# Front-Loading by Ester: Interesting Approach



## NbleSavage (Sep 6, 2016)

Fairly scientific approach to front-loading.

by Curls4dGirls at SuperiorMuscle.com with contributions by Skyefire and Spidey

The purpose of this thread is to provide some basic information on frontloading, including an explanation of half-lives, differences across esters, and recommended frontloading dosages.

HALF-LIFE BASICS

Each compound includes an ester that, along with other factors, controls the release of the hormone into the system. The rate of release differs by ester and is defined in terms of half-life. The average half-lives of esters are:

ESTER HALF LIFE (days)
Formate 1.5
Acetate 3
Propionate 4.5
Butyrate 6
Valerate 7.5
Hexanoate 9
Caproate 9
Isocaproate 9
Heptanoate 10.5
Enanthate 10.5
Octanoate 12
Cypionate 12
Nonanoate 13.5
Decanoate 15
Undecanoate 16.5

The half-life is the length of time (in days) to release half of the hormone into the system. For example, if 500 mgs of Testosterone Cypionate is administered, in 12 days, on average, 250 mgs of testosterone has been released into the system and 250 mgs of testosterone remains attached to the ester. In another 12 days, an additional 125 mgs (half of the remaining 250 mgs) has been released into the system for a total of 375 mgs released and 125 mgs still attached to the ester. The key detail is that different esters release the hormone into the system at different rates. Therefore, different esters require different frontload dosages.

FRONTLOADING 

The purpose of frontloading is to quickly reach the target dosage to more quickly realize the benefits of the AAS. This thread provides instructions to reach 75% of the weekly dosage within the first week

Most people use, as a rule of thumb, twice the weekly dosage (double dosing) in the first week. That works well for esters with a half-life of 10.5 days or less. However, this does not work well for longer esters. Lets look at EQ as an example. If the intended weekly dosage is 600 mgs, then the frontload dosage, based on double dosing, is 1200 mgs. Although 50% of the intended dosage is reached in the first week, 75% of the intended dosage is not reached until week 4. Without any frontloading, 75% of the intended dosage is reached in week 5. So, while ‘double dosing’ works, the effects diminish with increasing half-life.

EQ Double Dose Values at 600 mgs (1200 mgs in Week 1)

No Frontload
Released … % of Target
Week 1 153… 25%
Week 2 267… 44%
Week 3 352… 59%
Week 4 415… 69%
Week 5 462… 77%
Week 6 497… 83%

Double Dosing
Released … % of Target
Week 1 306… 51%
Week 2 381… 63%
Week 3 437… 73%
Week 4 478… 80%
Week 5 509… 85%
Week 6 532… 89%



The following table includes frontloading dosage to reach 75% of the intended dosage by the end of the first week. The dosages are indexed at 100 mgs / week. To reach your intended dosage, simply multiply the frontload dosage by your weekly dosage divided by 100. For example, if you wanted to run Testosterone Cypionate at 800 mgs / wk, then multiply the frontload dosage of 225 mgs by 8 (800 / 100) for 1800 mgs in week 1.

ESTER FRONTLOAD DOSAGE(mgs)
Formate 100
Acetate 100
Propionate 115
Butyrate 130
Valerate 160
Hexanoate 180
Caproate 180
Isocaproate 180
Heptanoate 200
Enanthate 200
Octanoate 225
Cypionate 225
Nonanoate 250
Decanoate 270
Undecanoate 295


The calculation used is MgDL = MgD * (1/2)^(D/HL), where:

MgDL = Mgs of depot left
MgD = Mgs in depot (total)
D = Days
H = Half-life

Injections for Formate and Acetate are daily. Injections for Propianate are every other day. Injections for Butyrate are every 3 days. All other esters are administered as one injection at the beginning of the week 1. It should be noted that injection frequency does not significantly influence frontloading dosages.


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## Bro Bundy (Sep 6, 2016)

Good shit NS


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## Maijah (Sep 6, 2016)

So if you want to run cyp @ 800 Mg's a week, you should front load 1800 mgs on week one and then 800 from there on out? Am I understanding this correctly?


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## ToolSteel (Sep 6, 2016)

I've seen arguments on both sides of the frontloading debate. Mathematically there is reason enough that I choose to do it. At the price I am able to acquire my supplies at, even if there's zero benefit, I'm only out a few bucks.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Sep 6, 2016)

The half lives posted by this person are wrong.


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## Uncle manny (Sep 6, 2016)

I'd be interested in accurate half lives..


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## DocDePanda187123 (Sep 6, 2016)

Uncle manny said:


> I'd be interested in accurate half lives..



Test propionate for example is around 20-24hrs. Test enanthate and cypionate are around 5-7days and test undecanoate is Around 18-22days.


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## wallyd (Sep 6, 2016)

DocDePanda187123 said:


> Test propionate for example is around 20-24hrs. Test enanthate and cypionate are around 5-7days and test undecanoate is Around 18-22days.



I'm probably going to regret this but do you have proof to back these statements? I just don't understand how you can make these statements & everyone here just goes "oh, ok. Doc said it so it's true". No I will not get in a pissing match again, just asking for your proof.


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## NbleSavage (Sep 6, 2016)

Maijah said:


> So if you want to run cyp @ 800 Mg's a week, you should front load 1800 mgs on week one and then 800 from there on out? Am I understanding this correctly?



By the math and the half-lives stated, yep thats right. Adjust as per better data on the ester half life.


