact our medical expert. We are always happy to be helpful as soon as possible to provide a free consultation and assist you with your issue.