Analysis of the diminishing marginal effect of testosterone: Is low dose the optimal solution for muscle gain?

June 25, 2025

Diminishing Returns on Testosterone Use: Do You Really Need More?

What is the diminishing marginal effect?

Marginal Diminishing Returns is a concept in economics, which means that when other conditions remain unchanged, the benefits of a certain input will gradually decrease with each additional unit. This concept also applies to testosterone supplementation and the use of bodybuilding drugs . When many fitness enthusiasts come into contact with testosterone cycles, they often think that the higher the dose, the better the effect, but the opposite is true.

First-time testosterone users: Why less is more?

During the first testosterone cycle, the body is extremely sensitive to exogenous testosterone . As long as 125mg to 250mg of testosterone (commonly testosterone enanthate or propionate) is injected weekly, it can bring significant muscle growth effects. This dose is already far higher than the normal physiological level of testosterone secretion in men (about 50~70mg per week).

More dose = more muscle? Not necessarily.

When the dosage is increased to 500mg, 750mg, or even 1000mg, although it does bring more significant weight and strength gains in the early stages, its marginal benefits are significantly reduced :

Testosterone Dosage	Muscle-building effect (unit hypothesis)	Risk of side effects
150mg	Muscle gain +30%	Very low
300mg	Muscle gain +50%	Mild side effects
500mg	Muscle gain +65%	Obvious side effects
750mg	Muscle gain +70%	High risk
1000mg+	Increase muscle mass +72%	Very high risk

As the table shows, when the dose increases from 500mg to 1000mg, muscle growth only increases slightly, but side effects soar , such as androgenic alopecia, acne, testicular atrophy, dyslipidemia, mood swings , etc.

Common side effects of testosterone cycles

Endogenous testosterone suppression : Exogenous testosterone intake suppresses the body's own testosterone production.
Increased estrogen : Testosterone is converted into estrogen through aromatization, which can cause gynecomastia in men .
Increased blood viscosity : An increase in red blood cells may increase the risk of thrombosis.
Emotional instability and increased aggression .
Hair loss and increased oil secretion in the skin .

Recommended dosage and usage

It is recommended for novice bodybuilders to use: 125mg~250mg of testosterone injection per week , you can choose testosterone enanthate (Testosterone Enanthate) or testosterone propionate (Testosterone Propionate).
The recommended duration of a testosterone cycle is 8 to 12 weeks .
It is recommended to use estrogen inhibitors (such as Arimidex) and plan PCT (post-cycle therapy) .
If you are a patient with low male hormone level (Low T), please undergo hormone replacement therapy (TRT) under the guidance of a doctor .

Self-paid drugs and how to obtain them (Taiwan and Hong Kong)

Currently in Taiwan and Hong Kong , most bodybuilding testosterone preparations are self-funded drugs and are not covered by health insurance. They can be obtained through the following channels:

Medical institutions prescribe self-paid drugs (must meet TRT clinical indications)
Overseas purchasing of Indian generic drugs (such as Testoviron, Sustanon, etc.)
Purchase from Shopify or an independent e-commerce platform (pay attention to the legality)

Summary: Maximizing effect ≠ maximizing dose

For beginners or those using testosterone for the first time, low doses can provide strong gains .
Each time the dose is doubled, the increase in benefit slows down, while the risk doubles .
If you want to gain muscle safely and reduce side effects, it is more important to control the dosage reasonably and design the cycle scientifically than to just "go hard".