Determining how long Testosterone stays in your system is dependent on a number of factors.
First, let’s give an overview of TRT before we jump into how long Testosterone stays in the body.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy has become a popular solution to the various problems caused by low testosterone levels in the body. However, not only is it a fix for men with testosterone problems; supposedly healthy men have also taken to the use of testosterone boosters for several benefits.
Some benefits associated with testosterone use include the development of reproductive tissues, improved sexual function, and improved mental and emotional well-being.
Several athletes also depend on Testosterone function as a bodybuilding hormone and its ability to enhance performance on the field. Many individuals then wonder how long Testosterone stays in the system after the last use to measure effectiveness, control usage, or avoid failing a drug test.
Factors That Influence How Long Testosterone Stays in the System
The longevity of Testosterone depends on various factors like the type of booster administered, Body type and other physical characteristics, and method of administration.
Are you wondering how long your last testosterone shot will last? Or do you want to know what factors could affect the testosterone levels in your body? Lindy Health has helped compile all the factors to be considered in determining how long Testosterone stays in the body.
Types of Testosterone
Testosterone boosters are substances administered artificially to help raise testosterone levels in the body. How long a testosterone booster stays in the system depends on its type or form. Testosterone boosters are administered as esters.
Esters are organic compounds in which the hydrogen in the compound’s carboxyl group has been replaced with a hydrocarbon group. Testosterone boosters’ stability depends on their half-life; let’s look at the relationship between testosterone boosters and their half-life.
Testosterone(TRT) Forms and their Half Lives
Half-life is the term used to measure the quantity of substance left in the body to perform its functions after a specific time. For testosterone boosters, It is the amount of time taken to reduce Testosterone’s active substances in the body by half; this would invariably reduce the effectiveness of the booster by half.
Generally, substances with a long half-life stay in the body longer than those with a short half-life, long half-life helps to keep cravings and withdrawal symptoms to a minimum with fewer doses given less often.
A substance with a short half-life will take more time to reach a stable level in the body and cause more side effects. Let’s look at different forms of testosterone boosters and their half-life.
Testosterone Propionate
The time taken for this booster to be reduced by half in the system is 2-3 days. Hence, after the last dose, it takes about 11-16 days before it is entirely out of the system. You should take this booster daily to maintain the testosterone levels and keep it from dropping two days after it is not used. Propionate has the shortest half-life of all the Testosterone esters.
Testosterone Enanthate
This version of Testosterone is estimated to last about 22 days in the system before complete elimination due to its relatively long half-life, which takes about four days. Enanthate stays longer than propionate in the system, but it is eliminated from the body two times faster than cypionate.
Testosterone Cypionate
Cypionate substance has a half-life of about eight days; this would mean that it takes about 44 days for the substance to be eliminated from the body. Stable levels of these testosterone boosters are therefore effectively maintained with little effort and in no time. Hence, it is the most preferred booster for athletic doping based on this characteristic.
Mode of Testosterone (TRT) Administration
Another factor determining how testosterone stimulants stay in the system is how they have been administered. The body takes consumed substances through a series of processes before the final usage; these processes could, however, have a consequence on the effectiveness of the ingested substance.
The mode of administration of Testosterone also determines how long the booster will stay in the system.
Oral Testosterone
This method of administration of testosterone boosters has the most limited absorption rate; this is due to the digestive processes that the substance has to go through from the mouth until its absorption. The half-life of orally administered boosters is still unknown. However, it is known to leave the system faster than intramuscularly administered substances.
Intramuscular Administration
The half-life of boosters administered via intramuscular injections ranges from two days to over a week; other factors like ingredients, or ester used, are factored in to determine the half-life. Examples of these boosters are propionate, enanthate, and cypionate, as discussed above. These boosters also stay longer in the system than orally or transdermally administered Testosterone. This is the most common route of administration of testosterone boosters.
Transdermal Administration
The half-life of boosters administered transdermally is around an hour and a half. Hence, it takes about a week (seven days) to be eliminated from the system.
Physical Factors of Testosterone Staying in your Blood
Factors like the mode of administration and types of substance used are not the only factors influencing the time taken for Testosterone to leave the body. Other factors like age, body mass and dietary intake are some other factors that can influence this.
