1CC knows his stuff on this and has spent more time than I have on studys of adsorptives.
I spend a little more to get my T compounds but I totally trust the pharmcist. One can get burnt so go locally where you trust the person. Mine discusses the vehicles and has helped me tweak the system... and I get the doses in
syringes to measure. I think some still get the compounded in vials.
I do know that every one is different. I do not convert as easily to
DHT, but I do to E. That has made me work out my system to address that. I took the 1% gel for a couple of months and I was getting zip from it, and it was more expensive by far. I will never go back to a gel.
Now everyone has different receptor capability, different chemical mediator capability, different anti-5 and anti-aromatase capability, ad infinitum. You have to make the system work for you. There is a ton more to the depression thing here than T. I do believe T/E is more important.
I spend more time on mediators now, than T. T is just the foundation. The emotions and capabilities come from a lot of other stuff as well.