Short answer: Xyosted is testosterone enanthate in a single-dose autoinjector injected under the skin of the belly once a week, starting at 75 mg and adjusted by trough blood tests.1 Depo-Testosterone is testosterone cypionate from a vial, injected deep into the buttock muscle; its label dose is 50 to 400 mg every two to four weeks.2 No trial has compared the two.
| Xyosted | Depo-Testosterone | |
|---|---|---|
| Ester | Testosterone enanthate1 | Testosterone cypionate2 |
| Route | Under the skin (subcutaneous), abdomen only; avoid muscle or vein1 | Into muscle only, deep in the buttock; not into a vein2 |
| How it comes | Single-dose autoinjector: 50, 75 or 100 mg in 0.5 mL1 | Vials: 100 mg/mL (10 mL) and 200 mg/mL (1 mL and 10 mL)2 |
| Label dosing | 75 mg once a week to start; up or down 25 mg based on trough level1 | 50 to 400 mg every two to four weeks2 |
| Dose checks | Trough level (7 days after a dose) after 6 weeks, 6 weeks after any change, then periodically; aim for 350 to 650 ng/dL1 | Dose adjusted to response and side effects; hemoglobin and hematocrit checked periodically2 |
| Half-life | Not stated in the label | about 8 days (label: about 8 days)2 |
| Oil and other ingredients | Sesame oil; preservative-free1 | Cottonseed oil, benzyl benzoate, benzyl alcohol as preservative2 |
| Label trial | 150 men, 52 weeks: 90% had an average level of 300 to 1,100 ng/dL at week 12; none over 1,500 ng/dL1 | No trial reported in the label2 |
| Storage | Room temperature; do not refrigerate or freeze1 | 68°F to 77°F, protected from light2 |
Xyosted is a small, fixed-dose autoinjector placed on the belly once a week. In its trial, men were trained to inject themselves on the same day each week.1 Depo-Testosterone is drawn from a multi-dose vial and injected deep into the buttock muscle, usually every two to four weeks.2 The Xyosted label says not to inject it into muscle; the Depo-Testosterone label says it is for intramuscular use only.12
The Xyosted label describes a 52-week, open-label study of 150 men: 90% reached an average testosterone level within 300 to 1,100 ng/dL at week 12, and none had a peak above 1,500 ng/dL. 24-hour monitoring showed blood pressure up by 3.9/1.5 mm Hg on average at 12 weeks.1
The Depo-Testosterone label is older in format. It gives the half-life (about 8 days) and the dose range, but reports no clinical trial.2 Without a shared trial, the two cannot be compared on results.
Both labels say testosterone can raise blood pressure, ask for it to be checked periodically, and say it is not recommended with uncontrolled high blood pressure.12 The Xyosted label lists the removal of its blood pressure boxed warning in March 2025.1 Both are contraindicated in pregnancy.12
More detail: Xyosted and Depo-Testosterone side effects, the Xyosted and Depo-Testosterone dosing schedules, a missed Xyosted dose, a missed Depo-Testosterone shot, and how to store Xyosted and Depo-Testosterone.