Frontloading Basics and Dosages
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. Let’s 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.
