Key Takeaways: Most TRT protocols land between 80 and 200 mg per week of testosterone cypionate or enanthate. The right dose depends on your free testosterone target, SHBG, injection frequency, and how your body responds — not a universal number. Standard clinical replacement is 100-200 mg/week split twice weekly. Conservative titration starts at 25-50 mg/week and dials up only if labs and symptoms warrant it.
The TRT Dosage Chart
The chart below covers the three most common TRT dosing buckets: pure replacement, performance-oriented replacement, and body recomposition. Each tier maps to a typical weekly mg range, injection frequency, and expected free testosterone range at trough. Doses refer to testosterone cypionate or enanthate in a typical cash-pay compounded concentration (200 mg/mL).
| Protocol Goal | Weekly Dose | Frequency | Target Trough Total T | Target Trough Free T | Typical Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative titration (start-low) | 25-50 mg | 1-2x/week | 400-600 ng/dL | 10-15 pg/mL | Symptom-mild men, low SHBG, sensitive responders |
| Standard replacement | 80-140 mg | 2x/week | 600-900 ng/dL | 15-22 pg/mL | Most men on TRT |
| Performance replacement | 150-200 mg | 2x/week or EOD | 800-1100 ng/dL | 20-28 pg/mL | Active lifters, high SHBG, athletic goals |
| Recomposition (short cycles) | 200 mg | EOD | 1000-1300 ng/dL | 25-35 pg/mL | Often driven by goals beyond replacement — discuss tradeoffs with a prescriber |
A few things the chart does not show that matter in practice:
- Your labs are the scoreboard. Two men on 140 mg/week can have trough totals of 650 and 1050 ng/dL depending on how they metabolize testosterone. Dose by lab result, not by label.
- Injection frequency flattens the curve. 140 mg/week given once weekly produces a peak near 1200 ng/dL on day 3 and a trough below 500 by day 7. Split that same 140 mg into two or three injections and the peak drops while the trough rises.
- SHBG changes everything. Low SHBG men convert total T to free T efficiently — they need less total to hit the free T target. High SHBG men need more.
Matching Dose to Injection Frequency
Dose and frequency are the same dial in two positions. You cannot think about one without the other.
Once Weekly
Simplest schedule. Biggest peak-to-trough swing. Common outside the U.S., less common in cash-pay TRT clinics here.
- 100 mg once weekly: peak around 900 ng/dL day 2-3, trough near 350-450 ng/dL day 7
- 140 mg once weekly: peak around 1200 ng/dL, trough 450-550 ng/dL
- Many men on this schedule feel great for four days then crash into day 6-7
Twice Weekly
The standard modern protocol. Better stability without much added inconvenience.
- 50 mg x 2/week (100 mg total): trough around 500-650 ng/dL, peak around 850 ng/dL
- 70 mg x 2/week (140 mg total): trough around 650-800 ng/dL, peak around 1000 ng/dL
- 100 mg x 2/week (200 mg total): trough around 800-1000 ng/dL, peak up to 1300 ng/dL
Every Other Day
Smoothest curve. Most needle sticks. Often used with subcutaneous injections where the volume per shot is small.
- 20 mg EOD (70 mg/week): steady 550-700 ng/dL
- 30 mg EOD (105 mg/week): steady 700-900 ng/dL
- 40 mg EOD (140 mg/week): steady 850-1100 ng/dL
Daily Subcutaneous
Flat. Most physiologic. Niche but growing.
- 10 mg daily (70 mg/week): steady 600-750 ng/dL
- 15 mg daily (105 mg/week): steady 750-950 ng/dL
The "Start Low" Approach
Standard TRT is often prescribed at 100-200mg/week from day one -- doses calibrated to push levels well above mid-range fast. For some users, that jump is too much: energy spikes, mood swings, aggression, sleep disruption, or simply feeling "overly pumped up" in a way that doesn't match how they want to feel on TRT.
A conservative alternative starts at 25-50mg/week (~1/4 the standard starting dose) for 4-8 weeks, then titrates up only if blood work and symptoms warrant it. Reports from community and clinician notes increasingly favor this approach for users who are sensitive to hormonal changes or want a smoother adjustment curve. Some users find they never need the full dose -- they hit target free T levels and reach their goals at the lower end of the range.
This is not a universal recommendation. Some men genuinely need 150-200mg/week to achieve symptom relief, and aggressive titration is appropriate when labs show severe hypogonadism. But if you have room to negotiate dose with your prescriber, asking for a 4-8 week "start low, titrate slowly" phase is a legitimate choice that many users report worked better for them than jumping straight to a full replacement dose.
