Hello all. After feeling the symptoms of low T for awhile now I decided to have my testosterone levels checked. The reference range of testosterone levels are 300-1100 ng/Dl and at 420, my doctor considered my levels as normal. Unconvinced, I’ve done a bit of researching on what the average testosterone ranges in men around 25 years old, which appears to be 692 ng/Dl. (I’m retarded and don’t know how to embed a photo)
I’m around 195 lbs, 11% body fat and in pretty good shape. My concern is that with such a low T level at the age where testosterone is supposed to be highest, the muscle and strengths gains I make will be insignificant. To be honest, my gains have really stalled since high school, where I was heaviest at 200, granted with more body fat. I’m on a 5 day split with two days of high-intensity cardio/week. Caloric intake is roughly 3000-3500 calories/day. I don’t heavily monitor macros, just make sure protein intake is over 190g and fat over 100g.
Can making strength and muscle gains be possible at such a low T? Or am I just spinning my wheels every time I lift weights… Appreciate it guys.
You are right, your T is low for YOUR age. See “Finding a TRT doc” sticky, and read the first 2 pages of my own thread to see how I found mine (had to educate him a bit).
You need several Testosterone blood tests done over a period of months - all in morning time . Your level is not low but it is not high either - it is normal . Don’t F with your hormones if you are operating normally . Sure it would be nice to have 1200 levels naturally and be built like a tank and make gains just by looking at weights , but you don’t have that - you do sound like you are a larger sized person and probably can make do with what you have been given .
If you add T to your body you will shut down your natural production of T - You will be required to supplement T the rest of your life , and may not end up looking like you want anyway . TRT is for people who don’t have a normal level of T - not to optimize a lower level , it is just not worth the amount of payoff in those cases .
Please CAREFULLY read the advice for new guys sticky. There are suggestions about things that can affect your T levels. At your age, lower T levels are not a condition, they are a symptom.
Please provide more info, all lab data with units and ranges.