What did @larrywheels actually say?
Larry Wheels told his 1.1 million viewers to "switch it over to sub-cute" for testosterone injections, describing the technique as pinching belly fat near the navel and injecting with an insulin-sized needle. His core pitch: subcutaneous (SubQ) testosterone injections prevent the pain people typically experience with intramuscular (IM) shots. He closed with a referral to a telehealth service called Transcend via his bio link.
The transcript is garbled in places, likely due to auto-captioning errors, but the central claim is clear enough. He is recommending SubQ over IM testosterone administration for comfort reasons. That claim is worth examining carefully, because it is partially supported by evidence, but the full picture is more complicated than a 30-second TikTok allows.
Does the science back this up?
Mostly, yes, but with caveats. SubQ testosterone injections are a real, medically recognized route of administration, and the comfort advantage over IM has some support in the literature.
A 2017 study by Spratt et al. published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society found that SubQ testosterone injections produced stable serum testosterone levels comparable to IM injections in hypogonadal men. Injection site reactions were generally mild. A 2021 review by Kaminetsky et al. in the Journal of Sexual Medicine also confirmed SubQ as a viable alternative, noting patient preference often favored the smaller needle format.
However, pharmacokinetic differences between SubQ and IM routes are real. SubQ injections tend to produce a slower absorption curve and may result in lower peak testosterone levels. For some patients this is an advantage. For others, particularly those using higher doses, it may mean subtherapeutic troughs. The science supports SubQ as an option, not a universal upgrade.
What did they get wrong (or right)?
He got the basic technique right. Pinching abdominal subcutaneous fat and using a short, fine-gauge needle is consistent with established SubQ injection protocols. Reduced injection pain compared to IM gluteal or thigh injections is plausible and reported by patients in clinical settings.
What he got wrong, or at least incomplete, is the framing that SubQ "prevents any pain." That is an overstatement. SubQ injections can still cause local reactions, lipodystrophy at the injection site with repeated use, or discomfort depending on oil vehicle and injection speed. Morales et al. (2010, Aging Male) noted that subcutaneous nodule formation is a documented side effect worth monitoring.
He also conflates "HRT" and "TRT" as interchangeable at the end of his video, which they are not. HRT broadly covers hormone replacement across multiple axes, while TRT is specific to testosterone. That is a minor but meaningful distinction on a platform where viewers may be making health decisions based on this content.
What should you actually know?
SubQ testosterone is a legitimate, increasingly used injection method. Several U.S. telehealth platforms and endocrinologists now routinely offer it, and patient satisfaction data is generally positive. If you are on IM testosterone and finding it painful, asking your prescriber about SubQ is a reasonable conversation to have.
What it is not is a magic fix. Your prescriber needs to consider your specific formulation, your current testosterone levels, and your injection frequency before switching routes. Testosterone cypionate in sesame or cottonseed oil behaves differently SubQ than it does IM, and your lab values may shift after the switch.
Also worth noting: Larry Wheels is a professional powerlifter and public figure with a financial relationship with Transcend, the service he plugs at the end. That does not automatically make his advice wrong, but it is relevant context you deserve to have before clicking any bio link.