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## wallyd (Sep 6, 2016)

Just a few for comparison. The last one listed has a pretty different set of numbers compared to the other three but looks to be more inline with what doc is saying. Question now, which is correct?


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## DocDePanda187123 (Sep 6, 2016)

wallyd said:


> I'm probably going to regret this but do you have proof to back these statements? I just don't understand how you can make these statements & everyone here just goes "oh, ok. Doc said it so it's true". No I will not get in a pissing match again, just asking for your proof.



Here is a study for testosterone undecanoate:

pharmacokinetic study of injectable testosterone undecanoate in hypogonadal men.
Zhang GY, et al. J Androl. 1998 Nov-Dec.
Show full citation
Abstract
Testosterone undecanoate (TU) provides testosterone (T) replacement for hypogonadal men when administered orally but requires multiple doses per day and produces widely variable serum T levels. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of a newly available TU preparation administered by intramuscular injection to hypogonadal men. Eight patients with Klinefelter's syndrome received either 500 mg or 1,000 mg of TU by intramuscular injection; 3 months later, the other dose was given to each man (except to one, who did not receive the 1,000-mg dose). Serum levels of reproductive hormones were measured at regular intervals before and after the injections. Mean serum T levels increased significantly at the end of the first week, from less than 10 nmol/L to 47.8+/-10.1 and 54.2+/-4.8 nmol/ L for the lower and higher doses, respectively. Thereafter, serum T levels decreased progressively and reached the lower-normal limit for adult men by day 50 to 60. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed a terminal elimination half-life of 18.3+/-2.3 and 23.7+/-2.7 days and showed a mean residence time of 21.7+/-1.1 and 23.0+/-0.8 days for the lower and higher doses, respectively. The area under the serum T concentration-time curve and the T-distribution value related to serum T concentration were significantly higher following the 1,000-mg dose than following the 500-mg dose. The 500-mg dose, when given as the second injection, yielded optimal pharmacokinetics (defined as mean peak T values not exceeding the normal range and persistence of normal levels for at least 7 weeks), suggesting that repeated injections of 500 mg at 6-8-week intervals may provide optimal T replacement. The mean serum levels of estradiol were normalized following the injections, and prolactin levels were normal throughout the study. Significant decrease of serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels was observed, with the decrease in LH levels being more pronounced. There were no significant differences in serum LH and FSH levels between the two doses. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels before any T therapy were near the upper limit of normal for adult men and were reduced by approximately 50% just prior to the second dose of TU. The decreased SHBG levels produced by the first TU injection could have led to lower peak total T levels and to a more rapid clearance of T following the second TU injection. We conclude that single-dose injections of TU to hypogonadal men can maintain serum T concentration within the normal range for at least 7 weeks without immediately apparent side effects. It is likely that this form of T would require injections only at 6-8-week or longer intervals, not at the 2-week intervals necessary with currently used T esters (enanthate and cypionate). This injectable TU preparation may provide improved substitution therapy for male hypogonadism and, in addition, may be developed as an androgen component of male contraceptives.


Here is one for testosterone propionate:

"Testosterone propionate has a terminal half-life of only 19 hours."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686335/

I don't have the enanthate study handy and would have to look for it. These I knew off hand where to find them again. 

I've provided studies and evidence to back up any statement I make often enough that people know I'll do it when asked. unless I specify it's an just opinion when more Objective evidence is lacking then I've done the research beforehand.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Sep 6, 2016)

wallyd said:


> Just a few for comparison. The last one listed has a pretty different set of numbers compared to the other three but looks to be more inline with what doc is saying. Question now, which is correct?



That's why it's best to go to Pubmed, Medline, etc and search actual scientific studies for your answers whenever possible. Nobody knows where the author's of those lists got their numbers from and I doubt anything was referenced.


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## John Ziegler (Sep 6, 2016)

DocDePanda187123 said:


> Test propionate for example is around 20-24hrs. Test enanthate and cypionate are around 5-7days and test undecanoate is Around 18-22days.



What does it say about phenylpropionate ester half life ?


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## thqmas (Sep 6, 2016)

Zeigler Robertson said:


> What does it say about phenylpropionate ester half life ?



I'll say 4 days more or less.

Think of it as the big brother of prop, and the lil' brother of Enan


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## NbleSavage (Sep 7, 2016)

On frontloading, I'm running this exact approach at present. Was coming off a cruise, going into a bulk. Will be running 250 Mg Test C / 800 Mg Deca (BTW - I'm not advocating this cycle for the uninitiated - its not my first rodeo and I know how my body reacts to a low dose of Test and a high dose anabolic or androgenic compound).

I'm frontloading two pins of 600 Mg Deca this week in addition to the outlined 250 Test C / 800 Deca. Blood pressure will be monitored as always.


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## ToolSteel (Sep 7, 2016)

NbleSavage said:


> On frontloading, I'm running this exact approach at present. Was coming off a cruise, going into a bulk. Will be running 250 Mg Test C / 800 Mg Deca (BTW - I'm not advocating this cycle for the uninitiated - its not my first rodeo and I know how my body reacts to a low dose of Test and a high dose anabolic or androgenic compound).
> 
> I'm frontloading two pins of 600 Mg Deca this week in addition to the outlined 250 Test C / 800 Deca. Blood pressure will be monitored as always.


Srs question; how does your pp handle that?


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## NbleSavage (Sep 7, 2016)

ToolSteel said:


> Srs question; how does your pp handle that?



Like a champ, Mate. The whole 'Deca D1ck' thing is a myth. Manage yer E2 and no worries getting the lil' soldier to salute.


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