For instance, you cannot expect two individuals with different body weights and ages to have the same result with testosterone use. Based on these factors, one of them would reach peak testosterone level faster than the other.
Age
Older men over 65 years tend to have abnormal plasma protein concentration compared to younger men. This alteration in plasma proteins would therefore affect the reaction (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) of the system to Testosterone. This effect would thus influence how long the substance stays in the body.
Dietary intake
Plasma proteins—Albumin and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) are influenced by a person’s diet. The more protein one consumes, the lower the level of SHBG in his body, and the more fiber consumed, the greater the SHBG levels. Plasma protein levels are expected to be optimal to ensure average testosterone concentration; high protein diets tend to keep Testosterone in the body longer than a high-fiber diet.
Body Mass
Eliminating substances from the body can be influenced not only by age but also by Body mass. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a term that helps measure one’s size compared to their age. A person with a low BMI eliminates substances from the body at a different rate than a person with a high BMI; this also translates to testosterone elimination.
Metabolic Rate
This factor determines how fast an individual digest, moves, and absorb substances. An individual’s average metabolic rate would affect how long Testosterone stays in the system.
A person with a high metabolic rate would quickly eliminate Testosterone because they tend to burn more energy at rest compared to an individual with a low metabolic rate.
Hepatic and renal function
The liver and the kidney are two major organs responsible for metabolism and elimination; individuals with impaired hepatic function and/or compromised renal function will metabolize and eliminate Testosterone at a slower than average rate. So it can be surmised that Testosterone will stay longer in an individual with hepatic and/or renal impairment than in an average individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast do testosterone levels drop after an injection?
Generally, Testosterone levels peak within 12-48 hours of administration; the levels then drop in the next 12 hours until they reach a steady state and then slowly drop in the following days until the next injection. The decline in testosterone levels after administration varies based on factors like age, body size, and lifestyle. Hence, Testosterone levels may be slightly above or below this range based on these factors.
How long does Testosterone stay in the body after discontinued use?
Many people may decide to stop using testosterone stimulants for various reasons. Side effects and fertility issues are the primary reasons people discontinue testosterone use. This halt in testosterone stimulation would allow the testosterone levels to return to the previous level before treatment started. For some, this might be the average level for their age, while for others, it might be lower. However, it takes a certain period for this change to occur, typically from four weeks to eighteen months, depending on the testosterone ester and the method of administration.
What are the effects after Testosterone leaves the body?
When testosterone levels in the body increase due to the administration of artificial testosterone substances, the brain realizes the increase in concentration and stops testosterone production. The longer a person has been on testosterone stimulants, the greater the chances are that his brain has reduced average testosterone production.
Once the use of the stimulants stops, a constant user would have some reactions to this discontinued usage. Typically, it takes about four months until the body returns to average testosterone production. During this period, testosterone users would feel some effects. These withdrawal symptoms include moodiness or depression, reduced energy levels, and testicular shrinkage.
What does it mean for my Testosterone half-life to be eight days?
Half-life is the term that describes the time taken for your testosterone levels to drop in half following administration. A period of 8 days means that in that time, your testosterone level would drop in half; this will continue every eight days until the Testosterone is eliminated from your system.
You would eliminate a substance with a low half-life from the system faster than a substance with a high half-life, which will take longer to stop. Hence, many users prefer products like testosterone cypionate because of its long half-life.
Conclusion
Adequate testosterone levels in the body aid cognitive function, improve mood and increase energy levels.
Abnormal levels cause adverse effects, hence many turn to Testosterone Replacement Therapy, which could include the use of testosterone boosters. However, these boosters are also used by those seeking to have all of the benefits of Testosterone, like athletes for doping.
Suppose you are wondering how long Testosterone stays in your system after use. In that case, you should know that factors like age, body size, and type of substance used significantly influence the time taken.
Dr. Nellis is passionate about sports nutrition and helping his patients live healthy and fulfilling lives.
He lives and practices medicine in Denver, CO, with his wife and beloved Mastiff Leonardo.
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