Fem test
Fem test
Over the past two to three years, the use of “fem test” within the female bodybuilding community has rapidly increased. Its popularity has resulted from the industry becoming more educated on the safe use of performance enhancing drugs for female bodybuilding competitors. However, there are many female athletes who will take it and can be unaware of how it works, its side effects, and the potential associated risks. Therefore, the aim of this article is to discuss the use of fem test and steroids in female bodybuilders, outlining the theory behind their use, the side effects, and the potential benefits that extend beyond bodybuilding. It should be noted that this article is written for educational purposes only and should not be taken as advice in any way.
Steroid use in female bodybuilding
I’m sure that there are many of you that can appreciate the delicate nature of this topic. Previously, female steroid use in bodybuilding was a very taboo subject, which was largely only spoken about behind closed doors. Unfortunately, this meant that women wanting to use PEDs were left in the dark, with very little information available on how and how not to use steroids. Given that the only available information related to steroid use in men, this led to many female competitors being treated as “mini male bodybuilders”, leaving them with irreversible side effects due to poor and uneducated coaching standards.
Thankfully, in recent years, more and more female competitors have begun to discuss their usage openly on podcasts, forums, and with other women they know, which has largely reduced the stigma and taboo nature of the topic. This has stemmed from the “safer model” approach (founded by Victor Black), which has swept the UK by storm and has had a significant impact on bodybuilding coaching standards. Now, coaches are more educated on the topic, and therefore athletes are better taken care of (both male and female). As a result, we’re seeing less instances of women experiencing negative side-effects from drug use, and in general, we’re seeing the standard of athletes getting higher due to increased levels of muscularity, which are facilitated and promoted through this safe-model approach.
What is fem test and how does it work?
Fem test, in simple terms, is low dose testosterone enanthate (test e) – a manufactured version of the male sex hormone attached to an ester which gives it a long half-life,. The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for a drug’s active substance in your body to reduce by half, which in the case of fem test, is 14 days. Meaning it only needs to be injected once to twice a week. This of course is more favourable opposed to using a steroid with a short half-life and having to inject more frequently.
It’s worth noting that the test-e that males use is normally 300mg/ml, whereas “fem test” is 10mg/ml. Let’s unpack why fem test has such a low dosage compared to males (and stick with me for this one!):
The natural blood concentration of testosterone in females ranges roughly between 0.6 nmol/L – 2 nmol/L. This of course will vary from person to person, as well as with age, as testosterone decreases with age throughout a woman’s lifespan. If a woman was to check her bloods and find out that they had had a testosterone reading of 0.7nmol/L (the lower end of the range), the safer model approach would suggest that there is room to push up these levels to the top end of the natural range. In short, when a woman’s natural testosterone levels are at the lower end, we can use fem test to increase those levels and still keep them within normal ranges, getting as close as possible to 2nmol/L.
But why do this? Well, testosterone has many benefits that athletes can make the most of. Notably, if we increase a woman’s testosterone levels to the top end of their natural range, we could be allowing them to recover better, train harder, and add more muscle mass, all quicker and more efficiently. Doing so would also mean that they would experience zero to very little side effects from the use of fem test, as the negative side effects that come from testosterone use are due to the total drug exposure and total time spent above natural ranges of testosterone. In this case, that time would be zero as levels are consistently kept within the existing natural testosterone ranges in women.
Let’s think about it from a practical example. Given that natural testosterone ranges in women range between 0.6-2nmol/L, if a female were to spend a long time exposed to 4nmol/L of testosterone, she would start to see some virilisation. This refers to when women develop male characteristics, such as deepening of voice, oily skin, facial hair growth, hard jaw line, and clitoral enlargement. It is well known that virilisation usually comes from the amount of time a woman has spent with testosterone levels above the natural range. Exposure is added up over the years, and as such, if a woman’s testosterone levels were above the natural ranges for a short period of time, one would not expect to see these side effects.
So, coming back to the reasoning behind the lower dosages in fem test compared to male test, if we were to prescribe 2-3mg of fem test a week to a female who’s testosterone levels were 0.7nmol/L, that would be enough to take her levels to around 2nmol/L. 2-3mg/week can easily be withdrawn from a solution that is 10mgml, but is practically impossible from a solution that is 300mg/ml, which is why fem test is dosed significantly lower than male test-e.
Is it really that safe?
Like anything we do in bodybuilding, you could never say that taking steroids is “safe”, but it can be done in a smart way that poses less risk. To be honest, if a woman is willing to take PEDs, it’s better for her to be educated on the matter to avoid causing unnecessary damage to her health and experiencing irreversible side effects.
One thing we must put forward and be clear about is that there is no short- or even long-term data on this. It is, for the most part, all theoretical. However, the safe model approach to PED use in females has been put into practise extensively in the last 2-3 years within the bodybuilding scene, with an abundance of reported successful outcomes. Of course, everyone is different, so no generalisations can be made about how one’s body will react to steroid exposure.
One could not guarantee that a female would not see side effects over a long period of time if she were to push herself to the end of the natural testosterone range by using fem test, especially bearing in mind that fem test is often used year-round. If a woman’s natural range has been 0.6nmol/L for her whole life and then she goes to 2nmol/L, that is 233% more testosterone than her body is used to! But I think we can agree that any side effects experienced would be a lot lower than if she were to spend time consistently above the natural range, in which case she would most definitely be experiencing some of the undesirable side effects that most women want to avoid.
We must also consider some of the side effect that having increased levels of testosterone can have on our body’s organs and systems: for example, reduced liver enzymes, reduced kidney functioning, increased thickness of blood, and potentially reduced levels of “good” cholesterol. However, these conditions usually come from spending time outside of the natural range, and as such, staying at the top end of the natural range shouldn’t affect these markers; importantly, if they do, with the right supplementation most issues can be controlled quite easily.
A key point, arguably the most significant point to raise, will be the effect that fem test will have on the menstrual cycle. A normal functional menstrual cycle is regulated by a delicate balance of hormones which fluctuate across the month which help lead to ovulation - release of an egg, maturation of that egg and then eventually menstruation. If a female were to increase her testosterone levels exogenously, it will lead to a disruption of that cycle as the testosterone that is being injected can aromatise (be converted) to oestrogen, which will increase total levels of circulating oestrogen in the body and lead to irregular cycles. (Of note, it is for this reason that women with polycystic ovarian syndrome experience irregular periods, as they have higher levels of testosterone circulating in their blood).
It’s also worth noting that if you’re using hormonal birth control, it may stop being effective. Hormonal birth control is often progesterone based and will lower levels of oestrogen in the body to stop ovulation. If you then inject testosterone and increase levels of oestrogen, you may ovulate and could still get pregnant.
Benefits of fem test that have nothing to do with bodybuilding
That being said, testosterone supplementation in females isn’t something new. If we were to look at peri menopausal and menopausal women who receive hormonal replacement therapy, some of what they receive is low levels of testosterone. If you’re wondering why, it's because low levels of testosterone can have negative effects on your health. As such, let’s look at how fem test could be beneficial:
Mood, energy levels and libido
Menopausal women can often experience low mood, energy, and low sex drive, and as such, those females who receive testosterone replacement therapy experience a reduction in fatigue, depression symptoms and as well as an increased sex drive and improvement in mood.
Increased bone density
With low levels of testosterone comes decreased bone density and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Therefore, as testosterone levels are increased, there is a reduced risk of developing osteoporosis and an increase in bone mineral density.
Improved cholesterol
In peri menopausal and menopausal women, oestrogen levels rapidly decrease causing an increase in low density lipoproteins (LDLs), also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol, and a decrease in high density lipoproteins (HDLs), also known as ‘good’ cholesterol. Therefore, by increasing their levels of testosterone, this process can be reverted as testosterone can be converted into oestrogen, which then supports the restoration of ‘good’ cholesterol levels and reduction of ‘bad’ levels.
Restoration of menstrual cycle
Women who have lost their period due to extreme dieting and overexercise (hypothalamic amenorrhoea) tend to have low levels of circulating oestrogen. I’ve witnessed many women recover their period by using exogenous testosterone, as it’s helped increase their oestrogen levels and as such, led to a regular cycle. You absolutely do not have to do that to restore your cycle but it’s an interesting point to note.
Reduction in fat free mass
It's also worth noting that low levels of testosterone in peri menopausal and menopausal women can increase levels of body fat. Therefore, by increasing levels of testosterone, one can see a reduction in body fat and an increase in lean muscle mass.
You might not be a peri menopausal or menopausal woman, but you could be a female with low testosterone levels, therefore the benefits of its usage outside of bodybuilding pursuits could still be relevant to you.
In conclusion, the use of testosterone supplementation in females over recent years has drastically increased. The theory behind it suggests that women can take it and push up to the top end of their natural range, which minimises side effects and allows them to add more muscle mass over time. There are potential negative health side effects and there is no way to guarantee that virilisation will be avoided. However, women can experience health benefits too from using fem test if they already have low levels of testosterone. If you are thinking of supplementing testosterone please contact a medical professional or someone who is well experienced and educated.
Vaughan Wilson Bsc Hons
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2913672/
https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/08-BMS-TfC-Testosterone-replacement-in-menopause-DEC2022-A.pdf
https://herahealthcare.com/blog/testosterone-hormone-and-its-importance-for-women/#:~:text=Studies%20have%20found%20that%20women,and%20more%20fat%2Dfree%20mass.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/expert-answers/testosterone-therapy/faq-20057935
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2913771/